Chapter 107: Logistics Sniper
Su Huan arrived at the Dining Car and set down his bowl, just in time to see He Jie teaching Old San and the others how to self-check firearm status, as well as how many bullets to bring on a task.
“You’re Old Er, right? Your position is Assault Trooper, what are you doing carrying so many bullets?”
“What you have in your hands is the Iron Guard Assault Rifle, one magazine 40 bullets, six magazines make one base number, can’t you even calculate such simple multiplication?”
“What are you still standing there for?”
“Armor-Piercing Rounds, High-Explosive Rounds, you don’t expect to pick them up on the battlefield, do you?! Idiot!”
He Jie’s gaze, sharp like a hawk, turned to Old San on the side, “What are you still holding onto that fire poker-like Assault Rifle for?!”
“Tell me what your position is?!”
Old San immediately tensed up all over, standing straight with chest out, “Firepower Specialist!”
He Jie stepped forward two steps, his strong pectoral muscles pressing against Old San, roaring like a wild beast with spittle flying, “Then tell me what you’re doing holding an Assault Rifle? When the bullets run out and your teammates need your fire suppression, are you going to output with your mouth?!”
Old San’s complexion turned red, not out of defiance, but shame.
Usually used to holding the Assault Rifle, he had completely forgotten his own position when it came time for the actual task.
Getting called out in front of the Train Conductor, he had lost face big time.
“No!”
“Then what are you waiting for to swap guns? Waiting for me to tell you how many ammunition belts the Light Machine Gun needs?! Was your math taught by a PE teacher too?!”
“And you, as the deputy gunner, what are you waiting for instead of carrying more ammunition? Think you’re high and dry with just two Rocket Launcher rounds? Where’s your secondary weapon? Planning to shoot who with that sissy little handgun? If two cannonballs miss, are you ready to suicide with your little sissy handgun?!”
“This is a Tactical Handgun…”
Old Da still wanted to explain.
But He Jie shot back even more aggressively, “9mm handgun, just a self-defense handgun, that’s what I say, got any objections?! Using this thing for self-defense on the battlefield, might as well use the Rocket Launcher to blast your own ass early, one shot on the battlefield would feel way better than your sissy handgun!”
“…”
Amid He Jie’s roaring and cursing, the three recruits awkwardly began swapping equipment.
But He Jie’s foul language didn’t stop, continuing to fiercely ravage the three panicked young minds from behind.
Only when he saw Su Huan arrive did he shut his mouth, the anger on his face instantly subsiding, with a hint of complexity, “I can’t imagine you took out my eighteen subordinates with soldiers of this caliber.”
Su Huan said calmly, “Because you see war, I see results.”
“You sound a bit like those Directors and politicians.”
“Just doing the job in your position, those three brothers are my Fire Support Squad, you better cultivate them well for me, if not…”
He Jie irritably took over, “If not cultivated well, you’ll make these three idiots parade in front of me every day to disgust me?”
Su Huan patted his shoulder, hard like stone, “I believe you can train them into the best warriors.”
Soon everyone was fully geared and ready.
Strictly speaking, this was the Armored Train’s first team combat.
That time at the Armory was all Su Huan soloing, the others just served to distract attention.
This time it was proper coordinated combat.
Yu Jing and Wan Xing were both late-game professions, hard to exert combat power early on, so Manufacturer and Collector were not on the combat list.
But this time they were looking for Exoskeleton, so Yu Jing was brought along.
Xiao Ba had strong combat power, but if Su Huan got off the train, he had to stay on the Train to hold the fort, Huang Hai was Manufacturer, no need to get off either.
So the ones getting off were Yu Yue, He Jie, the Three Brothers, Zhang Kai, Liang Kuan, plus him.
Combat personnel totaled just eight people.
Following his past life’s habit, an combat squad should have one core, usually the Leader.
Like in the past life Steel Council, every soldier had a group of followers and servant soldiers behind them, all their abilities centered on supporting that “soldier”.
For example, the Major Su Huan followed, whose main job was charging various equipment to ensure sustained combat ability.
The Major’s other two Tier 1 followers, one for close-range personal protection to avoid assassination, the other a Trace Expert, specialized in tracking.
The remaining dozen or so servant soldiers did all the odd jobs.
