226: Call for help

After a while, the man slowly regained consciousness and let out a pained groan.

"The uncle just fainted from the pain and his body is a bit weak, but there is no danger to his life," Li Yiyi said, putting away her staff as she spoke to the extremely nervous Zheng Wanrou.

"Thank you! Thank you both!" Zheng Wanrou sobbed. With a "thud," she knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly.

"Young lady, please get up, you mustn't do this!" Zhu Lingyun hurriedly helped her up. "What is your name? And what exactly is the background of these people outside?"

"Um... my name is Zheng Wanrou." Zheng Wanrou wiped away her tears, her voice still choked with sobs. "They are people from the West Suburb Base. I heard from the people in town that they have thousands of soldiers with guns, and... and their two 'Grand Commanders' are very, very powerful. They are some kind of... Third-Tier Master."

When she mentioned "Third-Tier Master," her eyes dimmed completely, filled with despair. "Big brother, thank you for your kindness, but you should leave quickly! They have many people, and they have Third-Tier Master... you cannot fight them. He... he wants me, I... I will just go with him, I cannot implicate you..." As she spoke, tears welled up again.

"Third-Tier Master..." Zhu Lingyun's heart sank. This was indeed a big problem. There is a qualitative gap between the third tier and the second tier. If that so-called "Grand Commander" was a short-tempered and overbearing man, their small group would be no match for them; let alone seeking justice for Zheng Wanrou, they might not even be able to protect themselves.

"Captain, contact the troops!" Wang Kai was so angry that he punched the wall, leaving a shallow pit. "Damn it! This bunch of soldier-bandits! Forcibly seizing women, lawless! I can't stand it anymore!"

"That's right! Captain, this bunch of scum doesn't deserve to live in this world!" Yan Xin's eyes also burned with flames of anger.

"But..." Zhu Lingyun looked troubled. "We are acting without authorization this time, we didn't report it, and the Association..."

"Zhu Lingyun! Are you still a man?!" Seeing him hesitate, Li Xueli was furious and interrupted him directly. She stepped forward, her heroic face full of determination. "Miss Wanrou has been bullied to this extent! No matter how big the rules are, they cannot compare to human lives and justice! If the Association punishes us, I, Li Xueli, will take full responsibility! Just say that I was the one who incited everyone to come!"

"Xueli, you..." Zhu Lingyun felt his face heat up under Li Xueli's gaze, and a surge of hot blood rushed to his heart. "Say no more! Am I, Zhu Lingyun, the kind of person who fears death and shirks responsibility? If we are to be punished, we will all bear it together!"

He no longer hesitated, decisively took out the encrypted military communicator from his backpack, took a deep breath, and dialed the channel of the Hunter Association headquarters in Longxing City. (Originally in Lujiang Base, it has since relocated.)

"Headquarters, Headquarters! This is the Demon Hunting Squad 'Dawns First Light' out on a mission, please answer if received!"

"Headquarters received, please speak." The operator's calm and steady voice came from the other end of the communicator.

"We... we have encountered an emergency that we cannot solve on our own."

"What mission are you executing? Mission number?"

"We... do not have a mission number." Zhu Lingyun paused, then bit the bullet and said, "We organized this ourselves to come to Hongdu territory to investigate the situation. We encountered a local militia here, and they... are forcibly seizing women and committing violent acts. According to our understanding, the opposing base has two Third-Tier Master Evolvers. I organized this unauthorized operation, and I, Zhu Lingyun, will bear all responsibility alone!"

"And me! Sword of Hope, Li Xueli!" Li Xueli snatched the communicator and said loudly, not retreating at all.

"Leaving the territory without authorization, acting on your own? Do you know that the main force of the Legion is about to deploy troops to Hongdu? Your actions are likely to disrupt the deployment!" The tone on the other end of the communicator suddenly became severe, carrying an unquestionable reprimand.

"Yes! We understand! We are willing to accept any punishment!" Zhu Lingyun replied in a deep voice, his palms already sweating.

"Report the specific situation you have grasped first!" The other party's tone softened slightly.

"According to our current understanding, there is a large-scale civilian base in the West District of Hongdu, with a population of over 100,000, thousands of armed soldiers, and at least two Third-Tier Master Evolvers stationed there." Zhu Lingyun quickly summarized and reported the intelligence.

"Such a large scale? Why has there never been a relevant report from the Hongdu provincial government?" The operator's voice carried a hint of surprise and doubt. After a brief pause, the final instruction was given: "I have recorded your situation. The intelligence is very important, but your unauthorized actions outweigh your merits. Rewards are waived, and upon your return, the Association's Disciplinary Committee will determine the punishment."

Zhu Lingyun and Li Xueli looked at each other, their expressions dimming, but then they heard:

"However, your actions of stopping atrocities and protecting civilians are in line with the purpose and discipline of our Legion. You did well! Remember, the apocalypse is by no means a place outside the law! Any act that dares to trample on the law and bully the weak will not be tolerated by our Red Alert Legion! I will immediately contact Lieutenant Colonel Luo Chen, Brigade Commander of the nearest Mixed Brigade Two, and urgently report this matter to Deputy Commander-in-Chief Officer Zhang Lei! You must immediately hold your position and wait for reinforcements. Before reinforcements arrive, try your best to avoid large-scale armed conflicts with the other party, and prioritize the safety of yourselves and the victimized civilians! Do you understand?"

"Understood! Thank you, Headquarters!" Zhu Lingyun put away the communicator with a heavy yet slightly invigorated feeling. The clear attitude of the Headquarters gave them a backbone.

"Xue, they have completely surrounded us." Yang Yiyu, who had been perceiving the situation outside through the Azure Water Spirit Beast, said worriedly. "Xiao Bi tells me that their people are all around the house, and their guns are pointed at us."

"It seems they intend to silence us!" Li Xueli's willow-leaf eyebrows stood up in anger, and she slammed her hand on the table.

"Big Brother Zhu, Miss Li... how about... how about you just hand me over..." Zheng Wanrou looked at the swaying shadows outside the window, her voice trembling. "They have too many people, and they have guns... you are doing this for me..."

"Miss Wanrou!" Zhu Lingyun interrupted her, his voice resonant and powerful, carrying a soldier's firmness. "Remember! We are people of the Red Alert Legion! Maintaining order, eradicating evil, and protecting the weak are our duties! If we shrink back when encountering such injustices, then we are not worthy of being members of the Red Alert Legion, and not worthy of being a Chinese person! The Legion will definitely seek justice for your grievances!"

He looked around at every one of his companions and saw the same determination in their eyes. He said in a deep voice: "Everyone, recover your strength and build a defense relying on the house! We will wait here! Wait for Brigade Commander Luo and Officer Zhang Lei's troops to arrive! Wait for the moment judgment descends!"