48: Divide forces to remain in place and conduct a full-scale crackdown.

Chapter 50: Splitting Forces to Guard, All-out Purge; Wherever Dawn Points, Life Abounds

As the first light of dawn touched the alloy walls of Dawn City, the metal luster of the Machine Gun Turrets glinted coldly in the morning sun. Before the tactical sand table in the command center, Lin Zhou’s fingertip traced across the map of the entire county. It was densely marked with zombie gathering points reported back by the Scout Soldiers, and he heavily circled the thick cluster of red dots in the center of the Old City.

“One month’s time, neither more nor less,” Lin Zhou murmured to himself. He looked up at the 1,000 guard troops standing in formation, his voice suddenly rising, “Everyone, hear my command—the all-out purge has officially begun!”

The Company Grade Commanders accepted the order in unison. The staff officers beside the sand table immediately stepped forward, waiting for Lin Zhou’s troop deployment instructions.

“The defensive force left behind must be streamlined but sufficiently strong.” Lin Zhou’s gaze swept over the defensive layout of Dawn City, his voice steady yet carrying an unquestionable decisiveness. “50 Machine Gunners will garrison the wall’s Machine Gun Turrets and anti-aircraft gun positions. Rely on the fully automated defense system to deal with sporadic zombie tide counterattacks. 20 Engineering Corps will remain in the military reserve area, responsible for maintaining fortifications and energy equipment. The Law Enforcement Team will be fully on duty, cooperating with the Autonomous Council to maintain order in the city and handle livelihood affairs.”

His tone shifted as he recalled the increasing number of children entering Dawn City these past few days. He added, “Of the Engineering Corps staying behind, assign 5 members to join the teachers and intellectuals among the survivors. Immediately start the construction of the Dawn City Hope School! The site will be in the heart of the People's Livelihood Autonomous Region. Prioritize converting two apartment buildings into teaching blocks, equipped with basic classrooms and activity areas. Remember, children are the future of humanity. Teaching them to read, write, and survive is more important than recycling an extra ton of supplies!”

Immediately, Lin Zhou pointed to the continuous ruins outside the sand table, his tone solemn: “The remaining 130 Engineering Corps will be divided equally among the five purge armies! Remember, your core mission is not to participate in combat, but to dismantle all abandoned buildings and facilities outside of Dawn City, and recycle rebar, concrete, metal, glass, and all other usable materials! Every ton of supplies dismantled is building the foundation for a Dawn City every hundred kilometers in the future. In this war, we must both clear the zombies and build up our family assets!”

An Engineering Corps commander stepped forward: “Rest assured, Battalion commander! We are carrying a full set of system decomposition equipment, and we guarantee to make the best use of everything, leaving not a single scrap of material! The school construction will also work overtime and will not be delayed!”

Lin Zhou nodded, then added with increased emphasis: “Also, give the Law Enforcement Team a standing order—all newly rescued survivors must be registered upon arrival at Dawn City. Simultaneously, set up an anonymous reporting channel to allow survivors to expose the scum hiding in the crowd, especially those who committed evil before the apocalypse or took advantage of the chaos during it to trade others' lives for their own survival. The review will be conducted jointly by the Law Enforcement Team and survivor representatives. For those with conclusive evidence, no trial is needed; execute them directly and discard the bodies outside the city. No leniency!”

As these words were spoken, the commanders present were all shaken, then solemnly accepted the order. Having experienced Wang Decai's farce, they knew better than anyone that kindness to these scumbags was cruelty to innocent survivors.

“Battalion commander!” a Company Grade commander couldn't help but speak up. “We’re taking ninety percent of the troops. If a Mutated Zombie appears early, will Dawn City's defenses be too thin?”

Lin Zhou turned back, his gaze as sharp as an eagle’s. “The fortifications aren't just for show. The fully automated Machine Gun Turrets and Dark Energy Shield are enough to hold out until we return! Furthermore, our trip isn't just to purge zombies and save survivors, but to stockpile a massive amount of materials—every Dawn City we build in the future will need tens of thousands of tons of construction materials. Every bit we recycle now is a bit more hope for humanity in the future! But remember, we save the virtuous, not the demons in human skin! For demons, there is no need to give any chances!”

