Warhammer: The Time Traveler

Chapter 174 The Ghost Dog and Hansen (Eighth Update)
“Colonel Hansen,” the envoy’s voice broke the silence in the room, each word carefully chosen, “the situation is clear. The fall of Arasaka Tower is not the end, but the beginning.”

The new America needs a local, experienced force to stabilize the most critical link before the storm truly arrives.

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed on Hansen's tense back: "To defend the ruined town is to strangle Arasaka's counterattack. And your return and that of the Ghost Hound will be the first step in the reshaping of order in the new America."

"Colonel Hansen," the envoy's voice was steady and persuasive, "times have changed! You should already know about the fall of Arasaka Tower. This was not an ordinary gang fight, but the work of a force that we still cannot fully understand."

The new America and its military technology saw a historic opportunity to completely eliminate the formidable threat of Arasaka and achieve national unification.

He leaned forward slightly: "But opportunity comes with risk. That old dog Saburo Arasaka will not let this go. The 'Moby-Whale' carrier battle group has already left port, and their powered armor units are assembling."

The first wave of retaliatory strikes will likely not target the headquarters of military technology directly, but rather the mysterious force that destroyed their symbol—the abandoned town.

We need a sturdy shield, a force capable of withstanding Arasaka's initial rage on the front lines.

The envoy's gaze swept over Hansen's expressionless face, his tone enticing: "The Netherhounds are elites tempered by the war of unification, familiar with the terrain of Night City, and capable of fighting independently in harsh environments."

More importantly, you are enough to be... 'unimportant'.

Having you carry out this mission will demonstrate the sincerity of the new America without prematurely revealing our main force deployment.

Once the cooperation is reached, in the subsequent all-out attack on Arasaka, the Ghost Dog will serve as a surprise force, receiving priority in equipment supplies and air support, and may even participate in the final capture of Arasaka Tower.

At that time, you and your brothers will no longer be warlords trapped in an isolated city, but heroes of the new America, meritorious contributors to the war of unification.

Hansen remained silent, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force he exerted.

He wasn't unmoved. After years of being trapped in Dogtown, with resources dwindling and external pressures mounting, he knew better than anyone that his dream of an independent kingdom was unsustainable.

Returning to the mainstream, gaining official status, and a steady stream of supplies were the deepest desires of him and many of his officers.

Moreover, his opponent was Arasaka, the one who caused New America a great deal of trouble in the unification war and was also one of the main culprits who led him to be surrounded and isolated when he ventured deep into enemy territory.

However, the risks are equally enormous.

To become a "bodyguard" for a mysterious force and face the initial attack from Arasaka's most elite troops is tantamount to putting oneself on the fire.

Who exactly is this so-called "mysterious force"? Is it trustworthy?

The envoy seemed to see through his doubts and added, "We know little about that 'boss.' But the technological prowess he has demonstrated is enough to destroy Arasaka Tower."

Working with him is not just about protecting him, but also about having the opportunity to learn from and acquire his skills.

His Excellency the President and the Military Technology Board believe this investment is worthwhile. Moreover…

The envoy lowered his voice: "Our assessment is that although Arasaka's first wave of attacks is intense, it is not insurmountable. As long as the Ghost Hounds can hold out for the first few days by relying on the complex terrain and pre-prepared fortifications of the abandoned town, our main force will be able to complete its mobilization, at which point the pressure will be greatly reduced."

Moreover, the 'boss' seemed to have promised to provide you with some... 'technology upgrades.' This last sentence became the final straw that broke the camel's back.

Hansen took a deep breath, turned to look at the envoy, and a resolute glint flashed in his single eye: "Tell President Miles and military technology, Ghost Hound... to accept orders."

We will immediately prepare our troops, and within 48 hours at the latest, the advance force will be able to establish a defensive line around the abandoned town.
-
Inside the abandoned town workshop, Chen Yu received a confirmation message about military technology forwarded by Mowell, along with a preliminary equipment data list for the Netherhound unit.

The list unfolded rapidly before his eyes, with various parameters being analyzed and evaluated at high speed: outdated standard rifles left over from the unification war, second-hand exoskeletons with varying performance, a severe shortage of heavy firepower support, mobile vehicles mainly modified from civilian vehicles, and communication systems that were several generations behind...

Although there are some new features, it is clear that the overall equipment of the Ghost Hound still presents the typical equipment condition of an isolated warlord force lacking stable logistical support.

Chen Yu's crimson optical lens flickered slightly as the data stream flowed smoothly. Faced with this rather rudimentary equipment report, he felt no disappointment, but rather a sense of excitement akin to a researcher discovering an interesting topic.

How much combat power can such a "primitive" force demonstrate when facing Arasaka's regular army after his "minor" improvements?

This in itself is a valuable practical test.

He immediately set aside a separate processing thread and began designing a minimum upgrade plan based on the inventory data.

Chen Yu's improvement plan takes into account both practicality and technological advancement.

He decided to replace some of the live-fire weapons with a simplified version of laser weapons, which would have higher energy efficiency and effectively reduce logistical burden.

Meanwhile, the joint drive system of the exoskeleton was optimized and a small energy shield generator was added, significantly improving the individual soldier's protective capabilities.

In terms of heavy firepower, he plans to equip the troops with a simplified individual plasma weapon, which, although limited in power, is sufficient to pose a threat to armored targets.

In addition, he will deploy a simplified tactical data link system to ensure that troops maintain effective coordination in complex battlefield environments.

Although some of these technologies may not be available to the Netherhound in time, Chen Yu believes that once the military technology team sees these technologies, they will immediately ensure that the Netherhound can persist until the improvements are completed, so as to observe the combat performance of the technologies provided by Chen Yu.

"Send this preliminary improvement plan to Military Technology," Chen Yu instructed Mowell, "so they can coordinate resources and production lines. Also, inform Colonel Hansen that I need the active cooperation of the technical personnel in his unit, as well as a safe equipment modification site."

As for the specific details of the cooperation and the coordination of subsequent military operations… let them send a representative with sufficient authority to discuss it in person.”

His attention refocused on the main control panel; the complex calculations of the dimension teleporter remained his priority.

However, at this moment, deep within the core of his logic, a feeling akin to "anticipation" did indeed arise regarding the impending war triggered by the clash between the two giants of this era.

This may add some valuable observational data to his long and dedicated research career.

His gaze swept across the simulated image of the Arasaka "White Whale" aircraft carrier displayed on the screen, and the predicted deployment map of military technology units displayed side by side. A synthesized voice calmly echoed in the empty workshop: "Let me see what kind of war you can portray."

(End of this chapter)