Chapter 235 - 219: Problems Erupt

Chapter 235: Chapter 219: Problems Erupt

Today’s meeting was for the leadership.

Qiao Yunliang’s side had three people, and Yu Dong’s side also had three.

Yu Dong, Lin Mo, and the combat team’s Zhao Youcai.

The meeting today wasn’t complicated, nor did it require a vote. It was simply about the cruise ship group trying their best to secure more guns and ammunition.

The military, on the other hand, was allocating firearms to the cruise ship team based on practical considerations and the future combat situation.

Qiao Yunliang had already promised this to Yu Dong, and the three leaders from the military side had no objections.

But now, soldiers from his own army had shown up on their own accord to object!

This was highly unusual!

While Qiao Yunliang wouldn’t say his unit was an elite force, their overall quality and capabilities were very high. They were fundamentally comprised of formally trained soldiers, armed guards, police officers, veterans, and militiamen.

The unit valued discipline.

Advisor Li’s face darkened. "If you have something to report, bring it to me in private! What kind of behavior is this, showing up here unannounced! Everyone, to the deck! Stand at attention for two hours!"

"We’re not going! If we go, you’ll just give them the guns!"

Qian Chenglin shouted, his face flushed and neck stiff with defiance.

Despite his youth, he was known in the unit for his stubbornness.

Qiao Yunliang placed a hand on Advisor Li’s arm and walked to the front of the soldiers.

"You’re... Qian, right? Come, tell me your reasoning. Why shouldn’t we give guns to our friends who fight zombies alongside us?"

Qiao Yunliang had a vague impression of Qian Chenglin due to the young soldier’s stubborn nature, but he truly didn’t know why things had escalated to this point.

Apparently, Advisor Li knew, but he hadn’t reported it to him.

Yu Dong and Lin Mo were even more confused.

Lin Mo wondered inwardly, ’Could it be because of the difference in treatment?’

Yu Dong, on the other hand, thought they were still hung up on some gun control laws.

Only Zhao Youcai understood why. He quickly sidled up to Yu Dong and Lin Mo and recounted the events of a week ago.

"But that can’t be right... I already lectured them. They’ve been behaving quite well these past few days. Is it really necessary to go this far?"

From Zhao Youcai’s and Advisor Li’s perspective, that minor incident a week ago had been perfectly resolved, saving face for both sides while also addressing the substance of the issue.

Besides, at the end of the day, it was just a matter of weak discipline. There was no need to blow it out of proportion, was there?

That’s why Advisor Li was furious, and Zhao Youcai was baffled. His eyes narrowed, and he said in a low, cold voice:

"Don’t tell me Qiao doesn’t want to give us the guns and cooked up this whole show as an excuse..."

Lin Mo’s expression changed. "The Commander is not that kind of person!"

Yu Dong was also puzzled. "Qiao might like to play tricks, but he wouldn’t go back on his word... Let’s just watch. If we can talk it over with Qiao, it should be fine."

Yu Dong was relieved to know the combat team hadn’t done anything truly heinous.

It wasn’t that serious.

After Qian Chenglin explained the situation, Qiao Yunliang understood.

"So, because Sun Yu and the other two weren’t punished, you feel Advisor Li... didn’t do his job, and now you don’t even trust your superior officer? Is that what you call discipline?"

To be honest, Qiao Yunliang was getting a little angry now. His soldiers were breaking the rules.

"Of course not!"

Qian Chenglin shouted, "Later, I talked with my comrades and found out it wasn’t an isolated incident! It’s a widespread problem within the combat team. Everyone has seen it happen many times. It’s not just one or two cases, but an organized effort to steal the spoils of the group’s victory, with almost everyone participating."

"And that’s not all! Their combat team doesn’t just act like this on the outside. Even when they come back, their conduct is deplorable. They enjoy special privileges everywhere! They eat better than the people, get paid more than the people, and enjoy the fruits of the people’s labor, all while trampling on the people’s dignity and openly soliciting prostitutes!"

"They are a force detached from the people! That’s why they don’t deserve to carry guns!"

"We can’t entrust our backs to such an impure force!"

During the two weeks they had spent together, the soldiers’ grievances against the combat team had finally erupted!

There was unfairness everywhere. How could they be expected to accept it?

The incident with Sun Yu had merely lit the fuse on a long-taut string.

Hearing these words, Qiao Yunliang’s expression changed slightly. It seemed this resentment had been brewing within the ranks for a long time.

Before he could speak, Zhao Youcai shot to his feet!

"You’re full of shit! Who are you trying to slander?! If it weren’t for us, could you have come over here? Could you have gotten guns? You’d still be in your damn militia base! Just making accusations without looking at the facts—who taught you to talk like that? What’s your motive!"

