One Thousand Two Hundred Thirty-Six, Seen the Light

Martial law was already in place in the No. 144 fortress. Zhang Xiaoman led a full infantry brigade and set up checkpoints in various important streets in the fortress to ensure order during the retreat.

His task is to keep civilians safe from harm, in case someone takes advantage of the chaos.

Before that, everyone was still discussing in the conference room what unexpected situations would happen during the evacuation process and what contingency plans should be made.

When it came to this, everyone turned their attention to Ren Xiaosu.

After all, looking at the entire barrier alliance, Ren Xiaosu is the only person who can be called the barrier destroyer.

Counting down Ren Xiaosu's experience, he has experienced 90% of the barriers in this barrier alliance were destroyed.

After the earthquake, the No. 113 fortress was attacked by experimental subjects and human face bugs and destroyed.

Li's barrier was attacked by Li Shentan and the experimental body and destroyed.

Yang's fortress was attacked by Li's nano warriors and nearly destroyed.

The Zhou's No. 74 barrier was besieged by the experimental body, and was later destroyed by the Qing's nuclear bomb blast.

The No. 61 barrier suffered the disaster of the crawling tiger and was destroyed.

Tinder Barrier, Kong's Barrier...

Even the cities of the wizarding country are no exception.

It seems that Ren Xiaosu is either destroying the barrier, or on the way to destroy the barrier.

Even the cause of all this destruction has nothing to do with him.

So when these series of data were all put together, everyone in the conference room hoped that Ren Xiaosu could start from his own experience and talk about what to pay attention to on the way to evacuate.

Although the barriers No. 145, 144, 146, and 143 have not been destroyed, they are actually the same in nature. In the face of force majeure, the original order has been destroyed to a certain extent.

Ren Xiaosu looked at everyone's expectant eyes and couldn't help sighing in his heart, this is not a topic worth pondering about, he would rather have never experienced this.

"If order breaks down on the way to evacuate, then all the evils you can imagine will happen," Ren Xiaosu said, "There is no longer trust between people, but this is not something they can decide for themselves. It's the drowning people, all they can do is grab every straw.

"

"Everyone started rushing into stores in the fort, or other people's homes, and plundering other people's property in a rude and barbaric way as a bargaining chip for their own survival."

"Children, women, and the elderly will become the most vulnerable groups on the way to escape. Some men begin to try again to master the most primitive power, control the means of production, and control everyone's freedom."

"Food and medicine have become the most scarce resources, and the value of currency is constantly devalued. If everyone is in a state of starvation, then one bite is likely to cause death."

"People started swearing at the people in power because it was the consequences of the people in power. But soon they stopped swearing because their minds were on running away and they didn't care about anything else."

In fact, Ren Xiaosu had never personally experienced the most painful thing in the world on the way to escape, because he had the strength.

But most people are not as lucky as him. Sometimes the fleeing team stops and starts again, leaving some dead bodies in the original camp.

No one cares how they died, it could be robbed, it could be violated, anything is possible.

Ren Xiaosu continued: "At the moment of the war, of course we can't spend more energy to escort the civilians, but the necessary supplies have to be provided. As long as everyone can eat a bite, the situation will not be desperate and desperate. There are fewer people."

So, the top priority on this evacuation road is food.

The large fields of potatoes, winter melons, and pumpkins that Zhou Yingxue had planted at will have become the key to this evacuation.

The crops planted by the maids have unbelievably high yields.

In order to protect the economic ecology within the barriers, Wang Yuexi had been reluctant to put these crops into the market on a large scale, and he even quarreled with Zhou Yingxue about this.

And now in the turbulent times, their role will come into play.

Although there are fewer varieties of these foods, it is almost enough to not starve to death at this time, and no one will pay so much attention to it.

Large quantities of supplies were transported to the gate to the west of the fortress, and some were transported to the northwest to build relief stations in the wilderness.

