As February flew by, the situation worsened.
Food was running out fast. Even fresh water was starting to be rationed strictly for everyone in the settlent.
Everyone in the unit could feel the disconnect between the governnt and the military, almost like mortal enemies who hated each other.
It wasn't just low-ranking soldiers like being cut back in salary. Active duty soldiers who had to risk their lives outside were a part of the cut.
All of the soldiers were unhappy. But we just had to stomach the cost. The governnt spokesperson's point was just too valid.
He pointed towards the decreasing number of loots to the ever-expanding population size that the governnt had to support.
The only fortunate news we got was the promise that there won't be another budget cut. But soon, that promise was broken.
I could still rember that day. April 3, 2021.
Two days since April Fool's and a day from Qingming Festival, the governnt revealed an important announcent to the public.
It wasn't just another budget cut that the soldiers had to stomach. But all senior officers are being forced to face a re-evaluation for misconduct.
Just a single senior officer being found guilty, the entire unit was supposed to be disbanded and ejected from the military.
This was the final nail in the coffin.
Within a single eting, all five of the senior officers orchestrated a coup with their most trusted soldiers.
The fighting lasted surprisingly long, as salvage groups tried to assist the governnt in fighting back against the army.
By the ti the sun had gone up, there was a new ruler in town.
A new committee, made up of all five senior officers and two forr governnt officials who sided with the army.
All of the budget cuts were cancelled, and the food crisis was resolved by seizing all the food from salvage groups that had 'rebelled.'
In the end, everything seed to go in a positive direction once again... until the sumr rolled around.
---
A mass exodus.
It wasn't from the civilian whose life had only gotten worse since the military takeover. But rather, the zombies.
Every single day, there was a zombie horde marching towards us. Even I was conscripted to the front line for the first ti.
We were to face the zombie before it got close to the wall, which ant I was standing along my peers, right outside the entrance.
My heart was filled with excitent when I fired a live bullet for the first ti. Almost half a year ago, I was drafted into the army.
An actual bullet that landed on a zombie's head. Killing them on the spot as more zombies quickly filled the gap.
It soon beca a daily routine.
Every morning, we rotated soldiers in and out as we fought day and night. Just always more zombies to shoot at every day.
Soon, the senior officers decided to retreat to the walls as we began to run out of ammo.
As more and more zombies began to pile up against the wall, people started to panic. Even the soldiers were starting to get a little nervous.
Rumors of imminent collapse began to spread like fire. The ever-increasing zombie howls added to the spark as people began to panic.
The hope of the zombie going away on its own was gone. The reassurance from the military committee only made the situation worse.
Just as the zombies were about to reach the top of the wall, a miracle appeared.
Waves upon waves of soldiers appeared from the southern entrance, clearing all the outside zombies for us as their commander t with our senior officers.
After a day of fighting, the ergency was lifted.
The zombies at the entrance were now gone. Only ashes and smoke remained as corpses were being burned on the spot.
I even get to et with several of the soldiers who helped us as they stayed at our barracks for a few days.
All of them were sailors and soldiers from Fujian, trying to reunite with the Central Command in Beijing.
Many of them tried to convince us to join in, but I rejected their offer just like everyone else.
No one wanted to leave their family behind. Not for so imagined destination that is probably filled with zombies at this point.
---
Just a week after the Fujian soldiers had left, the zombies reappeared once again.
This ti, it was greater than any numbers we had ever faced. We were instantly forced back into the wall once again as we ran out of ammo.
It almost felt like a deja vu.
The sa scenario was unfolding right before my eyes, except the civilians were surprisingly taking the military committee's word at face value.
All of the civilians were thinking that a miracle was going to happen again. But as days continued to pass, the promise was becoming less likely.
As I was assigned to patrol the streets with my fellow unit, a new rumor appeared.
So of the senior officers' relatives were sneaking out through the southern entrance, the only entrance that zombies didn't surround.
Did I know it was true or not? It didn't matter at this point. Everyone was trying to figure out a way to leave.
But not a single person could leave. Not even the most trusted soldier to the senior officer could allow their relative and family mbers to leave.
All of the exits were closed off.
No soldiers, including , were allowed to leave as the active duty soldiers continued to follow orders.
Why? Because high-up said drawing zombies towards our only remaining exit was suicide.
As one of the senior officers in the committee promised, "we can all leave when the ti is right.'
It was bullshit.
The biggest bullshit lie I had been told by soone who was supposed to be trustworthy. I could still vividly rember the day everything fell apart.
In the middle of July of 2021.
An explosion went off right at the entrance. The reinforced steel door collapsed, followed by more and more explosions.
The front entrance mine was instantly triggered. All of the fuel stockpile next to the mines instantly engulfed the entrance in fla.
It was everyone for themselves... Except for and my fellow unit mbers.
We had been planning an escape route for ourselves the whole ti, ever since the first disaster had struck.
A tunnel goes underneath the wall, leading a mile out from the wall itself. Fully hidden within an abandoned building.
Every single penny was spent towards it. Buying drills, sledgehamrs, shovels, and every tool we could think of to speed up the construction.
As my fellow mbers ran back ho to get their relatives, I myself was running as fast as I could to get back ho.
When I saw Jieqiong and my parent standing by the door with their luggage, I imdiately threw it aside.
"There's no ti! We need to run now! The zombies are here!"
Thankfully, they all listened as they started running alongside , going through the streets as people had run long ago.
Reaching closer and closer to the southern exit, the entire road was filled with people trying to leave.
So were walking casually, while others were carrying their backpack, trying to get past the traffic jam.
I quickly led my family off the main road, taking a small detour before finally arriving at the abandoned building.
"Is everyone here?" I urgently asked, seeing one of my fellow unit mbers standing right at the entrance.
"Old Ping and Liu Huang aren't here yet." He answered.
"Shit... They are on their own. Let's go."
As I led everyone inside the building, they were all shocked by the dark tunnel ahead of them.
It was just tall enough to enter inside with their back bend. Just wide enough to lie down with their hands closed.
I signalled everyone to crawl as it was much faster. Along the way, we could hear noises far behind us.
It was clear my fellow unit had finally arrived alongside their family mber. Still, we continued forward without waiting for them.
After crawling on my knees for almost an hour, we finally reached a small light at the end of the tunnel.
We were now in the middle of a small forest. Behind us was the massive wall that we had just escaped from.
The place that we had lived for almost a year was now behind us forever.
"Fuck, my knees are burning." My younger sister complained as her pants had a massive hole from the friction.
"I wouldn't complain if I were you. Be happy you're alive... Zhaoxun, good luck to you and your family."
"Good luck."
I waved goodbye as my fellow unit mber walked off into the forest with his family, disappearing from my sight forever.
"Why don't we go together with them?" My Mom curiously asked.
"We already decided to go our separate ways... Co on, let's go. I don't want to stay here in this forest any longer."
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