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Chapter 108: Contribute Your Own Strength

by 後来者

Chapter 108: Do Your Part

"These morons, what kind of time is this to still be causing chaos!" Kong Zhongcheng couldn't hold back and cursed loudly.

Wan Xueying's face darkened. "Isn't this exactly the effect Kobashi Ichiro wanted? To plunge us into internal strife so he can reap the spoils."

Zhou Qin said coldly, "It's possible that among these protesters are Kobashi Ichiro's people. Otherwise, the public's emotions wouldn't be so intense. Even pre-Collapse, protests like this weren't common in China—only foreign countries would frequently resort to such activities."

Kong Zhongcheng gritted his teeth. "Boss, what should we do? Should we just arrest them and interrogate them?"

"No," Zhou Qin immediately countered. "If we do that, we’d be falling right into R Base’s trap. Kobashi Ichiro would love nothing more than for us to suppress them by force."

"So we just stand by and watch R Nation spies and others run amok right under our noses while we can’t do anything?!" Kong Zhongcheng fumed.

Faced with this situation, everyone was furious and seething with anger—except for Gu Jinsheng, whose expression remained indifferent, showing no trace of emotion. It was as if he had never felt anger at all, displaying an almost machine-like composure. In truth, apart from Ji An, it seemed no person or event could stir Gu Jinsheng’s emotions.

Gu Jinsheng stood up and said, "Let’s go out and take a look."

Kong Zhongcheng, Wan Xueying, and Zhou Qin followed behind him. For some reason, though Gu Jinsheng showed no particular emotion, they couldn’t shake the feeling that today’s protesters wouldn’t end well.

"Commander-in-Chief Gu is coming out!" A sharp-eyed super in the protest crowd spotted Gu Jinsheng and his group and shouted, "Deputy Commanders Kong Zhongcheng, Wan Xueying, and Zhou Qin are all here too!"

"Where? I don’t see them!" Zhao Tong craned his neck toward the HQ and finally caught a glimpse of Gu Jinsheng’s tall figure. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he tapped a few times on the terminal on his wrist.

His companion noticed and asked, "Zhao Tong, what are you doing?"

Zhao Tong acted as if it were the most natural thing in the world, as though the question itself was strange. He replied casually, "Starting a livestream."

Those around him who heard his answer crowded closer. "Don’t go live. This is an in-house issue for our Jing City Base. At this critical moment, we shouldn’t broadcast it online."

Another companion added, "R Base is just waiting to see us make fools of ourselves. If we livestream this on the global network, it’ll only embolden Kobashi Ichiro further. He might even seize the opportunity to make even more outrageous demands."

Someone else chimed in, "The purpose of our protest is just to save our fellow citizens. We don’t want to cause trouble for the base. As long as Commander-in-Chief Gu agrees to bring them back, even if we have to exchange core technology for hostages, we shouldn’t let R Base know. Otherwise, Kobashi Ichiro will only grow more arrogant and use the same tactics again."

But Zhao Tong paid no heed. Ignoring everyone’s objections, he activated his terminal, and a screen appeared mid-air, broadcasting the internal strife and conflict of Jing City Base to the entire network.

Zhao Tong said matter-of-factly, "You all make good points, but have you considered that what we’re doing is also a form of coercion? What if Gu Jinsheng gets angry? What if he comes after us? What if he uses force to suppress us?"

"Everyone knows how powerful Gu Jinsheng’s Thunder Dragon is. Just a few random thunderballs from it could fry us all."

Zhao Tong leaned his face toward the screen and asked, "Can everyone see me? If you can, type ‘yes’ in the chat. We’re here at Jing City Base. I’m Zhao Tong. I’m sure you’ve all heard about the recent hostage exchange incident that went viral online. Right now, we’re protesting to demand answers from the base. If you want to follow this story, hit follow. This channel will keep updating until the situation is resolved and Gu Jinsheng rescues the hostages."

