Industrial Cthulhu doesn't believe in the end times.

Chapter 149 Do you agree or not?

The air seemed to carry a sweet, metallic smell. At the assembly point, the soldiers, who had quickly assembled, held steel guns and wore uniforms that were worn and tattered from battle but were clean. They stood straight under the blazing summer sun, like steel rods driven into the ground.

The entire unit was fully armed and silent, like a volcano silently brewing thunder and flames.

This was a team of thousands of extraordinary individuals, along with hundreds of armored vehicles of various types, standing motionless. Their very existence possessed a breathtaking power.

Unlike modern warfare, where one must desperately conceal oneself, the corps' troops are often exceptionally flamboyant in their battles against zombies. Soldiers wear red scarves on their arms, and every armored vehicle is adorned with a red flag.

This operational practice, which originated from the early search and rescue phase, aims to make it easier for survivors to spot those conducting the search and rescue operation, while also providing them with moral support. At this moment, it also gave the soldiers present a unique sense of encouragement.

The wind whipped the battle flags, making them flutter like burning red clouds. Even before setting off, Sun Qi felt a surge of adrenaline and his fighting spirit burning within such a military formation.

The strange-looking tank with an iron frame on top also arrived. Regiment Commander Li Changshun climbed onto it and used it as a platform. He didn't use a loudspeaker; he simply shouted to the crowd in a deep and resonant voice that everyone present could hear clearly.

"Comrades!"

"I know you've been waiting for this moment for a long time! I've been waiting for it for a long time too!"

Li Changshun's gaze swept across the faces of every soldier below, over the silent steel behemoths, and he slowly spoke:

“Every time we went to headquarters to ask when we could finally break into Haizhou and wipe out all the zombies, the headquarters’ answer was always the same: wait a little longer, wait a little longer!”

"What are we waiting for? We're waiting for this thing right under my feet!"

"With it, we no longer need to worry about the abilities of the zombies on the other side, we no longer need to worry about suddenly receiving wrong orders, we no longer need to worry about our comrades suddenly pointing their guns at us, and we can once again entrust our backs to our comrades without reservation!"

Many people stared wide-eyed at the somewhat crude and even primitive-looking equipment. Its strangely shaped silver-white coils shimmered with a faint light and were clearly visible in the sunlight, resembling a lighthouse installed on a vehicle.

Although the total number of similar incidents on such a long front is not large, the battle against the zombies has lasted for more than ten days. Everyone present has heard about and seen it, and many of them are even firsthand witnesses.

Unity is humanity's most important weapon against this apocalypse, but under the Zombie King's bizarre abilities, cracks have appeared in it.

Now that the fog of suspicion that had caused them to dispel their doubts has finally been dispelled, many people's eyes are bright and they are quite excited. Li Changshun looked at them and said, "This thing is finished, so now, the mission has begun!"

"But before we set off, I have a few more words to say to you!"

His voice rose slightly as he asked, "How many troops are gathered in the territory of Hailing County?"

"From Langya, from Zhongwu, from Sheyang... and from Haizhou, but do you know why we are the ones who will fight this first battle?"

"Why? Yes, we are experienced and strong in combat, but what else?"

Questions lingered, but the soldiers did not answer. When the order came, they carried it out. Many had never even considered the question.

Looking down at the pairs of eyes below, Li Changshun turned east and pointed to the blood-red haze in the distance.

"This is Haizhou."

"There is a fourth-tier zombie king with four million zombies!"

He moved his hand slightly northward and said, "That's Haiqu!"

What will happen if this zombie horde gets out of control?

"In the past, it was well-behaved and made no move, because the commander-in-chief was in Haiqu, and because we killed a sixth-tier mutant in Haiqu!"

"But the Commander-in-Chief won't stay in Haiqu forever, and as you've seen, its abilities are far more bizarre than those of the alien species!"

"So now you know why it's us?"

"Because Haiqu is behind us, because home is behind us!!" The soldiers stood in silence, but the fluttering battle flag seemed to reveal their heartfelt sentiments.

"Comrades!"

“I know that some of you here are married, some have adopted children, and some of you are lucky enough to have family members who survived the catastrophe.”

"In the safe zone, everyone has finally been able to start a new life!"

Below, Sun Qi gritted his teeth, recalling the past scenes. He gripped the steel gun in his hand tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white. He hadn't had time to read the letter He Xiaoyu had sent him, but now it was tucked into his arms, feeling heavy.

"Haiqu has suffered many calamities. We survived the Great Cataclysm, but then the mutants reappeared. We killed the mutants, but now the danger of the Zombie King is imminent!"

"You've all read the letter published in the Spark News! Tell me, if the same thing were to happen in Haiqu, would you agree to it?!"

"No way!!!"

Almost with a deafening roar, everyone shouted in unison, causing the air to vibrate and buzz, truly like a bomb exploding at this gathering point!
"Fine! We won't agree!! Comrades, our homes are behind us. We'd rather die taking one step forward than live taking even half a step back!"

Li Changshun announced loudly, "Command orders: Counterattack!"

"To my front, there are three shelters: 23, 24, and 25. Our goal is to open the escape routes to these three shelters within three days and clear obstacles for the main force to advance. Do you have the confidence?"

"Have!!"

"There are countless zombies ahead! Man-eating monsters!" Li Changshun's eyes widened. "It's possible that if you step in, you'll never come back! Tell me, are you still going or not!"

"Go! Go! Go!!"

The roars grew louder and louder, and pairs of eyes blazed with fighting spirit and brewing thunder. This silent volcano was on the verge of erupting.

"Go in alive, come out alive! Bring our compatriots home!"

“If we don’t come back…” Li Changshun paused, clenching his teeth, “then we’ll let those monsters know that if they want to crush our bones, they’ll have to break all their teeth!”

"Soldiers are not afraid of death; those who are afraid of death should not be soldiers. A man should repay the country's kindness; to die on the battlefield is a good end!"

"Comrades, the motherland supports us from behind, and the people await us at the front—"

"For our loved ones! For survival! Let's go!!"

Amidst a deafening roar, the volcano erupted.

Then the winds and clouds surged, and the world lost its color!

The battle flag flutters and the soldiers embark on their journey.

The next second, the engine roared louder, drowning out human voices!
The makeshift gate temporarily erected at the bridgehead slowly opened, unleashing a torrent of steel driven by an iron will.

Like an indestructible hammer, it also solidified into a sharp arrow piercing the darkness, stirring up billowing dust and stabbing straight into the ruins of the city.

The earth groaned beneath the tracks as countless zombies surged forward, yet could not stop them in the slightest. Guns roared, and the horde of zombies surged forth, only to be brutally shattered.

Like a steel knife, like a sharp blade.

Display your prowess and subdue the tigers and wolves.

Its might shakes all directions, its power is unstoppable!
(End of this chapter)