Chapter 36: The Special Committee (3)

Squad tactics are divided into full-body shields and half-body shields. Full-body shields are used when facing a horde of zombies: shield bearers grip their shields with both hands, forming a defensive line. The second line consists of those wielding short steel pipes, and the third line is made up of those with long steel pipes. Half-body shields are better suited for offensive maneuvers and for clearing narrow spaces such as rooms.

Under Minister Ou’s direction, the Department of Health compiled and released the first edition of the “Survival Handbook” on the second day after the heavy rain, drawing upon collected reports and preliminary research: “Due to the impact of the virus, humanity faces an apocalypse. The world is witnessing various mutations. Mutated species statistics: Zombies—Sight: Zombies can see up to approximately forty meters. Hearing: Zombies move toward the source of sounds, so noise should be avoided when confronting them. Stamina: Zombies are regaining physical strength comparable to humans. For unknown reasons, they do not require rest as humans do; future developments remain uncertain. Method of killing: Destroy the brain. Color perception: Zombies are not sensitive to color. Smell: In still air, they can detect human scent within a forty-meter radius. Food: Currently known to feed on humans. Harm to humans: Humans bitten by zombies become zombies themselves; bites transmit infection, but other injuries do not. Animal mutations: Mammals have begun to mutate, becoming larger and stronger, though their habits have not yet changed. Do not display hostility when encountering animals. Future changes are unknown. Plant mutations: None have been observed so far.”

Human mutations: Humans have become stronger and have developed effective immunity to pre-apocalypse internal diseases. Future changes remain uncertain. Environment: No mutations have been detected in air or water sources.

At the same time, Minister Ou requested that the Special Committee provide methods for disposing of both zombie and human corpses. The mountains of bodies are a breeding ground for disease; already, the stench of decay lingers in the air—though this information was not released to the public.

Sun Xiaoshan walked to the third-floor Special Committee office in Mary Hospital and knocked on the door. “Come in,” came Li Fengyi’s voice. In the office, only Li Fengyi was present. “Sit,” he said, looking at Sun Xiaoshan—clad in a mud-stained army uniform, drenched from the rain, his hair plastered to his scalp, dark circles under his eyes.

“How are you feeling? Get some rest,” Li Fengyi said. “This war is far from over—we need to conserve our strength for the long haul.” His tone was caring, tinged with resignation.

“I’m fine, Li,” Sun Xiaoshan replied, accustomed to this sort of chaos. He remembered when Li Fengyi had first started his company; neither of them had any experience and muddled through as best they could. They had grown used to finding order in disorder. Now, just as they had finally prepared everything and were ready to make their mark, the apocalypse had arrived. “The basic structure is set up, and the essential equipment is ready. Now it’s just a matter of keeping things running.”

Li Fengyi had read his report. Currently, there were an information group, a mechanical group, and a construction group. The information group had begun dismantling electronic surveillance systems and planned to integrate them for intelligence gathering. The mechanical group focused on producing weapons and equipment per each department’s needs, while the construction group handled building projects as required.

Li Fengyi nodded. “You’ve worked hard, brother. Deputy Director Li and General Liu have stepped out for a moment but will return shortly. We’ll have a meeting to discuss the disposal of zombie and human corpses. Get some rest.”

An orderly poured a cup of water and set it before Sun Xiaoshan, who had already fallen into a deep sleep. Li Fengyi draped a jacket over him and, watching the sleeping Sun Xiaoshan—who looked like a child—sighed. Damn this apocalypse. At that moment, Li Qiang and General Liu returned. Li Fengyi raised a finger to his lips, signaling for quiet, and everyone moved softly, reading their documents as they waited.

When Sun Xiaoshan opened his eyes, he felt fully refreshed. Unaware that night had fallen, he listened to the relentless rain beating down, water cascading from the rooftop. The lights reflected against the curtain of rain, creating an almost idyllic illusion—if only it weren’t the end of the world.

“Minister Sun, you’re awake?” Li Qiang smiled when he noticed Sun Xiaoshan sitting up. He was one of those rescued from the tank by Sun Xiaoshan and had always regarded the young man as steady and capable.

“Minister Sun, have some food first—it’s just been reheated,” the orderly said, bringing over a meal container. Below were braised ribs stewed with potatoes, topped with two steamed buns—a work meal. The ribs had been found in the cold storage of the Jikelong supermarket; the warehouse was so large they hadn’t finished thawing everything before recapturing the site, and now the power was back on.

“Eat first, eat first,” Li Fengyi said with a smile, watching Sun Xiaoshan. “People live by their food, after all.”

Sun Xiaoshan devoured the meal, rubbing his stomach in satisfaction. The organization’s structure was basically settled, everyone’s roles were clear, and his own responsibilities were almost fully established. From here, maintaining and expanding would be simpler. Though the apocalypse brought chaos, a sense of stability was finally settling in his mind.

After he finished eating, the orderly took away the meal container.

“This meeting is mainly to discuss Minister Ou’s request regarding the disposal of zombie and human corpses,” Li Fengyi said, leading everyone into the meeting room and seating himself at the head of the long table. “We’d like to hear your thoughts.”

“There are basically two options—burial or cremation,” Sun Xiaoshan replied, already having considered the issue. “Both are difficult. The numbers are overwhelming—there are nearly twenty million in the city alone. Burial isn’t feasible; the city is densely packed with buildings, and there simply isn’t enough open space. Cremation presents two problems: fuel is scarce, and there’s nowhere suitable to do it. If a fire gets out of control, it could be disastrous. Production has completely stopped, and every resource is precious—if we accidentally burn more than intended, the loss would be immense.”

“What if we clear out a building and use it as a crematorium?” Li Fengyi asked. He knew the lack of land made burial impossible on a large scale, and interring the infected would risk leaving the virus lurking in the soil—a lingering threat. Cremation was thus the cleaner solution. His mind turned over the logistics.

Everyone pictured a single building incinerating twenty million corpses—flames roaring, humanity reborn in fire. The sheer scale was frightening; even the Nazi concentration camps paled in comparison, not to mention the atrocities of the Japanese.

“If we go that route, we could modify the building, stacking the bodies in layers to maximize fuel efficiency,” Sun Xiaoshan mused after a moment. “We’ll need a sturdy building, though—high temperatures could compromise the structure, risking collapse.”

Li Fengyi instructed the Ministry of Industry and Information to draw up the building requirements, for the Armed Forces to secure the site, and upon completion, to hand it over to the Ministry of Civil Affairs for operation.