Surging emotions and righteousness
I don't know why he would give Yu Zhongjian face, but I couldn't contain my anger when I heard him speak: "You're a general, yet you have no respect or reverence for life."
The general chuckled: "Respect? I've seen countless dead people in my wars back in the day, how could I possibly respect them all?"
"With someone like you in charge, it's a disaster for the survivors!" I said bluntly, not giving an inch.
He was probably enjoying his cigar, so he wasn't angry at the moment. He picked up the paper and said, "If we hadn't bombed you, you would all be dead by now! What's the point of talking to a shallow little girl like you? I don't have time to teach you. Look at the nonsense you've listed."
As he looked around, he became puzzled, "What is a veteran? What does rebuilding a veterans' home mean?"
“A hospital, our base, with buildings, land, a lake, and a well, all of which you have destroyed. I demand that it be rebuilt exactly the same, and that all supplies be replenished.”
"Oh, what's the Qi family?"
My dad said irritably, "My home, my ancestral home, is a sixty-year-old two-story building that neither zombies nor the demolition office could do anything about."
"Oh." The general neither said he would compensate nor refused, his tone indifferent. He looked down column by column, pointing to one line and asking, "And what's this little rabbit?"
As we were talking, more and more people came up, and since there wasn't enough room, they stood in the hallway outside. At that moment, I heard a few sobs from a girl, and the voice sounded like Chen Ruonan.
“Rabbits are rabbits, seven rabbits we painstakingly caught and carefully raised!” Chen Ruonan said with heartache, and I, feeling envious, continued sarcastically, “We survivors in our small city can’t compare to the capital. We eat canned meat and dehydrated vegetables. After our homes were bombed to smithereens, we couldn’t even get dry rations. We practically lived on air all the way to Beijing. You don’t know until you go to the capital that here we have oxtail stew in an iron pot, red wine, and fresh tomatoes!”
My mother angrily retorted, "If Rongjun hadn't been bombed to death, our little vegetable garden would have sprouted by now."
The general remained noncommittal, reviewed the compensation plan, and then passed the paper to the other two base commanders. He feigned interest and said, "The bombing zone isn't just along the line from Huaicheng to Yucheng, but only your team has come knocking. Since you're here, you should be aware of the capital's defenses, and you should know that I won't take this small force seriously. So I'd like to ask, besides kidnapping the base commander as a hostage, what other bargaining chips do you have to make the capital bow down to you?"
I was taken aback: "Aren't the three of you enough?"
The general laughed and lit another cigar. Shan Kelun said, "Miss Qi, although we are the base commanders, the base has a team, it's not a one-man show. Even if you kill us, the base can still operate and develop smoothly, and a new base commander will take office soon."
“He can lead troops into battle,” I said, pointing to the general and then to the commander of the Wolf Smoke Base. “He can develop vaccines. You…you have a powerful weapon in your hands. I don’t believe the base will abandon you.”
Shan Kelun laughed: "Beacon Fire also has two major general deputy base commanders who can lead troops into battle; Base Commander Hu is indeed the leader of the virus research group, but he has many researchers under him, and vaccine research will not stagnate because of his absence; as for me, before the apocalypse, I worked in the national supervisory department, so I can say that I have never dealt with key military equipment. As for the so-called weapons, I am indeed in charge of their care and safekeeping, but I am not the only one in charge."
I narrowed my eyes: "Are you saying that capturing you is useless, and if you don't compromise, even if I kill you all, this trip will have been in vain?"
Dan Kelun said, "To be precise, that's how it is."
The general continued to pour cold water on the idea: "It wasn't a wasted trip; at least you left here alive. I have a tracker on me. Just press it, and you'll soon witness the prowess of my assault troops."
I was speechless for a long time, a strong sense of defeat welling up inside me. What kind of people are these? Cunning, treacherous, and shameless. After seeing my compensation proposal, they felt it was too much and were willing to threaten their own lives? Compensating with some supplies is more important to them than their own lives?
I couldn't see my own face, and I knew it wouldn't look good. Seeing Yu Zhongjian standing silently behind the general's sofa, a slight smile on his face, only made it seem more absurd. Had he lost his mind from smoking that big cigar? Which side was he on? Had he defected?