Relief stations are set up about every 80 kilometers. The normal escape speed of refugees is considered. Under normal circumstances, they can walk 60 kilometers a day. The relief stations are enough to ensure that refugees will not starve to death on the road.

When the broadcast sounded from all corners of the barrier, Zhang Xiaoman's infantry brigade immediately raised its vigilance.

But what surprised them was that when the residents in the No. 144 fortress learned that they were going to retreat, their first reaction was not panic, but silence and curiosity.

In the silence, military trucks and material vehicles drove away towards the west, and there was indeed an atmosphere of imminent storm.

Out of nowhere, there was a sound of glass breaking.

A few young people were standing on a street with less traffic. After hearing the broadcast, they thought their chance was coming, so they found a grocery store selling tobacco and alcohol, and wanted to take advantage of the chaos to loot the store.

In their view, this brick is like a signal, as long as it is smashed out, then the barrier will immediately become chaotic, and no one will have time to control them.

More than a year ago, when Zong's barriers were broken, something similar happened, and now they are quite familiar with it.

However, this time was different. They just threw the bricks out, but found that the surrounding residents were watching them indifferently.

No one followed, a piece of glass smashed the window, but in the sound of shattering, the atmosphere became more and more strange and silent.

Their momentum weakened a little, and then one by one, they were ready to escape like children who had done something wrong.

An aunt shouted on the side of the road: "Then who, aren't you a child of Lao Li's family in the street, hurry up and go home, or see how your father treats you."

Before he finished speaking, the young men who smashed the glass disappeared.

Before a farce started, it ended in a hurry.

Someone started to find the soldiers of the infantry brigade and asked: "Is this broadcast a prank? Who is the enemy? Is there an enemy that our Northwest Army is so powerful that we can't beat it? What do we need to do?"

Many soldiers were stunned by these words. They already knew what kind of enemy was coming, and they also knew that the Northwest Army would be difficult to contend with.

But the commoners don’t think so, the communication is interrupted, and even the newspapers don’t know what happened in the Central Plains. The common people only think that in the northwest home field, the young marshal and the sixth field division have destroyed even the wizarding kingdom. The storytellers talk about how powerful the Northwest Army is every day.

So everyone felt that the Northwest Army was the most powerful, how could they be forced to retreat?

The infantry brigade soldier said: The enemy is very powerful.

The old man on the side said with a smile: Be confident, everyone believes that you can win.

The infantry brigade soldier explained: We really can't beat this plain terrain.

The uncle said: Really, I don't believe it.

The infantry brigade soldier said: We are retreating strategically. This place will soon become the main battlefield. You will be affected by the war if you stay here.

Until this time, the uncle said: Aoao, strategic retreat, I understand strategy, then we will retreat!

The soldiers of the infantry brigade put in a lot of effort before the civilians gathered around waiting for an explanation to go home and pack their things.

The barrier administrators headed by Wang Yuexi were in a hurry. They began to urge everyone to evacuate through the broadcast, and told everyone some interpretable questions on the broadcast.

For example, it is necessary to travel lightly, such as how to follow the large troops, such as how to find a supply and rescue point, such as starting as soon as possible, such as women with children, and the elderly can go to the military control area of ​​the 6th Field Division in the fortress, and accept unified arrangements for evacuation.

A large area of ​​vacant land has been vacated in the refugee market town at the west gate of the barrier, and all residents who pass through and evacuate westward will be able to receive a portion of boiled potatoes.

When Zhang Xiaoman came to inspect the place, he originally thought it would be very messy, and there might even be a situation where refugees scramble for food.

But in fact, no such thing happened. The evacuated civilians lined up in an orderly line to receive relief food, and then followed the evacuated troops to the northwest.

In the beginning, Zhang Xiaoman felt that he had arranged it well. He had brought the situation under control so quickly, and he could go to the young marshal for credit at night.

In the face of the infantry brigade with guns and live ammunition, who would dare to cause chaos to the Northwest Army at this time?

