Chapter 1175 Zhou Bang's Great Turning Point!

"We deeply sympathize with the predicament faced by the Eastern Theater Command. Opening up the Yangtze River waterway is not only a rescue for the Eastern Theater Command from dire straits, but also a crucial step in revitalizing the overall strategic situation of our entire alliance!"

"Comrades in the Eastern Theater Command, please rest assured on this point. Once the committee is established, it will do its utmost!"

These words not only reassured the Eastern Theater Command, but also reiterated the necessity and urgency of establishing the committee, and further demonstrated his principles of conduct to everyone present.

Good children get candy!

In my world, seniority and personal relationships don't matter. If you're obedient, you get treats; if you cause trouble, you get a beating!

Immediately afterwards, Gu Chengyuan gave Wei Jingfang and Wu Xianglin no more time to hesitate or hold back, and pressed on to push through the resolution while the iron was hot:

"Since there are no longer any fundamental disagreements among the parties regarding the necessity and general direction of establishing the 'Zhou Bang's End-of-Day Emergency Military Committee,' let us now vote on this motion!"

At this moment, Gu Chengyuan's voice came through the microphone, clear and powerful: "Those who agree to prepare for the establishment of the 'Doomsday Zhou Bang Emergency Military Committee,' please raise your hands!"

As soon as the words fell——

"Agreed!" Zhou Wei and Wang Zhiming from the Eastern Theater Command raised their hands without hesitation almost the instant Gu Chengyuan finished speaking, their eyes firm and their posture clear.

Seeing this, Wei Jingfang and Wu Xianglin sighed inwardly, knowing that the tide had turned and that continuing to act arrogantly would only put their families at a disadvantage in the future power structure.

The Eastern Theater Command has already set such a high bar; if they hesitate any longer, wouldn't they appear unenthusiastic about the "common cause"? What kind of impression would that leave on Gu Chengyuan?

"Agreed." Wei Jingfang was the second to raise his hand, his expression returning to composure, but the speed at which he raised his hand said it all.

"Agreed!" Wu Xianglin raised his hand almost simultaneously, his voice loud and clear, trying to make up for any possible "delay" earlier.

"Unanimously approved." Gu Chengyuan nodded in satisfaction, then gestured for Wu Bin to record it.

"Therefore, I hereby announce that the motion to establish the 'Zhou Bang's End-of-Day Emergency Military Committee' has been formally passed!"

The first step, and the most crucial one, has been completed.

Next, the meeting moved into a more substantive phase of defining rights and obligations.

Having been "stimulated" by the Eastern Theater Command, Wei Jingfang and Wu Xianglin, while still arguing their case, were noticeably more "cooperative" and more flexible in their bottom line when fighting for their own interests.

After a period of intense and efficient consultations, the core framework of the committee was finalized in just two days, by the evening of the second day:

In terms of authority: The committee has limited strategic-level command and control over the troops in its subordinate theater commands.

That is, once the committee collectively approves a strategic action (such as joint operations, strategic support, or opening up waterways), it has the right to mobilize relevant troops and resources across theaters as needed to serve the committee's common strategy.

Each theater command retains a high degree of autonomy in daily management and defense.

Regarding obligations: The committee must ensure the survival and development needs of its subordinate war zones.

When any member war zone faces a survival crisis (such as a large-scale zombie horde attack, depletion of key resources, or exhaustion of weaponry), the committee is obligated to provide necessary, or even unconditional, military and resource support, depending on the circumstances, to help overcome the difficulties together.

Finally, and most importantly, is the committee's standing body and the distribution of its powers.

After some subtle deliberation and weighing of options, the number of seats on the Standing Committee was set at ten.

The Central Plains War Zone, as the leading force and core, and also the largest financial backer of the committee, occupies four seats.

The three major war zones—East, South, and West—each occupy two seats.

Leadership Position Setup:

The three theater commanders, General Wei Jingfang, General Wu Xianglin, and General Gao Jianguo, commander of the Eastern Theater Command, were appointed as vice chairmen of the committee.

Gu Chengyuan was appointed chairman of the committee.

At the same time, the Vice Chairman was given a power of checks and balances:

The committee has the right to appeal resolutions that have been passed by the committee but have not yet been formally implemented. If the vice chairperson has strong objections to a resolution, the appeal procedure may be initiated, requesting the committee to reconsider it.

However, the final balance of power is locked by a crucial clause: the chairman (Gu Chengyuan) has the power to veto any resolution of the committee.

When the clause was read aloud, there was another moment of silence in the meeting room. Wei Jingfang and Wu Xianglin's lips twitched almost imperceptibly, but in the end, they did not raise any objections.

The tide has turned; it is a matter of strength.

With its unparalleled strength and dominant position, the Central Plains Theater seized supreme power in this newly formed alliance.

The prototype of the "Zhou Bang's End-of-Day Emergency Military Committee" was initially established in this brightly lit meeting hall, amidst a complex mix of emotions and interests.

A behemoth, centered on the Central Plains Theater and integrating the forces of the four theater commands, began to reveal its outline.

The establishment of the Zhou Bang Emergency Military Committee at the end of the world signifies that four of the original six super military groups (five war zones + Zhongzhou war zone) within Zhou Bang have completed their initial integration, and a new power core with unprecedented authority has been born!

The loose state of affairs in the past, where local military regions and survivor forces acted independently, were not subordinate to each other, and were even wary of one another, has been completely broken.

In the future, the committee will be able to easily gain an overwhelming advantage in size by leveraging its massive military strength, industrial potential, and technological advantages, thus becoming the de facto "legitimate" representative of Zhou Bang after the end of the world.

Any remaining power, upon receiving this message, will have to re-examine its own position.

The choice is to submit and integrate into this emerging system, or to remain independent and face the risk of being seen as an obstacle or even an enemy by this behemoth and eliminated.

This choice was cruelly placed before all the survivor leaders.

The very existence of the committee is a powerful political magnet, which, over time, will exert a strong attraction on various scattered forces!

However, the establishment of the committee was not without its challenges, and internal power struggles and difficulties still exist.

Gu Chengyuan's "veto power" established the absolute dominance of the Central Plains War Zone, but this did not mean that the other three vice chairmen would become mere appendages.

Their "power of reconsideration" and their votes in the Standing Committee can still form a check and balance on specific matters.

The future committee will inevitably be rife with contradictions between cooperation and competition, and between overall interests and theater-level parochialism.

At the same time, it takes time and adjustment for troops from different war zones, different command systems, and different operating styles to be integrated into an efficient whole.

The efficiency of command execution and the fairness of resource allocation will both be put to the test.

The establishment of the committee will undoubtedly change the relationship with other non-committee forces within Zhou Bang's territory (such as certain independent military separatist forces and large civilian survivor groups).

Whether it's cooperation, deterrence, or conquest, the committee needs to respond prudently.

At the same time, it remains to be seen whether such a massive aggregation of human forces will provoke a targeted response from more powerful and intelligent mutated life forms.

Overall, however, the birth of the "Zhou Bang's End-of-Day Emergency Military Committee" was a key turning point in the history of Zhou Bang after the end of the world!

It marked the beginning of the Zhou state's internal forces moving from dispersion to unity, and from passive defense to seeking strategic initiative.

It laid the foundation for a unified, efficient, and capable political and military entity that can meet even greater challenges in the future.

Although the road ahead is still fraught with difficulties, with internal integration and external threats coexisting, at least the torch of hope has been raised higher, illuminating the possibility of rebuilding order from the ruins.

The final chapter of Zhou Bang's reign thus began a new chapter!