58: Steel Whisper

Early the next morning, Reno stood outside Bachm's office with a serious expression, holding a report.

The title of the report was: "Request Regarding Serious Aging of Some Patrol Team Equipment, Application for Scrapping and Replacement with New Models of Exploration Tools to Save Costs."

"Come in!" Bachm's impatient voice came from inside the office.

"Director," Reno said as he walked in and placed the report on the desk. "The failure rate of the Patrol Team's old equipment is too high; maintenance costs have already exceeded procurement costs. I'm requesting to replace them with a batch of multi-functional exploration tools. They can drill and cut, which will both improve daily efficiency and save money."

Bachm was already overwhelmed by the explosion at the D-7 Substation, and with Xing Zhan constantly applying pressure, he had no mind to look at such things.

"Approved, approved! Now get out!" Without even looking at the report's contents, he grabbed a pen, scribbled a signature, and waved his hand as if shooing away a fly.

"Yes, Director." Reno picked up the report expressionlessly and turned to leave, a cold arc curling at the corner of his mouth.

Inside the Guard Team's armory, Reno summoned his most trusted confidants from his list unit by unit to "replace their equipment."

When the first group of five team members entered the sealed warehouse, they didn't see any new exploration tools. Instead, they saw five "Cutting Torches" that had been modified by Lao Mo—rugged in appearance but brimming with a sense of power.

"Captain... this is..." The team members were shocked, feeling both excitement and a hint of irrepressible fear.

"This is our new equipment," Reno's voice was low and powerful. "From today on, we are no longer the company's dogs."

In the briefest and coldest words, he told them about A Yong's death and everyone's ultimate fate.

There was a dead silence inside the warehouse.

A gray-haired veteran reached out with trembling hands to stroke the heavy "Crushing Hammer" in his grasp, feeling the terrifying power within it that was enough to blast through anything.

He looked up, his bloodshot eyes staring intently at Reno, then glanced at the silent A Yong beside him, who had already become a legend.

"Captain," the veteran's voice was hoarse yet incredibly firm. "Tell us what we need to do. Give the order."

He paused and said word for word, "We will avenge A Yong together!"

"Avenge him together!"

"Fuck 'em!"

Suppressed rage was instantly ignited, and loyalty shifted in that moment. It was no longer to the uniform, but to the captain before them, to their fallen brother, and to a future where they could fight back.

Over the next two days, Reno used the same method to quietly distribute a hundred new weapons.

On the surface, the mining area's Patrol Teams showed no changes, but the "tools" hanging from their waists and carried on their backs now had cold, lethal cores.

Steel whispers spread secretly through the Guard Team, gathering into a torrent powerful enough to overturn everything.

Late on the third night, deep within an abandoned mine shaft with excellent soundproofing, the first secret training ground for the Rebel Army was established.

The first thirty members to be re-equipped conducted their first live-fire drill here.

"Bang!"

The moment the high-recoil "Crushing Hammer" fired, a burly man failed to keep his footing. He let out a cry and fell back onto his buttocks, drawing a round of suppressed laughter.

The tense and grim atmosphere eased considerably because of this.

Using these incredibly powerful new weapons for the first time, the soldiers were both shocked and clumsy, making the scene somewhat chaotic for a moment.

"Steady! Remember the key points Instructor Lao Mo taught you!" Reno barked in a low voice. "This is not a toy!"

Just then, the sound of light gravel tumbling came from the direction of the cave entrance.

Reno's expression changed instantly, and he abruptly raised his hand.

"Everyone, quiet! Extinguish all light sources!"

The mine shaft instantly fell into a dead silence, with only the heavy breathing of the soldiers audible.

In the darkness, they could clearly hear rhythmic footsteps outside the cave, along with the metallic-sounding chatter characteristic of Scavenger soldiers.

"...This damn place is so quiet."

"Stop talking. General Xing Zhan ordered increased patrols, especially in these abandoned mine shafts. Who knows where those rats might be hiding..."

The footsteps approached from a distance and then slowly faded away.

Inside the cave, many soldiers were so nervous they almost stopped breathing. This was their first time facing the enemy directly; even just a close encounter was enough to severely test their nerves.

Not until the footsteps had completely vanished did Reno slowly exhale and signal that the light sources could be relit.

Cold sweat drenched the foreheads of many new recruits.

A few days later, Chen Feng, Reno, and Lao Mo stood at a hidden vantage point in the mining area, looking down.

The mining area seemed peaceful, just like always. But they knew that beneath this silent surface, a force capable of overturning everything had already assembled.

Chen Feng took out the military-grade geological map, pointed toward Section C on the map, and said calmly to Reno beside him, "The sword has been forged."

His voice carried no emotion, as if he were stating an established fact.

"Now, it is time to prepare a grand funeral for our guests."