Chapter 217: Chapter 217: Phase One
And suppose the worst-case scenario happens, and we can't break through it after several days of fighting, then we'll detonate one of the buildings nearby, either through TNT or artillery. This should definitely draw them away." Xiaoyun explained.
"What if they still don't leave?" Lingang asked.
"If that still doesn't work, we'll blow up the surrounding building of this office block and have it collapse on top of the zombies." Xiaoyun gave his final response.
All of the majors felt the plan was a little risky, but they didn't have any other plans that could be better.
"We'll first test this strategy in the southern entrance closest to our base, then gradually move up north... Although this plan doesn't require us to use any of the other entrances, we'll still do it to increase the pace of clearing the city."
"Is everyone clear?" Xiaoyun asked as he turned off the projector.
"When are we starting this?" Yezi asked curiously.
"We'll scout all the locations, and the plan will be put in motion by Monday next week. Everyone here will receive a detailed copy of the plan when the scouting report is done."
---
Sunday soon arrived, and the final scouting report entered the command center.
In front of Xiaoyun was a detailed map of the entire block, and next to it was a fully cleared office building inside, done with only melee weapons to avoid alerting any large-scale zombie horde.
As Xiaoyun put the final scouting report up on the wall, he was ready to implement the plan.
"This artillery position is a bit odd... But I guess that's how they measured it."
Xiaoyun didn't think much of it, as he only knew that the artillery had been tested and that only five people in the town knew how to operate one.
"Tell Yezi he can start driving the supply to the office block... Also, remind him that they can't drive their car between the city and the city outskirts."
"Ye,s sir."
As the messenger saluted and left, Xiaoyun's mind was suddenly getting more and more nervous as the pressure of the soldier's life depended on his plan.
---
As Monday arrived, many things in the town had changed since the meeting.
From factories being required to work overtime to raw resources being put in a limited supply for the civilian market, it was obvious to everyone in town that a war was coming.
Their theory was further confirmed when Yuqi announced new recruitment and food being rationed despite still having a very healthy amount of food in storage.
With the war getting ready to be in full swing, Yuqi and Xiaoyun were getting a little nervous about everyone's reaction.
At first, Yuqi and Xiaoyun were surprised by the overwhelming support from the newcomers as they even started working faster after hearing about Xiaoyun's campaign against the zombies.
But the two realized that most of them had lost their loved ones and friends to the zombies. Much more than anyone in the town as they had lived in the outside world the longest.
For most average people living in the town, however, it was mostly a minor convenience, like not being able to go to their favorite restaurant or needing to work longer hours.
Meanwhile, back in the training field.
Xiaoyun nervously stood in the backstage podium at the training field, holding the script he had written for the speech he was about to give.
"I can do this. This plan is the best you can think of... If I can't convince myself, why should others follow with it?"
After thinking for a bit longer, Xiaoyun finally calmed himself back down.
"You ready?" Yezi asked as he walked to the backstage.
"Yeah, I'm ready."
Xiaoyun walked up to the podium with the speech in hand.
After adjusting it a bit, Xiaoyun looked down at the crowd.
Most were old faces, but there were several new faces between the soldiers as regiments had been reshuffling soldiers to let the old soldiers train the new ones.
"Hello, everyone. I'm your commander, Xiaoyun."
Xiaoyun paused a second to look around the crowd.
"Today is an important day. If not the most important day since the founding of this city we had built together."
Xiaoyun paused one more time to let the crowd settle in.
"Most of you were just city dwellers working mundane civilian jobs to earn a salary, and I was just a college student who didn't have any goal in life yet."
"But that all changed in a single night. Everyone's life had been flipped. Some might be thankful for it, others not so much.
But in either case, we now face an existential crisis that will determine our lives and our children's future. This has been the biggest crisis in our hands, if not the biggest...
If we take a step back right now, it means we'll be forever trapped in this small town until we all run out of resources or we get overrun by them at some point."
Xiaoyun raised his voice energetically for the next part as he looked at the crowd with a determined face.
"I just want to ask one thing from you guys right now. Are you willing to join the fight and fight the zombies along with your comrades?"
The soldiers immediately yelled 'yes' in unison as they looked back at Xiaoyun with excitement.
"Good. That's what I like to hear... Unfortunately, not everyone can join in this fight. Only regiments one to six will be on this mission."
As half of the soldiers looked down in defeat while the other half fell in ecstasy, Xiaoyun spoke up again.
"I know some of you might be disappointed, but I promise you. In the future, this will be expanded to include everyone in the fight." Xiaoyun paused for a millisecond to flip the note card.
"And now for all thee regiment's job..."
Xiaoyun began reading every job for each regiment, with some assigned to logistics and others assigned to reserved.
However, the newer regiment was still put on the back burner as Xiaoyun assigned them to defend the town.
In total, ten regiments, including Lingang's 1st regiment with his IFV and APC, were going to be involved in the war.
The rest were assigned to defense duty as Yuqi had talked to Xiaoyun in the last few days to flat-out cancel militia units as it was no longer necessary to keep them separate.
Militia were given either leaving the military completely or joining the military as full-time soldiers. And to their surprise, the majority of them chose to join the new regiment that was forming.
---
As Xiaoyun sat inside the car with Tianci and Kate sitting in the front, he felt a little nervous.
"How long do we have left?" Xiaoyun asked.
"About three minutes if the map isn't wrong," Kate replied as she drove the car.
Xiaoyun took a look at his surroundings, and the only thing he could see were empty, beaten-up buildings and cars surrounding them in the center.
Three minutes later...
As the three got out of their car, all the soldiers got out of their cars as well.
"2nd and 3rd regiment, you may begin walking towards the office block, and make sure to make as much noise as possible... You are granted to fire at will."
"4th, 5th, and 6th regiment, make sure all your vehicles are functioning properly and stay put until regiment two requests support."
"1st, 7th, 8th, and 9th regiments, remain in position until I say so. Over."
After finishing speaking over the walkies-talkie, Xiaoyun put it back into his pocket.
"Everything set up and secure?" Xiaoyun asked as he walked inside the building that had been set as their temporary HQ.
"Yes, everything is set up, sir," Wuli replied with a cold face.
"Good... Let's go up to the roof to see how it's going for them."
As the two looked down from the three-floor building, they could see the soldiers slowly approaching the office block in the distance with their binoculars.
The two could already hear several gunshots from the second regiment led by Han Bang.
"I feel like it's not loud enough," Wuli commented as she could only see a few zombies scattering across the street, running towards the soldiers.
"Just wait... Their secret weapon isn't used yet."
As the two waited, the music suddenly started playing.
It wasn't just music. It was music that could be heard by four standing on the roof despite being a mile away from the soldiers.
"How the hell are they playing music that loud?" Wuli asked curiously.
"They found a massive loudspeaker used for concerts during the first few days of scouting the area."
As Xiaoyun explained to Wuli, he was still caught a little off-guard by the sheer loudness of the speakers.
"I didn't expect it to be that loud, though..."
As the two watched in the distance, they could hear loud screeches from the zombies rushing in all four directions toward the office block.
After watching for a few more minutes, the two couldn't see two regiment anymore as the nearby building blocked the views of the soldiers.
"Han Bang, how close are you guys to the office building?" Xiaoyun asked over the walkies-talkie.
"One more minute..." Han Bang's walkies-talkie started to get cut off as the voice became more static.