237: Visiting Hongdu Base

The night passed in silence.

When the first ray of dawn pierced through the clouds, illuminating the military airport of Hongdu Base, the scene was one of solemnity and majesty.

Hundreds of carefully selected soldiers, dressed in old but starched and crisp military uniforms, held polished standard rifles. They stood in standard military posture on both sides of the runway, forming two straight human walls. Their expressions were solemn and their eyes firm, silently demonstrating the discipline and spirit of the Hongdu Base army.

At the very front of the formation, led by Governor Wu Changming and the Military District Commander, Major General Lu Qinian, almost all of the core high-level officials of Hongdu Base were present. Standing beside them were the base's two pillars—Colonel Yang Kang, with bloodshot eyes and a fierce aura, and another stout Third-Tier Master, Wang Dun, whose body was faintly surrounded by heavy earth element energy. In addition, there were many political and military figures from Xijiang Province. Everyone was waiting expectantly, their eyes focused on the distant horizon, and the air was filled with a heavy atmosphere of anticipation, tension, and a hint of unease.

They didn't have to wait long. Accompanied by the low and powerful roar of engines growing closer, two silver points of light rapidly enlarged in the sky! Soon, two silver aerospace fighters with a futuristic delta-wing layout broke through the clouds and arrived over the airport in a visually striking manner. They did not follow the conventional landing procedure, but instead hovered gracefully at low altitude, then adjusted their posture and actually descended slowly and vertically! Until they were about ten meters from the ground, the fighters hovered steadily in the air, as if they had escaped gravity. The cabin doors slid open silently, and the boarding stairs extended.

The first to step out of the lead fighter was Zhang Lei. He wore a crisp general's woolen military overcoat over a neatly ironed officer's service uniform, with pitch-black, polished military boots on his feet. His tall and upright figure appeared even more grand in the uniform. With sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, his face was handsome, but more rare was the heavy temperament naturally exuded after being tempered by blood and fire. He was like a deep, quiet pool, yet also like a towering mountain, inspiring awe and making people afraid to look directly at him.

Following closely behind him was Natasha. She was not wearing a military uniform, but had changed into a slim-fitting gray trench coat, with a white tactical shirt underneath and well-fitting black combat trousers that outlined her breathtaking leg curves. A sci-fi, exquisite "Godslayer" pistol was equipped at her waist, while her signature giant sniper rifle had been stored in her extra-dimensional space. Her steps were light and elegant, like a supermodel walking on a runway. Her beautiful, exotic, cold face and the sharp light inadvertently flowing in her ice-blue eyes instantly grabbed the attention of everyone present. Her tall, well-proportioned, and perfect figure drew a burst of suppressed low exclamations.

The third to walk out was Chen Hao. His attire was relatively simple, just a formal Red Alert Legion officer's casual uniform, but his height of 1.95 meters and his tower-like, sturdy body were full of explosive power. His knotted muscles almost burst the sleeves, and the most eye-catching thing was the metallic, sci-fi extra-dimensional mecha storage belt at his waist.

Behind Zhang Lei and the others was a squad of Red Alert guards, also with impeccable military bearing, sharp eyes, and excellent equipment.

Lu Qinian knew well that this young officer before him was not only a world-renowned powerhouse but also the number two figure in the Red Alert Legion; it was only a matter of time before he was awarded the rank of Major General by the National Government. He might very well have to serve under this man in the future, so putting on the airs of a senior was meaningless and might even cause resentment. He quickly adjusted his mindset, put on a warm yet dignified smile, and strode forward to meet them. Wu Changming and the others immediately followed.

“Comrade Zhang Lei! I have long heard of your great name. It’s been a hard journey!” Lu Qinian stood at attention and was the first to give Zhang Lei a standard military salute, his voice loud and clear.

“General Lu, I have heard much about you as well! Thank you for your hard work, everyone!” Zhang Lei returned the salute calmly, then extended his right hand and shook Lu Qinian's firmly. The moment their palms met, Lu Qinian could clearly feel the heat and steadiness coming from the other's palm, which contained terrifying power.

“Comrade Zhang Lei is indeed a young hero, with extraordinary poise. Your reputation is well-deserved!” Wu Changming also took a step forward and warmly shook Zhang Lei's hand, his tone full of praise.

