129: Apocalypse Tank

As the apollo fighter jet tore through the silence of the moon, leaving a molten brand on the crater walls, a day had quietly passed at Lujiang Base. The next morning, Jiang Xin returned to the base command center in high spirits, his deep eyes still reflecting the stars of the universe and the destructive blue glow of plasma beams.

"Reporting to the Commander, all units have finished production and completed preliminary debugging. They are awaiting inspection!" Zhang Long's voice carried a hint of excitement that was hard to detect.

Jiang Xin nodded with satisfaction: "Very well, let's go to the War Factory first to see our kings of the land."

War Factory, Open-air Parking Lot

Under the shining sun, the newly produced array of steel behemoths stood in strict formation, emitting a cold metallic luster and a faint scent of engine oil.

A phalanx of 10 apocalypse tanks looked like ancient giants crouching on the ground, their military green paint looking heavy and steady. The sense of oppression brought by their size was suffocating—a steel body about 12 meters long, 4.8 meters wide, and 3.7 meters high; even while stationary, they were like mobile fortresses. Jiang Xin approached one, his fingers brushing over the hard, cold surface of the composite armor, feeling the surging power contained beneath. Thanks to miniature gravity regulation technology, this 80-ton behemoth could actually reach a top speed of 130 km/h on the road, comparable to a small car! This technology also applied to its signature twin-linked 155mm heavy cannons—the gravity field skillfully offset the destructive recoil, allowing the bombardment to be held steady as if by an invisible hand, with startling accuracy. The lightweight yet indestructible composite armor was enough to withstand a frontal hit from a cannon of the same class. Most amazing was the Red Alert black technology—the Dimensional Space Magazine; within a seemingly limited space, it actually stored over 200 shells of various calibers, from high-explosive grenades to armor-piercing shells, making it a mobile land arsenal. Four elite crew members were conducting equipment checks with focused expressions.

Compared to the heavy majesty of the apocalypse tanks, the tesla tanks appeared "lean" and eerie. Their deep blue-purple paint shimmered with a mysterious luster under the sun, as if covered by a layer of dancing electric arcs. About 8.8 meters long, 3.7 meters wide, and 2.8 meters high, they were slightly larger than a rhino tank. Most striking were the peculiar barrels—thick, solid tubes tightly wound with multiple layers of large coils; small blue electric arcs occasionally jumped and flickered between the coils, making a slight "crackling" sound, and the air was filled with a faint scent of ozone. The half-track, half-wheeled design gave it excellent mobile adaptability. The nano-ceramic insulating armor covering the hull not only provided decent protection but was also the key to isolating high-voltage currents. It was like a dormant beast of lightning, hiding destructive energy within its silence.

After the inspection, Jiang Xin's heart surged with pride. These forces would be the cornerstone of his efforts to reshape order. He temporarily set aside military affairs, changed into civilian clothes for a rare break, and walked into the base's residential area holding Jiang Feifei's hand.

The afternoon sun was warm, and the streets were lined with uniform residential buildings. Survivors hurried along, but their faces showed much less of the previous numbness and more anticipation for the future. Jiang Xin and Jiang Feifei both wore wide-brimmed hats and ordinary work clothes, blending into the crowd inconspicuously.

"Jiang Feifei," Jiang Xin said, holding Jiang Feifei's soft hand, his voice gentle, "In a few days, the commissioner sent by the National Government for the commissioning ceremony will arrive. Where do you think we should receive them?"

Jiang Feifei tilted her head slightly, her clear big eyes blinking, her long eyelashes fluttering like small fans: "Commander, do you already have an idea in mind? Do you have other thoughts?"

Jiang Xin stopped, his gaze turning toward the faintly visible outline of the former Lujiang City center, lost in thought: "Yes. Since the city has been liberated, I'm thinking about whether to hold the ceremony in front of the municipal building. Raising the national flag there would be deeply meaningful. Re-establishing order upon the ruins, announcing a new beginning."

"It's a good idea," Jiang Feifei frowned slightly with a hint of concern, "but although the zombies in the city have been cleared, the damage is severe and there's rubble everywhere. Cleanup and security would take time. Wouldn't it be too hasty, and... a bit too much trouble?"

"That is indeed a problem." Jiang Xin nodded, then thought of something else, "Also, Jiang Feifei, regarding the population. Right now, at full count, there are only about four to five hundred thousand survivors in the entire Lujiang area, less than one-twentieth of what it was before the apocalypse. With so few people scattered across the old city, the management and defense pressure is very high. I'm considering whether we should abandon those scattered, dilapidated old buildings and concentrate the entire population. We could use our Lujiang Base as the core, radiating outward, re-planning and building a brand new, more compact, and safer city. Lujiang Base has more than enough potential to accommodate five hundred thousand people; we could divide it into residential areas, industrial zones..."

Jiang Feifei listened intently, her fingers unconsciously stroking Jiang Xin's palm: "Concentrated protection is indeed the best strategy. However, rebuilding a city... planning, resource allocation, resettling the people... every task is a massive undertaking where one move affects everything." She looked up at Jiang Xin, her eyes full of trust but also a reminder, "This requires a very thorough plan and strong execution."

"Yes, it's a thousand tangled threads." Jiang Xin sighed, temporarily suppressing this grand vision, "Let's take it slow; the most important thing right now is stability."

