After a long time, Qin Chuan looked up at the people seated before him, his tone questioning everyone present.
"So, you're willing to sacrifice the lives of everyone in Zone B to ease your conscience?"
Everyone stiffened, as if shamed by his words.
"Qin Chuan! Watch your tone."
Qin Chuan merely smiled. He looked at the hypocritical individuals before him. Every time a riot broke out, the soldiers on the front lines were always those like them from below, while these high-ranking officials were merely concerned about whether the Lighthouse would be affected.
But these people had forgotten the original purpose of the Lighthouse's establishment.
The Lighthouse was meant to protect humanity, but now it had become a bargaining chip for these people to solidify their power.
At this moment, someone projected the video from Zone B onto the large screen.
On the screen, people were scattering in panic, screaming, and many were being attacked.
One moment they were intimate lovers, the next, they were dying by each other's mouths.
Parents desperately protected their young children.
Everyone's face was filled with undisguised fear and dread.
The picture seemed to be under attack, flickering, making it difficult to see clearly.
Zone B was now like a living hell.
It was like the zombie outbreak many years ago, but this time, no one could have a more direct, firsthand witness to the devastation of this catastrophe.
No one spoke. The secretary who rushed in looked at the people present, seemingly awaiting an answer.
"General Liu, the first layer of isolation is ready. However, those rioters have spontaneously organized a breakthrough team and are engaging our soldiers."
"Our troops currently have the upper hand, and they haven't managed to break out of the encirclement yet, but our people won't hold on for much longer."
"Although the current news is being suppressed, many people outside have still received this information. I fear that when the crowds move, those outside might seize the opportunity to attack our people, and then we'll be caught in a pincer attack."
The man called General Liu looked pale. He wasn't a general at all; he had simply chosen the winning side before coming up.
This time, he had been pushed forward as a figurehead amidst the chaos.
Regardless of whether this matter was handled well or poorly, his reputation for being heartless and cold-blooded would likely remain indelible.
If he did well, it would be considered his duty; if he failed, he would be seen as inept and incompetent.
But no matter what, the lives of tens of thousands of people in Zone B were being placed squarely on his shoulders.
And the images on the screen continued.
Qin Chuan, who had been silent, suddenly seemed to catch sight of something on the screen. His previously dazed expression momentarily froze, but it only lasted for an instant before he quickly returned to his usual demeanor.
...
Zone B.
Xu An looked at the surrounding crowd. When they entered, they saw a scene like this.
It was then that Xu An understood what Qin Chuan meant by "only enter, no exit."
She had originally planned to leave immediately with them after finding her mother.
Now, thinking of the soldiers guarding the entrance, Xu An finally understood why those people had looked at her with pity.
In their eyes, Xu An's actions were undoubtedly suicidal.
She had been so naive, thinking that these people guarding the entrance were there to protect the area. She suspected it was more than that.
They had been inside for an hour, but when they went to her mother's friend's house, they found it empty. There were no signs of any bodies.
This made Xu An both scared and relieved.
At least for now, no news was the best news.
Xu An felt a pang of guilt towards Zhou Haimai, "I'm sorry for getting you involved."
"Silly girl, what are you talking about? Didn't we promise to be good sisters? Besides, this isn't something you could control. The most important thing now is to find Auntie as soon as possible. We can discuss everything else later."
Xu An nodded, a few tears welling up in her eyes again.
Yes, their top priority now was to find Xu Yan.
Everything else could wait.
"Where do you think Auntie might have gone? I looked at that room, and although it was messy inside, it didn't look like the kind of mess caused by an attack. Instead, it looked like she had accidentally knocked things over in her haste when she left."
Xu An nodded, agreeing with Zhou Haimai's assessment.
As she spoke, Xu An took out two guns from her person and handed one to Zhou Haimai.
Zhou Haimai was no longer surprised by the things Xu An occasionally produced from her person and immediately took the gun.
"Although I hope we don't have to use them, it's better to be safe."
After Xu An finished speaking to Zhou Haimai, a determined look appeared in both their eyes. When they entered Zone B, the lockdown hadn't been fully established yet.
Meanwhile, Qin Chuan had been in a daze since seeing that fleeting figure.
The screen was filled with dust and smoke. Moreover, due to the mutual attacks, several car accidents had occurred, with flames engulfing everything.
Yet, Qin Chuan could still spot Xu An in the crowd with a single glance.
Qin Chuan scanned his surroundings with his eyes: "Where is this place?"
The general, initially surnamed Liu, put on a stern face and carefully observed Qin Chuan's expression, trying to find even the slightest flaw on his face, which was filled with anger.
They hadn't called Qin Chuan over to throw a tantrum.
It was because someone had found out that Qin Chuan had arranged for people to infiltrate Zone B.
Upon learning this news, some people became restless.
They had initially believed those two people were spies planted by Qin Chuan to disrupt their plan.
After all, the current state of relative calm was due to their careful concealment.
Once the situation here was revealed to the public, it was bound to cause widespread panic.
They dared not take that risk.
Therefore, calling Qin Chuan over was both a deterrent and a suppression.
However, Qin Chuan's reaction upon arriving left everyone looking at each other in bewilderment.
Qin Chuan actually had no idea about this matter from beginning to end?
And he had even come over to question them?
...
Zhou Haimai watched the figures chasing and biting others, their appearances inhuman.
"Are these things zombies? They haven't fully zombified, but their behavior is almost identical to zombies."
"I suspect it's a virus that spread from the laboratory. Let's hurry and find someone. Don't linger, and don't interfere with other people's affairs. I'm afraid things are not that simple."
"Are you suspecting that the Lighthouse has abandoned this place?"
Xu An remained silent, but her expression said it all.
"If the authorities still cared about this place, we wouldn't have gone this long without seeing a single law enforcement officer."