Wasteland Commander

Just as Ren Yuquan was at a loss, a strategist beside him spoke up.

"Leader, this isn't actually that difficult to handle."

"Oh! So what's your solution?"

"First, I analyzed Ye Fan's motive. There's a possibility of what he said, but it's not likely. More likely, he's here for Wu Ting's research capability. But seeing the situation at our base, he's unable to find a suitable opportunity to act, so he's doing this instead."

"However, we must admit, although this move is simple and crude, it's very effective. Given our lack of strength, if we don't agree to his terms, he might seize the opportunity to attack."

Ren Yuquan nodded: "You're right. But what worries me more is that even if we hand over the people, Ye Fan might shamelessly attack us anyway."

"That's not impossible, so we need to find a way."

The strategist gave a sinister smile: "Didn't Ye Fan say he has grudges against those teachers and students? Fine, let's help him out. Anyway, Wu Ting doesn't really want to do research for us and is always thinking of escaping, so we might as well give her to Ye Fan."

"But we can't just hand them over like that. We'll knock them out and inject them with the zombie virus. If Ye Fan wants to take them, let him. We'll consider it as helping him take revenge. Let's see what he has to say then."

Ren Yuquan clapped his hands excitedly: "That's perfect! Let's do it."

"Hahaha! Ye Fan will be speechless!"

But he soon calmed down: "What if Ye Fan still attacks us?"

"That's not an issue. Is our Mountain Cave Base made of tofu? Our caves are interconnected, with ventilation shafts and underground water. We've stored enough food inside to last several months. As long as we block the entrance, unless Ye Fan doesn't care about casualties and attacks forcefully, he'll only hurt himself."

Ren Yuquan grew more excited: "You're right. This is an air-raid shelter. Even cannons can't break it down easily, and fire attacks won't do much. It's freezing outside; I don't believe Ye Fan will stay there indefinitely."

"Unless he's willing to lose thousands of people to attack from the front gate, otherwise he won't get in. We can cover all shooting angles from the inside and kill as many as come."

The strategist continued: "Exactly, and we have a radio with a generator here. At worst, we'll side with the Survivor Alliance. We have a secret exit here. What could Ye Fan possibly do to us?"

Ren Yuquan finally made up his mind.

Ye Fan intended to squeeze him like a soft persimmon, but he wasn't easy prey either.

He waved to several people around him, and his subordinates immediately knocked out Wu Ting and the others, who didn't know what was happening.

Ren Yuquan then had someone bring out a syringe.

The needle was black, soaked in zombie virus.

He picked it up and first injected Wu Ting.

Then the second shot went to Zhou Bingtian.

Wu Ting is a researcher, Zhou Bingtian is a test subject. As long as these two are injected, the others don't matter.

"Throw them onto the riverbank. If Ye Fan wants to take them, let him."

Someone carried Wu Ting and the others out and threw them at the location specified by Ye Fan.

Then they quickly ran back, tightened defenses, and prepared to await Ye Fan's arrival.

********

Ye Fan didn't even expect the Mountain Cave Base to act so swiftly.

Within five minutes of sending out leaflets, Wu Ting and the others were brought out.

At that time, he had just arrived near the Mountain Cave Base by armed helicopter.

Through radar scanning, he saw several survivors on the riverbank and immediately had Tang Yafei fly the helicopter over.

Upon seeing them, he found Wu Ting and the others had been completely knocked out.

Moreover, Wu Ting and Zhou Bingtian had been infected with the zombie virus.

"Such insidious characters! If I didn't have antiviral serum here, I would have been duped by these Mountain Cave Base people."

Ye Fan immediately took out the serum and had medics inject the two poisoned people.

He bandaged their heads, but they showed no signs of waking up.

The blows were heavy; it would take time for them to regain consciousness.

"First, settle them in a sheltered place. We don't have proper housing here; cover them with some clothes, build a fire, and don't let them freeze to death."

Ye Fan instructed: "Keep a few people to guard them, and make sure they aren't eaten by Mutant Beasts."

"Forget it, Heaven-Suppressing Howl, you two guard them."

Ye Fan finished his instructions, left two military dogs to guard them, and several soldiers built a fire, placing them beside it for warming. When they left, they were to take them along.

Ye Fan felt a surge of anger.

The audacity of these Mountain Cave Base people!

They sincerely believed this would shut him up?

Ye Fan, who holds principles and honor in high regard, found that the actions of the Mountain Cave Base had clearly crossed his limits.

Injecting the zombie virus directly—how is this any different from zombies?

It seems they were emboldened.

Ye Fan tasked Zhuge Yunxue with scouting the base's situation.

About ten minutes later, Zhuge Yunxue returned.

"Sir, this base is challenging to attack. It's easy to defend and hard to breach, with only one front door for entry and exit. Once inside, visibility is poor, and we'll certainly face sniping from within. Attempting an attack could lead to heavy casualties."

