Chapter 254: Alone Again

After relocating north to Huai'an City, the Eastern Theater Command had moved aggressively — hunting jin beasts, opening up habitable territory, and searching for survivors.

They found the Luoma Lake radiation center zone at Suqian City first. Then pushed east to discover another at Longdi Town. Then found a third further north still, near Linyi City in Shandong Province.

Three Oases, positioned to bracket a wide swath of central and northern Jiangsu. Together they formed the foundation of the Command's military defense zone across the Subei region, anchored by the 1st, 12th, and 31st Group Armies, drawing survivors in from the surrounding wilderness.

Four major settlements established: Huai'an City, Yancheng City, Jianhu County, Donghai County.

Three garrison positions: 1st Group Army at Siyang County forward post; 31st Group Army at Xinyi City forward post; 12th Group Army at Baoying County defensive post.

Total administered population: 280,000. Jin people numbered over 3,100. Iron people exceeded 400.

The entire zone operated under strict military administration. Everyone had a designated role — elderly, children, pregnant women, no exceptions. All answered to Command leadership.

Strict rules produced resistance. Before the apocalypse, individualism had taken root deeply enough in enough people that blanket military governance was never going to sit quietly. A portion of the population simply left — walked out of the administered zone to live beyond its borders and escape the pressure.

When repeated crackdowns failed to stop the exodus, the Command shifted approach. A more balanced management style eased the tension somewhat.

At the same time, the Command established five semi-autonomous camps outside the formal zone — Xuyi County, Jinhu County, Hongze District, Dafeng District, and Muyang County. Officially affiliated with the Eastern Theater Command but independently governed, self-defending, self-sustaining. Intended for survivors who had left the zone and wouldn't be coming back under full military administration.

The Hongze District camp had effectively been built by the Command itself, making it semi-official.

Trade flowed regularly between the camps and the administered zone.

Xuyi County, Jinhu County, and Hongze District had the largest populations, the most active trade, and…