“Governor Wu, you overpraise me. You all have stood alone against the crisis in Hongdu to protect the people; you are the true pillars of the nation.” Zhang Lei smiled modestly, then turned slightly to introduce the two Hongdu leaders: “This is the Brigade Commander of our legion's first main force brigade, Colonel Chen Hao, who is also a Third-Tier Metal Element Evolver and the spearhead of our army.” He then pointed to Natasha, “This is my adjutant, Colonel Natasha, also a Third-Tier Master, specializing in sniping and decapitation strikes.”

“Your legion is truly full of talent and powerhouses. It’s admirable!” Wu Changming sighed sincerely as he looked at the fierce-looking Chen Hao and the cold, mysterious Natasha. The strength of just these two companions was already no less than the top combat power of his Hongdu Base.

“Governor Wu, General Lu,” Zhang Lei changed the subject to the main point, “Besides the formal meeting, my department has specially allocated a batch of food, medicine, and weapons and ammunition as a greeting gift for our brother units in Hongdu, to do our small part. It is expected that in ten minutes, ten transport planes will arrive at the airport. Please have your unit ready for reception.”

“Is that true?!” Hearing this, Wu Changming's body shook violently. He excitedly gripped Zhang Lei's hand again, his knuckles turning white from the force. His eyes reddened slightly as he bowed deeply to Zhang Lei, his voice trembling uncontrollably: “Comrade Zhang Lei! This is truly providing charcoal in the snow! I... on behalf of all the soldiers and civilians of Hongdu Base, I express my most sincere and heartfelt thanks to your legion and to you! We will never forget this friendship!”

“Governor Wu, you are being too formal. Please, stand up!” Zhang Lei quickly supported him and said seriously, “We are both under the National Government, fighting against the apocalypse together. Supporting each other is our duty. It is not easy for your unit to maintain such a situation in this difficult environment. These supplies are just a small token of our appreciation, hoping to help your unit through this urgent crisis.”

“Old Wu, look at you, just getting all excited.” Lu Qinian laughed and smoothed things over from the side, patting Wu Changming on the shoulder. “How can we let our guests keep standing here in the wind? Come, let’s invite Comrade Zhang Lei and our colleagues inside to have a good tour of our Hongdu Base.”

“Yes, yes, look at me, how rude.” Wu Changming quickly wiped the corners of his eyes and nodded repeatedly. “Comrade Zhang Lei, please! Everyone, please!”

Accompanied by Wu Changming and Lu Qinian, Zhang Lei and his party took a vehicle to visit the Qingshan County Base, located at the original site of the Xijiang Provincial Military District.

This place was located deep in the mountains with a unique terrain: it was surrounded by rolling hills on three sides, covered in dense forests that formed a natural barrier. One side was adjacent to a wide branch of the Longjiang and Xijiang Rivers, providing water and some transport convenience. The core area was a five-square-kilometer mix of hills and plains, where a large number of barracks, dormitories, and training grounds had already been built. After the apocalypse, through extensive renovation and expansion using materials like color steel plates and timber, dense temporary housing and functional buildings were constructed, expanding the actual building area to over twenty square kilometers. From a distance, it looked like a massive city of steel and wood nestled against the mountains and water.

The motorcade slowly drove through the residential area. The houses here were mostly wooden structures and color steel houses, interspersed with a small number of preserved brick-and-tile houses. Although simple, they were neatly arranged, and the streets were swept clean.

At this time, most of the residents had been organized and assigned to various posts: some were reinforcing the wall fortifications, some were sowing seeds in the reclaimed fields, some were repairing machinery, and others were receiving basic military training... Everything was in good order, busy but not chaotic.

Zhang Lei carefully observed the faces of the people. Although most looked tired and sallow, there was still life in their eyes, and their physical condition was acceptable. Clearly, Hongdu Base had achieved relative fairness in food distribution and maintained basic survival needs, which was much better than some provinces and cities that were extremely short of food.

Subsequently, the group visited the production area located by the river. Large tracts of land had been opened up here, planted with various short-cycle vegetables like bok choy and lettuce, as well as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and millet as supplementary staples. Although the yield was limited, the effort to persist in production during the apocalypse itself represented hope.

