Chapter 106: Logistics Center
Everyone’s complexion shifted slightly, especially Li Father, watching his son standing behind his brother, wanting to speak but hesitating.
A director with a square face and big nose coughed, and before he could speak, the wrinkles between his brows squeezed into deep river character pattern.
“I think starting the New City Plan now carries too much risk. The Armored Train took out nineteen of our men entirely, occupying one-fifteenth of the company’s elite armed force. Now it’s eyeing us covetously from the side. What if it launches a surprise attack while we’re clearing Changli County?”
“This is our entire foundation. If we lose it, we’ll inevitably be left behind by other companies in three to five years!”
As soon as the words fell, some people immediately voiced their agreement.
Li Father on the side didn’t speak, but his eyes still showed a trace of approval.
Li Wangchuan, sitting at the upper left seat, crossed his ten fingers in front of his nose, his pair of eyes coldly scanning the sixteen directors.
Apart from Li Tao, he was the youngest person present. At thirty-five years old, among a group of middle-aged men averaging over fifty, he could be called young and vigorous.
There were four people who had just voiced agreement, making five including Director Zhang.
His side had a total of seven people, enough to easily overpower the other side. At this time, the opinions of the remaining four were crucial.
Li Wangchuan cast his gaze toward the woman on the right. The woman wasn’t wearing a skirt suit but an extremely neutral suit, with no jewelry on her body. Well-maintained, at over fifty years old, she looked like a powerful woman in her thirties.
Sitting there, she was like a reef weathered by years, silent yet not to be taken lightly.
This was the third-party force in the board of directors, Wang Yi. Ten years ago, she took over her father’s position and had sat there ever since, unassuming and low-key. Even in the turbulent apocalypse situation, the other’s position hadn’t wavered in the slightest.
A few years ago when he had just risen to power, he had tested this woman but got no useful information, only knowing she was a tough opponent.
If he wanted to push any plan in the Steel Council, the most important thing was actually to convince this woman.
As for Director Zhang…
Li Wangchuan glanced at the man with river character brows. At the beginning of the apocalypse, he had lost twenty of his direct armed forces, basically out of the game. His current presence in the board of directors was because the remaining four people didn’t want to stand up and directly confront him, borrowing his face for one more use.
He lightly tapped the table, and the noisy voices stopped. Pairs of eyes, either scrutinizing or ill-intentioned, turned toward him.
“Li Tao, report the information you obtained to the directors.”
Li Tao behind him adjusted his glasses and said clearly, “The Armored Train’s overt forces are an elite evolver squad with clear ability pairings. Its leader’s strength is at Tier 1, profession not belonging to any we know, temporarily classified as ‘Manipulator’ ‘Energizer’, and the other side held back. There’s also a Tier 1 Evolver in the room, with the remaining nine being non-profession evolvers.”
“Impossible! How could just two Tier 1 Evolvers wipe out my B-level squad!”
Director Zhang immediately questioned.
Li Tao wasn’t disturbed by him. “I think the directors have received the specific battle process report. Although many traces were erased, based on the battlefield trace detection reports everywhere and the statements of the returning soldiers, the company’s 20-man armed squad had already clashed with a Zombie Horde before, consuming a lot of high-power weapons.”
“Then they split up. Part of them were taken out by a hidden Tier 1 Evolver at the Armored Train’s stop, and the rest were ambushed by the other side at the armory, causing heavy battle casualties. Our side was at a firepower disadvantage, leading to further casualties.”
“Based on the battle process, the other side had the ability to wipe out the B-level squad. Of course, as the highest battlefield commander, He Jie should bear primary responsibility.”
Li Tao recounted the entire campaign once. Although some details were missing, the overall picture was mostly accurate.
The only misunderstanding was mistaking He Jie hiding in the carriage as one of them.
After all, no one would think a non-profession evolver could annihilate a well-trained C-level squad.
Director Zhang’s complexion grew even worse, but he still argued forcefully, “No need to go into the process details, but doesn’t the result show that this force is hostile to us?”
“After identification by research personnel these past two days, the traded Tier 2 Mutated Beast bones have no issues, and the evolution potential is extremely high, with great research value. The Tier 2 profession ‘Berserk Veteran’ evolution path has passed multiple judgment tests, with over ninety percent feasibility.”
Li Tao looked up at Director Zhang, whose face was growing increasingly dark, “According to information analysis experts’ judgment, the other side comes from a larger force. If not for He Jie’s unit initiating the attack that day, the other side wouldn’t have clashed with us at all.”
With all the information laid out, everyone wasn’t stupid and could tell clearly.
One side initiated the attack and suffered casualties.
The other side conducted the transaction and gained massive resources.
As long as one’s brain wasn’t waterlogged, anyone could see who between Director Li and Director Zhang brought more benefits to the company in this incident.
