Chapter 004 Signs (II)

"Dad, I will go out to see what is happening and will be back soon. Also, you and Mom should not go anywhere; just stay at home and wait for my return." Li Li hurriedly walked outside, knowing that his father, Li Zhiguo, had always been an honest and straightforward person, who could only execute orders well but would never understand the reasons behind them. Therefore, he decided to personally go out and see what was really going on.

Li Li stayed in the community building for a while, and he had almost figured out the current time restrictions in Quancheng. He planned to take advantage of the fact that it was not yet curfew time to stroll around the streets, assess the current situation, and also buy some daily necessities in case of emergencies.

In addition to food and crossbows, Li Li also purchased a complete set of field survival gear and some basic outdoor medical first aid kits, believing that these would be useful in the future

Not long after, Li Li arrived at the Chama Square in the West City area. From a distance, he saw piles of various materials, a large number of soldiers standing guard, and warning tape was set up. Temporary high points were constructed around, with machine guns mounted on them. Even from dozens of meters away, Li Li could feel the chill emanating from the dark gun barrels.

Half a month later, on a certain day, Li Li passed by the emergency square in the small town after work and saw that the entire square was occupied by hundreds of military camps. Four armed soldiers had quietly appeared at the county government gate, and on the road, groups of soldiers armed with rifles began to patrol in an orderly manner. Li Li knew that a storm was approaching

He arrived again outside the largest supermarket in the spring city and saw a long line formed outside the supermarket. The people in line were very orderly, with no one cutting in or making noise. He curiously looked towards the front of the line and the entrance, discovering a group of armed soldiers standing at the door. At that moment, he suddenly realized why there was such orderly shopping without any cutting in line or looting. It turned out that the supermarket had been taken over, and the command center had sent people down to distribute supplies.

Take a deep breath to calm the somewhat tense mood, shifting his gaze from the soldiers to the community bulletin board. After a moment, Li Li understood the general meaning of the notice: the entire city is under temporary military control. Except for some necessary government departments that continue to operate as usual, all other industries are temporarily closed. A curfew is in effect from 4 PM to 8 AM the following day, during which time no one is allowed to go out, hold gatherings, or leave the city. All resources within the city are to be allocated uniformly by the command center, and everything must comply with the command center, with unconditional obedience.

"Uncle Zhang, you must be joking. Where did you get this information?" Li Li immediately became more alert upon hearing about the military control and then asked in confusion.

Everything remains the same, but every day after work, Li Li sees more and more military vehicles passing by Xiangyang Avenue, seemingly confirming that his conjecture is not unfounded, and that being prepared is indeed correct, as an unusual storm is brewing.

After watching for less than a minute and listening to the arguments from the other party, Li Li finally understood the general situation. It turned out that the military was preparing to requisition all the excavators and heavy trucks from the owner of the auto repair shop, and to use the auto repair shop as a temporary transit station. The owner of the auto repair shop was unwilling to be requisitioned in such an unclear manner, and, believing himself to have strong connections and influence in both legal and illegal circles, demanded to see the commander of the soldiers. He also boasted that he had already called County Chief Zhao and Director Song of the Public Security Bureau.

Everyone, do not panic, do not believe in rumors, just stay at home. As Li Li arrived at the entrance of the community building, he heard Aunt Zhang, the community administrator, advising the crowd around her.

The few lackeys standing beside the owner of the auto repair shop were momentarily stunned, their bodies trembling uncontrollably like sifted chaff. After shooting the owner of the auto repair shop, several soldiers rushed forward without saying a word and began to beat these lackeys with their guns, directly knocking them unconscious on the ground before dragging them away

As soon as the answer button was pressed, a hurried voice from the other end of the phone came through: "Li Li, the entire city is under military control, the army has taken over the whole city, and there are many troops patrolling the streets, armed as well."

After a little over ten minutes, Li Li arrived at Longhu Bridge and saw from a distance that the bridge was completely blocked. Surprisingly, there were two Type 98 main battle tanks at the bridgehead, and about a platoon of soldiers were stationed on the bridge to secure it.

What on earth has happened, that so many soldiers have suddenly appeared

He is now secretly grateful for his earlier preparations. Some time ago, he purchased a considerable amount of supplies online, including a large box of compressed biscuits. His parents, being farmers, also have a substantial stock of food at home, so he does not need to worry about food for the time being. What reassures him the most is the crossbow he bought online. Although this crossbow cannot compare to firearms, its power is sufficient to kill an ordinary person, making it a viable means of self-defense.

With a bang, the expression on the face of the auto repair shop owner suddenly froze, his eyes filled with astonishment. He looked at the soldier in front of him, whose gun was still emitting white smoke, in disbelief. A large patch of crimson appeared on his chest, and he slowly collapsed to the ground.

"You will understand once you go out and take a look." The phone once again transmitted Zhang Xing's voice, filled with lingering fear.

