Armed Train in the Apocalypse

Just as he calmed his mind, Mountain Goat and Lin Jin came over with a person in tow after they finished cleaning up the battlefield with the soldiers.

”This is the person who brought the giant bear to the base. Let’s take him to see the chief of the convoy.”

A fierce look flashed in He Jie’s eyes. ”Why take him?”

Lin Jin was stunned, ”He might know something...”

He Jie interrupted with a cruel smile, ”I’ll give you a supplementary interrogation lesson today!”

...

An hour later, while Su Huan was checking the progress of the bullet workshop, He Jie walked in covered in a bloody smell, followed by a pale Lin Jin.

Su Huan raised his eyebrows, ”We almost got robbed today. How does Captain He feel about it?”

He Jie gritted his teeth, his face ashen, ”We found out those outsiders from Shun’an, called the Doomsday Convoy, wanted to hunt a wave of Evolution Beasts for food, which provoked this Tier Two Giant Bear. Their boss was trampled to death on the spot, and then it was led here to us.”

Su Huan was not surprised, having filled in the story in his mind when he saw that person.

”Let’s wipe them out tomorrow,” Su Huan said blandly. ”Remember to take the newly selected recruits with you, make a big spectacle, and spread the name of Shun’an Station, to remind those rogues and outlaws.”

”Yes!”

He Jie responded.

Watching him walk away in a rush, Su Huan remained calm inside.

In his past life with the Steel Council, the most frequent task he performed was cleaning up small factions.

The Acid Rain Zone had a good living environment with many survivors, so new, ignorant factions often encroached on the Steel Council’s interests. For such factions, the Steel Council wouldn’t even bother to notify them.

They were directly listed in the tactical team’s task list.

Facing factions of the same level or bigger was much more complicated. They generally wouldn’t have big fights, but if they had grudges and met in the wilderness, they would certainly have a tussle.

Win or lose, they accept the outcome.

”Chief of the convoy?”

The boss beside him called softly.

Su Huan came back to his senses, ”Continue.”

The boss pointed to the sealed bullet boxes in front, ”We can produce five thousand bullets a day, generally keeping four thousand, with only one thousand used in operations to avoid storing too many duds.”

”Are the raw materials still sufficient?”

”A few days ago, Captain He brought back a large batch of gunpowder, enough to produce at least two million bullets.”

As they spoke, they inspected the bullet workshop.

The semi-automatic production line clattered, brass being pressed into shell casings, then the manufacturing crew would move them to the next process.

To ensure safety, all crew members in the bullet workshop were family members of the combat group.

These were people deeply tied to the Armed Train.

Two soldiers brought in a large crate of damaged firearms, placing it on the workbench inside.

Su Huan glanced and recognized them as firearms damaged when fighting the giant bear at night, some parts missing, some gun bodies crushed.

The manufacturing crew also handled gun repairs now.

”Can you make guns now?”

Su Huan asked.

The boss awkwardly scratched his head, ”Just repairs and minor modifications, can’t make guns independently, haven’t figured out many things.”

”Okay, take your time to study it, repairing these guns already reduces lots of losses.”

Su Huan casually comforted him.

Firearms aren’t just done once they’re made, they are essentially mechanical tools that will always malfunction.

Now with more combat personnel, there’s firearm wear almost every day.

If it weren’t for the boss holding this up, the over two hundred people in the Armed Corps would have no guns to use.

Now, with few people, equipment can still be captured in battles. When the team expands further, they have to find ways to solve the weapon and ammunition issues, can’t just barely maintain like now, with small-scale measures.

But this issue isn’t urgent, it can be addressed after passing through the Flood Zone.

The most pressing matter now is the modification and upgrade of the train body.

...

Around twelve o’clock, Su Huan, accompanied by Hussar, inspected all resource warehouses, and after checking them against the recent points exchange list, finally completed all of the day’s administration.

The points exchange list must be reviewed daily, as the details can reveal the base’s recent trends.

