Chapter 200 - 185: Bad News and Good News

Chapter 200: Chapter 185: Bad News and Good News

"The ship isn’t here yet???"

A 20-kilometer straight-line distance for a cargo ship with barely any load, traveling at full speed with a full tank of fuel—logically, it should have arrived in about 30 minutes.

Even if entering the port took a little extra time, there’s no way it would take an hour for them not to even see the ship.

"Qiao, it is Bailu Fishing Port, right? You didn’t go to the wrong one, did you?"

"Definitely not. I know this place well."

"Alright, you guys wait a moment. I’ll call the pilot."

"I just tried. No one answered, which is why I called you."

A bad feeling crept into Yu Dong’s heart. After hanging up, he tried the pilot’s satellite phone three consecutive times, but no one picked up.

This made everyone uneasy.

By now, the main force had already assembled and was warming up inside the cruise ship, ready to board and head to the North River District at a moment’s notice. They were quite excited about acting alongside the military this time.

Officer Wang had even gotten his preferred AK-107 automatic rifle from Lin Mo, giving his MP9 submachine gun to the retired soldier, Yang Ze. His firearms were quite good, and he had also brought along most of the 9mm and 7.62mm ammunition from the ship.

The goal was to go all out and make a huge score in one go.

Once they took the military sub-district’s warehouse, they wouldn’t be short on ammunition anymore.

They might even be able to bring back some active-duty firearms. Just the thought of it thrilled everyone.

"Why isn’t anyone picking up... Chen, what’s the situation with your men?"

The ones sailing the ship were a pilot, an engineer, and a sailor under Chen Guangzong—three people in total. They were accompanied by two combat team members sent by Zhao Youcai, mainly to keep an eye on those three.

"This... this shouldn’t be happening. It’s a short, coastal voyage. There shouldn’t be any technical issues... I checked the ship myself. All its systems were in great shape."

"Even if there was a problem, they could have called us, and we would’ve sent people out for emergency repairs..."

"This situation... could something have happened at sea?"

After Chen finished, everyone grew even more puzzled.

Wang said, "It’s just a 20-kilometer coastal trip. What could possibly happen? I’ve never sailed a ship, Chen, so don’t you try to fool me."

Suddenly, Zhao Youcai grabbed Chen Guangzong by the collar.

"Damn it, are you messing with us!?"

"It’s such a short distance with no one to interfere. Shouldn’t your men have been able to sail over easily?"

"Are your men pulling some kind of stunt?! Where did they take the ship!"

Yu Dong pulled Zhao Youcai back. "Don’t be rash. Let’s wait a little longer."

’Two combat team members armed with Death God Repeating Crossbows were specifically assigned to watch the three crewmen. There’s no way they could have been taken down by those three.’

Besides, Yu Dong didn’t believe Chen Guangzong could have ordered the three crewmen to mutiny. It made no sense.

Other than Cai Hong, the ringleader, Yu Dong had been lenient with the other crew members, making a show of punishing them but never truly crushing them.

Currently, their biggest punishment was that Lin Mo only paid them 80% of their normal wages—a penalty for their initial disloyalty that was more of a warning than a real punishment.

Therefore, the crew had no reason to run off with the ship. Where could they even go?

"Let’s just wait a little longer..."

Yu Dong’s expression shifted as he contemplated all the possibilities.

Another half an hour passed. After multiple communications with Qiao Yunliang, there was still no sign of the ship.

An hour and a half without contact was basically confirmation that something had gone wrong. Many people were looking at Chen Guangzong, the head of the shipping team, waiting for his explanation.

Chen Guangzong was dumbfounded.

"How do I get stuck with all the bad luck... I really can’t imagine what kind of accident could happen on such a short voyage, especially one that would prevent them from even making a satellite call."

"How about... how about I take a small boat out to look for them? I just can’t believe this."

Officer Wang frowned. "Don’t go! We don’t even know what the danger is, don’t act recklessly..."

Yu Dong also patted Chen Guangzong’s shoulder.

"Chen, don’t panic. We don’t suspect you. Just calm down and think if there’s anything else that could have caused this situation."

"Right... Let me think it over."

