Invasion of America

Chapter 135 Spying
The "traditional oil refining" has been going on for more than half a month, and the simple equipment is still running albeit with some woes.

Provided there is a stable supply of raw materials, this equipment can produce two to three tons of fuel of different grades every day.

Despite the low quality and numerous impurities in the oil, this was undoubtedly a breakthrough for the "Holy Light" team, which was short of oil, and it was of great significance.

Whenever he sees the dark, oily liquid slowly flowing, Guo Yi, who is in charge of the technology, would dance with excitement, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

"If this were before the Industrial Revolution, with our equipment, I dare say it could have ushered in a new era of chemical engineering, enough to support 'Holy Light' in conquering a new world!"

He even started thinking about recycling the waste gas produced during the oil refining process—which contains a large amount of pungent sulfur dioxide, which can be converted into valuable crude sulfuric acid with just a little catalytic oxidation.

As for why there is such a large amount of sulfur dioxide, the reason is simple: in the post-apocalyptic world, the collection of household plastic products is not going smoothly, and discarded tires have become the main raw material for oil refining.

As fuel production continues to rise, a new problem emerges – storage.

This can't be solved with just bottles and cans; it involves several tons of fuel, which requires specialized fuel tanks.

“Where would I get so many oil cans?” Zhou Qingfeng thought to himself, feeling a headache coming on in the camp office.

Before the apocalypse broke out, he did stockpile more than a dozen oil storage tanks and several oil tanker trucks for the shelter under the guise of opening a gas station.

But fuel was precious back then, and every drop used was precious. For example, last winter, several tons of diesel fuel were burned for heating, which made the frugal Xiao Jinlang wince with heartache.

Today, the "traditional oil refining method" has solved the immediate problem, quickly made up for the previous losses, and even filled the originally empty oil storage tanks to the brim. Even the oil tank trucks have been temporarily requisitioned as oil storage containers.

Kerosene and diesel are relatively easy to store, as they are stable and can be stored for a long time. Gasoline, however, is highly volatile and prone to evaporation and loss over time, resulting in waste.

"Should we engage in some foreign trade?" This thought lingered in Zhou Qingfeng's mind. "If we do trade, who will our partners be? How will we set prices? How will we transport the goods? And what can we purchase?"

Starting a project is easy, but the problems associated with it can grow like a tangled mess, requiring professionals to handle them.

A high-powered directional routing antenna was installed between the "Holy Light" camp and the shelter, allowing Zhou Qingfeng to receive emails from Xiao Jinlang via the internal network from his office.

Faced with these trivial yet important details, he simply forwarded them to Kelly with one click, adding a note in the email: "Trade issues are of paramount importance, and you are in full charge of this matter."

He then sent another email to Xiao Jinlang, proposing to establish the "Holy Light" Executive Committee as soon as possible to clearly divide the various affairs within the camp in order to ensure efficient operation.

As for himself, "I want to focus my energy on military affairs."

Although this was said in jest, the hidden threats inside and outside the camp were still considerable, especially after the "primitive oil refining" equipment went into operation, which attracted the covetous eyes of many external forces.

The drones patrolling 24 hours a day can spot suspicious figures around the camp every day. Among them are survivors from the town who still refuse to submit, as well as some spying people of unknown origin.

In an internal email sent to Xiao Jinlang, Zhou Qingfeng's tone was somewhat grave:
"Including Guo Yi and other oil refining technicians, there are currently seventeen shelter members at the 'Holy Light' camp in Awoni town."

The number of survivors recruited from outside the region is 45, of whom more than 30 are considered "basic laborers," creating a clear imbalance in numbers. The threat posed by this cannot be ignored.

“A week ago, I stopped recruiting ‘basic labor’ and began to work on strengthening discipline within the camp.”

Those who dare to be lazy, quarrel, rob, or even fight will be severely punished, and five repeat offenders have already been expelled.

Those who were expelled all expressed resentment and anger.

To avoid future trouble, I have ordered Chen Rui to use drones to secretly capture and kill these people, and the bodies have been properly buried.

"The 'expulsion-hunting' method was highly effective, effectively deterring bad practices within the camp and greatly contributing to establishing the team's prestige."

but……

Based on my observations, there are still small groups of 'basic laborers' secretly banding together within the camp, and some are even secretly collecting protection money.

Because the work points are recorded on our servers, not as physical currency, the payment of protection fees has evolved into a more covert form of 'forced gift'.

"Because the 'basic labor force' works harder and is paid relatively less, they generally harbor hostility toward the 'Holy Light' management team and the preferential survivors, and are uncooperative with our investigation."