For instance, there have been notably lots of food exchanges these past few days.

Yet these days we’re eating communal meals.

Where did the excess food go?

Walking in front, Su Huan suddenly asked, ”Has there been anything unusual inside the base recently?”

Hussar paused, pondering the chief’s meaning, and tentatively asked, ”Do you want me to dig them out?”

”No, those few insiders alone couldn’t use up that much resources, and they don’t have enough points to exchange for such large amounts of resources either.”

’Large amounts of resources?’

Hussar looked at the folder in his hand, uncertain, ”It might be because the New Year is coming up, so everyone has been exchanging more resources.”

”New Year?” Su Huan stopped in his tracks, showing surprise.

Seeing this, Hussar breathed a sigh of relief, glad there wasn’t a mistake, ”Yes, this year the New Year is early, on January 22nd, but due to the special circumstances, everyone hasn’t been making a fuss, just exchanging some food and a couple of new clothes to quietly celebrate...”

The two had reached the seventh floor of a stairwell, where the open space had been decorated to resemble a living room, with Su Huan’s orange tabby blanket and sofa moved here.

Along with Yu Yue’s kitchen, it had become a common relaxation space for core members.

At this time, Liang Kuan was sitting at the bar, sipping a drink.

He was used to staying up late driving, drinking nightly until dawn before going to bed.

He Jie had gone home to accompany his wife, so his companions were Lao San and Qu Hang.

Despite Qu Hang’s quiet appearance, he was actually a hard-core alcoholic.

In his past life, as long as it wasn’t during a mission, Su Huan had never seen him sober.

Whether it was the alcohol or his thoughts of He Jie’s wife, who knew which.

Xiaoba and Lin Xi were muttering to each other nearby, while Wan Xing quietly sat on the side, folding a piece of colored paper.

Yu Yue was busy behind the cupboard, with Yu Jing assisting her.

Su Huan suddenly realized that everyone’s clothing colors were much more vibrant.

Sitting on the high stool by the cupboard, he thought for a while and said, ”Give each person in the base some points. Not too many, consider it the chief of the convoy’s New Year’s money.”

Everyone turned their gaze toward him.

Yu Yue, who was cooking, smiled with curved eyes.

”You’re still so young, it’s more like a welfare distribution than New Year’s money.”

Su Huan was slightly taken aback, ”Isn’t New Year’s money given out for the New Year?”

”Yes, when I was in the institute, every New Year the director would give everyone New Year’s money.”

Xiaoba chimed in.

Lao San raised his glass with a laugh, ”Whatever they call it, having money is good. Long live the chief!”

Liang Kuan and his companions raised their glasses in echo.

Everyone chuckled and continued with their activities.

Yu Jing’s gaze toward Su Huan was notably softer.

Perhaps to add some festivity, she had changed from her usual white sleeveless blouse to a crimson off-shoulder smock skirt, her black hair turned coffee-colored under the warm lights, her exquisite earrings shining brightly.

(Yu Jing, red outfit cartoon version)

(Yu Jing, red outfit with texture version)

Su Huan looked at his own black shirt and grumbled, ”So I’m the only one without new clothes?”

Yu Yue brought over a plate of roasted potatoes, chuckling lightly, ”I prepared it a long time ago, who knew you wouldn’t even return to your room these past few days.”

Su Huan picked up some chopsticks, poking the crispy, fragrant potatoes, tore off a piece, dipped it in the adjacent roasted beef sauce, and popped it into his mouth. The fluffy potato melted softly.

For the sake of the delicious potatoes, the chief of the convoy decided not to be angry with her.

There would be plenty of opportunities to deal with her once the work was done.

Although the current state was quite good, without the clattering sound of the moving train, he felt a bit less secure inside.

The all-nighters at work these past two days were somewhat related to this.

After finishing the meal, exchanging a few idle words, and advising everyone on their evolution direction, Su Huan went downstairs again to the train manufacturing center.

Only by seeing the train himself did he feel at ease.