In Yuzhou, Shen Feng's expression turned to shock upon hearing the news that nuclear bombs had been used in North America. He hadn't expected them to disregard the consequences for the next century and use nuclear weapons now. He wondered if they would regret it later when countless people in North America died, and the radioactive dust from the nuclear bombs could potentially drift across the ocean to Asia.
"These scoundrels are truly inhuman. They've actually used nuclear bombs. If radioactive dust drifts over to us later, these children might not be able to withstand it," Shen Feng couldn't help but curse loudly.
Chang Jianyi quickly comforted him, "It's alright. From today onwards, I'll have the children eat specific foods. They absolutely cannot eat anything from outside. Every item will be tested before being brought to our home. Even the water they drink must be distilled ten times. This way, at least the children can be protected from the harm of radioactive elements."
"Then I'll entrust the household matters to you. I didn't expect there to be even more dangers at this time. We can't even eat casually, or we might contract some disease." Shun Feng could only helplessly entrust the household matters to his senior, believing she would surely take good care of the home and its people.
Shen Feng was now preparing to march. The soldiers to be conscripted had all been assembled, with thirty thousand men ready to head south. They were equipped with sufficient ammunition and also carried many poisons.
Under normal circumstances, guns and cannons were of little use against insects. Only weapons of mass destruction, such as thermobaric bombs or incendiary bombs, would be effective. These would be devastating to insects, as any insect would be in danger when the ground became a sea of fire.
The reason for obtaining so many poisons was due to Shen Feng cultivating an excellent disciple. This disciple was chosen from an orphanage. Despite his young age, he already possessed a powerful ability to create poisons. These poisons were highly lethal, and even more so against insects.
The advantage of these poisons was that they would oxidize and degrade in nature after a few days. They would naturally decompose through bacterial breakdown, causing no significant damage to the environment, only killing weaker insects. They would not even affect large mammals.
As he was about to set off, Shen Feng looked at Chu Chaoyan beside him and said, "I've already brought plenty of poisons, enough to kill all the insects. Yet, you insist on coming along. Is this a lack of trust in me?"
Chu Chaoyan's abdomen was already slightly rounded, and she appeared much plumper than before. However, this was not due to weight gain but because she was pregnant. She was a very beautiful woman and always paid close attention to her appearance, never allowing herself to appear undignified in front of others.
"If you encounter extremely troublesome insects that you cannot deal with using poison, wouldn't I be useful then? After all, if we cooperate, we can kill any insect," Chu Chaoyan replied earnestly.
"I'm worried about your health. If something happens to you on the battlefield, both you and the child in your womb could be in danger!" Shen Feng said urgently.
"Rest assured, I am already a sixth-order ability user. I have the strength to protect myself. As long as I don't encounter a nuclear attack, I won't be in danger so easily," Chu Chaoyan replied.
Upon hearing this answer, Shen Feng could only reluctantly agree to her decision and prepared to head south with her.
"Since you're accompanying me, you must be careful on the road. If you encounter any danger, quickly run to my side, and I will protect you." Even though he had reluctantly agreed to Chu Chaoyan's request, Shen Feng was still not entirely at ease.
At this moment, an unexpected person appeared: Yu Renshu. She also requested to go to the south to fight on the battlefield.
When Shen Feng heard her request, he could only smile wryly. Taking care of one pregnant woman was already quite troublesome, and now there was someone else who wanted to join. Furthermore, Yu Renshu's right arm was broken, and her combat effectiveness on the battlefield would likely be even lower.
"Given your current condition, you shouldn't force yourself. Combat is not something you should be doing. You should stay in Yuzhou and recuperate. Perhaps your arm can be healed later," Shen Feng said earnestly.
"No, I don't want to become useless. Even if I encounter danger on the battlefield, I must go. This is my final request," Yu Renshu said seriously to Shen Feng. She did not want to be a cripple recuperating behind the lines, so she was determined to prove herself on the battlefield.
"I think this is a good thing. Let's bring her along," Chu Chaoyan interjected.
Hearing this, Shen Feng could only smile wryly. These two women clearly did not take the battlefield seriously, still believing it would be extremely safe. However, the war situation had changed, especially when facing pervasive insects. Dealing with these insects was not an easy task.
"Then you two stay by my side and don't wander off. If there's any danger, I will protect both of you," Shen Feng said to Yu Renshu and Chu Chaoyan.
When Chu Chaoyan saw Yu Renshu appear, a hint of a smile crossed her face. If Yu Renshu hadn't voluntarily left Shen Feng back then, she wouldn't have been able to get close to Shen Feng so smoothly later. Yu Renshu would have surely gotten there first.
Seeing Chu Chaoyan speak up for her, Yu Renshu felt a warmth in her heart and said, "Miss Chu, thank you."
However, upon hearing this, Chu Chaoyan's face showed displeasure. She then said, "I feel there's a deep barrier between us. Calling me like this makes you treat me like a stranger."
"Because we haven't seen each other for many years, I don't dare to use too intimate a term," Yu Renshu couldn't help but smile wryly.
"Your pride is simply too strong, which is why you're so awkward in this situation. You'll get used to it later, and you'll become more confident!" Chu Chaoyan said to Yu Renshu.
After Shen Feng had made all the preparations in Yuzhou, he immediately led a large contingent of soldiers to depart. Among the soldiers were many civilian personnel who also set off. Their task was simple: to take over the southern cities. In reality, these people were reluctant to leave Yuzhou because they could obtain abundant resources by staying there. However, going south meant facing potential danger. Ostensibly, they were taking over other cities and would have greater authority, but in practice, they seemed to be sent to the frontier.
"I heard that the southern province specializes in eating insects. What a bunch of barbarians, eating these insects," someone couldn't help but complain during the march.
But someone immediately retorted, "These insects are at least protein. Eating them provides more energy. Don't look at others with prejudice; they have their own ways of life."
"But we'll be living in the south frequently from now on, which means we'll have to endure this kind of life. For me, this is torture," the person continued to complain.
"Don't worry, as long as we follow the City Lord, we won't have a hard life. Besides, we're going to take over other cities, and we'll become important figures ourselves. As long as we have power, people will naturally bring us whatever we want to eat. I'm sure you won't have to eat insects," others reassured him.
"I hope so, but I wonder how terrifying these mutated insects truly are." People had a rather negative attitude towards the war.
After setting off, Shen Feng and his men arrived in Dian Province within a few days. In the areas further south, many cities had already fallen. Even those cities that had recovered only saw their inhabitants hiding in air-raid shelters, daring not to resist.
When Shen Feng arrived in Kun Du, countless dignitaries came out to welcome him. They knew that one had to bow their head under a falling roof. This time, to ask Shen Feng to take action, they had decided to reinstate Yu Shengfu. Strictly speaking, Shen Feng was their boss, and they could only put away their arrogance now.
"Lord Fengshen, we have all been awaiting your arrival. We didn't expect you to finally be here. Do you require a welcoming banquet?" the local official then inquired.
"The situation is urgent, so let's forgo such formalities. Tell me any latest intelligence immediately. Don't delay here any longer, or more people will die in the mouths of insects," Shen Feng calmly interrupted.
In peacetime, Shen Feng would certainly have wanted to taste the local delicacies, as every place has its specialty. To visit a place and not taste its local food would be a wasted trip. However, the current situation was special. If they continued to focus on tasting food, it would only lead to delays in the war effort.
Upon hearing Shen Feng's words, the others realized their mistake and invited Shen Feng into the city. They then proceeded to the command center, where all the intelligence was laid out before him. The most prominent item was a large horizontal screen displaying a map of Dian Province, providing a direct view of the latest situation in the province.