Apocalypse Rebirth: 3000 million won at the beginning

Clang, clang—

On the SX-1 train, Xiao Hu and his companions embarked on their journey once again.

Xiao Hu had previously been in charge of the train lines between the North and Oil City, and this was the first time he had taken a train to the Northwest.

He had previously traveled to the Northwest with Zuo Ruxue for road transport.

I know this area is sparsely populated and has many overpasses.

It was three in the morning, and Xiao Hu was still wide awake, so he went to the locomotive to chat with the driver.

The train driver in charge of the transportation route between the oil city and the northwest is named Xie Kui. He used to be a low-level employee under the rule of the big boss, but he worked as a train driver before the apocalypse.

Seeing his good performance, the Ministry of the Interior promoted him to be a driver on this train line.

"Captain Xiao, you're still awake?" Xie Kui asked curiously as Xiao Hu walked in.

Xiao Hu nodded and said:
"I can't sleep, so I'll chat with you."

"I heard you used to work at the Zhangye Agricultural and Livestock Base?"

Xie Kui replied:
"Yes, I used to work in animal husbandry at the Zhangye Agricultural and Livestock Base. Later, I was appreciated by Captain He Liangwei, who recommended me to the transportation department."

"What do you think of the big camphor tree?" Xiao Hu asked.

Xie Kui became excited when he heard him ask this question.

"That's much better than before. Under the old boss's rule, we never even had enough to eat."

Time flew by, and twenty hours later...

The train arrived at the Wuyuanshan base.

Crunch, crunch—

Wuyuanshan Base opened the train's entrance gate a few minutes before the train arrived.

A few minutes later, the kilometer-long train suddenly entered the city.

Because Wuyuan Mountain is relatively small, the train tracks within the city were built along the walls, and it took a half-circle to bring the more than 1,000-meter-long train into the city.

After the train came to a stop.

Xie Kui and Xiao Hu got off the train and smoked on the platform.

The train bound for the Northwest only made temporary stops at Wuyuan Mountain and Zhangye Agricultural and Livestock Base to unload supplies before finally reaching the Yumen Oilfield.

Since Xiao Hu and his group were only hitchhiking along the way, they had to stop and wait until the train's supplies were unloaded before continuing northwest.

"Captain Xiao, you'll probably have to wait about two hours. We won't continue heading towards Zhangye until then," Xie Kui said, taking a puff of the cigarette Xiao Hu had offered him.

Through this journey, Xiao Hu also learned that Xie Kui had settled his family at the Zhangye Agricultural and Livestock Base.

asked:

Have you ever been to Qinghai Lake?

Xie Kui shook his head and said:
"I've never been there, but I've always wanted to."

When he heard that he hadn't been there, Xiao Hu didn't bother to ask any more questions.

Xiao Hu had never been to Qinghai and didn't know much about the area.

As they were talking, Xiao Hu caught a glimpse of Meng Zi, the garrison supervisor at Wuyuan Mountain, approaching and waving at him from afar.

Mengzi.
An old acquaintance.

He is the captain of the 23rd Detachment of the Civil Armed Forces Department of the Military Department, and is currently stationed in Wuyuan Mountain to be responsible for the city's defense.

"Brother Xiao." Meng Zi walked over and called out enthusiastically.

Xiao Hu smiled. Meng Zi had worked under him for a while before.

"You've gained quite a bit of weight, kid," Xiao Hu said with a laugh.

Meng Zi chuckled, scratched his head, and said:

"Brother Tiger is on his way to carry out a mission. I received a message from Director Luo saying that you and Sister Xue will be passing through here. I thought I'd come and see you since we haven't seen each other for so long."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Hu sighed and said:

"It's been almost a year since we last saw each other, hasn't it? I remember you were rotated to Zhangye once, and now you're back in Wuyuan Mountain?"

"Yes, where's Sister Xue?" Meng Zi looked around but didn't see Zuo Ruxue, so he asked.

"She's probably still in the car. I'll call her down for you."

