The Last Commander of the Red Alert

Su Chen raised an eyebrow. Were the Zerg infiltrating humanity? Could it be that the Zerg had discovered a way to completely transform into humans?

He clearly remembered that the Zerg Hive on Earth had been lurking for this exact purpose. Although the credibility of this information was debatable, considering that the Zerg Hive's last resort were those Insectoids, this seemed highly plausible.

The Zerg’s genes were formidable. They could assimilate the genetic material of other species, merging it with their own, giving rise to new Zerg forms. This was one of the reasons why the Zerg had risen to be among the apex races.

This meant that even if the Zerg Hive created a being that looked exactly like a human, its essence remained unchangeable, and it would easily be detected by human technology.

By the standards of this planet's technology, such detection should have been possible.

“Oh?” Su Chen’s expression hinted at intrigue, giving the old man a glimmer of hope.

“Sir, I swear that this is the truth," the old man emphasized. "When we first discovered this, we were taken aback. It was unimaginable that the Zerg could control humans. They're not mere killing machines; they are intelligent beings. It cost us dearly to identify those high-ranking individuals who had been taken over by the Zerg. Though they wore human faces, they were no longer human inside.”

Su Chen deduced that the man was not lying. It appeared that the Zerg had not yet found a way to become fully human, which was a silver lining in an otherwise grim situation.

The old man’s heart raced, uncertain if this revelation would sway Su Chen. In order to align with Su Chen, he had divulged this massive secret.

If this information were to leak, it would surely cause massive upheaval among the survivors. After all, who could truly trust that the person beside them wasn't a Zerg?

"Agreed."

After a long pause, Su Chen uttered those words, and the old man felt an overwhelming sense of relief. He felt like a criminal awaiting judgment, a feeling he hadn’t experienced since becoming high-ranking.

"Thank you, Commander,” the old man quickly adjusted his form of address.

"All I ask is that you prevent any unrest."

"Understood, Commander."

After the old man left, Ju Ling inquired, “Commander, given our power, no number of survivors would pose a threat. Why let him lead the survivors?”

In Ju Ling’s opinion, any rebellious survivors should simply be executed. Their only value to Red Alert Base was information.

"We already have ample intel. Even if all these survivors were exterminated, I wouldn't be surprised."

“I’m intrigued by the history of this planet. These people may prove useful someday. Besides, don't you think having their own kind govern them is the best option?” Su Chen smiled.

The number of survivors in Red Alert Base had now exceeded 50,000. It was undeniable that humans were an incredibly adaptive species. Even in this apocalyptic setting, so many had survived.

Most were young men and women. The elderly and children were rare. They understood that in these times, having a child was akin to seeking death, and the elderly were the first to be forsaken.

However, their appearance was pitiable. Enduring immense nuclear radiation, many had developed mutations, such as an extra arm or horned, keratinized skin.

By the standards of the past, these individuals could no longer be considered human.

They were settled in a specially designated area for them to live in. Red Alert Base provided them with the most basic of sustenance, ensuring they would not starve to death.

When they tasted bits of meat they hadn't consumed in years, they burst into tears.

Living in wooden houses they constructed themselves, for the first time, they felt a sense of security.

However, the surrounding soldiers completely refused to communicate with them and restricted their every movement. This left them continually uneasy. As their representative, the old man went to negotiate with the Commander, embodying all their hopes.

"Mr. Lu, how did it go?" a young man rushed over to ask.

Surrounded by hopeful gazes, old man Lu Gang beamed, "After my earnest persuasion, the Commander has finally agreed to my terms. All survivors will be under my charge."

Hearing this, the remaining people cheered in delight.

However, Lu Gang's next words felt like a cold bucket of ice had been poured over them, "Everyone, don't forget, we are still under their watch. I believe it's best if we all follow their rules and don't think about venturing outside."

As he finished, a blond-haired man, with somewhat broken language, said, "Mr. Lu, even in an army, human rights are essential. They are infringing upon our freedom. This is against the law. I can sue them and take them to a military court."

"Human rights?"

A mocking smile crept onto Lu Gang's face as he looked at the blonde man. "What were you before the Apocalypse?"

The blonde man hesitated, "I was a law student."

"Exactly," Lu Gang retorted. "Those who study law inherently believe that everyone should be under the rule of law. But what you've never realized is that there are many who stand above the law."

With a wave of Lu Gang's hand, two men immediately restrained the blond man, making him immobile.

"The emergence of the Apocalypse seems to have not made you understand one thing. In this world, there has never been such a thing as human rights. What exists is merely... power!"

Thud!

A person threw a powerful punch into the blond man's abdomen. His eyes nearly bulged out from the intense pain, leaving him speechless.

"This is just a warning. Times have changed. If you want to survive, obey."

The events amongst the survivors did not escape Su Chen's notice. The old man's actions pleased him. Had the elder not been too ambitious, letting him manage the survivors indefinitely might not have been out of the question.

While dealing with the survivors, Red Alert Base didn't halt their campaign of conquest. They pressed on from the mainland to the coast.

The next step was to build a navy and target the location of the Zerg Hive!

At that moment, Tanya's voice echoed, "Commander, a patrol Hunting Dog outside the Base just found someone with invisibility powers trying to sneak into the Base."

"Interrogate him."

Soon, the reason emerged: the person tried to infiltrate the Base just to steal a piece of meat! (To be continued...)

[Read atPatreon.com/maxnkoga , without ads and support the work.]