163: Report Meeting

The next morning, the rising sun had just dispelled the thin veil of night, casting its golden radiance upon the slightly weathered but orderly buildings of Kyoto Base.

Zhang Lei straightened his attire, preparing to head to the office of Officer Xiao Weihua and Commander Qin Guoqiang to bid farewell before returning to Lujiang Base.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Report!" a young voice came from outside the door.

Zhang Lei opened the door to find a soldier in military uniform standing straight as a pine. Upon seeing Zhang Lei, the soldier snapped a crisp salute, his eyes filled with respect for a powerhouse.

"Officer Zhang Lei! Good morning!" the soldier said in a resounding voice.

Zhang Lei immediately returned a standard military salute, his expression calm: "Hello, is there something you need?"

"Reporting, Officer. By order of Commander Qin Guoqiang, I am here to invite you to attend the base's quarterly briefing held this morning," the soldier relayed the instruction meticulously.

"Oh? A briefing?" Zhang Lei raised an eyebrow, revealing a hint of confusion. This was not part of his original itinerary.

The soldier seemed to have anticipated his question and added fluently: "Yes, Officer. Kyoto Base customarily holds a monthly summary at the end of each month, but this time is different; it is the first quarterly comprehensive briefing since the outbreak of the apocalypse, and it is of great significance. Representatives from the seven major bases across the country will arrive by special plane to attend and report on their work. Commander Qin specifically instructed that you must attend."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Lei's gaze tightened, instantly realizing the importance of this meeting. This was undoubtedly an excellent opportunity to understand the national situation and obtain key information.

"Understood. Please lead the way." Zhang Lei said no more, crisply signaling for the soldier to proceed.

Guided by the soldier, Zhang Lei passed through heavily guarded corridors and arrived at a large briefing hall capable of accommodating a thousand people.

The hall was designed with solemn simplicity, its dome high and spacious. Many people were already seated, and the buzzing sound of low-voiced conversations coalesced into an atmosphere that was both serious and urgent.

He spotted Lü Yan and Yang Tian sitting in the front row at a glance, but did not see Officer Xiao or Commander Qin. He walked over quickly and took the empty seat next to Lü Yan.

"Brother Zhang Lei, you've arrived." Lü Yan turned his head, greeting him in a low voice with a familiar smile, then pointed to another man sitting upright with an extraordinary demeanor beside him, introducing: "Brother Zhang Lei, this is Lin Yan, Captain Lin. He is recognized as the number one elemental Evolver in our Kyoto Base, with extremely high fire elemental talent and formidable strength."

Upon hearing this, the man named Lin Yan immediately turned to face Zhang Lei. His face was resolute, his eyes sharp as torches, as if they contained a flame within, yet his attitude at this moment was very humble.

He took the initiative to reach out: "Brother Zhang Lei, I have long admired your name! Your strength has already spread across all the major bases; it is truly admirable. I hope that in the future, Brother Zhang Lei will not hesitate to provide guidance, and I will certainly learn with an open mind." His words were sincere, carrying recognition for a powerhouse and a desire to improve his own strength.

Zhang Lei immediately reached out to shake his hand, feeling the scorching temperature and considerable strength emanating from the other's palm. He smiled modestly: "Captain Lin, you flatter me; let us just exchange pointers. Kyoto is full of hidden talents, and I also need to learn from everyone here." The two smiled at each other, with a hint of mutual appreciation between heroes.

As the few were exchanging greetings in low voices, a noticeable commotion came from the entrance of the briefing hall.

The previously slightly noisy venue quickly quieted down, and everyone's eyes were involuntarily drawn to the door. Led by the highest official of the National Government, Xiao Weihua, and Commander Qin Guoqiang, a group of high-level leaders from the Central Military Region and the National Government entered one after another with solemn expressions and steady strides. A powerful aura instantly enveloped the entire briefing hall, and an invisible pressure permeated the air.

