C26 Recruiting Soldiers and Buying Horses

"She hasn't woken up yet, but her complexion looks much better. I'd wager there's nothing seriously wrong," Wai Yun said, pausing to think. "Why don't you check on her?"

"Sounds good. It's been nearly a day and she's still out," Han Feng replied, heading upstairs.

Upon entering Lin Lan's bedroom, Han Feng gently touched her forehead. "Normal body temperature, no fever. She seems alright," he murmured to himself. Just then, Lin Lan stirred.

Maybe it was Han Feng's touch, but she flailed her hand, inadvertently flipping off her blanket.

"Uh..." Han Feng gasped, quickly looking away.

Since it was summer, Lin Lan's blanket was light and thin. Plus, Wai Yun had helped her bathe upon arriving home, which meant Han Feng caught a glimpse of Lin Lan in her bare state.

Lin Lan, a regular at the gym, had an almost perfect physique, her fair skin glowing enticingly as the blanket slipped away.

Han Feng's face turned beet red, his nose tingling, and suddenly, he had a nosebleed...

Holding his head high, one hand pinching his nose, the other fixing the blanket over Lin Lan, he mentally chanted, "Not my fault, not my fault, not my fault..."

Even as he adjusted the blanket, Han Feng couldn't help but sneak another peek. Once sure she was covered, he backed out of the room slowly.

Exiting the bedroom, he made a beeline for the bathroom.

Cool water poured from the faucet, splashing over his face repeatedly.

"It's okay, no one saw, no one knows," Han Feng whispered to himself as he stemmed the nosebleed.

A few minutes later, a tidied-up Han Feng descended the stairs.

"Huh? What happened to your face?" Liu Rui asked, approaching him.

"Nothing. I'm good. Just hot, really hot," Han Feng muttered, then briskly walked away, leaving the villa behind.

The outside breeze was refreshing, quickly cooling the heat that had flared up inside him.

As Han Feng wandered, he noticed soldiers on patrol around the villa.

"Gale, come here," he summoned his police dog mentally and stood waiting.

Seconds later, Gale sprinted to Han Feng's side.

"From now on, your duty is to scout the villa. You're in charge of a 500-meter radius around it, focusing on preventing zombie attacks. If you spot a large horde, alert me immediately, got it?" Han Feng finished, his gaze resting on the police dog.

"Woof!" The police dog barked in response, affirming its understanding.

"During the day, you can take it easy on the patrols. But come nightfall, I need you to step it up and scout more frequently," Han Feng said, petting the dog. The soldiers stationed on the rooftop had clear visibility in daylight, allowing them to spot threats from afar. At night, however, with visibility compromised, they relied heavily on the police dog's acute sense of smell and sharp eyesight.

"Woof!" The dog barked again, acknowledging the command.

"Alright, off you go." With that, Han Feng resumed his patrol around the villa, his eyes resolute and the corners of his mouth hinting at a smile as a plan took shape in his mind.

Hours passed...

"Boss Han, time for lunch downstairs," Wai Yun called from the first floor.

Han Feng sat up in bed, momentarily dazed. He checked his phone—it was past eight, and predictably, no signal.

"Three hours... What's gotten into me, sleeping like that?" he mumbled to himself, swinging his legs out of bed.

"Skipped lunch, huh? You must be starving," Wai Yun said, approaching with a heaping pot of food. "With so many mouths to feed, I could only whip up noodles. It's not gourmet, but it'll do."

"No worries, having a hot meal is a luxury these days," Han Feng replied, taking his bowl and chopsticks. He turned to the red police soldiers, busy with their guard duties and rest. "Come on, take turns and grab some food. You've all earned it after today's work."

Post-meal, Wai Yun tidied up while the soldiers resumed their watch. Han Feng retreated to his room early, intent on refining his "plan."

The following morning, five days into the zombie apocalypse...

With a yawn, Han Feng sat up in bed.

"Shoot! It's already ten o'clock!" he exclaimed, hurrying to get dressed and freshen up.

