Chapter 287: Wolf Ears
Su Huan spread his hands and said with a smile, “It’s precisely because I haven’t thought it through that I’m coming to you.”
He Jie was stunned for a moment, subconsciously reaching for a cigarette. After patting twice, he remembered that his wife and daughter had confiscated them, so he grudgingly withdrew his hand. “Just use the existing ones directly.”
“How so?”
“Wasn’t it said back then that only colonel-level officers could form squads? I think we can scrap that restriction now. Still center it around colonel-level officers. For example, an armored train major can have at most under a hundred subordinates.”
“Anyway, every soldier you have now is a registered officer candidate. You don’t need to worry about them becoming an officer’s private army. Just boldly put them to use. After Tier 1, they can be selectively transferred, with the same effect. Before, it was ironclad camps; now, it’s ironclad officers.”
Although at first listen, it didn’t seem much different from pre-apocalypse or the Steel Council.
But this military system had three advantages.
First, it ensured the train’s direct command over officers and soldiers at all levels.
Second, it ensured command relationships among officers and soldiers at all levels.
Third, it ensured relative independence among officers at all levels.
A bit tongue-twisting, but easy to understand using the Steel Council as an example.
Qu Hang had a follower under him, a Tier 1 “Trace Expert.” He only needed to answer to Qu Hang himself. Even if Qu Hang ordered him to take on the Steel Council, he had no qualms, because he was Qu Hang’s private army.
Whereas Su Huan at the time was also under Qu Hang’s command, but nominally he was with the Steel Council. He and that “Trace Expert” were completely different systems. Even if Su Huan outranked him, he couldn’t command him.
Su Huan could refuse Qu Hang’s unreasonable orders, but private army and retainer soldiers had no such right.
If the same situation were applied to the military system the two were envisioning.
Whether soldiers or officers, they were all in the same system.
All armored train personnel.
There were no systemic barriers between them, and small-scale personnel transfers wouldn’t destroy unit combat power.
Both of them had brains much faster than ordinary people; two sentences and they understood each other’s meaning.
They quickly combined the results of several previous discussions.
Military ranks underwent fine adjustments, scrapping messy titles like reserves, changed to third-class soldier, second-class soldier, first-class soldier, sergeant, staff sergeant, sergeant first class, second lieutenant, lieutenant, captain, major, lieutenant colonel, colonel, senior colonel, major general, lieutenant general, general, grand general—seventeen ranks.
Basic combat squads changed to five people, with the NCO as leader. The five covered combat roles like fire suppression, perception and reconnaissance, medical collection, melee combat, mechanical repair, etc.
Lieutenant-led squads have one adjutant, who must be two ranks below the principal officer.
A second lieutenant’s adjutant can only be a sergeant or staff sergeant; a senior colonel’s adjutant can be a major or lieutenant colonel.
The other three subordinates must be three ranks below the principal officer.
A second lieutenant can lead two basic NCO squads in addition to his own, totaling fifteen people. Each rank promotion allows leading one more basic squad.
A captain can lead at most four basic squads, plus his own for a total of twenty-five people.
Whether executing train-issued tasks or private military activities, as long as basic squads are carried, the officer must pay the train points, and bear all consumption of the basic squads in war themselves.
This can effectively limit the scale of officers’ forces.
To maintain numbers, they must keep executing tasks and launching wars.
The same for other senior officers: apart from squads they personally lead, no extra infantry squads are equipped. If needed, rent from the train. Accordingly, the number of basic squads they lead increases with rank.
This rental is only open to principal officers.
Suppose Qu Hang becomes He Jie’s adjutant; even as a major, he can’t form extra squads.
Only after leaving He Jie’s command can he form his own team as principal officer.
“Besides basic squads, we can also set up some communications squads, assault squads…”
Su Huan rubbed his brow. “The basics aren’t done yet; we’ll talk about those later. And we’re not sure how long this system can last…”
He Jie was speechless.
Since the armored train set off, it had changed systems countless times along the way.
Every time a perfect system was thought up, all sorts of errors appeared in actual operation.
“Then let’s go with this for now. Right, should we start on the strength restrictions now?”
He Jie asked.