As for losing an armory.
That was unmined resources, not yet on the books, so others naturally didn’t care.
Everyone’s gazes subconsciously wandered between Li Wangchuan and Director Wang.
Li Wangchuan spoke first, “Everyone might be worried that if this fails, the company’s strength will suffer greatly, causing us to fall behind.”
“But this is an era of great contention, a thousand sails competing—fail to advance and you retreat! Every day we delay now widens the gap with other forces.”
“Qinggang Industrial is far behind other forces in resources, manpower, and information.”
“The New City Plan is our most important step. Only by taking this step can we establish a force foundation. Without even a basic territory, how can a force make a name for itself? Without this signboard shelter, how long can you and I survive in this apocalypse?”
Some fierce voice echoed in the meeting room.
Everyone’s complexions were gloomy.
Li Tao looked at his uncle’s back, a glint flashing in his eyes.
The woman finally stopped staring at her rounded fingernail and looked up at this predatory young man. Seeing that familiar aura, her eyes carried a trace of reminiscence, “A thousand sails competing—fail to advance and you retreat. Since you have this resolve, go ahead. The New City Plan will be led by your Li Family.”
With that, the woman stood up and left without any explanation.
“The board of directors will now vote on whether to approve starting the New City Plan.”
“Agree.”
“Agree…”
With the woman’s stance, the momentum tilted toward Li Wangchuan. Even those who had pushed for Director Zhang stopped struggling.
The meeting ended, and the room emptied.
Li Wangchuan stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the gray sky beyond the fourteenth floor, flames of ambition burning fiercely in his eyes.
“Xiao Tao, bring me that set of gene potions.”
Li Tao jerked his head up, worry in his eyes, “But we don’t have a follow-up advancement direction.”
“Directions are figured out oneself.”
“I suggest waiting a bit longer. We’ve already discovered the Gene Primordium. Cultivate for a few more years…”
“Xiao Tao, nowadays I can’t sleep at night; it’s like there’s a fire burning in my chest cavity.”
“I forgot the last time I was excited to the point of trembling, but I don’t want to wait anymore.”
“I’m going to spread my arms and welcome this new world!”
……
“December 30, 24°C, no rain”
“The new order is established, but I always feel out of place with them, emm… except Yu Yue”
……
Gray-toned clouds slowly rolled over the Smart Logistics Center. A rusted signboard was slanted into a ten-meter-high steel frame, water-stain-like rust marks spreading down the brackets like varicose blood vessels.
Intermittent metal collision sounds came from the distance; the abandoned overpass swayed in the wind, mixed with a few crow caws.
The Armored Train’s clanging and crashing sounds rose and fell, bringing a touch of vitality to this place.
The Train Conductor held a bowl of lamb vermicelli soup, leaning against the car window by the driver’s cabin, slurping the scalding noodles while surveying this Smart Logistics Center.
Although the main purpose was to lure the Steel Council into taking the bait, choosing the Logistics Center wasn’t random.
The Armored Train’s hardware was already sufficient now, but some equipment inside was still in a state from forty years ago—communications all by shouting, handling besides a small crane only by adding manpower.
Although many were evolvers now, they couldn’t do this heavy labor all day.
But exoskeletons convenient for workers to move heavy objects, robots, these highly intelligent devices—most were in cutting-edge laboratories or military, aerospace, and other bases.
Large-scale civilian ones were actually rare.
The only ones he knew of were in the Smart Logistics Center.
So he planned to grab dozens at once, to later move some large equipment.
Like large oxygen production equipment, bullet production lines, and such.
He didn’t have them now, but his old employer definitely did!
And his old employer came from heavy industry, with absolutely solid foundations.
If he didn’t grab handy tools, wouldn’t that be returning from a treasure mountain empty-handed?
The Logistics Center interior naturally had no railway tracks, so the train could only stop at the platform a kilometer away.
The train’s sounds naturally attracted wandering zombies around. Led by Tier 1 Zombies, like small armies, they howled and charged toward the Armored Train at a distance of several hundred meters.
The anti-aircraft machine gun on the front of the train began ruthless harvesting, its thunder-like sounds echoing throughout the Smart Logistics Center.
Large swaths of zombies were harvested like wheat.
Occasional fish that slipped the net were also captured by the firepower net inside the train.
The fastest-running Tier 1 Jumper was headshot by Yu Yue with one shot.
She herself was extremely talented in sniping. After gaining Sniper Specialization, her skill completely surpassed Su Huan, becoming the Armored Train’s first sniper.
Outside the train, flesh fragments flew; inside, the Train Conductor ate with slurping sounds.
By the time the gunshots stopped, Su Huan had finished the last sip of lamb soup.
[Daily goal achieved, seeking monthly tickets]