At that moment, Li Li was sweating profusely, despite being a person with strong self-control and having frequently watched gunfight scenes in movies. However, seeing someone actually being shot for the first time made him tremble all over. After taking a few deep breaths to calm his emotions, he forced himself to appear calm and quietly distanced himself from the auto repair shop.

Dad, don't worry, I will be back soon. Li Li quickly disappeared at the street corner without looking back. This matter is of great importance, even concerning the future fate of the family. He must understand the current situation in Quan City.

Upon seeing the soldiers firing their weapons, he realized the gravity of the situation. Soldiers are only permitted to fire their weapons in a state of emergency. In other words, the act of soldiers firing signifies that the nation is facing an irresistible disaster. To respond to the crisis, the military is granted supreme authority, including the power to execute on the spot.

Li Li hurriedly ran towards the community office, and before he arrived, he saw several rows of soldiers standing outside the community office building from a distance. A large crowd was gathered around a notice board outside the community building, discussing it.

Li Li hurriedly hung up the phone, got dressed, and prepared to go out to see what was happening. Just as he got out of bed and was about to open the door, he saw his father, Li Zhiguo, returning.

I heard from a relative who returned from the Tibetan region that some terrifying monsters seem to have appeared there

As I walked past several street intersections, I was astonished to see soldiers on duty at every intersection. Every few minutes, a patrol of soldiers would pass by. The streets were much less crowded than usual, and the pedestrians hurried along, their brows furrowed. The shops along the street were sparsely open, with only a few establishments operating. Some of these shops appeared disheveled, with dried bloodstains on the ground.

After safely leaving, Li Li let out a sigh of relief, only to find that his back was already soaked. He hurriedly made his way towards Longhu Bridge, the only exit from the city to nearby Anshi. East of Longhu Bridge lies Anshi, which is also part of his plan in case something goes wrong, allowing him to rush to Anshi from Longhu Bridge

"Xiao Li, you don't have to go to work recently, as notified by the community management staff outside," Li Zhiguo said hurriedly upon seeing Li Li preparing to go out.

"Xiao Li, it's better not to go out. Aunt Zhang from the community said we can just stay at home." An anxious voice from behind Li Li came from Li Zhiguo

The crowd began to discuss the rumors they knew in a few words.

As noon gradually approached, Li Li took out his phone to check the time and also to make a few calls to friends to inquire about their situation. He scrolled through his phone's contact list and found the number of his close friend Huang Tianqiang. After pressing the dial button, he waited for a long time without any response from the call. Li Li then tried calling home, but again found no response. He checked the signal, and the signal indicator in the upper right corner of his phone showed that it was very good, indeed at full strength.

At that moment, a quarrel suddenly erupted from a nearby auto repair shop. Li Li, curious, walked over and found a spot that would not be affected and was inconspicuous to observe. He knew the owner of the auto repair shop, who was a well-known wealthy individual in Spring City, rumored to have started in the underworld but later turned legitimate, now primarily engaged in mining.

Li Li saw the long queue and thought that his preparations from some time ago were similar, so he did not dismiss the idea of buying some daily necessities. After wandering around for a whole morning, he had already figured out the general situation and layout of Quan City, and he was ready to go home to organize his thoughts and consider the next course of action. This morning's observations made him realize that a significant event must have occurred, and it would not be long before something happened in Quan City.

In the following days, Li Li received the items he had purchased online one after another, and he continued to go to work and return home on time every day, maintaining a routine as usual. Every morning, he listened to Zhang Xing's early news, and he could also hear the sharp calls of the team leader, Gao Wei.

Li Li's face was increasingly marked by confusion. He repeatedly dialed several people's numbers, but received the same response each time. At this point, he was completely stunned, and a very bad premonition surged within him; this situation was truly too strange.

The next day, while Li Li was still dreaming, the distinctive ringtone of a Nokia phone rang. He picked up the phone and, with his bleary eyes, saw that it was a call from Zhang Xing. He felt quite puzzled, as although he and Zhang Xing often boasted together, it was only during work hours, and they had never contacted each other after work.

Li Li, standing in an inconspicuous corner, was stunned by the scene before him. It took less than three minutes from the argument to the gunfire. Perhaps this former owner of an auto repair shop in Spring City, who was once powerful and influential, did not expect the soldiers to actually open fire, and to do so with such decisiveness. He might have just wanted to create a commotion, thinking it would be more face-saving than being conscripted without a word. After all, he was considered a tough character in Spring City, wanting to earn some face and gain some benefits for himself. However, this time he encountered an even tougher character.

Li Li ran over and squeezed into the crowd, carefully observing the soldiers on duty. Suddenly, he was taken aback, as their equipment was all too familiar to him as a military enthusiast. It was completely configured according to the standards of a field unit, all uniformly equipped with the Type 95, along with a basic load of ammunition, presenting a complete state of readiness for combat

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