Chapter 66、Boss, We're Surrounded! Should We Fight Our Way Out?

Jiang Xiaoci's arrangements were meticulous. She didn't send the entire 200-man military unit on the supply run. Instead, she deployed a 50-man special forces team to escort hundreds of residents as they ventured out for supplies.

The remaining soldiers were divided into several smaller groups. A 10-person team was dispatched to meet Chen Qiuren at a designated trading post, ensuring the protection of the daytime market and maximizing booth fee revenues. Another 40 were split into two squads, tasked with scouting new supply locations, securing trade routes, and assisting with survivor rescues. Their aim was to bolster the shelter's intelligence network, expand influence, and increase the population.

The final 100-man team stayed behind, securing the shelter's perimeter and focusing on strengthening the district's defenses. This was the opportunity to construct the military-grade fortifications Jiang Xiaoci had long envisioned. Traps, bunkers, sentries, trenches—all the works would be implemented.

Moreover, they would establish underground shelters, nuclear fallout shelters, and enhanced military early warning systems. There would be no shortcuts—every piece of infrastructure must be in place. The goal was simple: to fortify Yi Bai's living quarters at the center of it all, and expand outward, creating layers of security that ensured maximum safety.

Yi Bai's bedroom would be the safest location, followed by his building, then the surrounding blocks would serve as sniper and ambush points. The defense perimeter would gradually extend to encompass the entire district. Even the sky wouldn't be neglected—basic air defense measures would be put in place.

Xiaoci's aim was to create a fortress without a single blind spot. Yi Bai would be protected to the highest degree possible—no one, not even an army of invaders, would get close to him.

Yi Bai, lounging at his desk, gazed out the window at the crimson sun. "Another boring afternoon... What should I do now?"

He idly tapped his lips. "Maybe I should play with Li Ya a bit... tease her?"

But then he paused, reconsidering. "Nah, I'd rather not. She might take it seriously. She's a bit too intense for that."

He chuckled. "Maybe I'll just play some Civilization. It's a decent way to kill time."

As he sat at the computer, however, Yi Bai quickly felt something was off. "This shelter is growing stronger by the day. I can't just slack off."

"The stronger we get, the more cautious we should be," he muttered to himself. "Besides, why waste time playing a game when my real skills are way more exciting? I could be directing everything from above."

With that, Yi Bai reclined on the bed, adjusting his posture, and linked his vision to Lin Yue's.

To save energy, he took out some small items from his storage that helped replenish stamina. They were low-cost trinkets he had collected from other shelters, but they helped offset the energy Yi Bai used to activate his skills.

"Connecting vision, target: Lin Yue."

The world around Yi Bai went dark for a moment. When his vision cleared, he found himself in Lin Yue's perspective.

Lin Yue was inside an armored personnel carrier, surrounded by fully armed soldiers. They sat in solemn silence, no words exchanged—only the unspoken understanding of a team ready for action. Lin Yue, however, was busy examining a city map, while also adjusting an electronic map in her hands. It was evident that the digital map was a high-tech command tool, used for coordinating military operations.

Yi Bai noticed that all the equipment was top-notch. The military vehicles were an absolute steal—loaded with military-grade gear.

"Commander?" Lin Yue's voice suddenly cut through Yi Bai's thoughts. Her sharp instincts told her something was amiss—she knew Yi Bai had tapped into her vision.

"Just watching, keep doing what you're doing," Yi Bai's voice resonated softly in her ear.

Lin Yue smiled faintly but didn't reply, her attention fully absorbed in the maps before her. "We'll soon be approaching the target. Everyone, stay alert, slow the convoy."

She grabbed the radio and issued commands. "Command vehicle, pull back. Snipers, disembark and find strategic positions. Communications, ensure precise data flow."

"Explosives team, prepare. The strike teams will dismount in phases. Form a perimeter around the target."

The armored vehicles continued their approach. "One, two, three, stay in formation and advance toward the target."

Lin Yue glanced at her soldiers. "Check all gear. Prepare for combat."

The soldiers swiftly checked their weapons, flipped the safeties off, and then began moving towards the vehicle doors. The convoy halted, and the doors opened with a metallic hiss.

"Move out!" Lin Yue commanded, and the soldiers poured out, forming a standard combat formation, each covering their comrades as they took up positions behind nearby cover. As Lin Yue climbed back into the command vehicle, Yi Bai saw the armored units move closer to their destination—a large police station in the heart of the city.

Inside the station, a scruffy gang of survivors lounged, some of them manning weapons, others simply sitting idly. One of them, a young man with unkempt yellow hair, peered through binoculars and reported to the boss.

"Boss, those are military vehicles out there!"

The gang leader, a burly man with a bald head, furrowed his brows. He had assumed the commotion outside was caused by scavengers looking to trade. Now, he wasn't so sure.

He grabbed his military-grade binoculars and climbed to the third floor. When he looked out, his eyes widened in disbelief. Three armored personnel carriers were stationed at the entrance, their machine guns swiveling in search of potential threats. Soldiers were spread across the area, using nearby cover to stay hidden.

"Shit, it's the real deal," the gang leader muttered, his heart sinking. This wasn't just a bunch of wannabe militia or armed scavengers—it was a well-equipped, professional army.

"Is the military back in the city for a rescue mission?" he wondered, scratching his head.

Suddenly, a voice blared over a loudspeaker from the armored vehicles outside.

"Listen up inside!"

"We have surrounded the area. Drop your weapons and exit with your hands on your head. Resist, and we'll use force."

"This is your final warning! Surrender now, and you will be treated with leniency."

"If you resist, we will be forced to take drastic measures. The consequences will be on your head."

The gang leader's eyes widened as the message blared through the streets. His men, huddling inside, were unnerved.

One of his subordinates, clutching his injured leg, shakily asked, "Boss, what do we do? Should we fight them?"

The leader stared blankly at his gun for a moment. "Fight? With what? Are you an idiot? They're the real military!"

He slapped his subordinate hard, then continued, "We're not fighting them, you moron. We're surrendering."

"Really?" The young man blinked in surprise.

"Yes, really. Drop the weapons, get down on the ground, and hope for the best. I'd rather sit in a cell than end up with a bullet in my head!"

As the gang leader gave his orders, he didn't realize the truth. He had mistaken Yi Bai's private army for the official military. He didn't know that this group of soldiers—meticulously trained and well-equipped—had been handpicked by Yi Bai himself.

But one thing was clear: resistance would be futile.