Volume 1 Chapter 22 Redeeming an Infantry Squad

He could not help but reach out and wave his hand in front of Mu Qing. His voice carried clear confusion and a hint of impatience at having his train of thought interrupted: "Hey! Mu Qing! What are you thinking about?"

"Ah?!" Mu Qing snapped back to reality, jolted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, instantly breaking free from those seductive and shameful fantasies.

Meeting Lin Ye’s sharp gaze, which was filled with puzzlement and scrutiny, she was instantly overcome with mortification.

Good heavens! What on earth was she thinking just now? It was so embarrassing! She wanted nothing more than to find a crack in the ground and crawl into it.

"No… nothing at all!" Mu Qing hurriedly waved her hands, shaking her head like a rattle-drum. A deeper blush spread across her face, and her eyes darted around erratically, refusing to meet Lin Ye’s gaze.

Lin Ye looked at her suspiciously, finding this woman truly strange. However, he couldn't be bothered to delve into a woman’s thoughts and cut straight to the point:

"How is the condition of your mountaineering gear? The ropes, harness, descender, quickdraws—are they still usable?" He gestured toward the backpack behind her.

"Huh? My gear?" Mu Qing was stunned, then realized that his focus wasn't on her "person" at all, but on her "equipment"!

The overwhelming sense of shame was instantly replaced by an inexplicable feeling of loss and clarity.

She quickly suppressed her chaotic thoughts and answered earnestly: "They’re… they’re usable! Although they have some wear, they are top-tier brands and high quality. I’ve checked—the main rope has no serious damage, the descender and carabiners are functioning normally, and the harness is fine!"

"Hmm." Lin Ye nodded, acknowledging her professional response, his eyes showing a spark of increased interest.

He pondered for a moment, as if making a decision.

Mu Qing watched his focused profile. Though her heart was still racing, it was no longer from confusion, but rather from a mix of nervousness and anticipation.

This Marshal… did he really only care about her skills?

"Listen," Lin Ye finally spoke, his tone returning to his previous calm, yet carrying an unquestionable tone of command. "Your professional skills may be more valuable in this apocalypse than you think."

Mu Qing’s heart skipped a beat! Valuable? Her mountaineering skills?

"Tomorrow morning, there will be a special mission for you." Lin Ye looked at her, his eyes deep. "Rest well and keep your tools in good condition. I need your climbing ability."

A special mission? He needed her climbing ability?

Mu Qing was utterly bewildered, but a strange sense of being needed, coupled with curiosity about this "special mission," instantly washed away her previous embarrassment and wild flights of fancy.

"Ye… yes! Marshal!" She instinctively straightened her back, her voice carrying a solemnity she hadn't even noticed herself.

"Good, you may go. Chen Feng will arrange your accommodation… actually, never mind, just go back to the garage and stay with the others."

Lin Ye waved his hand and sat back down behind his desk, his gaze returning to the map as if the preceding conversation had been nothing more than a minor interlude.

Mu Qing felt as if she had been granted an amnesty. Filled with confusion and a faint, hidden excitement, she respectfully withdrew from the operations room.

The alloy door closed behind her, cutting off the view of that young and mysterious figure.

She leaned against the cold wall of the corridor and let out a long breath.

She touched her still-flushed cheeks, then looked down at her stained mountaineering gear, her expression complex.

"Climbing ability… special mission…" she murmured to herself, her heart full of unprecedented curiosity and a flicker of… a thrill at being recognized.

This young Marshal truly seemed… very different, didn't he?

……

The next morning. 7:30 AM.

The cold sound of an electronic alarm pierced the tranquility of the Cloud Villa.

Lin Ye slowly opened his eyes, got up, and left the bed. He washed up simply, the cold water splashed on his face dispelling the last trace of drowsiness.

He walked into the kitchen and took a thick frozen steak from the massive double-door refrigerator, skillfully placing it into a frying pan.

The sizzling of the oil and the rich aroma of meat soon filled the air.

Accompanied by a glass of cold milk, he stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, enjoying what could be called a luxurious breakfast in this apocalypse while staring at the gray, oppressive sky outside.

