Chapter 109: Layout

He is mysterious, special, fearless and strange, but no one dares to question his power.

"He is a stubborn guy. He has always been like that for so many years..."

Lieutenant Colonel Claude shook his head disrespectfully, opened the file on the top of the pile of documents, and said seriously: "Okay, let's start deliberation!"

Like all family institutions, the Knights of the Skeletons also use the method of supporting the world with points and then spreading and covering the surface. They establish major cities in places with the slightest radiation level in the mainland, and dispatch selected personnel to establish settlements or bases with smaller administrative levels in other areas. Executors are sent to patrol the controlled areas to ensure efficiency implementation and government orders are accessible.

Claude's skin was very white, and his whole body exuded a calming and unexposed momentum. This was the smell that only time could precipitate. The very short half-gray beard and a firm face made him exude the unique sense of maturity and charm of a man.

While he was sitting at his desk flipping through documents, Sok and several other lieutenants stood silently behind him like a flagpole.

The lieutenant colonel looked at it very slowly and carefully. From time to time, he would pay attention to a certain detail for a long time, and then carefully signed his name after concentrating on his mind.

Put the documents that had just been approved next to them and flipped open the "List of the Defective Personnel in Crescent City" below in the order below. A hint of surprise suddenly appeared on Claude's peaceful and gentle face, and then frowned.

"In less than half a year, two skeleton knights and Captain Sock were lost. What was going on?" Looking at Hausen and Osverde who were standing side by side on the left side of the document, as well as the eye-catching red "x"-shaped marks on the right side of the two photos, a trace of anger suddenly flashed in Lieutenant Colonel Claude's eyes.

"Sosbia once provided us with a batch of new heterogeneous samples. After Lieutenant Hausen got the samples, he unfortunately died on his way back, and the samples were also taken away by the attackers. Major Osvid, who served as the sheriff in the city, set off with the search team and based on the clues provided by Emma City, went to the direction of the No. 96 Ruins to find a new source of the sample. After cutting off contact with the city, the Lord Weber had sent three search troops in that direction. We found the wreckage of some victims on the edge of the No. 96 Ruins. Due to limited strength, we could not enter the depths of the ruins to carry out a more thorough search. This matter can only come to an end for a while."

Captain Soke's answer was not at all sluggish. It seemed that there was a database of information that could be called at any time in his head.

"Assaulter..."

The lieutenant colonel nodded thoughtfully: "So, the other party's forces have begun to penetrate the scope of Crescent City... So, what is your investigation result? Have you discovered the other party's true identity?"

“Not yet.”

Captain Sok stood up with his already very straight back: "However, the message sent from the north defense zone d212 base shows that they had contact with the religious force "Sword of God" and had small-scale battles broke out."

"I've seen relevant records in the Raphael City database." Claude's brows frowned even more: "If it's linked to what's happening here, then the actual situation may be much worse than expected."

"I once asked for support from Raphael City and its headquarters, but I have never replied. If I continue to let it go, I am afraid that even the basic defense of Crescent City is a problem. Without a sufficient number of Skeleton Knights as the backbone, it is impossible to resist the opponent's full attack by relying solely on the external defense formed by ordinary soldiers. You, you should understand that the defense forces of Crescent City are only less than 800. Could it be that Crescent City has been abandoned by the American headquarters?" At this point, Captain Soke's already red face was already full of excitement and anger.

"It's not just you, but all the second and third-level cities are in similar situations."

Lieutenant Colonel Claude sighed: "The production capacity of the main cities in Asia is seriously insufficient and cannot fully replenish all bases and cities. The capacity of the headquarters in the Americas is limited, coupled with the chaos in Europe and the energy region in the Middle East continues to shrink, so we can only barely maintain the current occupation. However, this situation will not last long. New cultivation equipment has arrived. As long as we survive this most difficult period, the continuous output of soldiers can be quickly replenished to various cities."

"I hope so..." A very rare hint of melancholy appeared on Captain Soke's firm and decisive face.

"In a short period of time, the main city will not provide any personnel for Crescent City. Of course, all the needs of weapons and equipment will be met. This is also the support provided by Lord Raphael and General Rachel to you. As long as the Lord Weber is alive, Crescent City will be as stable as a rock. This is also the real reason why you are required to select outstanding combat power from the new generation of ordinary humans as a defense supplement. Especially those mercenaries who have passed the assessment can fully serve as captains of the replica soldier with their strength."

