Chapter One Hundred: The God of War

Rebuilding Civilization—No Ads

Though distant from the base, the human eye could still clearly make out the massive, suffocating tide of zombies—like a breached dam’s floodwaters—rushing wildly through the gap created by the humanoid R3. In just a few minutes, they had overrun a small section of the base.

This scene struck fear into everyone’s hearts, yet also kindled a faint hope of survival. The entire group trudged along the desolate mountain road, their spirits heavy. Except for the sounds of clearing obstacles ahead, the more than three thousand people moved in complete silence. Xie Han felt a pang of emotion. Indeed, even after more than three years in the apocalypse, the vast majority still retained their humanity when facing hardship and suffering. Perhaps it was the sorrow of the hunted and the hunter, but at least they still had thoughts. What Xie Han feared most was that the brutal end of the world might reduce all to beasts, making any hope of salvation utterly meaningless.

After crossing four or five mountain ridges, a violent explosion suddenly tore through the air. A shockwave swept over them, and the very earth seemed to tremble. The entire group lost their balance, stumbling and collapsing into the wild grass without exception.

When the shockwave finally passed, everyone groaned as they struggled to their feet, only to realize that most had been temporarily deafened by the deafening blast. This condition lingered for some time before gradually improving. The group was shaken and fearful, all eyes fixed tremblingly on the direction of the explosion, none knowing what had just transpired.

A colossal mushroom cloud rose skyward near the base. Though more than ten kilometers away, the red glow it cast was so intense that no one dared open their eyes.

Xie Han stood dumbfounded, murmuring, “A nuclear bomb… it’s really a nuclear bomb…” He seemed dazed, like a puppet, frozen in the passenger seat.

Only Chen Liu, after a moment of shock, smiled upon hearing Xie Han’s words. He patted the dazed Xie Han on the shoulder and said, “What nuclear bomb? Damn it, if that were the case, we’d all be dead and gone by now. You’re still talking, aren’t you?” Xie Han was skeptical. “If it’s not a nuclear bomb, then what is it? It looks exactly like what you see in the movies.”

Chen Liu shrugged. “You’re not entirely wrong. Technically, it’s a type of nuclear bomb, but its name is a neutron bomb. You understand what a neutron bomb is? Nuclear technology has advanced to a whole new level after more than a hundred years. What just detonated was probably a three-kiloton TNT equivalent neutron bomb; otherwise, the shockwave wouldn’t have reached us here. But don’t worry—if it’s a three-kiloton neutron bomb, its radiation radius should be around two kilometers, nowhere near us.”

“However, if it were a neutron bomb from decades ago, even at this distance, there might be some impact. But today, the radiation can actually be controlled. Usually, beyond twice the radius of the radiation diameter is considered safe. Even if a neutron bomb causes minimal damage to structures, I doubt the base would still be standing. I really don’t know how they got this thing into the base. Damn it, I lived there for over two years.”

Xie Han finally understood why Yang Xingjun tolerated Sun Yinren as the supreme commander. It might not be out of military duty as he had thought, but rather fear of the neutron bomb Sun Yinren somehow obtained. This three-kiloton neutron bomb could instantly vaporize the entire base. Under such a threat, Yang Xingjun naturally dared not take any risks. Who knew if Sun Yinren, driven mad, might detonate it?

Xie Han didn’t know what effect this neutron bomb would have on the zombie hordes. The area was now saturated with radiation, making it impossible to return for the foreseeable future.

Many might have imagined the neutron bomb’s power was sufficient to annihilate some of the zombies. Under this belief, the group’s mood had lifted somewhat from the initial gloom. Laughter could faintly be heard, revealing that after struggling to survive for over three years in this apocalypse, they had learned to adapt to this harsh reality.

Yet Xie Han did not feel relief or joy. On the contrary, the appearance of this neutron bomb weighed heavily on his mind. The world order was in chaos. A vast array of military weapons had fallen into survivors’ hands. Xie Han was certain Sun Yinren was neither the first nor the last to possess such a destructive weapon. Without order, the use of these weapons could become unrestrained. If conflicts of interest arose, how would this apocalypse evolve?

With such heavy thoughts, the group journeyed from midday until nearly six in the evening before finally emerging from the overlapping mountain ridges onto a highway stretching across a broad field. No need for Xie Han to point the way—Chen Liu, judging by the roadside signs, knew exactly where to go.

Considering they were still over eighty kilometers from the temporary camp on foot—a journey requiring at least two days and one night—Chen Liu reluctantly sent two Hummer Kings ahead to the camp to request truck support.

Since the group had been walking for several hours, rest was necessary. Upon reaching the highway, Xie Han ordered everyone to rest on the spot. He took the opportunity to inform them of their destination, calming their restless spirits. No one wanted to wander aimlessly in this apocalypse; having a place to go was a beacon of hope for survival.

After half an hour of rest, dusk had settled, but the group did not linger, instead continuing along the highway under the bright moonlight. After more than an hour, they finally encountered the convoy of over seventy trucks dispatched from the camp.

Seeing the long line of vehicles lit by headlights, everyone sighed in relief and erupted with cheers. At least a base capable of mustering so many trucks was more than just a mere shelter. This was a true cause for celebration—they were finally escaping endless danger. The day had been unbearably bloody and perilous.

Upon returning to the temporary camp, Xie Han found it was not the inspection building he had imagined. Aside from a few dozen guards, the convoy drove directly into the military restricted zone. This surprised him somewhat, but considering it had been nearly a week since the first computer experts from the company arrived, and with elites like Wu Donglin and Zhang Shiduan on their side, no system was likely to withstand them.

Though the inspection building was still some distance from the inner military zone, the entire route was brightly lit—probably powered by Xu Qiang and his team—guiding the convoy into a vast encampment.