“Strength is a hard standard: Tier 1 lieutenants, Tier 2 to 3 colonels, Tier 4 generals—this line must be strictly enforced. For current ranks exceeding strength, hold them back until strength catches up, then promote. Later, when the train’s overall strength rises, Tier 1 evolvers as NCOs, Tier 2 lieutenants, Tier 3 colonels, Tier 4 generals—that’s the ideal standard.”
Su Huan said calmly.
Seeing the train conductor had a plan in mind, He Jie nodded slightly.
“Any requirements for grouping?”
“Just pay attention to principal officer and adjutant ability pairing. Your last arrangement was good, but this time there are a lot more people to consider. Give me the list when you’ve figured it out.”
Su Huan stood up, stretched lazily, his bones crackling like popping beans.
“Arrange Yu Yue and the others too.”
“Understood.”
Watching Su Huan’s figure slowly walking out, a trace of emotion flashed in He Jie’s eyes.
A few months ago, Su Huan was just a madman brutally enforcing his own will. Now he had evolved into a leader with iron will.
There was often only a fine line between the two.
If Su Huan only had ruthlessness, he’d be no different from an ordinary evolver.
But Su Huan’s ruthlessness was extreme contempt for death and pain.
Precisely because of that, he enjoyed life without fearing death, living wildly like a weed.
Immense strength, firm goals, ruthless methods, plus near-perverted will—all extremes converging gave him a maddening personal charm in this radical era.
Lacking even a bit in any would make him just an ordinary madman.
……
After leaving He Jie’s room, Su Huan didn’t leave directly but entered a small single room at the end of the carriage.
Another wounded soldier lived here.
When Su Huan pushed the door in, Zhang Qiang excitedly sat up on the bed. “Train Conductor!”
Su Huan raised an eyebrow. “I won’t nitpick if you call me train conductor outside, but here, what do you call me?”
Zhang Qiang hesitated, then probed, “President?”
“Quick on the uptake.”
Su Huan looked around; there were no snacks on the table at all. He could only pour a cup of water and sit beside him.
“Anything lately?”
Zhang Qiang thought for a moment. “Nothing before, but these past two days, two people secretly contacted me wanting to join.”
Su Huan looked up with interest. “Who?”
“Probably corps members, but I’ve been injured and inconvenient to go out lately. Plan to inquire about their identities once I’m out.”
“Not officers?”
“No, not even veterans—I know all the veterans. These two are unfamiliar; probably recruits.”
Zhang Qiang said confidently.
“Interesting.”
“Follow your procedures to accept personnel normally; ignore the rest.”
……
One week later.
The endless sandstorm finally quieted for a day.
Scorching sunlight baked the air into distortion, giving Old Jiang the illusion of being in a high-temperature zone.
Circling past research group members dismantling tracks, Old Jiang brought four manufacturing group attendants to the routinely opened car door, lightly jumped, and leaped onto the two-meter-high door.
He subconsciously steadied himself on the door frame, but it was so hot he shook his hand.
“Don’t touch that door frame; too hot.”
The four behind him smiled. Two stood below, gripping the corners of a huge black bag, swung it once, and tossed it onto the train, thudding onto the ironwood floor.
Old Jiang dragged the bag along the ground all the way to carriage 29.
This was materials processing, a temporary accumulation carriage. Similarly functional were 30 and 31, totaling three carriages.
Processed materials could be directly dragged to the adjacent main and auxiliary 27 and 28 carriages for storage.
As soon as he entered, he heard metal squeezing with creaking sounds.
Metal blocks floated in midair, like strong magnets sucking up discarded metal blocks and metal daily necessities, then extracting the metal while the rest clattered to the ground.
Soon, a half-meter-square metal block was formed.
It clanged as it fell to the room’s edge, where dozens of large and small metal blocks were already piled.
Perfectly fitted, edges neater than compressor-processed.
The youth in the wheelchair turned to look at them. “Just dump the metal materials in the middle; no need to sort.”
“Good, I’ll take these metals then.”
Old Jiang dragged the bag over. The bag was torn by sharp objects on the ground, revealing parts resembling exoskeleton parts.
“Developing new exoskeletons?”
Xiao Ba asked curiously.
“Developing every day, but progress is slow.”
Old Jiang said casually.
When he returned to Yu Jing’s carriage 9 with the metal blocks, he ran into Hu Shuo and his group.
Behind Hu Shuo was an acquaintance that somewhat surprised him: Tan Yunxi.
