The setting sun dyed half the sky red.
Beneath the setting sun.
The fierce battle entered its final stage.
A horde of over six thousand zombies was being slaughtered by a mere dozen or so individuals, leaving rivers of blood.
Mutants that had managed to escape were swiftly caught up by Qin Feng.
*Whoosh!*
A spatial blade sliced through the air.
Severed heads!
The remaining ordinary zombies, after the bombing and slaughter, scattered in panic like birds and beasts.
"Wrap it up."
Qin Feng didn't pursue the low-level zombies. "Xiao Ying, lead everyone back to the base."
Today was the third day.
These three days.
Two combat teams had been operating jointly.
They no longer hunted scattered zombies but specifically targeted the hordes.
Over these three days.
They had taken down over a dozen zombie hordes.
Most zombies would flee after a defeat, making it impossible to kill them all.
But!
The total number of zombies harvested still exceeded twenty thousand.
Ordinary zombies were too numerous and could scatter everywhere.
Mutants, however, were different!
They were Qin Feng's primary targets.
"Captain, aren't you going back?" Liu Pi asked, surprised.
"I have something else to do."
Qin Feng pointed northwest. "Three kilometers away, past the West Seventh Ring Road, there won't be any more trouble, no zombie hordes—go on!"
Beyond the West Seventh Ring Road, the area became increasingly desolate.
The population was sparse.
Naturally, there were fewer zombies.
The chance of encountering mutants was low.
They found it difficult to form large hordes.
The combat teams departed.
Qin Feng rested in place.
At six o'clock.
He fired a flare into the sky.
Soon after, Zhou Haiyang, riding a dark giant bird, descended before him.
"Captain, where are the others?" Zhou Haiyang asked, surprised.
"They've returned."
Qin Feng retrieved a Level 5 crystal from his dimensional space. "Absorb this, and then come with me."
Over these three days, he had acquired seventeen Level 5 crystals.
Among them.
After distributing one to each member of the first team to upgrade to Level 4, Qin Feng absorbed the rest.
Unfortunately, he hadn't broken through yet.
"Where are we going?" Zhou Haiyang asked urgently.
...
An hour later.
The steel rolling mill where Qin Feng had first met Liu Pi.
Steel ingots floated in the air, rapidly changing shape.
In a blink.
They transformed into oval-shaped projectiles.
That's right!
Anticipating Zhang Tianbao, Qin Feng had merged the two combat teams and specifically targeted zombie hordes.
Dealing with hordes numbering in the thousands required more than just manpower.
The napalm bombs had been depleted.
Once zombies evolved to Level 4, gasoline bombs would become completely ineffective.
Level 3.
Was the last glorious stage for gasoline bombs.
He had to seize this opportunity to harvest.
Manufacturing napalm bombs, while seemingly simple, had a relatively complex step.
Creating the projectile casing!
The previous batch of napalm bombs had used handcrafted casings.
Now, with Zhou Haiyang's newly awakened ability, manufacturing casings was incredibly easy.
"Captain, what are you doing?"
Zhou Haiyang was puzzled.
Not far away.
Qin Feng was sketching on paper with a carbon pen.
"Manufacturing a more potent weapon."
After speaking.
He handed the blueprint to Zhou Haiyang. "Make it according to this diagram."
Zhou Haiyang froze.
The object bore a strong resemblance to a missile.
It had a sharp tip and a cylindrical body tapering backward.
And four tail fins.
According to the diagram's specifications, this object was not hollow and contained no engine, gunpowder, etc.
Instead, it was solid steel!
Based on the dimensions in the blueprint...
Each one would weigh at least three to four tons!
"This isn't a bomb, is it?" Zhou Haiyang asked, confused.
"No."
Qin Feng waved his hand. "Remember! These parameters must be strictly adhered to!"
Especially the tail fins.
According to aerodynamic principles.
The dimensions had to be absolutely precise, otherwise, it wouldn't be usable.
Shortly after.
Zhou Haiyang produced a sample.
Qin Feng immediately stored it in his dimensional space.
He excitedly went out to test it.
