As the team forged ahead, the once brief journey out of the city began to extend, the convoy growing larger with each passing hour. The military, seemingly under orders from their superiors, had opened their ranks to accommodate survivors along the way. Battalion Commander Tian Juntian, a man of limited capabilities, struggled to manage the expanding group, causing the front of the convoy to stretch thin. The constant stop-and-go progression resulted in precious hours lost, preventing them from truly escaping the city's confines. They found themselves either waiting for the resettlement of survivors or for the arrival of other elite forces. This retreat, it seemed, marked their final opportunity to abandon the distant Liao City completely. Despite the delays, they were determined to ensure a thorough evacuation.
Rumors circulated about conflicts between Taotang and Tian Jun, members of the special forces. Taotang advocated for abandoning more ordinary individuals and swiftly departing with the essential elites they were tasked to protect. Tian Jun, on the other hand, stubbornly insisted on rescuing as many people as possible. It appeared that tensions ran high between the two.
Of course, these were accounts relayed by Ma Hongbo. Based on the information he gathered, Tian Jun was inclined to evacuate as many individuals as they could, recognizing that this might be the military's final rescue and retreat operation. If they failed to evacuate everyone today, ordinary people would be left to fend for themselves.
Seated in the corner, the portly Ma Hongbo huddled with a group of people, his voice hushed to avoid being overheard by the soldiers ahead. Despite his low tone, his frustration was evident as he painted a vivid picture of the situation. "I heard that even Tian Jun's own loyal supporters are unhappy. Who can blame them? We face the constant threat of being devoured by monsters. We must struggle to survive, yet we also have to spend time searching and waiting for people. It's truly..."
He paused, sighing heavily, then continued, "Hey, Brother Joe, I didn't mean you guys. It's understandable that you brought Professor Chen along."
Joe offered a polite yet awkward smile in response.
Ma Hongbo smacked his lips and mused, "In truth, both Taotang and Tian Jun have valid perspectives. Without knowing the ultimate outcome, it's impossible to say who is right or wrong. It's just that Tian Jun has been appointed by the higher-ups as the team's commander, so Tao Tang has no choice but to follow his lead. But it's said that Battalion Commander Liu is no longer with us."
"However," he added, "our situation seems relatively favorable. Some troops are tasked with collecting supplies, so they're moving at a slower pace. Those who joined later, though, have already encountered the monsters. Tsk..."
The surrounding individuals responded with a mix of worry, anger, or indifference. One person playfully grabbed Ma Hongbo and asked, "Brother Ma, when can we go scavenging again?"
Ma Hongbo glanced at the man and scolded with a smile, "You and your three companions have already picked enough. Can you afford to provide for three women?"
The man chuckled, unfazed. "With all four of us together, I haven't tried that yet..."
Ma Hongbo retorted, "You want to pick another person and make it a group of four? That would make it five!"
Laughter rippled through the group.
As the convoy sluggishly continued its journey, Su Chen observed the scene unfold from a distance. Unable and unnecessary to intervene, he seized the opportunity to replenish his strength, casting a quick glance toward the gathering before retracting his gaze.
Following the sacrificial ceremony, the "favorite" seemed to have gained control over an increased number, as well as larger and more widespread, monsters. The tranquility of Beicheng District had long been shattered, with survivors scattered throughout the city. The attacks had sparked fierce battles throughout the district, and gunfire echoed from various locations where convoys clashed. However, the military's strategy of decentralization appeared to be effective. The number of monsters surrounding the military convoys guarding survivors remained relatively low, and the situation seemed to be within manageable limits.
The extensive seven-battalion convoy encountered sporadic attacks, but they did not escalate to the scale and organization that Su Chen had witnessed in Midtown. The scattered monsters were swiftly defeated and eliminated. What impact would the team have? This favorable situation was precisely why Tian Jun insisted on investing time and effort into evacuating more people from the city. Zongzhi had given similar orders, albeit somewhat ambiguous, emphasizing the rescue of as many ordinary survivors as possible when conditions allowed.
