Chapter 286: Military System
Plus eighty kilograms of load.
Even with their physical fitness approaching Tier 1, they were exhausted like dead dogs.
Moreover, the sandstorm added considerable difficulty for everyone; coarse sand grains hitting the face felt like sandpaper, the dense pain making one want to howl, but even so, it couldn’t alleviate it in the slightest, they could only press on against the wind.
When the first lap was finished, some people couldn’t hold on.
Gritting their teeth, dragging thighs heavy like they were filled with lead, into the second lap, more than half spat up.
Last night’s big meal mixed with alcohol was vomited clean.
Recovering some stamina, they continued the third lap.
But after just a few steps, except for the Defenders, the vast majority of Evolvers were running with black vision, legs trembling, unable to stand even leaning on the nearby Train.
The veterans specially trained by He Jie had no intention of haggling with Goat and the others.
Simply gathering together, the Defenders in the team took on the load of the other teammates, continuing forward.
By the end of the fourth lap, except for those Defenders approaching Tier 1, everyone else collapsed around the Train.
Mongoose, carrying three big packages, felt like he was about to be exhausted to death; mouth wide open, but besides eating a mouthful of sand, he couldn’t suck in half a breath, his chest cavity like squeezed by a giant hand, each forceful breath barely gaining a trace of oxygen.
lv2 “Environmental Mimicry” silently promoted to lv3.
This Skill allowed her to passively adapt to the environment, release interfering pheromones, lower metabolism and presence, reducing some environmental influence, but due to excessive stamina consumption, it was forcibly exited.
Mongoose instantly felt like he had stripped off his clothes walking in the sandstorm; the originally tolerable sandstorm suddenly became extremely unbearable.
“Hey, isn’t this Old Wu? Back in the training camp, you ranked over three hundred twenty, right?”
“Too bad, just over twenty short of entering the top three hundred. One step behind, always behind; now you can’t even outrun a single Recruit. How did you manage that?”
Goat’s punchable voice came from the roof of the Train.
Mongoose turned his head and saw a short and stocky robust man with a dark face, carrying two big packages, jogging slowly toward him.
Although the matter between the two had long passed.
But these veterans of the Armed Corps naturally couldn’t stand him; if it were in the combat group it would be fine, but now transferred under them, they didn’t go easy on him.
Old Wu could only endure, waiting until his military rank rose later to settle it.
But he knew in his heart that the hope was slim.
Among three thousand elite veteran soldiers, those in the top three hundred were either monsters or beasts.
Purely relying on military quality couldn’t achieve it; he could only depend on evolution to overtake on the bend.
But he absolutely wouldn’t lose to the cat girl in front of him!
Old Wu adjusted his breathing rhythm, using the corner of his eye to stare at Mongoose’s heel, steadily tailing behind.
Seeing him catching up, Mongoose gritted his teeth and picked up a bit more speed.
But still couldn’t shake him off.
The two got competitive; you advance a step, I follow a step, slowly inching forward like taming an eagle.
At that moment, a rumbling sound came from behind.
Their dazed gazes looked back, instantly stunned in place.
A small mountain loomed in the sandstorm; as the distance closed, the two clearly saw it was a human mountain formed by stacking equipment and soldiers on a Cart, and the rumbling roar was from the wheels frictioning against the ground.
Line of sight shifted down, a small figure stood right in front of the big Cart.
A metal thin helmet on his head, through the gap, broken hair with slowly gathering sweat beads could be seen.
Almost the instant they saw him, the two recognized him.
“Eighth Master…”
Xiao Ba paused, dragged the soldier collapsed by the roadside onto the Cart behind him, then pulled the huge Cart, stepping forward step by step.
Every step, the exoskeleton motor on his legs emitted overburdened creaking sounds.
This speed had little relation to running anymore, but that huge Cart left even Goat speechless.
“Need me to share some of your load?”
Passing by the two, Xiao Ba asked through the helmet with only a slit.
The slightly immature voice buzzed inside the helmet.
Mongoose looked at the Cart behind with at least thirty packages, voice hoarse, “No… no need, thank you Eighth Master.”
“Mm, then you guys run slowly, I’ll head back first.”
Goat on the roof shouted down, “Eighth Master, where’d you get this Cart?”
