Yang Chang was on the roof of the primary school teaching building, constantly scanning the surroundings. Flames were burning outside the school's perimeter wall. These flames had dispersed much of the fog around the school, significantly improving visibility. In fact, everything flammable within the school had been burned to sustain the fires, including desks, chairs, benches, and even primary school textbooks.
However, Yang Chang could only observe a limited area; anything further away was completely obscured. Within the surrounding mist, vines occasionally crawled. But with the presence of the flames, these vines could not approach the school. Soldiers frequently added fuel to the fires, using either desks and chairs or cloth strips soaked in gasoline.
Curtains, books, and other items from the school had been thrown out to burn. After all, it was a matter of survival. It didn't matter if these books were burned; they were primary school textbooks, and the knowledge within them was of little use to the soldiers. Everyone present was at least a junior high school graduate; who still needed primary school knowledge?
"When can we finally get out?" Yang Chang muttered softly.
Just then, Yang Chang spotted a dark silhouette appearing in the mist. He immediately understood that their leader, Shen Feng, was likely returning. He quickly shouted, "Everyone be alert, the boss is back!"
The soldiers guarding the entrance immediately looked towards the mist, filled with confusion. Hadn't they been told the City Lord had gone to find reinforcements? Why was he back so soon? Could he have encountered danger?
As everyone watched the figure emerging from the mist, they observed cautiously. However, the person walking out of the mist was not Shen Feng, but Jin Zijue. He was covered in dirt, looking extremely disheveled. Although he wore a military uniform, it was tattered, making him appear as if he had crawled out of a garbage heap.
Everyone immediately became vigilant, pointing their guns at the approaching figure and asking, "Who are you? Where are you from?"
Jin Zijue waved his hand and said weakly, "I came from outside, I'm here to contact you. I'm one of us. Do you have any food?"
Guo Pinming arrived and had Jin Zijue brought in, asking, "You came from outside? What's it like out there?"
Jin Zijue leaned against the wall and sat down, saying helplessly, "Give me some food. I haven't eaten in three days. As for outside, it's completely chaotic. Ever since you people went missing, the higher-ups have been requesting support. Rongcheng couldn't intercept the zombie king in time, so the three million zombies have probably reached Rongcheng by now. Perhaps, the fighting has already begun."
After entering the mist, Jin Zijue had lost contact with his superiors. The mist blocked signals, so Jin Zijue wasn't entirely sure about the outside situation and could only make educated guesses.
Hearing this news, Guo Pinming frowned and said helplessly, "But we can't get out either. The surroundings are all mist and vines. The City Lord has gone out for help, so what should we do?"
Those trapped in Yuzhen were still hoping that Shen Feng would go out for help. If they received assistance, they would likely be able to escape. However, Rongcheng was now also facing danger, meaning they likely couldn't send troops to relieve them. Therefore, waiting for external aid wasn't a good prospect.
Someone brought Jin Zijue a bucket of instant noodles. Jin Zijue didn't stand on ceremony, taking it and eating heartily. He mumbled indistinctly while eating, "I came in alone along the road. Later, I saw your vehicle on the road. I think we can use this equipment to break out!"
Wang Yue Sheng also arrived nearby. Upon seeing Jin Zijue, he immediately recognized him as General Wei's bodyguard. With him here, he would surely be able to help, and his suggestion of breaking out perfectly suited Wang Yue Sheng's intentions.
"But we don't even know who the enemy is, and the road is blocked by trees. Breaking out might not be realistic," Guo Pinming said with a frown.
Jin Zijue didn't explain. He quickly finished the instant noodles, not even leaving the soup, and drank it all from the bowl. It seemed he was extremely hungry.
Jin Zijue put down the bowl, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and said, "You don't need to worry about the enemy; I've already found them. I've been active in the mist for the past week, originally looking for you, but I got lost. Coincidentally, I encountered a group of monsters – a bunch of treants. Those vines are the tendrils from the treants."
Upon hearing this news, Wang Yue Sheng felt invigorated. He then said, "As long as the enemy is found, that's enough. Tell me the location, and I'll blow them up directly."
Wang Yue Sheng was quite confident at this moment. Although the radio was unusable, the radar was still functional, ensuring accuracy in firing. Moreover, since Jin Zijue had already located these enemies, they could be defeated!
Jin Zijue rubbed his belly and asked, "Is there any more food?"
Guo Pinming helplessly gestured, and someone brought several flatbreads. These were made by the people of Luzhou themselves. They didn't taste very good but were filling.
