Chapter 127: Zombie Classifications

The final contingent dispatched to Andu City was larger than anticipated. It consisted of six armored vehicles, five modified Humvee Kings for assault, fifty trucks, and a significant amount of grain intended to serve as bait. The personnel count reached three hundred and fifty, including two hundred and fifty soldiers and approximately one hundred drivers, with two assigned to each vehicle.

A convoy of sixty-one vehicles was quite substantial. While it could not compare to the hundreds of vehicles often seen at the Wangtian Base, it was still enough to be impressive. The convoy was led by Amu, who, after a month of hunting, had become highly experienced in group tactics against zombies. Hunting operations were still ongoing, now under the command of Li Hualong, the deputy leader of the hunting fleet—a significant promotion for him.

The hunting fleet, the scavenging teams, and this newly dispatched convoy had exhausted almost all the vehicles in New City. Furthermore, with only eight hundred soldiers in total, New City had suddenly lost half of its military force. Fortunately, since New City was established on a former military exclusion zone, there was little need to worry about defense. However, the proposal to expand the army was placed on the meeting agenda once again. This expansion would bring the number of soldiers in New City to fifteen hundred, nearly doubling the current force.

These chaotic matters took two or three days to settle. Xie Han, however, ended his leisurely life and officially threw himself into work. His first task was to organize the information he possessed and to pull Wu Donglin from the Doomsday Company away from his heavy decryption work, elevating him beyond his rank to participate in the core meetings.

Wu Donglin was somewhat uneasy. The five-person core meeting of New City was effectively its highest administrative body. Everything in New City was governed by the decisions made there, which, in this post-apocalyptic world, often transcended the boundaries of law and morality. It was the heart of New City; being able to attend, even if only temporarily, was a significant honor.

Xie Han’s decisions were sometimes abrupt. Although the core meeting was nominally a five-person body, decisions proposed or made by Xie Han were almost always approved. Seeing Wu Donglin appear suddenly, Chen Liu and the others were unsure what Xie Han was planning.

Observing their confusion, Xie Han felt a bit awkward, as this idea had indeed come to him suddenly. He distributed the printed documents to the five members, including Chen Liu, and said, "Before the meeting begins, I would like everyone to look at the materials in your hands."

Knowing these were related to the meeting, the group did not hesitate to read them. Yet, the more they read, the more confused they became; they could not fathom how this meeting could be related to zombies.

Once everyone had finished reading, Xie Han turned to Wu Donglin and asked, "Donglin, can your small radio transmitter reach a diameter of about two thousand kilometers without satellite relay?"

Wu Donglin nodded and stood up. "Yes, theoretically that is correct, but many factors restrict its signal transmission, such as terrain. To achieve a transmission diameter of two thousand kilometers, one would need a sufficiently high transmission tower."

"Then, if we transmit from New City, what would the estimated coverage diameter be?"

Wu Donglin considered this for a moment, tracing his finger on the table before replying, "It should be around six to eight hundred kilometers. Any further, and the signal might become very weak, making reception very poor."

A maximum diameter of eight hundred kilometers satisfied Xie Han. He asked, "Can you manage to track the location of a radio station?" Wu Donglin thought carefully again and replied, "If there is sufficient equipment, I don't think that would be difficult. Does the Chief have any instructions?"

Xie Han shook his head. "If one wants to make it impossible for others to track the location of a radio station, given New City's current conditions, can you achieve that?"

Wu Donglin did not need much time to consider this. "Absolutely no problem. In fact, long before you put the radio into use, I knew what you were considering, so I have been working on this issue. There is plenty of equipment in the New City experimental base; hiding the signal's location is very easy. Moreover, the equipment required to track a signal is not so easily obtained."

With Wu Donglin's answer, Xie Han was reassured. He looked at the curious Chen Liu and the others. "I think you have probably guessed my purpose for this meeting. It is to use the radio to broadcast the zombie information I have organized. This matter may seem to have more disadvantages than advantages, but regardless, for the public good and private interest, letting more survivors understand zombies and increasing their survival rate is a good thing."

