Chapter 44: Re-entering Huan'an

Volume 1 “Year of Calamity”

If military temperament could be acquired through daily training, then combat capability had to be obtained through actual combat. After two months of closed-door training, the survivors of the fortress area welcomed their first practical combat training. The best opportunity for real combat was to form search teams and enter towns to scavenge for supplies.

A search team consisting of four vehicles and twenty-five people was ready for departure. Leading this time was Nie Chong, who would guide this team that had undergone two months of rigorous training to Huan’an County to replenish daily necessities and military supplies. Most members of this team were newcomers participating in a search mission for the first time. Previously, supply runs were handled by veterans and strong men, but this time was different – aside from eighteen male survivors, there were unexpectedly seven women in the team as well. This was the apocalypse – regardless of gender, to survive, one must first become a warrior.

After an hour and a half journey, the search team finally arrived at Huan’an County Town. Their first stop was naturally the Reserve Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment located on the Ring Road. According to Nie Chong’s plan, they would first hide the cargo vehicles in the regiment’s warehouse, then drive the armored assault vehicle and that modified war vehicle to search for special engineering vehicles on the outskirts of the county town. They would use large machinery like bulldozers or excavators to clear roads within the county town. As envisioned by the people of Yushan Fortress, they planned to make this county town a long-term supply point for the fortress in the near future.

“Our mission this time is to search for large engineering vehicles on the outskirts of the county town. Remember, the weaknesses of living corpses are the brain and cervical spine. Unless under special circumstances, never use firearms – resolve them with bayonets! If encountering mutated creatures, immediately choose advantageous terrain for defense and await rescue. Is that clear to everyone?”

In the warehouse, Nie Chong stood on the front engine cover of the armored vehicle, conducting pre-mission mobilization for all search team members. Aside from An Sheng and himself, these were all first-time participants in search missions. Although they had undergone over two months of military training, they still lacked actual combat experience. Nie Chong was quite worried about potential mishaps – after all, there were only so many survivors in the fortress, and having lived together for so long, everyone had developed bonds. He didn’t want to see anyone come to harm.

An Sheng and Xun Lili were also in the team, but their tasks differed from others. One was a mutant, the other a female warrior possessing physique nearly as formidable as Captain America – these two were responsible for handling emergencies and rescuing trapped personnel.

Engineering vehicles like bulldozers, road rollers, or excavators were typically parked in suburban areas when not in use, as every county town usually had construction teams engaged in such businesses.

The two war vehicles slowly traveled along the Ring Road, the roar of diesel engines attracting surrounding zombies to gather toward the highway. They followed slowly behind the vehicles’ rear ends, inhaling exhaust fumes while occasionally emitting frustrated low growls.Half an hour later, a compound bearing the sign “Qihang Construction Machinery Rental Co. Ltd.” caught the attention of the search team. Barring any surprises, this compound should contain the large engineering vehicles they needed. The compound’s gate was an old-style sheet metal door, and with the towering walls, it was impossible to see inside from the outside.

Parking the modified combat vehicle against the compound wall, Nie Chong and An Sheng climbed onto the hood to survey the interior. The courtyard faced north-south and covered an area of about twenty acres. Aside from a two-story building with fifteen rooms on the northern side, the rest of the ground was paved with rammed earth. Along the eastern wall, ten engineering vehicles of various sizes and purposes were parked. Seeing these vehicles, An Sheng and Nie Chong exchanged smiles—their persistence had paid off, and they had finally found them. However, acquiring these behemoths would require some effort. Roaming the compound were no fewer than forty zombies, judging by their clothing, likely laborers from the engineering team.

In truth, if An Sheng took action, these zombies would be like lambs to the slaughter. But their mission wasn’t just about finding engineering vehicles and clearing the internal roads of Huan’an County Town; there was a more critical task: teaching these survivors, who had undergone two months of military training, how to fight. Training could only build a foundation; the only way to transform into true warriors was through actual combat. Only by facing these monsters alone and successfully defeating them with their weapons would these people gain the capability to survive in this post-apocalyptic world.

Nie Chong jumped down from the hood and gathered everyone together, speaking in a hushed tone, “There are about forty living corpses in the courtyard. We can’t see inside the buildings, but it’s possible there are more. Be prepared—your only task this time is to clear out all the living corpses in the courtyard! Everyone must be careful. Remember, do not fire your guns unless absolutely necessary. Gunshots will attract more living corpses. Understood?”

“Understood!”

Although they said so, both An Sheng and Nie Chong could sense that these people were extremely nervous. After all, they were civilians who, despite two months of military training, had never actually fought zombies before. Especially the original residents of the tube-style apartment building, who had been too well-protected by Old Zhang, An Sheng, and the others—this was their first real face-to-face encounter with zombies. The first step is always the hardest; no matter what, there has to be a first time! Nervousness was normal. After this battle, everyone would gradually adapt and grow.

“Fix bayonets!”