Having accumulated a significant number of energy units, Su Chen now possessed four modified charging devices in his possession. One boasted a capacity of 8,000 mA, another 10,000 mA, and the remaining two each stored a staggering 20,000 mA. This allowed him to stockpile a total of five, six, and twelve energy units separately.
After one of the attacks, the reserve support team initiated a mobile retreat. Su Chen learned that they intended to halt and wait for additional survivors. An idea flickered in his mind, prompting him to pull Qiao Zheng aside. "I have something to attend to. Cover for me. If you encounter Ma Hongbo, tell him I went to search for my 'baby' during the commotion."
Qiao Zheng was momentarily taken aback but nodded in agreement.
Su Chen slipped away from the team discreetly. His first destination was to check on Xia Chuwei and her group. As a familiar face and a skilled individual within the reserve support team, he faced no obstacles gaining access.
Xia Chuwei greeted him casually. "Take care of yourself out there, Su Chen."
She paused for a moment, her hands resting on her shoulders, tattered clothing failing to conceal her graceful figure. A slightly embarrassed smile played on her delicate face as she continued, "Don't get the wrong idea—I'm not interested in you. But if something were to happen to you, I wouldn't be pleased either..."
"I was still touched..."
Xia Chuwei smiled, recalling something. She reached into her pockets and retrieved a collection of small, jumbled medicine jars, handing them to Su Chen.
"I have a doctor in my vehicle—our unit's chief physician," Xia Chuwei whispered. "These jars contain stimulants, sleeping pills, and other substances. I thought they might come in handy for you, so I brought them along."
Su Chen glanced at her, knowing that such items held little use for most people in the current circumstances. However, considering they were brought by someone under the military's close protection, they couldn't be carried casually. Xia Chuwei mentioned it casually, but she must have traded something valuable for them.
But Su Chen didn't press the matter further. He understood, and Xia Chuwei understood, that there were unspoken implications behind their exchange. Besides, his interests lay elsewhere, experimenting with the supernatural, and the medicines he had prepared before the apocalypse had no bearing on this situation.
"Thank you very much," Su Chen expressed his gratitude before departing swiftly. He had much to attend to. He stole a quick glance at Xia Chuwei and added, "We'll catch up later."
"Alright. Take care," Xia Chuwei understood that Su Chen had pressing matters and refrained from saying more. As Su Chen turned to leave, she remained still, silently watching him vanish into the crowd, disappearing from sight...
Or so it seemed.
Xia Chuwei pursued Su Chen's retreating figure and arrived at a distant bus, occupied by women. She beckoned one of them to disembark—a girl who possessed a modest physique but radiated an endearing charm.
And then, Su Chen took the lead.
The girl obediently trailed behind him, her head slightly lowered.
Numerous women inside the bus observed the two figures ahead, their gazes filled with envy, particularly directed at the girl. Xia Chuwei observed... just observed.
Suddenly, Professor Chen poked his head out from behind. "Xiao Xia, was that Su Chen just now..."
"Eh? What was that sound? Xiao Xia?"
"Ah?" Xia Chuwei snapped out of her reverie. "Ah! It's nothing..."
"Are you grinding your teeth?" Professor Chen appeared perplexed.
"Where... Where did they go?"
"I'm certain I heard something, but you didn't notice..." Professor Chen furrowed his brow.
"No... No... Ah..." Xia Chuwei responded to Professor Chen's query, yet her eyes remained fixed on the crowd. However, in such a brief moment, Su Chen and the young girl had vanished.
She let out a small sigh of frustration.
Professor Chen pondered his thoughts and analyzed the situation with mixed emotions. "This occurrence is highly unusual. Some individuals exhibit similar behavior when awakening their latent talents, yet remain oblivious to them... Xia, could they be awakening their talents?"
"No, that's not it!" Xia Chuwei vehemently denied.