As he spoke, he picked up the walkie-talkie and contacted Zuo Ruxue.

"Old Zuo, Meng Zi is here. Say hello."

A moment later, Zuo Ruxue got out of the car.

Upon seeing Mengzi, he said, "Mengzi, why have you gotten so fat?"

Meng Zi's face darkened. "Sister Xue, Brother Hu just said the same thing."

"Hahaha." Xiao Hu laughed.

Meng Zi looked at them and asked, "Why don't we go up the mountain to sit for a while?"

Zuo Ruxue shook her head and said, "No need, we still have a mission. In another hour or so, we'll set off on the train."

"So rushed! What's the mission this time?"

After pondering for a moment, Zuo Ruxue replied:
"Secret mission."

"Oh, I understand, I understand." Meng Zi coughed twice, then changed the subject.

When acquaintances meet, they naturally exchange pleasantries.

Two hours passed quickly.

Xiao Hu and the others returned to the car, and the train departed again.

Xiao Hu didn't like staying in the crew cabin; he preferred to stay in the cockpit.

Xie Kui was somewhat surprised when he recalled how familiar Xiao Hu and Meng Zi had seemed earlier.

Meng Zi is, after all, the person in charge of city defense for a base, yet he still shows such respect to Xiao Hu.

It seems that Xiao Hu holds a very high position in Da Da Zhang Shu.

Just as he had guessed, Xiao Hu and Zuo Ruxue were among the first group of partners to join the Big Camphor Tree project, and they were quite senior.

They had served in the Minwu Brigade, and Xiao Hu was the first captain of the Minwu Brigade.

They also worked in the road transport sector and later in the railway transport sector.

Over the years, he has been running around several bases, and occasionally he will help people carry things or something. He has a very rich network of contacts.

"Brother Tiger, are you quite familiar with that Captain Mengzi?" Xie Kui asked.

"Not bad," Xiao Hu replied lazily, lying on a cot.

After hesitating for a moment, Xie Kui said:

"Brother Tiger, could I ask you for a favor?"

"What's up?" Xiao Hu raised an eyebrow and glanced at Xie Kui.

Xie Kui said cautiously:
"Um, I have a cousin who has been wanting to join the reserve force of the militia brigade, but he's been stuck at the review stage and can't get through. Could you help me find out what's wrong with him?"

Xiao Hu sat up and asked:

“Now, the selection of reserve personnel by the Civil Armed Forces Department has a unified standard for assessment. Does he meet the physical fitness and comprehensive ability test standards?”

"I met the requirements, but I'm stuck on the political review. I've tried many times."

"Did he hold any important positions during the reign of the powerful leader? Did he work in the military?"

"I have never held an important position, but I have served in the artillery in the military."

Xiao Hu pondered for a moment, "That doesn't make sense either. These bases in the Northwest have been incorporated into the Big Camphor Tree for three years, and you've been able to work in the transportation department. Logically speaking, your cousin isn't even a core member of the big boss's inner circle, so there shouldn't be any major problems, right?"

"By the way, are you married and have children?"

"Yes, they are all at the Zhangye Agricultural and Livestock Base."

Where is your cousin?

"No."

"Let him find a wife, have a child, and then give it another try."

Upon hearing Xiao Hu's words, Xie Kui suddenly understood.

The early big boss's loyalists and his inner circle were all killed, but after so much time, the few thousand people who remained might still cause Big Camphor Tree some concern.

Therefore, in some important departments, the government will still select people with whom they have connections, as this makes them easier to control.

Seeing Xie Kui remain silent, Xiao Hu said:
"Don't overthink it. Things are different now than before. Important departments like transportation and military departments have stricter political vetting. It's not just your cousin; other base militia reserves also have this consideration."

Marriages with children have a higher success rate in getting approved.

"Understood, thank you for the guidance, Brother Tiger," Xie Kui said sincerely.

Xiao Hu sighed and said:

"It's quite difficult to get into the reserve force of the militia now. If the army had expanded around last year, your cousin might have had a higher chance of passing the selection process if he had gotten married earlier."

