Chapter 110: Base Armaments

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Rebuilding Civilization

The August sun was at its fiercest. Xie Han sat in Meng Nan’s car, unhurriedly studying the documents in his hands, while Meng Nan drove with an expression of barely contained excitement.

He had spent the entire previous day examining the materials Xie Han had given him. The precision of the core chipset designed for the rice cooker had left him utterly stunned. The moment he first saw the chipset, he had recognized its sophistication. But only after studying the complete design data did he realize that the chip had surpassed the level of domestic design by far, reaching the world’s most advanced standards. Indeed, it would not be an exaggeration to say that some of the technologies incorporated into it were superior even to those of the traditional, long-established chip-design companies.

“This is truly a miracle…”

Beyond those words, Meng Nan no longer knew how to describe the chipset. He could not help wondering how Xie Han had obtained it. He had thought of more than a dozen possible explanations, yet not one of them made sense.

Xie Han raised his head from the documents and smiled. “It really is a miracle.”

Thinking of the design documents and blueprints in his hands, which weighed several kilograms, Xie Han could only smile wryly. Who would have expected that applying for a patent would require such a large volume of paper documentation? He had thought that a single flash drive would settle everything.

“Mai, once the patent is approved, you’ll probably become famous throughout Chaoyang City—perhaps even across the entire country. A world-class high-end chip is no small matter. With this alone, it’ll be difficult for you not to become famous.”

Xie Han gave Meng Nan a half-smile. Modern media were practically omnipresent. When it came to patent applications, they even had informants within the patent office. Whenever a new patent appeared, they could always obtain the information before anyone else.

Meng Nan, however, seemed unconcerned. “What’s wrong with becoming famous? Wherever I go, people will admire me. Besides, this is a free opportunity to promote our factory’s products. If we don’t make use of it, we’ll be wasting it. The results will be better than spending ten or twenty million on advertising.”

Xie Han nodded. “If not for that, I never would have thought of applying for a patent. The program inside our chip is absolutely the safest in the world. Even if someone stole the chip, unless they activated the program within it, they would never be able to obtain the chip’s actual data. And the technology we used in designing it is beyond anything they can currently master.”

Meng Nan had no idea where Xie Han’s confidence came from, but he did not contradict him. His own confidence also came from the chipset.

The patent application itself was quite simple. The patent office was deserted, so there was no need to queue. One only had to complete the application form, provide a photocopy of the applicant’s identification, and submit the materials, a finished chip, and the application fee. After that, all that remained was to wait.

As for how long approval would take, that depended on the complexity of the patent. Xie Han did not know much about international patents, but he still instructed Meng Nan to complete an international patent application for the core chipset as quickly as possible. Every country well known enough to be worth mentioning would receive an application. In case of future complications, this small expense was not worth saving.

After leaving the patent office, Xie Han said, “Mai, I’ll leave the electrical appliance factory to you. If reporters come asking questions, I think you know how to answer them. All you need to do is insist that the chip was designed by the factory’s research department. If they ask about the department, simply tell them it’s a corporate secret and that you have no comment.”

Meng Nan naturally understood the importance of this. “Han, don’t worry. I know what to do.”

Xie Han nodded. “There’s something else. The more than one hundred rice cookers already produced by the factory can be generously given to the media reporters. Once they use them, I’m sure they’ll be astonished by their performance. The free publicity will take care of itself. As for the chip manufacturer, our country only has a few companies capable of producing twelve-inch chips, and their technical capabilities are not far apart. We’ll simply place the order with whichever one offers the best price.”

It was not that Xie Han felt the need to explain every detail. Rather, he had been so busy lately that he was nearly overwhelmed. He had decided to hand the affairs of the modern world over to Meng Nan. Even if something went wrong, money could solve most problems. The apocalypse was different. The harsh conditions of survival forced Xie Han to remain alert and focus first on constructing the base’s defenses, ensuring his own safety.

The moat surrounding the Civilian Base was finally completed after more than three thousand people had worked on it for ten days. Three meters deep, ten meters wide, and thirteen kilometers long, it now encircled the entire base. Bridges that could be raised and lowered to allow entry and exit would be built across the moat at all four points of the compass, and construction was already underway.

Xie Han had spent the past several days considering various matters. The New City seemed to have taken shape, but careful thought revealed numerous hidden dangers. The most obvious was the composition of the base’s military forces, formed from teams that had only recently been transformed into soldiers.

After doing the calculations, Xie Han discovered that eighty percent of the forces maintaining the entire base were former subordinates of Chen Liu.

This hidden danger could be either large or small. At times, it might even become a ticking time bomb. Xie Han trusted Chen Liu’s character, but human hearts were always liable to change. He himself was no exception. Who could say what he might think once he realized that the power in his hands had become overwhelmingly dominant?

Therefore, this problem had to be resolved before circumstances changed—not only for the stability of the base, but also for the sake of his friendship with Chen Liu.

At the daily regular meeting, Xie Han presented his proposed solution.

“The New City has a population of more than 4,700, yet our armed forces number fewer than 400. In peacetime, I believe that would be sufficient. But these are not peaceful times. We must therefore double the size of the army, giving us enough strength to maintain the entire New City.”

