CHAPTER 1198: CHAPTER 1198: XIANG YU’S LEADERSHIP SKILLS

"Can I speak?" a frail voice from an old man asked.

The man appeared to be around sixty years old, wearing glasses, but his body seemed robust.

Xiang Yu found the man familiar, though his face was full of worry.

"My wife is still outside waiting for me. I want to see her one last time. She must be terribly worried." The old man looked at Xiang Yu and said.

The old man recognized Xiang Yu as the leader of this temporary military unit at first glance, and he looked at Xiang Yu with hope.

Xiang Yu handed the gun to someone beside him, then looked seriously at the old man and said, "Sir, whatever you want to say, just say it."

The old man, seeing Xiang Yu being so humble, nodded and said, "My wife is still waiting for me at home. I need to go back home."

He repeated this sentence, emphasizing how important his wife was to him. Then he continued, "I’ve been here for many years and know this structure well."

The old man adjusted his glasses and continued, "When I first came here, the two floors below hadn’t been built yet. Back then, I remember there was a staircase leading to the first floor."

The old man pointed to the room ahead. Xiang Yu knew this room well; he had been inside without any clothes, with Siyan there.

Xiang Yu had snapped Siyan’s neck and hid the corpse inside.

"Where exactly?" Xiang Yu asked as he hurried inside with the old man.

The old man, trembling, pointed inside the house.

"You stay and guard outside," Xiang Yu told the others briefly, then entered with the old man.

Inside were a lot of human organs, and Xiang Yu worried the others might not handle it.

The old man, trembling and in disbelief, looked around the house, surprised by the setup, but didn’t show any other reaction.

Xiang Yu knew this old man had been here for years and should be well aware of everything, likely accustomed to the situation.

"Impossible, impossible, the staircase used to be right in front." The old man pointed ahead.

Yet, there was no path; the room was boarded up all around.

"Thank you," Xiang Yu said.

The old man shook his head, sighed, but said nothing; it was Xiang Yu who had given him hope, which he should be grateful for.

"Han Feng, Gao Lianfeng, you two come in," Xiang Yu called out.

Upon hearing Xiang Yu’s summons, Han Feng and Gao Lianfeng entered. They weren’t startled by the surroundings, instead wore calm expressions.

Seeing their composure, Xiang Yu felt relieved, as they also seemed accustomed to such peculiarities here.

"There’s an exit up ahead, but it’s blocked. You two blow it open," Xiang Yu said, then left with the old man.

He had to maintain stability here now.

As Xiang Yu emerged, everyone quieted down. Xiang Yu was their leader now.

All those in white also looked at Xiang Yu, knowing their fate was closely tied to this man.

"I’m splitting everyone into two groups..." Xiang Yu divided them and explained they must follow his and Gao Lianfeng’s orders.

Gao Lianfeng, being a former senior officer, should have excellent command skills.

Xiang Yu understood that although they’d achieved a stage of victory, true danger lay outside, and this was just the beginning.

He had to clarify the situation to avoid chaos later.

The temporary military shouldn’t be a problem, but the people in white coats were hesitant, some shook and headed downstairs.

They didn’t believe Xiang Yu could lead them out and would rather endure this infernal place than face death outside.

"Is anyone else leaving? I said it; once outside, survival is a slim chance," Xiang Yu addressed them.

Those staying looked determined, preferring death over continuing to live here.

Suddenly, an explosion erupted behind Xiang Yu, a blast of air surged with dust swirling.

Xiang Yu stood unmoved, as did the other temporary soldiers, demonstrating their soldierly qualities.

The people in white were terrified, squatting on the spot.

After the explosion, two dust-covered figures emerged, Han Feng and Gao Lianfeng.

"You’ll handle Team Two, I’ll handle Team One," Xiang Yu instructed Gao Lianfeng.

Gao Lianfeng wasn’t sure why Xiang Yu trusted him but now wasn’t the time to argue. He quickly nodded, "Don’t worry."

Xiang Yu trusted Gao Lianfeng’s capabilities, then commanded, "Go," leading everyone into the room.

The room was still dusty, but Xiang Yu could see a staircase revealed ahead.

But it seemed something was flowing out of it, accompanied by a strong stench.

Xiang Yu led the way up the stairs, feet sticking slightly, but he couldn’t worry about that now.

It was pitch black above; someone behind lit a torch.

The torch lit up about a meter of space. When people saw the surroundings, someone suddenly shouted.

This was the underground floor, sealed off. The space was small, and the shout startled everyone, making them point their guns.

Only then did everyone see what was on the ground—a heap of white bones, sticky liquid, and some half-decayed corpses.

This scene was more terrifying than the lab below. Two people in white couldn’t bear it and screamed away, probably driven mad with fear.

Xiang Yu, hardened by battlefield experiences, had seen many grim scenes. When bodies exploded to bits with blood spraying, it was no less grim than this.

"Don’t panic, it’s just the dead," Xiang Yu calmly reassured.

Xiang Yu’s voice calmed everyone down. Gao Lianfeng also looked at Xiang Yu with admiration.

Xiang Yu had never been here, yet could adjust to this environment, showing his mettle.

The corridor was dark, its length unknown. They walked a distance, and the bloody stench faded somewhat.

Eventually, they reached a spacious area. There was no path, but a staircase seemed to lead upward.

"This should be the old entrance, but I’m not sure why it’s sealed," the old man observed as he stepped up.

"Blow it open," Xiang Yu stated calmly and gestured for everyone to move back.

Han Feng and Gao Lianfeng quickly moved to the front, their explosives taken from the guards.

The temporary soldiers neatly retreated a few steps. Though an ad-hoc force, their discipline was strict, their movements as if professionally trained...