Chapter 94 Don't Want It Anymore

"Report, Scout Post One has spotted an alien flying saucer with a massive number of zombies beneath, heading in the direction of our refuge shelter."

Wang Hu heard the content of the call from Scout Post One and responded with an indifferent tone, "The number?"

"Unable to estimate, they are everywhere, like... like the sea..."

As a scout, one should report exact numbers, not adjectives.

However, Wang Hu did not blame the scout this time because it truly wasn't a matter that could be quantified.

"Understood, Scout Post One must withdraw immediately!"

"It's like a tsunami, too late now, colonel, Scout Post One has completed its mission, requesting permission to withdraw!"

Wang Hu's fingers gripped the handset a little tighter, and then he spoke solemnly, "Permission granted to withdraw, you've done well, I'll commend you for it."

"Thank you, sir, that's all!"

The call ended, it was the observation post that had hung up on their colonel.

Wang Hu put down the phone, aware of the fate of those three scouts the moment he received the call.

Vision is poor at night; by the time the observation post actually spotted the large number of zombies surging in, it was too late for them to retreat because the zombies were ferociously approaching, not merely like a breached dam, but a tsunami.

Quantitative changes cause qualitative changes; many people do not understand this principle. Even if flesh and blood cannot withstand steel, once these flesh and blood bodies reach a certain number and exhibit no fear, everything changes.

Wang Hu turned around and instructed the communication personnel beside him, "Notify all artillery positions to prepare to fire."

The communications personnel immediately started cranking the phones.

In the command center, there was Xinghe, along with sixteen fully-armed soldiers.

From their equipment and appearance, it was clear at a glance they were special forces, a special combat team sent as reinforcement from Stonegate Branch One.

But in this battle, special forces weren't very useful, so their only mission was to protect Xinghe.

In the command center were Wang Hu, Xinghe, the sixteen special forces soldiers, the chief of staff, political commissar, and of course, Xiang Weiguo.

Xiang Weiguo said to Wang Hu, "Give the order."

Wang Hu exhaled and replied, "Mr. Xiang, you stay here."

Xiang Weiguo frowned and responded, "How can I stay here? What use am I here? I need to return to my position."

Wang Hu waved his hand and said, "This is an order."

Xiang Weiguo was puzzled, but his feet remained rooted to the spot.

An order is an order and must be followed.

"Order all units to prepare for battle, and positions may open fire at their discretion."

The runner dashed out immediately.

Wang Hu sighed, then spoke to the communication personnel, "Contact Branch One."

The communications personnel dialed the number, and Wang Hu picked up the handset, "This is Wang Hu."

"Chen Peng here."

"Branch Two is under heavy zombie attack and is about to engage the enemy."

"Same for Branch One; a large number of zombies are approaching my position. Is this good news?"

Wang Hu thought for a moment and replied, "It's good news, definitely good news, it eases a lot of pressure on my side."

"That's good, that's good."

Why was it good news? Because if the zombies were only targeting Branch Two, it would mean the Serpent People had determined Xinghe was there. If that were the case, Xinghe's chances of escaping would not be great.

But if Branch One was also under attack, it implied the Serpent People didn't know Xinghe was in Branch Two, so they launched a widespread attack. Halving the pressure was indeed good news for protecting Xinghe.

Listening to Chen Peng's satisfied remark, "That's good," Wang Hu fell silent for a moment, then he said softly, "Mr. Chen, I owe you one."

"You think too highly of yourself, don't you?"

Chen Peng chuckled, and then with a very ironic tone, he said, "Do you, Wang Hu, carry that much clout? Wishful thinking. Use the artillery support from my end first, if you can't hold out, then you take over. And one more thing, are you prepared to break out?"

"Ready. If we can hold, we'll hold; if not, we'll break out."

"Alright, that's the plan. I'll be waiting for your orders at any time, ready to meet any needs with all my strength. We brothers won't see each other again, so good luck to you. I have to command the battle now, keep the communication open."

Wang Hu exhaled deeply, put down the receiver, but didn't hang up.

The sound of gunfire started and quickly became extremely intense.

Chen Peng left the phone and walked to the side, speaking in a deep voice, "All units, attention, prepare the survivors to break out."

A staff officer suddenly ran into the command center, shouting, "Commander! We can't hold on! Call for artillery, quickly call for artillery!"

Chen Peng coldly said, "There's no artillery, no support."

The staff officer panicked and rushed to Chen Peng, roaring, "We can't skimp anymore, are we saving our artillery for something smaller?"

The chief of staff said angrily on the side, "What are you talking about? No artillery means no artillery!"

"Where's our artillery? I drew the coordinates myself, how can you tell me there's no artillery? The artillery? The frontline is about to be breached, what are you waiting for?"

Observing the staff officer's tantrum, Chen Peng took a deep breath, put his hand on the officer's shoulder, and whispered in his ear, "We're out of artillery, not a single one left, all of it went to Branch Two."

"What? You, you... Why?!"

The chief of staff said with a grim face, in a low voice, "Because Branch Two is more important than us, more important than us all..."

"Why! Why does Branch Two deserve this!"

The staff officer, a captain, would not dare to speak to his superiors like this under normal circumstances, but now, he dared to.

Chen Peng whispered again in the staff officer's ear, "Because there's hope over there. We can give up everything just to preserve the command of Branch Two!"

"Hope?"

Chen Peng smiled, a wretched smile, then he spoke softly, "Better for Stonegate to grow no grass, than to let Branch Two fall. Does that rhyme? Do my words rhyme?"

The chief of staff smiled miserably, "It rhymes alright, it's just off-topic."

The staff officer's face turned pale; he looked at the commander, then at the chief of staff, and suddenly said, "Is it worth it? Over two hundred thousand people, is it... worth it?"

Chen Peng said softly, "It's worth it, truly worth it. I didn't want to tell you this, but you... you're different. Your father sent you to me, and I failed to protect you. I owe an apology to the old leader, but let me tell you in secret, it truly is worth it because there's a glimmer of hope in Branch Two! You might not understand what dawn means, but your father does, so when you see him down there, he won't be able to blame me for anything."

Chen Peng patted the staff officer on the shoulder twice, then with an apologetic face, he said, "As for you, all I can say is I'm sorry. Don't hold it against your Uncle Chen."

The staff officer nodded, saying softly, "I understand. I... I'll go out, to the machine gun position."

"No need to go, stay here. I need to make sure you won't spread the word," Chen Peng replied.

The staff officer whispered to Chen Peng, "Commander, I want to give it my all for one last time. Are you still afraid I'll get the chance to leak any information?"

After a moment's thought, Chen Peng smiled, "You're your father's son. Go then."

Just then, the radio operator shouted, "Branch Two is calling for artillery fire, to Coordinate Group Zero, full firepower now!"

Chen Peng roared, "Open fire! Open fire!"

"No need for test shots, full coverage with artillery fire!"

The radio operator repeated into the microphone. Chen Peng rushed to the table, shouting into a row of microphones, "Fire off the last round of shells, and if we're to die, die on the battlefield. I, Chen Peng, will face death with you! I'll die before any of you! Fire! Fire the artillery!"

Wang Hu could hear Chen Peng's voice from the other end of the phone, everyone could.

Branch Two had no choice but to call for artillery support. Did Branch One not need it?

Of course, they needed it, only Branch One didn't want it anymore.