Cannon fodder in the Interstellar

Because Ruo Manni specifically asked Hua Deli to give extra attention to certain areas, they spent the most time there. Not only did they eliminate almost all high-level zombies in each city, leaving only one or two, but in cities densely packed with zombies, they also culled a portion to maintain a manageable number.

After spending over half a month clearing the high-level zombies, the four of them moved on to foreign countries, determined to eradicate all zombies above level six before returning.

Although Ruo Manni prioritized aiding survivors, they were all human beings sharing the same sky. With their overwhelming strength and lack of danger, it felt wrong to completely ignore foreign survivors and leave them to their fate.

If foreign survivors were wiped out due to neglect, the unrestrained zombies from those regions would inevitably invade countries with remaining survivors. This would place the remaining human enclaves under siege with no way out.

—

Within five days of the snow melting, the capital base held an emergency high-level meeting.

In the conference room, a leader gravely explained the recent findings from satellite images:

“We’ve been analyzing recent satellite photos and observed a disturbing trend. All the zombies have left the cities they had previously been confined to. Upon further investigation, we uncovered a troubling discovery.”

After the leader finished speaking, the large screen behind him displayed a series of satellite images, arranged chronologically from oldest to newest.

After about a dozen images were shown, the leader straightened up, his expression tense.

“These zombies are heading toward human survivor bases.”

True to his role as a military strategist, the leader quickly identified the critical issue, even while others were still confused.

“You are right,” the leader acknowledged solemnly. “While the number of zombies significantly decreased due to mutual slaughter during the winter, their levels have risen dramatically. Currently, apart from the capital base, we have over forty survivor bases of various sizes, housing nearly eight million survivors. However, there are over 200 million zombies within our borders. If these zombies besiege the smaller survivor bases, the outcome for those inside would likely be catastrophic.”

The room filled with a heavy atmosphere as the grim reality settled in.

The leader continued, “Reports from special operations teams confirm that the highest zombie level is now six. Almost every city has four or five of these high-level zombies, and there are at least a thousand level-five zombies in each city.”

Several leaders instinctively took sharp breaths. Even though they had suspected this, hearing it confirmed was unsettling.

“Currently, skilled fighters in civilian bases are extremely rare, and with material shortages, even handling level-five zombies is a struggle. Facing level-six zombies could result in complete annihilation,” a military officer warned grimly.

“Including the capital base, we have less than 20 million survivors left. We cannot stand by and watch as these bases are besieged and destroyed one by one,” the leader declared resolutely.

Given the dire situation and the importance of survival strategies, none of the other leaders voiced opposition, despite any personal reservations.

“But how do we rescue them?” The leader’s direct manner left no room for ambiguity, emphasizing the critical role of the military in any solution.

“The area is vast, and we can’t cover all the bases, especially those in the southern regions,” a strategist explained. “According to satellite data, it appears the attacks on different bases will happen simultaneously, making it impossible to respond to all of them.”

“We can provide timely support to nearby bases, but the more distant ones are beyond our reach. Moreover, the capital base’s large population will likely attract an even stronger zombie wave,” another official added.

“You’ve all raised valid points,” the leader replied calmly. “But take a closer look at these satellite images.”

The leader displayed another series of satellite photos on the large screen behind him. This time, the images left all but the intelligence chief and a few others completely stunned.

“Are these… humans?” The leader couldn’t help but ask in disbelief. “Even our top special forces soldiers wouldn’t last a hundred moves against them.”

“They are definitely real people and very young—barely in their twenties,” the intelligence chief affirmed seriously. “Our team has already had face-to-face encounters with two of them.”

The high-ranking officials in attendance stared blankly at the satellite images, showing the four youths effortlessly slaughtering zombies across various regions.

They quickly noticed that every image captured only their backs, with not even a single side profile visible.

As seasoned strategists, they knew this couldn’t be a coincidence. Such precision suggested that these individuals were not only highly skilled but also incredibly perceptive—possibly even aware of being tracked by satellite.

“Have you found out who these young people are?” the leader asked.

“No, not a trace,” the intelligence chief replied. “There are no records or clues about them. Based on satellite data, they first appeared over six months ago and eventually settled at the B City military survivor base in the south.”

He continued, “Our agents haven’t made it to the base yet. About a thousand kilometers from the destination, they encountered danger and were rescued by a pair from the group—an engaged couple. A direct encounter revealed they are even stronger than they appear on satellite footage. Our team didn’t dare make any sudden moves and couldn’t capture their photos.”

“But we did confirm that one of the girls and one of the boys are clearly foreigners. The girl speaks fluent local dialect with a friendly attitude towards military personnel. The boy, though cold and reserved, speaks the language proficiently and shows great patience toward the girl.”

The room fell silent, absorbing the irony—sent to investigate, only to be saved by the very targets. It was hard to decide whether to feel embarrassed or grateful.

Some speculated based on their hair color.

“These four youths possess exceptional skills,” the leader said, eyes fixed on the satellite images. “I doubt there’s anyone else in the world who can match them. Given their positive attitude toward our soldiers, we should attempt to recruit them into our ranks.”

Buoyed by the prospect, the leader added enthusiastically, “Their disciplined movements suggest prior military training—they could be elite among elites.”

“But at least two of them are foreigners,” someone reminded cautiously.