Chapter 247 - 231: Prison Visit

Chapter 247: Chapter 231: Prison Visit

Day 113 of the apocalypse. Fourth floor of the cruise ship, shopping district.

Chen Guangzong was browsing in a general store, holding an old-fashioned black-and-white handheld console—the kind for playing Tetris and Snake.

"Checkout."

"25 points."

He pulled out a green chip and handed it to the cashier.

Chen Guangzong was quite pleased with his find. It was a steal at only 25 points.

Classic, fun, and a great way to kill time.

Most people knew Chen Guangzong was a good-natured guy who rarely lost his temper. He also cherished old friendships.

After Cai Hong’s failed mutiny, he was locked up. Many of the crew members now avoided him like the plague, terrified of being associated with him and getting arrested themselves.

The very sailors he had incited now hated his guts. He had nearly led them all to their deaths.

Eventually, Yu Dong forgave them and brought them into the Combat Team. Now, they were thriving. The contrast between their past and present circumstances maxed out their loyalty to him.

The sailors who had once followed Cai Hong in his mutiny were now Yu Dong’s staunchest supporters. The two words most often on their lips were:

"Loyalty! Devotion!"

If anyone dared to challenge Yu Dong’s authority, their clubs would swing faster than anyone else’s.

「More than three months had passed.」

By now, Chen Guangzong was the only one who still checked in on his old pal, Cai Hong.

He would bring him a little food and some simple toys that didn’t break any rules.

For example, he’d once given Cai Hong a hand gripper, telling him to squeeze it when he was in a bad mood. It broke from overuse in less than half a month.

He brought food and drinks once a week, meeting to exchange a few words just to make Cai’s confinement a little less unbearable.

The Security Team cut him some slack. It wasn’t a capital offense, after all; they couldn’t just forbid all visitors.

He planned on giving Cai Hong the black-and-white handheld console he had found today, along with one of his own power banks and a few snacks.

When he reached the 9th floor, the atmosphere was much more somber.

The elevator entrance was guarded, and access was normally restricted.

Today was his weekly delivery day, and the Security Team was used to his routine. He instinctively looked for the person in charge to inspect his items.

But just as he stepped out of the elevator, Sun Yu blocked his way.

"Team Leader Chen, what are you doing here? This is the brig. No unauthorized entry!"

Chen Guangzong glanced at Sun Yu and the other guards. ’They’re all from the Combat Team...’ he thought.

"Oh? Are you guys on duty here now? Where’s the Security Team?"

"Yeah, they were punished by Brother Dong... We’re on duty for now."

Sun Yu looked gloomy and resigned. The others sighed along with him, all of them appearing dejected.

"Oh, don’t worry about it. The boss still cares about you guys. He’ll call you back in a few days... Just think of it as a chance to stay warm inside for a while, heh heh."

"So what are you here for, Team Leader Chen?"

"I brought something for Cai Hong. Just inspect it, and if there are no problems, let me give it to him. I’ll just say a few words and leave."

The moment he said that, Sun Yu and the others’ gazes snapped toward him.

Sun Yu’s heart tightened. He then said impatiently, "Why are you still bringing him things... Never mind. Just leave the stuff here. We’ll give it to him at mealtime."

Chen Guangzong blinked. "Brother Sun Yu, you can just check it now. It’s no big deal. I’ll hand him the stuff, give him a quick word of encouragement... That’s how it always worked... when the Security Team was here."

Hearing this, Sun Yu’s anger flared and he glared.

"The Combat Team is in charge now! The rules have changed! We’re already doing you a favor by letting you bring things for a criminal, and you still want to meet him? Are you still harboring ulterior motives? Plotting something with Cai Hong again?"

The accusation was so severe that Chen Guangzong immediately caved.

"No, no, no... You’re overthinking it. We’re just old friends. I just wanted to see him. Sigh! Forget it, forget it... If it’s inconvenient, I’ll just go. I’ll leave you to it."

And just like that, a team leader was berated and sent away by Sun Yu and his men.

Chen Guangzong was, in fact, a little scared of Sun Yu and his crew.

The glare just now had revealed the murderous aura of men who had spent years killing zombies. They looked like the type who would kill at a moment’s notice.

’The men under a ruthless guy like Zhao Youcai are ruthless characters themselves... What rotten luck!’

The thought of Zhao Youcai sent a genuine chill down his spine. Back in the age of peace, the man had killed the first mate right in front of him and hijacked the cruise ship.

He had even forced Chen Guangzong to claim that he only killed the first mate because he had turned into a zombie.

The incident had left him with a deep psychological scar.

’It’s best for me to just keep my head down and do my job as team leader.’

’Cai, I’ll try to see you next week... The Security Team is much easier to talk to.’

After leaving, Chen Guangzong went back to his duties. The temperature had been so low recently that the cruise ship was frozen fast in the harbor. Many of the pipes and machines on the lower decks were malfunctioning and required constant supervision.

After working for a while... Chen Guangzong’s eyes suddenly narrowed.

’Something’s not right.’

’Why did they get so tense the moment I mentioned seeing Cai Hong? They looked like they were ready to attack me. They’re not normally like that.’

The more he mulled it over, the stranger it seemed.

He turned and went to find Wang Dingbei.

"Officer Wang, why has the Combat Team been put on guard duty at the brig recently?"

"Heh heh. Yu Dong is enforcing discipline. Anyone who slacks off, takes leave, and avoids going on runs gets punished with guard duty at the brig. They just have to tough it out. I think it’s great, honestly. It frees up some of our people so we can clear out the bloater zombies frozen on the surface of the sea."

