Chapter 187: Strategic Shift

In the open space of the Iron Hand Group stronghold, the cold wind rolled snow onto everyone's faces,

but no one dared to raise their hands to cover it—weapon depot guard captain Zhao Gang was being held by two members and knelt in the snow,

his hands tied behind his back, with a cold, gleaming machete pressed against his neck. Zhou Bao stood in front of him, his face colder than this winter.

"Zhao Gang,

as the weapon depot guard captain, you failed to guard the warehouse and let the enemy take advantage of the situation,

causing all our weapons to be destroyed. You tell me, how should I punish you?" Zhou Bao's voice was not loud,

but it hit Zhao Gang's heart like a heavy hammer. Zhao Gang looked up,

his face full of unwillingness: "Leader, I am wronged! We patrolled and changed shifts according to regulations. It was the enemy who used a jammer and blew up the iron door; we couldn't stop it at all!"

"Wronged?

Zhou Bao sneered and kicked Zhao Gang in the chest, "Who in the entire stronghold doesn't know

that you have had contact with Starfire Mercenary Group people! If you hadn't leaked the news,

how would they have precisely found the location of the weapon depot? And you still dare to say you are wronged!"

Zhao Gang coughed up blood but still shook his head: "I didn't! That time was just a chance encounter, I didn't say anything! Leader, you have to believe me!"

The surrounding Iron Hand Group members all hung their heads, and no one dared to speak for Zhao Gang—they knew clearly

that Zhou Bao now needed a "sinner" to appease his anger, and Zhao Gang was just a scapegoat. A backbone member who had had a conflict with Zhao Gang before stood out,

pointed at Zhao Gang and said: "Leader, I saw him secretly talking to Starfire people before,

it must be him who leaked the secret!

Such a traitor,

should be killed!"

Other members also echoed one after another, some shouting "Kill him," some saying "Can't keep a traitor."

Zhao Gang looked at the scene before him, and the light in his eyes gradually extinguished. He knew

that he would definitely die today. Zhou Bao saw that the timing was about right and waved to the members executing the punishment: "Do it! Let everyone see the end of betraying the Iron Hand Group!"

The machete fell, and blood splashed on the snow, like bright red plum blossoms.

Zhao Gang's body fell into the snow and was soon covered by the falling snowflakes.

Zhou Bao scanned everyone, his voice carrying a warning: "This is the end of betrayal and dereliction of duty!

In the future, whoever dares to make a mistake again, or collude with the enemy, Zhao Gang will be your example!"

Everyone was scared into shivering, lowering their heads one after another, not daring to look Zhou Bao in the eye.

Zhou Bao ordered again: "From today on, everyone's training will be doubled,

patrol frequency will be tripled, and whoever dares to be lazy will be dealt with by military law!"

After speaking, he turned and left, leaving the members shivering in the snow.

Returning to the room, Zhou Bao's confidant whispered: "Leader, actually everyone knows

that Zhao Gang was wronged. Will doing this..." Zhou Bao interrupted him: "I know he was wronged,

but now the weapon depot is gone, and the members are panicked. I must kill someone to establish authority,

otherwise the entire Iron Hand Group will fall apart!" The confidant nodded and said no more.

In the following days, everyone in the Iron Hand Group felt insecure. Members didn't dare to have the slightest slack during training,

and were even more careful during patrols, for fear that if they didn't do something well,

they would become the next "Zhao Gang." No one dared to speak loudly while eating, and they slept with their ears pricked up, for fear of being suddenly caught for interrogation.

Once, a member accidentally fell while patrolling and dropped his gun on the ground,

and was immediately reported by other members. Zhou Bao didn't ask for the reason and directly ordered him to be beaten with thirty military sticks,

and also confined for a day. From then on, the members were even more trembling, not even daring to walk fast.

Lin Guodong looked at all this, feeling even more afraid in his heart—he had helped the Iron Hand Group pass messages before,

and although he hadn't been discovered, under this atmosphere, he was afraid of being picked out one day.

During training in the daytime, he deliberately performed extra hard, and at night he hid in his room, not daring to have contact with anyone.

An old member said privately to his companion: "This life can't go on like this, being terrified every day,

it's better to leave the Iron Hand Group and find a small safe zone to live." The companion hurriedly covered his mouth: "Don't you want to live?

If the leader hears this, you're done for!" The old member sighed and said no more, his eyes full of despair.

Zhou Bao looked at the members' appearance, but didn't have the slightest sympathy—in his view,

only in this way could the Iron Hand Group maintain "discipline" and have a chance to rise again.

What he didn't know was that this high-pressure policy was slowly disintegrating the members' loyalty, and more and more people were starting to secretly plan to leave this suffocating stronghold. ===== CHAPTER 188 =====