222: Hongdu Twins

Time turns back to the eve of the Lingnan Campaign, several days ago.

Location: Hongdu, Qingshan County Base, an office.

The office was thick with cigarette smoke. Governor Wu Changming of Xijiang Province rubbed his bloodshot eyes, exhaled a ring of smoke, and looked at the dust-covered Major General Lu Qinian, the Commander of the Provincial Military District, who had just pushed open the door.

Governor Wu's voice carried an undisguised weariness and a glimmer of hope: "Old Lu, what about the West District... have those two kids loosened up? Are they willing to bring their people into the fold?"

Lu Qinian ripped off his military cap and slammed it heavily onto the table, revealing a buzz cut mixed with gray hair. He sighed, the wrinkles on his face seeming to deepen at that moment: "Easier said than done! Those two brats have huge appetites! They demand to retain full command over their Evolvers and troops, and they want us to officially grant them ranks and titles! It's simply... simply preposterous!"

Hearing this, a wry smile flashed across Governor Wu's face. He waved his hand, his tone filled with helplessness and even a hint of self-deprecation: "Give it to them! Give them everything! In this world, ranks and titles are just empty names. If there are still people willing to bargain with us and want the titles given by this 'City of Heroes,' it's at least saving the last shred of face for our struggling provincial government base."

Lu Qinian walked to the window, gazing at the gray-shrouded city skyline in the distance. He lowered his voice and changed the subject: "Old Wu, let's stop talking about those two kids for a moment... What is the current situation with the Red Alert Legion?"

Governor Wu picked up several crumpled telegrams on the table and shook his head with a bitter smile: "They are strong and well-equipped, advancing like a hot knife through butter! They have liberated several cities in succession, and wherever their forces point, Hongdu is next! The National Government gave them official ranks and endorsements long ago, and now they have joined forces with the Southern Military Region, creating quite a stir. Look at us in comparison?"

Governor Wu pointed to the dilapidated base outside the window. "We have become unwanted outcasts! The Eastern Military Region is struggling to protect itself, and the National Government pays no attention to us at all, clearly favoring the Red Alert Legion... Sigh, we are truly children with no one to care for us!" His tone was filled with bitterness and powerlessness.

"Damn it!" Lu Qinian slammed his fist against the wall, producing a dull thud. He turned around, his eyes filled with both reluctance and a hint of determination. "At worst, I'll just take my brothers and defect to the Red Alert Legion! What's shameful about that? They are the darlings of the National Government now, a legitimate ace unit! That's still better than being trapped in this isolated city, waiting to be swallowed by the Zombie Tide!"

"I support you, Old Lu!" Governor Wu answered almost immediately. He stood up and walked over to Lu Qinian. "That is the reality. We have tens of thousands of broken guns and a hundred or so ancient tanks; the Red Alert Legion might not even look twice at us. Being replaced is only a matter of time. Surrendering proactively might allow us to negotiate better terms."

Lu Qinian took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, his eyes flashing with calculated light: "I'm just thinking, if we could take a step ahead and annex those two kids in the West District and the nearly one hundred thousand people in their base... With this generous 'dowry,' and then joining the Red Alert Legion with this foundation, wouldn't we be able to retain more of our independent units? And perhaps hold a higher status over there in the future?" His voice was very low, carrying a heavy, all-or-nothing gravity.

"Who's to say otherwise!" Governor Wu picked up the enamel cup on the table and took a sip of the long-cold strong tea. His expression was complex, filled with a mix of resentment and disbelief. "A base spontaneously organized by civilians, and two fifteen-year-old kids managed to stir up such a massive commotion! If we hadn't been trying to suppress the news and block their radio signals, if this had reached the ears of the big shots in the National Government, where would we hide our faces? It's one thing to admit that our dignified, official provincial military district is inferior to a colleague's secret base, but to be unable to handle the civilian armed groups in our own territory, and for them to refuse our orders... What kind of world is this!"

Speaking of Yao Ke and Huangfu Yao, the two "young heroes" famous in the West District of Hongdu, their story is filled with the absurdity and legendary color unique to the apocalypse.

Before the apocalypse broke out, Yao Ke and Huangfu Yao were just two ordinary barber apprentices on a commercial street in the West District of Hongdu. They dropped out of school early and drifted through society, usually sporting exaggerated hair colors, hanging out in bars, fighting, getting tattoos, and flirting—standard "delinquent youth." However, stripping away these rebellious shells, the two were not inherently evil; they simply had no interest in boring classroom knowledge and preferred to sweat in a barbershop rather than "sit on pins and needles" in a classroom.

The day the gears of fate turned, they skipped work to go to a familiar internet café. However, the deafening game sound effects were soon drowned out by screams and explosions from the street. The zombie virus broke out completely without warning! Relying on their young and agile bodies, the two luckily escaped in the chaos. While being chased by several hideous zombies, they panicked and crashed into a small pet hospital on the corner of the street.