The people around Zhao Tong looked at him with dirty looks, but he remained unfazed, continuing to do as he pleased.

Humans truly are copycats by nature. Many hadn’t considered livestreaming before, or if they had, they’d dismissed it as inappropriate. But now, seeing Zhao Tong’s broadcast, they followed suit, opening their own terminals and streaming the event online.

The network connected to these terminals wasn’t the old domestic internet but the global network.

Given the widespread attention on the cold war between R Country and Jing City Base, the moment livestreams from Jing City Base went up, hordes of netizens who loved drama flooded in.

Comments began rapidly scrolling across the large screens. Since broadcasts were being streamed at intervals throughout the protest, nearly everyone in the crowd could see the live reactions.

"Finally, an update on the Jing City Base situation!"

"They’re protesting? I thought the people of Jing City Base had no guts—too scared to even protest!"

"If this were our base, we would’ve protested ages ago! The HQ would’ve been smashed in minutes, and the Commander-in-Chief ousted!"

"I really don’t understand what Jing City Base is hesitating over. These are lives—thousands of them! How can some soulless tech be more important than that?"

"It's just some insignificant technology anyway. Given a bit more time, Base R could probably develop it themselves. What's there to hesitate about?"

"Those technologies should have been made public in the first place. Humanity is facing a crisis of the entire race—we should be working together. I don’t know what Jing City Base is thinking, still hoarding technology at a time like this."

"Jing City Base should replace its commander. Gu Jinsheng is just a selfish bastard."

"Though Kobashi Ichiro is no saint either, he’s right about one thing—if Gu Jinsheng’s family were among the hostages, he wouldn’t hesitate for a second to trade the technology for them!"

"I heard Gu Jinsheng has a lover he values deeply. Even when Luo City Base was in ruins, he still found time to sneak off with them, taking them wherever he went. If Gu Jinsheng refuses, I suggest you capture that lover—he’ll agree in no time."

"Gu Jinsheng is selfish. He’s using this global crisis to fuel his own ambitions—he wants to reunify China, maybe even fantasizes about ruling all of humanity!"

Of course, some rational netizens defended Gu Jinsheng and Jing City Base, opposing the exchange of core technology for hostages. But their voices were quickly drowned out by the overwhelming opposition.

By the end, the entire screen was flooded with a unified chant:

"Gu Jinsheng is humanity's greatest traitor!"

"Gu Jinsheng, hand over the nutritional formulas, med-pods, spatial storage devices, Mental Scanners, and holographic technology!"

Eventually, the issue was no longer whether Gu Jinsheng should trade core technology for hostages—it became that if he didn’t surrender the technology, he was humanity's greatest traitor!

As if without these technologies, the entire human race would go extinct!

Outside the livestream, Kobashi Ichiro, Dewitt, and Charles were grinning like hyenas as they watched the chaos unfold.

Charles burst into laughter at the comment tsunami. "Dewitt and Kobashi Ichiro finally did something right. We should’ve infiltrated China with spies long ago to sow chaos from within."

Seeing Charles in high spirits, his assistant seized the chance to butter him up, cautiously gauging his reaction. "Chinese solidarity has always been strong, especially against external threats—they’d sacrifice themselves for their people. Now we’re using that very trait against them, making them eat their own from the inside!"

Charles smirked. "As the Chinese say, 'Use their own spear to pierce their shield!'"

At Base R, Kobashi Ichiro laughed heartily at the echo chamber of hate. "The spies did well. Once I secure all the core technology, I’ll personally commend them to Commander-in-Chief Charles. Keep the bot army running—crush any opposing voices!"

Inside Jing City Base, the protesters, initially hesitant, now saw their screens flooded with support and praise for their so-called "bravery." Their doubts vanished, replaced by the delusion of universal support.

"Commander-in-Chief Gu Jinsheng, we’re protesting for the hostages stranded in the R Federation. Please agree to R’s demands and bring them back," Zhao Tong declared, pushing to the front as his livestream view numbers blew up.

