Chapter 458 The Return of Darkness (Part 21)
Command post.
Temporary iron railings were welded onto both sides of the passageway.
The busy figure exuded a sense of vigilance, constantly paying attention to the movements of those around him.
Commander Zhong sat alone in his office, the secretary's voice coming through the walkie-talkie.
The military base and the government building are located at opposite ends of the security zone, requiring an intermediary to place two walkie-talkies for communication.
The leaders used this method to discuss how to settle the more than nine million people.
"A new resettlement plan must be put forward as soon as possible. The public's emotions are already unstable. Those temporary shelters lack basic living facilities and have extremely poor sanitary conditions, which can easily lead to disease."
"The most important thing is to maintain order. We just received a report that several more aberration incidents have occurred in the South District, leading to large-scale riots."
"The key question is how to resettle them? If the population is too dispersed, the army will have to disperse as well."
The voice on the walkie-talkie said, "The dispersal of troops means that the defensive line is stretched. If a large-scale incident occurs, the troops will not be able to regroup in a short time, and the consequences will be unimaginable."
"Moreover, the soldiers are so busy running around that they're exhausted. How will they fight then?"
The secretary replied, "Actually, we can prioritize resettling the elderly, children, and women, and then gradually relocate the others."
"Where should we divert them?" the political commissar asked.
Commander Zhong's gaze fell on a map on the table, which was densely marked with the distribution of resources and population within the safe zone.
He said, "Jiangning District."
Jiangning District is located within the safe zone. It is sparsely populated and surrounded by Nanjing's main city from the east, west, and south.
However, there is a drawback: that area is close to the buffer zone.
They were not initially included in the resettlement plan.
The secretary sighed. "The people in the buffer zone are being evacuated. According to Captain Xie's men, the danger there is not yet certain, but if an anomaly occurs, the danger level in the buffer zone will definitely far exceed that of the quarantine zone."
"I know that the military region has already transferred the First Army Group to the periphery for defense." Commander Zhong has already received the test results.
For many people, pollution levels have decreased instead of increased, which is highly unusual.
Researchers from the institute have already gone there to confirm whether antibodies have appeared.
Let's see if we can develop a treatment vaccine.
"Given the current situation, we have no other choice."
Commander Zhong slowly spoke: "There are heavy troops guarding that area, as well as those transmigrators. The streets near the main city can accommodate quite a few people."
"The notice will be issued on a voluntary basis, and people who do not wish to go will not be forced."
Just then, there was a knock on the office door.
"Come in."
The door opened.
After Xu's adjutant passed away, the adjutant who was temporarily promoted stood at the door, saluted and said: "Reporting to the commander, the mutants in the quarantine zone have been completely wiped out. Lieutenant General Ren and Commander Xie are leading the troops back."
Commander Zhong looked at the somewhat unfamiliar faces and couldn't help but feel a little dazed.
He paused for several seconds before nodding and replying, "Command of the 12th Army Group has been handed over to Captain Xie. Follow his instructions."
"yes!"
*
Xie Tu ordered the tank units to be stationed on the edge of the buffer zone and the safe zone, and led the infantry company into the safe zone.
The city, shrouded in darkness, resembled a lurking beast.
Oppressive and dangerous.
As the vehicle drove into the densely populated quarantine area, a large number of troops were stationed on both sides of the street.
Within minutes, seven or eight riots broke out in the vicinity.
People screamed and ran in all directions, pushing, trampling, and crying out in despair.
Visibility was too poor, and there was a risk of accidentally injuring civilians; heavy weapons could not be used in densely populated areas.
The soldiers, carrying the fishing nets they had been issued and flashlights in hand, jogged towards the scene and used launchers to fire the nets at the mutants.
This net is made of a special material that is resistant to corrosion.
The mutant, caught in the net, screamed and struggled.
The soldiers, their expressions blank, skillfully subdued the mutant from two directions, dragging it out of the settlement to deal with it.
The level of skill indicated that this was not the first time he had done this.
"The distortions seem to be happening far too frequently."
Lai Yannian frowned. "The Dark Apocalypse has only been going on for less than a day, yet there are mutations in people almost every moment."
I can't imagine what a desperate scene it must have been two hundred years ago.
Xiao Yunzhao was unusually quiet and didn't say a word.
Xie Tu, however, was looking at the fishing net.
The level of technology and productivity in the old era was beyond imagination.
Within a single day, countless testing instruments and various auxiliary tools were all in place.
Even so, in the face of the increasingly frequent and overwhelming waves of aberrations, humanity's defenses remain precarious.
At that moment, a sharp scream came from another quarantine site.
Seeing this, the soldiers quickly surrounded them again.
Xie Tu left behind an infantry company of over 40,000 men to help suppress the riots in the safe zone. He contacted the sentries of the eleventh and twelfth groups.
At the same time, they also made contact with Zhongshan.
Zhongshan Scenic Area is located within the safe zone.
The area is surrounded by tourist attractions, with no residences or crowds, making it surprisingly safe after darkness falls.
"So far, we haven't encountered a single mutant here."
Zheng Shao's words were filled with gratitude: "The battalion commander asked me to ask Captain Xie if he needs our help, to send a guide over to help direct the crowd..."
The cloud guide did not come in.
With such high pollution concentrations, without any guides, Zhuang Wan feared that the sentries at the large base would not be able to hold out relying solely on inhibitors and guide agents.
Moreover, I've heard that inhibitors have strong side effects.
Overuse can cause sentinels to develop immunity and suppress their abilities.
Xie Tu: "No need, we can hold out for now. The real danger is yet to come, so don't let your guard down."
"learn."
Zheng Shao assumed that as an S-rank sentinel, he might be too embarrassed to ask for help, so he tactfully said again, "The battalion commander could actually come and help temporarily..."
Xiao Yunzhao pouted and arrogantly raised her head.
With her there, is there a need for other guides?
She was about to speak when Xie Tu, who was prepared, handed her a bag of spicy beef jerky from who-knows-where, interrupting her.
Xie Tu said into the walkie-talkie, "I will speak up if needed. It's dangerous outside, and it's safer for the guide to stay on the mountain."
Zheng Shao had no choice but to give up, "Alright then, be careful, and let me know if you need anything."
Xie Tu: "Mm."
He turned off the walkie-talkie and turned his head to look at his side.
Xiao Yunzhao held up the beef jerky, but her tender little face showed displeasure, and her watery eyes stared straight at him.
The cook has been pushing his luck lately.
Xie Tu seemed oblivious, took the beef jerky, and tore open the packaging for her. "It's already morning. Are you sleepy? Do you want to take a nap?"
Xiao Yunzhao was pouting, letting him feed her, and opened her mouth to eat the beef jerky he tore open: "I don't want to sleep in the car, it's so uncomfortable."
Xie Tu then said, "It might take a while. Once I've arranged things properly, I'll take you to the buffer zone to rest."
The hotels in the safe zone were already full.
There were no empty rooms to be found.
Having just finished a night of fighting, everyone, from sentries to soldiers, needed to replenish their energy.
*
Frequent riots and screams erupted, and the panicked survivors also spent the entire night awake.
Some people tap their phone screen to check the time.
The phone screen showed 7:30 a.m., but the surrounding environment was no different from the middle of the night.
People looked up at the sky, trying to find a trace of light.
The sky remained as black as ink, with not a single ray of light able to penetrate the thick darkness.
The sun, that which once rose punctually every day, bringing light and warmth to the earth.
It's really gone...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