A few minutes later, he ran back to revise the parameters, repeating this process several times.
Finally.
After the fourth attempt.
The blueprint was finalized.
"Quick! Everyone get inside!"
Suddenly!
An unfamiliar voice boomed from outside.
Followed by the sound of chaotic footsteps.
Dozens of people rushed into the steel rolling mill in a disorderly fashion.
Qin Feng watched them, while Zhou Haiyang stood on guard.
The leader was a man in his thirties.
A square-faced man.
With a full beard.
Behind him were over fifty people, mostly young and strong men, with seven or eight women.
"Young man!"
The man seemed delighted. "Are you also here looking for supplies?"
Zhou Haiyang was about to speak but was stopped by Qin Feng's glance.
"Yes," Qin Feng replied, nodding.
"My name is Luo Daqing."
After shaking Qin Feng's hand, the man directly extended an offer. "Are you interested in joining us?"
His reasoning was simple.
In the apocalypse.
Every person meant more strength, a greater chance of survival.
The great man's words were true—unity is strength.
Luo Daqing?
Qin Feng was taken aback.
In his memories from his previous life, Luo Daqing was the leader of a certain base.
The base was also in Yanshan.
He had absorbed many survivors in the early stages, making it one of the relatively larger bases.
However, this was only hearsay...
Because.
By the time Qin Feng first came to Yanshan, the base leader had already changed.
Luo Daqing had long since died.
"No need." Qin Feng smiled and politely declined.
"There are only two of you; it's very difficult to survive in the apocalypse."
Luo Daqing gestured to the dozens of people behind him. "My group consists of dozens of people, and they are all ability users!"
Bodies revived as zombies.
Quite some time had passed since then.
The number of survivors was constantly decreasing.
At the same time.
The matter of crystals was no longer a secret.
Many who had survived until now were ability users.
"We also have a base; why don't you... join us?" Qin Feng said with a smile.
From the beginning, his plan was clear.
The base.
Must be expanded!
He hadn't rushed the process because he wanted to weed out the weak through the early plot points.
Since these people were all ability users, they could be recruited.
The key was his knowledge from his previous life.
He knew that Luo Daqing was righteous and could be useful.
Of course.
There was no need to forcibly conscript this kind of person.
Their talent was average.
Their strength was limited.
There were plenty of people like them; he wouldn't lack such individuals in the future.
"Are you getting too big for your boots?!"
Suddenly!
A man with a face full of malice charged forward, pointing at Qin Feng. "Who do you think you are, telling us to join you?!"
Qin Feng's pupils tightened.
He hadn't met Luo Daqing before, but he recognized this man.
It was the future leader of Luo Daqing's base.
Jia Yao!
"What?"
Qin Feng smiled. "You're not planning to use force, are you?"
"Damn it! Are you tired of living?!" Jia Yao roared.
"Jia Yao!"
Luo Daqing glared at him, then smiled at Qin Feng. "Please don't misunderstand! This kind of thing is voluntary; there's no coercion involved."
"This is the apocalypse, and I just hope survivors can stick together."
"If young brother doesn't wish to, then forget I said anything."
The steel rolling mill was vast.
Before the nuclear explosion, there were thousands of workers.
Accommodating dozens of people was simple.
"Boss!"
Jia Yao, chewing on instant noodles, glanced at Qin Feng's group. "This is the apocalypse! It's survival of the fittest; what are you wasting your breath on them for?"
"You know it's the apocalypse too?"
Luo Daqing frowned and said sternly, "There aren't many humans left; why are we still killing each other?!"
Hearing this.
Jia Yao didn't outwardly object, but inwardly, he grew more displeased.
Unbeknownst to them, Qin Feng overheard all their conversation.
His physique was 48 times that of an ordinary person.
His hearing was also unimaginably sharp.
He also clearly saw the hint of dissatisfaction in Jia Yao's eyes, directed at Luo Daqing.
Could it be...
Qin Feng speculated about a possibility.
His mind raced, and he whispered a few words to Zhou Haiyang.
Zhou Haiyang walked towards the outside of the steel rolling mill...