Armored train in the apocalypse

Chapter 287 Wolf Ears

Su Huan shrugged and said with a smile, "That's why I came to find you, precisely because I haven't made up my mind yet."

He Jie paused for a moment, then subconsciously reached for his cigarette. After a couple of touches, he remembered that his wife and daughter had confiscated it. He reluctantly withdrew his hand, saying, "Just use what's readily available."

"How to say?"

"Didn't we say that only officers of the rank of colonel could form squads? I think we can drop that restriction now. Let's keep officers of the rank of colonel at the center. For example, a major in the Armed Train Corps can have a maximum of less than a hundred subordinates."

"Anyway, every soldier you have now is a registered officer candidate, so you don't have to worry about them becoming private soldiers of officers. Just use them boldly. Once they reach the first rank, they can be selectively transferred. The effect is the same. Before, it was an ironclad camp; now it's an ironclad officer."

Although at first glance it doesn't sound much different from what's said before the apocalypse or the Iron Council.

However, this military system has three advantages.

First, it ensured the direct command of the train to officers and soldiers at all levels.

Second, it ensured the unity and subordinate relationship between officers and soldiers at all levels.

Third, it ensured the relative independence of officers at all levels.

It's a bit of a mouthful, but it's easy to understand if you use the Steel Council as an example.

Qu Hang has a follower, a first-level "trace expert". He only needs to be responsible to Qu Hang himself. Even if Qu Hang asks him to take over the Steel Council, he will not feel any burden because he is Qu Hang's private army.

At the time, Su Huan was also under Qu Hang's command, but he was nominally a member of the Steel Council. He and the "trace expert" were from completely different systems. Even though Su Huan's rank was higher than his, he could not command him.

Su Huan could refuse Qu Hang's unreasonable orders, but his private army and servants did not have that right.

If the same situation were applied to the military system envisioned by the two men.

Whether they are soldiers or officers, they are all part of the same system.

They were all people from the armed train.

There are no systemic barriers between them, and small-scale personnel movement will not destroy the combat effectiveness of the troops.

Both of them were much quick-witted than the average person, and they understood each other's meaning after just a few words.

The results of several discussions were quickly combined.

The military ranks have been slightly adjusted, eliminating miscellaneous titles such as reserve and replacing them with seventeen ranks: Private First Class, Private Second Class, Private First Class, Corporal, Sergeant, Sergeant, Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Senior Colonel, Major General, Lieutenant General, General, and General.

The basic combat team has been changed to five people, with a non-commissioned officer as the team leader. The five people are respectively responsible for combat duties such as fire suppression, perception and reconnaissance, medical collection, close combat, and mechanical repair.

A squad led by a lieutenant shall have one adjutant, who must be two ranks lower than the commanding officer.

A second lieutenant's adjutant can only be a corporal or a sergeant, while a senior colonel's adjutant can be a major or a lieutenant colonel.

The other three subordinates must be three ranks lower than their superior.

A second lieutenant can lead two basic sergeant squads in addition to his own squad, totaling fifteen people. With a promotion of one rank, he can lead one more basic squad.

A captain can lead a maximum of four basic squads, plus his own squad, for a total of twenty-five people.

Whether it was carrying out a train dispatch mission or conducting private military activities, as long as a basic crew was brought along, the officer had to pay the train a certain amount of credits and bear all the costs of the basic crew during the war.

This effectively limits the size of the officers' units.

To maintain the population, they must continuously carry out missions and wage war.

The same applies to other senior officers. Apart from their own squads, they are not equipped with additional infantry squads. If needed, they are rented from the train. Correspondingly, the number of basic squads they lead increases according to their rank.

This type of lease is only available to the principal officer.

Assuming Qu Hang becomes He Jie's adjutant, even if he is a major, he cannot form an additional squad.

Only by breaking away from He Jie's command can one build their own team as a leader.

"Besides the basic teams, we can also set up some communications teams and task force teams..."

Su Huan rubbed his temples. "The basics aren't finished yet, we'll deal with the rest later. Besides, it's uncertain how long this system can last..."

He Jie was speechless.

Since its inception, the armed train has undergone countless reforms.

Every system that seems perfect will inevitably encounter various errors in its actual operation.

"Then let's proceed according to this plan. By the way, shall we begin the strength restriction process now?"

He Jie asked.

"Strength is the hard standard. First-tier lieutenant, second to third-tier field officer, fourth-tier general. This line must be strictly controlled. Those whose rank currently exceeds their strength should be suppressed for now and promoted when their strength catches up. When the overall strength of the train improves in the future, first-tier evolved individuals will serve as non-commissioned officers, second-tier lieutenant officers, third-tier field officers, and fourth-tier generals. This is the ideal standard."

