Chapter 611, Sanbu Port
Wu Heng looked at him, then swept his eyes across the complicated control panel.
He said to the skeleton, "Watch him. If he makes any move, kill him."
Two vampire skeletons walked over and stood on either side of the captain.
The skeletons placed their hands on his shoulders. The crouching captain trembled, almost fainting.
Then came the sound of running footsteps inside the cabin.
Xiaoxiao's voice rang in his ear, "Uncle, a lot of people are rushing up from below with weapons, even pistols."
"Go, kill everyone carrying weapons," Wu Heng ordered.
The vampire skeletons behind him all drew their weapons.
They charged down the stairs into the lower deck.
Gunfire rang out, followed by fighting and cries of pain.
Wu Heng looked at the captain, who was trembling with his head in his hands, and asked, "Is there a speaker to make announcements on this ship?"
"Yes, this one here." The captain, still crouching, carefully pointed to the microphone on the side of the control panel.
Wu Heng picked up the mic, flipped the comm switch, and spoke directly: "This is the Xinfu City rescue team. We've taken control of this ship. Lay down your weapons and you will not be attacked by the skeletons."
After finishing, he put the mic back.
He casually turned off the switch.
Wu Heng looked back at the captain. "What's your name?"
"Qian Chengfeng. This has nothing to do with me," the captain replied while squatting.
"You only have this one ship?"
"Yes, and I'm the only one who can pilot it."
"You answer what I ask," Wu Heng said coldly.
Qian Chengfeng froze and replied, "Okay, okay."
"Everyone from the base is here?"
"Yes, all here."
"Tell me about the people below."
"The ones with weapons are from the base. He handpicked them. The others—women were for company, and the men handled ship maintenance."
"Do you have any psychics?"
Qian Chengfeng pointed to a nearby corpse. "No. He took corpse cores, but didn't show any powers."
"He was the leader?"
"Yes!"
"Did you have any follow-up plans?" Wu Heng continued.
Qian Chengfeng lowered his head, went silent for a moment, and then shook it. "I don't know. I'm just a regular guy. I was valued because I can pilot the ship. They wouldn't tell me their plans."
At that, Wu Heng stopped asking.
"Take him outside and have him squat there," Wu Heng said.
A skeleton carried Qian Chengfeng outside.
...…
Wu Heng glanced at the corpse on the ground.
He activated [Speak with Dead].
The corpse had only consumed a corpse core and was about level five—nothing special compared to the skeleton army now.
The corpse suddenly sat up, its murky eyes looking this way.
Wu Heng asked directly, "What was your follow-up plan?"
"I contacted a port in Korea. If the skeletons didn't leave, we'd go straight there," the corpse answered.
So there was a backup plan.
And this guy had quite the connections—he could contact a port base over there.
Wu Heng asked, "They were just willing to take you in?"
"I've taken corpse cores. They need people like me. And they're very curious about what's happening here—especially the Xinfu City base. Once I told them we clashed with you, they were willing to take us."
"Uncle, our base is famous!" Xiaoxiao exclaimed beside him.
Wu Heng didn't respond to Xiaoxiao. He kept asking, "What's their strength like?"
"Not sure."
Wu Heng thought a moment—he probably wouldn't get much out of asking about the Korean port.
He then asked, "Who are the core members of your base?"
"Me and Qian Chengfeng."
"Isn't Qian Chengfeng the captain?"
"Yes. He's the deputy leader."
After the fifth question, the corpse lay back down.
Wu Heng said nothing. The three phantoms whispered in midair.
That cowardly-looking middle-aged man was clearly not as simple as he claimed.
...…
After waiting in the control room for a while—
The remaining survivors were brought out.
Only six remained. The rest had become corpses, piled together.
Wu Heng went out and collected the retrieved pistols and weapons.
He told the skeletons, "Lock them in one room. As long as they behave, leave them alone. If they try to escape or attack—kill them."
The survivors all shivered.
Still, they followed the skeletons back into the ship.
They were placed in a room guarded by skeletons outside.
