Doomsday police, please show your god/demon ID card.

Tang Long looked around.

In addition to the guard contingent of more than 200 people, there were nearly 3,000 base residents standing around the stage.

Taking a deep breath, Tang Long stepped forward and picked up the megaphone.

"The end of the world has come, order has collapsed, and the world is like a prison."

"But we did not give up."

His gaze swept over every face in the audience.

"What stands here today is not three thousand numbers, but three thousand testimonies—testimonies that as long as people refuse to accept their fate, they can still climb out of hell and start living their lives anew!"

The crowd was silent, with only the sound of the wind rustling through their clothes.

"Effective today, the Dongcheng District Police Station is officially reorganized and expanded!"

"It consists of four action battalions and one central support company!"

"All officers, your guns should always be pointed at only three things: zombies, thugs, and any dark forces trying to extinguish this hard-won flame!"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the figures standing in the first row below the stage.

"Wang Hu"

"Here!" The burly figure stepped forward, his voice booming like a bell.

"Appointed as the captain of the First Action Team!"

"Liu Qiang is hereby appointed as the captain of the Second Action Brigade!"

"Here!" Liu Qiang stepped forward, the former engineering soldier standing tall with a serious expression.

"Luo Yongchao!"

"He will serve as the captain of the Third Action Battalion and concurrently as the chief instructor of the entire battalion!"

"Zhao Fan is hereby appointed as the captain of the Fourth Action Team!"

"arrive!"

The four people went on stage one by one.

Tang Long personally replaced the silver shoulder insignia representing the captain's epaulets on the four of them.

"Four major action squads, each commanding fifty officers, are responsible for combat, patrol, and clearing operations!"

The four men stood at attention and gave Tang Long a standard military salute.

"yes!"

The ceremony continued.

Tang Long spoke again.

"According to the 'Hundred-Man Killer' promotion regulations, the following three individuals, for their bravery and outstanding achievements in combat, are hereby promoted to Operations Company Captains!"

"Li Mo!"

"Here!" Li Mo strode out from the crowd and stood in front of the stage.

"Zhou Jian!"

"Here!" Zhou Jian followed closely behind, while his son waved his little hand excitedly from the outer edge of the crowd.

"Wu Zheng!"

"Here!" Wu Zheng walked slowly, but every step was firm.

Tang Long stepped down from the platform and came to the three of them.

"The three of you have performed exceptionally well and made outstanding contributions in the cleanup operation! You are hereby promoted to company commanders and incorporated into the Central Support Company, under my personal command!"

Tang Long looked at them and said, "I hope you remember that what you carry on your shoulders is not just honor, but also the lives and future of more than three thousand people."

"Yes!" the three roared in unison, their voices hoarse and excited.

"Awarding of ranks!"

At Tang Long's command, several veteran team members stepped forward carrying trays.

On the tray were brand new armbands and shoulder patches.

After Tang Long finished dressing the three people, a thunderous cheer and applause erupted in the square.

"Holy crap! It really looks like it!"

"Why are my eyes getting a little wet..."

"I never imagined I'd see this scene after the apocalypse!"

"Damn it! So what if I die! I've made up my mind, I'm joining the security force too!!!"

"..."

Amid cheers.

Su Yan, Zhang Wennian, Chen Ming, and others stood on the periphery of the crowd.

"I never expected this," Zhang Wennian said, pushing up his glasses. "Just a few months ago, we were crammed into that tiny police station, living in constant fear."

"Now, they're starting to resemble a regular army."

Chen Ming crossed his arms and pursed his lips: "Far from it! Forget airplanes and tanks, we don't even have a decent cannon."

"That's enough! Things don't happen one step at a time!"

"Compared to the beginning, we've made tremendous progress." Su Yan interrupted him, pressing, "By the way! What about the potion you mentioned last time? Any progress?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Ming immediately perked up: "Of course! I've already analyzed 80% of the potion brought from the granary. I just haven't figured out the core ingredients yet, but it's highly likely to be the same as the life potion we make using life crystals."

"Give me a few more days, and we'll be able to replicate our own potential-enhancing potion!"

Zhang Wennian frowned: "Is it really that powerful? Can we become superpowered too?"

"What are you thinking? They're all one-time use!" Chen Ming rolled his eyes. "If you're thinking of something like Dr. Su and Captain Tang, you can't do that."

"However, I suspect that the provincial capital might have a drug that can turn ordinary people into superhumans."

"Are you sure?" Zhang Wennian pressed.

"Yes! Very likely." Chen Ming nodded. "Think about it! Those people at the grain depot were conducting live experiments on people in the provincial capital."

"At least, they've already developed a one-time potential-enhancing drug, uh... they call it something like a gene inducer over there."

"What it's called doesn't matter, but think about it, if we've already produced a one-time dose, there's a possibility that we don't have a complete, permanently activated potion."

He paused, then shrugged.

Anyway, there's definitely a big secret hidden in the provincial capital.

Su Yan nodded, her gaze returning to the square.

Looking at Tang Long's tall and straight back, and at the cheering crowd, she inexplicably recalled the scene when she first met Tang Long.

On the surface, the other person seemed cold and unapproachable, but deep down there was a strange gentleness about them—towards her, towards those around them, and even towards these survivors...

However, just as Su Yan was lost in her memories...

suddenly.

hum~

A wave of malice, so immense and suffocatingly powerful, emanated from the direction of the city center without warning.

It was as if an invisible eye, spanning over ten kilometers, indifferently swept across this place, its chilling light penetrating to the bone.

Cold, massive, filled with a condescending scrutiny and a hint of... curiosity?

Su Yan's face paled instantly, and her body swayed slightly uncontrollably.

"Dr. Su? What's wrong?" Zhang Wennian, who was standing next to her, was the first to notice something was wrong and quickly helped her up.

"Hey! Why do you look so pale?" Chen Ming also dropped his nonchalant demeanor and asked nervously.

"I...I'm fine." Su Yan shook her head, trying to steady herself. "It...it's awake..."

"Who?"

"Queen……"

Su Yan uttered those two words, and then everything went completely black.

"Dr. Su?"

"Quick! Get him back to the medical room!"

......

After half an hour.

The atmosphere was heavy in the meeting room on the fourth floor of the police station.

All core members were present.

Su Yan leaned back in her chair, her face still pale, holding a cup of hot water in her hands, her fingertips still trembling slightly.

"You mean, the Queen has fully awakened?" Tang Long stared at her, enunciating each word clearly.

"It's not just waking up." Su Yan closed her eyes, her voice weak. "If it were before, her consciousness would have been somewhat confused, but now it's incredibly clear and rational."

"It's more like a high and mighty ruler beginning to inspect his own territory."

Wang Hu's fists clenched so tightly they cracked: "Damn it, what the hell is this thing?"

"It can sense things mentally from more than ten kilometers away, and even lock onto targets..." Chen Ming pushed up his glasses, deep in thought. "Its mental power has become so strong that we cannot comprehend it."

"Whatever it is, it means we've been exposed."

Tang Long stood up and paced back and forth in the conference room.

"Pass on my order! From this moment forward, all expeditions and search and rescue teams on missions are strictly prohibited from approaching a five-kilometer radius around the city center unless absolutely necessary!"

"All intelligence related to the city center is classified as top secret!"

"No one is allowed to make any rash moves before we figure out its details."

"Yes!" everyone responded in unison.