Lately, Han Feng had been feeling increasingly exhausted, never quite managing to shake off the sleepiness.

"Could using the Red Alert System be draining my mental energy? Why am I so tired?" he mused. Almost immediately, the Red Alert System in his mind responded.

"Utilizing the Red Alert System does not deplete the commander's mental energy. Preliminary scans indicate an unidentified force present in the commander's body, and it is growing."

"An unidentified force?! What is it?" Han Feng asked anxiously, unaware of the potential effects or consequences this force might have.

"The system has only conducted a preliminary scan and cannot provide an analysis. Commander, construction of a battle lab is advised." After processing the system's response, Han Feng paused his morning routine and stood pensively before the mirror.

"It looks like... it's high time to build that battle lab..." he concluded, quickly finishing up in the bathroom and heading downstairs.

He exchanged pleasantries with the others before starting on his breakfast.

Han Feng ate slowly, his mind busy with calculations. After refreshing their equipment, his team consisted of nine mobilization soldiers, two American soldiers, and 5454 gold coins.

"Summon 23 mobilization soldiers and six more American soldiers," Han Feng instructed the system, sipping his soup.

"To summon 23 mobilization soldiers will cost 2300 gold coins, and six American soldiers will cost 3000 gold coins, totaling 5300 gold coins. Please confirm."

"Confirmed."

With that, Han Feng watched his stash of 5454 gold coins dwindle to a mere 145.

As the system's summoning progress bar advanced, Han Feng couldn't help but mutter with a wry smile, "And I'm broke again..."

"What's up, Boss Han? What's this about being broke?" Wai Peng inquired with a mix of concern and curiosity.

"It's nothing. I need to step out for a bit. You all should stay put in the villa," Han Feng replied, finishing his breakfast. "Try not to go outside for now. There are stronger zombies out there, and they seem to be evolving, just like you."

"Oh... Can I join you on your outing? It's so dull here, and I want to be as strong as you!" Wai Peng's eyes brimmed with hope as he looked at Han Feng, who shook his head and responded, "Next time. It could be dangerous now."

"Okay, I'll wait for next time. I'm definitely coming with you!" Wai Peng declared, punctuating his words by clenching his fists and flexing his modest muscles.

As Wai Yun cleared away the dishes, Han Feng set about making preparations. He collected six car keys from Liu Rui, along with six pistols and a substantial amount of ammunition.

"Why are you taking all this stuff? What are you up to?" Liu Rui inquired with a hint of curiosity.

"Revenge," Han Feng answered tersely before heading out the door.

It had been about ten minutes since the red police soldiers were summoned, and they were now assembled at the villa's entrance. Approaching the door, Han Feng was met with a sea of soldiers.

"All combat personnel, assemble!" His command, relayed through the radar, reached every soldier. Within seconds, the troops, including the police dog Wind, had formed up. Indeed, even the police dog counted as a member of the combat force.

With 32 mobilized soldiers and eight American troops, Han Feng's calculations showed they had just enough to create eight small squads.

"Form teams of four mobilized soldiers with one American soldier as the captain," Han Feng ordered. "Begin forming up now!" The soldiers sprang into action.

Soon after, the neatly arranged teams stood before Han Feng. Wynne and the Winter Soldier remained paired, and the first and second teams had their ranks filled.

Gazing at the eight squads, a perfect forty-person phalanx, Han Feng contained his inner thrill. The plan was about to commence...

"Eight teams, step forward!" At Han Feng's command, the eighth squad briskly approached him.

Once in position, Han Feng instructed, "You're in charge of the villa's security. In my absence, command will temporarily pass to Liu Rui, Wai Yun, and Wai Peng."

"Yes, sir!" came the unified response.

"Now, each team captain come and collect your car keys, then check your vehicles. If you're low on fuel, go top them up." After distributing the keys, Han Feng turned and re-entered the villa to bid everyone farewell.

Five minutes later, everything was in place…