However, he gradually discovered something strange. Some people who tried to jump in the queue were scolded by other civilians before the infantry brigade soldiers could catch them out, so they could only honestly queue up at the back.

Some people who received and hid behind the team again and again, wanting to cheat another relief food, were also identified by other civilians and expelled from the team.

Some refugees did not go to receive food at all.

Zhang Xiaoman stopped an aunt who didn't receive food with some doubts, and then asked, "Auntie, why don't you go to get food? Is it because my soldiers have a bad attitude or don't give you food?"

The aunt was happy: "Isn't there another supply point 80 kilometers away? My family still has a lot of food, so it won't even last 80 kilometers. The boy in my neighbor said, you have to stay. Coming down to fight the enemy, and the food is not necessarily enough, I thought I would not cause you any trouble."

As she said that, the aunt opened the cloth bag she was carrying, and there was actually fried oil pancakes in it: "Do you want to eat it?"

Before Zhang Xiaoman refused, the aunt stuffed a piece of oil cake into Zhang Xiaoman's hand.

Zhang Xiaoman wondered why this was different from what the young marshal said.

...

Not only Zhang Xiaoman was puzzled, but Ren Xiaosu was also a little puzzled.

He walked on the street with Yang Xiaojin, and the sights that he could see during the escape had not yet happened at the No. 144 barrier.

However, Ren Xiaosu quickly understood: "The war did not really spread here, so the residents of the No. 144 barrier did not have the panic I had seen before. With the relief station and proper transparency of information, they did not really feel it. Hunger and fear. So there's still some rationality here."

Yang Xiaojin said: "It's also that everyone can trust the Northwest Army."

Ren Xiaosu shook his head: "In an extreme situation, what is trust worth? When I was not an extraordinary person, I also felt that kind of fear. Even when I sleep, I need someone to watch the night, so what kind of trust is there with strangers. I hope the Northwest will not become like that, until the real disaster comes, we can only do our best to maintain the status quo."

Yang Xiaojin smiled and said, "You don't have to be so humble. You, Wang Yuexi, Uncle Fugui and the others also deserve credit for this."

Ren Xiaosu shook his head again, but did not continue to argue.

He rarely believes in human nature because he has seen so many inhuman things.

Therefore, Ren Xiaosu feels that the refugees have not reached the most violent step now, probably because they have not yet figured out what situation they are facing.

At this time, Ren Xiaosu actually saw an old man sitting on a pony in front of his house, calmly watching the residents of the barrier retreat.

Ren Xiaosu walked over and asked curiously, "Master, didn't you hear the broadcast? Old people over 55 need to hurry to the military control area on Anning East Road to gather, and there will be arrangements for you to retreat together."

The uncle glanced at Ren Xiaosu, then smiled: "No, you young people hurry up and leave, don't worry about me."

The uncle didn't seem to know Ren Xiaosu's identity, Ren Xiaosu wondered: "Aren't you leaving? Why? Is it because you have lived here for a long time and don't want to leave? Don't you know that the enemy is coming, the Northwest Army can't beat them, Staying here can only wait to die, or face a situation that is more unacceptable than death."

Ren Xiaosu sometimes wonders, do those who are controlled by Zero still have their own consciousness?

Maybe they can still see, they can hear, they can smell, they can taste.

But in this situation where all five senses are present, it is terrifying and cruel to be forced to eat insects and animal stumps to supplement protein, and to swallow raw animal viscera to supplement fat.

The uncle sat on the pony and raised his head and smiled at Ren Xiaosu: "I heard from the guy next door, that the enemy is coming, and the Northwest Army needs to make a strategic shift. I'm not nostalgic here, although I've lived here all my life, I also want to see the Northwest Army win. Peace and prosperity after the enemy. It's just that my leg is lame, I can't walk, and I can't get to Fort 178."

Ren Xiaosu wondered: "Isn't it clear enough on the radio? A 55-year-old like you doesn't have to go that far. Naturally, someone will arrange it for you."

