With the US government having cut off all civilian internet access, TVs and radios have become the sole means for American citizens to get information from the outside world. The TV host, with a solemn expression, began to report the major news of the past few days:
"According to the latest information obtained by our insiders from the World Health Organization, the latest vaccine has been confirmed to have failed in its test trials!"
"The bureaucratic government has lost control over the epidemic in the infected zones. They've dug massive 'mass graves' around major cities and, in a heartless move, have been 'disposing' of both the living infected patients and the deceased ones together!"
After delivering these key pieces of news, the TV host, holding several manuscripts, suddenly changed her expression. With a face full of grief and anger, she addressed the camera:
"American citizens watching at home, what you are about to see is footage our reporters risked their lives to capture. These are real events happening within the infected zones."
The camera then switched to a not-so-clear video. Several soldiers, armed with assault rifles, were fiercely shooting at the infected who were lunging at them. After taking down the infected, more than a dozen survivors ran out from a nearby building. Although the footage was blurry, their excited body language was evident.
One soldier approached these survivors and confiscated all their weapons. Everyone watching thought these survivors would be escorted to safety. However, what happened next left everyone in front of the TV in shock.
As soon as the soldier left, the remaining soldiers, without hesitation, raised their rifles and opened fire on the survivors. Within just a few seconds, they had killed everyone, including the elderly and children.
The TV then showed more footage of soldiers shooting survivors in other infected zones, as well as interviews with survivors who had escaped. These people condemned and fiercely criticized the government's brutal actions.
Brian even saw the lakeside cottage they had stayed in, and the lifeless bodies of Angela and Bart on the ground in the footage.
"Damn it, what are they doing!" The crowd around the TV was in an uproar, with angry curses flying left and right.
The camera then switched back to the host, who, holding the manuscript, shouted hysterically: "Everything you see in these videos is the result of orders given by our country's bureaucrats. They have secretly implemented a 'no-questions-asked clearance' plan. Whether people in the infected zones are infected or not, they will all be shot dead. They think they can control this disaster through mass killings!"
"My fellow citizens, this bacterial infection has completely spiraled out of control. They have been deceiving us all along. We can't keep waiting blindly for a vaccine. There's no time left. We can't let these corrupt people continue to run our country. We need truly capable leaders to guide us. Only then can we hope to save our nation..."
At that moment, a "bang" of a door being kicked in was heard from the TV. The screen flipped 180 degrees, as if something had knocked over the camera.
Then, several soldiers appeared on the screen. One of them strode up to the host and said sternly, "Ma'am, I'm arresting you for fabricating and deliberately spreading false and terroristic information. Now, if you would come with us..."
As soon as the soldier finished speaking, the TV screen went blank, showing no signal...
After the TV signal disappeared, the survivor camps across the nation fell into a brief, eerie silence. But in just a moment, Dallas erupted like boiling water.
People, whether they were residents living in the city or survivors who had fled from the infected zones, had always thought that this terrible epidemic, like the viruses they had experienced before, was just temporary and would eventually be conquered.
But today, when everything was laid bare like a piece of paper being torn, and they understood what the US government had done, especially after learning about the vaccine failure, they truly began to feel the fear of death and the despair of the apocalypse.
This was a barefaced conspiracy...
Comforting Sarah, who was sobbing uncontrollably in his arms over the deaths of Angela and Bart, Brian sighed inwardly. He finally understood why the soldiers hadn't chased them after they broke through the blockade in Austin. It wasn't that they didn't want to chase; someone had deliberately let them go.
The host's constant reminders of "bureaucrats," the footage of soldiers shooting survivors, the testimonies of those who had escaped the soldiers' pursuit, and the perfectly timed signal cut-off after the host's arrest... If one were to look at the whole thing from a third-party perspective, it was a well-planned conspiracy. Someone wanted to use this conspiracy to incite public outrage and use the pressure of public opinion to overthrow and seize power from the White House government.
But Brian knew that, whether in the past or the future, relying solely on public condemnation would have little impact on those in power, unless... the military was also involved in this conspiracy...
"Forget it, why think so much? It's none of my business," Brian muttered, shaking his head and gently patting Sarah's back. He looked around at the people nearby, some whispering, some crying, some staring blankly in despair, and even the children who had been playing excitedly in the morning were now huddled in their parents' arms, too scared to make a peep.
He turned to Osborne and Kelly, who looked worried, and said in a low voice, "This isn't the time to think too much. Dallas won't be peaceful for the next few days. It's best not to let others know how many supplies we have. Otherwise, I'm afraid someone might have some wrong ideas."
Hearing this, Osborne knew that what had just happened would cause a great panic. He was somewhat relieved that he hadn't been able to contact his friend this morning and that the female journalist had exposed the matter prematurely. Otherwise, if he had reported it and it had been exposed afterward, he would have been arrested by now!
He couldn't believe that they had only been in Dallas for less than a day, and such a thing had happened. He had no idea what would happen next.
He nodded in agreement, took Kelly into the RV, and planned to reorganize the supplies, trying to hide them in more secluded places to avoid being seen from the outside.
Their neighbor Antoine, apparently a shrewd person, quickly returned to his RV after the TV signal was cut off and closed the door, not knowing what he was up to.
For the rest of the afternoon, the entire camp suddenly became busy as if following an order. Brian frequently saw people making weapons and knives from things they had picked up outside, either on tents or RVs.
He noticed the abnormality and asked Sarah to go back to the RV first. He then stood up and scanned between the tents and RVs, noticing several people in black clothes moving from one tent to another, seemingly trying to persuade the people inside to join something.
Brian immediately informed Osborne in the RV about this. Although he didn't know what they were up to, it was better to be warned to avoid being caught off guard.
Before long, he saw a bald man in black clothes walking toward his area. Pretending not to see him, he subtly knocked on the RV door.
"Kid, is there an adult around here?" The bald man walked up to the RV and, seeing only a child there, scratched his bald head and put on a somewhat amiable smile, asking.
Before Brian could respond, Osborne, hearing the noise outside, opened the RV door. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked at the bald man with feigned curiosity, saying, "Hello, what can I do for you?"
Upon seeing Osborne come out, Brian tactfully stepped back, knowing that some matters were not for a "child" like him to decide and needed an adult to handle.
The bald man, seeing an adult appear, got straight to the point without beating around the bush: "You know about the news just now, right? Those damn bureaucrats don't give a damn about our lives. I think we can't just sit here and wait any longer. We have to start planning for ourselves. Look at these people around us; they're already preparing weapons. Tomorrow, we'll go and seize supplies together and try to stockpile as much food as possible for ourselves. If you want to join, get ready early."
After hastily saying these words, the bald man turned and walked toward another RV, seemingly just delivering a message and not caring whether they would join or not.
Watching the bald man walk away, Osborne's brow furrowed deeply. He turned to Brian and said, "You were right. The next few days are not going to be peaceful."
"Ignore them. I'll just wait for the government's next notice," Brian shrugged indifferently. All he wanted to know now was what the government's next move would be, as that would ultimately determine how humanity would continue to survive.