Chapter 300: Round Up the Able-Bodied

Chapter 300: Round Up the Able-Bodied

Ling Feng was very deliberate in his selection.

Whether for human experimentation or labor in the Fourth Life Pod, only healthy people were of use. Those too old or too young were of no value—they would only waste resources.

Even using them as protein substitutes wasn’t cost-effective.

In his heart, Ling Feng firmly believed that he was a good person.

“Alright, everyone between the ages of 16 and 35, without disabilities, start packing your things! We’re taking you to West Hill Base!”

“It’s a place with ample food and comfortable living conditions. Once you’re there, you won’t have to worry about hunger or freezing!”

He shouted through a loudspeaker.

Upon hearing his words, the villagers reacted like startled birds, nervously chattering amongst themselves.

Some thought it was a great opportunity. They had heard about West Hill Base from the soldiers—a haven with excellent living conditions. If they went there, they might survive in comfort.

But others expressed their concerns.

After all, Ling Feng and his men had used brutal tactics against them over the past few months, killing many of their loved ones. Could they really trust the Special Forces Team?

However, their opinions didn’t matter.

Ling Feng wasn’t asking for their approval—he was giving them orders.

Glancing at his watch, he said, “You have half an hour to gather your things. After that, everyone must be here!”

His gaze swept over the confused crowd as he added, “Anyone caught disobeying or attempting to escape will be dealt with by military law!”

The atmosphere grew tense.

A young man, braving his fear, shouted from the crowd, “What about our families? Are we supposed to leave them behind?”

His words struck a chord with many.

Most people had elderly family members or children at home.

If all able-bodied individuals aged 16 to 35 were taken, it meant leaving behind the elderly, women, and children. Without strong men to fish or protect the town, those left behind would likely die from the cold or be killed by others.

So, even though they feared the Special Forces, the villagers of Xu Family Town raised their voices in protest.

“We can’t leave our families behind! If you’re taking us, take everyone!”

“Would you abandon your own family? If so, I’d rather stay here and die with mine!”

“Yeah, we won’t agree to this!”

Their cries grew louder, drowning out the howling wind and snow.

But Ling Feng’s brow furrowed.

Suddenly, a gunshot rang out, silencing the crowd.

Shi Dayong stood holding a gun, a wisp of smoke rising from its barrel. In the crowd, the young man who had first spoken lay dead, blood pooling on the ground.

“This is an order, not a request for your opinion!”

“At a time like this, if you resist West Hill Base’s orders, there’s only one outcome!”

Ling Feng’s voice was cold and unyielding.

Despair was the only expression left on the villagers’ faces.

In the face of overwhelming power, their resistance was meaningless. Ling Feng had already given up on maintaining even a façade of decency.

The failure of the mission had made him ruthless. Anyone who challenged his authority now would be eliminated without hesitation.

Ling Feng gave Shi Dayong a glance.

Shi Dayong stepped forward, shouting, “All of you between the ages of 16 and 35—yes, that includes you if you’re 16 or 35—who are healthy and able-bodied, go pack your things! The rest of you stay put!”

“Don’t try to be clever or use this chance to escape! If I catch anyone trying to run, they’ll be executed on the spot as deserters!”

The crowd fell silent. Even those who had planned to resist lost their courage, hanging their heads and obediently returning to pack.

Going to West Hill Base offered a slim chance of survival.

But becoming a scapegoat now was a sure way to die.

So, the scene unfolded in Xu Family Town’s square: a dozen Special Forces members, armed with guns, ordering over a thousand villagers to obey.

It was like a small group of sheepdogs herding a massive flock of sheep.

Some people, unwilling to leave their families but unable to defy the Special Forces, resorted to self-harm, smashing their own legs with stones.

But they weren’t met with mercy—just a cold bullet.

Half an hour later, the villagers were divided into two groups.

Over 300 able-bodied men and women stood, each one the backbone of their family. In the freezing apocalypse, only the strong had survived this long—the weak had already perished.

As the time to separate from their loved ones neared, the square was filled with the sound of weeping. Many bid their families a final farewell, though none dared cross the line to embrace their wives and children.

After the headcount was completed, Shi Dayong reported to Ling Feng, “Captain, everyone’s here. Should we take the food with us too?”

Xu Family Town had a decent stockpile of food left, despite how much the Special Forces had already consumed.

If they could bring back a large amount of food, it would help reduce the blame for their mission’s failure.

Ling Feng considered it but ultimately shook his head.

“Leave it here. The main priority is getting the people back. It’s a long journey, and it would be inconvenient to carry too much.”

“If we need it later, we can come back and take some.”

Shi Dayong sighed. “You’re too merciful, Captain.”

And so, the Special Forces Team, escorting the 300-odd able-bodied villagers, left Xu Family Town for West Hill Base.

The elderly and weak watched them go, their cries rising only after the group had vanished into the distance.

…

Several hours later, Ling Feng and his group arrived at West Hill Base.

The soldiers guarding the base were shocked and delighted to see the captain return with so many survivors.



“Captain, you found so many survivors! This is a huge accomplishment!”

The soldiers gazed at the crowd of over 300 people, overjoyed.

With these new arrivals, they would have more recruits and enough labor for the Fourth Life Pod.

At West Hill Base, the consumption rate in the Fourth Life Pod was high.

Not only were people needed for experiments on superhumans, but many died from the immense psychological strain, choosing suicide.

This created a ripple effect, disturbing others. Without these lower-level workers, the upper class wouldn’t be able to enjoy their services.

Ling Feng’s face remained cold as he ignored the soldier’s flattery, merely nodding slightly.

The soldier found it odd but said nothing more.

