"Are severely injured and disabled soldiers no longer human? Your words are nothing short of callous disregard for their lives!" Herbert shouted in anger.
Llewellyn's face turned red with anger, and he retorted, "Herbert, are you saying that I treat soldiers' lives lightly? When I was on the front lines, I was always at the forefront!"
"I don't care about those severely injured and disabled soldiers? After they're wounded and disabled, what else can they do besides retiring? Besides, resources are scarce nowadays, and the base can't afford to support this group. If we just leave them be, how is that any different from letting them die directly? A soldier's place is on the battlefield, and if they can cooperate with the experiment, they might still have a glimmer of hope!"
Herbert sneered, "Your argument is purely sophistry!"
"Enough!" Just as the two were engaged in their heated argument, a stern voice suddenly cut through. Both of them froze for a moment, then quickly stood up straight, lowering their heads without speaking.
"Now, the ChuDu Survivor Base is lacking personnel and supplies, and we are at a life-or-death moment. We should be united more than ever," Ervin stated, his tone firm. "Since you cannot make the decision, let this old-timer make the call!"
"I have decided to support Dr. Madden's Apocalypse Soldier Plan starting today, and you need not say anything more," Ervin waved his hand, then fixed his gaze on Herbert, adding, "General Herbert, you claim to care about the lives of our soldiers, don't you?"
"Fine, I will personally send you to the frontlines. If there is any failure in the ChuDu Survivor Base's defense line, I'll be the first to reprimand you!" With that said, he looked at Jude, who was trembling, and continued, "And you, General Jude, you're going with him!"
"Dismissed!" Ervin slapped the table and then left the command room.
As the commander left, the generals exchanged glances, and Jude pulled Herbert aside, whispering, "General Herbert, I've heard that creatures of Tier Three and above have appeared in the LJ River. The base is located by the banks of the LJ River, and we might be facing some trouble."
"Trouble?" Herbert sneered, "I fear trouble the least. If it dares to come, I'll dare to use fighter jets to bomb it!"
"Of course, of course!" Jude quickly agreed.
After the meeting came to an end, the group dispersed without joy. At this moment, Ervin left the meeting room and headed straight for the biochemistry laboratory. The laboratory was located in the deepest part of the base, about thirty meters below the surface. It had been established using the tunnels of the former subway system.
Entering the elevator, the air of authority on Ervin's face gave way to a hint of weariness. He sighed and turned to Wendy, who was standing next to him, and asked, "Young lady, do you think I'm making the right decision?"
Wendy's cold demeanor showed no trace of emotion on her face as she calmly replied, "As a commander, emotions should not play a role in your decision-making. We are facing a critical moment in the Great Zhou, and only by sacrificing our individual selves can we achieve the greater good. Personal gains and losses should not be considered."
"Yes," Ervin sighed with a bitter smile. Having served as the military commander for over two decades, he had always been diligent and meticulous. Now, facing an unprecedented catastrophe, he found himself at a loss.
After a few seconds of contemplation, the elevator doors slowly opened. The air of authority returned to Ervin's face, and he nodded, saying, "Sacrifices are inevitable everywhere, but I, as the commander, will personally reassure these young souls that their sacrifices are worthwhile."
Stepping out of the elevator, a tent-like isolation chamber was visible not far away. Ervin and Wendy put on protective suits and walked inside. Passing through three layers of isolation zones, they found a middle-aged man with white hair and a white robe, busy in the lab. Next to him lay a young man connected to a ventilator, his vital signs constantly monitored. However, the young man's eyes were tightly shut, his body wrapped in bandages, and only the fluctuating heartbeat displayed on the monitor proved that he was still alive.
"Dr. Madden!" Ervin called.
"Ervin, you're here? What's the decision from the discussion? Lieutenant Josh can't wait any longer," Madden said nervously.
Ervin nodded and said, "No problem, let's start the experiment."
"Understood!" Madden's eyes lit up, and he turned to the busy researchers, calling out, "Stop what you're doing and move Lieutenant Josh onto the operating table!"
Once the preparations were complete, Madden took out a transparent syringe filled with a sparkling liquid. After exchanging glances with the surrounding researchers, he injected the liquid directly into Lieutenant Josh's arm on the operating table. At that moment, everyone in the lab, including Ervin, held their breaths in anticipation.
Meanwhile, inside the fitness center of the Dawn Base, Cheryl slowly gathered her strength while facing the force gauge. Once her power was fully accumulated, she unleashed a punch, but just before making contact with the gauge, she abruptly stopped. She felt a sudden, sharp twist in her heart and an inexplicable sense of irritation.
Verna, who was nearby, immediately walked over with concern, asking, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
"I don't know, I just feel really agitated," Cheryl shook her head.
Watching this, Verna thought for a moment and suggested, "You should go to the infirmary for a check-up, just to make sure there's no underlying issue."
Cheryl nodded gently, and Anthony, observing the scene with some confusion, figured that with Verna around, there probably wouldn't be any major problems. He then turned his attention back to Lynn and Annabelle in front of him, instructing, "Maintain the correct posture, sense the flow of energy within your dantian as it moves along with your actions. Don't resist this force; learn to control it."
Soon enough, Lynn exclaimed in surprise, "I can feel it!"
Hearing this, Anthony quickly grabbed her arm and infused a bit of internal energy to explore. As expected, a faint energy lingered within Lynn's dantian.
"Congratulations, you've stepped into the threshold of martial arts cultivation," Anthony congratulated her, then explained, "When you can refine this strand of energy to be as thick as a chopstick, you'll advance to the First Stage of the Later Heaven."
"Thank you," Lynn looked at Anthony holding her wrist, her face slightly reddening, and obediently nodded in response.
On July 15th, 2024, exactly 22 days after the onset of the apocalypse, Anthony entered the fitness center. Dawn was already waiting at the entrance, saying, "Master, congratulations on entering the Fourth Level Fitness Center. The newly added training programs include Advanced Combat, Introductory Martial Arts, and Beginner-Level Mental Power Control."
"Let's start by explaining the Advanced Combat training," Anthony said excitedly.
Dawn nodded and approached the display screen, pointing at the monitor inside the fitness center. "Master has already mastered the breathing techniques of Basic Combat, the explosive power of Intermediate Combat, and the force-dispersal technique of Advanced Combat. The core element of Advanced Combat is control."
"Control?" Anthony became somewhat curious. His control over power had reached quite a high level, so why did Advanced Combat require learning about control?
Dawn nodded and explained, "Exactly, it's about power control."
"The concept of power control consists of two steps: how to allocate power and how to control the point of impact. Allocating power means having complete self-control over how much force you exert. Controlling the point of impact refers to the ability to direct your force to the surface or even within an object when striking it." Listening to Dawn's explanation, Anthony finally understood.
Wasn't this akin to the concept of "separating mountains and hitting the bull"? Causing internal harm without leaving external marks. No, it was even more refined than "separating mountains and hitting the bull." He could simultaneously inflict both internal and external injuries. This kind of combat technique was undeniably ingenious. Thinking about it, Anthony couldn't wait to experience this power control technique.
"No time to waste, let's begin!"
"Yes, Master!"