After a moment of silence, I chuckled: "A perfunctory apology, but you don't want to give a penny. You killed so many survivors, and now you want us to stay here and die? You're trying to destroy our spirit, fine. They say the common people can't fight against officials, but I don't believe it. Go ahead and install the tracker. Today I'll see how powerful your assault team is, and see if I can take your lives faster, or if they can take mine!"
The general looked at me through the layers of smoke and said, "I told you I would make arrangements for you at the base and provide some compensation, but you're not satisfied. It's fine for young people to be full of enthusiasm and courage, but do you think all the people in your team are willing to follow you here to die?"
I remained silent, as did the group of people behind me. The general continued, "The compensation amount is too large; we cannot accept it. Our previous promises still stand. Anyone who wants to go to the base, step forward, and I'll guarantee your life."
I thought to myself, what guarantee do you have? If you dare to use the tracker, I'll be the first to take you out! If you dare to betray the team, I'll be the second... well, forget it. You haven't had a good time with us, just suffered the most, and now you're storming into the capital demanding compensation. Turns out the big shots are shameless and reckless, and we've become a laughingstock. Following me blindly won't end well; wanting a peaceful life elsewhere is only natural. Go if you want!
I thought this to myself, but I didn't dare turn my head. When I heard footsteps moving behind me, my heart felt like it was slowly freezing over.
Who is it? Who is it? Please don't let it be my partner, comrade-in-arms, or family member who I've fought alongside day and night. Please don't let it be the person I'm determined to protect with my life.
"I......"
Upon hearing the voice, I first breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't someone close to me; it was Old Lin. But at the same time, I felt a pang of regret. Although I wasn't close to him, I felt indignant on behalf of his mother-in-law, wife, and son. Besides, we had saved his life; how could he back down and give up? Wasn't he afraid his mother-in-law would appear to him in a dream?
"I will never go to the base. I'd rather die than seek justice." Old Lin said calmly, stepping forward to stand beside me. "I will stand with Captain Qi through thick and thin."
I took a deep breath and used all my strength to control myself from putting my arm around Lao Lin's shoulder, trying my best to maintain a cool demeanor.
“We won’t go to the base; we’ll stand with Captain Qi through thick and thin.” Liu Sicheng stepped forward, and Peng Di didn’t say anything, just stood shoulder to shoulder with him.
“We won’t go to the base; we’ll stand with Captain Qi through thick and thin.” Fu Hua and his friends walked up to me.
"We won't go to the base; we'll stand with Captain Qi through thick and thin." The survivors from Baicheng and Yucheng all stepped forward, uttering the same words.
In that instant, I remembered a line Li Kui said: "Brother, if you die, then I'll become a little ghost too!"
If there weren't three other strangers in the room, I think I would have burst into tears immediately, jumped up, and given each of them a big hug. It was so touching! It was like a scene from a TV drama. What have I done for them? I just picked them up halfway through the journey, received over two tons of "pledges of allegiance," and used them a lot when I needed manpower. What have I done to deserve this support? What have I done to deserve such a heartwarming moment in my life?
I cannot show weakness in front of outsiders. Although my heart is surging like a raging sea, my face remains cold, and my eyes even hold five parts pride and three parts defiance. Come on, let's fight to the very last moment. The outcome is still uncertain. As long as I, Qi Aifeng, have a breath left, I will never bow my head or yield a step!
The three base commanders exchanged glances, and the general said calmly, "These men all lost their loved ones in the bombing, so it's normal for them to have a desperate and reckless mentality. What about the other group? Have you asked their opinions? Are they willing to follow you? Are they willing to pay the price for your impulsiveness? Is that little boy at the door ten years old? And that old man, he must be eighty years old this year, right?"
Grandpa Tang squeezed out and angrily said, "I'm sixty-seven!"
The general chuckled: "Sixty-seven is still young. Isn't it good to be alive? Little girl, look at these people, the old and the young. Can you bear to let them die with you? You still have parents. Don't let them pay for your thoughtless words and actions. Know when to stop. Impulsiveness is the devil."
