Cannon fodder in the Interstellar

As Hebrew Adam had observed, since Ruo Manni arrived in this parallel dimension, she had revealed one inexplicable problem after another.

Ruo Manni also noticed that Hebrew Adam’s doubts about her were growing deeper.

That night, when they returned to their small room, Ruo Manni took the initiative to snuggle into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist. She hoped he could sense her complex and conflicted emotions without pressing her for answers. Whether she explained or not, it would be difficult for her either way.

Hebrew Adam seemed to understand Ruo Manni’s intentions. He sighed quietly, pushing down the myriad questions stirring in his heart once again.

Since she wanted him to give her some time, he would wait.

Hebrew Adam believed that Ruo Manni wasn’t intentionally trying to hide things from him. She clearly had secrets she couldn’t share, but her actions showed she wasn’t purposely deceitful. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have left so many clues unconcealed, nor would she have taught them the language of this world, allowing him to understand her conversations with these people and uncover more about her.

It was also why Hebrew Adam couldn’t help but notice that Ruo Manni seemed to harbor a particularly unusual sentiment toward the man named Song Changlong. He couldn’t explain why, but it bothered him.

Perhaps the elite team had killed too many mutant creatures, and those with a bit of intelligence had started to flee and warn their kind.

Since Song Changlong and his group were rescued, despite so many people camping overnight in the wild, no mutant creatures attacked them. As a result, everyone passed the night in peace until dawn.

At dawn, the guards at the gate of B City Base anxiously scanned the area beyond the perimeter.

“Captain Song and his team didn’t return yesterday. Could something have happened?” Guard A expressed concern.

In the current circumstances, very few dared to spend the night outside the base.

Zombies, though terrifying, were relatively quieter at night. As long as there were no noises to disturb them, they wouldn’t swarm toward people based on scent like they did during the day.

However, nights brought an even greater threat—mutant animals. Unlike zombies, mutant animals had stronger attack capabilities and could work together in coordinated group assaults. Once they caught a scent, it was almost impossible for anyone to escape.

Given this, any team camping outside the base overnight needed substantial numbers, sufficient weaponry, and overwhelming combat strength. Without these, they were almost guaranteed to be wiped out by mutant animals.

“There’s nothing to worry about. Captain Song is the second-best fighter in our base, and they had a large contingent of soldiers with them,” Guard B said reassuringly.

“Still, they were supposed to be back yesterday afternoon. Something must’ve gone wrong,” Guard C said, his worry evident.

Although the base leader was the strongest fighter in the military, Captain Song Changlong and Vice-Captain Li Zhongping were pillars of stability for the base. The majority of the base’s survivors, along with half of its supplies, had been secured by missions led by these two men and their soldiers.

“I’ve heard the mutant animals are getting stronger. Two of the independent mercenary groups from our base didn’t return just a few days ago. Each of those groups had at least one to two hundred people, and they were wiped out without a sound,” Guard D added, his tone grave.

If something happened to Captain Song’s team, it would spell serious trouble. The hard-earned stability of the survivor base would surely be disrupted, especially with the independent mercenary groups constantly plotting to seize power.

The leader of B City’s largest mercenary group, the Tiger Mercenary Corps, Gao Genrong, and his wife, Dai Yanping, were closely monitoring the situation.

When their scouts returned and confirmed that the first company of the base’s military had gone on a mission and still hadn’t returned, the couple’s faces lit up with excitement.

“So, Song Changlong really didn’t make it back yesterday. Your prophetic dream was spot on, my dear,” Gao Genrong said with delight.

“With Song Changlong missing, Lin Ruihai won’t be able to sit still. He’ll definitely lead a large group out this afternoon to search for him, and then they won’t have a chance to return either,” Dai Yanping said with a confident smile. “You don’t need to lift a finger, my dear. The position of base leader is as good as yours.”

Gao Genrong was the third strongest fighter in B City’s base, and the Tiger Mercenary Corps was the most powerful group outside of the military itself.

In their previous life, the Tiger Mercenary Corps had been half as strong in both manpower and ability, yet Gao Genrong had still managed to become the leader of B City’s base. This time, it seemed even more assured.

Although she was fully aware of what was about to happen, Dai Yanping felt a slight twinge of guilt watching Song Changlong and Lin Ruihai walk straight into a deadly trap.

The two men were honorable soldiers with outstanding abilities. Under their leadership, B City’s survivor base had been well-constructed, and the survivors had been given the best possible care.

However, the reality was harsh. If it wasn’t for sacrificing the two of them to eliminate that mutant snake, the creature would only grow stronger, and eventually, no one in the base would be safe from it.

Self-preservation comes first, and though Dai Yanping felt a pang of regret, she chose to remain silent, letting fate play out as it should.

Gao Genrong, satisfied, wrapped his arm around his wife’s slender waist. This woman truly was his lucky charm. Ever since he met her, her prophetic dreams had provided him with countless advantages.

“Have our people set out yet? We must locate the vehicles Song Changlong’s group left behind before the base’s military does. Song Changlong is highly capable, so I’m sure they’ve brought back a significant haul of supplies,” Dai Yanping asked anxiously.

“Don’t worry, they left as soon as the base gates opened this morning. I’ve assigned Zhang Yunxing to handle this,” Gao Genrong replied confidently.

Zhang Yunxing, the vice leader of the Tiger Mercenary Corps, had become one of Gao Genrong’s most trusted allies after the couple saved his wife and children following one of Dai Yanping’s “prophetic dreams.”

With strength and skill rivaling Gao Genrong’s, Zhang Yunxing had previously been a formidable competitor. But this time around, thanks to Dai Yanping’s scheming, he joined the Tiger Mercenary Corps as vice leader instead of forming his own group.

Dai Yanping held great trust in Zhang Yunxing’s capabilities, so in her mind, the supplies Song Changlong’s team had secured were as good as theirs. She was already silently planning how to allocate them.

It was crucial to stockpile sufficient resources as the rainy season was only five or six days away. After two weeks of relentless rain, a prolonged snow season lasting more than half a year would follow. Only with adequate supplies could they ensure the survival of more people.

In the previous timeline, Gao Genrong had taken over leadership in a rush and failed to anticipate the next major catastrophe humanity would face. As a result, B City’s survivor base, unprepared, lost nearly half its population. This manpower shortage had catastrophic consequences when the zombie horde struck, leading to the base’s eventual downfall.

“Once Zhang Yunxing returns, we can move forward with the second phase of our plan,” Dai Yanping said with satisfaction.

This time around, Dai Yanping had built the Tiger Mercenary Corps into a formidable force. Combined with the vast resources she had collected using her spatial bracelet, she was confident they could support a large number of survivors. She was determined that B City’s base would withstand next year’s zombie wave.