Su Huan said calmly.

Seeing that the train conductor had a plan in mind, He Jie nodded slightly.

Do you have any requirements regarding the group assignments?

"Just make sure the commander and his adjutant have the right abilities. You did a good job with the last one, but this time there are a lot more people to consider. Give me the list when you've thought it through."

Su Huan stood up and stretched, his muscles and bones popping like popping beans.

"Yu Yue and the others should also be included."

"clear."

Watching Su Huan slowly walk away, a hint of emotion flashed in He Jie's eyes.

A few months ago, Su Huan was a madman who only forcefully carried out his own will; now he has evolved into a leader with a strong will.

There is often only a fine line between the two.

If Su Huan is only ruthless, then he is no different from an ordinary evolved being.

But Su Huan's ruthlessness stemmed from an extreme contempt for death and suffering.

That's why he enjoys life and doesn't fear death, living as unrestrainedly as a wild grass.

With overwhelming strength, unwavering goals, ruthless methods, and an almost obsessive will, all these extreme qualities combine to create a captivating and charismatic personality that drives people crazy in this radical era.

If he lacks even a little in any of these aspects, he's just an ordinary madman.

……

After leaving He Jie's room, Su Huan did not leave immediately, but went into a small private room at the end of the carriage.

There is also a wounded soldier living here.

When Su Huan pushed open the door and entered, Zhang Qiang on the bed excitedly sat up, "Train conductor!"

Su Huan raised an eyebrow. "I won't mind if you call me the train conductor outside, but what are you going to call me here?"

Zhang Qiang hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked, "President?"

"Take the road."

Su Huan looked around and saw that there were no snacks on the table, so he could only get a glass of water and sit down next to it.

"What's been going on lately?"

Zhang Qiang recalled for a moment, "Nothing happened a while ago, but in the last two days, two people secretly contacted me wanting to join the membership."

Su Huan looked up with interest. "Who?"

"They should be from the military corps, but they are injured and unable to go out during this period. They plan to find out the identities of the two people after they go out."

"Not a military officer?"

"No, they're not even veterans. I know all the veterans. These two are unfamiliar faces; they must be new recruits."

Zhang Qiang said with certainty.

"interesting."

"Just accept people according to your procedures, you don't need to worry about anything else."

……

A week later.

The endless sandstorm finally subsided for a day. The scorching sun distorted the air, giving Old Jiang the illusion of being in a high-temperature zone.

Bypassing the research team members who were disassembling the tracks, Lao Jiang led four manufacturing crew members to the normally open door. With a light jump, he leaped onto the door, which was two meters off the ground.

He instinctively reached for the door frame, but it was so hot that he shook his hand away.

"Don't touch this door frame, it's too hot."

The four people behind him chuckled. Two of them stood below, grabbed the four corners of the huge black bag, swung it around, and tossed it onto the car, where it slammed onto the iron wooden floor with a dull thud.

Old Jiang dragged the bag from the ground all the way to carriage number 29.

This is a material handling area, a temporary stack of carriages. Carriages 30 and 31 have the same function, making a total of three carriages.

The processed materials can be directly moved to the adjacent four carriages, 27 and 28, for storage.

As soon as you enter, you can hear the creaking sound of metal being squeezed.

The metal cubes floated in mid-air, like a strong magnet, attracting scrap metal pieces and everyday items with metal on them. Then the metal was extracted, and the rest of the material fell to the ground with a clatter.

In no time, a metal cube about half a meter square was formed.

It landed with a thud at the edge of the room, where dozens of pieces of metal of various sizes had already piled up.

It fits perfectly, with edges even neater than those of a compressor.

The boy in the wheelchair turned to look at them. "Just throw the metal materials in the middle. No need to sort them out."

"Okay, I'll take these metals."

Old Jiang dragged the bag over, and the bag was torn by a sharp object on the ground, revealing some parts that looked like an exoskeleton.

"Are they going to develop a new exoskeleton?"

Xiao Ba asked curiously.

"We are developing it every day, but the progress is very slow."

Old Jiang said casually.

When he returned to Yu Jing's carriage number 9 with the metal cube, he ran into Hu Shuo and his group.

Hu Shuo was followed by an acquaintance who surprised him somewhat: Tan Yunxi.

They first met in her uncle's laboratory.

The second meeting was at the train conference some time ago.

This is the third time.

"Uncle Jiang, you've worked hard."

