Chapter 244: Strength in the Heart, Hope for the Future

In winter, Qincheng's sun refused to linger a moment longer in the sky; night fell unusually early.

When Guo Dachao's group returned to camp, it was barely five o'clock—already dark. The excavator sat beside the Nongjia Academy cleared in Madianzhuang; under current conditions, no one could spot it—perfectly safe.

In the garden of Xiaoxingyun Guesthouse, nearly everyone from United Village and Tianmayu had gathered; Wang Xin and his wife Zhang Ya, both somewhat socially anxious, stayed on duty in the monitoring room, happily so; Duan Wu also attended.

Zhang Su invited Fu Wei once; Fu Wei politely declined, and Zhang Su didn't press him—it was meant to be a fun Lianyi Society gathering. Since Fu Wei was more interested in zombies, respecting his choice was better than having him show up, sit silently in a corner, and act strangely.

"Cough! Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. On this rare night, fate has brought us together…"

Yu Wen, as host, delivered his speech flawlessly without notes, though his formal address sounded slightly out of place—no one cared. After his speech, the Lianyi Society officially began.

Zhong Xiaoshanyi and others with relevant experience organized a streamlined yet meaningful agenda. The first item was naturally leadership remarks. Unlike hollow, bureaucratic meetings, Zhang Su's speech directly concerned everyone's interests and outlined a vision for the future, giving all a clear direction—in this apocalypse, a calming assurance was invaluable.

Next, under the host's guidance, members from Tianmayu and United Village introduced themselves and got to know one another. The process took longer, but everyone was earnest—perhaps only in the apocalypse did they realize how vital human bonds were, learning to cherish their companions more than ever before.

After these two segments, a series of small group games took the stage, lifting the heavy burdens from everyone's faces. Laughter, long absent, drifted through the courtyard, soaking each heart in ease and comfort, further strengthening their bonds.

"Our chefs made two thousand dumplings today—eat your fill! Those who like leeks pick the green ones; those who don't, avoid them. Let's go! First bowl—Yu Laoshi, who has worked tirelessly for camp safety, deserves it!"

After the meal, bowls and chopsticks were washed.

"Alright, I'll hand them out in the order people joined the team. Xinyu!"

As Yu Wen spoke, everyone still wore lingering smiles; when Zhang Su stood, they instinctively stilled their expressions and sat up straight.

Yu Wen quickly caught on, stepped forward, and solemnly accepted the bowl, slipping in a subtle compliment.

"Regardless of the past, today we've gathered as one—indivisible, a true team. Survival in the apocalypse is hard, but if we unite, we will guide ourselves toward light!"

Two fillings—pork with scallion and leek with egg—satisfied the vast majority.

Coupled with Zhang Su's generous distribution of snacks and drinks as prizes, everyone received not just spiritual fulfillment but material abundance.

Food brings happiness. In the apocalypse, you don't need gourmet meals—just food that tastes decent and fills you up—and that alone stirs deep joy, evident in every face.

Soon, everyone held steaming, fragrant dumplings; warmth spread through each heart. The camp leader personally serving dumplings stunned many, especially the women from United Village, who in the past two months hadn't even had a decent bowl—now, the contrast was night and day.

Yu Wen raised his hand toward Zhang Su. No microphone was needed—the space was small, the crowd small; his voice alone sufficed.

The entire Lianyi Society event had passed almost unnoticed, nearing two hours.

"Oh no, I can't accept, I can't accept! Mr. Zhang, please!"

"Quick, quick, Yu Laoshi, don't keep everyone from eating dumplings!"

Zhang Su had no patience for Yu Wen's false modesty—he often traveled outside, leaving camp affairs to Yu Wen, who needed to establish authority.

Yu Wen was happily watching the scene when Zhang Su suddenly handed him the first bowl—he shot up instantly.

Between games, performances were interwoven—mainly singing and dancing—to lively effect.

