Chapter 108: Goba Xiaof Is Still Alive

After Arne Boll returned to the basin base and reported the situation to Goba Xiaofu, Goba Xiaofu was overjoyed and immediately dispatched personnel to carry out the second phase of the plan.

This involved sending material aid to those primitive clans who had retreated, further expanding his influence. Even if these primitive clans did not pledge allegiance to him, the support would greatly assist future operations.

Meanwhile, Feng Qiwei and Wu Dong, who had helped the Shu Chuan Kingdom reclaim Wenshan and Hanjia counties, quickly brought Qian Yanei—who had been trembling in the rear camp throughout the previous campaign—to the front lines before the arrival of the Shu Chuan forces. They informed him that the enemies had been wiped out, finally calming his nerves after much effort.

Wu Dong then pulled Qian Yanei aside to coach him on how to handle questioning from Shu Chuan generals and others, ensuring that everyone would believe it was Qian Yanei himself who led the troops to recover the lost lands. He was even prepared to face inquiries from the imperial envoy.

Although Qian Yanei had previously tried every means to delay the envoy’s arrival, hoping to postpone it as long as possible, the envoy would not be held off much longer. Therefore, they had to prepare thoroughly so that Qian Yanei could manage the envoy’s interrogation and survive this ordeal.

In truth, Feng Qiwei was fully aware of everything Qian Yanei and Wu Dong were doing, and he detested it deeply. If it weren’t for the urgency of the war and the desire to avoid internal strife that could damage the unity of the greater cause, and since Wu Dong indeed possessed military talent, Feng Qiwei might have already disciplined Qian Yanei and his allies severely under military law.

However, at this moment, Feng Qiwei somewhat admired Wu Dong’s command abilities and planned to speak with him privately later, hoping he could break away from Qian Yanei’s faction.

By this time, the armies of the Daxing Kingdom had been setting out earlier than the Shu Chuan forces without notifying them. After capturing territory at a certain cost, they would wait for the Shu Chuan troops to arrive, hand over the land, and then move on to attack other regions.

But whatever Wu Dong did was always framed as being done on Qian Yanei’s orders to boost his prestige. Consequently, rumors spread throughout the Shu Chuan Kingdom about a Daxing general named Qian Gao, who was praised for his loyalty to the alliance and many victories, causing Qian Yanei’s prestige to soar unprecedentedly.

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At the joint industrial park established by Zhang Desen and others south of the Western Capital, bustling activity was everywhere. According to Zhang Desen’s design, the park had three lines of defense. As a crucial production base and a vital hub for reviving modern human civilization in this universe, Zhang Desen and his team took its security very seriously.

Except for the shipyard, which had to be located by the Qiantang River, all other facilities were within the triple defensive lines. Weapons currently comprised mostly of copies of existing models and finished products salvaged from the Tycho Crater left by the ancient superhumans. Since these were finite, reproducing these weapons became a critical task.

The first line of defense was a wall, half of which was fitted with gun slits resembling modern bunkers. The top of the wall was also equipped with anti-tank guns and anti-aircraft artillery.

Although humans in this universe were still in the cold weapon era, it made sense to install such defenses ahead of time since the ancient superhumans left ample stockpiles.

The second line was a higher wall, which reflected Zhang Desen’s fascination with fortifications. Although a modern soldier, he had a strong affinity for walls, particularly given the current situation. In addition to sharing the first line’s features, the second line had numerous large artillery batteries behind it, primarily for long-range firepower.

These guns closely resembled the renowned Krupp artillery from Zhang Desen’s original German universe during World War I. Their barrels were as large as plates, and although the use of powder charges without shells slowed the firing rate, their destructive power was immense.

Moreover, the technology of these guns was similar to the weapons of World War I in Zhang Desen’s original universe, which facilitated the local craftsmen’s gradual learning process. Despite the abundant technical documents and equipment left by the ancient superhumans, relearning still required time.

Therefore, employing as many weapons akin to those from World War I as possible ensured that the Liu family’s artisans could rapidly replicate them based on the available data, guaranteeing sufficient material supply rather than empty promises.

Behind the third line of defense, radar systems and missile installations left by the ancient superhumans were deployed. Given the threats of ancient superhuman monsters and Atlanteans, these systems were vital. Normally kept unused, they were to be activated immediately if reconnaissance planes from these enemies appeared, in order to shoot them down as early as possible and prevent the enemy from fully understanding the industrial park’s situation.