Seeing that the leadership team didn’t hold him responsible, Chen Guangzong finally relaxed and began discussing it with the other crew members.

"We shouldn’t just wait around. Let’s go check the roads," said Yu Dong.

The unease in Yu Dong’s heart reached its peak.

Binhai Avenue ran right along the coast. If the ship was out at sea, they might be able to spot it.

"Hmm... you guys go. I have things to do today. Today is the best opportunity for survivors to make a run for the cruise ship. A group of people from nearby who heard my broadcasts over the past few days should be arriving today."

Wang Dingbei chose to stay behind.

"Okay, we’ll travel light. Youcai, find three people to go. They need to know how to drive."

"Got it."

Soon, a police car sped out of Huangyang Port, heading east.

Yu Dong sat in the passenger seat, constantly scanning the sea with binoculars... but he never found their cargo ship.

"Dongzi, we can’t go any further... the area ahead hasn’t been cleared of zombies."

They stopped at the entrance of the Xiangti Bay Community, still with nothing to show for their efforts.

"Strange..."

In the end, the cargo ship had mysteriously vanished. No one knew where the three crewmen and two combat team members had gone.

When Qiao Yunliang heard the news, he sighed.

"Now, our ammunition is even tighter... We’re heading to the public security substation next. There’s about 19 kilometers of Binhai Avenue left, all of it through the Urban Area. The number of zombies will be immense, and it could trigger a horde. We don’t dare move without ammo. We’ll have to put off clearing it for a while."

They had used up a lot of ammunition fighting their way to Bailu Fishing Port today, stretching the military’s already insufficient supply even thinner.

"We will continue to advance... You guys will have to find some melee weapon substitutes."

Yu Dong and the others drove back to Huangyang Port.

The sailing plan was now a complete failure.

Yu Dong stared at the calm sea, wondering what kind of danger... could have made five people vanish without even a distress call.

This complete unknown filled Yu Dong with a sense of dread.

The combat team, which was supposed to go out and fight today, was dismissed on the spot.

Everyone returned inside the cruise ship, leaving only the four guards on duty in the two simple sheet-metal shacks on top of the containers outside A Port.

And a group of logistics personnel in the duty office behind the main gate.

Today, they had to receive the incoming new survivors.

But the atmosphere inside the ship was somber today.

The mysterious disappearance of five members and a cargo ship was a significant blow to the cruise ship base.

Especially the three crewmen who knew how to sail—they were rare and valuable assets to the base.

When Chen Guangzong had just offered to take people out to search, Yu Dong and Wang Dingbei immediately rejected the idea precisely because... they couldn’t afford to lose any more personnel like that.

If they lost a few more, the cruise ship might never be able to move again.

There would be no one left to sail it.

Zhao Youcai paced back and forth in Yu Dong’s office, a nameless rage burning inside him.

"I don’t believe it! How could they just be gone?"

"Dongzi, when the rain stops, let’s keep pushing east until we find our cargo ship!"

"No matter what happened, we have to find out, right? Otherwise, how can we... stay out here on the sea?"

At that moment, Yu Dong remembered his promise from yesterday to take Meng Dongqing to the research institute to the west today.

’Something is wrong with the sea... I guess we’ll have to take Binhai Avenue.’

"We will investigate the matter at sea thoroughly. But before that, we have to make a trip west to escort someone."

...

Huang Henian walked onto the deck, carrying his small fish bucket, fishing rod, and binoculars.

"A light rainy day, perfect for a cast!"

His task today was to watch for any approaching survivors on Binhai Avenue from a high vantage point, and to fish on the side.

He looked toward the city with his binoculars... In the rain, some moving black dots were advancing from various roads toward Binhai Avenue.

After reaching Binhai Avenue, they picked up share-bikes with broken locks from the roadside and rode them, charging toward the cruise ship base!

Standing high up, Huang Henian saw it all clearly.

He took out his walkie-talkie.

"Report, report! I have eyes on at least 10 survivors heading toward our base. Estimated time of arrival at the main gate is within six minutes. Prepare for reception."

He put down the walkie-talkie, and the fishing rod in his hand dipped.

Something was biting!