Letting these submariners go ashore was probably not a good idea. These men, who hadn't seen the sun for a long time, had just climbed onto the city's embankment when they suffered non-combat casualties.
The unlucky guy's palm was pierced by an exposed steel bar. His shrill scream made the surrounding crew members break out in cold sweats. Two Marines who made a friendly guest appearance carefully searched the surroundings before dragging him back to the shore along with the half steel bar in his hand.
Their planned destination was the bridgehead of a half-collapsed cross-sea bridge. The commanders accompanying them were Wang Lei, Ning Wei and several idle staff officers. The captain and a small number of crew members stayed on No. 509.
The land warfare skills of these naval officers may not be as good as those of a group of army recruits, but fortunately the landing operation was similar to the underwater battle two days ago. The planned beach ambush did not happen, and the reconnaissance platoon of more than 40 people had a smooth journey.
The enemy seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth, and the city was filled with the smell of death.
"Report!" A naval lieutenant wearing a gas mask pushed open the half-open door, entered with a sharp military salute, handed over a stack of photos, and said seriously and concisely, "The West City area has been cleared, and no exchange of fire has occurred. We have found some corpse piles, and this is the situation at the scene. What instructions do you have, Commander?"
Political Commissar Wang returned the gesture and took the photo, his forehead wrinkled into the shape of a "川" (Chuan). These bodies had been incinerated, the intense heat distorting them beyond recognition.
"Any other information?" he asked.
The lieutenant thought carefully for a moment and replied, "North of Xicheng District Metro Station No. 3, there's a large pit filled with seawater. The radiation there is quite strong. I think it's the explosion point of a nuclear bomb, so I didn't take any photos."
Political Commissar Wang nodded and said, "You're right. Ensuring the safety of our comrades is more important. Our current medical facilities are insufficient to support high-risk missions. Go back and rest first!"
The lieutenant saluted again and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.
"Lao Ning, and you guys. Where do you think they went? Do we still need to go deeper into the heart of Nanzhou?"
"I think we absolutely have to go! I don't believe they would suddenly vanish without a trace. These corpses don't prove anything. Their civilization is very backward. In our history, many nomadic civilizations would massacre slaves before evacuating. Find them and kill them, otherwise our operation will be a failure."
"I don't think it's necessary! The food frozen in the pot and the untidied shelter are enough to reveal the truth. They must have encountered an irresistible natural disaster, like the end of Pompeii, and their bodies were eaten by wild beasts, so we can't find anything. Moreover, it's too risky for us to go deep into the hinterland. You know, we have no logistical supplies now!"
Two opposing voices appeared at the same time. The staff officers looked at each other and chose their side.
Ning Wei, sitting by the window, was unusually quiet today. In fact, he hadn't said a word since the landing operation began. He stared at the photos in his hands, as if he were looking at his deceased wife.
"I think I know what's going on."
Lao Ning put down the photo and used a tactical dagger to draw the outline of the city on the rotten table. He put an X in the West City District, the Southern New District, the Northern Industrial District, and the Eastern Flooded District. Then he connected the four crosses and nailed the dagger at the intersection of the two lines.
"She's here, bring her back and we can go back!"
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