Chapter 550: Challenge complete!

"Old Li, hey, Old Li!"

Liu Yao stepped forward at this moment, his expression solemn as he said, "If we're talking about Civilization Guardian joining Tianma Islet, then I have to mention our situation. Everyone... let me introduce myself. I'm Liu Yao from the Little Eagle Society—the Little Eagle Society from Xinglong Kindergarten. Many of you have heard of it, right? We have also joined Tianma Islet. Old Yang, aren't you going to say a few words?"

Having said this, Liu Yao turned to look at Yang Xinqi.

"Speak? Of course I'll speak!"

Yang Xinqi was a sharp individual; he knew exactly what Liu Yao was aiming for—naturally, to show loyalty in front of the Yama King. He hurriedly stepped forward to face the crowd.

"Hello everyone, I am the former leader of the Tianqi Regiment, Yang Xinqi. The Tianqi Regiment from the northern Tongrui Auto Park has now also joined Tianma Islet."

As survivors in the Qincheng urban area, they all had some knowledge of the surrounding factions. Naturally, they knew about the Little Eagle Society and the Tianqi Regiment. Both survivor camps had their strengths and weaknesses, but any faction capable of carving out a sanctuary for survivors in the apocalypse had its own extraordinary qualities.

Through the attitudes of Yang Xinqi and Liu Yao, the Civilization Guardian survivors could see the clues: the process of these two factions joining Tianma Islet shouldn't have been convoluted, and there was a large element of willingness. This must be because Tianma Islet possessed a unique appeal.

After the two finished speaking, Li Zongkai spoke up again: "Everyone has heard of the Four Tigers of the Beicheng. All three of our factions have already joined Tianma Islet, so the Survivor Alliance naturally won't be absent. From now on, there will be no more Four Tigers of the Beicheng. We will all develop together under the leadership of Mr. Zhang of Tianma Islet, united in offense and defense, sharing honor and disgrace!"

One shocking piece of news wasn't enough; another followed, leaving those in Civilization Guardian who were unaware feeling dizzy.

The Four Tigers of the Beicheng were called four tigers, but if you really analyzed it, it was more like one tiger and three wolves. The Survivor Alliance was the dominant force, with more combat personnel than the other two combined. Perhaps they couldn't compare to Civilization Guardian in terms of weapons and equipment, but Civilization Guardian had fewer people...

If even the Survivor Alliance had joined Tianma Islet, then the entire landscape of northern Qincheng had undergone a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering change!

What kind of background did Tianma Islet have? Who exactly were the Yama Legion and the Yama King to be able to unify the entire northern Qincheng in such a short time? It was mind-boggling! "That's right, President Li, Officer Liu, and Leader Yang are telling the truth. I can testify to that."

Zhang Su walked forward with a smile, easing the tense and solemn atmosphere. He then asked, "I welcome all the brothers of Civilization Guardian to join the big family of Tianma Islet, but I still have to ask: is there anyone who is unwilling? If there is, it doesn't matter. Step forward boldly. We'll give you supplies, give you weapons, and we will never make things difficult for you!"

In the apocalypse, the first thing people must learn is how to accept—accept the arrival of monsters like zombies, accept the departure of companions without warning, and accept all sorts of inexplicable things happening in the next moment.

Precisely because of this, the people of Civilization Guardian had no resistance to joining Tianma Islet, especially since the other party was their savior. What was there to be unwilling about?

Even if they took a step back, even if they were truly unwilling, in this day and age, how long could they survive after walking out of the barracks with weapons and supplies?

Only a fool would be unwilling! Zhang Su stood in the middle of the field, feeling the gazes of dozens of people around him. At the same time, the number representing Civilization Guardian in his mind grew rapidly, soon breaking through eighty percent, then fading away and disappearing.

From accepting the challenge to completing it, the overall time was not long—it took less than two days, far less than the five-day limit. But the various things he had experienced during this time made him feel immense pressure.

Especially earlier at the Le Gou Mall, when he learned that more than thirty armed personnel had entered the barracks, Zhang Su had a very bad feeling at the time. His foresight had helped a great deal again, and at the same time, it had saved the lives of dozens of people in Civilization Guardian!

When the challenge mission was completed, Zhang Su let out a heavy sigh of relief. Now he just needed to find a quiet place to receive the reward; he didn't want to wait even a second. Facing the enthusiastic gazes of the people around him, he opened his arms.

"Welcome everyone to becoming a member of Tianma Islet. We'll leave the formal welcome ceremony for later. Let's deal with the immediate matters first. Discuss among yourselves how to handle these evildoers. I'll be gone for a moment. Old Li, where is the restroom?"

He deliberately lowered his voice when asking Li Zongkai, and although everyone could hear it, no one found it strange. When nature calls, it's only reasonable.

"Out the door... Daqiang, you come and lead the way for Mr. Zhang."

Li Zongkai raised his hand and hurriedly called Wu Daqiang to guide Zhang Su.

Leaving the warehouse, Zhang Su looked up at the dark sky, his emotions complex. He was happy because he had completed the challenge, anxious because of the zombies pressing in from afar, and felt immense pressure because Tianma Islet had expanded again.

