Zhou Rong suddenly glanced at him: “We traveled thousands of miles from North China southward. How come we didn’t see a single one?”
“Guangxi, Yunnan, Qinghai, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Heilongjiang,” the military officer gave a bitter smile. “Colonel Zhou came south through the Two Lakes region, right? The Central Plains are densely populated with zombies. The military couldn’t advance, and probably only your 118 special forces could have survived.”
Zhou Rong said nothing, lowering his eyes heavily.
“If rescue operations can’t be launched by this autumn, the Central Plains might become an uninhabited zone.”
Only the sound of sea wind rushing into the car cabin drowned out the officer’s solemn sigh.
The car stopped at the island’s central corridor. Zhou Rong picked up his briefcase and got out. The military officer called from behind: “Colonel Zhou!”
Zhou Rong turned back, seeing him run over and stand at attention with a serious expression.
“The headquarters sent many troops to B Military Region early this year to try rescuing research materials, but all failed. Fortunately, Colonel Zhou risked his life to retrieve the results during the first moments of the virus outbreak. I deeply admire you.”
Zhou Rong impatiently pressed his hand down: “Lieutenant, thanks. Don’t make a fuss.”
Zhou Rong walked into the corridor against the strong wind, leaving the officer standing outside in a daze.
Zhou Rong said: “When we entered the military district underground research institute, we sent a satellite communication, saying we would try our best to find the materials and go to the South China Sea. Why did the military still…”
“After receiving the communication, the military has been looking for you.” The old man sighed: “But the short-wave communications from Hubei, Hunan to the coastal areas of Guangdong were completely cut off. In the vast, scorched earth, where could they find your traces? The two shelters in Guangxi and Yunnan were filled with the lives of soldiers.”
Zhou Rong closed his eyes silently.
“Without finding you, the military wouldn’t know if the materials from B Military District were taken out, so they didn’t dare to launch missile strikes.” After a pause, the old man continued: “According to the calculations of the General Staff Headquarters, the probability of you successfully infiltrating B Military District and returning to the South China Sea with the materials is less than 1%.”
Indeed.