The uncle smiled and said: "I know the Northwest Army has a good heart. It gathers women with children and old people together. It is estimated that they want to transport them together by vehicles, but with so many people in one barrier, how can the Northwest Army be busy here? The old bones won't bother them anymore."

Ren Xiaosu was a little helpless. Although the broadcast said unified arrangements for evacuation, it didn't mention the key gate. On the one hand, it was difficult to explain the operation mechanism of the key gate, and on the other hand, it was superfluous to explain this.

Ordinary residents understood what was going on when they heard the unified arrangement of the old, weak, women and children, but the uncle didn't want to cause trouble to the Northwest Army, so he simply stopped reporting to the military division.

Ren Xiaosu asked softly, "Why, wouldn't it be nice to have someone help you?"

The uncle smiled: "When I was young, Zong's family had the final say here. At that time, everyone didn't think it was too hard. Anyway, the consortium gave you a bite to eat, so you can make do with one bite, don't pay too much attention to it. Everyone. Although we all know that life is hard, but we can bear it. I think that this is the kind of life that everyone in the world lives. Everyone has an old legend that life is good at Fortress 178, but everyone has no idea because they didn’t go to see it with their own eyes. However, it just feels like a legend."

The uncle continued: "Then the Northwest Army of Fortress 178 came, and the atmosphere in the fortress finally became active. Everyone dared to speak loudly. The beautiful girl dared to dress up and go to the street. You don't have to be afraid when you see soldiers. There are beautiful girls who cut their hair short to be raised by boys, and they dare not let Zong's people see them. Only then did everyone realize that they used to live in a dark ditch, and now the sun has just come in. "

Ren Xiaosu asked, "Since the good days have just begun, we should live longer."

"You are a young man who doesn't understand," the uncle smiled. "What kind of enemy would it take to force the Northwest Army to retreat? It must be a terrible enemy, an enemy they can't defeat, right? The Northwest Army is coming. After the No. 144 barrier, it was to reduce taxes for everyone and set up an administrative service center. After the Northwest Army Major came, he also provided everyone with food, distributed fields for everyone, and led everyone to build water conservancy projects. At this time of crisis, If the Zong clan was changed, the soldiers would have run away early, but the Northwest Army did not leave everyone behind to retreat, but instead built relief stations and helped the elderly and the weak, women and children. But I know that they may not even care about themselves. Still thinking about us."

The uncle continued: "When the disaster is approaching, people still think of you, but you can't be ignorant. What if I die at such an old age, we have to let those soldiers from the Northwest Army survive a few more so that we can win in the Northwest. If the Northwest Army wins, the descendants of this land will not have to live in the gutter like when I was young."

If he didn't know what the world was supposed to be like, it would be fine for him to live under the Zong clan's rule, anyway, since he was born, it was this way of living, and he could survive horizontally and vertically.

But he has seen the short-lived peaceful and prosperous world in the northwest, and he can no longer bear the life he has experienced, and even does not want the people who will live on this land to experience it.

In the uncle's view, preserving the strength of the Northwest Army is far more important than surviving his old bones.

Ren Xiaosu was silent for a long time, then he waved to the two infantry brigade soldiers who came to the street and said, "Give me this uncle to set up a military control area."

Of course, these two soldiers recognized Ren Xiaosu, and immediately stood up and left without saying a word. In the No. 144 barrier, what the young marshal said was the imperial decree.

The uncle walked more than ten meters away from the ground, and the whole person was stunned.

He suddenly struggled: "You let me go, I won't go, you take others away!"

The two soldiers said in a low voice, "Don't embarrass us, sir, the young marshal has spoken. Even if you break your throat today, you have to go to the military-controlled zone to evacuate with the others."

The uncle was stunned for a moment: "Who did you say the young man was just now?"

The two soldiers were amused: "Co-author, you chatted with the young marshal for a long time, still don't know who he is?"

The old man was completely stunned.

Standing in the alley, Ren Xiaosu looked at the barrier and sighed, "I hope there is enough time for everyone to evacuate."