Confrontation

Stepping out of the basement, the wind in the corridor carried a faint smell of rust and gunpowder, heavy and oppressive to the nose.

The three of them had just stepped onto the ground when their movements suddenly stopped.

The entire passage was completely blocked by figures. Dozens of soldiers formed a blockade formation, their guns loaded and locked onto the three people, sealing off all routes of advance and retreat.

The silence outside was eerily quiet.

The continuous roar of artillery fire and the screams of Zombie that had lasted all night completely disappeared, as if the sounds had been abruptly cut off.

The horde of zombies outside the city receded, and the external crisis came to an end.

The guns were immediately turned inward, aimed at their own men.

Lu Heng's gaze swept calmly across the entire room, his expression unwavering.

He knew in his heart that this matter could not be resolved peacefully.

Beneath the skin, dark red Mycelium quietly wriggled and spread. The Blood Taisui had awakened, its fine lines slowly climbing along the skin of the forearm, lying dormant and ready to strike.

No need for negotiation, no need for probing.

Clear the area directly, cleanly and efficiently, leaving no future problems.

Just as his power was about to erupt, a hand steadily blocked his way.

Song Yunzhong came out.

His body was still weak, his figure unsteady, and the color that had just returned to his face had completely faded. But he forced himself to move forward two steps and stand in front of the soldiers' formation.

"Don't shoot." His voice wasn't loud, but it was unusually calm. "I have something to say."

No one in the formation pulled the trigger; the guns remained pointed at the three men, and the atmosphere was tense and rigid.

Song Yunzhong took a deep breath, rolled up his sleeve, revealing the mangled severed part of his right hand.

Dark, scab-like blood had formed on the clean incision, a shocking sight.

"You should recognize me. I am Song Yunzhong."

He spoke slowly and clearly.

"Back then, the camp's higher-ups approached me, saying my ability to control zombies could restrain the zombie horde and hold the line. I trusted the Federation, and I believed that the military camp was humanity's last refuge. I voluntarily cooperated with all the research, handed over most of my supplies, and explained how to use my ability without reservation."

"I always thought I was helping everyone survive."

As he spoke the latter part, his voice trembled slightly, suppressing his long-suppressed fatigue and chill.

"As a result, I was locked in an underground laboratory and tortured day after day. Blood was drawn, experiments were conducted, and my abilities were exploited. They lied to me, saying my sister was already dead, cutting off all my hopes. In the end, to take the Corpse-Control Ring, they cut off my finger."

The passageway was deathly silent.

The soldiers' demeanor visibly softened.

Some people loosened their grip on the gun slightly, causing the muzzle to drop half an inch involuntarily; some pursed their lips tightly, their brows furrowed deeply; others turned their heads away, avoiding the gaze of the mutilated right hand, their eyes churning with resentment and anger.

The rank-and-file soldiers were kept in the dark the whole time, only receiving orders to arrest the suspects. Now that they heard the truth, their morale was completely shaken.

"I know you were just following orders." Song Yunzhong's mind was already at peace, though he was exhausted from surviving the ordeal. "I don't blame you. But you should know that the camp you risked your lives to protect was already rotten to the core by the higher-ups."

The unrest became increasingly apparent.

From behind the crowd, a cold, harsh rebuke suddenly descended upon the entire scene.

"Halt! You're creating a disturbance and undermining morale. What are you trying to do?"

A high-ranking military officer stepped out of the ranks, his shoulder insignia far surpassing those of everyone else present. His imposing presence and the oppressive aura of someone who had been in power for many years were palpable.

He swept his cold gaze across the restless soldiers, his voice stern and rigid:

"Soldiers are duty-bound to obey orders! Commands from superiors must be executed unconditionally! How dare you speculate or cause unrest in private? Any further dissent will be dealt with according to military law for mutiny!"

Under the stern and authoritarian suppression, all the soldiers froze instantly.

Their pent-up resentment was firmly suppressed by military discipline; they dared not speak out, and no one dared to utter a sound.

Seeing that morale was being forcibly suppressed, the officer's tone suddenly changed, losing its sharpness and adopting a fair stance, feigning to ease the situation.

"Everyone back off, keep your guns level."

With a casual remark, he shifted all the blame onto the lower classes:

"This was purely an internal communication failure; the person in charge overstepped their authority and acted rashly. I will hold them accountable according to regulations."