Gu Jinsheng glanced at the nondescript middle-aged guy. Appearances could be deceiving—he couldn’t tell if this was a spy just by looking.

"And who the hell gave you the right to make such demands of me, of Jing City Base?" Gu Jinsheng asked.

The question blindsided him. Zhao Tong stammered, "I... I mean, we're citizens of Jing City Base. We have the right."

"Damn right it's our right!" others echoed.

Wan Xueying threw Gu Jinsheng a sidelong glance before stepping forward. "This matter is being debated round the clock. It’s not as simple as you think."

Zhou Qin added, "First, how can you guarantee Base R will release the hostages once they get the technology? Do we Chinese not know R's reputation for backstabbing? Have you forgotten our history written in blood just because the world went to hell?"

Thinking of the atrocities Nation R had committed against Xia, the crowd fell silent for a moment.

The protesters were silent, but the netizens were not. Gu Jinsheng's remarks made them even more active, with comments scrolling rapidly one after another.

The crimes of Nation R could never be forgiven in the hearts of the Xia people. As a Xia national, Zhao Tong didn’t know how to respond either. He glanced at the flood of comments on the screen and suddenly felt that the netizens made sense. He echoed the comments, saying, "No matter what Nation R did in the past, that’s in the past and has nothing to do with this matter. What R Base wants now is the Core Technology. As long as we give it up, our hostages will be released."

Wan Xueying stared coldly at Zhao Tong. "We just asked—how can you guarantee R Base will release the hostages?"

"Why wouldn’t they? R Base only wants the Core Technology this time. Once you give it up and they verify its authenticity, they’ll let our people go," Zhao Tong said naively.

Wan Xueying used every ounce of her self-control to stop herself from rolling her eyes at Zhao Tong in front of the whole world. At this moment, she truly wanted to crack open Zhao Tong’s head to see if it was filled with tofu brains.

Zhao Tong didn’t see anything wrong with his words. Faced with Wan Xueying and the others’ speechlessness, he thought he had won the debate and grasped the truth.

He continued, "Commander Li Mo already exchanged the Core Technology of the Mental Scanner for his family held in R Base. Mr. Kobashi Ichiro promised him that as long as the tests confirm it works, they’ll release them. To show sincerity, Mr. Kobashi even transferred Commander Li Mo’s parents from prison to improved conditions. Isn’t that enough proof of his sincerity?"

Wan Xueying genuinely felt like she was arguing with a moron. Was this supposed to show sincerity? Just because they were moved out, didn’t mean they couldn’t be thrown back in. And what if the experiment never succeeded?

Wan Xueying said, "Who is the organizer of your protest? They can step forward to talk with us separately. Having so many of you gathered here is already getting in the headquarters’ way."

Zhao Tong immediately retorted, "Are you trying to send us all away so you can bully or buy off the organizer and pretend this never happened?"

Wan Xueying clenched her fists. Zhou Qin, afraid she might lose her temper, quickly stepped in. "Your gathering here is already affecting the headquarters’ work."

Zhao Tong shot back, "Isn’t the headquarters supposed to serve us, the residents? Now that our families are held in R Base, facing death at any moment, what else is there for the headquarters to do? Shouldn’t solving our problem be the top priority?"

Zhou Qin, unable to hold back, snapped, "Back when those people’s fates were unknown, the Capital Base still functioned. It needs to operate, and the Capital Base won’t collapse just because they’re gone. There are plenty of other matters to handle."

Zhao Tong widened his eyes. "What do you mean by that? Are you saying you won’t care about the hostages in R Base anymore?"

"Is it just like Commander-in-Chief Kobashi Ichiro said—because none of your families are among the hostages, you’re not in a hurry, or even indifferent to their lives?"

Zhou Qin, usually the most composed among the commanders, now had veins bulging on his forehead.