Chen Liu stared at Xie Han in a daze. As an old hand at surviving the apocalypse, how could he fail to understand whom this proposal targeted?

To be honest, Chen Liu did not consider himself particularly ambitious. He had even handed over command of his former subordinates to Xie Han and Xu Qiang. Yet he also understood that if he wished to, a single shout from him would still be enough to make those men obey. That was probably exactly what Xie Han was worried about.

Doubling the army would put roughly five hundred troops under Xie Han’s direct control, creating a certain balance of power.

More than a dozen people attended the meeting, all senior members of the New City’s administration. Regarding Xie Han’s proposal, Chu Tianhe was the first to stand. With some concern, he said, “Chief, won’t that make the proportion of soldiers too high? It would be one soldier for every five civilians.”

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Chu Tianhe was an astute man. He had immediately guessed the real purpose behind Xie Han’s proposal to expand the army. His concern was not actually the ratio, but the relationship between Xie Han and Chen Liu. If Chen Liu were angered, the newly established base might be plunged into a tremendous crisis. That was something Chu Tianhe absolutely did not wish to see.

Qi Feiwu and the others, who also understood the seriousness of the matter, voiced their support for Chu Tianhe’s position. They even cited the proportion at Wangtian Base, where there was only one soldier for every twenty civilians.

Xie Han did not answer Qi Feiwu and the others directly. Instead, he looked with a faint smile at Chen Liu, who wore a similar expression.

“Brother Chen, what do you think?”

Chen Liu fell silent for a moment. At last, he stood and first swept his gaze around the room before speaking slowly.

“Ever since I met this young man, I’ve admired everything about him. It was only later, when he asked me to help establish a new base—or rather, a new order—that I came to understand the responsibility humanity ought to shoulder. From that moment on, my life, Chen Liu’s life, was already his to command.”

Xie Han continued to smile.

Chen Liu went on, “Watching the base grow day by day feels like watching one’s own children grow. There’s a special feeling in my heart—a determination to protect it with everything I have and help it grow strong and healthy.”

At this point, his tone abruptly hardened.

“Therefore, anyone who dares to damage or obstruct its growth is my enemy. And enemies must be eliminated. Even if it requires sacrificing myself, I will not hesitate.”

“That is precisely why we must strengthen our own forces. Only then will we have the ability to eliminate our enemies.”

Chen Liu’s eyes finally settled on Xie Han’s face. He emphasized each word as he said, “Therefore, I wholeheartedly support Commander Xie’s decision. We must expand the army.”

Once Chen Liu had announced his decision, the entire meeting hall fell silent. But after only a second, thunderous applause erupted.

The proposal’s passage demonstrated, in another sense, that the New City’s administration had become even more united. At the very least, its greatest hidden danger had been eliminated.

The discussion then naturally turned to the moat.

The completion of the moat allowed everyone to breathe a sigh of relief. At the very least, they no longer had to fear a sudden zombie attack, and they could finally sleep soundly at night. However, although the moat itself was finished, it could not yet be put into operation, because its water source had not been resolved. Until then, it could not truly be considered secure.

The moat’s water would naturally be drawn from the lake. That much was certain. Consequently, the discussion focused on the lake.

Xu Qiang was deeply worried by what he knew of it.

“If we don’t resolve the problem at the lake, our water-diversion project can’t proceed. I’ve been thinking about this for some time. The most effective way to deal with the aquatic zombies is to prepare powerful weapons in advance, lure them over, and destroy them.”

Xu Qiang’s approach was essentially the same as the one Xie Han had considered. Xie Han turned toward Chen Liu.

“Brother Chen, do you remember the special cluster bombs we used to lure the zombies at Yong’an Freight Yard?”

The moment Xie Han mentioned them, Chen Liu understood. He gave a strange grin.

“Of course I remember. They worked remarkably well. You want to use them to gather the aquatic zombies here? But will those aquatic zombies be affected by sound?”

“Don’t worry about that, Brother Chen. Most of a zombie’s basic abilities remain the same.”

Chen Liu was delighted. “If that’s the case, leave those special cluster bombs to me. We’ll prepare eight or ten of them. I refuse to believe those creatures won’t take the bait.”

Xie Han’s plan was not particularly unusual, but the meeting ultimately refined it and made it more complete.

After the meeting adjourned, everyone dispersed, but Xie Han asked Chen Liu to stay behind. The two walked along the shaded path of the military testing base without saying a word. Only after they had walked for more than ten minutes did Xie Han speak.

“Brother Chen, I didn’t inform you about what happened just now. You’re not angry with me, are you?”

Chen Liu burst out laughing.

“Young Xie, did you walk with me for more than ten minutes just to say that? Honestly, I can’t say I’m angry. I’m merely a little depressed.”

Xie Han chuckled. “Actually, Brother Chen, I truly value our current relationship. We’re friends, but also comrades connected by rank. We can struggle together and work toward building a new base. I don’t want anything to affect us in the future. I’m sure you understand my intentions. It’s not that I don’t trust you. It’s simply that time can change people. Perhaps when the time comes, circumstances will leave you no choice. I’m only taking precautions before anything happens.”