The girl greeted him with a smile.

Old Jiang wasn't very enthusiastic; he simply nodded calmly.

Heavy footsteps echoed down the stairs. Looking up, one could see Yu Jing descending in a white, tight-fitting combat suit, carrying a multi-barreled anti-aircraft machine gun. Her eyes were high-set, and she looked like a queen walking down a path of radiance.

Old Jiang said in a deep voice, "The twelve metal cubes have been delivered. If there's nothing else, I'll head back now."

Yu Jing glanced at it and, seeing that the quantity was fine, simply said...

"Go and do your work."

After Lao Jiang and the manufacturing team left, Yu Jing looked at the extra guests in the laboratory.

"Is there a problem?"

Hu Shuo chuckled, "Tan Yunxi is currently working at the Pan-Energy Weapons Studio, which may overlap with the Mechanical Testing Lab. I brought her here for a look around."

Ever since Yu Jing came out, Tan Yunxi's gaze has been fixed on her.

I couldn't see clearly from inside the dining car back then, but now, looking up from this angle, I can see it clearly. Those shapely, long legs seem to have outlived her.

I was so jealous I felt like my insides were watering.

She exclaimed sweetly, "Wow, sister is so beautiful!"

Yu Jing didn't answer that pointless question. If a man's praise is meant to get him to sleep with her, then Tan Yunxi, being a woman, certainly wouldn't be doing it for her. So, how much sincerity was in that praise is debatable.

She scrutinized the other person and said coldly, "You know how to manufacture weapons?"

When talking about her expertise, the girl seemed to regain her confidence, and tiny golden glints danced in her bright eyes. "It's not just that I know how to do it, I have a very good understanding of the modern weapons manufacturing industry."

As soon as she finished speaking, a visible burning passion appeared in Yu Jing's eyes.

"then."

She threw down the multi-barreled anti-aircraft machine gun she was holding, then grabbed the railing with one hand and jumped down.

This action startled Tan Yunxi, but fortunately, Hu Shuo quickly stepped forward and caught the anti-aircraft machine gun.

"Huh, how come she's still just an ordinary person?"

Yu Jing frowned as she regained her footing.

Hu Shuo gave a wry smile, "I haven't even had a chance to say it yet, she hasn't even used the Pan-Energy Crystal."

"It's a small problem, wait for me."

Yu Jing hurriedly walked around the laboratory, then removed three ordinary universal energy crystals from an exoskeleton component.

"It's been a long time since I've used this level of universal energy crystal; I almost couldn't find it."

He walked over and handed it to Tan Yunxi.

The latter accepted the crystal with lingering fear; for a moment just now, she even suspected that Yu Jing wanted to kill her.

"You know how to use it, right?"

Yu Jing stood in front of her with her arms crossed and asked.

Tan Yunxi immediately felt slighted and snorted inwardly. Looking at the colorless crystal in her hand, she used it as her uncle had instructed.

'Make sure it succeeds on the first try, don't turn into an ugly zombie.'

'I'll awaken a 'manipulator' to slap her in the face. So what if her legs are a little longer? Wait two more years, and my legs will be longer than hers!'

"..."

ten minutes later.

"What a pity, he's a 'Defender.' If he were a 'Creator,' I could have brought him to my side as an assistant."

Yu Jing frowned and said.

Tan Yunxi touched his fluffy ears, looking as if the sky had fallen.

Hu Shuo rubbed his chin, slightly surprised, and said, "Shouldn't it be 'Combat Factor'? Did you accidentally awaken another skill along the way?"

Yu Jing analyzed, "She has omnipotent energy within her, but it has never been guided to awaken. Today, it can be said that she has accumulated it and awakened two skills at the same time."

Hu said with a smile, "That's good too, the meerkat has a companion now."

Tan Yunxi's pupils trembled. He clutched his ears, tears streaming down his face as he cried out, "I...I've turned into a cat?"

"It shouldn't be. Cat ears are rounded, while yours are wider and gray, making it look more like... a wolf?"

Yu Jing pulled over a mirror that was against the wall and pointed it at Tan Yunxi.

Tan Yunxi looked at himself in the mirror and was struck dumb.

Her once delicate ears had become two gray, upturned ears, positioned slightly high, standing up with her excitement, with long strands of hair sprouting from both sides like a pair of horns.

On the back of her fair neck, a layer of fine hair appeared, covering a small area, continuing from the black hair and extending into her collar.

The tears that had been welling up in the girl's eyes finally broke free.

It fell unexpectedly.

(End of this chapter)