Amidst the swirling thoughts, Jiang Baimian deliberated and began to speak:

"If the 'Doctor's' attack was previously considered a low-probability event, with our defenses and responses merely precautionary and incidental, we must now truly confront this possibility head-on. It seems imminent."

Otherwise, the "Salvation Army's" awakened of the "New World" sleeping in Wubei could not have been unreachable by mere coincidence.

Too many coincidences often imply an underlying necessity.

As Long Yuehong and the others were struck with fear, Committee Member Huang sighed and nodded slightly:

"That is indeed the case.

"Over the years, when contacting those who have entered the 'New World,' we've rarely failed, maybe two or three times out of a hundred, and even those had predictable precursors, unlike this time."

"What precursors?" Shang Jianyao, always seeking novelty and uniqueness, asked without regard for the situation.

Committee Member Huang casually replied:

"Their physical bodies sleeping in reality show signs of imminent death or visible decay."

Without waiting for Shang Jianyao to ask further, he steered the conversation back on track:

"In the current situation, such anomalies are sufficient to prove that some of your concerns and mine are not fantasies.

"I was originally just providing you with a little help, as the people, soldiers, and the sleeping one in Wubei had to be evacuated due to the nuclear warhead issue. A simple modification of the plan was a trivial matter. But now, it seems we must seriously consider how to deal with this 'Doctor' you mentioned.

"The previous plan must be adjusted to some extent."

"Without the protection of a 'New World' awakened, can humanity escape infection from 'Heartless Disease'?" Long Yuehong asked anxiously.

If not, then the "New World" awakened would be equivalent to another level of nuclear weapon. No matter how Committee Member Huang adjusted the plan, he couldn't change the fate that a large portion of the people here would become "Heartless."

Committee Member Huang glanced at Old Zhang, who was wearing a deep aluminum pot:

"Based on my personal experience and the various materials I've read, unless sufficient distance is maintained, no one can escape the 'Heartless Disease' actively spread by a 'New World' awakened.

"The Awakened who enter the 'Mind Corridor' may be able to hold out for a while longer, but precisely because of this, such humans often become the focus of attention for 'New World' awakened. Under the influence of high concentrations of the virus, that extra time is easily offset."

Committee Member Huang's gaze swept over the members of the "Old Task Force":

"Among you, only the robot is certain not to be infected."

Genaava did not feel proud because of this.

Seeing the team leader thinking, Bai Chen took the initiative to ask for her:

"How far away from a 'New World' awakened do we have to be to maintain sufficient distance?"

Committee Member Huang shook his head:

"There are no statistics. I can only say that if one is in the southwestern district of Wubei and the other is at the northeastern exit, they will not be affected and infected with 'Heartless Disease.'"

So terrible... Long Yuehong almost gasped.

Earlier, he "simply" drove back the "Doctor," giving him the feeling that the "New World" awakened was nothing special. Who knew that once these big shots truly returned to the Ashlands, the level of danger would skyrocket, vastly different from acting through nodes.

At this moment, Shang Jianyao's face also became quite gloomy, and his body seemed to be controlled by the cowardly and sinister personality.

Jiang Baimian calmed her mind and looked at Committee Member Huang:

"How do you want to adjust the plan?"

In her opinion, Committee Member Huang definitely knew more about "New World" awakened than they did, and his plan would be relatively more effective.

Not being blindly confident and knowing how to listen to others' opinions has always been Jiang Baimian's strength.

Committee Member Huang put his hands behind his back, took a few steps towards the window, and then stopped:

"I hope you can understand that my top priority will be the ordinary people and the majority of soldiers in Wubei, as well as the one sleeping there.

"But rest assured, our 'Salvation Army' does not have the habit of throwing partners out as bait."

"No problem!" Shang Jianyao answered extremely loudly, almost raising his right hand and pressing it against his left chest.

Old Zhang, wearing a gray-white aluminum pot and listening quietly all along, seemed to nod very slightly as well.

Since Shang Jianyao had already answered on behalf of the "Old Task Force," Jiang Baimian could only maintain her expression and wait for Committee Member Huang to state the specific plan.

Committee Member Huang took out the crumpled pack of cigarettes and took one out and put it in his mouth.

This time, he didn't bother to hesitate and lit it with a match, taking a long drag.