Regarding the enormous Terran satellite from the Ormei Empire orbiting high above, Zhang Desen had uploaded a program through the onboard data collection device. This software caused the satellite to ignore the current industrial park in its photos and instead display the area as it looked before the park’s construction, minimizing the chance of detection by the ancient superhuman monsters.

It is especially important to note that Zhang Desen and his team reserved land beyond the third line of defense for the future construction of three air force bases. Once the industrial park was finished, everything would change significantly.

Additionally, the industrial park featured deep wells ensuring a steady water supply. Its land area was comparable to a modern metropolis in Zhang Desen’s original universe. The ability to acquire such extensive land was also due to the Daxing Kingdom’s notably low land prices in this universe.

Zhang Desen believed that once all infrastructure was completed, the industrial park would visually resemble a modern city from the outside, forming a stark contrast with the ancient city of the Western Capital to its north, as if two different worlds existed side by side.

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At present, some machinery and equipment in the industrial park had already begun manufacturing copies of firearms like the Hanyang rifle. Since the Daxing Kingdom’s army did not highly regard these weapons yet, the supplies were mainly for the Zhang and Liu family troops’ personal use.

These machines also produced cold weapons such as swords, bows, crossbows, arrows, as well as homemade cannons and even primitive muskets, which were then sold to the armies of the Daxing Kingdom and its allies.

Simultaneously, various civilian goods were mass-produced—textiles, cookware, rice mills, oil presses, and the like. These products were not only low-cost but also far superior in quality to all competitors of the Liu family trading company, enhancing their market competitiveness.

Because Liu family products cost less to produce, their prices were lower, increasing their appeal and causing their original competitors to lose significant market share, often without understanding why.

Soon, other Liu family industries would also gradually adopt these new production methods, much to Liu Yuanwai’s delight, who felt even prouder and more satisfied.

However, Zhang Chengwei was growing anxious. Seeing the skilled artisans’ creations reaching places like the moon disturbed him deeply, as such feats seemed godlike in his memory.

He was thus eager to have Zhang Desen formally marry Liu Yuting as his legitimate wife, fearing that any delay might lead to complications. He had already begun preparing the bride price and arranging the proposal, though Zhang Desen and others remained unaware of Zhang Chengwei’s inner turmoil.

...

Meanwhile, at the Ormei Empire’s grassland base, Kaba Dul returned and began reporting the events he encountered to Yuri Gottne.

After hearing the report, Yuri Gottne asked, “My friend, do you think Goba Xiaofu is dead?”

Kaba Dul was taken aback. “My supreme leader, are you saying that the troops attacking us this time belong to Goba Xiaofu? That’s impossible!”

Yuri Gottne glanced at him and continued, “Do you notice any differences between the enemy’s technology and ours?”

Kaba Dul paused and recalled carefully. The more he thought, the more familiar it seemed, causing a slight shiver of apprehension.

“My supreme leader, the attacking fighters resemble the Phantom Star 1 space fighter that was developed before but ultimately had its development halted.”

Yuri Gottne calmly asked, “Are you certain?”

“Absolutely, one hundred percent.”

At that, Kaba Dul produced previous aerial photographs and handed them to Yuri Gottne. “Please take a look, supreme leader.”

After examining them, Yuri Gottne said calmly, “Indeed, he’s still alive and truly never gave up. Now he’s showing himself again. Do you remember the circumstances back then?”

Kaba Dul replied, “I remember that during its development, this fighter suffered from oxygen supply shortages, and pilots endured internal injuries from excessive gravitational overload at high speeds…”

Yuri Gottne added, “Yes, some test pilots even died because of this, so nearly everyone demanded the project be stopped. Only Goba Xiaofu insisted on continuing the development.”

Kaba Dul continued, “He argued that it was a new multifunctional space fighter, excellent in close combat, long-range strikes, and electronic warfare. The flaws could be fixed with some improvements. However, due to resource shortages, the project was still cancelled.”

Yuri Gottne nodded. “Unexpectedly, he never gave up and continued development secretly. Indeed, the resource supply at the Mountain Base he managed was the best among our bases.”

Just as Kaba Dul was about to speak further, Yuri Gottne waved him off. “No need to say more. You should still recall the general direction they flew afterward, right?”

Kaba Dul responded, “Yes, the radar system recorded their flight path.”

“Good. Use any means—recon planes, satellites—whatever you have to find Goba Xiaofu’s whereabouts as soon as possible. After your mission, bring Dadu Kur here.”

Kaba Dul immediately replied, “Understood!”