“This is simply self-destruction…” After listening to the report below, Elder Wu sighed and couldn’t help but press his forehead.
The other leaders in the room also wore solemn expressions. Even in the pre-apocalyptic era, conflicts among people were mostly about someone stepping down or resigning, and the most severe consequences would be imprisonment. Even in death, it was usually the death of one or two individuals, often by suicide.
Although wars could occur in human society, ordinary people rarely witnessed them. The deaths in natural disasters and man-made calamities never appeared as gruesome as the photos now placed on the table.
“Leader, we can’t continue like this,” someone pushed up their glasses, looking serious, “The base is a mix of ordinary people and those with abilities. Now, with the external pressure escalating, and people’s qualities… if such situations requiring everyone to gather happen again, it’s hard to guarantee that similar incidents won’t occur.”
“Tell me, how can we prevent this?” After the aftermath work began once the first battlefield was opened, they received timely reports and dispatched people accordingly. Now, the discussion was about how to handle things going forward.
“All of this is because of the significant difference between those with abilities and ordinary people,” someone remarked.
“Yes, it’s because those with abilities are too arrogant, always considering themselves superior…”
“Ordinary people envy and resent the abilities of those with powers, leading to this conflict.”
“Those with abilities are like children with weapons. Placing them alongside ordinary people is like putting a wolf among sheep!”
“The majority of those with abilities are still restrained. If it weren’t for someone discovering that the blood of some of them is green, this tragic situation wouldn’t have happened.”
“That’s true! It’s all because of those with abilities…”
“It’s clearly a problem with the qualities of ordinary people!”
Elder Wu wearily raised his hand to rub his face. The two conflicting sides below, supporting ordinary people, suppressing those with abilities, and spreading theories about the threat of those with abilities, were not surprising. They were ordinary people themselves, and even if they took the ability-enhancing medicine, they couldn’t activate any abilities.
On the other side, the individuals either had abilities themselves or their subordinates and children possessed them.
They believed that those with abilities were the new human race after the apocalypse, the proud children of the heavens chosen through evolution. Ordinary people were destined to be eliminated…
These two narratives had existed since the beginning of the apocalypse, and Elder Wu had long seen through the cunning behind them. Both sides were simply spreading the narrative that benefited them the most, based on their interests.
That’s why he had always insisted on mixing those with abilities and ordinary people together. The teams with abilities also lived in ordinary people’s communities, completely isolating both sides, only exacerbating the conflicts.
Before the migratory birds arrived, there were still conflicts between the two sides, but these conflicts were kept under the surface. Therefore, no real incidents erupted. However, now that everyone was forced to gather together, under the deliberate provocation of some individuals… yes, deliberate provocations.
From the previous reports, it was evident that someone intentionally caused trouble inside, deliberately fueling dissatisfaction on both sides and leading to conflicts. Even those intentionally causing trouble probably didn’t expect the conflicts to turn out so tragic in the end.
They overestimated the resilience of post-apocalyptic humans and overestimated their own abilities, thinking that even after provoking conflicts between the two sides, they could walk away unscathed. Unfortunately, those individuals probably died in this conflict long before its tragic conclusion.
As for the people behind them, the ones instructing them…
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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“The central part is the ordinary zone, with buildings mainly in the form of apartments. The southernmost part is the free zone, still primarily consisting of communal rooms and halls. The personnel in charge of base construction will draw up the design plans soon, and construction will begin tomorrow.”
Seeing that some still wanted to speak below, Elder Wu stood up with a stern face: “Now that the base has been mostly destroyed by mutant birds, let’s just tear it all down and rebuild. The underground shelters in each area need to be improved together this time. Everyone seems to have too much free time, right? Rebuilding the base, earning points to buy houses—all of these are tasks. Let’s make the whole base busy, and see who is still idle enough to fight among ourselves!”
With that, he walked out with his hands behind his back.
Hearing Elder Wu’s decision to unify and redivide the living areas of the base into east and west, with high, medium, and low zones from north to south, the crowd realized that Elder Wu probably had a plan in mind and had detected the conflicts between ordinary people and those with abilities within the base.
Those who had initially wanted to manipulate Elder Wu into disadvantaging the other side, so their own personnel could enjoy a better living environment, had to put aside their intentions. They glared at the other side with resentment, stood up, and left silently.