In the spreading gray-white smoke, Committee Member Huang said as he pondered:

"Assuming that the 'New World' awakened who has returned this time is only the 'Doctor,' well, this is very likely. Mass returns to the 'New World' only happen in very few cases. The most recent one should have been when 'First City' experienced turmoil.

"The Eighth Research Institute wants to deal with you, and the 'Doctor' returning alone is enough. Other awakened might as well stay in the 'New World' and interfere with the one sleeping in Wubei, preventing him from providing assistance.

"With this premise, we can know that the 'Doctor's' top two targets are you and the one sleeping in Wubei. The Eighth Research Institute will definitely not let go of any opportunity to weaken our 'Salvation Army.'

"I have already sent a telegram to Pingnan, reporting the anomalies that have occurred here. It won't be long before other 'New World' awakened from our 'Salvation Army' will provide assistance to the one sleeping in Wubei. That is to say, the latter may recover in fifteen minutes, half an hour, or an hour and provide protection.

"The core of my plan is to delay as much time as possible and hold out until then."

Pingnan is where the "Salvation Army" headquarters is located.

"In short, since the one sleeping has been disturbed, it means that the so-called 'Doctor' will arrive in half an hour or even less," Old Zhang, wearing a deep aluminum pot, suddenly interjected.

Committee Member Huang "hmm" and said to the "Old Task Force":

"The evacuation of ordinary people and the majority of soldiers from the northeast remains unchanged. We will go southwest along the Moonscale River to help them attract attention, giving them time to fully organize and create sufficient distance.

"And the crowds retreating along the Moonscale River will be divided into several batches, allowing the 'Doctor' and his followers to be overwhelmed and only have time to intercept two or three batches at most, while maintaining the general direction unchanged.

"You and the one sleeping in Wubei will hide separately in different groups and take the opportunity to move away.

"I can't guarantee that you won't be discovered or locked on. It really depends on luck. I can only tell you that I will personally select a group of people to impersonate you and the sleeping one, trying to lure away the 'Doctor.' Once he exposes his location, those remaining in Wubei will launch ballistic missiles, covering the corresponding area and destroying his physical body!"

It seems that the "Salvation Army" consensus is that even "New World" awakened cannot withstand missiles. Xu Datong, whom they encountered before, also said the same... Jiang Baimian nodded thoughtfully.

Shang Jianyao frowned and asked:

"Wouldn't those targeted by the 'Doctor' have no chance of survival?"

On the one hand, they are likely to be infected with "Heartless Disease," and on the other hand, even if they escape the virus, they will lose their lives due to the subsequent ballistic missile coverage.

"Yes." Committee Member Huang nodded frankly. "The current situation is that if the one sleeping does not wake up in time, some people must sacrifice to create a chance of survival for others. You also have this possibility, so I will give you a few signal flares. Once you confirm the 'Doctor's' location, launch them in the corresponding direction."

Are you overestimating us... Long Yuehong felt a toothache listening to this.

If the "Doctor's" main target wasn't the "Old Task Force," he felt that he would most likely choose to follow the main force and run as far as possible.

"This plan is alright," Jiang Baimian said after a moment of thought, expressing her approval.

The "Old Task Force" could of course choose not to listen to Committee Member Huang, but that would inevitably lead to a fierce conflict with the "Salvation Army" before the "Doctor" attacked, wasting the opportunity to escape.

In the current situation, having many teams to cover their retreat is already a stroke of good luck amidst misfortune.

Seeing that the "Old Task Force" approved of his plan, Committee Member Huang took another puff of cigarette and said:

"I will make arrangements now and give you ten minutes to prepare.

"Meet in the hotel parking lot later."

After speaking, he walked out of the room with those people outside, heading down the stairs. Old Zhang, on the other hand, left silently, wearing the gray-white aluminum pot.

"Prepare, prepare," Shang Jianyao shouted, rummaging out the black trench coat he had obtained and putting it on.

Then, he put on sunglasses.

"What kind of preparation is this?" Long Yuehong asked in confusion.

Shang Jianyao puffed out his chest and answered righteously:

"Wearing this, I'll look cooler when I die."

"..." Jiang Baimian exhaled and said, "We've prepared everything we need to prepare. Now we're just waiting for the company's reply. Well, send another urgent telegram, saying that the 'Doctor' is confirmed to be attacking."