Chapter 877: Struggle with the Dead

Due to dissent within the squad, the operation was temporarily halted; when Zhang Yan reported this to Minister Wang Jian, Wang Jian exploded with rage over the radio.

"I'm telling you, the operation must proceed precisely at ten o'clock—that's an order. Other considerations are none of your business. By dawn today, that building must be destroyed, and the three dead men inside must be eliminated."

"If your Number One Squad can't do it, pull back. I'll assign Number Two Squad to take over."

At this moment, Wang Jian wanted to strangle Jiang Yan dead.

Do you think you're the only smart one? You know that after destroying the building, Tai Yi might remain in this world—do you think no one else knows? Come on, use your pig brains for a second—is this even a choice?

With the power this Tai Yi possesses, there's no choice at all. Whatever he wants to do, no one can stop him.

And he's already comparable to a god—why would he stay in this barren world? In reality, have you ever seen a man who achieved fame and fortune return to kindergarten to rule over a bunch of children?

Don't try to understand gods with mortal thinking.

You're not even the same species.

Jiang Yan may have a bit of petty cleverness, but that's all. His understanding hasn't risen to the national level or the global perspective—he's simply too low in status. Only when Jiang Yan reaches my level will he realize how stupid this thinking is.

"No. Jiang Yan is sabotaging this. We cannot let one man undermine the nation's credibility. In yesterday's conversation between the Premier and Tai Yi, destroying this building and completing this mission was of paramount importance. If we break our word, the consequences will be severe."

Wang Jian's eyes flickered, then he picked up the radio again and switched to another channel: "Yang Hua, command, the Living Dead squad has encountered problems. One member, Jiang Yan, has refused to participate in this mission and is inciting others. I recommend you execute him immediately to minimize his influence."

"Understood." A calm voice came from the radio.

And at this moment.

Inside the restricted zone.

Ten members of the Living Dead squad were still waiting.

Jiang Yan said: "I'm thinking of everyone's safety—I have no selfish motives. Yes, this will cause trouble for the higher-ups, but I believe the trouble is worth it. The threat of one god outweighs countless dead. The higher-ups don't see it—they rushed into action. We can't. We must warn them."

"What if the higher-ups remain firm? Are you really going to refuse the mission and resist this operation? Don't forget, there's Number Two Squad, Number Three Squad—even Number Four Squad," Han Chuan said.

"I'll only do what I can. The rest is beyond my control," Jiang Yan said. "I only hope the other Living Dead have the same awareness. The fate of the world rests in our hands. If we do nothing, we'll regret it for the rest of our lives."

He kept speaking, trying to awaken others, to win them to his side.

But as he spoke—

Suddenly—

Bang!

A gunshot shattered the night's silence.

The next instant—

Jiang Yan's head exploded into fragments, instantly becoming a headless corpse. Those beside him felt their skulls ring with a dull throb, blood splattering over their entire bodies.

This sudden turn stunned everyone.

"W-what happened?" Zhang Yan's heart pounded; he stared blankly at Jiang Yan's fallen body.

He hadn't received any order to shoot—how had a sniper suddenly killed Jiang Yan?

The other Living Dead members quickly understood.

That shot was a warning: if they refused the mission, Jiang Yan would be their fate.

"Why shoot? Why kill Jiang Yan? He did this for all of us!" one Living Dead member cried out in fury. "I can't accept this!"

"If you can't accept it, you can withdraw from this mission. As a Living Dead, that's your only option," a sudden voice said.

Then a middle-aged man in military uniform, his face stern and resolute, strode forward, followed by another Living Dead squad.

"I'm Yang Hua. From now on, I take direct command here. Anyone else want to withdraw?" His cold gaze swept over them all. "Before joining this mission, someone should've told you—it's different from any past operation. It must be completed. Now you're thinking of giving up because of a few words? What do you think this place is?"

"If it weren't for the Living Dead being the only ones who can fight the dead, you wouldn't even have the authority to interfere in this matter."

With that, he fell silent.

Yang Hua checked his watch again: "Ten minutes until ten o'clock. Those willing to carry out the mission—take your positions. Those unwilling—leave now."

After this reprimand, and with Jiang Yan dead,

the Living Dead involved snapped back to clarity. They realized the mission's gravity wasn't just empty words—if they sabotaged it, they'd be shot without hesitation.

Even if you were a revered Living Dead, you were still insignificantly small on the national scale.

"I understand. I'll participate in this mission," Han Chuan said, taking a deep breath to steady himself.

"Jiang Yan's death has already reached the top. Since the higher-ups still insist on proceeding, I have no objection," said the man with half his face charred black, clearly stating his position.

"I'm in too," others chimed in.

Hearing this, Yang Hua gave a slight nod: "Then what are you waiting for? Move out."

No one spoke further. They immediately marched toward the sealed building. Though one man was gone, a new, unfamiliar Living Dead was quickly dispatched to join the squad.

What happened here was seen clearly by Li Yi in the sky.

He chose not to interfere, wanting to see how these people would handle dissent. The outcome didn't disappoint him—the nation's leadership was rational and clear-headed, immediately executing the man who sowed discord.

And they were right to do so.

If a squad can't unify its opinion, nothing gets done. There must be a firm voice leading everyone in one direction—even if you disagree internally, you must suppress it.

But this minor incident didn't affect the final operation.

Precisely at ten o'clock.

Ten Living Dead entered the building.

Inside, dim yellow lights glowed. By this time, the family of three should have returned home.

"Be careful—the three dead have appeared," came Han Chuan's warning from the stairwell.

Everyone heard it.

Three footsteps echoed up the stairs. The battle between the living and the dead was about to begin. In most cases, the living were at absolute disadvantage—they had few means to fight the dead, and killing them was even harder.

But this mission was special. They had no choice. They had to succeed.

Then—

The man with half his face charred black walked forward without a word, toward the footsteps.

Behind him, two other Living Dead stepped out.

They had to intercept the dead in the stairwell—absolutely Burang the three dead return to the Mingzhai, or they'd become even harder to deal with. Everyone knew this.

"The battle has begun."

On the auspicious cloud, Li Yi's gaze fell downward. He sensed the commotion inside the building, but he had no interest in the battle's details. He only wanted the outcome—that was all.

Soon—

Casualties appeared.

One man was thrown out through a stairwell window by an invisible force. Before he even hit the ground, he was dead—his body twisted into a grotesque shape, lying motionless.

But others quickly carried the corpse away and immediately sent it for cremation.

This was to prevent the dead from becoming new Wangzhe and lingering in the area.

After one Living Dead died, new reinforcements immediately entered the building, replenishing manpower and preparing for a prolonged fight.

Then—

A scream echoed through the building; the yellow lights flickered erratically.

Clearly, someone else had died.

Yet the three dead still prowled inside the building, not yet eliminated—clearly, this mission was harder than imagined.