Chapter 133: Military Mutiny

Chapter 133: Mutiny

Xia Zheng returned to his quarters with Luo Bing, and shortly after, the six other officers who supported him knocked and entered.

These six officers had all worked under him during this period and had become his loyal followers. Soldiers admire strength; without Xia Zheng’s leadership during this time, the current situation would not exist. Caines’s prestige was built solely on the advantage of his rank, and he had never truly gained the support of the majority.

Moreover, Caines’s actions today had demoralized his subordinates. General Song Ze was the beacon of this army, and now that the General was facing a life-or-death crisis, Caines was using the excuse of waiting for reinforcements to stall, which was effectively abandoning the Eternal District.

"Everyone, the Eternal District is in grave danger. If we wait for reinforcements from the Federation to clear the outer perimeter, General Song and his men will have already perished. Therefore, I have decided to launch a direct assault on the vampire blockade surrounding the Eternal District. The number of vampires currently in the city, especially the elites, is not high. This is our only chance. Once they swarm into the city in large numbers, the Eternal Night City will fall, and we absolutely cannot allow that to happen." Xia Zheng’s eyes shone like stars, reflecting his high spirits.

The six officers expressed their positions one after another:

"Mr. Wood, we are willing to follow your orders."

"Caines only wants to preserve his own strength while disregarding General Song’s life."

"If the General falls, few of us will survive."

"Exactly, Mr. Wood. Tell us what to do."

Luo Bing finally interjected, "Wood, tell us your plan. As long as it doesn't trigger widespread infighting within the army, I will support you."

Xia Zheng thought for a moment and said, "Place Caines under house arrest and seize command! We must gain control of the army with minimal cost, then advance on the Eternal District."

"Good, I support you. You lot are responsible for suppressing Caines’s troops. I will lead Liu Chuxing, Sam, and the others to take down Caines. Wood, you don't need to get your hands dirty; you must oversee the big picture and maintain control when necessary," Luo Bing proposed.

Xia Zheng nodded. Caines was not particularly strong, and his personal guards would be no match for Star-Tier warriors like Luo Bing. A surprise strike was necessary to win in one fell swoop.

Under the arrangements made by Xia Zheng and his team, the military camp began secret maneuvers. Caines had increased his security, but he believed that Xia Zheng and Luo Bing would not dare to openly turn against him so quickly, as he was, by title, the supreme commander.

Around three or four in the morning, the time of deepest fatigue, several figures silently approached a nondescript tent. This was where Caines was resting; some of his subordinates had defected, exposing his location. These agile individuals quickly neutralized the sentries, moving with great speed.

Xia Zheng was busy studying data on the vampire barrier surrounding the Eternal District. According to reports from scouts, this barrier was even more powerful than the Peijer barrier he had encountered before, meaning this opponent would be much trickier. Last time, he had nearly died at the hands of a vampire with flesh wings, and only because Ellie had distracted it was he able to kill it in return.

"The vampire elites this time must be even stronger. However, I am no longer fighting alone." Xia Zheng knew that defeating vampire elites on his own would be difficult, potentially requiring a life-or-death struggle. But with the support of the army and the coordination of Star-Tier warriors like Luo Bing, he could act with more composure. For instance, the technique he had never used before—"Fly"—might prove to be a decisive factor.

As he spent more time in the instance, his spiritual power grew significantly. His mental sea expanded, allowing him to hold more consciousness, and he no longer worried about the spiritual cost of his common skills. Even the "Blazing Ice Sword," a fusion technique, could now be executed with ease.

Xia Zheng sat cross-legged in his tent, cultivating his spirit while waiting for good news from Luo Bing. The sentries outside respected him and would not disturb him. He took out his spiritual beads to channel his energy. Currently, each bead could only hold half of his total capacity, and he realized he needed to find a more suitable container, or the beads would eventually lose their utility.

As he finished channeling into the third bead, a sentry outside signaled that there was news. Xia Zheng immediately stopped his cultivation and stepped outside to see Liu Chuxing, who was carrying a man over his shoulder. The man was bound and gagged—it was none other than Caines.

Removing the gag, Caines began to berate him, "Benson Wood, do you know what you are doing? Are you trying to incite a catastrophe?"

Xia Zheng shook his head. "You have lost the spirit of a soldier and have degenerated into a bureaucrat. General Song Ze is the banner of the Eternal Night City; he must not fall."

"I am merely following the orders of the Federation reinforcements! What is wrong with that?" Caines roared.

Xia Zheng said coldly, "The reinforcements do not know the current situation, nor do they understand that the Eternal District is in crisis. Did you ever explain these details to them? General Song Ze’s status is of great importance. If he meets with an accident because of your cowardice, how will you answer to your soldiers and subordinates?"

"I... I am a soldier. It is only right to obey my superiors." Caines’s voice grew weaker, no longer sounding righteous, though he continued to emphasize that he was just following orders.

Xia Zheng waved his hand for them to take him away and place him under house arrest; Caines would be handed over to a military tribunal later. As for whether the order existed and who had issued it, Xia Zheng had his doubts.

"How is the army? Any unrest?" This was Xia Zheng’s biggest concern, as Caines did have a faction of his own.

Luo Bing returned and said, "Don't worry. Our people have completely taken control of the army. Aside from some minor riots among the civilians, which have been resolved, there are no other problems."

"Good. Rest for one day. Put all of Caines’s cronies under house arrest and integrate the rest into the new army. We set out for the Eternal District tomorrow." After giving his orders, Xia Zheng followed Luo Bing to pacify the troops and explain the situation.

The next morning, Xia Zheng and Luo Bing led fifteen thousand elite troops, leaving five thousand behind to guard the base. The base held about fifty thousand new recruits and over two hundred thousand civilians, who would become the logistics hub for the front line against the vampires.

The No. 8 and No. 7 districts had been cleared, and the various zombies killed had been buried. Although the two urban areas were desolate, a new vitality was beginning to sprout.