amaotonovel Chapter 1356 Talk
Chapter 1356 Talk
ten minutes later.
Boom boom boom boom boom boom ————!
Bang bang bang thud ...
The deafening gunfire, like a never-ending background noise, boomed up and down the western city wall. With each blast, the wall would shake, like an unconscious convulsion as a person is about to fall asleep.
The mixture of gunpowder smoke, acrid smell, and sweet, fishy odor in the air seemed to seep in even through the thick protective suits.
Behind the wall of the 1st Infantry Battalion's defense zone, Zhao Jie remained in the posture of observing with his binoculars, like a frozen sculpture. Only the occasional slight adjustment of the focus showed his tense concentration.
Meanwhile, the major staff officer's heart was in his throat. He not only nervously scanned the direction of the fungal beast tide, but also glanced at his brigade commander's profile from time to time, as well as any angle from which stray bullets or strange attacks might come.
While the brigade commander's presence at the front lines could certainly boost morale, the risks are simply too great! What if...?
at this time--
"Reporting, Brigade Commander! Reconnaissance Battalion Political Instructor Gu Yun reporting for duty!"
A clear report, slightly panting from running but striving to remain steady, pierced through the noisy background and rang out behind Zhao Jie.
Upon hearing this, the major staff officer almost immediately breathed a sigh of relief, his tense shoulders slumping slightly.
They've arrived! This "special person" has finally arrived!
Our brigade commander should probably find a safe place now, right?
After all, protecting the safety of this "Instructor Gu" is probably no less important than guarding the city wall itself.
As a staff officer, he was far more well-informed than those in ordinary grassroots units. Although he had never heard of the name Gu Yun, the surname Gu said it all. It was obvious that he was related to the person at the top. Although he didn't know the specifics of the relationship, it was no longer important.
Sure enough, the moment Zhao Jie heard the report, he almost immediately put down his binoculars, his movements so fast they even created a gust of wind.
He turned around abruptly, the dark goggles of his gas mask sweeping over Gu Chengyun's equally heavily wrapped figure.
Even through the double layers of protection, Gu Chengyun could feel the unusually complex gaze directed at him by Zhao Jie.
Zhao Jie didn't say much, he just raised his hand to gesture:
"Instructor Gu, come with me. We'll talk in the car after we get off the city wall."
After saying that, he stopped and took the lead, walking towards the steps leading to the city. His steps were still steady, but his speed was obviously much faster than when he was observing earlier.
These words stirred a tremor in Gu Chengyun's heart, as if he had a premonition of something, but he chose not to reveal it, simply because his heart was also filled with hesitation at this moment.
Or perhaps, subconsciously, he also longed for a certain kind of 'passivity'.
Therefore, he responded to Zhao Jie's greeting almost without hesitation, saying "Yes" and following closely behind Zhao Jie.
The two of them, one in front of the other, quickly passed through the busy and chaotic passageway of the city wall and hurried down the steps that were slightly loosened by the artillery fire and covered with dust and shell casings.
At the foot of the city wall, the Mengshi 3 armored command vehicle, covered in mud and dust and with sharp edges, sat quietly, its engine humming, like a steel cheetah ready to leap at any moment.
The major staff officer acted first, opening the heavy armored vehicle door for Zhao Jie.
Zhao Jie stepped in, followed closely by Gu Chengyun.
"boom!"
The heavy, dull slam of the door shut instantly shut out most of the outside noise of gunfire, explosions, and the suffocating atmosphere of the battlefield.
The car was immediately enveloped in a relatively quiet, but even more oppressive, atmosphere.
The lights emitted a soft, cool glow, illuminating the relatively simple interior space, which was filled with various communication and control panels.
The air circulation system emits a low hum, filtering out any harmful gases that may seep in from the outside, but also leaving a faint smell of engine oil and electronic devices inside the car.
With no outsiders present, the purely superior-subordinate atmosphere that had to be maintained in public between the two instantly underwent a subtle change.
But at the same time, a more complex, even somewhat strange, sense of solemnity quietly spread.
Both men were still wearing bulky hazmat suits and masks, sitting face to face on the folding seats reserved in the narrow carriage, their figures almost filling the limited space.
