Doomsday Code

As the coalition continued to explore new knowledge and grow in strength, the idea of expanding their territory and influence became a topic of much discussion among the leaders. With more resources and a larger population, there were opportunities to claim and develop new areas that could offer even greater benefits.

A team of scouts was sent out to survey the surrounding regions. They reported back on several promising locations – an abandoned city with vast warehouses that could potentially hold valuable supplies, fertile plains that could be turned into extensive farmland, and a coastal area with rich fishing grounds and access to sea-based resources like salt and minerals.

The coalition leaders decided to start with the abandoned city. A large expedition was organized, consisting of fighters for protection, engineers to assess the structural integrity of the buildings, and scavengers ready to search for useful items. As they entered the city, they quickly realized that it was not going to be as straightforward as they had hoped.

The years of neglect had taken a toll on the infrastructure. Many of the buildings were on the verge of collapse, and the streets were filled with debris and obstacles that made movement difficult. The scavenging teams had to be careful not to trigger any unstable structures while looking for supplies.

The engineers faced the challenge of determining which buildings could be salvaged and repurposed. Zhao Yi used his software to create 3D models of the city based on the scouts' initial scans. This allowed the engineers to analyze the structures from different angles and plan the safest ways to reinforce or demolish them as needed.

However, they were not alone in the city. There were small groups of squatters who had made the place their home and were not happy about the coalition's arrival. These squatters saw the newcomers as a threat to their meager existence and were prepared to fight to protect what they considered theirs.

Initial attempts at peaceful negotiation failed as the squatters were too wary and distrustful. Tensions rose, and skirmishes broke out between the coalition's forces and the squatters. The coalition fighters tried to minimize casualties on both sides, using non-lethal tactics whenever possible, but the situation remained volatile.

In the meantime, the scavenging efforts were slow. The supplies they found were often damaged or in poor condition due to the passage of time. And the fertile plains they had hoped to develop into farmland were infested with weeds and pests that would require significant effort to clear and manage.

Back at the main coalition settlements, there were also issues arising from the expansion. Resources were being stretched thin as they diverted manpower and materials towards the new projects. Some members of the community were worried that they were overextending themselves and becoming vulnerable to attacks from other groups while focusing on expansion.

Zhao Yi and the other leaders knew that they had to find a way to balance these challenges. They held emergency meetings to discuss new strategies. Plans were made to allocate more resources to improving relations with the squatters, perhaps offering them a share of the city's resources if they cooperated. More agricultural experts were sent to deal with the farmland problems, and a strict resource management system was put in place to ensure that the expansion didn't put the existing settlements at risk.

With determination and a willingness to adapt, the coalition pressed on, knowing that the rewards of successful expansion could be well worth the difficulties they were currently facing.