Speaking of this, Claude's face showed unprecedented solemnity and seriousness: "Everyone, especially you, Sok. I know that you have an instinctive disgust and hostility towards the new generation of humans. For a normal human who has memories of the old era and has been separated from his family for nearly a hundred years, this kind of thinking is actually normal. That terrible nuclear war destroyed the whole world. We once regretted it, and experienced a walking dead life in despair and loss. However, this anger and hostility should not be vented on the new generation of humans. They are normal humans like us. This world cannot continue to exist with only a few of us. They are products made by our sperm and are our descendants. Can you... understand it?"

Sok nodded silently, shook his head, his voice seemed a little hoarse: "Your Excellency, I understand what you meant and know that you are right. But I still can't accept them. A full century is indeed a long time. Now that I think about it, many things seem to have happened yesterday... I will try to do what you said. But I still want to say that the new generation of humans are not real natural persons, nor are they of our kind."

Not only him, but also all the skeleton knights in the room, had the same sadness on their faces.

"Soke...ah..." Claude's eyes suddenly became sharp, then dimmed, and he shook his head slightly.

"I will execute your order without reservation and select the best soldiers from the new generation of human beings."

Captain Soke's lips were trembling slightly, and the thick heel of his military boots slammed heavily on the ground, raised his head and chest, and took a deep breath: "At any time, I only believe in the companions who have survived the era of destruction. Only they are my true kind-"

The sunlight shining in from outside the window shone a bizarre shadow on the flat wooden ground. Looking at Sok with a firm expression, Claude suddenly felt a helpless fatigue.

Sighing softly, he closed the documents in front of him, sealing the photos of Hausen and Osvid in the dull darkness again. He casually opened another file marked "The List of New Mercenaries".

There are many names listed on this list, but most names are also marked with a striking red "x" shape at the end. Frowning, Claude's thick and long fingers went down the number in the front of the table, and stopped in front of the serial number marked "396".

Unlike other columns, a red hook mark is retained at the end of this number. That is to say, the person is still alive and has passed the mercenary test.

The lieutenant colonel's eyes returned to the front of the table and stayed in the column of the person being tested for a long time.

"Lin Xiang..."

The resurrection of Ying Jia seems to be an out of reach dream.

"Resurrection? That is a miracle that God can perform. I will never do this. The meaning of resurrection is not as simple as imagined. What needs to be restored is not only the body of the dead, but also the mind, memory, living habits, and the retention and reproduction of everything that has been left to the past. No one can do this. I am a doctor and a biologist. I can use cells and DNA to copy a new form of life, but I cannot instill the missing memory into her. This is also the limit I can do. This is creation, copying, not what you think is resurrection. I can give you a piece of white paper, but it is never possible to apply the colors that should have been on it."

Liu Yuchen's words were not difficult to understand. He looked very serious and carefully considered the words so that the person he was talking to could accurately understand.

Standing in the empty wilderness, looking up at the lead-colored sky covered by the radiant clouds. Lin Xiang's heart seemed to be drifting in the wind.

He had already expected this result. However, in his subconscious, he refused to admit reality.

He has his own dream.

"I need her." Lin Xiang said calmly. This is his answer.

"I will do new biological cultivation based on the DNA of my hair. It takes time. In addition, you have to give me four of that magical level 6 strengthening potion."

Liu Yuchen nodded seriously and reached in front of him: "The Doctors Association never does anything in vain. Although we are familiar with each other, the handling fees and other related fees must not be reduced. There has never been a waste of lunch in this world, you should understand."

Lin Xiang just smiled when he heard the words of the deacon of the Medical Association. His statement was straightforward, sharp, naked, and unmodified.

However, this is reality.

"A month later, you go to the 24th City of Life to find me."

Liu Yuchen handed over a simple map, then instinctively raised his eyelids and looked at him, and said seriously: "It's strange, I must have seen you somewhere. This is not a boring prerequisite for picking up a conversation, I don't need to do this."

"Maybe! This world is very small, really small..."

Lin Xiang stood there quietly, looking at the gray clouds gently blown by the wind in the sky, like a statue.

The brief chaos ended, and the vast wilderness returned to peace again.

