In stark contrast to Bloodfall Base’s resounding victory, Marcus Monroe’s situation was far more difficult.
The first problem arose from the one thousand Southern Army soldiers placed under his command.
Though they had heard of his reputation, these men had originally belonged to the Second Division, under the command of Henry Chase. After Henry Chase’s sudden and mysterious death, they were transferred to Keith Preston’s command. This alone was enough to fill many of them with doubt and resentment.
Henry Chase, for all his ambition, had treated his subordinates quite well.
He never skimped on their pay and was fiercely protective of them when trouble arose.
So while the soldiers hadn’t been wholeheartedly devoted to him, they did possess a fair amount of loyalty.
When Henry Chase died a violent death, they were absorbed into the First Division, like children who had lost their mother.
Keith Preston didn’t treat them poorly, but he didn’t treat them particularly well, either. After all, they weren’t soldiers he had personally trained, so they couldn’t possibly receive the same treatment as his own men.
Those who had been secretly bought over by Keith Preston beforehand were better off, but the rest couldn’t help but complain.
This was one of the reasons Keith Preston had insisted on remaining within the city.
He couldn’t possibly take these soldiers into battle—it would endanger his own life. Yet he also didn’t dare take his own men and leave, abandoning these troops in the city. A mutiny in his own backyard was no laughing matter.
He was very satisfied with the current arrangement.
By handing these unstable elements over to Marcus Monroe, he put them to use while simultaneously ridding himself of a future threat.
But this meant Marcus Monroe would certainly have his work cut out for him.
On the road, these men had already stirred up trouble several times. They were convinced Keith Preston had sent them on a suicide mission, and they viewed Marcus Monroe as a "parachuted-in" leader who lacked a proper foundation, refusing to submit to his authority.
However, after Marcus Monroe dealt harshly with a few of the ringleaders, they had no choice but to settle down.
It was only then they discovered that the men Marcus Monroe had brought with him—especially the one hundred Superpower Users from Bloodfall Base—could truly be called an Ironblood Legion!
It wasn’t just their strength; most importantly, they possessed incredible team spirit.
They followed Marcus Monroe’s orders to the letter, executing them with meticulous precision. Every last one of them.
All attempts to bribe them or use sheer numbers to intimidate them failed utterly.
There was simply no room for them to make trouble!
Even the other two hundred men, cobbled together from other bases, were far from weak and executed Marcus Monroe’s commands with the utmost seriousness.
Though they weren’t particularly familiar with one another, leading to some awkwardness in their coordination during battle, the crucial thing was that these men were obedient.
Under Marcus Monroe’s direction, they ran several impromptu drills, and the unit quickly began to take shape.
How could they have known?
Before they arrived, every one of them had been sternly warned by their own Base Chief. This was especially true for the Superpower Users from Stoneridge Base, who made up the majority. They understood perfectly: stick close to Marcus Monroe and you’ll have food to eat! You’ll get Crystal Cores! And most importantly, you’ll be able to fight back the Zombies, protecting your base and your own life! They weren’t like The Power Corps from a massive base like Southreach, who were used to a fixed salary and passing the buck when danger appeared. Superpower Users from smaller, more precarious bases understood one thing above all else: if you want to get stronger, if you want a better chance at survival, you have to put in the work!
Besides, during the days on the march, they had become fully aware of Marcus Monroe’s methods.
He was never soft-handed when strictness was required. For instance, he had the troublemakers from the Southern Army beaten and thrown to the back of the column. Whether they lived or died depended entirely on their own willpower. Witnessing this sent a chill down their spines. Yet, when it was time to be generous, Marcus Monroe was more than willing. Not only was the food they ate on the march excellent, but every single Crystal Core from slain Mutant Beasts and Zombies was distributed to the most proactive fighters.
Who wouldn’t like a leader who balanced reward and punishment so well? Who wouldn’t fight their hardest for him?
The stark contrast put their minds at ease. They were now convinced that as long as they gave it their all, their efforts would be handsomely rewarded.
And so, using a carrot-and-stick approach, Marcus Monroe led his troops to the front lines in one piece.
By the time they arrived, the Southern Army units holding the defensive line were in a precarious state. An untold number of wounded were carried back each day. They were barely holding on, and without reinforcements, it wouldn’t be long before their lines collapsed into a total rout.
Seeing this, Marcus Monroe couldn’t help but let out a long breath. That very afternoon, he led his men to relieve the utterly exhausted Southern Army troops.
The brutality of the battlefield went without saying.
The Zombies were launching an all-out offensive. They were walking corpses, incapable of feeling fatigue. The only thing that could stir their desire was the fresh flesh and blood of living humans. The closer they got, the more ferocious their attacks became!
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