Chapter 408: Chapter 408: Pause the Advance
The Base Commander addressed Lu Jianguo, “No.7 Base Commander, now is the ti of crisis for our survival, maybe everyone is making sense.”
Before Lu Jianguo could speak, Lu Jianshe interjected, “The people, supplies, and troops of both bases, going to the young couple to ask for food? Do you have the face for it? I’m putting it here, as long as I am not dead, no one can take any supplies from my nephew. Haven’t they given enough to the base over the years? Now, we are moving with the chickens and eggs we have, all thanks to their help. Even the poultry at No.7 Base and so much equipnt, solar panels, are you planning to divide the food they desperately gathered? Are you landlords from the old society?”
His words left all the leaders in the office looking displeased, but they couldn’t refute him because what Lu Jianshe said made sense.
Lu Jianguo also added, “The food that my son has is exchanged with their lives at risk. I am not entitled to ask them for it. Also, how many of us are there? What problem can their little bit of food solve? Isn’t it just because so people are jealous and greedy seeing their rice and flour? We brought these sweet potato cakes, we can still eat for at least half a year. Now, we reduce the portion just because we are worried about being trapped for too long. There might be a crisis, but it’s not like we are out of food. Why should we rob the masses? Aren’t we building bases so that the people can live and work in peace and contentnt?”
His words made everyone bow their heads in silence. In fact, they initially intended to morally bind Lu Jianguo, but they did not expect that he would not play along, nor did they foresee the thorny presence of Lu Jianshe.
Of course, there were also so originally neutral people who began to offer words that could help both sides step down and ease the atmosphere.
There are always so who can’t stand to see others doing well; they would rather see everyone fare poorly than see soone thrive from their efforts.
Gu Pan and the others didn’t know this, but they were not worried because with their resources and abilities, even without following the troops, they could still reach Mount Everest and build their own base.
Nowadays, people go upstairs daily to distribute food and water. Because resources such as masks and gas masks are becoming scarcer, not everyone gets them, so the base staff have to distribute them, allowing others hardly any need to go out.
However, such tis easily led to depression. Outside was just haze, not see-through, and there was no electricity inside either. The light during the day wasn’t great, and at night it was pitch-dark, and the food was poor as well. It indeed made psychological issues more likely to arise.
That day, just as Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng lay down, they heard soone yelling about a murder in the hallway.
Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng were dressed in sportswear or howear for sleeping, which made it easier to leave directly in an ergency.
On hearing the noise, they quickly got out of bed and went to the door. Peering through the peephole, suddenly a face appeared outside, startling Gu Pan.
Lu Ruisheng hugged her and looked out himself, then whispered to Gu Pan, “I guess he’s gone mad – he’s holding a knife, there’s blood on the blade; he must have hacked soone. We need to tell everyone not to go out.”
Gu Pan nodded, “Okay, I’ll tell everyone right now.” She picked up the intercom and quickly inford everyone.
Once things cald down, Gu Pan equipped each room with an intercom for safety.
By then, everyone had woken up and heard Gu Pan’s voice, all of them responding.
Cheng Yuan: “We haven’t gone out, don’t worry.”
Lu Xuerong replied, “None of us have gone out either.”
Qin Qianqian also replied, “Sister Pan, that person won’t co in, right?” The three girls lacked the combat experience of Gu Pan and others, so they were more frightened when encountering such incidents.
Gu Pan replied, “No, he won’t if you don’t open the door. Besides, your neighbors are our own people, no need to be scared.”
Guo Gang also said, “Don’t worry, we are right next door.”
Qin Qianqian felt much reassured upon hearing Guo Gang’s response, as she trusted the military person.
Suddenly, the man ran upstairs again, starting to knock on doors from house to house. Many doors were not locked, and soon there were more cries for help.
As soldiers, Lu Ruisheng and Guo Gang couldn’t remain indifferent.
Lu Ruisheng called Guo Gang, “Brother Guo, we can’t let this madness continue.”
Guo Gang responded, “We must go out and subdue him.”
Lu Ruisheng agreed, “Get the gear on, we move out in two minutes.”
Since it was between floors, timing needed to be synchronized. After syncing watches, the two quickly dressed in protective suits, gas masks, bulletproof vests, and helts, safety first.
Gu Pan once again cautioned them to be careful.
Two minutes later, Lu Ruisheng left the room, and Guo Gang ca out as well.
The two t in the secure hallway in between and followed the cries for help.
Now, the sounds were coming from the sixth floor. When they reached it, they saw a skinny middle-aged man, eyes wide, hacking at a young woman, his body covered in blood.
Lu Ruisheng hurried forward and restrained the man.
Guo Gang imdiately went to check on the woman’s injuries. She had been slashed on the shoulder and urgently pleaded for help as soon as she saw them, “Save .”
Her voice was weak due to her already frail condition, and the blood loss made her appear even more vulnerable.
Guo Gang quickly administered ergency first aid to stop the bleeding.
Lu Ruisheng tied up the madman and took out dicine and bandages from his pocket, which Gu Pan had put in there before they left, knowing there were injuries. In tis like these, they could not stand idly by to save just the needy during ergencies.
Guo Gang helped treat the woman’s wounds and asked soone from her room to look after her.
Afterwards, he and Lu Ruisheng took the madman down to the first floor and tied him up to the railing securely.
Neither went back imdiately; Guo Gang stayed to watch the man while Lu Ruisheng followed the blood and sounds to find those previously attacked by the madman.
One was already dead, and another had an injured arm. He helped bandage the injury, then went back to find Guo Gang.
He had barely reached the second floor when Guo Gang ca up and said, “The military has taken the lunatic away.”
Lu Ruisheng remarked, “That was quick.”
Guo Gang said, “Given the noise, they were pretty scared too.”
“Indeed, who can really be sure of what might happen next? The unknown is always the scariest.”
“Knowing it was a lunatic, the military personnel seed relieved.”
They talked as they returned to their own floor.
By then, the crying and yelling in the hallway had ceased and the whole building was quiet.
After entering the room and starting to take off his protective gear, Lu Ruisheng said to Gu Pan, “I really didn’t expect him to be so strong when he went crazy.”
Gu Pan asked, “You guys didn’t get hurt, did you?”
“How could I? How could I not protect myself and make you worry?” This was sincerely spoken; without his wife, he could be careless, but with her, he couldn’t afford to cause her any worry.
Gu Pan smiled, “That’s reassuring. How are the injured doing?”
“One died and two were injured. Luckily, we responded in ti, otherwise, who knows how many more might have been hard tonight.”
“Most doors in this building are unlocked. Tomorrow, I should get Dad to remind everyone to beef up their security.”
“So many aren’t killed by harsh weather but by the souls trapped in this apocalypse.”
“Yes, when will this kind of apocalypse ever end?”
Upon saying this, both fell silent.
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