The competition is quite fierce now.

Xie Kui was aware of this, but he was still grateful to Xiao Hu for clearing up his doubts.

Otherwise, he and his cousin would always have a thorn in their side, worrying that the big camphor tree might be hostile to them, the original people from the Northwest.
More than ten hours have passed.

The train finally arrived at the Zhangye Agricultural and Livestock Base. He Liangwei, the person in charge of Zhangye, came to greet it personally.

The armored caravans and transport vehicles on the train were unloaded.

"Captain Zuo, Captain Xiao, when do you plan to go to Qinghai Lake?" He Liangwei asked.

Zuo Ruxue replied:

"Rest for one night, then set off again tomorrow."

He Liangwei nodded in understanding. After all, Zuo Ruxue and the others had traveled from the headquarters base, taking a train for dozens of hours, and it wasn't easy to rest on the train.

So he said:

"Okay, I've arranged accommodations for you. I'll take you there in a bit."

"Okay, thank you for your help," Zuo Ruxue said gratefully.

He Liangwei waved his hand, "It's what I should do. By the way, I've made arrangements for your meal. Shall we go grab something to eat now?"

Zuo Ruxue and Xiao Hu exchanged a glance, understanding each other's meaning from their eyes.

Xiao Hu nodded and said:
"That's great, let's go!"

The dinner table.

He Liangwei asked Zheng Hanbing and Wei Yun to come and keep him company.

Zheng Hanbing is currently in charge of planting at the Zhangye agricultural and livestock base, while Wei Yun is in charge of animal husbandry.

Xiao Hu and Zuo Ruxue did not drink alcohol, citing the mission as their reason.

The food at the Northwest Base is indeed quite good.

Currently, over 60% of the meat in Dazhangshu is supplied by the Zhangye Agricultural and Livestock Base.

After dinner, Xiao Hu and Zuo Ruxue washed up and rested early in preparation for their mission the next day.

After sitting on the train for dozens of hours, they slept soundly until nine o'clock the next morning.

The next day.

They set off from the Zhangye agricultural and pastoral base with their convoy, heading towards the neighboring province of Qinghai.

They drove south along National Highway 227.

The vehicles are equipped with devices such as infrared thermal imagers, so they can drive even in sea fog.

However, the speed remained below 30 kilometers per hour.

Inside the car, Wang Chunqi looked at Xiao Hu and asked:

"Captain, we're approaching the Qilian Mountains. The altitude will continue to rise. Should we notify the brothers to prepare their oxygen masks?"

"Okay, pass the notification on." Xiao Hu nodded.

As the vehicle traveled, the altitude they were at increased.

The Qilian Mountains they passed through were not a single peak, but a vast mountain system composed of dozens of parallel mountain ranges and wide valleys.

The 227 highway they traveled along was mainly built along mountain passes and valleys.

In just five hours, they soared from an altitude of 1200 meters to a maximum altitude of 4500 meters.

Some members of the convoy experienced mild altitude sickness, but thanks to the oxygen masks and treatment from professional doctors, none of them had any major problems.

Especially when the altitude reaches above 4000 meters, almost everyone can feel it clearly.

However, the group of people who came out had already been tested back at the headquarters.

The test was conducted by inhaling a low-oxygen mixture to simulate an environment at an altitude of over 4000 meters, and by observing blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and the degree of headache and nausea.

Only those who pass the test are eligible to participate in this mission.

Therefore, none of them experienced severe altitude sickness; only a few experienced mild altitude sickness.

As the altitude increases, the originally dense sea fog becomes increasingly thin.

Crunch, crunch—

As the vehicle drove through the valley, Xiao Hu looked out the window.

The once majestic mountains on both sides have been reduced to blurry, oppressive walls of shadow, appearing and disappearing in the rolling mist, jagged and menacing.

"Damn it, we can finally see things!" Xiao Hu exclaimed.

Although the view outside was still blurry, at least some things were now visible.

