In the apocalypse, I hoarded goods and handed over my storage space to the government.

The feverish atmosphere in the command room was instantly extinguished by Ye Xiao's battle report.

Second order!

Just those two words in the battle report sent a chill down the spines of all the officers present, who were holding general's stars.

Su Ran opened the "Evidence Zip" file package.

A holographic projection image popped up instantly, taking up half of the wall.

The scene begins with violent shaking and an explosion.

In the scene, Ye Xiao is like a bloodthirsty madman, hacking and slashing through the horde of corpses.

"This kid is really wild."

General Zhang Xiao made a comment subconsciously, but no one echoed him.

Then, the scene changes.

A mutated grizzly bear, the size of a small mountain, crashed through the building and appeared with a bang.

Ye Xiao wielded his twin blades, unleashing a full-force attack, yet he could only leave bloodstains on the bear hide.

"hiss!"

A collective gasp filled the command room.

"I've seen Ye's knife before; this strike should be able to cut through the armor of an infantry fighting vehicle."

A general in charge of armored forces clenched his fists instinctively. "This mutated bear's defense is so high that even ordinary rifles will have difficulty damaging it. We'll have to use heavy weapons."

Everyone was stunned by the monster's physical resistance.

The image finally freezes on Ye Xiao splitting open the bear's head and taking out the crystal core, which was noticeably larger.

"This is a second-tier mutated creature?"

Li Guodong's voice was extremely dry.

If the previous victory of 1.52 million crystal cores made everyone feel that the scales of victory were tipping in humanity's favor.

So now, the early appearance of this second-tier mutated beast is like an invisible hand that has forcefully turned the tilted scales back!

"Comrade Su Ran,"

General Zhang Xiao asked doubtfully, "Didn't you say there were still three days left?"

This question reflects the sentiments of everyone present.

Is my memory playing tricks on me?

Or has the course of history deviated in ways they cannot comprehend?

Su Ran did not answer.

He just stared intently at the close-up of the second-tier crystal core on the screen, his pupils shrinking to the most dangerous pinpoints.

First came the large-scale appearance of mutated beasts, then the premature emergence of mutated mother nests, and now the fully developed second-tier mutated beasts.

The development timeline of mutated creatures has been accelerated by an inexplicable force.

"Alienated creatures are evolving at an accelerated pace."

Su Ran felt a chill run through her heart.

This was a "ripening" effect he had never imagined.

"Bang!"

Li Guodong slammed his fist on the table, surveyed his surroundings, and roared, "Immediately distribute the data on the second-tier mutated beasts to all frontline combat units! Order all troops to advance in tank company formations only, and prohibit any individual soldiers from advancing recklessly!"

"Old Li,"

Su Ran suddenly spoke, her voice eerily calm, "Our 'big clean-up' plan must be adjusted immediately."

"Since one has appeared, it means that in those corners we can't see, there are a second, a third... or even more."

"How should we adjust it?" Li Guodong asked.

"Pause the attack and switch to defense across the board."

"Immediately construct permanent defensive fortifications."

The generals immediately erupted into a cacophony of suggestions and orders, and the command room became noisy once again.

Just now.

"Quiet down."

A calm, yet supremely authoritative voice came from the doorway.

The sound wasn't loud, but it was like pressing a mute button; the entire command room instantly fell silent.

Everyone turned around abruptly and stood at attention, saluting in unison.

"Commander!"

Li Guodong was startled and quickly went to meet him.

The old man walked in slowly, escorted by several guards.

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the entire room.

"Li Guodong, gather all relevant intelligence into Conference Room One within five minutes."

The old man spoke calmly, "All commanders at the corps level and above, and the main responsible persons of the Strategic Research Office, Weapon Research and Development Department, and Logistics Department, attend the meeting immediately."

"yes!"

The crowd agreed.

……

The Supreme Operations Conference Room.

In the center of the table was a real-time holographic sand table of the entire Great Xia Dynasty, with countless points of light representing both sides slowly moving across it.

The old man sat upright in the main seat, saying nothing, but quietly looking at the intelligence report brought by Ye Xiao on the table.

Everyone present was a top-notch brain of the Great Xia military.

But at this moment, no one dared to speak first.

"Tell me about it."

The old man in the main seat finally spoke, breaking the silence, "A variable has appeared. How should we continue the war?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a general with the rank of lieutenant general on his shoulder and a resolute face stood up.

