Chapter 221 - 205: Plotting a Great Undertaking

Chapter 221: Chapter 205: Plotting a Great Undertaking

Seeing Qiao Yunliang and his men’s equipment, Yu Dong felt a sense of relief.

people, and every one of them was armed.

Pistols, submachine guns, rifles, light machine guns, and even a particularly eye-catching sniper grenade launcher.

"Commander Qiao, please get in the car. I’d like to take you to our cruise ship base for an inspection."

"Alright, Yu Dong, let’s drop the official jargon. We don’t have time for formalities. It’s getting dark, and I’m afraid we’ll have to stay at your cruise ship base tonight. Is that alright?"

"Of course! That’ll give us plenty of time to talk back at the base."

"Alright, then. Thank you for your hospitality."

Yu Dong and Qiao Yunliang had long been in contact, communicating only by satellite phone. This was the first time they had ever met in person.

Qiao Yunliang was younger than Yu Dong had expected. He was supposedly fifty-four, but he looked vigorous and strong, with an excellent physique and a sharp mind.

He was clearly still strong and fit enough for a fight.

He had an energetic presence, which Yu Dong believed was a crucial quality for a leader.

Everyone drove toward the cruise ship base. Yu Dong invited Qiao Yunliang into his usual vehicle, a Li Auto, and after a brief chat about recent events, they arrived at their destination.

The cruise ship base was completely different from how it had been just eight days ago.

Not only had the number of base defense personnel increased to ten, but the patrol teams had also grown significantly. Wang Dingbei led his people on patrols around A Port and the nearby area, clearing dangers from the water and continuously making real-time improvements to the port’s defenses.

The recent incident had caused Wang Dingbei’s fall from a high-level position to the bottom of the hierarchy. But it had also allowed him to become more grounded, immersing himself in the base’s grassroots operations and seeing many problems that were invisible from his former vantage point.

Wang Dingbei’s self-imposed judgment had caused quite a stir. Many people had personally sought him out to express their support and regret. Some had forgiven him, including the man with the limp, who publicly stated on several occasions that Wang Dingbei had done the right thing and that he himself hadn’t been thinking straight at the time.

Of course, some people still hated Wang Dingbei, but things had settled, and neither Yu Dong nor Lin Mo tried to alter the judgment he had passed on himself.

Wang Dingbei hadn’t chosen to sentence himself to imprisonment, and there was a selfish motive behind it. He believed it was more meaningful for the base if he continued to protect the cruise ship and improve its defenses, rather than being locked up and becoming a freeloader.

Yu Dong said, "Officer Wang, Commander Qiao is here. How about we all go up for a meal and a chat in a bit?"

Qiao Yunliang also saw Wang Dingbei, and his eyes lit up.

"Wang! It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’ve heard the legends but never had the chance to meet the man himself... Excellent, truly excellent!"

Wang Dingbei quickly saluted.

"Commander Qiao! Wang Dingbei of the Criminal Investigation Division, reporting!"

"At ease. I’ve already told Yu Dong to drop the pre-apocalypse formalities. Let’s be pragmatic. We’re all working for the future of Yanhai City, and what you’ve built here is just as impressive as our setup. Come on, I can’t wait to see your base from the inside."

Wang Dingbei hesitated. "I’ve already stepped down from the cruise ship’s leadership council. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to attend your meeting..."

"Leadership? Forget about that. Tonight, it’s just a chat between people willing to fight for Yanhai City. Don’t stand on ceremony, Wang. I’m especially eager to hear your perspective."

Yu Dong had already told Qiao Yunliang about their recent developments on the ride over, and Qiao Yunliang understood. But personally... he felt a natural kinship with Wang Dingbei.

They had both spent years working within the official government system and had more in common.

"Well... alright, then. My shift is almost over anyway. You all go ahead. I’ll join you after I get the night shift roster sorted out."

"Great. We’ll wait for you."

After walking a few more steps, they were met by Lin Mo and his men, who greeted them with a crisp, standard military salute.

"Commander Qiao! Second Lieutenant Lin Mo, reporting!"

"Excellent. Yu Dong told me you’ve been doing a fine job assisting him. Keep up the good work."

Yu Dong turned to Jiang Zhuoyu and instructed, "Take two men and attend to the soldiers. Help them get settled and try to accommodate any needs they have."

"Understood, chief."

Jiang Zhuoyu was dispatched to liaise with the soldiers.

Knowing the meeting was today, Yu Dong had already instructed Lin Mo to arrange food and lodging for the soldiers. Jiang Zhuoyu’s role was primarily to act as Yu Dong’s personal representative, demonstrating the importance he placed on their guests.

