Chapter 45
“Mission Objective: Assist Special Task Force Teams One and Two in rescuing the hostage.”
“The hostage is named Zhang Quanyong, male, fifty-eight years old, and former director of the City H Disease Control Center.”
“Before the outbreak, Zhang Quanyong treated the first recorded case of the zombie virus. He possesses key medical data on this initial case.”
“Recently, a survivor who had been part of the medical team reported seeing Zhang’s hand scratched by the infected patient’s nails. Remarkably, Zhang never turned into a zombie.”
“We suspect that Zhang Quanyong may hold a crucial clue to a possible zombie virus vaccine.”
“This mission represents humanity’s hope. Keep this information confidential from unauthorized personnel. Exercise caution, and complete the mission at all costs!”
While Wen Xin was rinsing his towel by the camp, Lin Nan approached him. “Captain.”
“I just walked around the area, and there are tons of people here for this mission. Some tents even have guards keeping others away. Are we sure this is just a C-level zombie cleanup?”
Nervously, he added, “Could we be dealing with a zombie king?”
By now, news of zombie evolution had spread through the base, leaving everyone uneasy.
People had all seen movies and novels about the apocalypse, and it was easy to imagine the disaster zombies could cause if they began evolving. Their destructive power would increase exponentially, threatening to wipe out entire cities.
Those who had once held out hope for developing supernatural abilities, like Lin Nan, had lost faith.
Wen Xin had noticed the oddities on the way over but had a quality that prevented him from getting overly curious about things outside his responsibility.
“Our orders are to eliminate zombies and watch for attacks from the cult. That’s all we need to focus on,” he replied.
Sometimes, the less you know, the better.
Lin Nan scratched his head, seemingly reassured, but then couldn’t help asking, “Captain, what do you know about this cult we might be facing?”
Their instructor had heard rumors about the cult but didn’t have many details.
Before departure, those issuing the mission had provided Wen Xin with a handwritten document, hoping to prevent any accidental transgressions. It was written by someone who’d encountered the cult firsthand.
Since the network collapse, handwritten notes and letters had become popular again.
Having memorized the notes, Wen Xin recalled the information.
“They’re called the Weixin Cult. Their slogan is ‘Weixin is best, Weixin above all,’ but what kind of idealistic philosophy they follow isn’t clear, even to them.”
*T/N: The English translation for this slogan is “Faith is best, Faith above all.”
“The notes say that the cult appeared suddenly. One day, people just started following them with no prior warning.”
“And the strange thing is, anyone who stays around cult members long enough—even without hearing their beliefs or attending services—starts chanting, ‘Weixin is best, Weixin above all.’”
Lin Nan shivered. “That sounds… creepy.”
Wen Xin shared his unease.
He suspected the cult might be using some kind of hallucinogen to control its members.
“It’s best to stay alert. If we encounter any cult members, try to get them to leave. If that doesn’t work, threaten them with force. Avoid prolonged contact with them.”
As Wen Xin and Lin Nan discussed the mission quietly, other team members nearby were also talking about it.
Not long after, a tall man noticed Wen Xin and muttered with a sly grin, “How does that kid keep his skin so light?”
He smirked. “After so many days in the sun, he still looks fresh and fair. If he were a girl, imagine how pretty he’d be.”
Another slender man nudged him with an elbow. “Lower your voice and watch your eyes. Don’t you know he’s a distant cousin of Li Yongming?”
“If he hears about this and complains to Li Yongming, you’ll be in serious trouble.”
Despite Li Yongming’s high rank, this man’s tone showed little respect.
The tall man scoffed. “Yeah, right. Have you seen Li Yongming come to visit him even once?”
“I doubt he cares much about this ‘distant cousin.’”
Nearby, a sharp-nosed man snickered. “He’s not entirely wrong. With Li Yongming’s position, everyone and their cousin would probably claim to be a relative to win favor.”
“But that kid’s been pampered. In training, even the head instructor gives him special attention. He must have some background.”
His words made the other two pause.
Then the tall man frowned. “If he’s really someone important, why would he be on this mission?”
The mission was risky.
The hostage, Zhang Quanyong, was held by the Weixin Cult. Their leader was an ordinary office worker before the apocalypse, yet he commanded over ten thousand loyal followers.
The southeastern region wasn’t as overrun as City G or City Z, but zombies still prowled the outskirts.