Precisely because of this uniqueness.
Later Steel Conference squads had long departed from traditional military mode, becoming “private armies” centered on high-level Evolvers.
Greatly enhancing the Evolvers’ strengths and covering weaknesses.
But because of this uniqueness, the Steel Council later found it hard to reclaim the private armies below.
Like a close-combat Evolver like Liang Kuan getting the Major’s team, could he lead the Trace Expert to smack people with a Shield?
So the core defines a team’s combat style, absolutely can’t be swapped.
Su Huan initially thought of building a team centered on himself.
But ever since Yu Yue showed excellent Sniper talent, he felt something off.
Professionally, she was the one linking the whole team, and on battlefield division, she was the highest damage Sniper.
Aside from not having promoted to Tier 1 yet, Su Huan couldn’t find a single reason she couldn’t be the core.
“What should I do?”
Yu Yue wore a set of dark gray casual clothes, with some tactical gear outside for bullets and such, holding the Night Owl Sniper Rifle as she stood before him, eyes with a hint of expectation.
Su Huan sized her up, aside from the moment of firing, the Little Chef had a serious vibe of “live life properly every day”.
What was this?
Lifestyle Sniper?
No idea if those zombies sniped by her knew their Sniper was such a diligent serious Little Chef, if they’d die a bit more cheerfully.
Su Huan pondered for a moment, “You’re the Sniper, you should select the battlefield yourself, whether to snipe important enemy targets or support teammates, only you can decide.”
Yu Yue a bit nervous, “Me acting alone?”
Su Huan’s gaze swept over everyone.
Yu Jing definitely no, the mother and daughter together had no close combat ability, real danger and it’d be one dead one sacrificed, double freebies.
Old San and his two brothers were one Fire Support Squad, can’t split.
Zhang Kai was a newbie, untrustworthy.
He Jie… currently just a bomb with relatively low threat, better keep him by his side, others couldn’t suppress him.
So the only choice left was Liang Kuan.
And he was close-combat type, perfect match for Yu Yue.
Finally landing on Liang Kuan, “Your task this time is to protect Yu Yue well.”
The latter agreed without hesitation.
“Call Lu Xiao and Jiang Rong, prepare to set off!”
…
All the way until exiting the Carriage, Su Huan was pondering one issue.
Yu Yue as Sniper paired with a warrior, very reasonable.
But—
He had gone to great lengths, racking his brains, scavenging supplies and talent, building a team with stable logistics, then from the undisputed core, turned into a frontline soldier charging with a gun?
Even in his past life as a follower, he didn’t need to charge into battle himself.
This life he clearly had first-mover advantage, yet it felt increasingly off.
Not only charging equipment, but also charging forward?
Old San drove the SUV that needed charging over, interrupting Su Huan’s thoughts.
“Convoy Leader, this electric vehicle only has ten percent battery left.”
“Damn it!”
Su Huan’s complexion darkened, sat in the passenger seat, casually charged the electric vehicle, watching the remaining power on the gauge rise quickly, the little animation flashing lively.
Old San saw he was in a bad mood, didn’t dare speak.
Five vehicles headed toward the Logistics Center.
Because the distance was close, they soon arrived in the vicinity of the Logistics Center.
At the entrance, roadblocks of three large Trucks crossed and stacked, with a corroded shapeless corpse stuck in the front dent, wearing Logistics Center work clothes.
Ground also piled with a few corpses, but along the way hadn’t seen many zombies.
On the Train, Su Huan frowned, spoke directly to the air, “Yu Yue, relay my next words to everyone.”
Yu Yue’s soft voice instantly sounded in his ear, “Got it.”
“Zombie numbers are off, looks like someone beat us to it, main gate here can see three buildings, Lu Xiao left side, Jiang Rong right side, main goal clear peripheral wandering zombies, I’ll send signal on retreat.”
After waiting a moment, Lu Xiao and Jiang Rong’s voices also appeared in Su Huan’s ear.
Had to say, Yu Yue’s ability was truly convenient.
Everyone gathered at the Logistics Center doorway, two Fire Trucks started working, dragging away the stacked container Trucks at the entrance, with creaking sounds, opening a gap for one person to pass.
Everyone filed in.