The two of them walked hand in hand through the gradually busier streets, chatting idly about base matters and future visions. It was currently the lunch break, and a large number of survivors who had finished the morning's tasks—clearing the battlefield ruins outside the city or production within the base—swarmed toward the large canteen in the center of the residential area like worker bees returning to the hive. Although every apartment in the residential buildings was equipped with a small kitchen, everyone seemed more willing to come to the canteen—not just because the meals were free for base staff, but because it was a gathering place, a "marketplace" for information exchange and social interaction. The air was filled with the aroma of food and the sound of noisy chatter.

Jiang Xin and Jiang Feifei also got some simple food and found an inconspicuous corner to sit down, pulling their hat brims low. Soon, the canteen was filled with heated discussions.

"Sigh, clearing those corpse fragments outside the city for days on end... it's really suffering!" A young man in stained work clothes said with a bitter face, poking at the food in his bowl with chopsticks as if he could still smell that burnt stench, "That scene... after the shells hit, they're everywhere... slimy, black, you can't even scrape it clean! I'm about to throw up my dinner from last night!"

"Tell me about it!" a middle-aged man nearby chimed in, his voice booming, "But then again, our cannons are damn powerful! You guys didn't see it, but when the Zombie Tide rushed over and those shells landed, with a 'boom', it was like harvesting wheat—they just fell over in heaps!"

"Hey, let me tell you something!" A clever-looking young fellow lowered his voice, leaning in mysteriously toward a table of people, "Yesterday afternoon, we were clearing that area to the east, guess what I saw?"

"What did you see? Found some gold bars?" someone joked.

"Get out of here! Much rarer than gold bars!" The young fellow's eyes lit up, "I! SAW! A! PLANE!"

"Pfft!" The crowd jeered, "The base's Invaders and Black Eagles fly overhead every day, what's so special about that!"

"It's different! Totally different!" The young fellow got anxious, gesturing wildly, "That thing! It was huge! More than a size bigger than a Black Eagle! It was shimmering silver all over, reflecting like a mirror! And on the wings, there was... right! There was a golden sun mark! The best part was the speed! 'Whoosh!' It just streaked over our heads, and before we could react, it was like a rocket, nose up, 'shua', and it vanished above the clouds! That sound... that momentum... tsk tsk!"

"Really? Did you see it clearly? You weren't seeing things, were you?" someone asked skeptically.

"It's absolutely true! Under the sun, that silver was so bright it dazzled my eyes! That sun mark, golden and bright, no mistake!" The young fellow promised, slapping his chest.

The topic was quickly drawn away by even bigger news.

"Hey, have you all heard? The National Government is sending someone to give our Commander Jiang a rank and a medal!" A well-informed older woman said in a loud voice, instantly attracting the attention of several surrounding tables.

"Such a big thing was announced on the base broadcast, how could we not know!" A refined man wearing glasses pushed them up his nose, "This is a massive honor! Think about it, besides those places in the west where birds don't even poop and there are hardly any people, which big city in the east or central regions has been liberated? Only our Lujiang! It's as rare as scorpion poop—one of a kind!"

"That's right! The strength of our Red Alert Legion is top-notch! In my opinion, even nationwide, it's like this!" A burly man held up a thumb, his face full of pride.

"Hey, how many troops do you think we actually have now? It feels like there are soldiers everywhere, plus those big guys..."

"There must be over ten thousand! Otherwise, how could we take Lujiang so quickly? There were so many zombies!"

"Having many people is useless! The key is the powerful equipment! Think about those mechs! And that big bear! My god, with one slap, a Second-Tier Zombie is like paper! And then there's Officer Zhang Lei..." A young man mentioned Zhang Lei, his tone full of worship.

"Yes, yes, yes! Officer Zhang Lei is the true god!" A young girl immediately chimed in excitedly, her face turning red with excitement, "You all saw the wartime broadcast recordings, right? Mastery of ice and fire! He didn't even lose ground when going head-to-head with that Third-Tier Corpse King! That scene of divine fire burning the heavens... it was like a god descending to earth! Those 'Top Ten Experts' the capital ranked, I think they're full of it! They actually didn't include Officer Zhang Lei, they have no vision!"

"Exactly! I think Officer Zhang Lei is the well-deserved number one in China!" someone nearby immediately agreed.

"Speaking of gods... do you remember how the Adjutant looked when she made her move during the Zombie Tide siege?" A younger man, his eyes unfocused and filled with dreamy longing, "My god... those white wings unfolding, surrounded by holy light, holding a burning flame sword... it was... it was like an angel from myth descending to the mortal world! So... so beautiful!" He held his face, looking completely enchanted.

"Yes, yes! I'll never forget that image as long as I live!" Several female survivors also joined in, chattering away, "The Adjutant is beautiful enough normally, but after transforming, she's simply too beautiful to be human!"

"With one swing of that flame sword, zombies fell in rows, it was so powerful!"

Listening to the waves of praise for Jiang Feifei in the crowd, especially that young man's exaggerated infatuation, Jiang Xin couldn't help but let a smile curl his lips as he glanced at the beauty beside him. He saw Jiang Feifei's fair cheeks also flushing slightly; under the shadow of her wide-brimmed hat, her beautiful eyes gave Jiang Xin a playful, reproaching glare, while her hand under the table reached out and gave the back of his hand a firm pinch. Jiang Xin turned his hand over to grip that soft hand tightly, his smile deepening.

This ordinary clamor was exactly the slice of life he was fighting his hardest to protect.