Cannon fodder in the Interstellar

The female captain was unwell, yet she couldn’t let it affect her duties. She still had to lead the team, rushing around to kill zombies.

Seeing the captain trying hard to suppress her cough but unable to hold back due to the cold wind, coughing even more severely, Ruo Manni felt a pang of sympathy. She took out a bottle of medicine from her backpack.

“This is a cough remedy,” she said.

The medicine was made from Earth herbs by Lin Kexin, so Ruo Manni wasn’t worried about anyone questioning it.

The captain refused to take it. Knowing that their discipline forbade them from accepting things from civilians, Ruo Manni smiled and said, “I’m not offering this because you’re a soldier but because we’re both women.”

“Captain, just take it. We’ve fought side by side, so we’re comrades now,” said a male soldier, flashing a grin at the two of them. It was clear he hoped his captain would accept the medicine.

Ruo Manni couldn’t help but think, ‘With a face that dirty, it’s impressive how his teeth are still so clean.’

At that moment, the captain’s coughing eased, though she was still slightly out of breath. However, the look she gave Ruo Manni made her feel as though the captain was smiling at her.

Ruo Manni extended her hand again, and this time, the captain decisively took the medicine and drank it. Her straightforwardness left no room for suspicion or doubt.

After she drank the medicine, Ruo Manni pulled out a small bottle of mineral water, which was only one-third full. She shook it lightly and asked with a smile, “Mind that I’ve drunk from this?”

Having already accepted the medicine, the captain naturally didn’t mind. She took the bottle, opened it, and finished the water without hesitation.

Clearing her throat, she said, “The medicine has a refreshing and soothing effect. It feels good.”

Her voice, which had been rough and hoarse, now carried a softer, more feminine tone—whether it was due to the medicine or the water.

Even though the captain’s face was dirty, Ruo Manni could vaguely see that she was quite young. Somehow, Ruo Manni felt a certain connection with her, as if their energies were aligned.

However, they didn’t have much time to talk. The zombies had been driven away, and the survivors hiding in the base began pouring out.

The rescue team members all looked like they desperately needed rest. Unlike Ruo Manni and Hebrew Adam, who could rest as they pleased, these soldiers likely only had a brief moment to catch their breath before receiving orders to head to the next rescue location.

“We were given a special mission before we set out,” the female captain said. “Any team that encounters you is to relay an official invitation from the leaders of the Capital Base. They solemnly invite you to the Capital Base to discuss an important matter.”

Despite her voice being so hoarse and raspy, she managed to speak fluently, showing how determined she was to ensure they wouldn’t leave without hearing her out.

Ruo Manni and Hebrew Adam exchanged glances. Over the past two months, the Capital Base had performed impressively, earning their respect.

Moreover, the use of the word “invite” instead of issuing a command suggested a respectful tone. This approach made it easier for Hebrew Adam and his team to accept the request.

Ruo Manni and Hebrew Adam looked at each other again. Given the current situation, humanity’s losses in the first wave of the zombie outbreak were not as catastrophic as described in the apocalyptic strategies they had read. Most of the functional military forces had been preserved.

In the two months of siege and counterattacks, the zombie population had significantly decreased—at least two-fifths fewer than when the outbreak first started.

On the other hand, humanity’s overall losses amounted to around 1-2%. While this percentage might not seem high, the majority of those lost were prime-aged individuals capable of fighting, which meant the losses were still devastating. Humanity had only managed a pyrrhic victory.

However, the situation in China was better than in other countries for two main reasons:
1. Ruo Manni had instructed her team to prioritize clearing sixth-tier zombies while also eliminating fifth-tier zombies along the way. As a result, the number of fifth-tier zombies in China was relatively low.
2. In the face of disaster, the spirit of unity among Chinese people came to the forefront. Everyone worked together, pooling their strength, which reduced unnecessary sacrifices.

It could be said that, before the next zombie wave, Chinese survivors would not face overwhelming survival pressure.

Given this situation, the invitation from the Capital Base, while polite on the surface, carried an underlying implication.

This immediately made Ruo Manni and Hebrew Adam think of the masterminds behind the apocalypse. They speculated that the Capital Base might have discovered some clues and was now valuing their exceptional combat abilities for whatever lay ahead.

They had always intended to deal with those damned aliens who enjoyed invading other planets. If they could establish a good relationship with the Capital Base, they didn’t mind interacting with them.

However, since the situation was still unclear, they couldn’t agree outright.

“We’re planning to return to the B City Base. We’ve been out here for months and need a proper rest. You can contact my brother then, and if everyone can talk peacefully, we can discuss things further,” Ruo Manni said.

Although she didn’t immediately agree, the female captain could tell from her words that Ruo Manni wasn’t opposed to contact with the Capital Base. So, the captain didn’t push further. She planned to contact her superiors once they entered the base and see if there were additional instructions from the Capital Base.

Since their ultimate destination was B City, and they had indeed stayed there for over six months, there was no concern about them disappearing far away, making them impossible to find.

After completing her task of relaying the message, Ruo Manni and Hebrew Adam prepared to leave. The female captain didn’t try to stop them.

The rescue team members, who knew that these two had saved five bases along the way without ever entering those bases to receive gratitude, didn’t attempt to block them either. Instead, each of them saluted the pair with heartfelt gratitude.

These soldiers, whose physical strength was already severely depleted from prolonged battles and exposure to the elements, had cracked lips and were utterly exhausted. Yet, they didn’t consider their own hardships. Out of respect for the two who had fought alongside them, they offered their salutes.

A soldier’s salute is the highest form of respect. Ruo Manni and Hebrew Adam, being soldiers themselves, couldn’t ignore such gestures of honor due to their upbringing. They returned each salute.

“These two young people must have come from the military. And not just briefly—they must have served for at least several years to develop such reflexive responses,” someone observed.

Coincidentally, on that day, the third-ranking official of the base was reviewing footage of various rescue teams and happened to see this scene. He was so excited that he nearly lunged at the screen, wishing he could pull the two into his team through the monitor.

The intelligence department chief cast him a disdainful glance and said calmly, “Anyone with decent observational skills could tell. These young people carry the upright posture unique to soldiers. Without formal and extended military training, it’s impossible to develop such bearing.”

The third-ranking official of the base said angrily, “Do you think I have as much free time as you, watching them all the time? Of course, you’d notice more. I’ve only seen them twice so far. If you’re so capable and these young people are so outstanding, why haven’t you brought them in yet?”

Having been snapped at and countered with solid reasoning, the intelligence department chief rubbed his nose awkwardly and dared not respond further.