Chapter 141: The Resurrected Legion (Part 1)

“Commander!” The colonel’s tears streamed down his face, a man in his fifties crying like a child before Li Fengyi. “I resolutely carry out the orders of the Special Committee. All surviving soldiers of the 39th Group Army will take on new positions and continue the fight...”

He pulled over a young soldier beside him. “He’s seventeen, a mountain dweller from the remote depths of Guangxi. He lied about his age to enlist. Please let us keep this seed for the 39th Group Army…”

On September 29, 2015, the 39th Group Army was officially reintegrated into the People’s Liberation Army under the Special Committee.

The Special Committee’s military reorganization policy was clear and resolute. All pre-apocalypse military units had to be restructured according to the new circumstances to face the new enemy—the zombies.

On one hand, the original human military formations had been designed for efficiently killing humans. On the other hand, this restructuring aimed to disrupt the old command systems to prevent any newly formed party organizations from losing control of their troops.

The reorganization was thorough; all unit designations were reassigned.

Li Fengyi, leading the Special Committee’s leadership team in Beijing, received all surviving officers from the 39th Group Army at the rank of platoon leader and above. After a period of rest, they would be assigned to military academies, staff departments, and various units to strengthen grassroots command capabilities.

Before the apocalypse, the 39th Group Army was fully staffed, well equipped, with over 75,000 personnel. Now, their strength was less than 20,000, but the command system remained functional. The troops were stationed near Tangshan for recuperation.

Their army commander had fallen, and the former logistics minister, a colonel, was acting as interim commander.

“Every revolutionary soldier must remember the Three Main Rules of Discipline and the Eight Points for Attention: First, all actions must follow orders in unison to achieve victory. Second, do not take a single needle or thread from the people; the people support and love us. Third, all captured goods belong to the public; strive to lighten the people's burden. We must uphold these three rules and never forget the eight points: One, speak kindly and respectfully to the people, never arrogantly. Two, trade prices must be fair; no bullying or exploitation. Three, borrowed items must be returned immediately and not lost. Four, if damaged, compensate fairly without deduction. Five, no beating or abusing people; overcome warlord tendencies. Six, protect the people’s crops and be mindful during marches and battles. Seven, no molesting women; eradicate hooligan behavior. Eight, no mistreatment of prisoners; no beating, no verbal abuse, no searching of pockets. Everyone must discipline themselves, watch each other, and never violate revolutionary rules. Remember, the People's soldiers always love the people and defend the motherland—forever moving forward with the support and welcome of the entire nation.”

The colonel in his fifties, accompanied by a young soldier with a youthful face, earnestly sang the “Three Main Rules of Discipline and Eight Points for Attention” in Li Fengyi’s office. Their tone was solemn. Despite a few missed notes, neither Li Fengyi nor Commander Liu laughed. Instead, they carefully observed the colonel and the seventeen-year-old soldier.

After the song, the colonel said, “Commander, the 39th Group Army will resolutely obey all orders from the Special Committee. Once rested, we will proceed to military academies, staffs, and units to reinforce grassroots officer strength.”

“Commander,” the colonel stood at attention, unembarrassed to report to the young Li Fengyi. The military has always valued merit over age.

He continued, “On the day of the apocalypse, the commander handled the internal zombie outbreak swiftly, then followed Military Commission orders to head to the cities in their jurisdiction to rescue survivors. Soon, they realized the situation was dire, regrouped, and advanced toward Tangshan, an industrial base prioritized for protection. When we reached Tangshan, headquarters was set up in the Fengrun District, with a survivor shelter 70 kilometers away at Bamiang Peak. Units entered the city to rescue civilians and gradually withdrew to Bamiang Peak. The zombie horde pursued us, and by the time we noticed, headquarters was already surrounded.”

“The commander picked up the walkie-talkie and contacted every soldier in the army,” the colonel’s voice choked with emotion as he continued in a low tone.

“‘Comrades, what is your unit?’”

The soldiers cried out together, “People’s Liberation Army, 39th Group Army!”

The commander gripped the walkie-talkie tighter; his voice echoed in every soldier’s ear: “Our predecessors in the 39th Army marched the Long March, fought the Japanese devils, from the Northeast’s Songhua River to Zhen Nanguan in Guangxi during the Liberation War, and fought American devils in the Korean War... The 39th Army has countless martyrs and has never fallen!”

“Comrades, I order you: even if there is only one soldier left, protect the glorious flag left by our predecessors! Even if only one remains, request superior command to restore our unit designation!”

Under the commander’s strict orders, soldiers outside the zombie encirclement protected nearly a million survivors as they retreated to Bamiang Peak, while the commander and headquarters personnel launched a desperate charge into Tangshan city.

Colonel Qin Fengzhang, the logistics minister, dealt extensively with society and understood the art of tactful diplomacy.

Upon learning of the Special Committee’s reorganization principles, he raised no objections. On one hand, such restructuring was necessary: killing zombies differs greatly from killing humans. On the other, he sensed the difficulty in fulfilling the commander’s dying wish. The Special Committee clearly did not want the army to operate under the pre-apocalypse command structure, fearing loss of control. He understood this.

He comforted the surviving officers and declined to convene a mass consultation—such a move would be tantamount to mutiny. After a night of deep thought, he brought only the youngest surviving soldier to report to the Special Committee’s leadership.

Li Fengyi was unsure how to respond. He glanced at Commander Liu, who was equally moved. Liu’s personality was reserved; since joining the revolution, once he had chosen his allegiance, he rarely sought attention to avoid mistakes.

Since Li Fengyi’s incorporation and receiving authorization from the National Security Department, Liu had mostly coordinated affairs quietly and seldom took sides in disputes.

This time, he spoke unusually: “A unit’s designation is its soul, embodying the blood and great deeds of martyrs... During wartime, the PLA’s unit numbers changed frequently, but they generally preserved the designations of heroic units to honor their legacy... The military values tradition...”

He harbored some reservations about the Special Committee’s renaming of units but, considering his former military background and to avoid accusations of being a party-directed gun, he kept silent beyond this statement.

Before the apocalypse, apart from Commander Liu, the Special Committee’s leadership were ordinary civilians. They knew the PLA’s glorious record of invincibility but were unaware of the deep meanings behind unit designations. To confront the zombie war effectively and prevent uncontrollable military leaders, they had logically chosen a complete reorganization and renaming of the army.

In hindsight, a unit’s designation is like a company’s brand—it unites the spirit and morale of its people, inspiring extraordinary courage and fighting power. Just as a new soda brand cannot rival a century-old Coca-Cola, new designations cannot match the legacy of heroic units.