Chapter 200 - 125: Nuclear Peace?

Chapter 200: Chapter 125: Nuclear Peace?

The threat wasn’t a hypothetical concern, but a tangible and ever-expanding crisis.

The Red Star Industrial Zone, once the source of the zombies, now seemed to be quietly transforming into a breeding ground that nourished a vast flock of mutated birds.

The mutated birds’ flocking behavior, aggression, and their "cleansing" of the zombies all suggested they were not mindless predators. It was highly likely they were developing a new strategy for survival and expansion adapted to the post-apocalyptic environment.

The industrial zone’s ceaseless "output" of zombies provided the flock with a steady supply of "food" or some necessary "stimulant," accelerating their population growth and evolution. The ever-increasing number of vast, dark silhouettes circling over the ruins was the most direct proof.

If this situation wasn’t contained, or even eradicated, and the flock was allowed to fester and grow in the Red Star Industrial Zone, then for the Jiang City Shelter—home to a million living souls and just a stone’s throw away—a future crisis was practically on their doorstep.

Such a massive human settlement—with the scent of life it exuded, the garbage it produced, and the livestock it raised—was the ultimate, irresistible temptation for any hungry, mutated creature. When that time came, the notion of a sky-blotting swarm of mutated birds launching an all-out assault on Jiang City would be far from alarmist fantasy.

Xu Mo could even imagine the scene in the Jiang City command center right now: the atmosphere was surely tense, the room filled with heated, endless debate.

Faced with an unprecedented threat—one that came from the sky, was highly mobile, and was enormous in number—traditional defensive measures seemed woefully inadequate.

Anti-aircraft guns and surface-to-air missiles could certainly take down the incoming birds, but the cost of ammunition, the necessary defensive coverage, and the cost-effectiveness against a massive number of low-value targets were all serious problems.

Even more problematic, the presence of the mutated birds severely restricted Jiang City’s airspace. The takeoff and landing of helicopters, transport planes, and even fighter jets were now heavily constrained. For a large shelter that needed to maintain a vast zone of control for resource allocation and intelligence gathering, this was undoubtedly a major strategic blow.

’Isn’t there a more proactive, more thorough solution than just passive defense and evacuation warnings?’ Xu Mo thought, slowly chewing his food as his mind raced.

A cold and extreme term quietly surfaced in the depths of Xu Mo’s mind—"Nuclear Erasure."

Yes. If they used nuclear weapons to completely obliterate the "breeding ground" in the Red Star Industrial Zone, the vast flock that relied on it would naturally lose its foundation. Without their stable "hunting grounds" and a potential "evolutionary catalyst," the flock’s threat level would plummet. At the very least, they would find it difficult to maintain their current scale and organization.

The method was simple, brutal, and—in theory—effective.

’But...’ Xu Mo’s gaze grew more profound. He didn’t know if Jiang City still had such strategic-grade weapons in its arsenal. Even if it did, the decision to deploy one was not something to be made lightly.

The consequences of a nuclear detonation weren’t limited to eliminating the target. There was also the long-term radioactive fallout, unpredictable climate effects, and the devastating psychological impact on the survivors. No sane leader would make such a decision unless it was a matter of absolute survival.

And most importantly, what would happen if zombies were exposed to radiation...?

The thought sent a chill down Xu Mo’s spine.

’It seems the leadership isn’t just on the hot seat,’ Xu Mo mused. ’They’re standing on the rim of a volcano, holding a ’hot potato’ that might just be a time bomb.’

Xu Mo finished the last of his food and set down his chopsticks. The aroma of his breakfast still lingered, but a deeper shadow now clouded his thoughts. The crisis from the sky facing Jiang City was far more severe and complex than the street-level panic he had witnessed when he first returned.

He paid his bill and walked out of the breakfast shop. The sun was shining brightly, but his gaze was exceptionally grave as he looked east, in the general direction of the Red Star Industrial Zone.

What circled there wasn’t just a flock of birds. It was a Sword of Damocles, one that was being sharpened with each passing moment, hanging over the heads of Jiang City’s one million residents.