"Whether you pay or not is none of your concern." My dad hadn't spoken for a while, but when he did, he went straight to the general. "You just said you didn't have time to teach her, perfect! Her own parents are standing right here, and my daughter doesn't need your guidance! What kind of official are you, acting so arrogantly, always talking about sending people to their deaths? The world is in a bad state now, ordinary people have nowhere to seek justice, and all the honest officials who care about the people are dead. Power is in the hands of a bunch of wildcats and monkeys that popped out of nowhere, destroying people's hometowns, taking lives, and refusing to take responsibility. Then there's nothing more to say. Do what you have to do. I support all of my daughter's decisions. Our Qi family has never been afraid of trouble. We won't offend others unless they offend us, but if they do, we'll fight to the death."
The general's tiger-like eyes glared again: "The way you talk is really..."
“What’s wrong with what I said?” My dad said again, “Your actions of harming innocent people are a crime in themselves. We were lucky enough to escape, and we’re here to petition and make demands. Not only are you pointing fingers at us, but you’re also threatening to kill us if we don’t listen to you. What’s your stance on saying such things? Are you a bandit, robber, or invader? Aren’t we citizens of this country? No matter how strong your gun is, we’re not afraid of you. We’ve lost our home, what else is there that we won’t risk!”
The general was furious: "When did I say I was going to silence you? You came to the base to cause trouble and kidnap people, is this how you petition the government? I haven't even called you troublemakers yet!"
"If they bomb our hometown without warning, don't blame us for resorting to extreme measures to petition. It's just an eye for an eye."
"you......"
"Uncle." He was interrupted before he could finish speaking. Xiao Hei, as if on purpose, pushed through the crowd and walked in. "Just arrived. I heard you say you were going to fight to the death. Who is it? How could someone as good-tempered as you get so angry? Don't fight, I'll handle it!"
My dad has a good temper? Xiao Hei is a prime example of someone who blatantly lies. But just now, my dad didn't yell at me with his usual booming voice, but rather exuded a sinister aura. He seemed straightforward, yet there was a hint of sarcasm, a sarcastic undertone that somehow carried a powerful force. Without thirty years of observing my mom's arguments daily, he couldn't have uttered such nuanced and layered words.
After Xiao Hei finished speaking, Fatty squeezed forward, followed by Li Qiang, Guo Yang, Wang Lianshan, Chen Shuo, Duan Mingzhe, the Dai brothers, and so on. A group of people who had lived together in the veterans' ward all moved forward a step, crowding around my dad and me in layers.
"Being an official doesn't make you so great! You think you're so tough! No matter how good the base is, it's not as good as our home. You want to follow you instead of Uncle Qi? Dream on!"
"Exactly! They bombed our Huaicheng and they act like they're in the right, complaining that we're asking for too much compensation. But when you were bombing it, didn't you complain about how much compensation we were getting?"
"So what if you outnumber us? We have cannons, guns, and rocket launchers too! Let's fight! We're lucky to be alive, it doesn't matter!"
"If we don't go to the base, we'll stay with Doctor Qi. Anyone who dares to go to the base, I'll break their legs!"
The crowd erupted in a cacophony of voices, the three base leaders' faces growing increasingly grim, while I was already bursting with excitement. Turning to look at these people, I saw familiar faces, expressions of utter fearlessness, even Wu Bainian, that weakling, was caught in the middle, fist raised, brimming with righteous indignation. My blood boiled; it was worth it. Regardless of the final outcome, to have such brothers in this life was truly worthwhile!
Little Meng poked her head out from under the adult's waist, looking up at me: "Auntie, are bad people preventing us from going home?"
I pulled him out, patted his head, and said, "That grandpa wants you to go with him to the big base in the capital. There will be food and drink, a big house to live in, and someone to protect you. You won't have to be afraid of monsters coming to capture you anymore. Do you want to go?"
Xiao Meng asked, "Are you going? Is Uncle Qi going?"
"We're not going."
"Is Aunt Wei going?"
