Chapter 33 A New Threat
The warmth and tranquility within the fortress, day and night, could not completely isolate it from the cruel and ever-evolving landscape of the outside world.
Extreme cold, torrential rain, floods, insect plagues... a series of extreme weather events, like the most ruthless sieve, completely crushed the already fragile social structure.
The survivors either perished silently in the initial catastrophe or were wiped out by the ensuing hunger, disease, and chaos. Those who remained began to regroup and struggle in various ways, attempting to establish a new, more naked and direct order on the ruins of this civilization.
Despite successfully repelling invaders after several minor conflicts, the existence of Cuiping Mountain Fortress, like a beacon in the darkness, could not be completely concealed by its aura of "abundance" and "security." Especially in an era where most survivors were struggling for basic survival, the allure of a stronghold with stable energy, robust defenses, and possibly massive reserves of supplies was deadly.
The destruction of the Snow Wolf Gang did not reduce the prying eyes; on the contrary, it attracted even more troublesome observers.
This time, it wasn't a mob of rabble that came.
That afternoon, Wen Yu and Su Ran were in the tool shed, teaching him how to maintain and upgrade some small solar charging devices more efficiently. With the vegetables grown in the sunroom becoming a stable supply, they planned to gradually expand some low-power, automated indoor planting units, which required more stable power support.
Su Ran studied very seriously, completely unaware that there was a little oil on the tip of her nose. The way she held the multimeter to test the circuit was as focused as a real engineer.
Suddenly, a sharper, shorter beeping sound, unlike any other alarm, came from the control room. It was the remote motion sensors, located several kilometers away at several concealed high points, that had been triggered. Moreover, the triggering pattern indicated that the target was moving in an orderly manner at a stable speed, unlike wild animals or scattered survivors.
Wen Yu's eyes sharpened, and he put down the tools in his hand. "Something's up." He said succinctly, then turned and strode towards the control room. Su Ran immediately put down her multimeter, wiped her nose haphazardly with her sleeve, and quickly followed, her relaxed expression replaced by a serious one.
On the large screen in the control room, the images transmitted from the remote cameras were somewhat blurry, but clear enough to make out: a small team of about ten people was advancing towards Cuiping Mountain along a mountain path that was barely discernible after being washed away by the flood. These people were wearing uniform, though old, but relatively neat dark combat uniforms, with simple bulletproof vests over them, and tactical helmets or cold-weather hats on their heads.
The weapons they carried were no longer a variety of machetes and clubs, but standard automatic rifles and crossbows. Although the models were mixed and their maintenance conditions were unknown, their formation was maintained quite professionally. They carried out cover and reconnaissance while moving, clearly indicating that they were former soldiers or police officers who had received some training, or a group of survivors who had quickly militarized themselves after the apocalypse.
Leading the group was a middle-aged man of medium build with a steady gait. His features were obscured by his helmet visor, but his every move exuded an air of authority and unquestionable power. Beside him was a team member carrying some kind of detection equipment, who would occasionally stop to scan the surroundings.
"Are they the army? Or the police?" Su Ran lowered her voice, her fingers unconsciously gripping Wen Yu's sleeve. The aura emanating from these people was completely different from the previous rioters; they were more dangerous, and more... difficult to deal with.
"They don't seem to be active duty." Wen Yu stared at the screen, his gaze sharp as a knife, analyzing quickly. "The equipment is inconsistent, and their tactical maneuvers retain traces of individual styles; they're more like a private armed force composed of retired personnel or law enforcement officers. But they're highly organized and have a clear objective." He glanced at the map in the corner of the screen; the enemy's route of advance pointed directly at the fortress. "They're coming for us."
"What are they trying to do?" Su Ran's heart skipped a beat. These people didn't seem like easy targets.
"They've simply set their sights on this place," Wen Yu said coldly. "Either they'll requisition it or they'll 'cooperate,' but in reality, it's all plunder."
He quickly operated the control panel, bringing up all the fortress's defensive statuses. All systems were functioning normally, weapons were in position, and power was sufficient. However, facing such an organized and well-equipped squad, a head-on confrontation was far more risky than facing the Snow Wolf Gang. The enemy likely possessed heavy firepower, or more specialized demolition and electronic warfare capabilities.
"Activate Level 2 Silence Alert. Shut down all non-essential external electronic signal sources. Activate the backup camouflage system." Wen Yu issued the order, his voice calm and devoid of any panic. "Let's see how they intend to 'negotiate'."
Outside the fortress, several concealed ventilation openings and sensors were slightly angled, and the optical camouflage system was activated, allowing the fortress to blend more seamlessly with the colors and textures of the surrounding mountains when observed from a distance. Some metallic reflective points were also temporarily covered. The entire fortress resembled a slumbering behemoth, concealing all its presence and quietly awaiting the arrival of uninvited guests.
The squad stopped about a kilometer from the fortress, occupying a small, easily defensible hill, and began setting up makeshift observation posts and defensive positions. Their movements were practiced, clearly indicating this wasn't their first time doing something like this.
Soon, three men split off from the squad and, in tactical formation, slowly approached the fortress gate. The leader raised a megaphone but didn't immediately speak, seemingly observing.
Wen Yu and Su Ran stood behind their firing observation post, watching the three men through high-powered scopes. The leader removed his helmet, revealing a weathered, sharply defined face; he appeared to be in his forties, with sharp eyes and a noticeable old scar on his left brow. He spoke into a megaphone, his voice carrying clearly through the directional speakers to the vicinity of the fortress.
