Chapter 264: Submit or Conquer

After hearing the middle-aged man's words, Zhang Su fell silent for a long time—these pieces of information were utterly vital to him!

He had considered using zombies for attacks—like setting them ablaze as they advanced toward designated areas to inflict massive damage on enemies—but he never imagined zombies could be modified and weaponized; he had to admire the creativity of those members of the Qinglong Battalion's fringe squad.

Fu Wei's research focused on extracting usable resources from zombies to enhance humanity's chances of survival, while the Qinglong Battalion's scientific department developed zombies as weapons.

Either way, both sides were doing everything they could to adapt to this new world's ecosystem.

The global zombie population is now enormous, at least three to four billion; while clearing them, if methods could be found to utilize them, humanity's survival would undoubtedly improve.

"Hey, what will the battalion headquarters do if they don't get your grain-collecting team back?"

After fantasizing about the future for a while, Zhang Su asked about the most pressing issue at hand.

The three exchanged glances; the middle-aged man scratched his head and said, "This has never happened before, but I'm sure they'll send someone out to investigate."

"How long until they send someone out?"

Zhang Su asked.

"Originally, we were supposed to return this afternoon. If we don't show up, I estimate… the earliest they'd send someone would be the day after tomorrow, maybe a bit later, but definitely not beyond three days—this mission is usually handled by Team One and Team Two!"

After the battle ended, the dead Qinglong Battalion members were stripped bare within moments; everything useful was tossed aside, and no communication devices were found—the radios they'd promised to bring were never delivered, their promises as worthless as wind.

Zhang Su asked curiously.

The three exchanged glances, their expressions awkward…

Xin Qi's face twisted with a strange expression. "Big Brother, even satellite phones don't work—how could we possibly contact headquarters? Walkie-talkies only work near headquarters; beyond five kilometers, they're useless!"

"The science department has two theories about this—both are pretty outlandish. Big Brother, want to hear them?" Xin Qi asked.

"Satellite phones don't work? You have satellite phones… right, military units should have them!"

The two beside him quickly shared their own experiences, their eyes filled with the most primal desire: survival.

"The first theory is that an underground civilization wants to reclaim control of Earth's surface. The second is that an alien civilization has invaded… frankly, I think both are ridiculous!"

Xin Qi spoke up: "Big Brother, don't joke. All we care about now is staying alive—we're not going back to the Qinglong Battalion. We joined them out of desperation, not because we're some brainwashed war machines…"

"You didn't find walkie-talkies on your squad leaders—don't you contact headquarters when you're on missions?"

Zhang Su suddenly understood, then frowned. He recalled what Yu Wen and Fu Wei had told him about the disaster's outbreak, and asked: "What theories does your battalion have about this disaster's cause?"

"I'm different—I was fleeing when I met your battalion members, and they forced me to join. I never felt any real loyalty."

"Yeah, yeah, we all lived around Qingxian before. I joined the battalion after my camp was overrun by zombies—got plenty of pushback at first…"

Zhang Su fell silent for a moment, his eyes flickered, then he gave a strange smile: "You're awfully cooperative—answer everything I ask. You're switching sides fast. You're not planning to go back to the Qinglong Battalion, are you?"

The middle-aged man spoke seriously, especially emphasizing Team One and Team Two, because their combat strength was exceptional; though they wouldn't admit it aloud, they all knew that aside from these two teams, the others were just filling ranks.

"Go on!"

Zhang Su's eyes brightened slightly; he pondered—these two seemingly absurd theories actually fit the current situation perfectly, and only a higher civilization could orchestrate such a dimensional strike!

Combined with the destruction of satellites, he now believed the disaster originated from space, wiping out orbiting satellites as it entered Earth's atmosphere.

But the question remained: what was the point? If it were merely cleansing, there was no need for such complexity—and humanity wouldn't go extinct from zombie spread alone!

There would be no answers, because everyone's understanding of this disaster was still far too shallow.

"By the way, wasn't there a village called Xidaying that joined your Qinglong Battalion a few days ago—four or five days back?"

After a long silence, Zhang Su suddenly remembered Ma Changshou and asked.

"Four or five days… Xidaying…"

Xin Qi thought for a moment, then nodded: "Yeah, that's right. There were quite a few people from that village—but they were shameless. Some of them were supposed to be selected for the reserve squad, but their village chief dumped a ton of supplies into the battalion's warehouse, and apparently, they got everyone assigned to logistics!"

Combat units sound glamorous—each mission earns high points, which can be exchanged for all kinds of supplies—but behind that apparent glory lies life on the edge. Take this mission: all three squads were wiped out!

Logistics units may be harder and more exhausting, but they're far safer in terms of survival.

Zhang Su's expression turned strange as he shook his head upon hearing this—it fit Ma Changshou's cunning nature perfectly. Still, it was better this way: at least he'd have someone familiar inside the Qinglong Battalion. But another man gave a different answer.

"Xin Qi's half-right… can I add something?"

Zhang Su nodded, signaling for him to speak.

"Xidaying did bribe the upper echelons—but the whole thing was exposed within a day. The commander was furious and locked all of them in two barracks, saying he'd decide their fate in a few days."

Zhang Su couldn't help but laugh and sigh—he couldn't imagine what expression Ma Changshou wore now. Still, he hoped Xidaying could establish itself within the camp, aiding his plans.

"Hey, I heard your camp has Type 99 tanks?"

Zhang Su suddenly remembered Liu Lei's words and asked curiously.

"That's right!" Xin Qi nodded eagerly, probably trying to make up for his earlier weak answer about Xidaying. "We have two Type 99 tanks—but they're not ours. Only core members and a few elite soldiers can even approach them."

"They really have them…"

Zhang Su's mind grew more active. After thinking for a moment, he asked: "Does anyone inside the battalion still know our exact location?"

"Hmm… the scouts who came ahead probably reported the location of the southern safe camp." Xin Qi's expression grew complicated.

"Alright, stay put. Behave yourselves—I'll send someone to bring you clothes soon!"

"B, Big Brother…"

Seeing Zhang Su turn to leave, Xin Qi hurriedly called out, pleading: "C, can you give us some water? We're thirsty."

"You're prisoners of war, understand? Prisoners don't make demands! If it weren't for humanitarian concerns, you wouldn't even get clothes!"

With that, Zhang Su turned and left the room. The interior had heating, but it was only sixteen or seventeen degrees—left bare like this, the three might die of hypothermia.

It was already past four in the morning; outside, the temperature was below freezing, and not a single light glowed in the sky.

Many on Tianmayu had barely slept all night. Zhang Su had dozed briefly earlier, but he still felt exhausted—he knew this matter was far from over, and time couldn't be wasted a second longer.

The Qinglong Battalion was a ticking bomb—if mishandled, it would bring great trouble. But how to handle it? He was deeply torn.

As he stepped out of the prisoner's room and closed the door behind him, a long-absent subtitle suddenly flashed in his mind—he froze in place.

【How to handle the Qinglong Battalion: A. Conquer, B. Annihilate, C. Submit】

(End of Chapter)