Xie Han paused, then added, "However, I want to say that this is definitely more beneficial than harmful. First, in terms of winning hearts and minds, the release of zombie information will surely garner goodwill from a large number of people. And the use of the radio can increase communication between us. We don't need to reveal our location; it is enough just to let people within an eight-hundred-kilometer radius know that New City exists in this apocalypse."

"An eight-hundred-kilometer diameter seems small, but it encompasses the entire Wangtian City, over a dozen counties surrounding it, hundreds of towns, and tens of thousands of villages. Think about it: how many people are surviving in the entire Wangtian City? As long as they hear our broadcast, they will find hope. If we appear before them later, won't it be easier for them to accept us? I think, based on this alone, the gains we will make in the future will be immense."

Xie Han's analysis stunned Chen Liu, Xu Qiang, and the others. They had not expected this small radio plan to have such significant effects. In the apocalypse, the lack of trust between people would cause various problems as the base expanded. For instance, in annexation wars between settlements, if one had already gained their goodwill, it would undoubtedly save a great deal of manpower and resources after the war, allowing them to integrate faster and form productive and combat forces.

The principle of a radio is not complex, and building a small one is not difficult. Yet, many things in the world are so peculiar. This seemingly simple task was something few settlement bases had ever thought to do. In their eyes, what was the point of a radio? To exchange news about how much grain their base had seized today, or how many people had been eaten by zombies? Or perhaps to share experiences in fighting zombies?

What kind of experience is needed to deal with zombies? Anyone who has survived to this day is an expert at fighting them. Even someone who only thinks with their lower body knows that hitting a zombie in the head will kill it. If one encounters an evolved zombie, well, may the gods protect them and hope they can escape successfully.

Furthermore, who would be stupid enough to send out radio waves? Isn't that intentionally exposing the location of one's own base? Do you expect others to kindly send you grain once they know where your base is? It would be good enough if the powerful ones didn't try every means to annex you; what else could you hope for?

Under such thinking and circumstances, since radios disappeared two years ago, no base had received any information, and no one had the idea of building a radio station. Over time, as people struggled for survival, the radio faded from their sight. Ironically, although no one built a radio, most settlements still kept their receivers on, hoping to hear some favorable news.

As usual, on a mountain peak in the far west of Wangtian City, covered in dense, ugly houses, the settlement—home to over thirty thousand survivors—was already bustling early in the morning as people began their daily work.

At the foot of the mountain was a tall wall built of earth, surrounding the entire peak to form a defensive line. At the base, there were messy, reclaimed fields where most crops were planted. Early in the morning, busy people emerged from the open gates of the wall to work the fields. Clearly, these fields had been cultivated for some years.

Old Man Li carried a dilapidated radio out of his low, cramped house and headed toward a large tree not far away. The elderly man had nearly lost his life in an illness last year. Although he survived, his health was far from what it used to be, and he now relied on his only son to make a living.

In Old Man Li's view, this settlement was undoubtedly very dark; a seventy percent tax meant that after months of hard work, the grain a person grew might not even be enough to fill their stomach. But who dared to resist? The armed force of five thousand was not something the unarmed masses could defy. Besides, no one wanted to; being able to survive in this apocalypse where zombies ran rampant, and having a plot of land to farm, was the greatest happiness.

Frequent zombie attacks were a source of helplessness. Just two days ago, a zombie raid had destroyed most of the crops, and it was clear that the late-season harvest would be much smaller than the early one. He wondered if the remaining thirty percent, after the seventy percent tax was taken, would be enough to feed his son and himself for a few months.

Old Man Li sat dejectedly on a rock under the tree, where three or four others were already lying. Compared to the low, ugly houses, breathing fresh air early in the morning was a small comfort in the apocalypse.

Seeing Old Man Li still carrying his dilapidated radio, the others laughed and teased, "Old Man Li, I see you carrying that piece of junk every day. Do you still expect it to make any sound? Damn it, in this lousy world, people are almost all dead."