He Jie glared at Su Huan, then exaggeratedly spread his open hands, this thick-browed tough guy’s eyeballs nearly popping out two words, “Gun?”
Locked up in the Carriage is one thing, but on the battlefield and you still not issuing me a gun?
Su Huan curled his lips, snapped his fingers, “Old San, bring the stuff over.”
Old San who got off behind lifted a big guy from the Fire Truck and walked over, He Jie froze on the spot.
Incredulously, “Prepared for me?”
Su Huan kicked the Anti-aircraft Machine Gun on the ground, “Full forty-one kilograms, who else but you is gonna carry this thing onto the battlefield?”
Woodpecker 12.7-2 model, also found in the Armory, total two units, named so because its firing sound was like a woodpecker in the forest, from the name you could tell it wasn’t from the same series as other “Iron” prefixed equipment.
Gun body with tripod deployed, like a crouching steel beast, just the gun barrel 1.8 meters, gleaming with cold blue-black baked paint.
“Don’t kick and damage it!”
He Jie hurriedly picked it up with one hand, stowed the tripod, hugged it to his chest.
Took the ammunition belt from Old San, loaded it in a few moves, draped the hundred-round 12.7 belt over his neck.
Though still in that deep green Short Sleeve, the moment he touched the gun, his whole aura changed, like those mutated beasts with gaping bloody mouths, a pair of ferocious eyes scanning for prey.
Su Huan smiled, a Firepower Specialist without a gun was a toothless tiger.
Since deciding to bring him out, naturally couldn’t do something stupid like tying his own hands.
Slinging the Electromagnetic Sniper Rifle on his back, he waved, “Let’s go, inside.”
Old San hugged the Light Machine Gun and hurried to follow, but got kicked in the butt by He Jie behind, turned back angrily, saw the other say barbarically, “Rookie, get to the back, today I’ll show you what a real Firepower Specialist is!”
…
The entire Digital Command Center was dim, only a faint cold light flickering ahead, showing exactly the scene of Su Huan and the group splitting at the Gate.
A somewhat hoarse male voice said in surprise, “Teacher, someone came, we’re saved.”
“So what if someone came, it’s not the military, coming in is just zombie bait.” A shrill voice mocked, tone thick with negativity.
“They have guns, guns in their hands!”
“We have some too, you dare go out?”
“Wang Hao, instead of sarcastically commenting on others, shut your mouth, save energy so you can run when chased by zombies.”
Another person chimed in sarcastically.
The former ignored the arguments, hurried to the back Room, pushed open the door and got hit by a stench.
But he quickly adapted, walked into the Room.
Right in the middle was an Old Man in a plaid Shirt, graying at the temples, headlamp on his forehead, intently welding an electronics board.
Two female Students assisting beside.
Hearing the door, the Old Man muttered, “Logically, if Surveillance Cameras can be fixed, this Communication Device should too, exactly where’s the problem, Xiao Zhao, come look, am I getting senile, clearly no issue.”
Xiao Zhao’s complexion complex, Teacher though not top-tier electronics Expert, had led national projects, guided doctoral students as Associate Professor, if he couldn’t see the problem, how could a Student.
Clearly, recent events had given Teacher too much pressure.
Hurriedly said, “Teacher, people came outside, and with lots of weapons.”
One sentence stirred waves, the Room instantly filled with noisy voices.
Turns out five or six people were sitting in the surrounding Darkness, plus the four outside, total over a dozen in the entire Digital Command Center.
“Military come to rescue us?”
“Knew they wouldn’t abandon us!”
“We didn’t send signals out, how’d they know we’re here?”
“…”
The Old Man didn’t ask why, directly got up and headed outside.
Xiao Zhao and the others immediately followed.
The Old Man adjusted on the Monitoring System, quickly found Su Huan and group’s position.
“Yes, it’s them.”
The Old Man switched several different camera feeds, observed carefully for a moment, pondered, “Like a military and survivor combined team…”
“But isn’t the number too small…”
Even adding up everyone on Su Huan’s side, just over a dozen.
Thinking of the Logistics Center’s situation, the crowd’s briefly ignited hope sank again.
Xiao Zhao hurriedly said, “But—”
“Guide them!”
The Old Man wiped his greasy glasses, said firmly.