These words were resonant and powerful. The commanders instantly became solemn, and there were no further objections.

Half an hour later, the gates of Dawn City slowly opened. Five elite units marched out in formation, each followed by over twenty Engineering Corps members driving multi-purpose personnel carriers equipped with High-Energy Decomposers. The system recycling modules on the vehicles shimmered. The red alert badges on the military flags flapped loudly in the wind. Lin Zhou, in full military uniform, stood on the lead vehicle, his gaze sweeping over the soldiers and Engineering Corps ready for departure. He shouted loudly, “Remember, we are the guardians of Dawn City and the hope of the survivors! When you encounter zombies, kill without mercy; when you encounter survivors, rescue them with all your might; when you see ruins, leave no material behind! Move out!”

The war machines roared, and the soldiers marched with steady steps, racing toward five different directions.

The purge process was far smoother than expected. Most of the zombie gathering points marked in advance by the Scout Soldiers were abandoned factories, shopping malls, and residential buildings. The Riflemen advanced in a skirmish line, luring the wandering zombies out one by one to be shot. The Machine Gunners set up heavy machine guns, pouring firepower into the clustered zombie groups; wherever the barrage passed, zombies fell in heaps. The Grenadiers aimed at the closed factory doors, and with one grenade, the doors shattered and walls collapsed. The zombies hidden inside were blown away by the shockwave, wailing as they became souls under the guns.

The moment the battle ended, the Engineering Corps immediately rushed forward. The High-Energy Decomposers emitted a low hum, dismantling broken walls, twisted rebar, and abandoned machinery one by one, converting them into resources recognizable by the system.

System Prompt: Killed Ordinary Zombie × 27, energy points +3240, resource points +1080!

System Prompt: Cleared the East City Cannery zombie gathering point, killed Zombie × 156, rescued Survivor × 12, dismantled factory building materials × 32 tons, resource points +6240+9600!

System Prompt: Eradicated the South City Gas Station zombie den, killed Zombie × 98, discovered Gasoline Reserve × 500 liters, energy points +11760+5400!

Reports of victory and resource gains were sent back to Dawn City one after another. The soldiers and survivors staying behind heard heartening news every day. At the other end of Dawn City, the renovation of the Hope School was also in full swing. The Engineering Corps removed the internal partitions of the apartment buildings and used recycled wood to build desks and chairs. Survivor teachers spontaneously organized textbooks and stationery. The laughter of children rang out for the first time over the ruins of the apocalypse.

Upon arriving at Dawn City, the rescued survivors were immediately guided to the registration point. People often stopped before the anonymous reporting channel, quietly putting the evils hidden in the crowd onto paper.

In the temporary settlement area in the west of the city, several newly rescued survivors were tearfully accusing someone to the Law Enforcement Team members. They pointed at a man with a slick, powdered face, their teeth gritting. “He’s a local thug from the south of the city! Before the apocalypse, he bullied men and women alike. After the apocalypse, he led people to steal our food and even pushed the elderly and children out to feed the zombies. He has more than a dozen lives on his hands!”

The Law Enforcement Team members immediately stepped forward to restrain the man and launched an investigation with the survivor representatives. With both human and physical evidence present, the man collapsed to the ground, wailing for mercy. The Law Enforcement Team member remained expressionless, directly pulled out the pistol from his waist, and after a single gunshot, the man was completely silenced.

The body was dragged out of the settlement area and thrown directly into the wilderness outside Dawn City. Watching this scene, the surrounding survivors all cheered, the fear in their eyes mostly dissipating, replaced by trust in the order of Dawn City.

Such cleanups took place in Dawn City every day. Those hidden scumbags were caught one by one, executed on the spot, and thrown into the wilderness. The order of Dawn City became increasingly clear, and the hearts of the survivors became increasingly settled.

Meanwhile, the central army led by Lin Zhou was unstoppable, advancing all the way to the outskirts of the Old City. The Engineering Corps followed behind the troops, nearly leveling the ruins along the way. The resource points from dismantled construction materials accumulated like a rolling snowball.

The streets and alleys of the Old City were narrow and dilapidated, and the number of zombies far exceeded other areas. Lin Zhou did not rashly attack, but instead ordered Scout Soldiers to infiltrate and mark the hiding spots of survivors. When night fell, the Scout Soldiers sent back news—there were a full two hundred-plus survivors hidden in the Underground Air-raid Shelter of the Old City!