While gnawing on the flatbread, Jin Zijue said, "The treants aren't important. These treants are protecting a tree that's probably over ten meters thick, and its canopy is immeasurably high, perhaps hundreds of meters. I can't see it clearly. I think this tree is the most important thing. If we launch a carpet-style strike and blow up both the treants and this large tree, I believe the enemy will be eliminated!"
"A large tree?" Guo Pinming didn't find it strange that the enemy was a tree. After all, it was the apocalypse, and plants could mutate. He was just unsure if destroying the large tree would truly resolve the crisis.
At this moment, Yang Chang also came down from upstairs. Seeing that it wasn't Shen Feng who had returned, he didn't say much. However, upon hearing them discuss an upcoming offensive, he immediately spoke up, "No, I won't leave the primary school. I only listen to the City Lord. He told me to stay here, so I will stay here. As for the offensive, I won't agree."
Yang Chang's outburst immediately soured Jin Zijue's mood. He couldn't help but say sarcastically, "Is this the army of Luzhou? Not only is their combat effectiveness poor, but now they also don't follow orders. This is clearly a good way to resolve the crisis, yet someone is afraid of death!"
Hearing this, Yang Chang became furious. He pointed at Jin Zijue's nose and said, "What do you mean by not following orders? What right do you have to command us? You're just a bodyguard, aren't you? Do you think you're something special? Do you think you're the best in the world!"
Jin Zijue sneered, finished the flatbread in his hand, clapped his hands, and coldly laughed, "I wouldn't dare claim to be the best in the world! But I'm more than enough to deal with you!"
As he spoke, arcs of electricity appeared in Jin Zijue's hand. These arcs sliced through the air, emitting a "sizzling" sound. This sound immediately brought to mind a high-voltage stun baton, which also produced such arcs when switched on.
Clearly, Jin Zijue was preparing to use his abilities to reason with them.
Seeing Jin Zijue threatening him, Yang Chang was not afraid. He immediately grabbed his rifle and pointed it at Jin Zijue, saying, "Just try it. Let's see who's more capable."
Yang Chang was confident. He knew the destructive power of the bullets in his hand. It was impossible for flesh and blood to withstand bullets!
Seeing this scene, Guo Pinming quickly stepped forward to mediate, saying, "Gentlemen, gentlemen, we are all on the same side. Let's not resort to violence, let's not resort to violence! We can discuss anything."
Wang Yue Sheng naturally sided with Jin Zijue. He also wanted to make a contribution, but at this moment, he had to step forward and mediate. "Gentlemen, please don't get angry, don't get angry. Let's talk things through. The situation is so critical now; we should work together."
Yang Chang slowly lowered his gun but still insisted on his stance, "I only accept the City Lord's orders. He told me to lead the men to guard here, so I will only guard here. If you want to attack, then be my guest. But I will only listen to his suggestions when the City Lord returns."
After saying this, Yang Chang left, ordering his subordinates not to leave the primary school without his command!
Seeing this, Jin Zijue became somewhat enraged. He was extremely angry at Yang Chang's actions. They were trapped in the mist, and only by actively attacking could they resolve the predicament, yet the other party was unwilling to cooperate. It was utter selfishness.
At this moment, Wang Yue Sheng also walked over and asked in a low voice, "What do we do now? My soldiers are all technical personnel and don't carry much equipment. If our more than two hundred people set out, we might be in trouble."
Jin Zijue understood this question perfectly. The specialty of artillery was long-range bombardment. If they encountered danger, they might not be able to handle it. That's why General Wei had sent Shen Feng along as protection when dispatching the artillery. Ironically, Shen Feng's subordinates were unwilling to cooperate, and he himself was not present, making the situation difficult to manage.
However, at this moment, Jin Zijue saw Guo Pinming nearby and immediately had an idea. He had specifically investigated Guo Pinming; Guo Pinming was a retired soldier, and his identity could be useful at this time.
Jin Zijue walked over to Guo Pinming and said seriously, "Minister Guo, I must inform you about the situation in Rongcheng. When I entered the mist, the zombies were still advancing towards Rongcheng. Now, the zombie army has gathered over three million strong, and Rongcheng is in grave danger. I heard you were also a soldier. May I ask, in Rongcheng's current situation, can you still bear to stand by and do nothing?"
