Chapter 38: The Special Committee (5)

In the end, before the army had clear and definite objectives, they still adopted a blanket clearance approach. Their estimate was that they would eventually establish defensive lines at the Third Ring Road, then at the Second Ring Road, recovering a ring-shaped area of Beijing.

The further the clearance advanced, the more problematic logistics and supply became. Ammunition was not in demand for now, as cold weapons were the mainstay, but with the growing number of rescued survivors, the training platoon would gradually move forward to facilitate training and the supply of manpower. After all, with inconvenient transportation, relying solely on foot, the time spent just on the road would be unbearable.

For the recovered areas, bicycles and tricycles were tentatively designated as transportation.

The Special Committee decided to gradually adjust various arrangements according to the regions recaptured; for now, all settlements remained temporary.

"Once we recover a few more areas and gather enough manpower and resources," Li Fengyi said as he reviewed the plan, "we'll need to expand toward the suburbs, reclaim machinery plants and large material bases. That would improve our equipment—after all, sharpening your axe won't delay your work."

At present, with only the strength of one camp, they barely had enough men to protect themselves; no one was foolish enough to attack the machinery plant right away. In the city, traffic jams and other factors helped prevent large gatherings of zombies, but outside the city, in open areas, even if the roads were clear and vehicles could be used, the highways still passed through densely populated urban zones and could be blocked at any time. Even with faster travel, people would still need rest, while zombies, though slow, moved relentlessly day and night, making it even more dangerous.

Once they had enough manpower on the main offensive line, they could free up forces to attack in other directions.

Li Fengyi made a rough calculation, taking into account both combat and rest: with two to three people per meter of front, that should be sufficient. The distance between the North Second Ring and the North Third Ring was about two or three kilometers—a ten-minute bike ride—so nearly two thousand people would be needed, plus a reserve force for emergencies, totaling four to five thousand. Having just cleared three residential buildings, they already had over five hundred people, so he estimated they would soon be able to advance on the machinery plant—though he forgot to consider the actual number of troops needed for the assault. Later, when they had nearly ten thousand people, they finally began their attack plan.

Thus, the staff officers began to supplement the plan to reclaim the machinery plant based on Li Fengyi's suggestions. No special plan for fuel was proposed; diesel generators could be fueled from the usual gas stations.

Meanwhile, Commander Liu requested that the Armed Forces Department staff join the military planning process. The old veterans, though unable to march with the troops due to physical limitations, still had valuable experience.

In the Public Security Bureau office, Li Fengyi sat at the head of the long conference table, with Li Qiang and Commander Liu flanking him. Minister Chu Xiongfei of Public Security, Yin Zhibin, and young officer Mo Sheng sat further down, reporting on their work.

"Currently, the survivors are calm and public order is stable. In the future, as more survivors join, there may be fluctuations. We have already coordinated with the Civil Affairs Department; when the time comes, some civil affairs staff will be assigned to help with security," Chu Xiongfei spoke confidently. "We may need some capable personnel to keep order, because the Civil Affairs Department is almost entirely female now. The survivors have strong vitality—those who made it this far—and we must guard against trouble."

Seeing the three members of the Special Committee nod, Chu Xiongfei continued, "I just visited Minister Ou—cats and dogs have mutated. Kittens barely a month old are as big as the original dogs; dogs grow as tall as a person's waist. Although there's no evidence yet that these animals have become more aggressive, we must prepare for the possibility. I recommend Minister Ou accelerate research in this field, and arrangements should be made to separate people and animals in living areas. Rats are mammals too—if they mutate, it will be troublesome. Also, our modern city has a vast network of underground pipes—almost like empty corridors—inhabited by many animals, and we don't know their mutation status. I couldn't find the sewer blueprints in the neighborhood committee office; usually, these documents are with the urban construction department. For now, we've decided to weigh down every sewer cover with heavy objects, just in case."

"We should draft some survivor regulations," Yin Zhibin added, "to inform survivors about where they are, the current situation, and what is expected of them. When people understand the circumstances, they are more likely to act rationally, reducing anxiety and potential security issues. Also, for any criminals, I propose establishing a labor reform team to carry out labor reformation work."

Li Fengyi glanced at Yin Zhibin's resume—he had worked as a prison guard, came to the city on business, got trapped in a store in Qingnian Ditch on the day the apocalypse struck, and was later rescued. Clearly, he had a deep understanding of his beloved labor reform work.

"That's right," Li Qiang, still wary of troublemakers, agreed. "Anyone who refuses to obey orders, especially in special circumstances, should be dealt with severely. We can't support idlers—lock them all up for reformation."

Accordingly, the Special Committee, based on the Public Security Bureau's draft, issued a committee document: mtg20150609002, meaning the Apocalypse Special Committee Public Security Bureau's Document No. 2, dated June 9, 2015, ranking just after the first document from the Health Department. In later generations, there was endless debate about when the Public Security Bureau's Document No. 1 was issued and what it contained, with a few historians gaining fame and awards for their speculation. For now, Document No. 2 was entirely official and strictly adhered to the national administrative document format standard GB/T9704-1999.

The main contents of Document No. 2 were as follows: Apocalypse Beijing Special Working Committee Model, Apocalypse Beijing Special Working Committee Public Security Bureau Notification on the Issuance of "Internal Security Regulations for the Apocalypse Beijing Special Working Committee," Designated as Public Security Document [2015] No. 002, mtg20150609002.

Chapter One: General Principles

Article 1: In order to standardize internal security work within the Special Committee, protect the personal safety and property of survivors as well as public property, and maintain internal order, these regulations are formulated in accordance with the Committee's directives and practical circumstances.

Article 2: The internal scope of the Special Committee referred to herein denotes all areas reclaimed by the Committee. These security regulations apply to all affairs within these areas.

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Article 18: Until definitive new research demonstrates that animals pose no harm to humans, strict separation measures between humans and animals shall be enforced.

Article 19: Until definitive new research demonstrates that the sewer system poses no harm to humans, all units must ensure that the manhole covers within their jurisdiction are securely weighted down.

Article 20: Private ownership of weapons is permitted, but under no circumstances may anyone fire within the internal area without authorization; otherwise, any person is authorized to execute the violator on the spot.

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Supplementary Article 47: These regulations shall come into effect from the date of issuance.