Thinking back to how they had once looked down on Jin Xuyan and his team for choosing to leave the military during a national crisis, they now felt ashamed.
They didn't know what the Phantom Team had gone through in the past—but now they understood.
The team must have been deeply disappointed by the people they once protected and no longer had the will to serve a country that stood behind such citizens.
Five minutes later, the Eagle Team left the gas station, followed by Pei Yijun's team. Lying on the ground, the man watched them leave, despair filling his eyes.
If he had known it would end like this, why had he acted tough and gone against the captain?
Now, he could only blame his own arrogance. With such heavy injuries, he didn't even know if he could survive—let alone make it out of there.
After leaving the gas station, the Eagle Team drove straight toward the border.
Inside one of the vehicles, Wei Ying used his satellite phone to contact the base. After several attempts, the call finally connected.
"Speak," came a cold voice from the other end.
"Commander, we have almost reached the temporary survivor camp on the border of Lin'an city."
"Good. The personnel from the base have been waiting for you and your team. When you arrive, hand over the mission target to them."
"Commander, we encountered the Phantom Team. They handed over a large group of survivors, along with all their supplies."
Upon hearing this, the commander replied with a hint of joy, "Did they return with you?"
"No. Captain Jin said he and his team will no longer serve as soldiers. They promised their fallen comrades that they would search for their families. He hopes the leaders will allow them to retire in peace," Wei Ying responded.
As soon as he finished, the commander snorted and said, "As a soldier, it's not up to him to decide. Contact him and tell him to come back."
Wei Ying was silent for a moment before replying, "Commander, I'm afraid that's not possible."
"Why? Are you trying to protect him and go against the orders too?" the commander asked angrily.
"To ensure the safety of the mission target and civilians, the Phantom Team stayed behind to hold off a zombie horde. The number of zombies in the factory district was over two hundred thousand," Wei Ying said, his voice filled with regret.
There was no need for him to explain in detail. This information alone was enough to convey his meaning. With so many zombies, there is no way the Phantom team can survive.
There was a long silence on the other end. Then the commander let out a long sigh and said, "I understand. Settle the survivors in the temporary camp. We will send teams to escort them back to the base."
"Understood."
After ending the call, Wei Ying sighed deeply. The soldiers in the car had overheard the conversation, and all of them were filled with complex emotions.
There was pity and gratitude—but above all, admiration for the Phantom Team's courage. Even trained soldiers feared death. Yet, when danger came, the Phantom Team had sacrificed themselves without hesitation.
Their courage alone was enough to earn them the title of heroes.
While the atmosphere in Wei Ying's car was heavy, Rong Mo'er and Gu Shaoze were in another vehicle, busy counting their wealth.
"…56, 57, 58!"
Rong Mo'er looked at Gu Shaoze with sparkling eyes and said, "Shaoze, we have a total of 58 crystals. We won't need to worry about food for a while!"
Seeing her so happy, Gu Shaoze chuckled and replied, "We were lucky this time. No one picked up the crystals at the entrance, and we earned a lot from it."
Rong Mo'er tucked the crystals into a bag and asked, "Shaoze, do you think things will be better at the temporary survivor camp?"
Gu Shaoze thought for a moment, then shook his head as he looked out the window. "I'm afraid it will be worse."
Before she could ask why, he turned to her and continued, "Mo'er, you have seen how hard it is for soldiers to control the survivors. As more ability users appear, the law of the jungle will take over sooner or later."
"But… we still have the government and laws," Rong Mo'er said.
Shaking his head, Gu Shaoze lightly flicked her forehead and asked, "Do you really think people with superpowers will follow laws now?"
Rong Mo'er fell silent. Even she didn't want to be controlled anymore. It was impossible to expect others to follow rules she herself was unwilling to obey.
Seeing her expression, Gu Shaoze knew she understood. He patted her head gently and said, "Mo'er, this world isn't the same as before. Laws and governments no longer exist. The so-called government now is just a remnant of the past."
"They can only use military law to control people for now. However, with the production lines shut down, supplies will become more and more scarce. When that time comes, the ability users will be the ones who control the power. By then, true hell will begin."
Rong Mo'er's heart trembled with fear as she listened. Clenching her fists, she asked, "Shaoze, what should we do then?"
Gu Shaoze reached over and held her hand. With a soft smile, he said, "Mo'er, since we don't know how long we will live, why not forget the rules and just do our best to survive and enjoy our life to the fullest each day?"
Rong Mo'er looked at him and saw the hidden emotion in his eyes. When their gazes met, she quickly looked away, flustered.
She pulled her hand out of his grip and said, "Shaoze, you deserve someone better. You know that I—"
Before she could finish, Gu Shaoze gently covered her mouth with his hand and said with raised eyebrows, "So what? What happened back then wasn't your fault."
"If you want to blame someone, blame those beasts who hurt you. Blame me for not saving you. Blame anyone—but never blame yourself."