This confrontation truly ended in mutual damage. What surprised them even more was that Elder Wu didn’t fall for their schemes. Well, with such severe losses this time, they needed to continue discussions afterward. As for the power dynamics within the base, since there was an opportunity for a fresh start and everyone had the same starting point, they could focus on developing their respective influences. After some time, the hierarchy would naturally become apparent.
The military power of the base was now entirely in the hands of Elder Wu. If not for this, internal struggles might have surfaced long ago.
The inherent strength of ordinary people was lower, but their population base was larger. Moreover, who didn’t have several ordinary people among their relatives? Therefore, even if the influence of ordinary people was relatively weaker, it wasn’t weak by much.
The personnel responsible for base construction got busy, redividing areas C, D, and G, and presented the plans to Elder Wu.
Taking the blueprint and looking at the divisions on it, Elder Wu tossed it back: “Redraw it, including zone B.”
“B, Zone B?” The design personnel were puzzled, “But Zone B is…”
Elder Wu frowned: “I know what Zone B is for. In theory, Zone B should be where advanced-ability users and researchers reside. But now, most researchers live in Zone F near their workplaces. Ability users also live with their teams outside. Don’t think I don’t know. The people living in Zone B are mostly relatives, friends, children, and in-laws of your group, right? What contributions have those people made to the base? Even the main leaders live in Zone A with their families. How did those in Zone B get in? Don’t think I don’t know! Tear it all down and rebuild!”
The person in charge had to retreat with a lowered neck and redesign the plan.
“Leader, is this really necessary?” The second secretary whispered, seeing Elder Wu’s displeased expression, she dared not continue.
“Do nothing now? Look at what the outside has become. Those who should move in haven’t, and those who shouldn’t have all entered relying on relationships!”
Elder Wu snorted, “Zone B used to be exempt from rent and contribution points. Have those people contributed anything to the base since they moved in? Have they worked outside like others who struggle for a living? They just enjoy special treatment, thinking they’re privileged because they know someone inside… Hmph, it’s time they understand the hardships of life.”
With a sigh, he continued, “While I’m still alive, let’s get some things done…” In this world, the Earth would keep turning even without someone, but if humans couldn’t stop killing each other, despising each other, and being divided, the end of humanity might be approaching.
Following the team back to the air-raid shelter in Zone A, everyone who had completed the mission breathed a sigh of relief. The sight of blood everywhere and bodies scattered on the ground made even the tough guys, who thought they had strong hearts, tremble involuntarily.
After reporting the mission, Yue Zheng changed out of the uniform, turned, and walked towards the temporary residence of a few people. The large caravan and several mutant beasts were the unmistakable landmarks.
Abu perked up upon hearing Yue Zheng’s footsteps, lifting his head excitedly. His large tail wagged, creating a gust of wind, and even the two ostriches stuck their heads out from their wings, craning their necks to gaze in Yue Zheng’s direction.
Rubbing Abu’s nose, Yue Zheng turned and walked towards the room where Xu Song was.
Tiancheng, Tianyou, and Mother Xu were there. Xu Song leaned against the bedside with a bag full of pine nut shells beside him—only shells, as the kernels seemed to have disappeared into someone’s stomach.
“Back?” Although Tianyou had sensed Yue Zheng’s return a while ago, someone, pretending to be “ill,” still sat obediently on the bed without getting up.
“Yeah.” Yue Zheng reached out to pat the heads of the two little ones and sat down on the edge of the bed. “Have you eaten?”
Xu Song’s face twisted a bit, turning his head to the other side, and let out a grunt.
“How’s the situation outside? Are those birds still there?” Mother Xu didn’t pay attention to her proud and willful son, reaching for the dinner placed aside.
“When I went out in the morning, there were still quite a few in the sky. Around noon, at twelve o’clock, it wasn’t as overwhelming. I heard that the main wave of migratory birds has passed, and there might be some scattered birds later. Some areas in the base have been occupied by birds, so we’ll have to clean up again tomorrow morning.”