Wei Ru struggled to squeeze through the crowd, squatted down and hugged Xiao Meng, glaring at the general with hatred: "I'm not going, and you're not allowed to go either! A person should have backbone, know how to be grateful, remember who helped you in your most difficult times, and also remember who hurt and struck you when you were full of hope for a new life! We should thank our benefactors and be irreconcilable enemies with those who hurt us!"
Xiao Meng nodded: "Oh, I remember. I'm not going. I want to go home."
The general snorted and rolled his eyes: "Look at how this woman raises her child. She's instilling hatred in him at such a young age. How can he not become a threat to society when he grows up?"
My dad said coldly, "The only ones threatening society right now are zombies and you." A group of young men behind him burst into unrestrained laughter.
Seeing that the two of them were about to start arguing again, I quickly said loudly, "Alright, that's enough. Give the base leaders some time to think it over. If you want to pay, then pay; if not, then fight. That's all. Everyone, disperse!"
The general roared, "What are you talking about? I'll just launch a surface-to-surface missile and you'll all be finished."
I calmly said, "Go ahead and do it. No justice, no peace. Countless survivors across the country have already died in the bombings. What does it matter if we, the children and the elderly, are killed? You've seen enough dead people to know what's going on."
I maintained my calm and indifferent demeanor until I led everyone out of the VIP suite. As soon as the two doors closed, I jumped up impatiently: "Quick, quick, bring out all our weapons and ammunition! Get the rocket launchers, mortars, and heavy machine guns ready! Everyone, form your previous groups and carry as many grenades as you can. I'll come back in a bit to assign you combat positions!"
As everyone dispersed, I grabbed Xiao Hei and said, "If a fight really breaks out, don't join the battle. We'll draw fire from the hotel, and you'll be responsible for getting the elderly, women, and children down the mountain and leading them eastward."
"Strong wind..."
"Stop talking." I patted him on the shoulder. "It's not that I don't want you to fight, but someone has to do it. I believe in you."
We're all single, and he's the only one who has someone to rely on, so sending him to deliver someone is the most suitable thing for us. He won't abandon Liu Meili, and Liu Meili won't abandon my parents.
Footsteps echoed on the first floor, but the second-floor corridor was deserted. I was still pacing back and forth in front of the VIP suite. Yu Zhongjian hadn't come out; he'd been in the room with the big shots the whole time, displaying an incongruous ease throughout the negotiations and banter. I didn't know what he was doing, only that when I glared at him as I left, he gave me a look that said, "Take it easy."
About half an hour later, Yu Zhongjian came out, smiled when he saw my anxious look, and said, "Is there anything you're still angry about? Do you want to go back in and argue with them for a while?"
I was angry: "What are you talking about? These three have no shame, why should I argue with them? Our petition has failed, just wait for the fight!"
"How do you know it failed?" He reeked of cigars, the scent of soap completely masked, and lit another cigarette. "They've already agreed to compensate us."
I asked incredulously, "What did you say? How will you compensate me? Full compensation?"
"Full compensation. But there's one condition."
"What are the conditions?" Unease suppressed his surprise; the word "conditions" made him feel that nothing good was coming.
He exhaled a smoke ring and said calmly, "I don't know the other two base commanders, but General Shen isn't an unreasonable person. He just seems to have a bad temper. In reality, he still feels guilty about the survivors who died in the bombing. He just praised our men for being very united and brave, and asked them whether they listened to me or you. I said they listened to you. He asked if I would agree to conscript everyone to the western front. I said no. So..."
Yu Zhongjian, adopting that nonchalant, middleman-like demeanor, ruffled his short hair and said, "You take everyone back. He wants me to go to the base, and I've already agreed."
This statement is incredibly information-packed. I've tried my best to decipher every single word he said, but I still can't understand it: "He promised to pay in full, but he wants you to go to the base. What does that mean? Are you going to help him fight zombies on the western front? And then come right back?"
"I'm not coming back. I'll stay at the Beacon Base from now on."
This is so sudden! I licked my lips: "Did you already know this general?"
"Yes." He spoke with a cigarette dangling from his lips, a bit of ash falling from it. "I was planning to pretend we weren't close, but I didn't expect him to recognize me when I tied him up."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