Ye Fan fell into deep thought.

He could have paratroopers come over, or even dispatch a helicopter to bring more people.

Launch a strong attack, pay a certain price, and break through the Mountain Cave Base.

But Ye Fan felt that this was not worthwhile; Red Alert Soldier's lives shouldn't be wasted here.

Is there a way to achieve victory with minimal cost?

Ye Fan pondered and suddenly thought of someone.

Wang Huining!

Wang Huining is still being held in the basement of the Dawn Army, with Squad Leader Shen Ruihui bravely and fearlessly taking on the responsibility of guarding the Zombie King.

Wang Huining really was subdued by Shen Ruihui.

Three-star Soldiers are not afraid of the virus; Wang Huining, a zombie with broken hands and feet, is no match for Shen Ruihui.

It seems necessary to bring Wang Huining out.

About a dozen kilometers from this mountain, there is a village with about six or seven thousand zombies.

Because the roads are relatively remote, the Dawn Army never had the chance to clear them out, leaving those zombies around here.

Ye Fan immediately issued an order for Shen Ruihui to take Wang Huining and skydive with Bi Jinbang's helicopter to that place.

Shen Ruihui's mission is to coerce Wang Huining all the way, making him control the thousands of zombies there.

He believed Shen Ruihui could accomplish this. Although it's dangerous among zombie hordes, with the Zombie King in your hand, you are safe.

Ye Fan always believed in Shen Ruihui's abilities.

The task was passed along, and Shen Ruihui eagerly accepted it.

He knew that the officer wouldn't let him keep guarding a zombie in the basement indefinitely.

He's the officer's trusted subordinate. Everything the officer is doing now is just training him. Once he's trained enough, his position is likely to be promoted.

Without further ado, Shen Ruihui tied up Wang Huining and carried him on his back.

Holding a knife in one hand, if Wang Huining didn't behave, he'd slice a piece from his leg.

Anyway, losing some flesh won't kill a zombie, and currently, this guy's zombification is only thirty percent, so he still feels pain.

He held a gun in the other hand, with the authority to execute Wang Huining anytime if he failed to behave.

Once turned human, Wang Huining became extremely afraid of dying.

In recent days, he was constantly subdued by Shen Ruihui, behaving obediently with no trace of the Zombie King's swagger.

One man and one zombie were bound together and boarded the helicopter.

Leaving the Dawn Army Base, they parachuted into the village.

Over three meters high, no parachute needed.

One man and one zombie, seeing stars, were airdropped, immediately surrounded by a horde of zombies.

Shen Ruihui drew his knife, "It's your turn now."

Wang Huining dared not speak more and began trying hard to control the other zombies' behaviors.

It seemed like a circle of brainwaves was in his mind, ready to spread outward at any time.

These brainwaves were ineffective on people but extremely useful on zombies.

Any zombies near his brainwave region immediately became his loyal subordinates.

At his peak, he could command an army of three hundred thousand zombies.

Now, the feeling of control has dropped tenfold; he can control only up to thirty thousand at most.

And he felt unable to control Level 3 zombies anymore, estimating at most a Level 2.

This village had not many zombies, six to seven thousand, still controllable with ease.

There were no Level 2 zombies, only a dozen or so Armored and Agile ones.

But there were a couple of big-bellied zombies, and Wang Huining immediately sensed a new zombie species.

These could explode with poison.

Eyeing a chance, Wang Huining thought if he could exploit this to kill Shen Ruihui and gain freedom.

Unexpectedly, Shen Ruihui was craftier, commanding Wang Huining to have Armored Zombies make a large stretcher from two wooden poles, carrying him away.

Meanwhile, Wang Huining was kept nearby, with a gun pressed against his head, facing potential death together.

Wang Huining had no choice but to submit to Shen Ruihui's control, getting carried along by Armored Zombies like a sedan chair bearer through hills and ridges.

After about thirty kilometers, by dawn, the zombie troop finally arrived at the Mountain Cave Base.

Ye Fan had been waiting for half the night; the zombie army finally arrived.

To prevent Wang Huining from retaliating, Ye Fan was already on an armed helicopter.

"Wang Huining, now's your chance to redeem yourself. Your task is simple: command your zombie subordinates to charge, regardless of casualties, to exhaust the people inside of bullets, continuously charge into this cave, and when their ammunition runs out, your mission is complete, understand?"

Wang Huining nodded like a pecking chick, "Got it, Boss Ye. I will complete the mission."

"Alright then, Squad Leader Shen, supervise your prisoner well. Once this task is fulfilled, you can leave the basement."

Shen Ruihui immediately perked up.

The officer really did miss him!

"Rest assured, Sir, no zombie can play tricks in front of your top subordinate. Just wait for our victory's good news!"