Zhao Jie was the first to raise his hand and, with some effort, unfastened the buckle at the chin of the gas mask. With a slight hissing sound, he took off the mask and hung it aside.
What was revealed was his young face, but it was covered with fatigue and dust. The edge of the mask had left deep red marks on his forehead and the bridge of his nose. His eyes were sunken and his lips were chapped, but his eyes were still as sharp as ever. However, at this moment, there was an unquenchable turmoil surging deep within them.
He looked at Gu Chengyun and gestured.
Gu Chengyun hesitated for a moment, then took off his gas mask as well.
The cold air touched his sweaty cheeks, bringing a touch of coolness and slightly clearing his somewhat dazed mind.
His face was even paler than Zhao Jie's, and his lips trembled slightly uncontrollably, a consequence of the intense release and subsequent suppression of adrenaline.
The two looked at each other for a few seconds.
Outside the car, the faint sound of explosions caused the vehicle to vibrate slightly from time to time.
Finally, Zhao Jie spoke first. His voice was hoarse from shouting and inhaling gunpowder smoke for a long time, but his tone was not as resolute and iron-blooded as it had been on the city wall. Instead, it carried a rare, almost blunt, heaviness:
“Cheng Yun, there are no outsiders here.”
He used his real name instead of the pseudonym "Gu Yun," and he did not address him by his official title.
"You saw and felt the shelling just now." Zhao Jie's gaze seemed to penetrate the vehicle, reaching the scorched earth outside, repeatedly tilled:
"That's the only way we can defend it. If they keep piling up, the walls won't hold."
Gu Chengyun nodded, his throat feeling dry. He wanted to say something, but didn't know where to begin.
"The situation is worse than expected," Zhao Jie continued, speaking slowly, each word seemingly squeezed out from his chest.
"The spore cloud has stopped, but that's definitely not a good thing. That monstrous thing is preparing a powerful attack. The fungal beasts on the ground... are endless, and they can change, learn, and cooperate."
He paused, his gaze fixed on Gu Chengyun: "Four hours... less than an hour and a half has passed. The pressure will only increase from here on out."
"The reconnaissance battalion is positioned relatively far back, but once the front line is breached, you will be the last buffer."
Gu Chengyun understood what he meant: the so-called "relative safety" was meaningless when the overall defense line was on the verge of collapse.
Therefore, at this point, Gu Chengyun's heart began to beat faster than usual.
'Could it be...?'
Zhao Jie leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped together, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.
He seemed to be carefully considering his next words, and the complex emotions in his eyes intensified.
Even now, Zhao Jie is frantically trying to figure out the war zone's, or rather, the commander's, intentions: whether to treat the commander's brother the same as everyone else, or just to put on a show...
If the guess is wrong, the consequences could be disastrous...
No matter is too small for a leader; everything must be viewed from the perspective of the overall political situation...
If the commander's true intention is to treat everyone equally, then sending Gu Chengyun away privately would mean bearing the stigma of undermining unity, severely damaging the morale of the troops and civilians in the war zone, and harming the extremely precious cohesion in this apocalyptic world...
If the leader actually wants him to protect Gu Chengyun, then keeping him here would be tantamount to personally killing the leader's only brother. The leader doesn't even have a wife now, but he has only this one brother...
To be frank, Zhao Jie had always been puzzled by the fact that the leader didn't have any women. Logically speaking, if a man had such power, it wouldn't be unreasonable for him to have a few female confidantes, let alone something as outrageous as a life of debauchery.
But from beginning to end, the leader showed absolutely no signs of it, which made him wonder if the leader had a problem with fertility, hence his abstinence...
If that's the case, then Gu Chengyun's significance is even greater, practically heaven-high, because he represents the continuation of the Gu family line.
In the traditions of the Zhou people, incense offerings are of paramount importance!
If I were to die on the battlefield at Gucheng Lake, wouldn't that be tantamount to cutting off the Gu family's lineage?
Thinking about all this, the expression on Zhao Jie's face could no longer be simply described as solemn...
This was definitely the most difficult choice he had ever made in his life.