Xiao Weihua's gaze swept across the venue and quickly landed on Zhang Lei. A kind and gratified smile suddenly bloomed on his serious face, and he walked straight toward Zhang Lei. Commander Qin Guoqiang followed closely behind, his majestic gaze carrying a hint of imperceptible approval.

"Comrade Xiao Zhang! You arrived so early?" Xiao Weihua's voice was resonant and cordial, breaking the silence of the scene.

Zhang Lei and those around him stood up and snapped to attention as if by reflex. Zhang Lei said loudly: "Hello, Officer Xiao! Hello, General Qin!" He saluted with a standard military salute, standing tall as a pine.

"Good, good, all good. Sit down, everyone sit down, no need to be so restrained." Xiao Weihua smiled and pressed his hand down, then specifically encouraged Zhang Lei in a low voice: "The meeting is very important, listen carefully." Immediately after, he and Commander Qin Guoqiang and the others walked to the podium at the very front of the briefing hall to take their seats.

After all the high-level officials were seated, the venue became completely silent. Chief of Government Affairs Li Bingyi adjusted his collar, stood up with a solemn expression, and walked to the podium in the center of the briefing hall with steady steps. He looked around at the hundreds of faces, some familiar and some strange, below the stage; every face was etched with the hardships and resilience brought about by the apocalypse.

He took a deep breath, and his voice transmitted through the microphone across the entire hall, heavy and powerful:

"Comrades! Comrades-in-arms!" His opening remarks made everyone perk up. "Today, we are gathered here. It has been exactly four months since that damn zombie virus outbreak!"

His voice dropped slightly, carrying heavy grief: "The test this unprecedented disaster has brought upon our Huaguo is nothing short of heavy! We have lost countless compatriots, vast swathes of land have fallen, and civilization and order have faced unprecedented challenges!"

There was silence below the stage; every person's face was filled with solemnity and the pain of memory, and many could not help but clench their fists.

Li Bingyi changed his tone, his voice becoming firm and full of power: "However! Under the strong leadership of the National Government and the Supreme United Front Work Department, and with the united efforts of the military and civilians across the country, we have withstood the initial frantic onslaught! We have guarded the spark of humanity! Kyoto has successfully rescued and settled over three million people! The situation in various places is also moving from chaos to order, and the tender shoots of hope are sprouting from despair!"

The huge screen behind him lit up, presenting a series of complex charts and data. "Today, I will first represent Kyoto Base and provide a detailed report to everyone!"

He operated the controller, and the red dot of the laser pointer landed on the population and military strength data: "Currently, our Kyoto Base has taken in 3.2 million people! After expanding the military, our total troop count has reached over 500,000, reorganized into five group armies, with sufficient manpower and high morale! More importantly, our Evolver ranks have grown to over 4,000!" When he mentioned this number, his tone noticeably deepened, and a faint gasp of amazement sounded from below the stage.

"Among them, most are newly awakened rankless Evolvers, about 1,000 are First-Tier Evolvers, and 23 are Second-Tier Evolvers!" He paused, his gaze sweeping across the audience, and announced in an extremely solemn tone: "Furthermore, we already possess our first—Third-Tier Evolver!"

Enthusiastic applause erupted instantly, lasting for a long time. This was a symbol of hope, a sharp blade to fight against the darkness!

Li Bingyi waited for the applause to subside slightly and continued: "With the support of this powerful Evolver force, our work to recover lost territories has begun to go smoothly, and the military's ammunition consumption has also been significantly reduced."

The screen switched to a huge map of Kyoto and its surrounding areas, with 10 light points flickering on it. "Currently, in the ten major grain-producing counties in Jizhou Province nearest to Kyoto, the zombies have been mostly cleared out! It is expected that in a few more days, they can be completely recovered; at that time, we will immediately station troops and organize the surviving populace to gradually restore agricultural production! This is the lifeline that guarantees our survival foundation!"