"The Northwest Branch has lost contact, but the Southeast Branch, South City Branch, and Industrial Park Branch can still be reached. Currently, there are 869 guards on duty and 500 contractors. The Ard Forces have 400 active-duty mbers and 359 contractors. The Governnt Affairs Hall has 432 people and 123 contractors, and the public 532 people and 201 contractors.
South City Bureau has already reached its limit. We must find another place."
In the eting room of the South City Bureau, a middle-aged man in a black guard combat uniform was speaking. His cheeks were thin, his hair peppered with gray, but his eyes were exceptionally sharp.
Guo Wutao, director of the South City Guard Bureau, was also the third most important person in the South City camp.
"Director Guo, we can actually hold out for a while if we do not continue to take in more people. The fog has not dispersed, and it is unsafe to go out. Besides, there are so matters that are even more urgent..."
"Urgent my ass, what can be more important than human lives?"
Guo Wutao pointed at the bespectacled man who was speaking and cursed loudly, slamming the table with such force that the sound reverberated through the eting room like thunder, almost bearing down on the entire space.
"Guo Wutao,"
a man in the center seat spoke with a steady, unquestionable voice: "Calm down. We are discussing strategies. You should understand the situation at the bureau as well. Let him finish what he has to say."
The words of Li Ruikang made Guo Wutao's expression sowhat ease as he said, "The bureau is too close to the center. The more concentrated the people are, the more creatures there will be, and the more difficult it will be to move them when the ti cos."
"That's why we need to make a plan."
"Old Li, what are you thinking? Tell us."
A square-faced man in Ard Forces uniform on the left side, with a hoarse voice, started, his keen gaze fixed on Li Ruikang.
Li Ruikang's eyes were firm, still poised and composed in his scholarly deanor, years of managing governnt affairs enabling him to remain calm even in the face of apocalypse.
"Wen Zhenhui, how many days can we last with the food, how many vehicles do we need to move 2233 people at once, and do we have enough gasoline?"
"The day before yesterday, the special warfare guards brought back supplies from the supermarket. We can last about two months on a rationed distribution. But we need at least twenty buses to move over 2200 people, which is a huge difficulty. We only have 6 buses, and together with the service vehicles, we can move at most 600 people at once. If we squeeze, we can transport seven or eight hundred."
Although Wen Zhenhui was yelled at, he still displayed ability. He was clear about the details of so supplies, which was also why he could still sit here.
"But... but moving in separate groups is too dangerous. Even with guns, we can't protect so many people, and too many haven't ford contracts yet. Their strength, their constitution..."
"For those without contracts, then make contracts imdiately. This is the apocalypse, not peaceti. Governnt Affairs Hall has a lot of people, but the least number of contractors. What, do they still expect others to protect them?"
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Li Ruikang's eyes narrowed, his presence alone commanding: "Whether it's the Governnt Affairs Hall, Ard Forces, guard staff, or the public, everyone except for children and the elderly who are immobile, will be given opportunities to contract by the guard and Ard Forces contractors over the next two days. Everyone will make a contract.
For those who can't manage it, their food distribution will be cut to the minimum. If so people don't want to survive, then we'll ensure that those who can survive will go on. Also, continue dispatching supply search teams; we must ensure gasoline is available."
"Understood, but we'll need cooperation from Director Guo and Director Yan for this."
"Zhao Yaqing,"
"Present!"
Guo Wutao turned to the woman at the end of the table clad in a combat uniform and ordered, "You are in charge of coordinating this matter. Create contracting opportunities with the priority of protecting oneself."
"Duan Jie,"
Yan Tiejun also spoke up, saying, "Assign three squads to assist in creating opportunities for contracts."
"Yes!"
A man in camouflage responded loudly, his expression resolute.
"Wen Zhenhui, organize the contractors among the public to participate in the defense. Sa as before, if those from the Governnt Affairs Hall and the guards can't cut it, then get lost. Let those who dare to contract step up."
"Understood, I'll go and take care of it."
"You can go down and make the arrangents now..."
"Hold on."
Next to Yan Tiejun, a scholarly elder with graying hair raised his hand, interrupting Li Ruikang.
Li Ruikang wasn't annoyed but instead asked cordially, "Professor Bai, do you have any requests?"
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Bai Qiuwen nodded and said, "When contracting, be sure to observe the situation, especially the contracting of different types of monsters, as well as the different reactions of the Contractors. Our understanding is still too limited. The more we know, the safer we'll be."
"Elder Bai, I understand. I'll arrange it properly,"
Wen Zhenhui agreed, then took a few subordinates and left the conference room. Managing the temporary camp of over two thousand people, which kept growing as civilians joined, was no easy task.
Luckily, he wasn't the type to sit idly by; otherwise, it would have spelt disaster.
