Chapter 1208 You're dreaming!

"Reporting to the Commander, the situation is different from the Du family's." The middle-aged officer turned a page of documents and continued his report:

"The Yang family is a business family. Its core figure, Yang Zhendong, is 55 years old this year. Before the apocalypse, he was the vice president of the Jiangdong Chamber of Commerce. He holds controlling stakes in multiple group companies, which are involved in dozens of industries such as smelting, chemical industry, machinery manufacturing, energy, medical care, and the Internet."

"Currently, he serves as the captain of the 4th Material Collection and Production Brigade of 'Lin'an New City', and has been awarded a technical management rank equivalent to that of a full regimental commander."

The official paused, then added:

"The 4th Battalion is mainly responsible for organizing manpower to search for supplies in the cleared areas around the area under the limited cover of the army, focusing on industrial raw materials, parts, and usable building materials. It also manages several small manufacturing plants that produce some simple tools, clothing, etc."

"Reporting to the Commander, esteemed leaders, the above is the specific situation of the Du and Yang families."

As soon as he finished speaking, General Gao Jianguo, the commander of the theater command, nodded in satisfaction, already having a clear understanding of the current situation of the two sides.

One family consists of a former high-ranking official now holding a marginal civilian post with no real power; the other is a former tycoon now a logistics contractor, dependent on the military for survival.

This background eliminated his last concern—these two families posed no potential threat to the Eastern Theater Command at present, and on the contrary, due to their special kinship, they became an excellent bridge for them to strengthen ties with the Central Theater Command and with Chairman Gu.

"Good! The situation is clear!" Gao Jianguo was invigorated and looked at Chief of Staff Li Zhenbiao again:

"Old Li, immediately send a top-priority coded telegram to Chang Zhiwei of the Lin'an Garrison Command in the name of the war zone command!"

"Content: Order them to immediately and secretly control... no, to immediately protect Deputy Director Du Wenyuan, Captain Yang Zhendong, and their immediate family members!"

"You must ensure their absolute personal safety and provide them with excellent treatment! They will be temporarily housed in the secure area within the garrison headquarters. Without my direct orders, no one is allowed to contact them, and they are strictly forbidden from leaking any information!"

“Tell him this is a political mission! If anything goes wrong, I'll hold him accountable!”

"Yes!" Li Zhenbiao knew that this matter concerned the future fate of the war zone, so he got up immediately to make arrangements himself without any hesitation.

Gao Jianguo then looked at Logistics Minister Zhao Deming: "Old Zhao, get things moving here too. Prepare according to the highest reception standards, no, to even higher standards! Barracks, living supplies, medical support—all top-notch! We need to show them our sincerity and how much importance we place on this!"

"Understood! I will personally oversee it!" Zhao Deming immediately accepted the order.

The atmosphere in the meeting room instantly changed from the previous heavy and oppressive atmosphere to one of efficiency and high energy.

Everyone understood that if the person was found safe and sound, the "political mission" was already more than half successful!

The remaining task was to bring the person back gracefully and deliver this "merit" and "friendship" securely to the young Chairman Gu.

As Gao Jianguo watched his subordinates act swiftly, a great weight was lifted from his heart, replaced by an indescribable excitement and anticipation.

'This is practically a favor that grew out of our own hands!'

'How about we ask the leaders and cadres in the Central Plains Theater again later if they have any relatives in the eastern region?'

.....

Ten minutes later, at the Lin'an Garrison Command

The garrison command was located in the main building of a vocational college on the original site. It was surrounded by layers of barbed wire and temporary sandbag fortifications. On the towering watchtower, the figures of soldiers could be seen in and out of sight, and the air was filled with a faint smell of gunpowder and dust.

The office of the commander of the headquarters was simply furnished, exuding a strong field warfare style.

The walls are covered with the original, mottled paint, and large-scale defense maps of the Lin'an settlement and surrounding threat maps are displayed on the walls.

A heavy, old desk with a military communications terminal and several folders on it, two hardwood chairs next to it, and a cot and washbasin stand in the corner—everything was designed with practicality in mind.

At this moment, Major General Chang Zhiwei, the garrison commander, was sitting behind his desk. He was about forty years old, with a rugged face and dark skin. His worn combat uniform had the rank of major general on its shoulder insignia.

He frowned, tapping his fingers impatiently on the table as he looked at Du Wenyuan, who stood in front of the desk looking uneasy.

Du Wenyuan had to pull some strings to get a meeting with Chang Zhiwei under the guise of discussing construction progress.

After a hasty report, he mustered his courage and, almost in a trembling voice, made the request that had been weighing on his mind for a long time—he hoped that the garrison command could help him find out the whereabouts of his daughter, Du Wanying, who had been lost in Chongqing.

“Commander Chang… I know this request is presumptuous and difficult… but now that the committee has been established, and regarding the Central Plains Theater…”

"Enough!" Chang Zhiwei slammed his hand on the table, interrupting Du Wenyuan. His voice, like a thunderclap, echoed in the simple office.

He abruptly stood up, placed his hands on the table, leaned forward, and his sharp gaze swept across Du Wenyuan's face like a knife:

"Deputy Director Du! You've been a leader before, how can you still have such unrealistic ideas?!"

"You want my help? You want your daughter in Chongqing?" Chang Zhiwei's tone was filled with disbelief and suppressed anger.

"Do you know how many of the hundreds of thousands of people in the entire Lin'an settlement, and the tens of millions of survivors in the entire Eastern War Zone, have their parents, wives, children, brothers, and sisters separated from them?! Huh?!"

"I've made an exception for you, Du Wenyuan, and gone to find him for you today! Will Zhang San come looking for me tomorrow? Will Li Si come looking for me? Will Wang Ermazi come looking for me too?!"

"Is it only you, Du Wenyuan, who's getting special treatment?! Your daughter is the apple of your eye, but other people's relatives are just roadside weeds?!"

His voice grew louder and louder, carrying a fierce tone that suggested his bottom line had been crossed:

"You've appointed me, the garrison commander, to be your family's matchmaker?! The responsibility I bear in this position is to protect the safety of hundreds of thousands of survivors! It's to help them survive in this damn apocalypse, and to contribute to the restoration of civilization and order!"

"This is not child's play! This is war! This is survival!"

Chang Zhiwei suddenly waved his hand, pointing to the faint sounds of construction and patrol footsteps coming from outside the window:

"Look outside! How many people don't even know if they'll have enough to eat tomorrow! How many soldiers are bleeding and sacrificing their lives to clear threats and collect supplies! You want me to divert precious manpower and resources to help you find your family thousands of miles away?!"

"Once this door is opened, the headquarters will be surrounded by people looking for relatives tomorrow! What will happen to order then?! Will the mission still be able to be carried out?!"

He stared at Du Wenyuan, whose face was deathly pale and whose forehead was beaded with sweat, before finally sitting heavily back in his chair, his tone cold and resolute:

"Deputy Director Du, I understand how you feel. But this matter ends here!"

"The garrison command doesn't have this function, nor does it have the resources! Focus your attention on building up the settlement! That's what you should be doing right now!"

Du Wenyuan was stunned by the barrage of reprimands, his face drained of color, and his lips trembled as he tried to speak, but he couldn't utter a word. He simply lowered his head deeply, a chilling feeling of despair, shame, and helplessness rising from his feet to the top of his head.

He knew that this path was completely cut off.

Just as the atmosphere in the office reached a fever pitch, hurried footsteps and a loud "Report!" suddenly came from outside the door.