Evacuation Plan

Lin Yi finished his dumplings in a few quick bites and didn't take much of a break, as time was truly pressing.

He stood up, and the attention of everyone in the hall, which had been largely focused on him, converged instantly.

"Uncle, Zhou Yuxuan," Lin Yi said.

Hearing their names called, Zhou Jianjun and Zhou Yuxuan immediately straightened their postures.

"Uncle, after I leave, you will be primarily responsible for commanding the defense here."

Lin Yi looked at Zhou Jianjun. Although his uncle was still at a stage where he couldn't quite grasp Source Energy, his tactical awareness and ability to command in the heat of the moment were the most reliable assets they had.

Zhou Jianjun nodded heavily. "Don't worry. As long as these old bones of mine are still standing, I won't let those beasts break through!"

"Zhou Yuxuan, you will assist my uncle," Lin Yi said, turning to him. "Especially once the 'Sentry' mechanical dog is activated. You need to familiarize yourself with it as soon as possible and make full use of its early warning and patrol functions. You two can discuss the specifics of how to deploy it."

"I'll master the operation of the mechanical dog as quickly as I can, clarify its detection range and alert patterns, and coordinate well with Uncle Jianjun," Zhou Yuxuan said, tightening his grip on the Spirit Radiance Crystal Lin Yi had given him.

Lin Yi nodded. "I need some time to recover my Source Energy, practice what I gained from the recent battle, and observe the movements of the nest outside. Once those things are done, I will set off for the official Gathering Point in Helu City."

"Wait."

Ren Yinuo could no longer sit still. "Major Lin, you intend to go to the Helu City Gathering Point alone?"

This was the first time she had heard of this plan, and her face was full of surprise. "It's a full five kilometers from here to the Gathering Point. It's too dangerous. Could you reconsider?"

Lin Yi shook his head. "It's too close to the nest here. I don't feel at ease."

He was telling the truth.

A large part of the reason he had chosen Hongfu Restaurant in the first place was that in his previous life, it had quickly become an official shelter with far greater defensive capabilities than it had now. At Hongfu Restaurant, his family would be safe, allowing him to hunt without restraint.

But the situation had changed drastically. Now, he felt restricted here, which was quite inconvenient.

Therefore, he wanted to get everyone here to the official Gathering Point as soon as possible so he could free his hands to deal with other matters.

Seeing the firm look in Lin Yi's eyes and that he had no intention of changing his mind, Ren Yinuo thought for a moment before stepping forward.

"I request to accompany you. I have undergone complete military training and can be of help."

"Captain Ren, your duty is to maintain contact with the General Staff. If you come with me, you certainly can't carry a pile of equipment."

Lin Yi shook his head, refusing directly.

"Besides, I am only going to scout the path, report our situation here, and plan a subsequent evacuation route, so I need to be fast. I expect to return within a day. Taking you with me would only slow me down and increase the risk."

Ren Yinuo frowned. She wanted to argue, but looking into Lin Yi's unquestionable eyes and remembering that she was not a combatant, she ultimately fell silent.

Just then, Chen Yu's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Hey! Wait! Brother Yi, since Captain Ren can contact the General Staff directly, surely the General Staff can contact the Helu City Gathering Point, right? Can't you ask Captain Ren to help contact them directly and report our situation? That way, you wouldn't have to go out and take risks!"

These words immediately resonated with those around them.

"That makes sense!"

"Yeah, why didn't we think of that?"

They looked at Ren Yinuo one after another, their eyes filled with anticipation.

Upon hearing this, a look of embarrassment appeared on Ren Yinuo's face. She looked at the expectant eyes of the crowd, then at Lin Yi, and after a moment of hesitation, she finally said:

"Theoretically, it is indeed possible to try to contact the Helu City Gathering Point through the General Staff, but..."

She took a deep breath, her voice dropping lower. "The General Staff previously issued directives that, with the exception of listed national-treasure-level experts, strategic supply points, and other special targets, military rescue operations must be prioritized based on difficulty and efficiency."

"Hongfu Restaurant is a considerable distance from the Helu City Gathering Point, and the situation along the way is complex. According to existing assessment standards, the priority... likely won't be very high."

She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning couldn't have been clearer.

Resources were limited and had to be used where they mattered most—prioritizing easier targets for rescue and leaving the "hard nuts to crack" for last.

Otherwise, if the military, which had already suffered heavy losses, exhausted itself on high-difficulty targets, the subsequent simple targets would also become difficult.