The cracked asphalt road surface here has been pushed open and arched by the wildly growing, strangely shaped plant roots, and is full of deep pits and gravel.

The road conditions were poor, and the vehicle shook violently while driving.

Slippery moss and ferns with charred brown spots covered the remaining road shoulders and rusted guardrail ruins.

Plant expert Fang Lei was also leaning against the window, looking at the scene outside, when he suddenly said to Xiao Hu:

"Captain Xiao, shall we stop here and test it out?"

Xiao Hu did not refuse and nodded, saying:

"Row."

The convoy then stopped.

Fang Lei got out of the car with two plant experts from the Ministry of Agriculture, and Xiao Hu also had his team members get out to help.

Looking at the dark green mutated plants all around him, Xiao Hu found it hard to believe that this was actually the Qilian Mountains.

In a place like this, there certainly wouldn't be so many plants before the apocalypse.

Now, thanks to the sea fog, the green environment has become surprisingly good.

Sizzle sizzle sizzle—

The surrounding area was filled with the sound of testing reagents being sprayed.

However, the results that appeared were all red.

Fang Lei was somewhat disappointed, but when he looked at all the red, he realized it was all deep red.

This indicates that the content of element D in this area should be very high.

Thinking of this, he took out the Di element detector and tested it in the air.

Drop drop-

A dozen seconds later, the detector sounded an alarm.

Plant expert Fang Lei stared in horror at the testing instrument.
"Holy crap! The concentration of Di element here is so high! It's 0.00008 Di per cubic meter."

"What's wrong?" Xiao Hu ran over when he heard his exclamation.

Fang Lei said excitedly:
"The concentration of ionosphere here is eight times that of the plains!"

He gazed ahead, his eyes filled with anticipation.

"According to the Yao experts' speculation, if we go to Chaka Salt Lake or Qinghai Lake, which are located in the plateau basin, the concentration of D2 elements will be higher, but there will be no sea fog."

As he spoke, his eyes lit up:
"I finally understand. The high altitude, dryness, and strong winds here can blow the sea fog into micro-dust of the D element, which actually makes the D element content in this place even higher."

The enclosed plateau basin ahead, with its closed topography, allows for the deposition of micro-dust containing D-elements without diffusion, creating a high probability of forming mutant crops with D-fixed proteins.

"Get in the car, let's get there quickly!"

Seeing Fang Lei's excitement, Xiao Hu was speechless. How many times had it happened? He always reacted with such surprise.

Fang Lei said similar things many times when they came out last time.

He's immune to the story of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf".

But he still picked up the walkie-talkie and told his men to get in the car immediately.

Everyone quickly stopped the spraying test and got into the car.

After passing through Sujitan Township on National Highway 227, turn onto Panda Highway, and then onto Gaxiao Highway.

The road was flanked by canyons or deserts, but these canyons and deserts were different from the pre-apocalyptic landscape, with some plants growing sparsely.

As the vehicle moved, the sea fog appeared to thin out, but the D-element tester revealed that the D-element content in the air was increasing.

Especially in some windy and low-lying areas, the concentration of D-elements in the air can be up to fifteen times higher than that in plains.

In the car.

Fang Lei was extremely excited and said to Xiao Hu:

"Captain Xiao, we've most likely come to the right place. Our previous thinking was wrong. The Di solidified protein wasn't born in the coastal area where the Di element is most turbulent!"
Instead, it's in a relatively dry place where the Di element can reach.

The only places where Di-fixed proteins can actually grow are those high-altitude basin areas where sea fog cannot reach, but where Di elements can fall.

I'm confident we'll find it!

Xiao Hu glanced at him and replied in agreement:
"Wow, I'm so excited!"

"You don't seem very excited," Fang Lei remarked.

Xiao Hu opened his mouth, "I'm very excited."

He wanted to get excited, but he was worried that if it didn't work out later, he would feel terrible.

After searching for so long, hope has become a luxury, and disappointment has become a habit.

(End of this chapter)