Chapter 77: Battle with the Mutant Beast (Part 1)

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The field army, after encountering rabbits the size of wolves and sheep as large as calves in the wild, had grown accustomed to these enlarged but not particularly ferocious animals. Despite their less aggressive nature, their increased size made them difficult to capture for meat—the animals were no fools, after all. If the gigantism of herbivores posed little harm to humans, the predators—wolves, tigers, leopards, bears, crocodiles—kept in zoos were not to be underestimated.

After the apocalypse, zookeepers would no longer be there to feed them meat. What would these animals do when hungry? Naturally, they would seek out fresh meat. Whether they would eat zombies was uncertain, but humans would certainly appear on their menu.

Each animal claimed its own territory, fiercely protective of its domain. Their enlarged bodies now far exceeded the confines of the zoo, spreading into the surrounding areas. The garrison troops piled up every available car, creating five rows and ten layers of the sturdiest barricade to halt the animals’ expansion. Signs of animal impacts were everywhere, many vehicles flattened as if run over by tanks. Giant birds began soaring over Beijing's skies—this was July 26th, the fifty-sixth day of the apocalypse.

The garrison at headquarters was at a loss, suffering casualties. When they discovered the beasts had developed a taste for human flesh, they quickly retreated and hid.

Li Fengyi reviewed the report and, accompanied by Li Qiang, the staff office, two garrison commanders, and three field army commanders, ascended the Xizhimen Overpass at the edge of the expanded Beijing Zoo territory. There was no need for binoculars; everyone could see plainly—the creatures’ size was astonishing.

Beijing's dense population meant that, aside from some wild rabbits and small animals, Li Fengyi had never seen so many giant, ferocious beasts. The scene was silent, as if everyone feared attracting the beasts. No one dared breathe heavily; they simply stared, dumbfounded, as a colossal elephant effortlessly wrapped its trunk around a tall tree, and a giraffe stretched its neck up to the height of a thirty-story building, banging its neck against a skyscraper, a giant lion hanging from its body—the lion itself over ten meters long...

"I heard there used to be people who stole dogs to eat," Li Fengyi mused, watching a pack of hyenas as large as pre-apocalypse lions chase a zebra out of the zoo. "They would mix poison into the meat... After poisoning, they'd discard the organs and eat the rest..."

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Li Qiang’s eyes bulged like cow’s eggs—“There really is a way...”

He nodded vigorously and said, "Boss, I always knew that if you handle something, it’s no longer a problem..."

The Organization Department provided several surviving veterinarians. When told they were to kill lions over ten meters long and hyena packs as big as pre-apocalypse lions, one of them lost control and wet his pants, wailing, “I stole that can yesterday, you don’t have to punish me like this, right?”

Li Fengyi’s mother's breeding team supplied copious fresh rabbit meat—the veterinarians were also scheduled to be assigned to the breeding group. Sun Xiaoshan had modified a ballista; given the limited suppressive power of bows and crossbows, their use had been experimental and otherwise idle—now, they served the beasts’ final meal.

With the help of researchers from the newly established Chemistry Division, the veterinarians identified 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, the most toxic synthetic compound on Earth, comprising 210 compounds and nine hundred times more potent than arsenic.

Disagreements arose over calculating lethal doses—no one had experience with such gigantic animals, nor could anyone guarantee the poison’s effectiveness.

Li Fengyi gritted his teeth—if they made a move, it had to be decisive. Would they expect the surviving beasts to thank them for the meal?

He ordered, "Double the calculated lethal dose." Ballistae atop buildings around the zoo launched poisoned fresh meat in wide, overlapping arcs. As for herbivores, the Special Committee planned to observe their habits and determine if large-scale breeding could address humanity’s meat supply.

The ballistae, with a range of six hundred meters, fired rapidly. The carnivorous beasts eagerly chased the meat raining from above. The zoo animals, accustomed to being fed, readily ate it; their wild counterparts might reject dead food, but the cunning staff had devised a plan—they would tie poison packets to gentle rabbits and throw them to the wild carnivores.

An elderly veterinary expert paced beside a ballista, hands clasped behind his back, watching one after another of the poisoned carnivores collapse.

Many animals struggled desperately before dying, wreaking havoc as they thrashed.

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The veterinary expert wept. He had worked at the Beijing Zoo for many years, spending more time with the animals than with his own family. Just as he was about to retire, he found himself poisoning the creatures with his own hands...

The Ministry of Civil Affairs promised to process and remove the toxin-laden stomachs and other organs, and offered him several extra kilos of good meat. Tears streamed from his eyes, saliva from his mouth, as he hurriedly agreed.

Thus, Li Fengyi resolved the mutant beast infestation at the zoo, earning his place once more in the annals of post-apocalyptic human heroes. Survivors across the bases cheered his actions. Before this, many bases in the mountains and forests had already been destroyed by mutant beasts; some began to imagine poisoning the aquatic mutants as well. From then on, the importance of poisons in all bases rose dramatically...

With the zoo cleared, the usual protocol followed: the Special Committee convened.

After the ** district was cleared, the Committee debated whether to relocate to Zhongnanhai. The conclusion: it was unsuitable to move there. Instead, they chose the Beijing Hotel east of **, adjacent to Wangfujing Avenue, fulfilling Li Fengyi’s long-held ambition to move his company step by step toward the inner city, eventually opening on Chang'an Avenue.

“We’re just a makeshift troupe,” Li Fengyi confided anxiously to Commander Liu when Sun Xiaoshan was present. “We shouldn’t seize the boss’s place just because he’s away—that’s not right.”

Another reason for Li Fengyi’s anxiety was hearing from Wang Shujuan that Commander Liu seemed very invested in the agricultural and breeding teams, often visiting his mother’s group to offer guidance.

Commander Liu chuckled, "That’s true—Xiao Li’s awareness has improved. Tell Civil Affairs to speed up the cleanup plan, have the Armed Forces and Public Security send people to watch. Both Zhongnanhai and the National Security Bureau here have many confidential documents; I hope we find some clues, but confidentiality must be maintained. I do know a few emergency plans, but haven’t found traces of them yet."