The pressure of survival was never a joke. As the leader of more and more people, the pressure naturally increased with each passing day. There was power, there were privileges, and there were responsibilities.

"Brother Su, the zombie horde to the east... what should we do?"

Wu Daqiang asked as he led Zhang Su toward the restroom.

Zhang Su looked at Wu Daqiang with some surprise. This soldier had always respectfully called him Mr. Zhang before; this was the first time he had called him Brother Su. Respect represented distance, and the change in address meant the relationship between the two had taken a step forward.

While working together, Zhang Su had observed the people from every camp, especially paying attention to the combat personnel, because he needed to select some outstanding ones to join the Yama Legion. This "outstanding" didn't just mean ability, but also other considerations. Wu Daqiang was one of them.

"Your state of mind has shifted quite quickly. Others are either unable to walk out of the pain of losing companions or are excitedly discussing how to deal with those bastards, yet you've already started considering the zombie horde?"

Zhang Su asked in a teasing tone.

Wu Daqiang twitched the corners of his mouth, revealing an extremely forced smile: "The dead are gone. As combat personnel, we must look forward. This disaster, in the final analysis, was caused by zombies. If we don't solve the root problem, the safety before our eyes is only temporary."

As they spoke, the two arrived in front of the restroom.

The restroom next to the playground had a very dated style; one look and you knew it came from the last century. The current sewage system was completely paralyzed. Next to the restroom were tricycles and shovels—no introduction was needed to know what they were for. Fortunately, the temperature was low enough that the smell wasn't strong...

Zhang Su took out a cigarette case and gave one to Wu Daqiang, then lit one for himself to use as incense. He exhaled a puff of smoke and said, "What exactly to do depends on the information sent back by the scouts. Alright, it's stinky here, you go back first."

After speaking, he patted Wu Daqiang on the shoulder and walked into the restroom.

When he had completely turned the corner of the wall, the subtitles appeared in his mind as promised. They were very principled, making Zhang Su let out a huge sigh of relief.

【Within five days, absorb and recruit all forces of the Four Tigers of the Beicheng, with no less than eighty percent of each faction joining Tianma Islet. Difficulty: A. Completed.】

【Reward: Emotional Release Source】

???

"This... what the hell is this? Isn't this too abstract?"

Zhang Su looked at the subtitles gradually fading in his mind, his head spinning. "Emotional Release Source"—if you didn't know better, you'd think it was some psychology term, and it even vaguely revealed a cyberpunk flavor.

"I don't feel anything special either. What is this thing used for? Emotional Release Source... what a strange thing..."

Pondering this, Zhang Su kept searching in his mind, but it was the same as before, with no changes. He muttered to himself, "It didn't give me anything. What is an Emotional Release Source?"

According to his past experiences, he knew he would definitely need to explore it slowly himself. He hadn't come out just to collect the reward; he actually had a bit of an urgent need.

After finishing, he walked out of the restroom with a puzzled mood. Seeing Wu Daqiang still waiting not far away, he walked over.

"I know how to get back, you go back first, no need to wait. It's freezing."

In the process of talking to Wu Daqiang, Zhang Su discovered an interesting change.

When he had just come out of the restroom, he had clearly seen Wu Daqiang frowning, his expression filled with worry. But after he approached, the worried look on Wu Daqiang's face gradually changed into a look of confusion, like the expression of someone who had been troubled by a difficult problem for a long time and was scratching their head. "Qiangzi, what are you thinking about at the restroom door?"

Zhang Su was a bit stunned, and he even checked his body—could he have accidentally gotten poop on himself? Wu Daqiang shook his head, his face full of confusion: "Still thinking about the zombie horde problem. How to solve it? It's really a headache."

???

Zhang Su raised an eyebrow. When he came out of the restroom, he had clearly seen Wu Daqiang full of worry; how did it turn into contemplation? Did he change so quickly? Was he doing it specifically for him to see, to show how much he cared about the camp's safety?

That didn't make sense. Thinking of a solution was caring about the camp, and being full of worry was also a form of caring.

So...

A flash of inspiration hit his mind. Zhang Su felt he had grasped something. He took a deep breath of the icy air, suppressed his thoughts about the "Emotional Release Source," put on a bright smile, and patted Wu Daqiang on the shoulder: "Why think so much? When soldiers come, block them with generals; when water comes, cover it with earth. With so many elite soldiers and strong generals, are we still afraid of zombies?"

"That's right."

Wu Daqiang was stunned for a moment, the look of doubt gradually fading. Then he slowly revealed a smile, looked at Zhang Su, and nodded vigorously: "Right, Brother Su, you're right. What's there to be afraid of with the zombie horde? We have guns, cannons, and soldiers. Hahaha, not scary at all!"

Zhang Su's expression was brilliant. He seemed to have figured out how to use the Emotional Release Source!

To test it, he recalled in his heart those Civilization Guardian members who had been killed by the Bajiazi Village people. The bloody and cruel scenes surfaced, and a faint feeling of sadness suddenly rose in his heart, gradually becoming intense.