Zhang Su held a bowl in one hand and a slotted spoon in the other; over a dozen plump, white dumplings, steaming in mist, tumbled into the bowl, which he passed to Yu Wen beside him.

"This gathering draws to a close, but happiness and joy do not end. Finally, let us invite Mr. Zhang to speak once more, to close today's event on a perfect note."

Zhang Su kept ladling from the pot, calling out names one by one; the pot emptied quickly. Fortunately, the camp had more than one pot—three pots boiled together, handling over a thousand dumplings with ease!

Of course, the finale was a communal meal. Due to the large crowd, they chose dumplings—the staple food widely popular in the north.

Splash!

As he spoke, Zhang Su pulled a weapon transport case from behind him, snapped open the latches, and withdrew a brand-new Type 95 assault rifle.

"Wang Longzhong!"

"Here!"

Wang Longzhong answered instantly, springing to his feet as if his legs had springs.

"Take the rifle!"

Zhang Su extended both hands.

Wang Longzhong dashed forward, received the rifle with both hands.

"With this rifle, you carry greater responsibility. Understood?"

"The entire United Village will never betray Brother Zhang's trust and expectations!"

Wang Longzhong's grip on the rifle was awkward, but his posture was rigid, his voice loud and resolute.

"We will never betray Brother Zhang's trust and expectations!"

As if rehearsed, every member of United Village rose together, as if returned to an era of unwavering faith, each eye gleaming.

Zhang Su nodded to the group, then bent again to pick up another rifle.

Everyone was puzzled—who else deserved an assault rifle? Eyes lingered on certain individuals.

Zhang Su's gaze swept briefly, then settled on Duan Wu.

"Duan Wu!"

"Huh? Me?" Duan Wu looked stunned, but quickly stood. "Here!"

"Take the rifle!"

"Yes!"

Duan Wu was overwhelmed—he hadn't expected such honor so soon after joining the camp. In the Survivor Alliance, only true core members carried assault rifles; even squad leaders in the Vanguard Unit got at most submachine guns. He belonged to the Search Team and had only a small pistol.

"Duan Wu, though he just joined the camp, was my neighbor—I lived on the eighth floor, he on the fourth. By chance, we didn't escape the compound together. To meet again, I'm delighted. Teacher Duan, will you take this rifle and fight beside me?"

Zhang Su looked at Duan Wu, cradling the rifle, his grin wider than any AK's muzzle flash, and asked.

Hearing Zhang Su's words, Duan Wu's smile faded; his expression turned solemn.

He understood the meaning of taking the rifle—it was no joke.

"Brother Zhang, my past choice cannot be undone. Fate's gears are strange indeed. Since heaven brought me to your camp, I will follow you from now on."

"Good! We're all brothers. Feel free to voice ideas—any good suggestion will be adopted! But in critical moments, no one may disobey orders!"

Zhang Su continued Duan Wu's words, making clear: ideas were welcome, but orders were absolute.

"Yes!"

"Understood!"

"Received!"

The replies weren't uniform, but no one doubted this group's combat capability.

At this time yesterday, everyone had felt demoralized over Xidaying Village's defection to the Qinglong Militia. Now, every face brimmed with energy and determination.

The Lianyi Society succeeded—its impact was extraordinary.

In the following days, everyone performed their duties; the camp ran smoothly. Zhang Su personally visited Madianzhuang to inspect the zombie-clearing results and tested the excavator.

He'd never operated one before, but through trial and error, he'd learned some basics—surely with practice, digging trenches wouldn't be a problem.

The powerful bucket filled him with anticipation—he'd begin constructing new defenses once Qinglong Militia was dealt with, unless the ground froze too hard to dig!

Zhang Su also led a team to Xidaying Village. The abandoned village felt desolate; zombie barricades lined the bridge, with a narrow path left open for vehicles.

As Ma Changshou said, Zhang Su found food in the village—food they couldn't carry away—and plenty of it, more than one trip could haul!

(End of chapter)