"Oh... So is it the policy now not to allow visitors? I just went over and got chased away. I just feel like not all of the Security Team guys should’ve been replaced... otherwise, the old rules are just gone... Heh heh heh. I’m just rambling, of course. If I can’t visit, I can’t visit. It’s no big deal. You’re busy, Officer Wang, I won’t keep you."

As if he were just making small talk, Chen Guangzong left as soon as he finished speaking.

Wang Dingbei’s eyes narrowed.

That old fox Chen Guangzong was a shrewd one. He wouldn’t come and complain for no reason...

’Is he trying to tell me something fishy is going on in there?’

His detective’s instincts made him realize it at once. It was daytime, which was when Yu Dong and two teams went out to kill zombies and scavenge for supplies.

There was one thing Wang Dingbei truly admired about Yu Dong: when it came to killing zombies, he always personally fought on the front lines.

What other leader could do that?

That was why Wang Dingbei was willing to hold down the fort for a man like that. You can’t have your general fighting a war outside, only to come home to a trivial mess.

Right now, Yu Dong and his team were away from the base.

This was the perfect opportunity for Wang Dingbei to go check on the brig and see what the hell was going on.

If Chen Guangzong hadn’t brought it up, Wang might have let it slide. But now that he mentioned it... it did feel like Yu Dong had deliberately replaced the brig guards with his own men.

It seemed normal on the surface, but in reality... it felt a little too deliberate.

Of course, it was also possible Chen Guangzong was just talking out of his ass.

Wang Dingbei took a few of his men and headed up to the 9th floor to take a look around.

The moment they entered, Sun Yu and the other two guards instinctively shot to their feet, their bodies tense.

Seeing that, the veteran detective instantly knew.

...

「That evening.」

When Yu Dong returned with his team, he was summoned by Wang Dingbei to the leadership council’s office.

"What’s the rush, Wang? I haven’t even had a hot meal..."

Entering the office, Yu Dong saw Wang Dingbei, Lin Mo, and Sun Yu’s three-man group in handcuffs, surrounded by members of the Security Team.

Instantly, his expression changed.

"Wang, what is the meaning of this?"

"What do *I* mean? What do *you* mean? You plant your men to control the brig, then you spirit Cai Hong and Zhao Yun away... What did you do to them?"

Yu Dong glanced at Sun Yu. The man’s chin was high, his face full of pride.

’Looks like Wang Dingbei didn’t get anything out of him...’

’Besides, Sun Yu is my man. Wang Dingbei wouldn’t have used force on him.’

He just hadn’t expected... He’d only sent the prisoners away yesterday, and Wang Dingbei had already caught on today.

’And he’d thought their plan was so clever...’

After a few more rotations, the brig would have been completely controlled by the Combat Team members who didn’t go on outside missions.

Lin Mo was also looking at Yu Dong with bewilderment.

"Yu Dong, it’s been so long. I can’t believe you’d want to use extralegal means to get rid of those two now... Is there some special reason for doing this?"

"You’d better give us a good reason," Wang Dingbei added, his eyes fixed on Yu Dong. He didn’t want to believe that Yu Dong was still trying to secretly kill people through extralegal means. If so, everything he had worked for would have been for nothing.

If Yu Dong insisted on going down this path, he would personally arrest him today...

Xiao Dabe and Yang Ze from the Security Team had also arrived, along with Chen Guangzong and Jing Yanwei from the Ship Services Team.

They all stared at Yu Dong, their expressions a mixture of doubt, confusion, and worry.

They were all waiting for him to give an explanation.

A wave of pressure descended on Yu Dong. How would he handle this?

’Should he admit, in front of all these people, that he sent them off for drug trials?’

Just then, the sound of heavy, numerous footsteps echoed from behind Yu Dong!

Zhao Youcai came striding in, followed by the fully-armed Combat Team!

Every member was holding a compound crossbow as they stormed into the leadership council office at Zhao Youcai’s lead.

"Nobody move!"

They aimed their crossbows at everyone in the room.

Wang Dingbei and Xiao Dabe moved their hands to their waists, but Zhao Youcai stopped them. "Don’t do that, Officer Wang, Officer Xiao... There are more than a hundred of us."

In the narrow cruise ship corridor, the column of over a hundred people seemed to stretch on endlessly, completely trapping them inside the office.

People from an adjacent office heard the commotion and peeked out, only to be immediately driven back inside by the Combat Team members.

The situation reversed in an instant. The Combat Team had taken control of the office.

Everyone present was stunned. They hadn’t expected the Combat Team to actually... resort to force.

When Chen Guangzong saw Zhao Youcai stride in, he wanted nothing more than to slap himself across the face.

’Why the fuck did I have to be so nosy!’

’I’m so screwed!’

’I’m really, truly screwed this time!’

Yang Ze’s expression was complicated as he looked at Yu Dong, Wang Dingbei, and Lin Mo. He was becoming more and more confused about his own position... He no longer knew which side he was on.

Wang Dingbei’s face was ashen. He had never imagined that Yu Dong’s prestige within the Combat Team had reached such a point. The Combat Team recognized only Yu Dong and Zhao Youcai, and completely disregarded the rest of them...

They aimed their crossbows at the leadership without the slightest hint of hesitation on their faces!

’Is this the Combat Team that Yu Dong cultivated with vast sums of money?’

’He gave them the best privileges, and they repaid him with unparalleled loyalty...’

At that moment, Wang Dingbei finally understood why Yu Dong never disciplined his men. These people had practically become his private army...

’If these men decided to get vicious today, he and everyone with him could die right here.’

’What in the world... could make Yu Dong and Zhao Youcai this reactive?’