"Colleagues, the situation is quite clear now, so let me express my opinion first."

This person is Wang Jianjun, the commander-in-chief of the Northern Theater Command.

He was known for his steady military tactics and his expertise in positional and defensive warfare.

"The evolutionary speed of the mutated creatures has exceeded our expectations. Comrade Su Ran's understanding of the future has deviated. I believe that the risks of the 'Great Cleanup' plan have exceeded the controllable range and should be suspended immediately!"

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.

"The appearance of the second-tier mutated beasts has exceeded our original assessment of combat strength. Everyone has seen Comrade Ye Xiao's combat video. For monsters of that level, apart from heavy weapons, conventional infantry are no different from unarmed civilians!"

Forcing our way through would be like using our soldiers' lives to fill a bottomless pit!

General Wang spoke in a somber tone, pointing to the three million square kilometers of land that had been recovered on the sand table.

"We have achieved a phased victory and created a relatively safe strategic buffer zone. Relying on the industrial base and vast plains that have been preserved on the surface, we can completely rebuild the production order and restore productivity."

I suggest establishing a surface defense system, and then focusing on the development of core weapons and awakening agents! Let's trade space for time!

At the same time, it can free up some of the population to live on the ground and resume production, which will greatly alleviate the current living pressure on the main bases!

This is the view of the "conservative faction," which is more prudent and conservative.

This statement was reasonable and reflected the sentiments of many generals present.

The security system of Taohuayuan, built around twelve main bases, is more like cramming thousands of people into a six-story building.

Living conditions in the working-class areas were not terrible, but they were still quite difficult.

Immediately, others echoed this sentiment.

"I agree with General Wang's opinion! We must proceed steadily and cautiously, step by step!"

"That's right, we've already lost over a hundred thousand soldiers! We can't afford to advance recklessly any longer!"

However, another fiery voice immediately rang out.

"I object!"

It was General Zhang Xiao. He slammed his fist on the table and stood up abruptly, glaring angrily at Wang Jianjun.

"We must continue fighting! What's the difference between stopping now and waiting to die? That's pure womanly compassion!"

"Didn't you see how fast that monster is evolving? We stop to repair the wall, but they won't stop and wait for us! Doesn't it take time to repair the wall?"

By the time you repair your wall, they might have already evolved to level three or four! They'll smash your wall to pieces with a single slap, and what will you use to defend yourself then?

We have tanks, planes, and artillery! So what if it's a Tier 2 mutated beast? Ye Xiao can kill it single-handedly, so why can't our tanks and artillery? One 155mm grenade, no matter what tier you are, you'll be turned into mangled flesh!

"Zhang Xiao! You're gambling with the lives of our soldiers!"

Wang Jianjun was also furious. "The battle lines are spread too far; heavy weapons simply can't cover them all. Once second-tier mutated beasts appear, our soldiers, lacking armored support, will be overwhelmed by the zombie horde and annihilated!"

Zhang Xiao shouted, "Our only advantage now is the initiative! We can crush them with an iron torrent while most of them are still at Tier 1 and have no power!"

While we still have firepower superiority, let's wipe out their manpower! Disrupt their evolutionary process!

"Nonsense!"

Another General Zhao Rulong from the Strategic Support Force immediately retorted, "General Zhang, fighting a war isn't just about passion! What is our advantage? It's the predictive ability provided by Comrade Su Ran! Now that advantage is disappearing; we're essentially walking in the dark!"

He stood up and pointed to the shocking casualty figures on the sand table.

"In just four days, we have suffered 140,000 casualties! If second-tier mutated beasts start to appear on a large scale and we have not established a stable defensive line, the legions on the battlefield will be a disorganized mess, unable to even guarantee the most basic logistics."

How many times will this number increase? Ten times? Twenty times? By then, if our troops are all wiped out, what will we use to defend ourselves?

General Zhao Rulong said, "I agree with General Wang's approach! We should switch to a full defensive posture! Based on the three million square kilometers of land we have now recovered, we should build permanent fortifications and construct a second Great Wall of Steel!"

"A self-sufficient, restorative, and resilient fortress is the true 'Shangri-La,' not the current situation where we scatter our precious troops like pepper across our vast territory in a high-stakes gamble with an uncertain outcome!"

General Zhao's words resonated with a considerable number of people.

Government officials, especially those in charge of logistics and production, nodded repeatedly.

War is all about logistics.

