After they finalized their cooperation, Elder Wang also granted Xu Fan a special privilege.
He could use the military procurement channels of Xia Nation's research bases.
Whatever materials he needed, he could tell Tong Yao directly and have her coordinate.
Materials acquired through this channel would cost him nothing. The nation would foot the bill.
Xu Fan's eyes immediately shone even brighter. This was practically a business with no overhead.
As expected of the national team-so filthy rich it was inhuman!
The only requirement was that they visit Xu Fan's research and manufacturing workshop in a couple of days.
Xu Fan agreed without a second thought. The customer was God.
After grabbing a meal at the research base and exchanging contact information with everyone, Xu Fan left the base around noon.
He returned once again to his abandoned factory.
Looking at the familiar surroundings before him.
A smile curved Xu Fan's lips.
Crimson Sky No. 1 would arrive that evening. He had to procure materials first.
Certain special materials required for the beam weapons and the Dragoon System were controlled, which was also why he had not installed them before.
He sent Tong Yao a densely packed list of materials.
She immediately said it was no problem. Most of the materials could arrive within an hour.
Xu Fan replied, "666."
At the Southern Military Region's division headquarters.
As soon as Li Guozhong returned, the military exercise mobilization meeting, which had long been prepared, began.
Inside an auditorium that could hold a thousand people.
Every seat was filled. Almost everyone with rank insignia on their shoulders had arrived.
Li Guozhong entered through the main entrance with his guard.
Everyone stood and applauded!
Whoosh-
The enthusiastic applause surged like waves overturning mountains and seas, each wave higher than the last.
Seeing the excitement and enthusiasm on his subordinates' faces, Li Guozhong felt the burden on his shoulders grow inexplicably heavier.
In the previous Southeast military exercises.
The Southern Military Region had lost to the Eastern Military Region three times in a row.
Those three defeats had left the officers and soldiers of all eight modern armored combined arms divisions in the Southern Military Region unable to hold their heads high.
Whenever the division commanders went to meetings at the Southeast Joint Military Headquarters, the other side would use this to needle them with barbed remarks.
Never mind the rest. Old Kong's smug face alone was just too fucking arrogant!
This time, the exercise assignment had fallen to Li Guozhong's new-model marine armored combined arms division.
Li Guozhong carried the hopes of eight divisions and more than eighty thousand people in the Southern Military Region.
They could not lose again. Another loss would leave them too ashamed to face anyone.
Soldiers.
They could bleed. They could die.
But they could not lose!
Li Guozhong listened to the sustained applause ringing in his ears.
He knew the soldiers trusted him from the bottom of their hearts.
He could see their longing for victory in this military exercise in their clear eyes.
Li Guozhong took the division headquarters' operations staff officers onto the stage.
Facing all the officers in the hall.
He raised his hand slightly, signaling for the applause to stop.
Then he spoke into the microphone in a ringing voice.
"Soldiers, the military exercise begins in two days."
"The scenario this time is different from previous exercises. This is an urban assault battle, and we will play the defenders, the Blue Force."
"The exercise venue has been set at the newly completed Southeast Military Exercise Base."
"..."
"We have already suffered three consecutive defeats!"
"The Southern Military Region shares honor and disgrace. As soldiers of the 8th Marine Armored Combined Arms Division, we have endured three utter humiliations!"
"This time, we will take back the honor we lost."
"When we meet on a narrow road, the brave will prevail!"
"We would rather advance one step and die than retreat one step and live!"
"In this exercise, our Blue Force will win!"
"Are you confident?!"
As Li Guozhong's voice fell, the more than one thousand people present raised their arms and roared.
"Yes!"
"The Blue Force will win!"
"The Blue Force will win!!"
"..."
Their shouts shook the heavens, almost lifting the auditorium's roof.
Everyone's blood boiled. Their eyes were resolute, a fierce determination pent up inside them.
Why should the Eastern Military Region have won all three times!
This time, their 8th Marine Division would snatch back the face the Southern Military Region had lost.
They could not lose.
If they lost, the 8th Marine Division would be the sinners of the Southern Military Region!
After several others finished their speeches.
The mobilization meeting concluded successfully.
Li Guozhong took the staff department personnel and the brigade- and regiment-level officers to the division headquarters' operations conference room.