Wu Heng returned to the control room. "Go. Dock the ship."
"Yes, yes!"
Qian Chengfeng steered the ship toward the port filled with skeletons.
...…
Zzzzt~!
On the return trip—
The portable radio on the side crackled softly.
Then a clear voice came through, "This is Sanbu Port. Kondra, can you hear me?"
Sure enough, it was the Korean port contacting them.
Wu Heng looked at Qian Chengfeng, who wiped sweat from his forehead and explained, "He—he's called Kondra. Foreign nationality."
"Go tell them he's drunk and asleep," Wu Heng said bluntly.
Qian Chengfeng, still sweating, walked over, turned on the radio, and asked, "Kondra is drunk. I'm the ship's captain. What's the matter?"
There was a pause on the other end.
But the voice still said, "That drunkard—when he wakes, tell him our port allows your arrival. Bring the supplies you mentioned."
"I'll relay the message when the leader wakes."
"Alright."
The call ended.
Qian Chengfeng looked embarrassed.
He added, "I didn't know about this. He arranged it himself."
Wu Heng waved a hand. "Keep heading to the port."
"Oh, okay!"
...…
The ship docked.
Qi Hancai came over with her team.
The survivors were taken into custody.
Wu Heng said, "I killed some of them. Keep the remaining survivors under watch. We'll question them separately later."
Qi Hancai turned to issue instructions.
Bai Qing took all the survivors away.
After everyone disembarked, the corpses were converted into skeletons.
Wu Heng gave another order to the Big Head Skeleton. "Deploy a thousand skeletons to board the ship."
Clatter~!
The skeletons on the dock began to move.
They boarded the cargo ship—some entered the cabins, others stood on the deck.
Qi Hancai watched the skeletons move. "We're heading out to sea again?"
"These people contacted the Korean port. I plan to head there. Anyone in the team speak Korean?" Wu Heng explained briefly.
Going to the Korean port was Wu Heng's decision after consideration.
For his plan to build up Gold-Silver Island—
He needed a lot of people.
Qi Hancai picked up the radio and started asking around about Korean speakers.
Soon, a man around thirty walked over.
He saluted the two.
"Leader, Deputy Leader—I know some Korean. I passed the certification, though I haven't used it in years. I'm not sure how helpful I'll be."
Wu Heng nodded. "Basic understanding is fine. Get on board."
He turned and boarded the ship. Qi Hancai followed.
Wu Heng didn't say much more.
Inside the control room, he said to Qian Chengfeng again, "Go. To Sanbu Port."
The cargo ship started up again.
It set sail for its new destination.
...…
Sanbu Port.
Inside a well-furnished room—
A burly man in pajamas sat at the dining table eating.
Even in this apocalypse, with food scarce, his table was full of fish and meat. He leisurely sipped wine.
Knock knock knock~!
The door was knocked.
The man paused his eating.
"Come in!"
The door opened. A middle-aged man in a suit walked in, bowed, and said, "Chairman, a group of survivors just came seeking refuge. I heard the base is developing well under your leadership. The leader's wife wants to personally thank you."
The chairman looked at him.
"She washed?"
"We had her bathe. Just looks a bit malnourished," the suited man replied.
"Good." The chairman nodded. Then, as if remembering something, he asked, "That cargo ship from Binhai Port should be arriving soon, right?"
The suited man explained, "Should be close. Their leader is called 'Kondra'—a half-Italian foreigner. He's taken corpse cores and brought some hot news about Xinfu City."
"Got it. Bring the woman."
"Yes, Chairman!" The middle-aged man left.
Shortly after, the door was knocked again.
A young woman was pushed inside.
The chairman turned to look at her, inspecting her face and figure.
He scooped up some rice, stirred it in broth, then threw it on the ground. "Hungry? Come eat. Crawl over."
Hunger gleamed in the woman's eyes.
She went mad and crawled over, scrambling to eat the rice on the ground.
The chairman smiled, wiped his hands, and lifted the kneeling woman's dress up to her waist.