After people left, Duan Jie and Zhao Yaqing didn't stay either, following quickly to arrange the matters they had just been tasked with.
In the conference room, only the five people at the very front remained, who were currently the five core figures of the South City camp.
"It'll beco chaotic like this,"
Guo Wutao sighed. He had managed to establish contact with various branches of South City, and the Ard Forces stationed at the Guard Bureau, amidst the unremitting fog. That's how they secured a certain level of ard force, but their numbers were limited.
Civilians couldn't be turned away; setting aside responsibility, humans were a resource. To rebuild order, you couldn't do without people.
But the more people there were, the harder it beca to manage them, and this kind of forcefulness could also lead to dissatisfaction within their own ranks.
"But it's necessary to be like this."
Li Ruikang's gaze was deep, "Since that eerie fog spread that day, and our eting wasn't even finished before that eyeball appeared, supernatural phenona have gone beyond our understanding. No matter where these Contractors ca from, they are destined to beco the mainstream force. Without harnessing this power, humanity has no chance of survival."
When the eerie mist erged, the official reaction was quick. Even before it reached the suburbs, they discovered communication disruptions, unidentified creatures in the fog, and a few individual cases of it oppressing people's ntal states.
The Governnt Affairs Hall imdiately convened people from the Ard Forces and the Guard Bureau and held an ergency eting, even inviting scholars such as Bai Qiuwen, a professor of biology at South City University, and Tian Jiaxuan, a professor of physics, among others.
But before they could understand what was happening, the situation escalated. They were lucky that the City Bureau was next to the Governnt Affairs Hall; otherwise, the death toll would have been much higher.
Those present certainly understood the importance of Contractors. They were here not only because of their pre-apocalyptic positions and abilities but more so because they were now Contractors themselves and understood the power of Contractors.
"Professor Bai, any progress on the evolution and enhancent of the Angel Envoys?"
Yan Tiejun looked at Bai Qiuwen, who shook his head and said, "Currently, the best thod we've managed is to inject active tissues. At most, we can use the tissues of monsters that have an evolutionary link to one another to inject and improve the efficiency of evolution.
As I said, only with a laboratory and complete experintal equipnt is there a chance to purify a more efficient injection solution."
With a bitter smile, Li Ruikang said, "We'll try to sort out the laboratory and equipnt as best we can, but not right now. Our primary goal is to survive, to secure our footing before we can start rebuilding."
Bai Qiuwen nodded and replied, "I understand, but the monsters are evolving too. They're even forming their communities and gaining power, gradually taking over higher ecological niches and establishing their ecology. If humans fall behind, they may no longer be the protagonists of this land."
"As long as we're still here, and our guns are still firing, those monsters won't have their way."
Yan Tjieun's voice was firm, but Bai Qiuwen ignored his militaristic attitude and said with self-mocking laughter, "Is that so? A re First-level Interdiate Contractor like , an old man, can stride as though in flight, possessing the physical fitness one or two tis that of an adult. What about those who are even more powerful?"
Yan Tiejun's face stiffened; he certainly knew that Contractors and Angel Envoys possessed transcendent powers. Guns and ammunition could, for now, still cope.
But with the severance of various supplies, the depletion of South City's current weapons and equipnt, and the advancent of the monsters, it was very possible that the situation would turn around.
South City wasn't a fortified city; the Ard Forces weren't nurous, and they weren't well-equipped on a regular basis. Moreover, the equipnt they were now acquiring was limited.
Beyond these problems, the fog caused the plants to wither and even die. Although the Lamp Trees could ensure plant life, if the population continued to grow, the Crystals of the Lamp Trees might not suffice. And what about that eyeball-like monster? Was that truly sothing humans could contend with?
And what was the purpose of the Contractors? A gift from the gods or a lure? Nobody knew.
Noticing the gravity on the faces of the three, Bai Qiuwen's old friend Tian Jiaxuan shook his head at his side, signaling him to stop speaking.
The three supported the entire base. In those first few days, a significant part of the ard forces was sent out to make contact with branches and the Ard Forces. When monsters attacked, they even had to fight personally. Now they were also constantly planning for the future of the camp, the burden was so heavy it was suffocating.
Bai Qiuwen sighed and said, "It's not without hope. That girl Zhao Yaqing sensed so boundaries of a First Order Upper Grade, and she vaguely saw sothing. Maybe at Second Order, things will be different. We still have a chance; humanity also still has a chance."
"Let's hope so."
Li Ruikang's voice was low, then he turned to Yan Tiejun and Guo Wutao, "Set the relocation point to the new park area. There are many factories and warehouses, which can accommodate more people and also facilitate the resumption of production. However, the situation there is unclear, and we need to send people to scout it out."
"I'll take care of the arrangents," said Guo Wutao.
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