Hongfu Restaurant was in an awkward position; while the number of survivors was not small, the five-kilometer distance—which would have been nothing before the apocalypse—now pushed the rescue difficulty and cost beyond the current scope of "efficiency."

The cruel reality left everyone feeling a sense of loss.

Chen Yu seemed unwilling to give up. He couldn't help but ask, "But, Captain Ren, since the higher-ups value Brother Yi so much—giving him a rank and sending so many precious crystals—shouldn't our priority be higher? With Brother Yi's talent and contributions regarding Source Energy, isn't he on par with those experts?"

A complex expression appeared on Ren Yinuo's face. She glanced at Lin Yi, hesitated for a moment, and then explained, "You're right. Headquarters does indeed treat Major Lin as a 'national-treasure expert'."

"However, there is a key difference here."

She paused, seemingly choosing her words carefully. "As you all know, when the Tianpeng Squad leader came, he asked Major Lin if he was willing to go to the General Staff. In fact... their primary mission wasn't just to deliver the appointment and supplies, but to escort Major Lin to the Capital Base."

This stunned everyone, and even Zhou Jianjun looked at Lin Yi in surprise.

They had thought it was just a routine inquiry; they hadn't expected there was a real plan to take Lin Yi away.

"However, Major Lin refused. Of course, this was within the General Staff's expectations."

Ren Yinuo smiled apologetically at Lin Yi. "The General Staff conducted a preliminary personality profile analysis based on Major Lin's public record of actions."

"The analysis concluded that there was a very high probability Major Lin would not be willing to leave this place for headquarters at this stage, which is why there was a backup plan: to send me with communication equipment to remain stationed here long-term." She paused. "Of course, it is only because Major Lin's situation is special; otherwise, the Tianpeng Squad would likely have taken... more decisive 'protective transfer' measures."

Her phrasing was very tactful, but everyone present understood the subtext.

Had it been any other expert on the top-protection list, they likely would have been "escorted" away by the Tianpeng Squad.

However, regarding Lin Yi, the General Staff determined that a forced "invitation" might not succeed, and with a young man like him, it could even prove counterproductive. That was why they adopted this more flexible approach that respected his personal wishes.

"Furthermore."

Ren Yinuo thought for a moment and added another point.

"There is an even more important reason. The General Staff has also evaluated Major Lin's current survival capabilities. They believe that with those crystal equipment and cultivation techniques, even if Major Lin encounters an Abyss Beast he cannot defeat head-on within this Micro Nest, he should have more than enough ability to protect himself and retreat. Therefore."

Hearing this, Chen Yu finally gave up all hope.

He wasn't stupid; since the General Staff deemed Lin Yi's safety to be a non-issue, the precious rescue resources would certainly be prioritized elsewhere according to protocol. The others at Hongfu Restaurant would just have to wait patiently for rescue; there was no chance of hitching a ride on his coattails.

Lin Yi was not surprised in the slightest.

Unlike the others, he had served as a high-ranking official on Blue Star for a long time. Several people he was familiar with should still be serving in the General Staff, and he had quickly deduced their current operating style.

"I understand," Lin Yi said calmly. "I never intended for the Gathering Point to dispatch a large force to rescue Hongfu Restaurant prematurely on my account."

"I was thinking, perhaps we could do it this way."

"Please help me contact the Helu City Gathering Point, Captain Ren. Tell them that I will scout out a relatively safe route and clear away the threats along the way as much as possible. Then, once I arrive, they only need to send a squad of support personnel equipped with the necessary heavy firepower to join me and cover the transfer of the four hundred-plus people at Hongfu Restaurant."

The main issue was that there were too many people at Hongfu Restaurant. Even if he cleared the path beforehand, the sheer number of people would attract at least a hundred Abyss Wolves along the way, and he would easily be spread too thin if he were alone.

He looked at Ren Yinuo. "How does that sound? The main problem is the sheer number of people at Hongfu Restaurant; I'm afraid I can't cover them all by myself. They only need to send one squad to assist. This level of 'difficulty' and 'efficiency' should be enough to justify a rescue mission, right?"

Ren Yinuo listened carefully, her eyes gradually brightening.

Lin Yi's plan involved him taking on the greatest risks and the preliminary work himself, leaving the lowest-risk and highest-efficiency tasks for the Gathering Point's troops.

She nodded immediately, her tone much more certain. "If it's like this, and they can save over four hundred survivors just by making a trip to provide support, there should be no reason for them to refuse. I can communicate with the General Staff right now and explain this plan."

"Good, then it's settled," Lin Yi nodded. "I'll leave it to you, Captain Ren."