Chapter 414: Escalating Conflict

That single sentence sent Yang Yiling into a complete rage.

"Who are you telling to take full responsibility? What the hell did I do?" Yang Yiling demanded, pointing at the glowering crowd and roaring, "Gu Chen, do you still not get what’s happening here?"

"Can’t you look and analyze it for yourself?"

"I refuse to believe you don’t know why these people have gathered! They’re here to stir up trouble!"

"All this talk about Superpower Users having better treatment and demanding the same for themselves... Do you really think this can be settled without arresting and interrogating the ringleaders first?"

"Or does the base management actually intend to give in to the demands of this rabble?"

"Who are you calling rabble?" Men and women cowering at the back of the crowd began to protest upon hearing the clearly derogatory term.

"I’m talking about you," Yang Yiling sneered, pointing at the crowd glaring daggers at him. "Don’t you people know your place? Do I need to spell it out for you?"

"You think you’ll get everything you want just by making a fuss? Keep dreaming! Do you really not understand the difference between you and Superpower Users?"

"The base was generous enough to take you in, and now you’re getting greedy."

"Think about the people in the smaller bases outside, constantly displaced, starving, and freezing. Now look at yourselves! You should be grateful!"

"You survived the ice age cold snap and are still standing here, yet instead of being grateful to the base, you want to rebel?"

"You got a death wish?"

"Shut up!" someone yelled, unable to resist, and threw a thermos.

It smashed at the feet of Yang Yiling and his men with a loud CRASH.

Yang Yiling’s face turned livid in an instant. He glared at the man who had thrown the thermos. "You. Get over here."

"Get over where? Who the hell do you think you are? We show you a little respect, and now you think you can lecture us? That’s hilarious. The base is all talk and no action. When they wanted us to join, they boasted about all the benefits we’d get."

"And now that we’re here, we can forget about any of that special treatment, right?"

"That’s right! When we fled our small base for the Capital, they told us that as long as we had a skill and were willing to work hard, we’d at least have enough to eat and a roof over our heads."

"It was all a lie!"

"Look at how the Superpower Users are treated, and then look at us poor souls!"

"We strongly protest!"

"We demand reform!"

"Yes! The policies must be changed! We ordinary people may not be as powerful as Superpower Users, but we’ve contributed to building this base too."

"All we’re asking for now is two meals a day to get by. Is that so wrong?"

"Exactly! And these large communal barracks have no amenities! We have to provide our own bedding and floor mats. Are we wrong to protest so strongly?"

"Since you moved us underground, you should be responsible for us."

"That’s right! Take responsibility!"

Gu Chen glanced at Assistant Hu, who was standing to the side constantly wiping away sweat. "Aren’t you going to say something?" he asked coolly.

Assistant Hu wanted to fall to his knees right then and there.

’Why is he calling on me at a time like this?’

Assistant Hu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with a white handkerchief and shot a cautious glance back at Gu Chen.

Gu Chen watched him with a relaxed and composed expression, then spread his hands. "Don’t look at me! The reason this conflict with the masses is escalating daily, the source of everyone’s resentment, is primarily related to food, drinking water, and daily necessities."

"If we can resolve these fundamental issues, everything else will fall into place, wouldn’t you agree?"

"Yes! The handsome young fellow is absolutely right! That’s exactly the problem."

"We’re just regular folks who wanted to live a quiet, stable life."

Gu Chen pointed to Assistant Hu. "Everyone, if you have a problem, take it up with Assistant Hu. This man is a high-ranking leader from the base’s upper management."

Assistant Hu was speechless.

’No wonder Du Zhonggang always used to complain to me about this brat, Xiao Gu,’ he thought. ’He’d say the kid was slippery as an eel, that nothing ever stuck to him and he always had an exit strategy planned before making a move.’

Now, he was experiencing it firsthand.

’He’s a true master at passing the buck!’

"Everyone, everyone, please listen to me for a moment." Assistant Hu raised his hands, gesturing for quiet. He cleared his throat and said, "We understand your concerns."

"We will discuss this matter seriously and do our best to resolve your current difficulties."

The crowd was not pleased to hear this. ’Isn’t that just typical bureaucratic doublespeak?’ they thought.

’"Discuss it seriously later?" How long would that take? Everyone knew how they operated—endless meetings, one after another. They could discuss it for a year and still not reach a conclusion.’

"So what are you going to do about the assault?"

"That’s right, they started it! It was this guy who brought the base patrol over and started beating people half to death!"

"They beat my brother until he was a bloody mess! What are you going to do for compensation?"

"Compensation, my ass," Yang Yiling sneered. "You were the one making the most noise just now. Do you have any idea what’s going on? You think this is still before the apocalypse?"

"Who’s going to coddle you? I beat you, so what? I’m the one who led the men. You think we don’t know what you rabble are thinking? Stir up some trouble, hope to get some handouts. And if you don’t, who cares? You’re just one face in the crowd, so the baton probably won’t land on your head anyway!"

"Yang Yiling!" Assistant Hu was so furious he could have spat blood.

’Here I am, trying my best to calm down this seething crowd, and that asshole just keeps pouring fuel on the fire.’

Gu Chen smirked. "Assistant Hu, now you understand, don’t you? You see how difficult our work on the front lines is. Right?"

"This was originally a simple matter, something that could have been resolved just by talking it over with the people. But now, thanks to certain comrades on the team who don’t grasp the situation, their unreasonable and reckless actions have stirred up everyone’s negative emotions."

"It has also put us, the ones working on the ground, between a rock and a hard place! Assistant Hu, given the circumstances, don’t you think this needs to be reported to the higher-ups?"

"We can’t operate like this, can we? Certain comrades in the team who have, shall we say, been exposed to foreign ideas and practice that sort of liberalism... they don’t understand the specific situation here in the Capital. That’s why we always have this problem of them giving reckless orders, meddling, and generally making a mess of things."

Assistant Hu nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, Captain Gu. You just... resolve the immediate situation first, and we can discuss everything else later."

"Oh no, that won’t do." Gu Chen shook his head, waving his hands with an expression of resolute refusal. "If my Team A were to solve this matter in a few minutes, a certain comrade on the team would just accuse us of stealing his credit and glory! We’re not willing to carry that burden. No, absolutely not."

"Captain Gu!" Assistant Hu was so desperate he felt like dropping to his knees and begging the young man.

’What a time for this! Comrade Xiao Gu was playing games right in front of him. It was just... he had to hand it to this sneaky bastard.’