The kind-hearted young woman who was a pet doctor took a risk to take them in, giving them temporary shelter. However, misfortune struck; while searching for supplies, the young woman was unfortunately scratched by a zombie. In despair and pain, she begged the two teenagers to give her a release. Finally, after immense fear and struggle, the two ended the young woman's suffering with tears in their eyes, and unexpectedly obtained the first zombie crystal core of their lives.

Huangfu Yao, who was daring and impulsive, swallowed the crystal core directly under extreme tension and an inexplicable impulse! The intense pain almost made him faint, but after surviving it, he discovered he had awakened an incredible ability—Beast Control Supernatural Ability! He could not only communicate with animals but also consume energy to strengthen beasts, and the strengthened animals would develop an extremely strong dependence and loyalty toward him.

Relying on the dozen large dogs in the reinforced pet hospital, the two began their initial survival and counterattack, hunting down lone zombies in the streets. After obtaining more crystal cores, luck seemed to be on their side; Yao Ke also successfully awakened, and his ability was even more rare and powerful—Metal Manipulation! He could mentally control metal objects within a certain range, and even perform microscopic structural reconstruction and shaping of metal!

The two immediately realized the huge potential of this ability. They frantically collected metal from hardware stores and scrapped vehicles. Yao Ke began to tailor lightweight yet amazingly defensive metal light armor and sharp polearm weapons for them, and even crafted suitable armor and claw covers for Huangfu Yao's "mutant beast army." Relying on the initially formed "armored mutant beast army," they fought their way back to the barbershop where they used to work, rescued several "brothers" who were also trapped, and gained a group of followers who viewed them as heroes. The high-spirited duo, mimicking characters from web novels, self-proclaimed themselves as the "Weapon Master" and "Beast Control King."

Perhaps because they were saved by that kind doctor sister in a desperate situation, and witnessed too many human tragedies after gaining power, a simple sense of "chivalry" sprouted in the hearts of the two once-confused teenagers. They determined to save more survivors, just like the heroes in novels.

While continuously improving their own strength, Yao Ke and Huangfu Yao began to consciously cultivate confidants. They prioritized childhood friends and trusted brothers who were also struggling in the provincial capital and whom they knew well, using the crystal cores they obtained to help them become Evolvers.

Relying on the powerful mutant beast legion and the unique and sophisticated metal weapons crafted by Yao Ke, they carved out a territory in the chaotic West District and established the Hongdu West Suburb Base.

On the advice of a "military advisor" who liked playing Three Kingdoms strategy games, they decisively launched an attack and captured the provincial strategic grain reserve and a small light weapons factory located in the western suburbs! This move brought an explosive growth to their strength!

A group of teenagers with an average education level of middle school, under the advice of the "military advisor," actually began to manage base construction, food distribution, and even directed the remaining veteran masters in the weapons factory to work overtime to produce standard rifles and ammunition! Yao Ke even unexpectedly discovered that firearms and bullets modified by his metal Supernatural Ability had significantly improved range, accuracy, and power!

Relying on the factory's inventory and continuous production, in just over a month, they raised a thousand-man rifle squad!

Only then did the Hongdu Provincial Government Base, having caught its breath, arrive late, attempting to incorporate this powerful civilian force that had suddenly risen. However, instigated by the "military advisor" with the mindset of "better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix," Yao Ke and Huangfu Yao, who already lacked trust in official institutions, decisively refused the "recruitment" and chose to continue developing on their own.

They turned their targets to zoos, pet stores, and farms all over the city, successfully incorporating and strengthening a large number of animals, and even conquered a horse farm with hundreds of sturdy horses! From this, they formed a unit that could be called a spectacle of the apocalypse—a 500-man armored cavalry unit! Their charge was terrifying.

By the eve of the Lingnan Campaign, both Yao Ke and Huangfu Yao had successfully promoted to Third-Tier Masters! In comparison, the Hongdu Provincial Government Base, which possessed more resources and population, only had two Third-Tier Masters sitting in charge at this time.

Although the two young leaders appeared disorganized in managing the 100,000 survivors, relying more on force deterrence and brotherhood to maintain order, they managed to raise a 4,000-man rifle squad, 500 armored cavalry, 1,000 sword-and-shield soldiers, as well as a considerable number of Evolvers and a mutant beast legion, running the West Suburb Base prosperously by sheer force of their personal strength. This level of strength, looking at all civilian survivor bases in the country, could be called one of a kind!

If not for the Xijiang provincial government repeatedly interfering and even blocking the West Suburb Base's external radio communications, the titles of "Weapon Master" and "Beast Control King" would have likely spread across the country via radio waves long ago, entering the vision of the National Government's top brass.