Chapter 39: This World Can No Longer Be Led by You

"Two individual rocket launchers, DZJ19s. They look like a modification of the Type 08, lighter and smaller, but still single-use."

"Twelve 60mm mortar shells, all extended-range. They’re from the same batch we confiscated previously."

"Half a small crate of mixed ammunition, including 5.8mm and 7.62mm, about 800 rounds in total. The condition is a mess; I’d be surprised if we can salvage two hundred that are actually fireable."

"A large crate of hand grenades, all 82-2P1s—twenty-some pieces. These are surprisingly fresh; feels like they were pulled out of a sealed environment not long ago."

"Two pistols, I can't identify the model, but these things are actually .45 caliber. Do we even produce that caliber domestically?"

"And two Type 201 light machine guns, both the 7.62mm versions... unfortunately, they're rusted solid. Even if they could fire, there wouldn't be any power left in them."

In a makeshift outpost far from the camp, Chen Jian finished inventorying the weapons seized from the Terror Demon camp. His tone was puzzled as he said:

"Why does all this stuff feel so strange?"

"These Terror Demons usually rely on melee combat with cold steel. Based on the intel we got from you earlier, even when they do have firearms, they’re usually scavenged from nearby human settlements—mostly makeshift or modified guns."

"But now... these weapons we’ve found are all vintage gear."

"Especially this crate of grenades. There is no way they just picked these up as trash."

"Either someone is supplying them with weapons, or they’ve unearthed some sealed underground facility..."

Hearing this, Xu Lie, who had been silent until now, spoke up.

"The problem you’re describing is exactly what I’ve been thinking about—these Blood Skulls really are acting strangely."

"The appearance of those two Banshees here definitely wasn't a coincidence. I have a theory, though I don’t know if it’s correct."

"Speak your mind!"

Chen Jian set down the rocket launcher and looked straight at Xu Lie, waiting for his answer.

Xu Lie took a deep breath and replied:

"I suspect that the city of Huadu may have reached some sort of deal with the Blood Skulls."

"It’s almost certain that these weapons were transported from Huadu, with the intent of bolstering the Blood Skulls' combat capability."

"I don't recognize the other items you mentioned, but when it comes to grenades, Huadu is the place with the largest supply in the entire northern region. Even the Church of the Mechanical God down in Jinling sends specialists to Huadu to purchase them."

"They absolutely have the capacity to provide these things. I just can't fathom why they would..."

Xu Lie’s voice trailed off. Chen Jian frowned in thought for a moment, then asked:

"So, what exactly is Huadu, and where is it? And what exactly are these 'Banshees'?"

Before Xu Lie could answer, Xie Liu interjected:

"Huadu is north of Jinling. It used to be called Quancheng, a modest-sized settlement."

"I remember when I was a child, about a dozen years ago, the place was perfectly normal."

"But gradually, the rumors about it began to change."

"It transformed into a city... filled with desire, or more accurately, filled with lust."

"It’s as if everyone who goes there becomes corrupted, lost in an insatiable obsession with carnal pleasure."

"By the time I was fifteen and left Jinling for the first time on a mission from the Holy Blood Hall to Huadu, it had already completely devolved into a City of Depravity."

"Everyone there is addicted to physical pleasure, using all sorts of extreme means to satisfy their desires. It’s a horrifying scene."

"They changed the city's name from Quancheng to Huadu, established a city guard, and formed a religious group similar to the Holy Blood Hall. These so-called 'Banshees' are just a role within that organization."

"The city's administration is a total mess, but strangely enough, they have managed to survive in that environment, and their population is even growing."

"Moreover, within just the last two months, they’ve hunted down two Level 4 monsters in succession, displaying astonishing combat power."

"No one knows how they managed it, but regardless, they are still human, and they still trade with other cities and settlements."

"But now... if they have truly aligned themselves with the Blood Skulls, the situation has taken a turn for the worse. In any case, we must report this to the Holy Blood Hall as soon as possible."

"We cannot tolerate the emergence of new human enemies from within, in addition to the monsters and heretics we already face!"

Xie Liu looked deeply troubled, but Chen Jian had already grasped the heart of the matter.

Huadu wasn't the point; Quancheng was!

What kind of place was Quancheng? It was one of the cities with the highest concentration of military-industrial enterprises in the entire country!

No wonder they had so much pre-Catastrophe equipment; no wonder they were able to grow and thrive in this dangerous world.

They were living off the dividends of the old era, yet they weren't using those resources for the greater good.

Damn it, handing over such high-quality equipment to these brainless Blood Skulls—what on earth are you thinking?

Do you really think that as humans, you can rely on these monsters to help you expand your sphere of influence?!

Chen Jian’s brow furrowed tightly. He realized clearly that the reason human living space had been compressed so severely by these massive monsters was, in large part, not because the monsters were impossible to defeat, but because humanity itself could not fully unite!

The Church of the Mechanical God, the Holy Blood Followers, and now this inexplicable Huadu.

You are all truly hopeless.

It just goes to show how vital the rule of the three-person DZB squad is.

As long as the ideology is unified, even the strongest enemy can be defeated.

When there is no ideological unity, once a conflict breaks out, it's nothing but internal strife—strong against our own, weak against the world.

This world... it can no longer be led by the likes of you.

A major decision solidified in Chen Jian's mind. He looked at his teammates. The other three seemed to realize something as well; they didn't say a word, but they gave Chen Jian a silent, understanding nod.

The group in the temporary base fell silent. Xu Lie looked at Chen Jian, sensing a change in his eyes, though he couldn't guess what he was thinking.

After a brief rest, Chen Jian stood up and glanced at the watch on his wrist.

Then, he said:

"Based on the timing, the main force of the Terror Demons should have reached the Han River by now. The fighting there should be starting soon."

"Let's pull back. If the battle becomes too intense, we can lend a hand."

"Right."

"No problem."

The members of the Holy Blood squad stood up one by one. As they packed up the confiscated gear, Chen Jian silently used his eye-tracking function to input a few lines into his smart goggles:

"Equipment is now sufficient for combat operations."

"Next objective: Recon the Ordnance Engineering College and clear out the local monsters."

"If there are sufficient supplies there."

"We will settle there."

"And start our own path!"