Although their slogans had shaken the heavens, several staff officers looked far from cheerful.
"Staff Officer Yang, you're an expert in urban assault warfare. Why don't you speak first?"
"Division Commander, I'm not trying to bolster someone else's morale and diminish our own, but our luck this time is just rotten!" The thin Staff Officer Yang gently pushed up his glasses, his face drooping.
"Why? Explain yourself." Li Guozhong frowned.
"In this exercise, the Red Force is the Eastern Military Region's Third Mechanized Infantry Division. They've worked with the Eastern Research Institute to produce a new type of exoskeleton armor that's particularly suited to urban assault warfare!"
Staff Officer Yang shook his head and sighed.
"As far as I know, they've already mass-produced more than a hundred units of that exoskeleton armor. Defending against those things among high-rises will be extremely difficult!"
"Exactly. Sending our tanks into a city to fight street battles is far too impractical! And we actually drew the defending side this time. What rotten luck!"
Brigade Commander Xu, beside him, clenched his fists and voiced his feelings.
After the two finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.
The atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.
Only the two men who had previously accompanied Li Guozhong to the research base remained expressionless. When they heard about the exoskeleton armor, a hint of disdain even appeared in their eyes.
Li Guozhong's expression had remained utterly calm throughout.
Seeing that no one else was speaking.
Li Guozhong suddenly said.
"Gentlemen, the battle hasn't even started, and you're already afraid?"
"Division Commander, we're not afraid. Our luck is just terrible, and their exoskeleton armor really does sound frightening."
Staff Officer Yang gritted his teeth.
"If we had exoskeleton armor too, why would we be afraid of them!"
"Staff Officer Yang!"
With his hands behind his back, Li Guozhong walked over to Staff Officer Yang and said meaningfully.
"They have exoskeleton armor. Do you think we wouldn't have a secret weapon?"
"??"
Staff Officer Yang's eyes suddenly lit up.
The staff officers, brigade commanders, regimental commanders, and others beside him also abruptly turned toward Li Guozhong.
Li Guozhong did not continue that line of conversation. Instead, he suddenly straightened and spoke solemnly.
"This operation is special. I've already drawn up the battle plan. To prevent leaks, I will issue combat assignments directly to each department just before the battle begins."
"The troops will move out early tomorrow morning and enter Southeast Military Exercise City!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Yes, sir!"
"..."
Everyone stood straight and saluted.
Yet the questions filling their eyes had not diminished. Just what medicine was their division commander selling in his gourd!
He seemed very confident.
But what secret weapon could possibly contend with the enemy's hundred suits of exoskeleton armor?
They would have been better off not attending the meeting. Now they were even more confused.
Hopefully, the division commander had not conjured this secret weapon out of thin air just to reassure them!
Late at night.
Inside the abandoned factory in Zhonghai City.
Various materials were stacked by category all around.
Crimson Sky No. 1 stood farther away.
The Ultra-Deep Technology Workbench rumbled away.
Ten mechanical arms swung in a dazzling blur.
The clang of mechanical friction and impacts rose and fell with the sizzling of laser welding.
After upgrading to lv2, the workbench had become more refined and occupied more space.
It manufactured products considerably faster than the previous lv1 version.
Apart from costing Xu Fan 1,000 Technology Points, everything else left him quite satisfied.
The new mech he was making this time differed slightly in appearance and weaponry, and likewise consumed 900 Technology Points.
He had only 2,300 Technology Points left.
To fulfill his father's dying wish and build a deep-sea submersible, he still needed to earn at least another 5,000 Technology Points.
This military exercise was a good opportunity to harvest shock. There should be enough shock to convert into a massive number of Technology Points.
Xu Fan did not go home that night, making do with the small wooden bed in the storeroom.
Because Tong Yao had said the materials for manufacturing the laser weapons and the Dragoon System were on their way and might arrive right around midnight.
Xu Fan could only fall asleep to the rumbling of the Super God Technology Workbench.
At five the next morning, before the sky had fully brightened.
A crisp notification sounded.
[Crimson Sky No. 2 manufacturing complete]
Looking at the newly completed mech, Xu Fan's eyes sparkled with excitement.
An eagerness to give it a try rose in his heart.
How about taking it out for a spin before dawn?