Rotting Land: Survive

No response, no applause, not even any discussion, almost all the employees fell silent! It wasn't until Lin Junfu announced the start of the banquet that this dead silence was finally broken.

As the food was served, the atmosphere in the venue gradually recovered, and the survivors temporarily forgot the imminent adventure.

They each gathered in their own small groups, chatting, laughing, having fun.

In the midst of the excitement, Wang Qiang even broke into song. Although his voice was like a broken gong and not great, it should be noted that his act greatly enlivened the atmosphere of the entire venue.

As the saying goes, the first follower opens the floodgates. Wang Qiang's "self-recommendation" made many women employees with "talents" eager to perform.

This indirectly led to the entire celebration turning into a song and dance performance gathering by the end.

Tang Xiaoquan never anticipated this, but it was certain that he had achieved his set goal. Everything he needed to say and do, as well as what he wished the employees to understand, was conveyed through this celebration.

The celebration continued until 9 PM. Considering the actions planned for tomorrow, Lin Junfu reluctantly had to break the immersion and stop everyone's performances.

Of course, he didn't forget the ultimate purpose of today's event, so in the end, he lightly reiterated the gathering time for tomorrow morning before announcing the end of the celebration with a tinge of reluctance.

Returning to their rooms, Tang Xiaoquan went alone to the bed by the window, where the bright moonlight slanted down, enveloping him in a silvery halo.

Instinctively, he pulled out the paper and pen tucked in his pocket, and unknowingly, the notebook had already been written and drawn over a third. Tang Xiaoquan slowly flipped through from beginning to end, and an indescribable sense of reflection surged in his heart.

A whole month had passed. One must know that a month ago, he was still striving for his future, and now... Zombies, exotic beasts, those "hell beasts" that should've only existed in novels and games had brazenly come into reality, destroying everything he once knew.

This was something difficult to accept. Even Tang Xiaoquan himself couldn't grasp how he managed to persevere.

"Huh~" He exhaled a long breath of foul air, and Tang Xiaoquan adjusted his mood. He had so much to record today, so without delay, his eyes fell on the first line of the notebook, and he firmly wrote down three shocking words:

"Zombie Dog!"

This creature left a profound impact on Tang Xiaoquan. Not only did it retain all the original characteristics of dogs, but it also became fearless and unfeeling due to viral modification, making it a perfect "hunting machine."

Beyond that, what concerned Tang Xiaoquan more was that if dogs could be mutated by zombifying strains, then would other animals too...

Thinking about it sent a shiver down Tang Xiaoquan's spine. Imagine encountering a mutated tiger, or lion, on the street one day, could their group escape as luckily as today?

The answer was unknown!

Further connecting the previous appearance of runners, these sudden events increasingly confirmed Tang Xiaoquan's hypothesis about the virus modifying hosts to "adapt and evolve."

And if his hypothesis was true, then...

It was truly terrifying! Considering that even the most ordinary zombies present could overwhelm humans with sheer numbers, if evolved zombies and infected exotic beasts appeared, would humanity still have the chance to rebuild civilization and reclaim lost territories?

He couldn't help but have reservations about humanity's future!

His eyes lifted slightly, the silver crescent moon still softly glowed in the sky. He lingered in this melancholic daze for a while, but slowly, Tang Xiaoquan shook off his dejection.

He shook his aching neck, perhaps having figured something out during this brief reverie, and a faint smile appeared on his lips as he murmured to himself, "Well! What's the point of thinking so far ahead? Living in the present is what matters!"

Putting the paper and pen back into his pocket habitually, Tang Xiaoquan patted it twice, then blew out the candle, lying on his back on the "box bed."

That night, the survivors slept soundly, utterly exhausted from a busy day.

The long, slow night was occasionally punctuated by the cheerful songs of crickets in the fields, adding a touch of vitality to the otherwise deathly atmosphere.

As the next day's sunlight quietly peeked over the horizon, the factory yard was already bustling with crowds.

Lin Junfu stood atop the truck, waving to signal everyone to quiet down.

He scanned with his eyes, confirming that almost all the factory employees had gathered, which confirmed that Hu Xiaodong's speech last night had indeed worked.

"Reap what you sow!" he muttered, slightly amused by how this young man's simple four words had resolved the "unity" issue that troubled him for so long.

No matter the process, the plan was advancing as originally intended.

"Everyone, quiet down! First, I want to thank you all for overcoming psychological fears and joining this action. I don't want to say unnecessary words, just emphasize a few points here."

"First, during the action, please follow commands; second, don't panic when something happens, absolutely don't scream, and remember the precautions against zombies explained by Little Hu yesterday; third, stay with your group, if something's wrong, report it, don't leave on your own!"

"Alright, now I'll announce the group arrangements. Please stand behind the corresponding queue when your name is called."

"The first group, XXXXX, your leader is Zhao Yunhai, stand over here."

"The second group, XXXXX, your leader is Tang Xiaoquan, stand over there."

...

12 females, 8 males were divided into 4 groups according to the planned result. Each group consisted of 2 males and 3 females, nearly resembling the effect of one man guarding one woman. This arrangement provided a sense of safety to the female employees who harbored fears.

Once the grouping was complete, Lin Junfu glanced at the four perfectly aligned and well-equipped teams beneath the truck, feeling a sense of emotion.

How many times had he been troubled by the impossible task of organizing expeditions!

How many times had he spent days and nights looking for ways to unite people!

How many times had he thought this refuge couldn't be maintained any longer!

And now, looking at these newcomers, he sincerely wanted to say "thank you" to each one!

Because their arrival provided the boost of "survival" for this nearly extinct, lifeless base!

The newly risen sun already painted the skies with vibrant clouds. Hu Xiaodong took a deep breath, then waved his large hand, fiercely shouting:

"Harvest operation starts! Get on the truck!"