183: Chapter 183 The Iron Hoof Signal Approaches! Lu Chen Finalizes Escape Plan

1:00 PM sharp.

Cockpit.

Chen Li's communicator rang on time.

"City Lord, the midday briefing."

"Speak."

"First item: 329 people moved in this morning, bringing the total registered residents to 8,095. With three terminals operating simultaneously, the daily registration volume has stabilized between 750 and 800."

"8,095." Lu Chen wrote the number down in his notebook.

"At this rate, how many more days will it take to reach the goal of 25,000?"

"Estimated twenty-one days, which would be around the 80th day."

"Too slow."

"City Lord, three terminals is already the system's limit."

"I understand." Lu Chen put down his pen. "Continue."

"Second item: auxiliary engine coolant. The water level dropped by 1.9% this morning, consistent with yesterday. At the current rate, the auxiliary engine is expected to run out between the 73rd and 74th day."

"Consistent with our previous assessment."

"Correct. Third item: the Engineering Team is on holiday. Chief Engineer Han was checking weld quality in the residential area this morning—not technically working—and the other workers are resting."

"What time do they start tomorrow?"

"Chief Engineer Han said 7:00 AM. The first task is the storage area partitioning."

"Good. Fourth item."

"Fourth item: the Iron Hoof Legion signals." Chen Li's speaking speed slowed down. "After the fourth signal appeared at 8:03 AM today, no fifth signal has appeared as of 1:00 PM. Signal monitoring remains every ten minutes; everything is normal."

"Any anomalies to the north?"

"None. The radar is clear within an eight-kilometer radius."

Lu Chen leaned back in his chair, watching the radar sweep on the panel.

"Fifth item."

"Fifth item: Deputy Chief of Staff Zhou Yuan requested to report something."

"What is it?"

"This morning, he sent a parameter notification for the fourth signal to the Dawn Legion. It followed the same format as yesterday's third signal notification: full signal parameters, direction, duration, and the diagnostic conclusion."

Lu Chen's index finger tapped twice on the metal armrest.

"When did he send it?"

"9:15 AM."

"Has the Dawn Legion replied yet?"

"Not yet."

Lu Chen added a line to his notebook.

Fourth signal reported to Dawn Legion, sent 9:15 AM, awaiting reply.

"Sixth item."

"Sixth item is food. Lin Wan reported the progress of the second harvest's threshing. Five groups finished this morning, and all will be done by 3:00 PM. Flour milling starts tomorrow, and the first batch of 900 kilograms of flour will be ready the day after."

"I'm aware of that."

"City Lord, that concludes the midday briefing. There is one more matter not in the report."

"Speak."

"Three residents came to me this morning saying they wanted to thank the City Lord in person."

"Refuse."

"I've already refused on your behalf. But their reason is special; one elderly man said that after eating noodles, he had a strong gastrointestinal reaction and wanted to ask if he could be seen in the medical pod."

Lu Chen shifted his gaze from the radar panel.

"What kind of reaction?"

"Abdominal bloating and diarrhea. He said it started after he ate three bowls of noodles."

"When people who have long eaten synthetic food and Nutrient Bars suddenly eat real flour products, their gut flora can't adapt. It's a normal reaction."

"That's what I told him, but the old man insisted on having Sun Ke take a look."

"Let Sun Ke see him. If it's not serious, just prescribe some digestive aids."

"Understood."

"Chen Li."

"Yes."

"Lin Xiao is coming to the Cockpit for a meeting at 3:00 PM. Arrive ten minutes early and print out a copy of all today's daily report data to leave on the console."

"Understood."

"One more thing—your personal judgment."

"Please go ahead, City Lord."

"There was less than a two-day gap between the third and fourth Iron Hoof Legion signals. If the interval continues to shorten at this rate, when do you estimate the fifth signal will appear?"

Chen Li paused for three seconds on the other end of the communicator.

"If the interval continues to shorten, I estimate it will be between tonight and tomorrow morning."

"Consistent with my judgment."

"City Lord, if the fifth signal appears, what does that mean?"

"It means the main force of the Iron Hoof Legion has received confirmation to advance and has issued the advance order. The vanguard vehicle will reply with a confirmation signal—that will be the fifth one."

"And then the main force sets out."

"Correct."

The communicator hung up.

Lu Chen glanced at the clock on the panel.

1:08 PM.

Less than two hours until Lin Xiao's arrival.

He picked up his notebook, flipped to the pages containing the first draft of the Iron Hoof Legion response plan, and began checking it line by line from the beginning.

Four options.

Fight.

Run.

Hide.

Negotiate.

Under each option were preconditions, estimated resource consumption, success probability assessment, and consequences of failure.

He made revision marks with his pen as he read.

First option: Fight.

Precondition: Join forces with the Dawn Legion; the Forge route prevails. Probability: 20% to 30%.

Resource consumption: All ten Ray Cannon shots, all ten Napalm strikes, Phalanx CIWS intercept reserve estimated at over 3,000 uses, Truth Points reset to zero.

Success probability: Low. There is a generational gap between Lv.5 and Lv.3. Even with one Lv.5 and two Lv.4s cooperating, the crusher's own firepower is still enough to destroy Polaris in a head-on confrontation.

Consequence of failure: Total annihilation.

He wrote a single word next to this option.

Backup.

Second option: Run.

Precondition: Full migration completed or near completion, Polaris main engine running at full power, Omni-directional Tracks ensuring maneuverability.

Resource consumption: Heavy diesel consumption, estimated 800 to 1,000 liters to reach Ash Rift Valley.

Success probability: Moderate. The cruising speed of a Lv.5 Wonder-class is faster than a Lv.3, but the advantage isn't massive. The complex terrain of Ash Rift Valley would hinder a large Lv.5.

Consequence of failure: Forced into head-on combat if caught, same as Option One.

He wrote two words next to this option.

Primary Choice.

The tip of his pen hovered over the paper for a second, then continued downward.