These zombies were ruthless predators, yet they avoided the cult’s base entirely, circling around it.
If the theory about supernatural abilities hadn’t already been debunked, people might have believed the cult leader had some mysterious powers.
Given these circumstances, if Wen Xin truly had a privileged background, why risk his life here?
The sharp-nosed man also looked puzzled, trying to figure out Wen Xin’s motives.
“What’s on your mind?” asked the slender man. “You seem interested in that kid. Don’t tell me you’re—”
“Ha,” the sharp-nosed man started to scoff, then glanced at Wen Xin’s face and stopped, swallowing his laughter.
His expression grew dark. “I’m just thinking… doesn’t the commander of our base also have the last name Wen?”
The tall man blinked. “The commander’s last name is Wen… You don’t mean…?”
“Shh!” The sharp-nosed man interrupted quickly, glancing around. “I’m just guessing. No proof.”
“But even if I’m right…” He smiled, his gaze like a poisonous snake’s.
“When things get chaotic, we can knock him out and take him.”
“If he’s not Commander Wen’s brother, we’ll kill him. Nobody will miss him, and Li Yongming won’t trace it back to us.”
“But if he is…”
The sharp-nosed man’s voice lowered, growing darker. “Then the credit for capturing him will be far more valuable than rescuing Zhang Quanyong.”
As the team prepared to move, Wen Xin gathered his squad to go over the mission.
Suddenly, he felt an odd sensation, as though someone was watching him.
Looking up, he saw three men standing a short distance away.
One of them, a tall man, caught his gaze and gave a friendly smile. “Captain Wen, are you guys set on ammo? Want to team up with us?”
Seeing this, one of Wen Xin’s team members pulled on his sleeve, whispering, “Captain, he’s with the Second Team.”
The mission was led by the First Team, with the Second Team following as backup.
Lower-level units like theirs had limited resources and little say in the plan. Wen Xin’s team members eyed the tall man’s full ammo pouch with envy.
Wen Xin noted the man’s badge, realizing that teaming up might improve their chances of staying safe.
Then he saw the two men standing beside the tall one.
They weren’t in standard-issue uniforms but wore tactical vests.
Most people would assume they were all from the same unit.
But not Wen Xin.
Maybe it was because he’d memorized so many faces, but this time, he’d made a point to remember everyone’s positions during the pre-mission lineup.
He remembered clearly that the slender man was from the First Team, while the sharp-nosed man was part of a larger unit under the Second Team’s command.
These three weren’t from the same unit.
It didn’t make sense for them to be together now, especially with the mission about to start.
Wen Xin found it suspicious. After a brief pause, he apologized, “Thanks, but our route probably won’t align with yours, so we’ll be better off alone.”
The tall man persisted. “That’s alright; your task is just to assist us in zombie cleanup. It doesn’t matter where you go.”
Logically, this made sense.
But with everyone following their assigned roles, things weren’t meant to be this flexible.
Before Wen Xin could respond, the tall man added, “Li Yongming told us to look after you. Let’s go together—it’s all good.”
That statement made Wen Xin’s guard go up instantly.
This mission had been assigned suddenly. He’d left with the team as soon as he’d received the orders, without any time to inform Li Yongming.
With his face tense, he firmly declined, “No, thank you.”
He gestured to Lin Nan and the others, signaling for his squad to move quickly.
The three men watched him leave, exchanging sinister glances.
“He’s sharper than I thought. I think he suspects something,” the tall man muttered.
“What now?” asked the slender man.
“It’s fine. These smaller units are supposed to clear the way for us. We’ll catch up with them eventually,” replied the sharp-nosed man, his expression grim. “Let’s rejoin the team and keep things normal until then.”
Even after distancing himself from the trio, Wen Xin couldn’t shake the chill he felt.
Why were they targeting him?
Seeing his tense face, Lin Nan asked, “Everything alright?”
Wen Xin replied, “It’s nothing.”
Ahead, zombies began pouring in from the street, clawing their way forward.
Wen Xin exhaled, loading his gun with calm efficiency.
Standing tall, his gaze sharpened. “Alright, let’s move!”
Being able to recognise who are your allies and trusted team members are more important then people realize. In situations like these and when you need to who hou can trust will determine whether you can survive and help eat other.
Thanks for the chapter ~~~
This is the kinda thing you report for suspected infiltration.