Chapter 300 Conscription
Charles was super picky about who he brought back.
Whether it was for those weird human experiments or just labor at The Fourth Life Warehouse, he needed folks who were in good shape.
Old folks or little kids? Nah, they were just a waste of food.
Even using them as protein substitutes wasn't worth it.
He liked to think of himself as a decent guy who wouldn't kill without a reason.
Yeah, Charles was convinced he was a good person.
"Alright, listen up! Anyone between 16 and 35, healthy and without any disabilities, pack your stuff. We're heading to West Mountain Base! Plenty of food and a comfy place to stay. No more worrying about being hungry or cold!" Charles shouted through a loudspeaker.
The crowd buzzed like a bunch of startled birds.
Some folks thought this was their big break, having heard good things about West Mountain Base from the soldiers.
The soldiers said it was a great place to live.
But others were worried.
Charles and his crew had been pretty brutal, and a lot of their loved ones had died because of them.
Trusting those special forces guys was a huge risk.
But their opinions didn't matter. Charles wasn't asking; he was telling them what to do.
He checked his watch and said, "You've got half an hour to pack. Be back here in half an hour!"
He looked over the confused crowd and added, "Anyone who disobeys or tries to run will face military law!"
The tension was thick.
A young guy, mustering up some courage, yelled, "What about our families? Are we supposed to leave them here?"
That hit home for a lot of people.
Everyone had elderly or kids at home. Only taking those between 16 and 35 meant leaving the old and young behind.
Without the young adults to help out, they'd probably die in the cold or get killed by others.
So, despite their fear, the villagers of Cox Town started to speak up.
"We can't leave our families! If you're taking us, take everyone!"
"Would you abandon your own family? If so, I'd rather stay here and die with mine!"
"Yeah, we won't agree!"
The shouts got louder, drowning out the wind and snow.
But Charles's face darkened.
Suddenly, a gunshot rang out, silencing everyone.
Shane stood there with a smoking gun, and the young guy who first protested was on the ground, blood spreading.
"This is an order, not a request! In these times, if you resist the laws of West Mountain Base, there's only one outcome!" Charles said coldly.
Despair washed over the villagers' faces.
Against such power, their resistance was pointless.
Charles had shown his true colors. The failed mission made him too tired to even pretend.
Anyone challenging him now would be taken out without mercy!
Charles nodded to Shane.
Shane, still holding his gun, stepped forward and shouted, "Anyone between 16 and 35, pack your stuff! Everyone else, stay put. Don't try anything funny or run! If I catch anyone trying to escape, they'll be shot on the spot!"
The place went dead silent. Those who had thought about resisting lost their nerve, hung their heads, and went to pack.
Going to West Mountain Base was a slim chance at survival, but resisting meant certain death.
So, the square of Cox Town looked like this: a dozen special forces soldiers with guns ordering around a thousand people.
It was like a few sheepdogs herding a bunch of sheep.
Some, not wanting to leave their families but too scared to resist, hurt themselves, breaking their legs with rocks.
But they got no mercy, just a cold bullet.
Half an hour later, the villagers of Cox Town were split into two groups.
Over four hundred young adults, each a pillar of their family.
Those who survived the ice age were tough and healthy, the weak had long since died.
As they were about to be separated from their families, the place was filled with cries. They said their final goodbyes, not even daring to cross the line to hug their wives and kids. After counting everyone, Shane walked up to Charles and said, "Captain Reed, everyone's here! Should we grab the food supplies too?"
Cox Town had a decent stash of food. They'd eaten a lot, but there was still a good amount left. Bringing back a bunch of food might ease their guilt a bit.
Charles thought about it but decided against it. "Leave it for now. Our main goal is to get people back. The trip's long, and carrying supplies would be a hassle. If we need it later, we can come back."
Shane sighed. "You're too kind!"
The special forces then led the more than four hundred young adults away from Cox Town, heading to West Mountain Base.
The elderly and kids left behind watched them go, breaking into tears once they were out of sight.
A few hours later, Charles and the group arrived at West Mountain Base.
The soldiers at the gate were both surprised and thrilled to see Charles return with so many people.
"Captain Reed, you found so many survivors! This is huge!" The soldiers were stoked to see the more than four hundred people.
With these new folks, they could boost their ranks and wouldn't have to worry about labor for The Fourth Life Warehouse.
At West Mountain Base, The Fourth Life Warehouse burned through resources fast.
Besides the stuff needed for experiments, a lot of people chose to end it all because of the intense psychological pressure, causing big problems for everyone else.
Without these lower-level workers, the higher-ups couldn't enjoy their services.
Charles kept a cold face, barely nodding at the soldiers' praise.
This confused the gatekeeping soldiers.
Because of Steven's earlier massacre, all the communication officers were dead, so West Mountain Base still didn't know that nearly all their soldiers had been wiped out.
Charles led the group back to the base, with Lily quietly following behind.
Even though Charles was suspicious of her, as a powerful Psychic, he couldn't arrest her without solid proof.
It wasn't because West Mountain Base had any fair rules.
It was just that powerful Psychics like her were prime targets for West Mountain Base to recruit. Unless absolutely necessary, they wouldn't act too harshly.
Lily wasn't worried; the phone she handed over had nothing suspicious on it.
Once inside West Mountain Base, quarantine personnel immediately came to test the young adults from Cox Town, following the same procedures as when Lily and her group arrived.
Chief Secretary Lisa was already waiting for them in the basement.
She looked at Charles with her usual professional smile. "Captain Reed, Mr. Martin wants to see you in his office."
Charles kept a stern face and nodded.
What was coming had to come; he couldn't avoid it.
Plus, if he wanted revenge, he needed Peter's support.
Shane and Clay were a bit nervous.
Shane whispered, "Do you think Captain Reed will be okay?"
Everyone knew that with such heavy losses, Charles, as the leader, would definitely be held accountable.
Peter was known for his strict discipline. If this were the military, he'd definitely punish Charles severely!
Clay shook his head. "He'll get a scolding, but Mr. Martin needs Captain Reed right now."
Shane thought Clay made sense and stopped worrying.
As expected, Charles went to Peter's office and reported the mission's details.
Upon hearing that over fifty of his elite special forces had died, Peter slammed the table in anger, shattering his water cup!
"Charles, I gave you half of my elite special forces, and this is what you bring back? Do you know how hard it is to train those fifty-plus men? They're worth a thousand regular soldiers! You're a disgrace to West Mountain Base!"
Peter got even angrier, remembering how confident Charles had been when he took the mission.
Charles stood at attention, letting Peter rip into him.
After Peter finished, Charles lowered his head and said, "Mr. Martin, I'm guilty! If you think I deserve to die, you can execute me now. But I hope you'll give me a chance to redeem myself. I won't rest until I personally take down Steven!"
Peter's chest heaved with anger. He looked down coldly at his formidable subordinate, wanting to execute him on the spot!
But considering the current situation, he couldn't afford to lose such a valuable asset.
Peter quickly calmed down and said, "Fine, this can't be entirely blamed on you. I'll note your mistake for now and see how you perform in the future. If you mess up again, you'll face multiple charges!"
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