Chapter Seventy-Seven: The Division of Power

Watching the convoy of ten heavy trucks, led by five Hummer Kings, depart from the gates of the base, Xie Han turned to Qi Feiwu and asked, “Feiwu, how many of our company’s people are left who haven’t evacuated yet?” In truth, Xie Han didn’t want to deceive them, claiming it was all for the company’s mission. But he knew that a lie was better than forcibly dragging them away from the base; in time, they would understand the painstaking care behind his actions.

Qi Feiwu had been overseeing the company’s affairs for some time now, so she answered without hesitation, “This is already the fifth batch to leave. There are two more batches, and then everyone can be evacuated. But…” She frowned slightly, worry clouding her expression. “With just our company and Brother Chen Liu’s few hundred people, isn’t our number too small?”

Xie Han sighed deeply, a hint of resignation in his voice. “It’s true, we’re too few, but it’s only temporary. Once we build up the base, things will get better.” He thought for a moment and said, “You should leave with the next group tomorrow. Things are getting more dangerous by the day. Who knows what might happen inside the base? If they block us from leaving, it’ll be trouble.”

Qi Feiwu nodded. “When will you leave?”

He wasn’t sure himself. Maybe after Qi Feiwu and her group left, or perhaps not until the zombies besieged the city. Nothing was certain. He smiled, trying to reassure her. “Don’t worry, it should be soon.”

In the distance, the roar of an engine sounded. A Dongfeng off-road vehicle sped around the corner and stopped in front of Xie Han.

Li Xingjian jumped down from the vehicle and approached Xie Han, smiling. “Brother Xie, we meet again.”

Both Xie Han and Qi Feiwu were startled to see Li Xingjian, thinking perhaps the military had discovered their evacuation plans. Yet Li Xingjian’s demeanor only deepened their confusion. Xie Han had met him once before during a transaction, and knew only that he was one of Yang Xingjun’s men. Now, with Li Xingjian seeking him out, he wondered what this was all about.

Seeing their puzzled faces, Li Xingjian smiled. “Actually, this time I’m here because our commander wants to meet you.”

Yang Xingjun wants to see me? Xie Han was taken aback. “Why does Commander Yang want to meet me?”

Li Xingjian shook his head. “I’m not sure myself. The commander just instructed me to bring you in, no matter what.” He gestured invitingly. “Brother Xie, please…”

Xie Han thought briefly, then followed Li Xingjian into the off-road vehicle. He winked at Qi Feiwu, who looked worried. “Don’t worry, it should be fine.”

Truthfully, Xie Han had only glimpsed the command center from afar; his impression of it wasn’t deep. He knew it had been converted from the town government building, with extensive defensive modifications inside and out. In effect, it was now little different from a military fortress.

Only its exterior had been remodeled; the interior remained largely unchanged. It made sense—if the outer defenses were breached, no matter how strong the inside, it would be useless, just a trapped gourd with nowhere to go.

The core management of the base lived and worked here. This ensured their safety and allowed them to respond quickly to any situation. In principle, this was a good idea. But to Xie Han, it seemed the management’s efficiency was lamentably low. Every issue was discussed and studied endlessly, and by the time a decision was reached, the opportunity was long gone.

Yang Xingjun appeared to be in his forties. His eyes flashed with the sharpness of a hawk, his posture straight and rigid, his expression stern and imposing. From him, Xie Han sensed an aura of pure soldierly discipline. Such a man, no matter the era, would always be a banner for his troops.

As Xie Han entered the office, Yang Xingjun rose from his chair and spoke loudly, “Xie Han, is it? Haha… I’ve heard much about you. Today, seeing you in person, I see you truly have the spirit of a hero.” He strode over and pointed to the sofa. “Sit.”

The office, originally the town mayor’s, was plainly decorated. Xie Han glanced around briefly before refocusing, replying courteously, “I’ve long heard of Commander Yang’s reputation, but have never had the chance to meet. May I ask what brings you to summon me today?”

Yang Xingjun paused, then laughed heartily. “Straightforward—good. Since that’s the case, I won’t beat around the bush. I called you here mainly because of the intelligence you and Chen Liu submitted. Perhaps you wonder why, after a week, I’m only now seeking you out? In this base, management and civil affairs are handled by Governor Sun, while I’m responsible for defense and factory production. Intelligence like this usually falls under Sun’s people. I only learned about it last night.”

Hearing this, Xie Han’s first thought was how chaotic the base was—two leaders, yet information couldn’t be shared between them? This explained the stagnation he’d seen. Without cooperation, many things simply couldn’t be done.

Yang Xingjun saw Xie Han’s surprise and smiled wryly. “Surprised, aren’t you? Perhaps you think, with military authority in my hands, it would be simple to seize power? In truth, I’d like nothing more than to grow the base, to shoulder the mission of saving humanity. But many things aren’t so easily accomplished. Two years ago, the base lost contact with the capital. I am a soldier, and naturally follow orders. The appointment from the central government—I could only obey.”

Xie Han wasn’t sure why Yang Xingjun was sharing all this with him. To be honest, he didn’t know whether to laugh at Yang’s naivety or admire his loyalty. “Commander Yang, what if—just what if—the central government lost control a year ago?”

“It can’t be,” Yang Xingjun replied with unwavering conviction. “The capital’s defense systems are far stronger than you imagine. Even if attacked from within, with their anti-air defenses and weapon systems, survival wouldn’t be difficult. Two years ago, half the city was still in human hands. As for supplies, that’s impossible—they’d have stored food in the anti-air system for just such an attack. Three years wouldn’t exhaust it.”

“But why did communication break off two years ago?”

Xie Han’s question caught Yang Xingjun off guard. He hesitated, then said, “Perhaps something happened to the satellites.”

“Satellites?” Xie Han’s eyes lit up. “You mean communication with the capital was relayed by satellite?”

Yang Xingjun nodded, understanding Xie Han’s excitement. But he smiled wryly. “Yes, but we can only receive signals. Authority to control the satellites was never granted to local forces.”

Xie Han couldn’t help feeling disappointed. He’d hoped the base had access to satellite controls. But quickly, his spirits rose again. The military’s satellite receiver might be useless to others, but to him it was invaluable. He remembered Wu Donglin mentioning his ability to hack satellites through the receiver. Before, this could be done via the internet, but now the entire network had collapsed, making it impossible.

“I must find a way to get my hands on it,” Xie Han thought, suppressing his excitement. He turned to Yang Xingjun. “Commander Yang, what do you want to know?”

Yang Xingjun’s expression grew grave. “Everything about the zombies. How reliable are your deductions? Is there any way to prevent this from happening? I have to take responsibility for the tens of thousands of people in this base.”

Xie Han smiled bitterly. “Commander Yang, what if I told you it’s all true, and it’s already too late to act? What would you do then?”