188: arms deals

After the affairs in Lingchuan were properly arranged, Jiang Xin quickly returned to the Qianzhou Base to preside over the cooperation matters with the Southern Military Region.

After intense internal discussions and deliberation, the Southern Military Region clearly expressed its willingness to cooperate, but insisted on using some other materials to offset the gold payment.

After several rounds of negotiations, the two sides finally reached an agreement:

The Red Alert Legion would provide the following arms assistance to the Southern Military Region:

· 5.56mm rifle rounds: 20 million rounds

· 12.7mm heavy machine gun rounds: 2 million rounds

· 100,000 high-explosive grenades

· 30mm autocannon shells: 500,000 rounds

· 70mm rockets: 50,000 rounds

· 5,000 anti-tank missiles of various models

· 5,000 155mm howitzer shells

· 1,000 tons of high-explosive incendiary aerial bombs

· 85mm and 120mm tank shells (including HE/AP): 10,000 rounds each

· 10,000 mortar shells of various models in total

· Additionally, a gift of 500 doses of Anti-Zombie Virus Serum.

In return, the Southern Military Region would pay:

· Gold: 2 tons

· After the end of the hostilities, the population relocated from the recaptured cities of Shaocheng and Meicheng would be distributed between the Red Alert Legion (Xijiang Province) and the Southern Military Region (Lingnan Province) at a ratio of 6:4.

With this agreement, Jiang Xin was undoubtedly the biggest winner. In the apocalypse, population was the most precious resource and the hope for the future. Being able to secure 60% of the population relocation rights from a behemoth like the Southern Military Region was enough to prove the current weight of the Red Alert Legion.

In addition, the two sides signed a tank procurement agreement with prices identical to those of the National Government. The Southern Military Region's first order was for 10 apocalypse tanks and 10 tesla tanks each, to be paid for with an equivalent value of precious metals (mainly gold and silver), totaling approximately 800,000 in system funds.

Jiang Xin did not delay. After making symbolic preparations for a few days, he dispatched 10 nightingale transport aircraft carrying the first batch of arms to fly to the Southern Military Region's headquarters—Rongcheng Base.

Rongcheng Base Airport

“Ground guidance units, attention! The Red Alert Legion's transport aircraft formation is about to enter our airspace. Clear the airspace and prepare for guided landing!” The Air Control Center's command echoed through the radios of the tower and ground troops.

“Airspace cleared, no obstacles!”

“Main runway cleared, ready for landing!”

“Guidance vehicle in position, beginning guidance!”

Accompanied by the massive roar of engines, the 10 nightingale transport aircraft—painted with the Red Alert Legion insignia, massive in size, and advanced in design—landed on the Rongcheng Base runway like giant steel eagles, their presence even overshadowing the various existing military aircraft at the airport.

The Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Military Region, Yang Zhen, along with several senior officers, had long been waiting on the tarmac. Looking at these futuristic transport aircraft, Yang Zhen's face was filled with shock and disbelief.

“These transport aircraft... looking at their size and takeoff and landing performance, they aren't inferior to our 'Yun Zai-25' at all! Just what is the background of this Red Alert Legion? How do they seem to have all kinds of high-end equipment? Fighters, bombers, mechs, and now such advanced transport aircraft... could an alien base really have crashed onto Earth?” Yang Zhen couldn't help but whisper his amazement to his colleagues, his tone full of disbelief.

An old officer with the rank of lieutenant general sighed and shook his head. “Who says they aren't! This faction is too mysterious. I heard their files are top secret; before the apocalypse, only core figures at the level of the National Elders had the right to access them. This speed of technological explosion is completely against common sense.”

“Alright, let's not dwell on that for now. Let's see the quality of the goods they've sent; I hope they aren't too bad.” Yang Zhen shook his head, suppressing the suspicion in his heart, and led the group forward.

The massive cargo doors of the nightingale transport aircraft slowly opened, revealing heavily laden crates of arms stacked neatly inside. Soldiers operated forklifts and transport vehicles, beginning the intense and orderly unloading process. This was only the first batch; the massive amount of arms in the agreement would require multiple transport runs to complete, especially those shells and aerial bombs weighing thousands of tons.

Although Yang Zhen was the head of an old-money family, he had risen from the ranks of grassroots officers in his youth and was extremely familiar with weaponry. He casually pried open a wooden crate containing 155mm howitzer shells, stroked a golden-yellow shell, and carefully weighed and observed the body's craftsmanship, paint finish, and fuse interface.

“Hmm... this casting process, this machining precision, it's not inferior to the top-tier goods from Northeast Heavy Industries before the apocalypse at all; in fact, it feels even more refined.” Yang Zhen nodded, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. He then randomly inspected other equipment like rifle bullets and anti-tank missiles. Without exception, the level of craftsmanship was extremely high, the packaging was standardized, and the maintenance state was perfect, as if they had just come off the production line of a top-tier munitions factory.

“Impressive...” a major general in charge of logistics couldn't help but praise. “In such a short time, they can not only resume production but also achieve such high craftsmanship standards and output. The industrial capacity and quality management system behind this Red Alert Legion are simply unfathomable. Even before the apocalypse, this would definitely be at the world's top level!”