First meeting was in her uncle’s laboratory.
Second meeting was at the train meeting a while ago.
This was the third.
“Uncle Jiang, hard at work.”
The girl smiled and greeted him.
Old Jiang wasn’t too enthusiastic, just nodded calmly.
Heavy footsteps came from the stairs. Looking up, he saw Yu Jing coming down in a white-scaled tight combat suit, carrying a multi-barreled anti-aircraft machine gun, eyes raised high, like a queen descending amid glow.
Old Jiang said gravely, “Twelve metal blocks delivered. If nothing else, I’ll head back.”
Yu Jing glanced over, saw the quantity was right, and said straightforwardly.
“Go ahead with your work.”
Once Old Jiang and the manufacturing group left, Yu Jing looked at the extra guest in the laboratory.
“Something you need?”
Hu Shuo smiled lightly. “Tan Yunxi is temporarily working in the general energy weapon workshop; might overlap some with the mechanical laboratory. Brought her to look around.”
Ever since Yu Jing came out, Tan Yunxi’s gaze had been on her.
It wasn’t clear from the dining car before, but from this upward angle now, it was crystal clear—those perfectly proportioned long thighs seemed longer than her life.
Her heart was jealous to the point of sourness.
But her mouth sweetly exclaimed, “Wow, sister, you’re so pretty.”
Yu Jing ignored this empty compliment. Men’s praise was to get her into bed; as a woman, Tan Yunxi surely wasn’t for that, so how much sincerity was in the praise was debatable.
She eyed the other coolly. “You know weapon manufacturing?”
Speaking of her specialty, the girl regained confidence, her shimmering pupils flickering with fine golden light. “Not just know—extremely familiar with modern weapons manufacturing industry.”
As her words fell, visible heat appeared in Yu Jing’s eyes.
“Continue.”
She tossed down the multi-barreled anti-aircraft machine gun, then steadied one hand on the railing and vaulted down.
The move scared Tan Yunxi pale, but Hu Shuo quickly stepped forward and caught the anti-aircraft machine gun.
“Huh, how is she still an ordinary person?”
Yu Jing, steadying herself, frowned.
Hu Shuo gave a wry smile. “Haven’t had a chance to say—she hasn’t even used general energy crystals.”
“Minor issue, wait for me.”
Yu Jing bustled around the laboratory, then pried three ordinary general energy crystals from an exoskeleton part.
“Haven’t used this level of general energy crystal in a while; almost couldn’t find them.”
She walked over and handed them to Tan Yunxi.
The latter took the crystals with lingering fear. In that instant, she even suspected Yu Jing wanted to kill her.
“Know how to use them?”
Yu Jing asked, arms crossed in front of her.
Tan Yunxi immediately felt belittled, huffed inwardly, looked at the colorless crystals in her hand, and used them as her uncle had instructed.
‘Must succeed on the first try; don’t turn into an ugly zombie.’
‘And awaken a “Manipulator” to slap her face hard—not just long legs; in two more years, this miss’s legs will be longer!’
“……”
Ten minutes later.
“What a pity, a “Defender.” If “Manufacturer,” I could transfer her to be my assistant.”
Yu Jing frowned.
Tan Yunxi touched the fluffy ears on her head, looking like the sky had fallen.
Hu Shuo pinched his chin, somewhat surprised. “Shouldn’t it be “Combat Factor”? Did she awaken an extra skill on top?”
Yu Jing analyzed, “She has general energy in her body, just never guided to awaken. Today it accumulated and burst—awakened two skills at once.”
Hu Shuo smiled. “Pretty good too; Mongoose has a companion.”
Tan Yunxi’s pupils trembled, yanking her two ears, tears streaming down as she wailed, “I… I turned into a cat?”
“Probably not. Cat ears are round; yours are broader, gray—looks more like… wolf?”
Yu Jing grabbed a wall-mounted mirror and aimed it at Tan Yunxi.
Tan Yunxi looked at herself in the mirror, struck like lightning.
Her originally delicate ears had become two gray perked ears, positioned slightly higher, standing up with her agitation, poking through her long hair from the sides like a pair of horns.
On her fair nape, a layer of fine fur appeared, not large area, connecting to her black hair and extending into her collar.
The tears pooled in the girl’s eyes could no longer hold.
They poured down.
