Chapter Seventy-Two: The Task Force

As soon as Wei Tao heard that Zhao Qiang wanted to form a small squad, he became anxious. The prison’s defenses were already stretched thin, and now a portion of the personnel would be diverted to this squad—how would such a large prison be defended? Wei Tao pondered for a long time but couldn't figure it out. Of course, he overlooked the dozens of soldiers who had just arrived.

Zhao Qiang understood Wei Tao’s concerns and knew these matters could not be rushed. He said, “I’m not asking for people right now. My plan is to concentrate our existing strength, conduct some training, and then proceed. You’ve probably heard about the sandworms we encountered along the way. We don’t know how many of these creatures there are, but if we keep shutting ourselves in like this, we won’t have to wait for the zombies to attack. A single sandworm could wipe us all out.”

“But…” Wei Tao was still hesitant, but Zhao Qiang cut him off before he could finish. “No buts. Right now, it’s just the two of us and Saber who can still fight. The other soldiers struggle even against ordinary zombies, let alone sandworms.”

The issue of food hadn’t been obvious before. As a prison housing hundreds of guards and thousands of inmates, its grain reserves were abundant—each purchase of rice was enough to feed everyone for half a month. When disaster struck, most guards and inmates turned into zombies, leaving mountains of fresh supplies in the storeroom, barely touched by Li Zixin and his group. Yet even so, the shortage of vegetables was glaring. With no electricity and no one to maintain the facilities, most vegetables and meats had spoiled; only radishes, potatoes, salted vegetables, and similar items remained edible. Adults could make do with just rice, but the children struggled. Feeding little Zhang Yu was a daily challenge, and now, suddenly, a hundred more mouths had arrived.

The small squad would be tasked not only with searching for survivors but also with hunting for food. All around were abandoned shops and supermarkets, shelves stocked with vacuum-packed foods waiting to rot. Rather than letting them spoil, it was better for the squad to carry them back bit by bit, like ants. The risks were high, but it was better than everyone chewing plain rice. Understanding this, Wei Tao finally nodded in agreement to Zhao Qiang’s plan.

The two discussed for a long time. Wei Tao finally agreed to Zhao Qiang’s formation of the small squad and his plan for rigorous training. After their discussion, they called Meng Longwei to join them in dividing management responsibilities within the prison. Meng Longwei was a steadfast Communist Party member; anything beneficial to the people had his support. Leaving behind the perilous Orange Isle, his group could now live freely in the fortress-like prison. Meng Longwei accepted the new task without hesitation.

The three exchanged opinions and then gathered Li Zihan, Mei Qiu, and several others. Together, they quickly refined Zhao Qiang’s plan. Meng Longwei mobilized all his soldiers for training under the supervision of Wei Tao and Zhao Qiang. As for how the division of labor and training would proceed, Meng Longwei left it to them. Li Zihan and the others were already familiar with prison life and demonstrated excellent coordination skills in their daily interactions, assisting Meng Longwei with prison management; Zhao Qiang and Wei Tao, responsible for combat, no longer interfered.

With the plans settled, everyone dispersed. Everything was just beginning. Managing such a large prison was daunting; everyone felt a bit unsure. Over a hundred people needed settling, soldiers had to be reorganized, supplies had to be redistributed, and more survivors were likely to arrive. This was no child’s game where grass and rotten leaves could make everyone happy—it was the rebuilding of a new home, outside of which countless zombies roamed. Any mistake could plunge this hundred-strong group into catastrophe. The burden on everyone was heavy, yet the spark of hope ignited made them bear it without complaint.

After sending everyone off, Zhao Qiang finally retreated alone to his room to smoke in silence. Despite his usual carefree demeanor, he was more anxious than anyone. Days passed and while those around him showed relief, there was still no news of his wife. Now he shouldered the responsibility of training soldiers and securing food. When would he be reunited with his wife? Zhao Qiang had no answer.

Wei Tao was equally weighed down. As a retired member of the Wolf Fang unit and an instructor with the Special Police, training soldiers was a trivial matter for him. He had trained hundreds if not thousands of elite officers, many of whom became key figures in the special police nationwide. Training these dozens was not the issue. The issue was Zhao Qiang, who had been an ordinary citizen before; though he’d received special training and was formidable in combat, he had no experience leading troops. Every survivor was humanity’s last hope—losing one was one less hope. If Zhao Qiang made a mistake due to his lack of experience, the consequences could be dire.

Another serious issue was ammunition. The supplies they brought were nearly depleted, with much consumed during the supermarket siege. Prison conditions improved things somewhat—masses of zombies were helpless before the high walls, and the watchtowers mainly monitored the outside. Training a marksman couldn’t be achieved by jogging and shouting; marksmanship required bullets, and in their current situation, even defending the prison was a challenge—how could they afford to use bullets for training?

By contrast, Meng Longwei was the most relaxed. As a colonel who had managed over a thousand soldiers, overseeing these hundred or so was a breeze. With the help of Li Zihan, Mei Qiu, and other experienced hands, the work was easy. As commander of a ground support unit, Meng Longwei wasn’t adept at combat, but with Zhao Qiang and Wei Tao as super warriors carrying the load, he was happy to stay idle.

The next morning, the prison was alive with activity. The soldiers lined up neatly, chanting, jogging around the prison yard, while Wei Tao and Zhao Qiang stood to the side, pointing and instructing, searching for those who could shoulder great responsibility among the first batch of warriors.