33: Chapter 33 Surrounding Integration

After the base's fortifications were fully repaired and its military strength steadily expanded, the next step in Wang Jie's plan was finally officially put on the agenda—consolidating all the scattered survivor forces in the vicinity to transform this area into a solid, unified line of survival defense.

After an all-encompassing scan by the red alert system's radar, the terrain and distribution of personnel within a twenty-kilometer radius were clearly displayed on the command center's screen. Within this area, more than a dozen survivor gathering points of various sizes were scattered; the largest camps had no more than twenty or thirty people, while the smallest consisted of just two or three individuals huddling together for survival. They hid in residential buildings amidst broken walls and ruins, lurked in closed and dark large shopping malls, or occupied abandoned factory workshops, struggling to survive in the cracks of the apocalypse, isolated and fighting their own battles like helpless stars that could be swallowed by the darkness at any moment.

In Wang Jie's eyes, these scattered survivors were the most precious living force in the apocalypse, yet they were also the most fragile hidden danger. They lacked sturdy defenses, sufficient weaponry, and the ability to combat large-scale zombies and Mutant Beasts. If left alone for long, it wouldn't be long before these people were either torn apart by the endless stream of zombies, became food for ferocious Mutant Beasts, or were discovered by the secretly expanding "Ark" organization and forcibly recruited as their pawns.

Rather than letting these forces fall into enemy hands or perish in vain, it was better to take the initiative and completely consolidate the surrounding survival zones.

Wang Jie immediately issued orders, dispatching several well-equipped patrol squads to push outward from the base as the center, contacting each survivor gathering point one by one. Before they set out, he established ironclad rules of engagement: those truly willing to join the base and survive together would have the gates wide open to them, be accepted as equals, and share resources and safety; those unwilling to leave their homes and insisting on independent survival would never be forced, but could establish long-term trade relations with the base to exchange goods and support each other; for those with ill intentions or hostility toward their side, a stern warning would be given first; if anyone dared to actively attack the patrol squads in an attempt to seize supplies and weapons, no leniency would be shown, and they would be eliminated on the spot.

This operation proceeded exceptionally smoothly, and in just one short week, it yielded results far exceeding expectations.

Five small gathering points, after witnessing the safety, order, and formidable strength of Wang Jie's base, chose to defect in their entirety, bringing over eighty new survivors to the base at once; three gathering points, out of attachment to their homes, decided to remain independent but signed mutual aid agreements with the base, promising to regularly exchange supplies and share intelligence on enemy movements, becoming reliable peripheral allies; only one gathering point's leader was naturally cruel and insane—seeing the patrol squad's superior equipment, he harbored evil intentions and incited his subordinates to attempt a forceful seizure of weapons. The patrol squad struck back decisively, killing him on the spot, and the remaining members, seeing that resistance was futile, surrendered one after another.

With this, the total population of the base under Wang Jie's command officially surpassed the two-hundred mark.

Two hundred people was a very significant number in the apocalypse. It meant the base had a more abundant labor force to cultivate farmland, repair facilities, and produce supplies; it meant a more diverse pool of skills and wisdom, with some knowing mechanics, some medicine, and some management; more importantly, it meant the sparks of human civilization were burning brighter and brighter here.

However, the surge in population also brought unprecedented management pressure.

Issues like food, housing allocation, environmental sanitation, camp order, and conflict mediation... every small matter, when placed within a group of two hundred people, became a major task requiring meticulous handling. Almost all the chores fell onto Lin Waner's shoulders. She woke up before dawn every day and could only rest late at night, busy assigning housing to newcomers, tallying rations, handling disputes between neighbors, caring for sick survivors, and responding to requests to learn firearms for self-defense; she rarely even had a moment to sit down and drink some water.

Wang Jie saw this and felt pained for her. In just a few short days, Lin Waner's cheeks had thinned, and the exhaustion in her eyes could no longer be hidden.

"Waner, don't try to handle it all by yourself. Pick a few people to help share the load, or your health will collapse at this rate," Wang Jie couldn't help but advise.

Lin Waner shook her head gently, her tone a bit stubborn: "There are too many newcomers, and everyone isn't familiar with each other yet. I'm afraid if I hand it over to others, it won't be handled well and might cause chaos instead."

Wang Jie pondered for a moment and gave a more stable suggestion: "Then choose from the old members who have been with us from the beginning. Pick people with reliable character and a steady way of doing things, and have them serve as group leaders in charge of different affairs. You'll only need to oversee and coordinate everything."

Lin Waner thought it over and finally nodded in agreement.

The next day, she carefully selected five candidates: a knowledgeable retired teacher to be responsible for the children's education and ideological guidance for the camp; an experienced factory workshop director to oversee production labor and material processing; a capable veteran to assist in managing camp security and daily patrols; a meticulous and capable housewife to take full charge of logistics, meals, hygiene, and other chores; and a quick-thinking young college student to handle clerical records, intelligence organization, and information statistics.

Each of the five people performed their duties, quickly taking over the daily management of the base. The tedious tasks became orderly, and Lin Waner's pressure was greatly reduced.

Standing on the command tower, looking down at the orderly base below: people were farming in the fields, machines were running in the workshops, children were playing in the safe zones, and soldiers were patrolling along the walls. The initial fear had faded from everyone's faces, replaced by a sense of stability and hope. A sense of satisfaction and determination unlike anything he had ever felt welled up in Wang Jie's heart.

What he was building now was no longer just a military base for combat.

This was a small town reborn from the ruins, a fortress against the darkness, and even more, a new starting point where human civilization in the apocalypse could take root, sprout, and grow vigorously.