“Night raid!” Lin Zhou decided immediately. “Machine Gunners occupy the surrounding tall buildings. Grenadiers are responsible for blowing open the entrance to the air-raid shelter. Riflemen will split into two teams: one to purge zombies and one to receive survivors! Engineering Corps stand by; once the battle is over, immediately dismantle the surrounding buildings and recycle supplies!”

In the early hours of the morning, the battle suddenly broke out. Grenades streaked across the night sky, landing precisely among the zombie groups at the entrance of the air-raid shelter. The explosions woke the sleeping zombies and also alerted the survivors inside. The sound of machine guns rang out densely. From the tall buildings, the Machine Gunners suppressed the charging zombies in the streets. The Riflemen took the opportunity to advance, rushing toward the entrance of the air-raid shelter.

“People inside, listen! We are the troops of Dawn City, here to save you!” a soldier shouted at the top of his lungs.

Inside the air-raid shelter, there was a moment of dead silence among the survivors, followed by an explosion of excited cries and sobs. They supported each other, surging toward the entrance. The Riflemen formed a human wall, protecting the survivors in the middle as they retreated toward the safe area outside the city.

When the last survivor was rescued from the air-raid shelter, the east was already turning pale. Lin Zhou stood on the city wall, looking at the rescued survivors below, a gratified smile appearing on his face. The Engineering Corps had already begun their actions, and the hum of the High-Energy Decomposers echoed through the empty Old City.

On this day, the central army killed a total of 342 zombies, rescued 217 survivors, and dismantled 57 tons of buildings on the outskirts of the Old City. The energy points and resource points on the system panel skyrocketed, and the permanent population of Dawn City was also climbing at an alarming rate. News came from the Hope School that the first two renovated classrooms were completed and would welcome the first batch of students tomorrow.

Over the next dozen or so days, the five armies swept across the entire county. Everywhere they went, zombies were cleared, survivors were rescued, and ruins were dismantled. The name of Dawn City spread to every corner of the county. More and more survivors took the initiative to come to the door, bringing their families and trekking toward Dawn City with a longing for life in their eyes. The resource points on the system panel had accumulated to a staggering number, enough to support the initial construction of the next Dawn City.

This evening, Lin Zhou led the central army to the heart of the Old City. The number of zombies here was the highest, and moreover, the Scout Soldiers reported that the zombies' behavior was abnormal, as if they were guarding something. The Engineering Corps looked at the continuous ruins of tall buildings before them, their eyes flashing with excitement—this was another massive amount of resources.

Lin Zhou raised his hand, signaling the troops to stop. He gazed at the mist-shrouded streets ahead, his brow furrowing slightly—there were only seven days left until the Mutated Zombies would appear.

“Pass down the order,” Lin Zhou commanded in a deep voice. “Rest tonight. Tomorrow morning, we launch a full-scale assault on the center of the Old City! We must clear all threats here and save the last batch of survivors before the Mutated Zombies appear! Engineering Corps, get ready. As soon as the battle ends, immediately dismantle all buildings in this area. We want to turn every inch of material here into the cornerstone of humanity's future!”

The soldiers responded in unison, and curls of cooking smoke rose from the camp. Not far away, the rescued survivors sat together, talking about life in Dawn City, their faces full of longing. The Engineering Corps gathered together, counting their decomposition equipment and calculating future resource gains. Someone even mentioned donating another batch of books to the Hope School.

Lin Zhou stood at the edge of the camp, gazing at the sunset-filled sky, his mind filled with a thousand thoughts. He knew that this purge was only the beginning. In the future, there would be countless zombies to kill, countless Dawn Cities to build, and threats from Mutated Zombies and even alien creatures waiting for them.

But he was not afraid.

Because behind him were more and more virtuous survivors, the Hope School with its sound of reading, the increasingly solid and clear Dawn City, mountains of supplies, and the unquenchable fire of human civilization.

As the night deepened, the lights of the camp and the glow of Dawn City in the distance echoed each other. Lin Zhou gripped the weapon in his hand and gazed firmly toward the center of the Old City.

There lay the final battlefield, and also the starting point of new hope.