If anyone were to see this scene, they would likely be envious to the point of death. While others found a piece of bread to be a luxury, he was casually eating steak and drinking milk.

"It’s time to begin." Lin Ye swallowed the last tender, juicy bite of steak and finished the milk in one gulp.

Without delay, he took the villa’s internal elevator down to the first floor. He walked through the vast, luxurious, yet coldly militaristic living room.

He pushed open an inconspicuous side door and emerged into a spacious, paved area behind the villa, surrounded by high walls and kept clear for his use.

This was his "secret base."

With a slight shift of his consciousness, the system interface unfolded before his eyes.

Merit Points: [86,153].

That was enough!

"System, redeem an infantry squad!" Lin Ye thought to himself.

[Confirming redemption: Standard Infantry Squad (10-man unit)! Merit Points consumed: 50,000!]

The next moment, in the center of the clearing, the space twisted violently like rippling water!

Ten tall, sharp, and blood-hardened figures, along with a rugged, camouflage-painted steel beast, materialized from thin air!

A CSK181 Mengshi high-mobility armored assault vehicle!

The roof was equipped with a rotating remote-controlled weapon station (currently armed with a 12.7mm machine gun).

The squad leader, Wan Yu, stood at attention, his gaze like torches as he looked at Lin Ye. His voice was loud and powerful: "Reporting, Marshal! Infantry Squad Leader Wan Yu reports for duty with my unit! Please issue your orders!"

Lin Ye’s gaze swept over the well-equipped, high-spirited infantry squad and finally landed on the powerful-looking Mengshi assault vehicle.

A heavy, tangible sense of "power" finally quelled the lingering urgency he had felt for so long.

With this mobile firepower and the elite combat capabilities of the Snow Leopard Commando, as long as they didn't plunge headlong into extremely complex terrain or areas with super-high zombie density, or get completely surrounded by massive hordes, they would have great initiative in their push around the villa area!

But this power also made him more clear-headed.

He knew well that the dangers of the apocalypse were far beyond imagination; he could not become arrogant just because he had a little capital in hand.

Steady progress, step-by-step, and making the best use of every bit of strength was the golden rule for survival and expansion.

"Very good!" Lin Ye nodded slightly, his voice steady and full of authority. "All personnel, listen up!"

"Snap!" The ten soldiers stood at attention instantly, their movements uniform, their eyes fixed on Lin Ye, awaiting orders.

"Your primary operational directive for today: starting from the villa as the base, conduct a tactical push toward the east!

Objective: Clear and secure all visible buildings within a two-hundred-meter radius, including residential buildings and commercial storefronts!

Requirement: Thoroughly eliminate all roaming and entrenched zombie threats in the area! Ensure the area is secure.

Additional directive: If any survivors are found during the clearing process, they are to be rounded up without exception! Concentrate them at the designated safe point! Unauthorized handling is strictly prohibited! However, in case of special circumstances, there is no need to report—execute on the spot!

The final disposition of survivors will be decided by me personally after the operation is concluded!

Specific operational details, route planning, fire support coordination, and the location of the safe point will be handled by Captain Chen Feng of the Snow Leopard Commando later! He has full authority over the tactical command of this operation! Do you all understand?!"

"Understood! Marshal!" the ten soldiers roared in unison, their momentum soaring!

The sound echoed across the empty field, carrying the scent of iron and blood.

Lin Ye nodded to himself.

Obedient and high-spirited—this was a force he could use.

He said no more, turned, and strode away from the field, leaving the command to the professional who was about to arrive.

"Everyone!" Squad leader Wan Yu barked the moment Lin Ye turned away. "Check equipment! Weapons and ammunition! Communication gear! Vehicle status! Complete within five minutes! Prepare to link up with the Snow Leopard Commando!"

"Yes!" The soldiers scattered immediately, moving quickly and orderly.

……

Meanwhile, in the temporary equipment area on the other side of the villa, Mu Qing was nervously checking her climbing ropes, descender, and harness.

The "climbing ability" the Marshal needed… where exactly was it going to be used?

Her heart rate accelerated involuntarily, keeping pace with the faint rumble of engines in the distance.