Apocalypse King System
Chapter 206 206: A Grand Gift for Derick

Liu Jianye didn't keep this matter a secret from Liu Wanting. Instead, he explained in detail the reasons for dispersing the troops and their gradual retreat. After listening, Liu Wanting was momentarily stunned.

"Grandfather, then what about you..." Liu Wanting's misunderstandings about Liu Jianye were all cleared up, but she still looked at him with red eyes, choked up and unsure of what to say.

"No crying..." Liu Jianye's stern voice echoed, "Remember, you are Liu Jianye's granddaughter, a major general in the Grey Bear Military District. We shed blood, not tears!" The old man's authoritative words resonated.

Liu Wanting slowly stopped her tears, but she remained silent.

"I'm old; even if I break out, it won't make a difference. But you're different. There are many survivors waiting for you to rescue them in Grey Bear City and other places. You can't sacrifice yourself here. Do you understand?"

"Yes..." Even though she was extremely unwilling, Liu Wanting knew that her grandfather's decisions were always firm and that no one could stop him.

"That's good..." A smile appeared on Liu Jianye's face. His son was unremarkable, and there weren't many outstanding grandchildren. Only this granddaughter stood out, achieving the rank of major general by her own merits at such a young age. Moreover, she held real power.

"For those female soldiers, I'm counting on you to lead them. Don't let me down..." Liu Jianye spoke with earnestness and emphasis.

"I understand," Liu Wanting nodded seriously.

"Alright, you go down and prepare first. There's a lot of work ahead. The evacuation of the military district won't be completed in a short time," Liu Jianye instructed.

After receiving the orders, Liu Wanting didn't hesitate. She saluted Liu Jianye and quickly walked out. The number of female soldiers in the Grey Bear Military District wasn't small. Although they were only one-tenth the number of male soldiers, they still exceeded five thousand. Managing them wouldn't be easy.

Seeing Liu Wanting's departing figure, a fleeting hint of imperceptible regret and melancholy flashed in Liu Jianye's eyes, but it quickly disappeared, transforming into a resolute gaze.

...

In the Magic Capital city, Derick stood on the top of a tall building, gazing at this once bustling international metropolis that had become a deserted ghost town. The entire world was eerily quiet, with only occasional flocks of mutated zombie crows flying by, cawing raucously.

"Could it be that most survivors in the Magic Capital have died?" Derick couldn't help but wonder. However, upon reflection, it seemed unlikely. The Magic Capital Military District was more powerful, and it housed one of the country's five major military districts—the Southeast Military District. It wouldn't completely fall.

Moreover, human survival capabilities were incredibly robust. While the zombies were terrifying, with careful avoidance, it was not impossible to survive.

Most importantly, mutated zombies rarely attacked small gatherings of people. The main reason was that these advanced zombies had a certain level of intelligence and instinctively sought to evolve more perfectly. They were only attracted to large gatherings of people, which gave ordinary survivors some chance of survival.

Soon, after a few minutes of searching, Derick found four survivors who had come out to search for food. They were armed with various strange weapons—shovels, steel pipes, worn-out machetes—anything they could find. They all looked emaciated.

"Captain, be cautious. I think I heard my husband's zombie roar. Perhaps there are some humans nearby." A young man twitched his ears and said to the leader.

"Could it be people from other bases coming out for a hunt?" Meng Jiamin frowned in puzzlement.

However, they had to be cautious as the words from the young man named Xiao Song were worth noting. His ears were always sensitive, making him an effective scout during material searches and hunting missions.

"Everyone, be careful and avoid making noise," Meng Jiamin quietly instructed the three followers behind him. The four moved cautiously through the streets, without attracting the attention of the zombies on the other side of the nearby street.

Upon entering a small supermarket, the four of them finally breathed a sigh of relief. It was a bit safer now, at least without the fear of alerting a large group of zombies outside. However, for safety reasons, Meng Jiamin still sent two of his followers to search the supermarket thoroughly, checking for any hidden zombies.

This was crucial information acquired at the expense of the lives of many survivors in their gathering place. Some survivors, thinking they could scavenge safely by carefully avoiding zombie hordes on the streets, ended up being bitten by zombies hiding in rooms. While some lucky ones managed to kill the zombies, the noise attracted more zombies from the surroundings.

"Boss, it's safe," the two followers reported after a thorough search.

"That's good. Everyone, pack up quickly and try to keep the movements as quiet as possible. Don't alert the zombies," Meng Jiamin cautioned.

After half an hour of effort, the three managed to fill several bags with various items, mainly easily storable food and clean water, such as compressed biscuits, raisins, energy drinks, and jerky.

It's been less than a month since the apocalypse began. Although food is in extremely short supply, it doesn't mean that all the food has been scavenged. Many stores are situated amidst zombie hordes, requiring these pioneering teams to risk their lives to gather supplies. One wrong move could lead to death.

Certainly, the risks are high, but the rewards are equally substantial. The supplies brought out by these four individuals today, aside from contributing half to the base, are enough to sustain them for half a month. In a base where ordinary people struggle to guarantee even two meals a day, these abundant resources are highly valuable.

"That's great, Jiamin! We hit the jackpot this time. With a bit of rationing, these supplies will last us at least twenty days," Xiao Song excitedly remarked.

Their expeditions were not always bountiful; sometimes they would lose manpower or return empty-handed. Originally a six-person team, they now only have four members left, as the other two fell victim to zombie attacks.

"Alright, you, getting all excited now? Hurry up and pack, and be careful, or a zombie might come and take a bite out of you in a moment," Meng Jiamin teased with a smile.

"Hehe... I can't help it, boss. It's just too exciting!" Xiao Song scratched his head, looking sincere.

With laughter and banter, the four finished packing, slung their backpacks on, and were ready to leave the supermarket for the base.

Suddenly, a figure flashed at the entrance, making Meng Jiamin's face change drastically. He cautiously stepped back a few paces, gripping the entrenching tool in his hand, while the other three mirrored his alert movements.

"Friend, if you're looking for supplies, there's plenty here. Help yourself, and we won't bother each other. If you're thinking of violence, we're not to be trifled with..." Meng Jiamin looked at the man with a cautious tone.

Derick smiled gently, slowly lifting his head. He had watched these four individuals enter the supermarket, waited for a while, and when they didn't come out, he decided to check on them.

Seeing Derick's appearance and clothing, Meng Jiamin became even more nervous. The newcomer looked very clean, with spotless clothes, healthy skin – he seemed untouched by the apocalypse. Meng Jiamin wasn't foolish; someone with this demeanor had to be well-off and of high status. It was unlikely that he experienced the hardships of the post-apocalyptic world. Moreover, he was casually dressed, as if on vacation, which didn't fit the typical profile of someone surviving in this harsh reality.

Abruptly, Derick produced a handgun, pointing it at the anxious group, instantly terrifying them.

"Brother, let's talk things out. Please don't shoot, please don't shoot... You can ask for anything you want," Meng Jiamin hastily pleaded, the other three also turning pale, their hands gripping their weapons with a hint of trembling.

"Don't worry, I don't have any other demands. I just wanted to ask, are you guys from a nearby settlement?" Derick showed a harmless smile to Meng Jiamin.

Meng Jiamin swallowed hard. Although the man in front of him hadn't fired a shot, he didn't dare to let his guard down.

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