Due to Zhang Yi’s earlier massacre, all their communications soldiers had been killed, so West Hill Base had no idea that almost the entire Special Forces Team had been wiped out.

Ling Feng led the group into the base, Liang Yue silently following behind.

Although Ling Feng suspected her, she was a powerful Superhuman. Without solid evidence, they couldn’t detain her outright.

It wasn’t that West Hill Base was particularly just, but that strong Superhumans like her were valuable assets. They wouldn’t turn on her unless absolutely necessary.

Liang Yue wasn’t worried. The phone she had handed over contained nothing suspicious.

As soon as they entered the base, the quarantine team arrived to test the Xu Family Town villagers, just as they had when Liang Yue and the others had first arrived.

In the underground facility, Chief Secretary Ge Rou was already waiting for them.

She smiled professionally as her gaze fell on Ling Feng.

“Captain Ling, the leader has requested your presence in his office.”

Ling Feng nodded, his expression stern.

The inevitable was coming—there was no avoiding it.

Besides, if he wanted revenge, he would need Chen Xinian’s support.

Shi Dayong and Zheng Xuerong exchanged worried glances.

Shi Dayong whispered, “You think the captain will be okay?”

They all knew that with such heavy losses, Ling Feng would be held responsible.

Chen Xinian was strict with both rewards and punishments. In the military, he would have severely punished Ling Feng for such a failure.

Zheng Xuerong shook her head. S~eaʀᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“He’ll definitely get chewed out, but the leader still needs him.”

Shi Dayong agreed with her reasoning and stopped worrying.

As expected, Ling Feng went to Chen Xinian’s office and reported everything that had happened.

When Chen Xinian heard that over 50 of his best Special Forces members had been killed, he slammed his fist on the table, shattering his water cup.

“Ling Feng, I entrusted half of my finest troops to you, and this is what you bring me?!”

“Do you even understand how difficult it was to train those 50 men? They’re worth a thousand ordinary soldiers!”

“You’ve become a disgrace to West Hill Base!”

The thought of Ling Feng’s confident assurances before the mission only made Chen Xinian angrier.

Ling Feng stood stiffly at attention, allowing Chen Xinian to vent his fury.

When Chen Xinian finished, Ling Feng slowly knelt on the ground, lowering his head, and spoke each word clearly: “Leader, I am guilty! If you think I deserve to die, you can execute me right now.”

“But I ask that you give me a chance to redeem myself. I will not rest in peace unless I kill Zhang Yi with my own hands!”

Chen Xinian’s chest heaved with anger as he stared coldly at his once-trusted subordinate. He truly wanted to have Ling Feng executed on the spot!

However, considering the current situation, he couldn’t afford to lose such a valuable asset.

Taking a deep breath, Chen Xinian finally calmed down and spoke in a more measured tone, “Fine, I won’t blame you entirely for this. Your failures will be noted, and your future performance will determine whether you’re forgiven. If you fail again, you’ll be punished for both offenses!”

Ling Feng lowered his head, acknowledging the reprimand. “Thank you for your grace, Leader. I will not fail again.”

Chen Xinian nodded slightly, his face still tense with suppressed frustration. “This mission has been a disaster, but at least you brought back over 300 survivors from Xu Family Town. They can replenish our resources, and they will serve as labor for the Fourth Life Pod. You’ve managed to salvage something from this mess.”

Ling Feng remained silent, knowing better than to speak when he was already skating on thin ice.

Chen Xinian continued, “I’m placing you under supervision for now. You’ll be closely monitored until I’m convinced you can be trusted with another mission.”

Ling Feng accepted this punishment without protest. He knew he was lucky to even be alive, considering the circumstances. “Understood, Leader.”

Chen Xinian sat back in his chair, the sharp edge of his anger beginning to soften. “You’re dismissed. Get some rest and make sure the new arrivals are processed properly. We’ll need them ready for labor as soon as possible.”

Ling Feng saluted and left the room, his body tense with the weight of failure still hanging over him.

As he exited the office, he found Shi Dayong, Zheng Xuerong, and the others waiting anxiously.

“How did it go?” Shi Dayong asked cautiously.

Ling Feng’s expression was unreadable as he replied, “I’ve been reprimanded and placed under supervision. But the leader isn’t done with me yet. We’ll be monitored closely for now.”

Shi Dayong sighed in relief. “At least it’s not as bad as we feared. You’re still in charge.”

Ling Feng nodded, though his mind was already racing with thoughts of how to redeem himself. He had sworn to kill Zhang Yi with his own hands, and he would not rest until that oath was fulfilled.

But for now, all he could do was wait—and plan.

Back at the base, the newly arrived survivors from Xu Family Town were processed through the standard procedures. They were scanned, inspected, and given basic health checks before being assigned to labor tasks in the Fourth Life Pod.

Liang Yue, watching the process unfold from a distance, remained as calm as ever. Though suspicion had been cast on her, there was still no concrete evidence against her. She knew that as long as she played her cards right, she would remain under the radar.

However, she also knew that her position was fragile. Any misstep could lead to her downfall, and West Hill Base was not known for showing mercy to those who crossed it.

As the new arrivals were led into the underground facility, Chief Secretary Ge Rou coordinated the entire operation with military precision, ensuring that the base would make full use of the fresh labor.



In the background, the faint hum of machinery echoed through the halls, a constant reminder of the cold efficiency that governed West Hill Base.

Ling Feng’s failure had left scars, but the base continued to function, relentless in its pursuit of survival, no matter the cost.

For now, the base was calm—but everyone knew that storm clouds were brewing on the horizon. Zhang Yi was still out there, and the tension between West Hill Base and him had only just begun.

Author's Note