Guo Pinming hesitated upon hearing this. He himself had suffered a tragedy due to the emergence of zombies. His family members had either turned into zombies or been bitten and eaten by zombies. Therefore, Guo Pinming hated the existence of zombies and wished to kill them all. However, he was now Shen Feng's subordinate and could only obey Shen Feng's orders.
After much thought, Guo Pinming said helplessly, "Let's wait until the City Lord returns. It's only about three days anyway. If the City Lord hasn't returned by then, we can discuss the offensive. That's what we agreed on earlier."
Jin Zijue winked at Wang Yue Sheng, who immediately understood and stepped forward to persuade him as well.
"Minister Guo, you are a person of great understanding. You must know that Rongcheng is on the verge of collapse. Our more than three thousand people here are Rongcheng's last hope. If we continue to delay here, more people in Rongcheng may die," Wang Yue Sheng said earnestly.
"But doesn't Rongcheng still have many soldiers? And headquarters has also sent reinforcements, so it shouldn't be that dangerous. Three days isn't a long time," Guo Pinming still did not agree to the suggestion of attacking the treants. He knew he should go to rescue Rongcheng, but without Shen Feng's permission, he could not leave.
Jin Zijue continued, "I know your concerns, Minister. If you go against City Lord Shen Feng's wishes, you will certainly be held responsible. But you must also consider the many people in Rongcheng. Moreover, City Lord Shen Feng's parents are in Rongcheng. If something happens to them, wouldn't that be letting Shen Feng down? Now, as long as we eliminate the monsters in the mist, we can set out to rescue Rongcheng. Isn't this a way to protect the City Lord's parents?"
Guo Pinming began to hesitate. Indeed, in the face of protecting Rongcheng, other matters could wait. Protecting Rongcheng was the most important thing. With a population of over five million, it was the rear base of the southwest. If it were breached by zombies, it would be all over.
At this time, Yang Chang, who had left, found Chu Chaoyan reading in a room. Since Li Xiang had been left to defend Liancheng, Chu Chaoyan had become the commander of the city defense forces. Now, Yang Chang needed Chu Chaoyan's support. If the personal guard and the city defense forces united, Guo Pinming would likely obey. Therefore, Yang Chang wanted to persuade Chu Chaoyan.
Chu Chaoyan was patiently reading. Having finally found some leisure time, she couldn't leave the primary school. If she didn't read, what else could she do? So, Chu Chaoyan was engrossed in reading a web novel. Fortunately, the pirated book industry in China was thriving, allowing Chu Chaoyan to find paperback pirated novels to alleviate her boredom in the apocalypse.
When Chu Chaoyan heard Jin Zijue's suggestion, she immediately said, "This arrogant guy actually dares to ask us to fight with him? Isn't he very capable? Let him fight by himself. I don't care about that guy."
Chu Chaoyan didn't consider the bigger picture at all. She simply disliked Jin Zijue. When Shen Feng had just arrived in Rongcheng, he had been given a hard time by Jin Zijue, which had displeased her. Therefore, no matter what Jin Zijue said, she disagreed and now ignored him.
Seeing Chu Chaoyan's attitude, Yang Chang finally felt relieved. With two thousand people unwilling to go into battle, Guo Pinming could likely be persuaded.
However, as Yang Chang walked out of the teaching building, he suddenly heard Guo Pinming say, "I'm going to protect the artillery in battle. After all, this was our mission. Now, to resolve the danger in Rongcheng, we have to act expediently!"
"Old Guo, are you alright?" Yang Chang couldn't believe his ears. Why had Guo Pinming chosen to fight alongside the artillery?
Guo Pinming said seriously, "The current predicament needs to be resolved. Opportunity knocks but once. We must seize this rare chance to kill those damned treants so that we can leave here. Although this goes against the City Lord's wishes, I am willing to accept the City Lord's punishment after the deed is done. Even if you kill me, I will do so willingly!"
"Have you been brainwashed?" Yang Chang asked incredulously.
Guo Pinming did not answer. With a determined expression, he began to mobilize soldiers and gather supplies for departure. He had not been brainwashed. He simply believed that his actions were correct. His entire family had been killed by zombies, and he had to be responsible for the people of Rongcheng. Now, so many people in Rongcheng were facing the threat of zombies, and he could not stand idly by and watch more families be destroyed.
Guo Pinming firmly believed that his choice was correct. He was confident that once he killed the monsters in the mist, the City Lord would forgive his unauthorized actions, as it was an emergency measure. Excellent leaders needed to seize opportune moments.