Old Man Li ignored their mockery and said calmly, "What do you know? With your attitude, all you're doing is waiting to die. No wonder more and more people are dying at the hands of zombies." The people nearby laughed again, not at all offended. "Oh? Why is Old Man Li so spirited today? We are waiting to die, sure, but isn't you holding a radio from who knows what era also waiting to die?"

Old Man Li couldn't be bothered with them. He tinkered with the radio, hoping the small No. 5 battery he had traded for with a bit of grain yesterday would work. If he had been swindled, it would be a huge loss—even if the grain wasn't much, it was still hard-earned by his son.

After inserting the new battery, the radio emitted a static sound. Old Man Li was excited. "The battery was worth it." He turned the tuner, and the radio immediately let out a harsh, grating noise.

"Hey, Old Man Li, every morning you're here making that terrible noise. Don't you care about bothering us?" A few of the old men were annoyed, considering whether to grab the radio and throw it away; after all, he was just one man and couldn't fight the group of them.

For Old Man Li, tinkering with the radio was just a hobby, so he ignored their shouting and turned the dial, listening to the static. Suddenly, his hand froze. As he turned past a frequency, he thought he heard a sound. Yes, a sound. Although he was old, it didn't mean his hearing was failing.

Excited, his hand trembling, he turned the dial back little by little. Sure enough, a noisy, musical sound came through—the familiar melody of "Doomsday Elegy."

The excited Old Man Li stood up abruptly. With rare agility, he climbed up the large tree trunk and raised the radio. Suddenly, the music became clear. The rhythm of the "Doomsday Elegy" made the people who had just been mocking him open their mouths wide, unconsciously exclaiming, "Music, it's really music..."

This kind of excitement was indescribable. Everyone appeared optimistic on the surface, but inside, everyone was struggling—a despair of the apocalypse, a confusion about tomorrow. Under the shadow of the end times, no one knew if they would be alive tomorrow or where their fate would lead.

Losing one's spiritual sustenance is the most terrifying thing. The music appearing at this moment ignited a flame in everyone's hearts, burning fiercely.

Soon, drawn by the music from Old Man Li's radio, more and more people gathered, quickly occupying the surrounding area. The "Doomsday Elegy" had everyone's blood boiling, and the fear of zombies was swept away in that moment.

"Dear listeners, friends who are persevering in the apocalypse, friends who are bravely fighting zombies, hello! Welcome to the New City Radio Station. The New City Radio Station sends its utmost respect to all the heroes fighting on the front lines." A sweet voice came clearly from the radio. Although people didn't know what this "New City Radio Station" was, that didn't stop them from cheering upon hearing the voice.

"I am the host of the New City Radio Station, Bai Mengmeng. Perhaps this is the first time you are hearing a broadcast from New City, but that doesn't matter. I believe that in the days to come, New City Radio will accompany everyone through this difficult period of the apocalypse. New City Radio will broadcast on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM. We hope everyone will tune in on time."

"I believe many friends must be wondering where New City is and what it looks like. Before that, let me, Bai Mengmeng, introduce New City to you. New City is a settlement built by surviving humans. Here, it is fair and just, based on the principle of gender equality, with the public responsible for supervising the entire settlement. We implement a work-point system and a minimum guarantee system. The work-point system ensures that anyone who contributes receives rewards equal to their effort, while the minimum guarantee system ensures that those who have lost the ability to work can enjoy the basic living security provided by New City."

"Here, there is no crime, no oppression. Anyone who dares to challenge the regulations of the base will be arrested by our strict law-enforcement soldiers, judged by the regulatory meeting, and await either forced labor or execution."

"In New City, there are vast, boundless fields planted with rice, wheat, corn, and more. We have fresh vegetables, including all known species that can be grown, with over a thousand acres of vegetable greenhouses to ensure the supply for all of New City. New City, which has the capacity for aquatic products, has recently received clear confirmation that fish and aquatic products will be introduced by the end of the year, which will enrich the dining tables of all citizens."