The entire system of Flame City has completely collapsed. Although Antonio sent out troops and enough managers as quickly as possible, he could not stop the panic-inhabited residents from fleeing. Robbery, fight, lack of food and drinking water... No one is willing to continue living in such an environment where life is not guaranteed. A week later, when Ferdinand urgently allocated food and drinking water arrived one after another and brought the entire city back into management, this medium-sized settlement, which once had nearly 10,000 residents, was already deserted and only a few hundred old and weak.

The refugees did not escape blindly. After a brief panic, according to the different directions they chose, part of them fled to another city more than 200 kilometers west. The other part chose to enter the wilderness and surrender to Yinyue Town.

The underground in the wilderness to the east is filled with a huge amount of clean water. This secret has long been spread among the residents of the Flame City. Ferdinand soldiers attributed the reason for the attack on the city to the greed and stupidity of the Arésandro family. In the chaotic situation where the city's defense system is completely paralyzed, managers and employers are also dead and fleeing, they naturally chose the closest suitable settlement.

This is not good news for Lin Xiang, but it is not purely bad news.

After the negotiations with Antonio were over, he focused on only one thing - expanding the army.

All the men in Yinyue Town were incorporated into the army. According to the plan, a certain proportion must be followed between the two numbers of expansion and population development. However, Lin Xiang no longer cared about so many - he had to use as many armed personnel to form a solid line of defense before the refugees in the Flame City arrived in this wilderness. Otherwise, the crazy refugees would crush and chew every crop in the field like locusts.

In more than a month, it will be the harvest season. He will never allow this grain land to be damaged.

It is obviously not enough to rely solely on Yinyue Town to protect themselves. Fortunately, Locke and Quinnier's mercenary troops were still stationed in the town. In addition, some of the armed personnel selected from the vassals and refugees, it is barely feasible to build a line of defense for the refugees.

After all, not everyone who escaped from the Flame City is fully armed like a mercenary.

In the human dictionary, "first" is not an accurate concept of praise. But in many cases, it is indeed associated with good luck.

The first refugee group to appear in the wilderness to the west was a family of three, including parents and sons. They didn't carry much. After a simple and essential search and sanitation quarantine, they successfully entered the rear of the defense line and set up a simple temporary residence tent in the designated area southeast of Yinyue Town.

Search and quarantine are a humiliating and embarrassing process. It means exposing all your privacy to strangers, and taking off your clothes like a livestock. In the sarcasm and ridiculous eyes of the observer, he is forced to show the subtle parts of his body.

No one can guarantee that among the fleeing people, there are no carriers of bacteria infected with radiation diseases or some kind of evil disease. Humans in this era have strong radiation resistance, but this does not mean that they are immune to all viruses - sudden outbreaks of epidemics, which are enough to destroy the entire city in a short period of time. Such examples are not uncommon in the process of rebuilding their homes after the nuclear war.

Compared with dignity and survival, people tend to be biased towards the latter.

Yinyue Town welcomes every selected settler, not everyone has this qualification.

"I really hope that others are as obedient as they are. To be honest... I don't like killing people, especially slaughtering those unarmed civilians. That feeling was very uncomfortable." Locke held a cigarette in his usual mouth and looked at the wilderness with a dull, cold look, with a hint of melancholy.

Lin Xiang was silent, and everything that might have happened kept popping up in his mind. After a while, he let out a long sigh and said, "If they were allowed to pass, no one in the town could survive this winter... I have no choice."

"Damn it! How did things develop like this?"

Locke angrily spit out the cigarette butt from his mouth: "I really don't understand. You just fired a few shells into the city of Lieyan, which would cause such serious chaos. What exactly are those guys Ferdinand doing for? Let the water purification system be stolen and destroyed, and their brains are rusted?"

"If I guessed correctly, there were some other people who caused chaos in the city at that time."

Lin Xiang carefully considered his own considerations and slowly expressed his guess: "You should understand that Ferdinand has many competitors. The Arésandro family has developed to this day, and the number of potential and open enemies may be much more than we imagined. No one can guarantee that there will be no spies in the city of thousands of people. Their appearance is no different from ordinary people. Once there is an opportunity to take advantage of... Haha! In the matter of Flame City, I just started it briefly, but with their fuel, I got an unexpected ending."

Locke frowned: "You mean... other families?"

"Maybe it's Sosbia--"
Chapter completed!