Zhao Tong was utterly oblivious. He seemed unaware of the commanders’ barely restrained anger and continued fearlessly reading online comments. "As the netizens say, we’re in the apocalypse, a crisis for all humanity. We should band together to survive, resist the disasters together, and fight for a future. Yet you hold breakthrough tech that could change humanity’s fate but refuse to share it. What’s your game?"

"Many hands make light work—hell, even a farmer knows that! M country leads the world in scientific research. If you’re willing to share the technology, more advanced nations could decipher even more useful advancements for humanity."

"Even if R hadn’t made these demands, the Capital Base should’ve voluntarily shared the technology."

These were all comments Zhao Tong mindlessly regurgitated without a second thought.

Gu Jinsheng cut straight to the point. "Are you a zombie in human skin?"

"Huh?" Zhao Tong was baffled. "Commander-in-Chief Gu, are you trying to frame me and arrest me just because you can’t answer my questions?"

Wan Xueying said, "The boss was calling you brain-dead."

Zhao Tong’s chest heaved with anger. "What did I say that was wrong? Everyone in the Capital Base knows Commander-in-Chief Gu has a weak spot. Just like Mr. Kobashi said, if that person were among the hostages, you’d trade the technology without hesitation—Ah!"

Wan Xueying and the others knew things would go south the moment Zhao Tong mentioned Ji An. Sure enough, before Zhao Tong could finish, Gu Jinsheng lashed out with his superpower, decked Zhao Tong hard enough that several teeth went flying on the spot.

Wan Xueying and the others had long wanted to beat Zhao Tong up—they’d only held back for diplomacy’s sake.

Wan Xueying glanced at the terrified protesters and the barrage of anti-base comments on the screen, feeling uneasy. "Commander?"

Gu Jinsheng summoned Thunder Dragon and coldly ordered the superpowered individuals behind him, "Detain them all!"

"What?"

Both inside and outside the live stream, including the protesters on-site, were stunned by the sudden turn of events. Kobashi Ichiro, watching the broadcast, muttered, "Is Gu Jinsheng insane?"

He wasn’t the only one who thought so. Wan Xueying said, "Boss, isn’t this going too far?"

Gu Jinsheng stood before the crowd, his voice icy. "Jingshi Base has provided its residents with every possible benefit. In this apocalyptic era, with external networks now accessible, you can see for yourselves—is there any other base offering welfare as generous as ours?

Yet, despite how Jingshi Base has treated you, this is how you repay us. Now that the base is in crisis, pressured by Country R, instead of standing with us, you’ve sided with R Base to pressure your own home."

He swept his gaze over the protesters. "Today, I will make it clear to everyone: Jingshi Base will continue to provide all due benefits and consider residents' suggestions—but we will never yield to threats!"

"Take action!"

At his command, Thunder Dragon, hovering in the sky with crimson eyes, swooped down. The superpowered operatives of the Command, realizing Gu Jinsheng was serious and not bluffing, charged forward as well.

The protesters, a disorganized mob, were no match for the Command’s trained superpowered forces and were quickly overpowered.

Even as he was being restrained, Zhao Tong shouted, "What did we do wrong? We just wanted to fight for the lives of those stranded! What right do you have to arrest us!"

"Every word you spoke favored Country R. I have every reason to believe you’re their spy."

Zhao Tong panicked. "I’m not! You’re just framing me for treason!"

"Your actions speak for themselves—no need to frame you," Wan Xueying retorted.

"Take them all away." Gu Jinsheng waved his hand, and the protesters were dragged off. The Command’s entrance was soon bloodied, quickly cleaned up by maintenance crews.

The internet erupted in outrage over Gu Jinsheng’s actions.

Wan Xueying scanned the comments anxiously. "Boss, the online sentiment is heavily against us."

"Have our PR teams intervened?" Gu Jinsheng asked.

"They have. They’re steering the narrative now," Zhou Qin replied.

