Volume 1, Chapter 31: Establishing the Survivor Administration and Forming the Enforcement Squad

Inside the operations room, the holographic map flickered with a dense swarm of green dots. Each one represented a survivor brought under protection.

Lin Ye stared at the number: 637. It was increasing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Marshal," Chen Feng’s voice carried a hint of tension. "At this rate, the number of survivors could exceed one thousand by tonight. Our resource consumption will increase exponentially. And..." He paused, "Our current manpower is already stretched to the breaking point. Just maintaining basic order is consuming an entire infantry squad and six Snow Leopard team members."

Lin Ye tapped his fingers against the mahogany tabletop, the rhythm slow and heavy. He was not particularly worried about resources; the daily necessities redeemable through the system were inexpensive, and his merit points grew steadily by the minute. However, managing over a thousand survivors with complex backgrounds and varying mindsets was indeed a thorny problem.

"What is your suggestion?" Lin Ye looked up at Chen Feng.

Chen Feng’s brows furrowed deeply as his mind raced. "I believe the top priority is to establish a self-governance system for the survivors." He pointed to several green zones on the map that had already been cleared. "First, establish clear survival rules: labor in exchange for food, zero tolerance for violence or looting, and obedience to unified deployment. Then..." He paused again, "We need to select a manager from among the survivors and form an enforcement squad. This way, we won't have to rely on our own people for every mundane aspect of maintaining order."

Lin Ye nodded slightly. The logic was sound. Using survivors to manage survivors would not only lighten their own burden but also foster an effective management system. But the crux of the matter was...

"As for the candidate for manager..." Lin Ye narrowed his eyes. "Who do you think is suitable?"

Chen Feng pressed his lips into a thin line. This was the most difficult part. In the apocalypse, trust was a luxury. Among those survivors, how many were truly submissive? How many harbored malicious intent? And how many would turn into a new "Deputy Manager Zhao" once they gained power?

After a moment of silence, Lin Ye suddenly shifted the topic. "How did that woman, Mu Qing, perform today?"

Chen Feng was taken aback, then reported truthfully: "Far beyond expectations. Using her climbing skills, she rescued at least ten survivors trapped on the upper floors of a complex office building. Her actions were agile and her judgment decisive, and..." He hesitated, "The rescued survivors trust her deeply."

"Oh?" A playful smile tugged at the corners of Lin Ye’s mouth. "It seems my judgment was not off."

"However..." Chen Feng weighed his words, "She is, after all, a woman; her heart... is not ruthless enough. In the face of extreme situations, she still shows unnecessary hesitation." He was referring to the shock and questioning Mu Qing displayed when confronted with the thug who had been executed.

Lin Ye nodded in understanding. A "bleeding heart" was a fatal weakness in the apocalypse; a manager had to be cold enough to make the decision to abandon the weak when resources were limited.

"What about Li Hua?" Lin Ye asked suddenly.

"Li Hua?" Chen Feng recalled the slick, oily middle-aged man. "He does have some leadership talent. Before joining us, he had already organized a small group of survivors. He is smooth in his dealings and skilled at coordinating relationships..." He suddenly realized Lin Ye's intention. "Does the Marshal intend to... have him serve as the manager?"

"For now, he is the most suitable candidate." Lin Ye stood up and walked to the window. "We do not know the newly gathered survivors; promoting one of them rashly is too risky. Li Hua at least has proven he possesses a certain level of organizational ability, and..." He cast a meaningful glance at Chen Feng, "He knows full well the price of betrayal."

Chen Feng understood immediately. Li Hua had witnessed the iron-fisted methods of the Snow Leopard team and knew the consequences of challenging authority. Such fear was sometimes more reliable than loyalty.

"And the enforcement squad?" Chen Feng asked.

"The man with the crew cut," Lin Ye answered without hesitation. "I have observed him—his actions are clean and efficient, his tactical movements are standard, and he is calm and composed in the face of crisis. He isn't an ordinary veteran; he is at least from special forces."

A flash of admiration crossed Chen Feng's eyes. "The Marshal has a keen eye. This man is indeed a good prospect; he is decisive and possesses excellent mental fortitude."

"Have him form a ten-man enforcement squad," Lin Ye decided. "Equip them with batons and riot shields, and issue three Type 92 pistols. He will report directly to you."

"And Mu Qing..."

"Have her organize a rescue team." Lin Ye turned around, his gaze resting on the areas marked as "high-risk" on the screen. "Make her the captain, specifically responsible for search and rescue operations in complex terrain. Assign her five assistants, prioritizing survivors with backgrounds in medicine or mountaineering."

Chen Feng quickly noted these arrangements, secretly admiring the plan. Lin Ye’s strategy was to use everyone to their greatest potential: Li Hua’s management ability, the crew-cut man’s combat proficiency, and Mu Qing’s professional skills were all placed precisely where they were best suited.

More importantly, these three teams would serve as checks and balances against one another. The enforcement squad would supervise the manager, and the rescue team would operate independently of both.

"Also," Lin Ye added finally, "the resource rations for all teams must be distributed through our hands. Food, weapons, medicine... control these, and you control the lifeline."

"Understood!" Chen Feng stood at attention and saluted. "I will go make the arrangements now."

As Chen Feng turned and left, Lin Ye’s gaze returned to the map. The flickering light points were no longer mere burdens; they were gradually becoming nodes in a web—a web of power expanding with him at its center. Every survivor would become a part of this network, providing nutrients for his rise.

On the chessboard of this apocalypse, Lin Ye had already placed a key piece. And the game had only just begun.

At that moment, suddenly!

"Rumble—"

A deafening roar of helicopter rotors shattered the silence!

Lin Ye and Chen Feng turned toward the window simultaneously. Three dark green armed helicopters, like steel eagles, swept at low altitude over the Cloud Villa, the airflow causing the trees in the courtyard to sway violently!

"Government military helicopters?!" Chen Feng’s pupils constricted as he lunged toward the tactical map. "This direction is—"

Lin Ye had already pulled up the electronic sandbox, his finger landing precisely on the flickering cursor: "East Suburban Financial Center, the Twin Towers."

The two exchanged a glance, seeing shock and vigilance in each other's eyes. For the government military to risk deploying such precious air power at this time, with such a clear target, there had to be a significant motive!

Chen Feng quickly pulled up the three-dimensional structural diagram of the Twin Towers. "Marshal, according to our previous intelligence, at least a thousand survivors have gathered in the refuge levels of the Twin Towers. For the government military to mobilize such a force, could they be rescuing some important figure?"

Lin Ye narrowed his eyes, fragments of his past-life memories intertwining with the knowledge of his current host. He vaguely recalled that during this time in his previous life, there had indeed been a government military helicopter operation aimed at rescuing a major VIP. But the details were blurry; the only thing he remembered clearly was that of the three helicopters, only one returned, scarred and battered.

"To deploy three armed helicopters regardless of the cost..." Lin Ye’s voice was low and cold, "It can only be to save someone important enough to influence the fate of the entire East Sea."