Xiao Ba looked up, “I made it with my ability. Is it against the rules? If not, I’ll dismantle the Cart.”
Goat chuckled and waved his hand, “Of course not against the rules, Eighth Master take care.”
Once the huge Cart disappeared, Old Wu said dully, “Armed off-road can use tools?”
Goat sneered, “As long as the equipment and people reach the place, who the hell cares how you get there? You can fly if you want. You Evolvers don’t even know to use your abilities, stupid to death!”
Old Wu: “…”
Mongoose: “…”
Luckily, their abilities had no shortcut potential, so they weren’t scolded.
Finally reaching the finish with difficulty, only a sparse three or five people could stand; Pangtu took out some herbs and rubbed them under the noses of the fallen.
Soon, everyone barely stood up.
“Next, group training, veterans lead recruits, Corporals and above step forward!”
……
Because the sandstorm was too strong, the next day they only slow-traveled twenty kilometers; the Train tried at the city edge, but the already desertified wasteland couldn’t bear the current Train’s weight, needing further modifications.
Then retreated back, entered and found a plaza sheltered from the wind, surrounded by dense high-rise buildings over twenty stories.
Planning to finish modifying the tracks before setting off.
Phase Three modifications required adjusting many details, needing major disassembly and overhaul, seriously affecting the Train’s travel progress.
So this modification only targeted the tracks, enough to guarantee minimum travel requirements.
Continue modifications after the Train leaves the Black Kite Faction’s sphere of influence.
After a night of revelry, the Train returned to its happy and efficient daily production; all idle carriages on the Train were stuffed full of various supplies from Black Kite.
The Armored Train now like a satiated flood dragon snake, desperately digesting these supplies to strengthen itself.
Rustling sounds came from Carriage 1.
Pen tip delineating lines on documents.
“Have Hu Shuo handle these basic supplies; whatever can’t be taken, find a place to seal and store uniformly. Can’t let these things affect the Train’s overall goal.”
Su Huan frowned and handed the supply list to Shu Wei beside him.
Then picked up the next document, a warehouse report on General Energy Crystals.
Looking at this report, even though he had anticipated it, his heart still trembled.
Not counting others, just Tier 2 General Energy Crystals numbered three hundred, Tier 1 General Energy Crystals over five thousand!
With the Armored Train’s current strength, acquiring these General Energy Crystals would take at least half a year, and the Train Conductor would have to go non-stop for half a year.
This was the terror of a major force.
Resources snowballing upward, the higher up, the more astonishing the resource concentration.
While survivors struggled for basic survival, they could cap at their limits, maximally digesting these resources.
Thus creating the situation last life where major forces already had Tier 5 Evolvers, wasteland survivors mostly Tier 1, top Tier 3.
Thinking of this, Su Huan immediately decided, “Keep thirty percent to maintain the Point System operation, give two-thirds to the Corps as rewards and incentives, the remaining one-third to the Crew. In short, have Hu Shuo figure out how to convert these crystals into evolution progress!”
“But don’t just hand them out directly; it has to be justified, can’t disrupt the existing order.”
Shu Wei took the list, lowered her lashes to review, softly said, “Okay, I’ll remind him.”
This mainly targeted distribution of crystals below Tier 1.
Tier 2 General Energy Crystals allocated by need, hardly participating in point exchange; not to mention the unranked on the Train, even Pangtu and those Tier 1 Evolvers with insufficient accumulation, Su Huan didn’t plan to give them.
Basic attributes insufficient accumulation, Skills improving too fast wasn’t good.
Like only padding height enhancers under one foot; a little affects speed, too much can cripple you.
At this moment, a sharp whistle sounded outside the car window.
Su Huan was momentarily stunned, casually asked, “Is the Armed Corps starting adjustments?”
Shu Wei replied, “The Corps reorganization order hasn’t been formally issued yet, but already communicated in advance with Colonel He and others; plan to first conduct three weeks of recruit training, push reorganization after Colonel He’s injuries improve.”
Su Huan lowered his gaze in thought, “You don’t need to follow up on this; I’ll communicate with him.”
Putting down the pen, Su Huan pushed open the door, heading toward the medical carriage.
Shu Wei looked at Su Huan’s departing back, and the remaining one-third documents on the desk, her gaze deep.
……
In the medical carriage, herb smell mixed with various medical alcohol disinfectant, forming a hugely strange odor that even the air purifier couldn’t fully extract.