At the end of the email, Zhou Qingfeng candidly discussed some thorny issues he faced in team management and consulted Xiao Jinlang, who was more experienced, on how to effectively identify the "bad guys" in the team.

"Because the 'basic labor force' needs to go out to scavenge every day, it is difficult to control their contact with survivors outside."

Among those expelled were those who attempted to smuggle weapons back, and during interrogation, they stated that 'bringing weapons' was an attempt to take advantage of the chaos. Some also admitted that outside survivors were trying to recruit them.

I plan to launch a proactive crackdown on the town in the next few days to eliminate any unstable individuals and prevent them from becoming a future problem for the camp.
-
Zhou Qingfeng's emails were filled with murderous intent.

And the environment outside the camp was indeed as he said, turbulent and fraught with danger.

Just as he was typing away on the keyboard, sending an email to Xiao Jinlang, two furtive figures were quietly approaching the outskirts of Awoni Town.

One of them was Scott, who had appeared at the "gathering" last time, and the other was Lynch, who came from another nearby town.

Like lurking wild beasts, the two crouched low and climbed the gentle slope outside the town, cautiously raising their binoculars to spy on the activity within the camp.

"Damn it!" Scott cursed as he glanced through his glasses at the towering new equipment erected in the camp. "I didn't see this thing when I left last time!"

It was a 10-kilowatt wind turbine with a tower about 10 meters high standing tall. Three 6-meter-long blades slowly rotated in the breeze, providing about 60 to 80 kilowatt-hours of electricity per day.

Although this small power generation device does not generate a large amount of electricity, it is sufficient to maintain the operation of basic electrical equipment in the camp when combined with a simple power conversion and energy storage device.

The first unit is currently operating well, and the second unit is under construction.

"Setting up this kind of thing is not easy; it requires specialized equipment and personnel, which are not easy to find."

Lynch lowered his voice and said that he had come all the way from the next town. Through Scott's connections, he had already made contact with Sani in the camp and was figuring out how to make a killing.

However, even today's initial exploration made Lynch realize that this "Holy Light" camp was far more troublesome than he had imagined.

In just over half a month, Zhou Qingfeng and his group not only got the 'oil refining' and 'power generation' sorted out, but also built a rough and sturdy metal wall.

It was constructed by using trailers and cranes in the town, organizing dozens of 'basic laborers' to stack hundreds of abandoned vehicles layer upon layer.

The walled area, only about 150 meters square, encompasses some of the town's most valuable properties, including the water tower, supermarket, and clinic. The water tower had stopped operating due to a previous power outage.

Now, with electricity from wind power, the water pumps can finally run occasionally, providing basic water for the camp's less than one hundred inhabitants.

As for the supermarket, the shelves inside had been looted, but the spacious interior was very practical, making it convenient for both living and stockpiling supplies.

The clinic is in a slightly better situation. Although the medicines have been looted, the basic medical beds, operating tables, and some instruments and equipment are still there. As long as the appropriate personnel are available, it can still play a certain role.

In short, this camp stubbornly continues to operate amidst the ruins of the apocalypse, and has become an enviable haven.

Lin Qi looked at the well-organized camp with greed and envy in his eyes. It was far better than the "outpost" he had haphazardly set up in another nearby town.

Keep in mind that he and Scott arrived on motorcycles, and it took them a tremendous amount of effort just to fill the motorcycle's gas tank.

The fact that this "Holy Light" camp could refine oil on its own made him extremely envious.

"Don't just focus on the benefits of this camp; controlling these yellow-skinned monkeys won't be easy," Scott warned in a tone of someone with experience.

“I had a few companions who infiltrated the camp, but they were expelled because of a minor conflict. Then, they just vanished into thin air, completely disappearing without a trace.”

"Fight?" Lin Qi scoffed dismissively. He had seen this kind of trick many times before the apocalypse. He retorted, "Are you trying to test the camp's reaction?"

Just like prisoners deliberately causing trouble in prison, it's very likely to divert the attention of the prison guards, cover up their small actions in other directions, or simply to provoke them and test the prison guards' limits.

“‘Holy Light’ camp is not a prison…” Scott’s expression turned serious, and his tone became low. “It is more terrifying than a prison.”

Once recruited, you can only work obediently; if you dare to cause trouble, you will be 'expelled'... and this so-called expulsion is actually a covert execution, a complete erasure.

He pointed to several houses in the town and said, "Look, those rooftops all have surveillance cameras installed."