"Hello, friends in the fortress! We are the reconnaissance team from 'Rock Camp,' and we mean no harm! Please have the leader come out and speak!"
His voice was loud and clear, full of energy, carrying a deliberately projected frankness and an air of unquestionable authority.
Wen Yu did not respond, but just stared coldly.
Seeing no response, the scarred man spoke again, his tone still calm but with a hint of pressure: "Friends, we know your place is well-fortified and well-supplied. But in this world, it's not necessarily a good thing for one or a few people to hold onto such a large estate. We at 'Rock Camp' have over three hundred brothers, including former soldiers, police officers, engineers, and doctors. We've established order and protected survivors. We've come to discuss cooperation with you."
"Cooperation?" Su Ran couldn't help but mutter under her breath, her brows furrowed. This tone didn't sound like she was here to discuss something.
The scarred man continued, his voice echoing through the silent forest via loudspeaker: "Our camp needs to expand, we need a safer base. Your location and conditions are excellent. We propose that you join our 'Rock Rock Camp,' sharing our facilities and supplies. The camp will provide protection, assign tasks, and we'll all survive together and rebuild order. This is far better than you struggling on your own!"
Sharing? Joining? Elegant words. Wen Yu sneered inwardly. They were simply after the fortress's hardware and resources, wanting to annex it. The so-called "protection" and "allocation" were nothing more than fancy excuses for usurping power. Once they were let in, his and Su Ran's fate would be completely controlled by others, their very lives uncertain. In his past life, he had witnessed far too many such "cooperations" and "incorporations," all of which ended in bloody purges and plunder.
"If you're unwilling to join, we can cooperate in another way." The scarred man, seemingly anticipating silent resistance, changed the subject. "Our camp lacks some crucial medical supplies and advanced tools. We can exchange food, fuel, and even intelligence for a portion of your reserves. A fair trade, how about it?"
An exchange? Wen Yu's eyes grew even colder. This was even more of a trap. Once an "exchange" began, it would be tantamount to exposing some of their secrets, giving the other side an opportunity to assess and infiltrate. Moreover, with absolute military superiority, "fairness" was simply out of the question. The other side's so-called "food and fuel" had limited value to them, while medical supplies and tools were strategic resources that were difficult to replenish in the apocalypse.
Seeing that there was still no movement inside the fortress, the scarred man seemed to be running out of patience, and his voice deepened: "Friends, in this world, it's hard to live in isolation for long. We've come with sincerity, and we hope you'll consider this carefully. Refusing to cooperate will not do you any good. Our 'Rock Camp' has been able to establish itself in this area not through empty words."
This is already an implicit threat.
Wen Yu knew he couldn't remain silent any longer. He picked up the intercom, connected it to the external speaker, and his voice, processed by a voice changer, became cold, mechanical, and devoid of any emotion, carrying through the thick walls:
"Outsiders are not welcome here."
"No cooperation, no exchange."
"Leave immediately. Otherwise, it will be considered an intrusion."
Concise and to the point, leaving no room for ambiguity.
Outside the fortress, the scarred man and his two teammates were clearly taken aback by the direct and forceful response, their expressions changing. A flash of anger crossed the scarred man's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it. He stepped forward and spoke into the megaphone, his tone becoming more forceful:
"Friends, don't be so sure of yourself. No matter how strong you are, you're just a turtle shell. We have a way to open it. For everyone's sake, I advise you to reconsider. We can give you a day."
"No need." Wen Yu's voice remained icy. "You have ten minutes to withdraw from our perimeter. Those who fail to withdraw within ten minutes will bear the consequences themselves."
After saying that, he immediately cut off external communications. At the same time, the cover of several hidden firing ports on the fortress wall made a slight mechanical sliding sound, revealing the dark muzzles of guns behind them. Although no actual shots were fired, the silent warning was more intimidating than any words.
The scarred man's face darkened completely. He looked up at the fortress's towering, sturdy walls, then at the faintly visible firing ports, his eyes gleaming. Clearly, the fortress's defenses and its owner's tenacity exceeded their expectations. A direct assault could come at a great cost.
He made several hand gestures to his teammates behind him. The three slowly retreated, but their eyes remained warily fixed on the direction of the fortress. After retreating a distance, they joined the others on the high ground and seemed to be quickly discussing something.
"They won't let this go," Su Ran said worriedly, looking at the group of people gathered and discussing on the screen.
"Hmm." Wen Yu put down the communicator, his eyes as cold as ice. "They are assessing the situation, looking for weaknesses. The so-called 'one day' might be a delaying tactic to mobilize more manpower or heavy equipment."
He turned to look at Su Ran, the coldness in his eyes fading slightly, replaced by calmness and determination: "Are you afraid?"
Su Ran shook her head, walked to Wen Yu's side, stood shoulder to shoulder with him, looked up, her clear eyes showing no fear, only complete trust and the determination to fight side by side: "Don't be afraid. As long as Brother Yu is here, the fortress is here, and our home is here."
Wen Yu's heart stirred, and he reached out and tightly grasped Su Ran's slightly cool hand. The warmth and strength between his fingertips was unwavering.
"Okay," he said softly, his gaze returning to the screen, where the "Rock Camp" reconnaissance team had begun an orderly retreat, disappearing behind the trees. But the tense atmosphere in the air had not dissipated; instead, it was like a taut bowstring, foreshadowing an even greater storm that was quietly brewing.
The peaceful days and nights were abruptly shattered, and a new and more severe threat was already at the gates.