The "Scouting Team" was a newly formed organization at the Heng Ai Base. Led by several ability users, it recruited strong ordinary young adults to clear wasteland around the base.
Since most zombies had been eliminated by ability users, the risk for the "Scouting Team" was supposed to be very low.
However, occasional straggler zombies still appeared, and the young adults could generally handle them by working together. Each expedition for clearing wasteland earned them corresponding supplies as rewards, making it quite popular among ordinary people.
This time, Zhang Xing and Zhou Jie Xiong went out clearing wasteland together, only to encounter a powerful zombie. Zhang Xing was accidentally bitten, but fortunately, an ability user saw him and brought him back.
As for Zhou Jie Xiong, he lost track of his whereabouts and everyone assumed he was doomed.
"Sister, do you know?" Zhou Jie Xiong glared fiercely at Liang Yun Chong and the others. "We actually encountered zombies because this group of people deliberately set it up!"
"How is that possible? Is there some misunderstanding?" Wu Zhao couldn't believe it.
"Brother, tell us more details," Zhou Jie Ying urged.
"Two days ago, Captain Wang from the base told us a piece of land needed clearing and recruited ten ordinary people..." Zhou Jie Xiong slowly began to narrate.
When Zhou Jie Xiong, his brother-in-law Zhang Xing, and eight other scouting team members arrived at their destination, they found that the land had already been cleared and prepared by others.
Just as everyone was surprised, traces of zombies suddenly appeared from hidden spots.
The ten people quickly fought together, but these zombies were too powerful and numerous. Soon, these ordinary people without abilities were defeated.
Only then did everyone realize that the ability users in the team had not made a move, but were coldly watching everyone struggle.
Zhou Jie Xiong initially made excuses for them in his heart, thinking they were testing everyone's strength. It wasn't until two ordinary people without abilities were directly torn apart by zombies and died on the spot that he realized something was amiss.
One by one, they fell. Even though Zhou Jie Xiong and his brother-in-law Zhang Xing were relatively strong among ordinary people, they couldn't avoid getting injured.
Continuous dodging exhausted him until a zombie bit him fiercely on the right arm, tearing off a chunk of flesh and skin. Only then did Zhou Jie Xiong sober up somewhat.
The intense pain surprisingly saved him. In a moment of crisis, Zhou Jie Xiong awakened wind abilities. His first reaction was to create a gust of wind and blow himself away from the area.
"When I found my way back, most of the people who went with me were dead. I kept asking people along the way and only then did I find out they brought Ah Xing here last..." Zhou Jie Xiong said, tears of regret falling. "Xiao Ying, I'm sorry, I couldn't save him."
Looking at her brother's bloody and visibly sunken arm, Zhou Jie Ying couldn't bring herself to blame him. "Brother, it's not your fault. You were all ordinary people, it was really difficult in that situation..."
"Ability users not rescuing ordinary people violates our Heng Ai Base regulations. But I believe this is definitely not what our base leader intended. It must be those ability users who have a problem!" Hu Xue Yan interrupted Zhou Jie Ying, immediately defending Liang Yun Chong.
"I knew you wouldn't admit it!" Zhou Jie Xiong had expected this. He took out his phone from his pocket and said, "I was afraid of a misunderstanding before, so I went to find that ability user after I came back and personally heard the following conversation."
Zhou Jie Xiong's phone began to play the recording.
"Why did you only bring back one this time?"
"Who knew these ordinary people were so useless!"
"If this one doesn't have a crystal core either, Base Leader Liang will be furious."
"There's nothing we can do about it. We told these cowardly ordinary people to go directly to the zombies, and to bring them back before they fully zombify. Our timing is very difficult to control."
"But can this crystal core really make people gain abilities? Wouldn't that mean every ordinary person could have abilities?"
"Why give it to ordinary people? Isn't it better for us to have one more ability?"
"Are you trying to pocket it? Aren't you afraid Liang Yun Chong will kill you?"
"There's only one this time, so few, how dare I! But who are we compared to Liang Yun Chong's strength? If there are more next time, we two brothers can cover for each other and keep one, how about it?"
"Haha, that's a good idea! But it's a pity for those ordinary people. This idea of letting zombies deliberately bite them is a bit wicked!"
"This idea was Liang Yun Chong's. If there's retribution, it will be on him. Don't worry yourself! But we must keep these things quiet. If those ordinary people outside find out, it'll be a disaster!"
"I know..."
The recorded conversation ended here.
At this point, Liang Yun Chong's hypocritical mask was completely torn off.
"Utter nonsense!" Liang Yun Chong's face turned ashen. "I know nothing about this matter!"
As Liang Yun Chong was still speaking, he gave a signal to the members of his original team. Instantly, various ability attacks rained down.
The people present, in their panic, also began to flee, creating chaos for a moment.
Most of Liang Yun Chong's team members unleashed their full power, with one exception: Wu Zhao, the plant ability user.
"Old Wu, what are you still staring at? Quickly tie up those who are spreading malicious rumors!" Hu Xue Yan shouted while blinding others with a strong light.
"So you all knew? You all knew long ago that the base leader was feeding these ordinary people to zombies for crystal cores?" Wu Zhao's eyes slowly turned red.
"Old Wu, this isn't the time to talk about this. You need to control these people first, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable!" Liang Yun Chong tried to placate him, his attacks never ceasing.
"This is very important to me! Answer me, did you all know this long ago?" Wu Zhao roared.
"Yes!" Yu Yang couldn't help but tell the truth. "We knew you'd be soft-hearted, so we didn't tell you beforehand. Survival of the fittest is the law of human survival now. You are a victorious ability user, why waste your sympathy on those ants!"
Wu Zhao couldn't accept this reality. He had always believed that their "Heng Ai Base" was founded in the name of love. When the apocalypse first began, he was still an ordinary person, fighting his way out of hordes of zombies with these people.
Over the days, he watched the "Heng Ai Team" grow and become the "Heng Ai Base" that could care for and accommodate more people. He himself was fortunate to awaken plant abilities, able to control vines and plants to defend everyone against more zombies.
But now, Wu Zhao felt his faith crumble. The principles he had always firmly adhered to—establishing the base and protecting humanity in the name of love—were all a lie!
He could no longer follow such leaders. Therefore, this time, he unleashed vines and attacked Liang Yun Chong's team members!