Without going into the specific details of the tragic scenes in the air-raid shelters, Yue Zheng explained briefly. He knew that Tianyou’s sensing ability could cover the entire base, so there was no need to hide anything deliberately. However, the gruesome scenes of people immersed in blood… it was better not to describe them in detail.
Mother Xu took the two children back to the next room, leaving the young couple some space.
Suddenly, Xu Song reached out, holding Yue Zheng’s hand holding the chopsticks: “What’s wrong?” Although it couldn’t be seen on the surface, Xu Song could feel that Yue Zheng was very suppressed emotionally. Even his eating style, mostly for the reassurance of his parents, seemed calm and composed.
Putting down the chopsticks, Yue Zheng smiled helplessly at him. Honestly, he was forcing the food down his throat now. A whole day of high-intensity movement and travel within the base, every time they opened an air-raid shelter, it felt like a gamble.
No one could be sure about the situation inside, and no one knew what the next shelter would look like. During one bird tide, the casualties from birds’ claws and beaks were limited; you could count them on both hands.
But those who died at the hands of their own kind…
Lying weakly on the bed, with the person beside him tenderly close, Yue Zheng held Xu Song’s shoulder. The room fell silent for a moment, and for a long time, no one spoke.
Xu Song could clearly feel the surging emotions Yue Zheng was suppressing, and he knew it was not a pleasant experience.
Embracing his waist, leaning his head on Yue Zheng’s shoulder, Xu Song quietly listened to his heartbeat, one beat after another, gradually returning to calm.
“Fortunately, you didn’t go with us today,” Yue Zheng, having sorted out his emotions, suddenly smiled and spoke.
“Huh?” Xu Song raised his head, knocking his shoulder against Yue Zheng’s.
“Outside, how was it?” Yue Zheng asked.
“…Most of the people in several air-raid shelters are basically dead.”
When the team from 0246 Squad arrived in the morning, Xu Song had guessed that something unexpected must have happened inside the base, but the specific details were unclear.
“All dead?!”
Yue Zheng nodded silently. “After opening the air-raid shelters, the ground was covered in blood, nowhere to step. There are three shelters like this, and in one of them, everyone inside was suffocated to death.”
“Suffocated?” Xu Song suddenly felt a bit relieved at this moment, thankful that he had been “indulged” by someone last night and didn’t have to face such a scene in person.
“Yeah, the ventilation duct was damaged by a strength ability user inside, and a fire ability user burned up all the oxygen inside.”
Lying quietly in his arms, Xu Song felt a chill in his heart. He had seen the devastated state of bases chewed by mutant insects, but this situation, with blood everywhere and corpses scattered on the ground…
“Is it internal strife?”
“Yeah, ability users and ordinary people fought each other. One side wasn’t satisfied with the comfort of the other, and the other side wasn’t happy with the superior attitude of the former.”
Before they set out, the higher-ups only mentioned that there were some issues in some air-raid shelters, and conflicts arose, but didn’t specify what events led to it. It wasn’t until they arrived that Yue Zheng, with his exceptionally keen hearing, overheard the conversations when those people were inquiring about the situation.
“It was only a matter of time before something happened. People don’t suffer from scarcity but from inequality. However, abilities are destined not to be powers that everyone can obtain. There will inevitably be conflicts between ability users and ordinary people.”
“Yeah… By the way, guess who I met today?” Yue Zheng didn’t want to dwell on those matters and instead pinched his hand, changing the subject.
“Who did you meet?” Xu Song, confused, knocked his shoulder against Yue Zheng’s.
“Not the Widow Corps; they’re fine.”
“Not them? Then who?” Xu Song frowned. Although they had been in the base for some time, they didn’t know many people. “Was it the guard at G Zone’s gate? Or those earth ability users?”
Yue Zheng smiled and, tapping his chin, said, “Give you a hint—S City.”
“S City?” Xu Song recalled the few people like Luo Wen’an. Just as he was about to ask, he changed the topic abruptly. “That female biologist from S City?”
Yue Zheng was taken aback before he remembered who he was talking about. He squinted and pinched Xu Song’s jaw. “Stop making things up.”
“I didn’t see anyone.” Xu Song laughed, avoiding his hand.
“Luo Wen’an and his group came out of Y City with us, so they can’t be considered people from S City.”
Thanks for the update ❤️❤️❤️