“For Hongdu Base to be able to restore production, stabilize order, and manage things so methodically in such a short time—Governor Wu, General Lu, and everyone present, you have all done a great job. I, Zhang Lei, am impressed.” Zhang Lei nodded in sincere praise as he looked at the scene full of vitality. This was no easy feat; it required strong organizational skills and leadership courage.

“Thank you for the praise, Comrade Zhang Lei! This is all part of our duty, not worth mentioning, not worth mentioning!” A happy smile blossomed on Wu Changming's face. To receive affirmation from this 'ice fire divine lord' was undoubtedly the greatest recognition of his and his team's work.

“Comrade Zhang Lei, next, let’s go see the army of our Hongdu Base!” Lu Qinian made the suggestion at the right time, his tone carrying a trace of subtle tension and expectation.

“Alright, I’ve been wanting to see the style of the Hero City's troops.” Zhang Lei agreed readily, then asked seemingly casually, “General Lu, if I may ask, what is the current organization and equipment status of your army?”

Lu Qinian pondered for a moment, knowing that hiding anything from this expert was meaningless, so he spoke frankly: “To be honest with you, Comrade Zhang Lei, the combat troops in my military district that can be considered full-strength units currently number about 20,000. They are mainly organized into an armored brigade, a mechanized infantry brigade, and a special operations brigade. Among them, there are about 500 Evolvers, and the Third-Tier Masters are these two, Yang Kang and Wang Dun. Our air power mainly consists of over seventy helicopters from the Wood Element Ability brigade, of which over twenty are attack helicopters; others have been modified and also possess some combat capability.” His words carried a hint of helplessness. The so-called “armored brigade” and “mechanized infantry brigade” likely had equipment levels that couldn't even match a standard regiment of the Red Alert Legion; they were more like nominal organizations. The special operations brigade was likely just ordinary infantry equipped with civilian vehicles, and while the number of helicopters was okay, the proportion of combat-capable attack helicopters was very small, with most being original transport helicopters for moving troops.

Zhang Lei understood and nodded slightly: “It seems your army is indeed very short of heavy equipment and high-end weapons.” With one sentence, he exposed the reality of the Hongdu army being strong on the outside but weak on the inside.

An awkward smile appeared on Lu Qinian's face. In the face of true strength, any bluster appeared hollow.

Zhang Lei looked at Lu Qinian with a sincere gaze and threw out the proposal he had been preparing for a long time: “General Lu, if my department is willing to provide a full set of modern equipment for your army and help you reorganize and re-equip, what would you think?”

It’s coming! Lu Qinian's heart jolted. He knew this was an unavoidable part of the integration process and the key to the future development of Hongdu Base. He took a deep breath, tried to remain calm, and asked the core question directly: “I wonder... how many unit designations can Comrade Zhang Lei give our Hongdu Base?”

Zhang Lei held up one finger, his tone steady but carrying an unquestionable weight: “The designation of one full division. According to the standards of the National Government's elite Heavy Combined Arms Brigade, we will equip one of your main brigades. The other two brigades will be equipped with firepower according to standard combined arms brigade configurations. The preliminary plan is to provide at least 160 main battle tanks of various types, and a corresponding number of artillery, infantry fighting vehicles, and armored personnel carriers. Support fire such as attack helicopters and rocket launchers will also be allocated proportionally.”

“Hiss...!!!” Lu Qinian felt his heart skip a beat, and his breathing became rapid. This condition far exceeded his most optimistic estimates! An elite Heavy Combined Arms Brigade at full strength would likely have combat power far exceeding his entire current military district! This wasn't just equipment; it was a guarantee of status and the future!

Seeing the shock and excitement that Lu Qinian could not hide, Zhang Lei smiled slightly, knowing this “reassurance” had a significant effect. He shifted the topic at the right time, leaving space for the old general to think: “Haha, General Lu, we can discuss the specific details later. For now, let’s go see the high morale of the Hongdu soldiers first!”

“Good! Good! Comrade Zhang Lei, this way please!” Lu Qinian forcibly suppressed the waves in his heart and hurriedly led the way, but his mind had already begun to rapidly calculate this unprecedented opportunity and the earth-shaking changes that Hongdu Base was about to undergo.