bookrebus Chapter 430
Chapter 430
Zhou Shuwan listened quietly, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said, "If I were General Zhao, I wouldn't easily hand over all my power to others. After all, in the end times, possessing armed forces means having the right to speak and the guarantee of survival."
She raised her head and looked at Qi Mingyu with a hint of understanding in her eyes. "General Zhao's move is a comprehensive preparation made after careful consideration. It is understandable."
Qi Mingyu nodded in agreement.
He walked over to Zhou Shuwan and whispered, "General Zhao used to be my old commander. He was kind to me... If we weren't on opposite sides this time, I would definitely stand on his side. To maintain peace on the base and the safety of my family, I had to consider things from the base's perspective... I feel very sorry for him."
Zhou Shuwan smiled. "Think about it from a different perspective. I believe General Zhao understands your difficulties. Think about it, General Zhao has been at the base for over a month, and he's never made any difficult requests to you. This shows that he understands you and respects your choice."
Qi Mingyu was stunned and silent for a while before he said softly, "When this is over, I'm going to have a drink with General Zhao."
Zhou Shuwan smiled and nodded: "Okay, I'll go accompany you then."
Qi Mingyu held Zhou Shuwan's hand, feeling the warmth from his palm, and a warm feeling surged in his heart.
He thought how lucky he was to have found a soulmate after the apocalypse. No matter what happened, she would fight alongside him and face challenges together.
Within a few days, news came out that the base would receive more than 10,000 people from the capital.
This news was like a bomb, causing an uproar in the base.
Panic spread among the crowd like an invisible virus, spreading rapidly.
In the greenhouse, people ate bland meals while whispering to each other.
"I heard they're going to accept over 10,000 people? Is that true?"
"Of course it's true! My cousin works in the management secretariat, so his information is reliable!"
"Can the base handle so many people? There's not enough food and supplies..."
Similar conversations were taking place in every corner of the base.
The people below do not understand the negotiations and decisions made above. They only know that accepting so many people will inevitably squeeze their own survival resources.
Especially when supplies are scarce, accepting these people may mean that they will have to tighten their belts and even suffer from hunger again.
Now everything in the base is on track, and people's lives seem to be getting more and more promising.
However, this news caused turmoil again in the base which had been peaceful for a long time.
This panic soon reached Xiao Xiao's ears.
He sat in the office with a frown on his face, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table, making crisp sounds.
He knew that measures must be taken as soon as possible to stabilize people's hearts, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.
He immediately contacted Qi Mingyu and asked him to strengthen patrols and security management at the base to prevent riots.
As night fell, the base was shrouded in silence.
Several security guards wearing air-conditioned suits and armed with weapons were patrolling the streets.
They walked lightly, had sharp eyes, and were always alert to the movements around them.
Suddenly, they discovered a remote warehouse, and faint voices were coming from it. They slowed down their pace and quietly approached the warehouse. Through the cracks in the window, they saw a dozen residents wearing air-conditioned clothes gathered inside, whispering about something.
"We can't just sit there and wait for death! How are we going to survive if the base takes in so many people?" A burly man said excitedly, waving his arms and looking very emotional.
"Right! We must find a way to stop the base from accepting these people!"
The security team members looked at each other, immediately broke into the room and took control of all the dozen people.
The dozen or so people were taken to the Public Security Bureau. After interrogation, they admitted their mistakes and said they would not gather to cause trouble again.
The Public Security Department gave them serious criticism and education, and imposed corresponding punishments.
In order to deter others, the Public Security Department posted the results of the handling on the bulletin board for everyone to see.
During this small disturbance, General Zhao divided the more than 10,000 people into three groups in accordance with the agreement with Xiao Xiao, and sent them into the base one after another.
The first two groups were ordinary survivors. They brought their families and simple luggage, and their faces were full of fatigue and confusion.
After they entered the base, they were arranged to live in designated areas.
The last group was soldiers carrying weapons. They were wearing uniform military uniforms and cold-proof clothing, marching in neat steps and with strict discipline, appearing to be well-trained.
At the entrance of the base, Xiao Xiao and other senior officials of the base were on high alert. They set up layers of checkpoints, strengthened vigilance, and closely watched the soldiers' every move.
This is a self-preservation habit developed by people after the end of the world. They must be careful to prevent the other party from taking the opportunity to launch an attack under the pretext of entering the base.
After entering the base, the soldiers handed over their weapons to the base for unified management in accordance with the prior agreement.
They were arranged to live in designated barracks and were under the unified management of the base.
General Zhao stood at the end of the team. He looked at Xiao Xiao and others at the entrance of the base, and a complex light flashed in his eyes.
He took a deep breath and walked into the base.
"Base Captain Xiao." General Zhao walked up to Xiao Xiao, nodded slightly, and spoke in a steady tone.
"Thank you for your hard work, General Zhao." Xiao Xiao responded.
His eyes swept over the soldiers behind General Zhao. These were the last group of elite soldiers retained by General Zhao, totaling 500 people.
No matter what position he is assigned after entering the base, these 500 soldiers are considered to be under his management, and no one else has the right to command them.
These people were indeed carefully selected from 2000 soldiers. Their strong physique and upright posture still revealed an aura that could not be ignored.
General Zhao glanced at the towering ice walls and the patrolling security guards, and nodded slightly. "This base is well built."
His tone was calm, without any emotion.
Xiao Xiao stood beside him, her hands folded behind her back, a polite smile on her lips. "General Zhao, you are too kind. The development of the J City base to this day is inseparable from the efforts of every survivor."
He paused, observing General Zhao's expression calmly, and continued, "We have arranged a welcoming banquet for General Zhao and your soldiers. Please follow me."
Xiao Xiao turned sideways and made a "please" gesture.
General Zhao nodded slightly and signaled Xiao Xiao to lead the way.
Several trusted military officers following behind General Zhao exchanged glances and then followed.