Chapter Seventy-One: Gathering Loyalties

After returning to the base, compared to the astonished gazes of the others, Xie Han and Chen Liu were remarkably calm, quietly staying in their isolation room within the quarantine zone.

Recalling the question he had been pondering, Xie Han asked Chen Liu, “Brother Chen, do you believe zombies possess any kind of consciousness? I mean a form of thought that humans can't detect or perceive.” Chen Liu looked at Xie Han in surprise, shaking his head, “Zombies having consciousness—are you sure you’re not joking?”

Xie Han had anticipated Chen Liu’s skepticism. He continued, “Think about it: if zombies had no consciousness, how could they leave Wangtian City, using their extremely slow movements to lull us into complacency and gradually approach the base? I suspect there’s some kind of command behind their actions.”

Chen Liu was startled by Xie Han’s conclusion, but what affected him more was fear. In his opinion, the zombies’ movement might simply be a result of excessive hunting, but after Xie Han’s analysis, he began to sense something was off. The zombies’ movements were indeed suspicious, as if some hidden secret lay within. “If your guess is correct, we’ll need to accelerate our evacuation plans.”

They had barely spent an hour in the quarantine zone when Gao Tianhao’s convoy finally returned to the base. As always, the cheers echoed throughout the base, but Xie Han could detect other, less jubilant notes mingled in the noise.

Xie Han sneered, “It seems Gao Tianhao’s convoy suffered quite a loss this time.”

Soon, amidst the commotion, the hunting convoy surged toward the quarantine zone. As they passed, Chen Liu beckoned to the crowd, and a sharp young man broke away from the throng, respectfully addressing him, “Brother Chen, is there anything you need?”

Chen Liu grinned and said, “Tang Xiaohao, you’re doing well. I hear you’re now a leader of sorts, with several dozen men under your command.” Tang Xiaohao looked anxious, his face drawn, “Brother Chen, please don’t tease me. My little group hardly deserves your attention.”

Chen Liu chuckled, “Tell me everything that happened today.”

Tang Xiaohao didn’t conceal much. “Without you today, Brother Chen, the boss asked about you. When he heard you’d gone out on your own, he was a bit disappointed. Our convoy’s target was that Yong’an freight yard. The boss said the goods piled up there—just one haul would let us live comfortably in the base for a year or more.” At this, Tang Xiaohao couldn’t help but curse, “Whoever the bastard was, they used explosives to lure countless zombies from the city to the yard. Damn it, if I ever find out who did it, I’ll throw them into the horde myself.”

Chen Liu’s face darkened, while Xie Han watched with amusement, winking at Chen Liu, who felt an urge to strangle Tang Xiaohao then and there. Chen Liu cursed him silently, then said awkwardly, “Alright, Xiaohao, enough complaints—focus on the key points.”

Tang Xiaohao noticed Chen Liu’s expression and seemed to realize something, bowing, “Yes, Brother Chen. Seeing so many zombies, everyone wanted to retreat and pick another target, but the boss wouldn’t allow it. Eventually, he convinced us. After all, half the convoy were armed with machine guns, and with only one entrance to the yard, we could manage a firepower blockade. After clearing out the zombies around the freight yard, we charged inside—only to find most of the trucks were empty.” He cursed again, “Damn, what rotten luck!”

Xie Han and Chen Liu exchanged a smile. Tang Xiaohao continued, “Luckily, we checked the warehouse and found lots of goods still piled up. But what really pissed us off was that the cranes out front were all broken.”

Xie Han and Chen Liu were both surprised. They hadn’t damaged the cranes themselves—could it be from long disuse, natural wear and tear?

Fortunately, Tang Xiaohao’s next words confirmed their suspicions. “Luckily, our convoy was prepared. Some of these naturally damaged cranes could still be repaired. But there was so much cargo. With only a few cranes, moving it all would take ages. Thankfully, we had plenty of hunters; everyone not busy holding off zombies joined in moving goods.”

Chen Liu asked, “How did you hold off so many zombies? As I recall, the freight yard connects to the highways—there must be many access routes.”

Tang Xiaohao replied admiringly, “That’s the boss’s brilliance. He anticipated this and had the convoy arranged on both sides of the highway to suppress the zombies coming out. That way, not only were the zombies kept away from the yard, but the roads for retreat weren’t blocked. Of course, this method burned through ammunition. If we hadn’t brought enough bullets, this hunt would have ended badly.” He shook his head, “Even so, we lost over a dozen vehicles and more than a hundred people.”

Thinking of the huge haul—several times greater than yesterday’s raid on the Wanjiaxi warehouse—Tang Xiaohao was excited, quickly shaking off the earlier gloom. He said regretfully to Chen Liu, “Brother Chen, it’s a pity you didn’t come along this time. With your skill, your share of goods would have been substantial.”

Chen Liu laughed lightly, “Perhaps I just wasn’t destined for such fortune.” He waved Tang Xiaohao away and turned to Xie Han, smiling wryly, “Did you notice how respectful Tang Xiaohao is to Gao Tianhao? Truly impressive—Gao Tianhao managed to win so many followers in such a short time.”

Xie Han frowned thoughtfully and teased, “Brother Chen, Gao Tianhao is even more resourceful than you. In no time at all, he’s gathered so many ‘fans’.”

Chen Liu didn’t mind. He looked as if he was waiting for a spectacle, “Gao Tianhao’s methods are clever, but when it comes to scheming, who among the base’s management isn’t a seasoned player? Take Commander Sun Shengren—he’s been navigating politics for decades. Gao Tianhao’s little tricks won’t fool an old fox like him.”

Xie Han had spent a couple of years in the organization and knew a bit about its inner workings. He lowered his voice, “Are you saying the management is just letting things play out?”

Chen Liu nodded, speaking calmly, “If my guess is right, those old foxes are waiting for Gao Tianhao to fatten up, to show his claws, before dealing with him. But then again, Gao Tianhao is the president of a major corporation—he couldn’t have built a multinational group without cunning and strategy. I fear these old foxes may be nurturing a tiger that will turn on them, and who knows who will emerge victorious in the end.”