"Our people’s compensation is high! Because that’s our policy! We’re not soldiers, and we’re not saints. Before the apocalypse, we were just a bunch of students and ordinary citizens. We don’t have your level of discipline! All we know is that if you want people to train and fight zombies, you have to compensate them well!"

"The only reason you can stand here and talk is because these well-compensated fighters fought their asses off!"

"We conquered this whole damn territory! You have no right to stand here and judge whether we’re worthy or not!"

Zhao Youcai’s roar was forceful and resolute!

He was suppressing a powerful rage!

He genuinely believed his people had done nothing wrong.

Was it wrong for his subordinates to want a better life?

Did the combat team kill zombies or not? Did they follow the organization’s orders or not? After I told them to stop taking things, did they stop or not?

Would everyone be happy if we all just ate dirt together?

Can’t stand to see the people on the front lines getting better compensation?

Although Yu Dong was somewhat reflective, he was on the same page as Zhao Youcai on this issue.

"Qiao, I appreciate your men raising these issues. We will strengthen our team’s discipline going forward—it’s something we’ve been working on all along. If you truly feel it’s too difficult to get along, we can part ways sooner. We can each lead our own teams. There are plenty of places to set up on Binhai Avenue."

"Right now, we’re talking about the distribution of spoils from our cooperation. We’ve put in so much effort, and we need to get our share of the guns and ammunition. That’s what you promised our team."

"For the sake of all the effort I’ve put into helping you... don’t deceive me again."

Honestly, Yu Dong felt a chill in his heart.

He was aware of the discipline problems, but it wasn’t a simple process... A few days of training and suddenly everyone becomes a soldier with an iron will?

That’s not realistic!

Qiao Yunliang’s men had high overall quality, but how many years of training did that take?

They were cultivated day after day, year after year, by professionals. He was envious of that, but... people are different. If you want to make use of people, you have to tailor your approach.

Ordinary people respond to material incentives. That’s what he had been doing for the past two months, and it had proven effective.

Before the great zombie horde arrived, they had achieved such tremendous results!

If not for the combat team, what would he rely on?

His imagination?

Lin Mo was caught in the middle, feeling terrible.

She knew about the situation on the cruise ship and knew the soldiers weren’t lying. She had often criticized and reined in Yu Dong’s constant efforts to improve the combat team’s compensation; otherwise, it would be even more outrageous than it was now!

But objectively, they had indeed achieved indelible results.

"Commander, we are truly doing our best to train our team, but right now, they still can’t match the average quality of a soldier. Yu Dong entrusted the combat team’s ideological work to me, and I failed to do a good job... It’s my responsibility."

"Right now, our primary goal is to deal with the massive zombie horde that might arrive in two days. Please don’t let this incident affect the greater mission..."

"I will take full responsibility. Please punish me, Commander!"

Lin Mo knew that since this issue had come out, it had to be resolved. It couldn’t be suppressed.

She chose to sacrifice herself to appease the soldiers’ anger.

Her position was complicated. She was both a regular soldier under Qiao Yunliang and a person in charge at the cruise ship base.

She believed in the army, but she had to admit... she enjoyed her time with Yu Dong. She liked him and recognized his character and abilities.

She believed that only by having Yu Dong and Qiao Yunliang work together could they make it to the end.

Lin Mo couldn’t let this incident damage the relationship between the two sides.

Qiao Yunliang looked at Lin Mo, understanding his subordinate’s intention...

He could understand the emotions on both sides. His soldiers weren’t wrong, and Yu Dong’s people weren’t greatly at fault either. This was a conflict between two different philosophies.

He had actually seen this coming long ago, which was why he insisted on them parting ways after the zombie horde.

Because if they didn’t separate, problems were guaranteed to arise!

He just hadn’t expected the problems to erupt so quickly.

The Sun Yu incident had accelerated the process.

Otherwise, they would have just left right after fighting the horde, and none of this would have happened.

At this moment, he didn’t care who was right or wrong in this matter, because it was no longer important.

What he was thinking about now were the consequences.

After what happened today, could he still give the guns to Yu Dong’s people?

The truth will always come out.

Everything that happened here would soon reach the ears of the combat team members.

After what this kid Qian Chenglin and the soldiers with him had done, they had thoroughly offended everyone...

When they fight the zombie horde in two days, bullets don’t have eyes.

Getting shot in the back and dying from the subsequent zombie transformation was no laughing matter.

But if he didn’t give them the guns, Yu Dong’s team would become completely estranged and hostile toward his army.

This matter had transformed from a disciplinary issue into an exceptionally thorny dilemma.

If he mishandled this, it could trigger a chain of unforeseeable consequences.

’What should I do now?’

Qiao Yunliang tapped his left foot incessantly on the floor, his brows tightly furrowed.