After boarding the ship, they headed to a small private dining room Lin Mo had prepared, where they could eat and talk.

In the main hall outside the small dining room, at the table closest to them.

Sat the six group leaders of the cruise ship.

Zhao Youcai, Huang Zhiqiang, Xiao Dabe, Qiao Ping, Sun Shan, and Chen Guangzong.

The six of them were on standby, waiting to meet with Qiao Yunliang themselves.

Qiao Ping looked aggrieved. "I feel like my uncle doesn’t love me anymore... He boarded the ship and didn’t even come to see me first."

Huang Zhiqiang laughed. "That’s because Commander Qiao knows you’re safe here. With such great conditions and a stable environment, he’s not worried about you. Naturally, he’s handling official business first. He’ll meet with family after the meeting is done. That’s how leaders operate."

Chen Guangzong added, "Exactly. All leaders are like that. I used to put on the same front. In reality, I’d be desperate to see my wife and kid, but after disembarking, I’d first report to corporate leadership and get my subordinates sorted before I could finally go hug my child..."

At the mention of his wife and child, Chen Guangzong wiped his eyes.

By now, everyone knew the chances of survival were slim, but there was always that sliver of hope. ’What if they’re still alive?’

Xiao Dabe chimed in, "Speaking of which, I’m more concerned about whether Commander Qiao can find a way to get Officer Wang reinstated. Surely nobody actually thinks Officer Wang was in the wrong, do they???"

Hearing this, Zhao Youcai, who had been quiet until now, frowned slightly.

"He stepped down, and that’s final. Everyone on the ship has accepted the outcome, and public opinion of Officer Wang has even improved. We shouldn’t disrupt that stability. If we reinstate him now, won’t people just say we’re putting on a show? A leader can’t just do as they please. To command respect, your word must be your bond."

Xiao Dabe was unconvinced, but... he also had to admit Zhao Youcai had a point. He could only reply dejectedly:

"Then let’s just wait a while... until people have forgotten about it, then we can do something..."

Zhao Youcai gave a dry laugh and didn’t reply.

He was actually pondering a very important question.

’Now that the army is here... how do we maintain our independence?’

’Since Yu Dong didn’t take the path I laid out for him, I’ll just have to adapt to the one he chose and find a different way to achieve my goals.’

’Right now, the most critical thing is to prevent the army from staying on the ship permanently. If they do, the influence of our combat groups will become completely irrelevant.’

’There’s no way we can compete with 370 armed soldiers.’

While he was lost in these heavy thoughts, Huang Zhiqiang was still laughing and chatting cheerfully with the others.

A surge of irritation washed over Zhao Youcai, and he kicked Huang Zhiqiang under the table.

"Still laughing!"

Huang Zhiqiang: "???"

Meanwhile, Yu Dong, Qiao Yunliang, Lin Mo, and Wang Dingbei were seated together.

They had already reached an agreement on tactics: they would proceed with the battle plan Yu Dong had drawn up, which involved an offensive along Binhai Avenue.

Their next strategic objective was also agreed upon: the military sub-district’s ammunition depot.

There were no disagreements on these major points.

After covering these topics, Qiao Yunliang said:

"Since we’ve decided to push west, our Zongshan Base is too far. The main force can’t remain stationed there. We’ll need to relocate here."

...

Dinnertime, in the third-floor dining hall.

Knowing there would be an extra 370 people for dinner, Lin Mo had arranged for everyone to eat in shifts.

The base’s production staff ate first, clearing out the dining hall.

Now, it was just the combat groups, logistics teams, and the soldiers eating together.

The meal was up to the cruise ship’s usual high standard.

Four dishes and a soup: two meat and two vegetable.

The hot meal prepared by a top chef, combined with the incredibly comfortable dining environment, was a welcome feast for the soldiers who had been enduring hardships at the Zongshan Civilian Training Base.

The cruise ship had been designed for luxury and comfort, so the conditions were on a completely different level.

Jiang Zhuoyu’s arrangements were also impeccable, making everyone feel completely at ease and welcome, with no sense of being outsiders.

Just then, voices rose from the other side of the room.

"Hey, Chef! How about some dessert for us tonight?"

"And make some more sea cucumber soup. We’ve been under a lot of stress lately and need to recharge."

"Bring out a few more bottles of beer! We’re not done yet."

The members of the combat and logistics groups clamored with their requests, and the kitchen staff immediately went to fulfill them without a moment’s hesitation.

This was because the perks for these two groups had been upgraded to include two bottles of beer per person per day and the privilege of ordering one extra dish for their group at dinner.