The location they chose was arguably the closest place to Guanghan City suitable for establishing a camp.

Of course, this wasn’t because there weren’t better locations up ahead, but because their numbers were simply too large.

Their mercenaries and soldiers combined numbered a staggering 35,000. For the zombies, the concentrated aura of so many living people gathered in one place would be like a beacon in the dead of night.

If they pushed any closer, they risked attracting the vast zombie hordes from within Guanghan City, which would ultimately form a zombie tide.

Moreover, a spontaneously formed tide like that was on a completely different scale from one triggered by a Mutated Zombie.

Given the sheer number of Zombies in Guanghan City, it wouldn’t be surprising at all if it triggered a massive tide of over ten million.

That was precisely why they stopped 10 kilometers out.

The materials for the camp were already prepared. Mobile tents were rapidly erected, and even the military’s Armored Vehicles could transform and link together, forming mobile fortresses.

Only the defensive fortifications were slower to construct, but that was relative. The entire temporary camp could be completed in half a day at most.

Furthermore, as more Mercenary Corps arrived, the increased manpower would allow them to speed up the construction of the defensive works even more.

As Lin Xinghai was pondering these matters, the Heaven-Sundering Mercenary Corps’ four Armored Vehicles parked in their designated spots under the soldiers’ direction.

They had just come to a stop when a soldier approached to ask if they could spare some people to help dig trenches.

Naturally, Lin Xinghai left these matters for Fang Tianhe to handle.

He had originally thought his part was done, but to his surprise, the portly chairman, Jin Canlan, came looking for him.

"Little Brother Lin, the camp should be finished around noon. After that, we’ll officially launch the assault on Guanghan City. But there are still some details that need to be ironed out with the military."

"I’d like to invite you to attend the meeting with me. That way, if there’s anything I’m not sure about, I can discuss it with you, Little Brother Lin," Jin Canlan said, getting straight to the point.

Lin Xinghai was a little surprised. He hadn’t expected to be invited to such a high-level meeting.

"Chairman Jin, I’m just a mercenary. Is it really appropriate for me to attend a high-level meeting like this?" Lin Xinghai couldn’t help but ask.

"Heh! What’s not appropriate? I’m the chairman. If I say you can represent our Mercenary Guild, then you can. Besides, Wei Tianxing has praised you highly on more than one occasion. Plus, you have that medal of honor. There’s no way the Military Department won’t show you some respect," Jin Canlan said with a laugh.

After hearing this, Lin Xinghai didn’t refuse. He immediately followed Jin Canlan toward the temporary command post in the center of the camp.

Lin Xinghai was quite concerned about how they were planning to deploy the Mercenary Corps. If the Heaven-Sundering Mercenary Corps were assigned to an overly dangerous area, his presence at the meeting would give him some leeway to negotiate.

The temporary command post in the center of the camp was arguably the largest structure there. It was formed by five interlinked Armored Vehicles. While not huge, its 80 square meters of space was more than enough.

As soon as Lin Xinghai entered, he saw a familiar face: Colonel Zhang Yue.

"Comrade Lin, welcome! I didn’t expect we’d be fighting side-by-side again so soon," Zhang Yue said with a smile, greeting Lin Xinghai warmly.

Lately, thanks to the Heaven-Sundering Mercenary Corps’s Heaven-defying performance, he, as the officer in charge of liaising with the Mercenary Corps, had also accumulated a great deal of Merit.

If the Guanghan City mission also went smoothly, he might even have a chance at a promotion to Major General. Under such circumstances, how could he be anything but enthusiastic toward Lin Xinghai?

"Officer Zhang, you’re too kind. I just hope you don’t mind an outsider like me intruding," Lin Xinghai replied graciously.

"Not at all! I heard you were the one who proposed this operation plan. It’s perfectly fitting for you to attend the pre-battle meeting. Who knows, a single suggestion from you could save us a great deal of trouble." Zhang Yue grew even more effusive, looking at Lin Xinghai as if he were a mountain of gold.

That was a difficult compliment to respond to, so Lin Xinghai simply smiled and followed him into the small conference room inside.

Many high-ranking officers from the military and leaders from the Mercenary Guild were already seated inside. At the head of the table was an old man.

Although Lin Xinghai had never met the old man, he could guess who he was: the military’s Lin Zhengyang.

As they entered the conference room, the old man glanced up, his eyes sweeping over them. He actually nodded at Lin Xinghai first before his gaze flickered to Jin Canlan.

"Alright, since everyone’s here, let’s begin the meeting!" Lin Zhengyang was clearly a man of decisive action, forgoing any pleasantries and getting straight to the point.

The others in the room, seemingly well-acquainted with Lin Zhengyang’s temperament, showed no surprise. The aide-de-camp sitting beside him immediately activated a holographic projector.

Seeing this, Jin Canlan muttered something under his breath in dissatisfaction, but ultimately said nothing. He led his entourage to the seats reserved for the Mercenary Guild,

After they were seated, a holographic map of Guanghan City materialized above the conference table.

"To avoid triggering a zombie tide, we can’t commit too many personnel to clearing out Zombies at once."

"Therefore, the 30,000 Mercenaries will be divided into three waves, exploring in rotation. Each wave will be split into ten teams, advancing along designated routes." After Lin Zhengyang spoke, ten red dotted lines appeared on the holographic map, clearly marking the planned clearing routes.

"Chairman Jin, I’ll leave the team assignments to the Mercenary Guild. Each squad should have about a thousand members. Is that a problem?" Lin Zhengyang asked, looking at Jin Canlan.

"Er... It shouldn’t be a problem," Jin Canlan said after a moment’s hesitation.

At this answer, however, Lin Zhengyang’s brow furrowed. He said sternly, "What do you mean, ’shouldn’t be’? I need a definitive answer. It’s either yes or no. Tell me straight: can you do it or not?"

Jin Canlan’s face flushed. He desperately wanted to curse the man out. ’Does he really think Mercenaries are the same as a regular army?’ This was something he’d have to go back and negotiate with all the Mercenary Corps Leaders.

And there were over 300 Mercenary Corps of all sizes attending this operation. The workload was immense, and time was short. He really couldn’t make any guarantees.

Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Lin Xinghai, who was sitting beside him, couldn’t help but lean in and whisper, "It’s not a problem. Just gather all the Third Level Mercenary Corps Leaders later. Once you convince them, you can have them manage the Second Level and First Level Mercenary Corps."

Jin Canlan’s expression brightened at the suggestion. He nodded at Lin Xinghai with a smile before turning back to Lin Zhengyang. His expression shifted in an instant, becoming utterly solemn.

"Our Mercenary Corps are not the army; they aren’t as easy to manage as you think. So don’t give me any of your usual talk. If you’re so capable, let’s trade places. You can come be the Chairman of the Mercenary Guild."

"However, I can give you a definite answer on this matter. I will have the teams sorted out before the operation begins at noon."

Having said his piece, Jin Canlan felt an unprecedented rush of satisfaction. It had been a long time since he’d been able to retort so righteously.