Nie Chong commanded in a low voice, and everyone swiftly drew their Type 81 bayonets from their belts, attaching them to their rifles. The twenty-two people split into three groups, forming a three-character attack formation. This was a specialized attack formation trained for dealing with zombies: seven people per squad, with the first and second squads providing overlapping cover in combat, and the third squad serving as reserves, ready to support and fill gaps at any moment. The extra person acted as the observer and commander, fulfilling the role of the leader.This formation was typically used for close-quarters combat, offering both offensive and defensive capabilities while allowing for flexible adjustments. Though not considered a classic combat pattern, it proved highly effective against Zombies. If the first squad failed to achieve a one-hit kill upon initial contact with the Zombies, the second squad following closely behind could immediately deliver follow-up strikes. During the brief moment when the first squad withdrew their Sabers, they risked attacks from other Zombies—a vulnerability the second squad could cover at any time. Should any team member become exhausted, the third squad, serving as reserves, could seamlessly take over the fight while also protecting the rear from ambushes. Paired with a clever and reliable commander directing the entire unit, these twenty-two individuals formed a simple yet integrated battle array combining defense and offense.

The courtyard gate creaked open slowly, its aged sheet metal emitting a grating screech that set teeth on edge. Flakes of rust and oxidized paint scattered across the ground. The gate’s unnatural noise captured the collective attention of the Zombies in the yard, who all turned toward the entrance, roaring hoarsely as they charged. However, their rigid bodies severely hampered their assault speed.

Over two months, the search team members had undergone countless tactical drills, constantly envisioning how to combat these man-eating monsters. Yet when actually confronted with the stench-emitting, gaping maws of the Zombies, they found the reality utterly different from their expectations. Many grew pale with tension, some even trembling so violently their legs shook. The middle-aged commander at the center of the formation, arguably the most psychologically resilient among them, saw the Zombies closing within ten meters of the first squad while his troops remained frozen in place. Recognizing the impending disaster, he sprang into action.

The middle-aged man burst from the ranks, standing alone with his Spear at the forefront. Leveling his Bayonet toward the approaching Zombies, he roared to the troops behind him: “Kill!”

No amount of psychological preparation could match the practicality of leading by example. Humans are such that sometimes they need someone to step forward and guide them collectively—otherwise, everyone just watches each other hesitantly while the task remains undone. The commander’s thunderous battle cry ignited the fighting spirit in most of the team members. With collective shouts, they advanced together toward the oncoming Zombies.

The moment their Bayonets pierced the Zombies’ skin and slid through bone into their bodies, these former survivors—now warriors of the apocalypse—truly understood the meaning of life-or-death combat. Brown blood mixed with brain-matter-like filth emitted a nauseating stench that made them want to vomit. But they discovered there was no time for disgust, because ahead or to their sides, another clawing monster was already lunging at them. They had to immediately wrench their Bayonets from the corpse before them and use every means possible to eliminate the next creature to survive. This was the post-apocalyptic world—a kill-or-be-killed battlefield, a brutal and bloody slaughterhouse straight out of Hell.The battle between humans and zombies lasted fifteen minutes, ultimately ending with the complete annihilation of the zombies. Though the process was perilous and bloody, thanks to everyone’s coordination, the search team members managed to survive their first combat experience unscathed. When the fight concluded, everyone stared at the ground littered with zombie corpses, along with the brown and dark stains of blood and brain matter, and felt their stomachs churn. One female member was the first to lose control, vomiting loudly and messily. Vomiting is contagious, especially in such situations. Almost immediately, all the female members covered their mouths and rushed aside to vomit, followed by the men…

From start to finish, An Sheng, Nie Chong, and Xun Lili did not intervene. They stood by the main gate, observing the entire battle. One of them was a master of the Spear, while the other two were mutated individuals with superpowers. Though they didn’t act, they remained vigilant, watching for any unexpected developments. Fortunately, the search team members completed the battle without incident, successfully clearing all the zombies from the compound.

“Captain Woman, didn’t you lead people to kill zombies in the Power Building before? How come you still haven’t gotten used to this kind of scene?”

Since being beaten up by Xun Lili, An Sheng had taken to calling her “Captain Woman,” short for the female version of Captain America. He noticed her face was pale and guessed she was fighting back nausea. In truth, An Sheng didn’t mean to mock Xun Lili—after all, he had been the same way initially. Everyone goes through this; the first few times witnessing such scenes are bound to be sickening. He was genuinely concerned about her, but Xun Lili didn’t see it that way. This girl had never liked An Sheng much, and upon hearing his question, her face darkened, ready to snap at him.

“I feel like vomiting because everyone else is vomiting. Don’t you know disgust is contagious? Stop acting all high and mighty every day—what’s so great about you? Quit pretending! Ugh!”

After saying this, Xun Lili didn’t forget to spit on the ground near An Sheng’s feet. This left An Sheng utterly bewildered, thinking to himself, I didn’t even provoke this woman—what’s her problem now? But An Sheng didn’t dwell on it, as now wasn’t the time for arguments. There were still many important tasks to handle.

Preview for the next Chapter:

A new faction is about to emerge. What exactly is “Kunlun”? Let’s wait and see!