On the ground, there are also robotic dogs, tirelessly patrolling along fixed routes. These are their fixed and mobile sentry posts.

"In addition, there are drones circling overhead, providing a wider and clearer view from above. We must keep a distance of more than five kilometers to be relatively safe, otherwise we will definitely be detected by them."

Scott's tone was filled with deep apprehension: "There are prominent warning signs at all the intersections leading to the camp."

Any outsider who dares to trespass may be attacked without warning. And the attacks often come from remote weapon stations hidden in the shadows.

That thing is said to be able to automatically recognize faces and human figures, and its aiming speed and accuracy are even faster than a real person; once it launches an attack, it's almost certainly fatal.

Hearing this, Lin Qi's face also turned gloomy. He put away his binoculars and asked with a furrowed brow, "It seems they are really difficult to deal with. So what should we do next?"

“The best way is to force our way in with armored vehicles,” Scott said ruthlessly. “Those yellow-skinned monkeys are indeed well-organized, but their weapons are not strong enough. If they can’t penetrate the armor, it’s all for nothing.”

Upon hearing this, Lynch laughed heartily and looked at Scott meaningfully, "You've got your eye on our modified armored bulldozers, haven't you?"
That thing is indeed a powerful tool for overcoming difficulties. Don't worry, we'll prepare for a few days and then use bulldozers to flatten those yellow-skinned monkeys."
-
Just to be on the safe side, Lynch originally planned to observe for a few more days and make more preparations. But Sani, who was inside the camp, felt that every day was like torture and he couldn't hold on any longer.

In their minds, Asians have always been synonymous with gentleness, timidity, and being easy to bully.

But the Asians he encountered this time completely overturned all his preconceived notions, displaying a toughness, efficiency, and ruthlessness that he had never expected.

Zhou Qingfeng's treatment of white people involved both coaxing and beating them.

If it were Lara, he would have Congus and Jennifer by his side, and he could also promote Laila and Nedved—Nedved had even rebelled against him, yet he was still given important responsibilities.

If you fight, you'll be in trouble at any moment. 'Basic labor force' must always be patient and report any incidents, otherwise they will be 'expelled'.

As for efficiency, we must talk about campsite construction.

The wind turbine arrived at the camp a week ago. The installation process was quite complicated, requiring first compacting the foundation, then carefully hoisting the huge tower, and finally assembling the heavy blades and generator into place.

After the first fan was installed, the test results were surprisingly good, greatly alleviating the power shortage in the camp.

Therefore, the installation of subsequent wind turbines was quickly put on the agenda.

This task was clearly not something that a dozen or so shelter members could accomplish on their own.

Zhou Qingfeng decisively selected several survivors with professional skills from the "basic labor force" and reassigned them to become skilled workers, so they no longer needed to go out and scavenge every day.

Because skilled jobs are relatively scarce and labor-intensive, these selected workers can earn higher work points, which can then be exchanged for better living conditions.

Recently, the camp acquired a batch of fresh sea fish from somewhere, which has undoubtedly brought a significant improvement to the camp's food structure.

The "kitchen" began serving fragrant "pan-fried fish fillets"—strips of fish fried to a golden brown emitted an enticing aroma, and anyone with enough work points could enjoy this delicacy.

In the past, fish fillets were just an ordinary ingredient, but now, in a life of scarcity, being able to eat fish fillets has become a way to relieve mental stress.

Because of this one preferential treatment, the 'small gang' that Sani secretly controlled almost collapsed.

Seven or eight "basic laborers" who could only eat bland boiled potatoes every day began to waver and compete to become skilled workers.

To avoid escalating internal conflicts, Sani used a lot of persuasion, employing both soft and hard tactics, before finally managing to convince his subordinates to be patient and give up the opportunity to compete for skilled worker positions.

Watching others devour delicious fish fillets while you can only stare blankly at tasteless potatoes is a truly unpleasant experience.

"This can't go on any longer. We must launch an attack as soon as possible and take this camp completely!"

Sani was very worried and paced anxiously in his simple 'dormitory'. "I can appease them for a day or two, but not for a week or two. If someone tells on me, I'm finished."

Besides the immediate crisis, Sani had another question: "It's understandable that these yellow-skinned monkeys have canned meat, after all, that's a resource they could stockpile before the apocalypse."

But how did they manage to get fresh fish? Avoni is hundreds of kilometers from the coastline, making it impossible for them to catch fresh fish.

Could it be... that this camp maintains some kind of connection with the other side of the sea?

(End of this chapter)