Stretching the battle lines too far increases the pressure on supply lines exponentially.

"Two women showing such kindness..."

General Zhang Xiao scoffed, "The mutated beasts outside will only get stronger! Are we just going to give up the strategic initiative we've worked so hard to gain?"

"Zhang Xiao! This is a strategic retreat, not an abandonment!"

General Zhao was also enraged. He stood up abruptly and confronted Zhang Xiao head-on.

"What utter bullshit about strategic retrenchment! I think it's just strategic waiting to die!"

"It's better than squandering all our savings now!"

The meeting room instantly erupted into chaos.

That's enough.

The elder in the seat of honor spoke again, his voice not loud, but it silenced the generals who were arguing heatedly.

The meeting room fell into an oppressive silence once again.

Offense or defense?

These are two completely different paths, leading to two completely different futures.

One faction advocates a steady defense, using "space to buy time," prioritizing securing the core area before gradually expanding.

One faction advocates a hardline offensive, using "time to create space," and nipping the monster in the bud before it fully matures, at any cost.

If you choose the wrong option, you lose everything, and there's no chance to start over.

The old man remained silent, simply listening attentively.

The political commissar beside him was occasionally jotting something down in his notebook.

Gradually, the arguing subsided.

Everyone realized that this was no longer a simple military debate, but a struggle over policy.

The final decision rests with only one person.

However, he did not make a decision immediately.

His gaze slowly swept over everyone, finally settling on Su Ran, who remained silent.

As a reborn person, Su Ran possesses memories of two lifetimes, giving her a significant advantage in intelligence from the outset.

"Comrade Xiao Su, you are the person who knows the most about the apocalypse."

The old man spoke in a deep voice, "What's your opinion?"

Li Guodong sat next to Su Ran, his palms already sweaty.

He knew that this was an opportunity given to Su Ran by the highest-ranking official of the base, in the face of the deadlock between the two major factions in the military, to determine the future direction of Great Xia.

All eyes, like searchlights, were focused on Su Ran.

There is scrutiny, expectation, doubt, and dependence.

This young man in his early twenties has now become the ballast that determines the course of the giant ship that is the Great Xia.

Su Ran slowly stood up.

Everyone's heart was in their throat.

He did not immediately refute General Wang Jianjun's "frontline contraction plan," but instead nodded slightly.

"I listened carefully to General Wang's plan. It is very sound and pragmatic. With our current infrastructure capabilities, we can indeed build an ironclad defense line within three months, using the twelve main bases as the boundary, which would deter any second- or even third-tier creatures."

"It also allows for the restart of most of the legacy industrial facilities, ensuring people's livelihoods and enabling most people to live a relatively stable life. From a humanitarian and risk control perspective, this is almost a perfect solution."

These words eased the tension among the generals who advocated defense.

They had assumed that Su Ran, this young man, would be as radical as Zhang Xiao, but they never expected that he could see the advantages of the plan.

General Wang Jianjun also showed a hint of approval in his eyes.

He is neither arrogant nor impatient, and is open to different opinions.

This young man is no ordinary person.

However, Su Ran abruptly changed the subject, her voice turning icy cold.

"However, this is a plan to exchange a moment of peace for a slow poison."

He paused for a moment, then spoke slowly and deliberately.

"My view is to continue fighting, and to fight even harder, faster, and more decisively than before!"

"Nonsense!"

No sooner had Su Ran finished speaking than General Wang Jianjun abruptly stood up and sternly retorted, "Comrade Su Ran, I admire your courage and contributions! But that doesn't mean you can joke around with the lives of millions of frontline soldiers!"

"We have seen the defensive capabilities of the second-tier mutated beast. Without the suppression of heavy weapons, ordinary soldiers are just a piece of meat in front of it. Our attack has lost its element of surprise!"

If we continue fighting, it will become a bloodbath! The casualty rate will increase at least five to ten times! We cannot afford that price!

The atmosphere in the meeting room instantly plummeted to freezing point.

Faced with a veteran general with a distinguished military record directly questioning him, Su Ran's expression remained largely unchanged.

He looked at the other person calmly and asked a question in return.

"General Wang, I only have one question for you. Can the Great Wall be built to the sky?"

Wang Jianjun was taken aback, not understanding what he meant: "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, generals, the core of the argument just now has been on the ground."

He stretched out his finger and gently touched the void.

"But true despair comes from heaven."