Volume Two The Expedition! Chapter Eighty-Three Return to G15!

Behind the G15 city wall, a vast swath of land had been leveled and cleared, where many soldiers were bending over, erecting a circle of tall iron fences, preliminarily isolating the area. Spotting the approaching swarm of transport planes flying over the sea, the busy soldiers all paused, turning their heads skyward. Even within the military, such a large-scale deployment of transport aircraft was rare; the sight was truly spectacular.

Upon receiving the news, Zhang Chu immediately stepped out of the building, smiling as he watched the planes soar overhead. From the faint blue glow emanating from the aircraft, he could easily tell this was another of Liu Cong’s masterpieces.

He grinned and chided his subordinate, “That kid—he never knows how to keep a low profile. Every time he comes, it’s a grand spectacle.”

The subordinate dared not comment so casually about the Sword Immortal, merely smiling in silence.

“Come, let’s go meet them. It’s been a while since we last saw each other,” Zhang Chu said, descending the wall by the stairs. By the time he reached the open ground, the thirty transport planes had already landed in perfect formation, utterly silent.

Liu Cong had just touched down when Zhang Chu, grinning broadly, strode up and embraced him in a firm hug before exclaiming heartily, “Brother! It’s been a while since we last met—I’ve missed you!”

Seeing Zhang Chu again, Liu Cong felt a surge of happiness. Among all the people he’d met, only Zhang Chu treated him without reserve; everyone else was unfailingly cautious and guarded around him, their words always measured.

“Uncle Zhang, it hasn’t been that long, has it? Didn’t we just part last week?”

“Ah, but you know what they say: ‘A day apart feels like three autumns.’ When people are close, even a day apart feels like forever. I get restless if I don’t see you for a day! Hah!”

Liu Cong stepped a bit further away, feigning annoyance. “Uncle Zhang, I haven’t missed you at all, so don’t get your hopes up. Why don’t you go ahead and settle the people on the planes? We’re on a tight schedule for the next trip.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve arranged everything. These residents will stay in our wall barracks for now—plenty of rooms and security. Food, bedding, supplies—all requisitioned from various safe zones. They won’t go hungry, not even a little.”

“Is that really okay? If the houses go to them, where will all the soldiers sleep?”

“It’s nothing. G15 is welcoming so many guests—we can’t treat them poorly. We’ve already set up temporary tents on the city wall for ourselves. That’ll do for a while. Once the engineering vehicles arrive from the other side, we’ll build a new safe zone right behind here. When it’s ready, they’ll move in.”

“Zhang Chu, you’re generous.” Liu Cong flashed a thumbs-up. “Since everything’s settled, should I tell them to disembark?”

“Go ahead. Everything’s ready.” Zhang Chu smiled at the tightly closed hatches of the transport planes, mentally calculating how many of these Japanese soldiers he could retain for himself. His hospitality towards them was not without motive—word had it that many other safe zones already had their eyes on these Japanese troops, petitioning their superiors for a share.

Everyone wanted to bolster their own defensive strength. Although every safe zone was recruiting new soldiers, urging residents to enlist, they were all green recruits in the end, with little combat experience and few fit for real battle. Forcing them onto the battlefield would only waste ammunition—and risk desertion in the heat of combat, with unforeseeable consequences. Thus, these defecting Japanese soldiers had become the most valuable resource, second only to water and food.

As the hatches opened in succession, nearly ten thousand people poured off the planes like a tide. A small contingent of G15 soldiers stood in formation, holding an immense banner that read: “China Welcomes You!”

Since joining the construction here, the G15 soldiers had led isolated lives—endless training and only the occasional surge of excitement when fending off mutant creatures. This rare spectacle drew them all to the walls, eager to witness this grand arrival of tens of thousands.

As the crowd gathered on the ground, the G15 soldiers were delighted to notice that the majority of these Japanese settlers were women. Eyes wide and unblinking, they stared down eagerly.

The commotion on the wall caught Zhang Chu’s attention. Glancing at his men, he shook his head with a smile. “Look at those boys—not sure how long it’s been since they’ve seen a woman. Just look at them!”

The officers behind Liu Cong and Zhang Chu chuckled knowingly. One young officer even sidled up, grinning. “Commander, if there’s a chance, you’ve got to set me up with one of them! I’m not greedy—just one for each of our company would do.”

“Get out of here! Is this something you can just assign? There’ll be plenty of opportunities to get to know each other. Whether it works out depends on you. I’m still single myself—how could I assign you a match? Dream on!”

Zhang Chu laughed and cursed good-naturedly, but the idea lingered in his mind. After all, G15 had provided these Japanese with shelter; they ought to organize some events to bring everyone together—why let opportunities slip away?

Liu Cong smiled throughout, saying nothing. He had worried that the people he’d brought would be a burden to G15, draining resources. Now, seeing the soldiers so welcoming, he felt as if he was helping to fulfill the wishes of others.

All 27,000-plus had disembarked, crowding the area around the planes, leaving no space between them. In this foreign land, the Japanese newcomers looked around cautiously, but were awestruck by the imposing G15 complex. Compared to this, their own country’s safe zones seemed utterly unimpressive. The towering walls stretched beyond sight, and for many, this was their first time abroad. Their last traces of anxiety melted away, replaced by a profound sense of security.

Under the timid gaze of the Japanese residents, Liu Cong pulled out his phone and opened an instant translation app. “To our guests from Japan: welcome! This is the G15 Safety Line of China, and it will be your new home. Standing beside me is General Zhang Chu, the highest authority of the G15 line. Now, let him say a few words.”

With Liu Cong’s careful control, the phone’s speaker, though quiet, carried the message to everyone present. Each sentence was delivered in both Chinese and Japanese, clear and audible.

When Zhang Chu received the phone, he shot Liu Cong a surprised look—he hadn’t expected this part. Still, as a general, impromptu speeches were second nature in China’s officialdom.

“Greetings, residents of Japan!” Zhang Chu began with a friendly smile. The distant newcomers responded with enthusiastic applause—over ten thousand hands clapping together, the sound crashing like waves.

He waited for the applause to subside before launching into a speech that lasted nearly half an hour, eloquent and inspiring. He concluded with the very words these Japanese residents most needed to hear: “We have prepared rooms for you. It may be a bit crowded for now, but a new safe zone will soon be built here. In the near future, this will become your new home!”

Finishing his address, Zhang Chu beamed, basking in the collective cheers of tens of thousands. Meanwhile, Liu Cong snatched back his phone, annoyed to see only a sliver of battery remaining—he silently cursed himself for not anticipating this.

If I’d known, I’d never have let that guy talk for so long!

Guided by the welcoming troops, the Japanese residents spontaneously lined up, following the soldiers up the wall’s staircase into their temporary new home within the colossal wall.

“Uncle Zhang, this is just the first group—there are nearly six hundred thousand more to come. Can this place really hold them all?” Liu Cong asked, puzzled. Though G15 looked enormous, accommodating six hundred thousand people was another matter—whether there were enough rooms remained a pressing question.

Zhang Chu simply smiled mysteriously. “You’ll find out whether we can fit them all once you bring them.”