Bai Mengmeng's words certainly contained some embellishments, but in Xie Han's view, since they couldn't see it anyway, exaggerating was fine. It served the purpose of attracting people, so why not? As for whether the listeners believed it, that was their business and not something Xie Han needed to consider.

What Bai Mengmeng described was undoubtedly the life many dreamed of, especially those living in settlements that were oppressed or even practiced slavery. The reaction was intense. In this instant, the name "New City" was firmly engraved in everyone's hearts. At this moment, New City was like a paradise, a place people yearned for.

After introducing New City, Bai Mengmeng, with a nod from Xie Han, took out the organized information, changed her tone, and said, "Next, New City will announce the known types and distinctions of zombies, as well as their destructive power."

As soon as these words were spoken, the listeners fell silent. All along, zombies had been chasing humans; few people could say they were familiar with them. Those who were truly familiar had long since fallen to the claws and teeth of the zombies—they had paid with their lives for their research. Yet now, New City was announcing data on zombie types. At this moment, New City gave people a sense of immense power; without real strength, how could they have researched data on these terrifying monsters?

"Zombie theory can be divided into five levels, which New City labels R1 to R5. R1, the ordinary zombie initially infected, has no special features but wins through sheer numbers. They generally use the 'sea of corpses' tactic. As long as you are not surrounded, you can outrun them at a normal human pace. The strength of an R1 is three times that of a normal human."

"R2, the evolved form of R1, possesses three times the strength of an R1. Its movement speed is higher than that of a normal human, and its strength can easily tear a human apart. It has no prominent advantages or weaknesses and belongs to the mass-attack zombie category. The method to deal with it is similar to R1; a normal bullet to the head can kill it. The evolution rate of R2 is about one in ten thousand."

"R3, evolved from R2. The R3 stage is a leap forward in zombie evolution. R3 can be subdivided into five types: agile Breakers, comprehensive Hunters, strength-based Destroyers, mental Controllers, and the most mysterious special Evolvers."

"Breakers possess incredible agility. They are fast; their normal running speed can reach a staggering 50 kilometers per hour. With their ability to burst forward, they can briefly increase their speed to an astonishing 90 kilometers per hour for up to three minutes. Strength: 3 stars; Defense: 3 stars; Agility: 5 stars. Final destructive power rating: 4 stars."

"Hunters possess the agility of Breakers and the strength of Destroyers. Their running speed is 40 kilometers per hour, and their strength is terrifying; they can easily tear apart metal materials like cars. Strength: 4 stars; Defense: 4 stars; Agility: 4 stars. Final destructive power rating: 5 stars."

"Destroyers possess terrifying strength. Although their running speed is not fast, their strength is enough to compensate for their lack of speed. Strength: 5 stars; Defense: 5 stars; Agility: 2 stars. Final destructive power rating: 5 stars."

"Controllers, an unknown R3 type. Initial assessment: they possess the ability to control ordinary zombies, usually directing large numbers to fight together. Specific command capability is unknown; command quantity is unknown. Controllers also possess a special remote attack skill: mental wave attacks. The destructive power of mental waves is terrifying, with an estimated destructive rating of 5.5 stars. Strength: 1 star; Defense: 1 star; Agility: 2 stars. Final destructive power rating: 5.5 stars. At the same time, Controllers are also one of the greatest killers for settlements."

"Evolvers, an unknown R3 type, possess the most mysterious evolutionary abilities. Strength, defense, agility, and destructive power are all unknown."

"R3 levels have no obvious weaknesses and are extremely difficult to kill. Initial methods for dealing with them involve using large-caliber heavy weapons to continuously attack the same part of the head. R3s possess a degree of intelligence and extremely strong intuition, capable of simply judging which attacks pose the greatest threat to them."

"R4 and R5, their current existence is unknown, and they will be the key research subjects for New City in the future."