“All right, all right…”

Chen Liu tossed a cigarette to Xie Han and lit one for himself.

“If I didn’t understand you, would I have agreed to that ridiculous proposal of yours? Besides, expanding the army will at least raise the strength of our base to a new level.”

He thought for a moment before continuing. “Once this batch of recruits has been enlisted, I think we should reform our existing system and provide the soldiers with proper formal training. Besides, don’t you think much of the equipment in the base requires highly trained soldiers to operate?”

It was true. Most of the weapons in the base were advanced experimental weapons and equipment. Without a certain level of ability, operating them was out of the question.

Xie Han did not yet know exactly how much equipment the base possessed. They would have to wait until the inventory was complete. However, Xu Qiang had mentioned that many of the weapons were merely empty shells, without their weapon systems installed. This made the base’s military strength seem impressive only on the surface—little more than shells without substance.

Most of the more than three thousand people in the Civilian Base were strong young adults. Otherwise, they would never have been able to fight their way out of the base. For that reason, Xie Han was not worried about recruiting four hundred people. It would hardly be difficult.

Xie Han also felt that Chen Liu’s suggestion made perfect sense. Soldiers without formal training were ultimately a level below properly trained troops. If they encountered soldiers like those at Wangtian Base, the chances of suffering a defeat would be extremely high.

Within the entire province of Wangtian, there were more than a dozen bases. Though they varied in size, their strength was far beyond anything the New City could currently match.

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One must never harbor the intention of harming others, but one must always remain wary of being harmed. Who could say what these bases would do after discovering the existence of the New City?

Once the plan to eliminate the aquatic zombies in the lake had been placed on the agenda, it was immediately put into action.

According to the plan, the place used to lure out the aquatic zombies would be a large pit dug by hand. The pit would eventually be connected to the lake, and sound and the scent of fresh meat would be used to draw the creatures out of the water and lure them into the pit.

The pit was approximately five meters deep and square, measuring three hundred meters on each side. By that calculation, digging it by hand would take at least three days.

During those three days, the weapons intended to deal with the aquatic zombies were also brought into position one after another, encircling the entire pit. Once the excavation was completed, the base’s limited supply of large concealed mines was placed inside the pit.

Considering the danger posed by the aquatic zombies, Xie Han ultimately decided not to expose the soldiers in the open. Apart from the personnel operating the equipment, everyone else withdrew to a secure area.

Many people from the Civilian Base wanted to take part in the operation to exterminate the aquatic zombies, but Xie Han rejected them. Sometimes, having more people did not mean having greater strength.

Xu Qiang entered the field command vehicle where Xie Han was stationed. Its enormous, semi-hovering form exerted a silent pressure, while the fierce weapons mounted around it—though only half installed—still possessed terrifying firepower.

The interior of the field command vehicle was extremely spacious. Apart from the combat section and the driving section, the command center occupied nearly sixty percent of the entire vehicle.

“Reporting to the Commander-in-Chief: everything is ready. Awaiting your orders.”

In formal circumstances, Xu Qiang still addressed Xie Han by his official title.

Xie Han’s expression was solemn. This was the first operation against zombies since the founding of the New City. Although they were thirty meters away from the pit and theoretically within a safe zone, he still had to exercise the utmost caution. This operation could not tolerate the slightest mistake. Otherwise, it would deal a serious blow to the spirit of the New City.

Through the observation system of the field command vehicle, Xie Han could easily see the earthen dam separating them from the lake. Several remote-controlled bombs had already been installed along it. With a single command, their power would be enough to blast the dam apart, allowing the lake water to surge instantly into the entire pit.

The modified cluster bombs designed to attract the aquatic zombies had long since been placed on wooden boards and set floating in the lake before the earthen dam.

“Begin…”

Xie Han pressed a button on the command vehicle. His order was transmitted to every soldier participating in the operation to exterminate the aquatic zombies.

The communications system of this field command vehicle was unquestionably beyond comparison with an ordinary vehicle’s intelligent system. It was impossible to say how many times more advanced it was.

As soon as Xie Han’s order was issued, the soldiers controlling the modified cluster bombs immediately pressed the remote controls in their hands.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

More than a dozen explosions rang out. More than a dozen enormous white columns of water rose from the placid surface of the lake before slowly falling back down.

The modified cluster bombs produced an extraordinarily sharp sound. Its piercing quality ensured that the noise could travel an extremely long distance without losing its clarity.

Several minutes after the sound spread across the area, the lake once again became calm. Everyone held their breath, however, because they knew that this calm was merely the quiet before the storm.

A few more minutes passed.

Countless bubbles began rising from the still surface of the lake, covering it in a vast expanse of white.

Under the gaze of everyone present, the heads of aquatic zombies began emerging from the water. Their vicious teeth were bared as they bobbed briefly on the surface before sinking back beneath it.

Aquatic zombies of countless varieties gathered at that moment, filling the entire vast stretch of water.

Xie Han knew that these aquatic zombies were only the beginning. Far more would come. In the more distant waters, other aquatic zombies were probably already racing toward this place.