After speaking, he turned to face Song Yunzhong, his coldness completely melting away, replaced by a deliberately gentle and hypocritical expression. His posture was just right, without any deliberate emotional manipulation, only the control and appeasement of a superior.

"Comrade Yunzhong, it's all a misunderstanding."

"The camp remembers your contributions, and all subsequent compensation and benefits will be fully implemented. We will thoroughly investigate the previous chaos and give you an explanation."

His gaze swept quickly over Song Yunzhong, a fleeting hint of regret flashing in his eyes—regret for not resolving this trouble earlier. But he showed no sign of it on his face, maintaining his impartial demeanor.

His gaze then fell on Lu Heng.

His gaze lingered repeatedly on Lu Heng's Blood Armor, unfamiliar equipment, and imposing aura. The greed deep within his eyes was layered and hidden very well. It was no longer the blatant, boastful act of making empty promises, but rather a more tactful and subtle attempt to win him over.

He saw things clearly.

The reason why the weakened Song Yunzhong public was entirely due to the stranger beside him.

"My friend," the officer said humbly, adopting a humble demeanor, "In this chaotic apocalypse, humanity's survival depends on the strong uniting and banding together. You possess exceptional strength and unique abilities; rather than getting bogged down in personal grudges, why not join our system?"

"The camp has military equipment, manpower, and resources. Your strength, combined with the official system, can help defend more survivors and stabilize the entire defensive line. This is what a strong person should do."

The rhetoric is restrained, realistic, and accurately points out the pros and cons, without any exaggerated or empty talk.

Lu Heng listened quietly to the entire conversation, expressionless, without responding or saying anything.

He waited until the other person had finished speaking before speaking calmly:

"Are you done talking?"

The officer's gentle smile faltered slightly, and his tone stiffened. "What do you mean by this?"

Lu Heng didn't answer, but gently flipped his palm over.

Dark red Mycelium burst forth, its fine tendrils stretching and writhing in the air. A chilling, predatory aura instantly filled the entire passage, making it difficult to breathe.

The soldiers' expressions changed drastically. The muzzles of their guns, which they had just lowered, were raised again. Panic gripped them, but none of them dared to actually fire.

The officer's gentle demeanor shattered completely, his composure crumbled, and fear instantly surfaced. Yet, he remained relentless, attempting to exert pressure and use inducements to control the situation.

"Don't be impulsive. This place is well-armed; if you make a move, you won't be able to bear the consequences—"

"Consequences?" Lu Heng interrupted softly.

His tone was chillingly sarcastic, calm and cold.

"The consequence is that while the lowly soldiers outside risk their lives to stop the zombie hordes and defend the human front, you high-ranking officials hide in the rear, manipulating people's hearts, persecuting meritorious soldiers, and embezzling supernatural resources."

"You use their lives as your shield, and the survival of humanity as an excuse to satisfy your own selfish desires."

Lu Heng turned to the side and asked Song Yunzhong a low voice:

Is it him?

Song Yunzhong raised his eyes, his gaze fixed on the officer, and nodded emphatically.

All the imprisonment, experiments, deception, finger-severing and ring-stealing, all the malicious orders, all came from this person.

The soldiers in the ranks were indeed merely passively obeying military orders.

Lu Heng's eyes grew even colder.

At this moment, he saw through Song Yunzhong's true nature.

Despite enduring persecution and adversity, one can still retain goodwill, distinguish between blind obedience and evil, and maintain a spirit of forgiveness and consideration for the greater good.

Be kind-hearted, law-abiding, and believe in the inherent goodness of human nature.

His way of life was completely opposite to that of others.

Lu Heng's original intention to bring Song Yunzhong and his sister back to Moonview Valley for long-term protection completely vanished.

Inappropriate.

Song Yunzhong is a bit of a saint; although he's a good person, he can cause trouble, and Lu Heng hates trouble.

Their ideologies clash, their paths diverge, making it impossible for them to coexist and work together.

Suppressing all distracting thoughts, Lu Heng raised his eyes and looked directly at the hypocritical high-ranking officer in front of him.

You are not qualified to talk about the survival of humanity.

The dark red Mycelium suspended in the air suddenly tensed, poised to strike.

The air in the entire passageway fell into a deathly silence.