Chapter 168: Flattery and Acceptance

Lin Chen had just lain down for a while when the voice of the blackened Lin Chen suddenly rang in his mind: "You are just too soft-hearted! The Lin Guodong family's background is unknown,

and you dare to let them live in the base? They will cause you trouble sooner or later!" Lin Chen frowned, ignored him, turned over, and continued to rest,

but the blackened Lin Chen's voice didn't stop: "The Iron Hand Group was beaten away by you today, and they will definitely retaliate.

If Lin Guodong is caught by them, he might betray you!"

Early the next morning, when Lin Chen got up, Xia Nuan had already prepared breakfast,

and Tuan Tuan was squatting beside the dining table, waiting to be fed. "Going to the abandoned hospital for rescue today,

let's set off early." Lin Chen said. The two had just finished breakfast when they saw Lin Guodong running over in a hurry, his face a bit flustered: "Lin Chen, I have something I want to tell you."

Lin Chen looked at him, and a bad premonition arose in his heart.

"I... I want to take my family to defect to the Iron Hand Group."

Lin Guodong lowered his head, his voice very small. Xia Nuan was stunned: "The Iron Hand Group even wanted to rob our materials yesterday,

how could you want to defect to them?" Lin Guodong sighed: "I heard that the Iron Hand Group has great power,

and there is a guarantee following them, and... I'm afraid they will retaliate against the base and implicate everyone."

Lin Chen was silent,

and the blackened Lin Chen's voice rang in his mind again: "I said he couldn't be relied on!

Now he knows fear and wants to abandon you to defect to the enemy!" Lin Chen didn't respond,

only looked at Lin Guodong: "Have you thought it through? The Iron Hand Group is not a good thing, and following them may not have a good result."

Lin Guodong nodded: "I've thought it through. I still have some materials I saved before,

and want to offer them to the Iron Hand Group, begging them to take us in." He took several bags of compressed biscuits and two bottles of medicine out of his backpack,

which were all distributed to them by Lin Chen yesterday. Lin Chen looked at these materials and didn't speak, which was considered tacit consent.

When Lin Guodong took his family to leave the base, Lin Chen and Xia Nuan went to see them off.

"Take care in the future." Lin Chen said. Lin Guodong nodded, took his wife and daughter,

and walked towards the direction of the Iron Hand Group. Lin Chen looked at their backs, feeling a bit complicated, but didn't say anything more.

Returning to the base,

Lin Chen said to the system: "Detect the movements of the Lin Guodong family, and the location of the Iron Hand Group."

【Detected that the Lin Guodong family is moving towards the northwest, about 5 kilometers from the Iron Hand Group's temporary stronghold; the Iron Hand Group's temporary stronghold is located in an abandoned factory, with about 30 current members, equipped with several thermal weapons.】 The system replied.

"Let's execute the rescue mission first, and deal with the Iron Hand Group after we come back."

Lin Chen said to Xia Nuan. The two drove the off-road vehicle and set off towards the abandoned hospital.

The gate of the abandoned hospital had collapsed, and zombie carcasses were scattered in the courtyard,

clearly someone had been here before. "Be careful, there might still be zombies inside." Lin Chen said, drew the Ice Blade long blade, and walked into the hospital.

The hospital lobby was covered in dust, and several ordinary zombies were roaring at the air.

Lin Chen and Xia Nuan cooperated tacitly; Lin Chen killed the zombies with the Ice Blade, while Xia Nuan provided cover with the Purple Lightning Purification Gun.

The two searched floor by floor and found survivors in a ward on the third floor—a young couple and a three-year-old child, hiding under the bed. Seeing Lin Chen and Xia Nuan, they were so excited they cried out.

"We are from the Starfire Mercenary Group,

here to save you."

Lin Chen said. The young couple nodded, held the child, and followed Lin Chen and Xia Nuan out of the ward.

Just as they reached the stairwell, an elite zombie suddenly rushed out from the corner, brandishing its sharp claws.

Lin Chen immediately blocked in front, mobilized Absolute Zero, and the cold air on the Ice Blade became thicker,

slashing at the elite zombie's chest. The elite zombie fell to the ground, motionless.

The four successfully walked out of the hospital and got into the off-road vehicle, returning towards the base. On the way,

the young couple told Lin Chen that they had been hiding in the hospital for a week, living on the food they had stored before,

and if Lin Chen and the others hadn't come to save them, they probably wouldn't have lasted much longer. Returning to the base, Lin Chen arranged for the guards to take them to rest and prepared food and water for them.

Just after finishing, the system suddenly prompted: 【Detected that the Lin Guodong family has arrived at the Iron Hand Group's temporary stronghold. Lin Guodong offered the materials, and the Iron Hand Group leader has agreed to take them in; at the same time, detected that a large number of zombies have appeared near the Iron Hand Group's stronghold, about 50 ordinary zombies and 10 elite zombies, moving towards the stronghold.】

Lin Chen said to Xia Nuan: "Zombies have appeared near the Iron Hand Group. Let's go see the situation; perhaps we can take the opportunity to solve them."

The two drove the off-road vehicle and set off towards the Iron Hand Group's temporary stronghold.

From afar, they could see zombies charging towards the inside outside the abandoned factory,

and the Iron Hand Group members were firing with machine guns, but they were still struggling. The Lin Guodong family was hiding in the factory, their faces pale, clearly having never seen so many zombies.

"Should we help?"

Xia Nuan asked. Lin Chen shook his head: "Let's see the situation first. After they and the zombies are both defeated,

we'll make a move." The two hid behind the ruins in the distance, observing the situation.

The Iron Hand Group members fell one after another, but there were more and more zombies, and soon they rushed into the factory.

Gunshots and screams came from the factory, and the figures of the Lin Guodong family shuttled through the chaos,

trying to avoid the zombies. Lin Chen saw that the timing was about right and said to Xia Nuan: "Let's go!" The two rushed out. Lin Chen killed the elite zombie rushing at the front with the Ice Blade,

while Xia Nuan swept through the ordinary zombies with the Purple Lightning Purification Gun. Seeing someone helping, the Iron Hand Group members also regained their spirit and followed to fight against the zombies together.

After half an hour of fighting, the last zombie was killed. The factory was full of corpses and blood,

and there were less than 10 Iron Hand Group members left. Lin Guodong walked to Lin Chen, his face guilty: "Thank you, I was wrong before." Lin Chen shook his head: "Now is not the time to say this. What do you plan to do next?"

The Iron Hand Group leader walked to Lin Chen, sighed: "It was our fault before, we shouldn't have robbed your materials. From now on, we are willing to follow you and protect the base together." Lin Chen looked at him, then looked at the Lin Guodong family, and nodded: "Okay, but you must abide by the rules of the base and cannot do things that hurt heaven and reason again." The Iron Hand Group leader and Lin Guodong both nodded, their faces showing grateful expressions. ===== CHAPTER 169 =====