Visibly, the confident smile on Wu Daqiang's face became shallow, his complexion turned from sunny to cloudy, and his eyes slowly turned red.

"Hey, Qiangzi, you were just laughing so happily, why do you suddenly look like you're about to cry?"

"It's just... Brother Su, I just thought about how bleak the future of humanity is, and I feel very sad in my heart. It's nothing."

Wu Daqiang's voice was sad, and he wiped his slightly red eyes.

Zhang Su nodded secretly. The purpose of the Emotional Release Source was becoming clear.

Just like its name, he had become the source of emotional release. Various emotions would infect the people around him. If he was happy, others would be happy; if he was sad, others would follow suit and be sad.

Emotions were contagious, but the reasons for the emotions in each person's heart were not necessarily the same. Just like how Zhang Su was sad because he thought of the dozen brothers from Civilization Guardian who had died, Wu Daqiang was filled with sorrow when affected by the emotion, but his reason was that he couldn't see hope for the future of humanity.

People infected by the emotion would spontaneously fill in the reasons for the birth of the emotion!

From this, it could be seen that what was infected was only the emotion, not the thought itself. This also explained well that joy and sorrow were not necessarily shared. Some things might be very sad to one person, but to another person, from another perspective, it might even be a joyous occasion...

"Don't worry, we humans will be victorious!"

Zhang Su encouraged Wu Daqiang with courage in his heart.

"Mm, yes, small zombies can't crush us!" Wu Daqiang's eyes were firm, and he quickly diluted the pessimism in his heart.

"Right, that's it!"

Zhang Su couldn't help but sigh in his heart. This ability had come at just the right time. Tianma Islet had expanded by hundreds of people in a very short time, which was a turbulent period. Utilizing the Emotional Release Source well could better unite people's hearts.

A leader's charisma was crucial. A speech by a failed art student could make countless people's blood boil, wishing they could rush onto the battlefield on the spot. Now, he might not have that kind of eloquence, but the emotion was definitely on point! Zhang Su easily imagined a scene: he stood in front of the crowd, impassioned, and the people below looked at him with fanatical eyes. Many times, what you needed was for the emotion to be on point!

The two walked toward the warehouse together. He turned his head and saw that the sad expression on Wu Daqiang's face was gone, replaced by a look of ambition and confidence, clearly influenced by the emotion in his heart.

"Damn, this is a double-edged sword!"

Zhang Su quickly thought of the negative impact of the Emotional Release Source. If his own emotional fluctuations were severe, it would also have an inappropriate impact on the people around him. For example, during battle, if he felt pessimistic, even if he spoke impassionedly, others wouldn't listen...

"I must strengthen my own psychological training. Not to say I can change it at will, but at least I must be able to hide it at any time. This is no longer about 'not changing one's expression even if Mount Tai collapses before one,' but truly needing to be as still as water. Damn, this is hard!"

Hard was right. Simple things were left for ordinary members. As a leader, what was wrong with suffering a little? "To wear the crown, one must bear its weight. Damn, what a cheesy phrase... haha."

Muttering randomly in his heart, Zhang Su watched Wu Daqiang out of the corner of his eye, seeing his expression switch seamlessly, which was particularly funny.

Arriving outside the warehouse gate, Zhang Su took a deep breath and collected his thoughts. It wasn't the time for jokes.

Pushing the door open and walking into the warehouse, before he could even let his own emotions influence others, Zhang Su felt a burst of anger and killing intent head-on.

"Hm? My perception of emotions has improved!"

This was an unintentional discovery. Just now, his attention was on testing, and since Wu Daqiang was almost completely influenced, he hadn't noticed this improvement.

Although he still couldn't clearly and precisely feel the emotions of the people around him, this was definitely a huge step forward and a good start.

Just being excited like this, feeling happy in his heart, Zhang Su saw the corners of Wu Daqiang's mouth gradually curl up. His emotion was like a shockwave, continuously radiating outward with him as the center. Starting from the people closest to him, the angry expressions on their faces began to slowly dissipate...

"Cough!"

This couldn't go on. It was clearly a very serious trial meeting; what would happen if everyone started laughing?

Zhang Su hurriedly coughed, anger rising in his heart. He glared at the five people kneeling on the ground, noticing that their mouths were all bound—probably because they were babbling and annoying.

He walked toward the center of the field and said loudly, "Everyone, what is your verdict on these evildoers? Tell me loudly!"

"Kill them and avenge our brothers!"

"Unforgivable, must kill them!"

"Those who kill my companions must die!"

The crowd was indignant, and everyone was shouting wildly with extreme anger. Even the usually calm Yu Wen, Li Zongkai, and others were shouting, their voices making the warehouse ceiling buzz.

Originally, everyone had also decided to execute the five people from Bajiazi Village. Most people's hearts were still dominated by grief and indignation, and a small number were sad because of the death of their companions. But in this moment, all emotions were transformed into anger and vented out, as if they couldn't wait to tear the five people to pieces.

The five people kneeling in the middle of the field were also scared out of their wits by this atmosphere. To die or not to die was the result, but there were differences in the process. If they had to die, please make it quick; stop scaring people, okay...

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 551 =====