Su Huan didn’t enter the wounded soldier carriage, went straight to He Jie’s single room.
Qu Hang holding a gun indifferently sat in the room corner; He Zhenzhen helplessly peeling sunflower seeds, feeding her dad lying on the bed.
“Yo, what’s this setup?”
Su Huan exclaimed in surprise.
“Train Conductor.”
Qu Hang stood up, “They’re still training outside, I’ll go check.”
“Mm, go ahead.”
Su Huan waved his hand.
Seeing this, He Zhenzhen immediately said, “I won’t disturb your talk, I’ll head out first.”
“Ah, you go too.”
Su Huan said with a grin.
Watching the two leave one after another, He Jie ground his teeth in anger, “You let them both get away.”
“Tch.”
Su Huan grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and sat on the chair by the bed, crossing his legs, “Not your wife anyway.”
“Not your daughter! Of course you talk without back pain!”
Su Huan looked at the raging bear-like figure on the bed, completely no empathy.
Probably because he had no children.
He didn’t understand this strange control desire.
Uneven running sounds came from outside the car window; He Jie glanced, said deeply, “Here about the reorganization?”
“Mm.” Su Huan nodded, “Speed it up once your injuries heal.”
“This time… indeed my fault.”
He Jie sighed.
The Armed Corps wasn’t divided by pre-apocalypse standard companies, not even by Armed Corps standards, but a state where officers and soldiers were detached.
Mainly the gap between recruits and officers was too big, daily training hard to put together.
Chain of command also unclear, leading to command errors at critical moments.
“I’m not here to discuss responsibility.”
Su Huan said flatly.
The Armed Corps’ chain of command chaos wasn’t just He Jie’s problem.
Mainly the force was newly founded, many things in uncertain confusion.
Not to mention He Jie, he himself was confused back then; separating the Corps and crew system was already good, discovered problems through the big battle with Black Kite, fix them accordingly.
“Specifically how do you want to do it?”
Su Huan pondered, “Basic combat unit is five-man squad, highest rank as Captain, promote to Lieutenant after becoming Tier 1 Evolver; if a second Lieutenant in the squad, split, form new squad centered on Lieutenant, fill with recruits.”
He Jie thoughtful, “Core around the strongest Evolver? This idea works, but repeated splitting, won’t it affect squad strength?”
“Colonel-level and above officers can have fixed subordinates, Adjutants.”
This was the system Su Huan thought long about, suitable for the Armored Train.
In the Evolver era, traditional cluster combat would inevitably be abandoned, but like the Steel Council, no matter how many soldiers trained, they end up as attendants and private soldiers for high-level Evolvers.
But reorganized this way, soldiers not only have upward mobility, but also not bound to superiors.
Before promoting to Lieutenant, he is a soldier.
But once promoted to Lieutenant, through reorganization, he immediately becomes an officer.
Not a “soldier” of higher-level officers.
He shifts from responsible to the officer, to directly responsible to the Train.
This is fundamentally different.
Also, internal squads ungraded, avoids rank chaos; everything single track, divided by military rank.
All soldiers have upward space.
“Fixed subordinates” is the loophole he opened for colonel-level officers.
Per his vision, colonel-level officers should be Tier 2 to Tier 3 Evolvers; at this level, assigning unranked Evolvers is pure burden, must pair with Tier 1 and above for combat.
Can be assigned subordinates and Adjutants by the Train, or self-arrange.
Some willing to be chicken head, naturally some willing to be phoenix tail; no need to force, as long as that Colonel strong enough, plenty of low-level officers want to hug thigh.
“Attendant soldiers” needed for large operations also from Armed Corps low-level soldiers.
All soldiers registered with the Train, no private soldiers allowed.
This guarantees Armed Corps combat power, and control over low-level soldiers.
Won’t have Steel Council-like private armies everywhere, internal infighting.
He Jie’s eyes brightened slightly, “Train’s control over soldiers strengthens, but aren’t Sergeants and soldiers still detached?”
“Set up Recruit Camp, then Lieutenants select soldiers; this combines low-level officers and recruits.”
“Mm, that link fine; what about large operations for colonel-level and above officers?”
(Wipe, didn’t notice, forgot to delete; brothers seeing wrong refresh.)