Yang Zhen waved his hand in satisfaction. “Alright, there's no problem with the quality! Immediately organize personnel to categorize and store all ammunition, ensuring moisture and fire protection! First, allocate a batch to the frontline troops to speed up the clearing of towns and main roads around Rongcheng! We must leave enough ammunition reserves; in half a month, we will launch a large-scale recapture operation for Shaocheng and Meicheng! This batch of arms came just at the right time!”

Meanwhile, in the command room of the Qianzhou Base, Jiang Xin also received the first batch of two tons of gold paid by the Southern Military Region.

After deducting the cost of producing this batch of aid arms (specific price omitted), Jiang Xin's system fund balance climbed again to over one million. Moreover, in a few days, the 800,000 in funds from the Southern Military Region's tank purchase would also arrive.

By then, he would possess even more substantial capital to continue "exploding troops" frantically, accelerating the strategic plan to recapture the entire Xixiang Province and the two major cities in northern Lingnan.

Time passed quietly; it had been a week since the return from Lingchuan.

During this period, the troops in the directions of Lingchuan and Yuanzhou also scavenged a large amount of precious metals like gold and silver jewelry during clearing operations. Although the purity varied, the total amount was considerable. All of these were recycled and converted by the system.

Ultimately, Jiang Xin's total system funds reached a staggering 2.6 million!

On the other side, the Southern Military Region was even more pleasantly surprised after receiving the first batch of 10 apocalypse tanks and 10 tesla tanks. They had never seen such powerful and sci-fi land equipment. They immediately drew the best armored soldiers and technicians to familiarize themselves with and practice using these new weapons day and night, assigning them equally to the five Heavy Combined Arms Brigades under their command, greatly enhancing their assault capabilities.

With a huge sum of money in hand, Jiang Xin could no longer suppress the urge to explode troops.

“Continue expanding the army to lay the foundation for the next stage of the campaign!”

Jiang Xin still used that luxurious reinforced regiment configuration:

· Personnel—65,000 gold/battalion × 4 = 260,000 gold

· Mecha Unit: Heavy Infantry x5 (2,500 gold) + Flametrooper x5 (3,000 gold) + Tesla Trooper x5 (4,000 gold) + War Bear x5 (4,000 gold) = 13,500 gold

· Vehicle Configuration:

· Kamikaze Military Truck x50: 20,000 gold

· armored personnel carrier x50: 30,000 gold

· apocalypse tank x4: 16,000 gold

· tesla tank x4: 12,000 gold

· grizzly tank x20: 24,000 gold

· rhino tank x10: 18,000 gold

· Air Support:

· hind attack helicopter x6: 21,000 gold

· chinook transport helicopter x2: 8,000 gold

Total cost per regiment: 422,500 gold!

The 2.6 million gold was enough to produce a full 6 such luxurious reinforced regiments! (Approximately 12,000 people)

Jiang Xin quickly made production deployments:

· Production orders for 2 regiments were issued to Lujiang Base.

· Production orders for 4 regiments were issued to Qianzhou Base.

Thus, including the original troops, the number of main army combat regiments of the Red Alert Legion reached 15, with a total strength exceeding 30,000 men! This did not even include the Air Force, Missile Units, Mecha Units, and the special Evolver Legion.

He readjusted the troop deployment:

· Shaocheng Defense and Garrison:

· Lujiang Base: 1 battalion

· Longxing City (Yongjiang Super Base): 2 battalions

· Qianzhou Base: 1 battalion

· Mobile Offensive Units:

· In the Lingchuan direction, Zhang Lei would command 3 regiments to continue clearing to the north, with the spearhead pointing directly at Hongdu.

· In the Yuanzhou direction, Li Ang would command, assisted by Li Hong and Lin Yufei, with 3 regiments to clear the entire Yuanzhou territory and prepare for the subsequent capture of Chuping and Yushui.

· In the Qianzhou direction, Jiang Xin would preside personally: with 8 regiments of strength, they would continue to sweep the remnants in Qianzhou and prepare to head south to Lingnan.

Everything was ready! The next focus of work would be to completely eliminate the remaining zombies in the three cities of Qianzhou, Yuanzhou, and Lingchuan, and consolidate the rear.

As soon as the rescue and clearing work in the Qianzhou direction was finished, Jiang Xin would lead his army south to launch a pincer attack with the Southern Military Region to recapture Shaocheng and Meicheng in Lingnan!!

(With Li Ang transferred to command in Yuanzhou, there's a bit of a shortage of senior officers; I'll arrange some more as appropriate later.)

(Brothers, I realized that as I was writing, I forgot about the ifv. Things like anti-aircraft missile vehicles, command vehicles, and Radar vehicles will simply be replaced by ifvs.

Once the protagonist becomes a major general, large-scale army operations will pretty much begin. I'll write a chapter to refine the firepower configuration at the brigade level. Starting from major general, the minimum combat unit will be the brigade, directly benchmarking against Heavy Combined Arms Brigades to build a fully modernized combat army group. The division-level structure will be left for the irregular armies organized by civilian forces.)