Zhou Qin thought to himself that if Zhao Tong hadn’t carelessly brought up Xiao An, the protesters might not have ended up in such a dire situation.

As if reading his mind, Gu Jinsheng said coolly, "This wasn’t about Xiao An. Even if they hadn’t mentioned him, I would’ve made the same decision. A base can’t keep backing down—sometimes, it must stand firm. If people realize coercion works, they’ll use it again and again. Should we let them hold us hostage every time?"

Wan Xueying and the others fell silent. Deep down, they knew most of these protesters weren’t ordinary civilians—many were hostages’ relatives, R Nation spies, or gullible followers swayed by rhetoric.

If they let them go now, there would only be more protests later, blocking the base’s policies at every step.

Gu Jinsheng was a real leader. While other Commanders-in-Chief focused on themselves, he prioritized the people’s welfare.

As soon as the base had any surplus, he implemented policies like low-cost nutrient packs, free med-pods, and orphanages.

"Grill the ringleader thoroughly. Confirm if he’s a spy for Country R," Gu Jinsheng ordered.

"He must be," Zhou Qin said. "Otherwise, he wouldn’t have said those things. But even with proof, the public won’t buy it—they’ll think we’re framing him."

"If he is, detain him for now. Handle him once things calm down. For those who admit their mistakes, have them record apologies and release them—but keep it on record. As for the stubborn ones, ship them off to the R Nation."

Gu Jinsheng’s voice was merciless. "If they want to ‘help’ the hostages so badly, let them go rescue them in person."

Zhou Qin said, "Alright, we'll handle it immediately."

In just one night, the internet was already a battlefield. The fierce rhetoric seemed capable of striking the Capital City Base at any moment, but in reality, most people were begging and pleading to get their troublesome family members out.

Most protesters quickly recorded videos admitting they had been misled, revealing the words Zhao Tong and others had used to persuade them, such as "the law doesn't punish the multitude."

Another group confessed that they were neither relatives of the stranded hostages abroad nor purely motivated by a desire to help them—they simply wanted to gain popularity through livestreaming and become internet famous.

These honest confessions were posted online completely uncensored.

On foreign platforms, the troll army continued to claim that Commander-in-Chief Gu had forced them to say those things. Commander-in-Chief Gu didn’t bother explaining, letting them speculate as they pleased.

Zhou Qin reported, "Boss, the interrogation is done. Zhao Tong isn’t a spy from the R Base—he’s actually from our Capital City Base and has no connection to those spies at all."

The driver said in disbelief, "No way. Did the interrogation miss something? If he’s not a spy, why was he even more active and disruptive than the actual spies from the R Base? He acted more like a spy!"

"He just wanted fame, to become internet famous," Zhou Qin replied, equally exasperated by the results.

"What should we do, boss?"

"Is Zhao Tong willing to record a confession video?" Commander-in-Chief Gu asked.

"No," Zhou Qin said helplessly. "Even now, Zhao Tong seems convinced that you’re just trying to scare them and won’t actually do anything to him. He's digging in his heels and refusing to admit anything, thinking he can spin this later and still be an influencer. His livestream hasn’t even been shut down."

"Send them all to the R Base. If they're so eager to play hero for the hostages, let them contribute their own efforts!"

Under the cover of night, the Capital City Base swiftly transported those who stubbornly refused to admit wrongdoing to the R Base. At first, these people had no idea where they were being taken. When they landed in unfamiliar territory, panic set in. "Where is this?"

The nonchalant accompanying staff turned on the livestream, broadcasting Zhao Tong and the others. "These are Superpowered individuals deeply concerned about the hostages’ safety. They’re willing to do their part for those stranded abroad, so Commander-in-Chief Gu has granted their wish and sent them to the R Base. *We wish you the best of luck!*"

"Let’s go! R Nation’s fighter jets have spotted us—they’ll be here any second!"

The staff immediately boarded the plane, and the Capital City Base’s aircraft vanished into the distance.

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