Industrial Cthulhu doesn't believe in the end times.

Chapter 45 Red Sun No. 1

The first batch of 5,000 people stationed at the Taimeng base were selected from the best of the best from various regions and units. Based on Su Xun's intelligence, the think tank established a more suitable organizational structure for the new environment.

After the apocalypse, the survivors who emerge from this group will be renamed the Pioneer Corps, tasked with tasks such as exploring dangerous areas, rescuing trapped people, and protecting and guarding the base.

The name was chosen with reference to some of Su Xun's suggestions. In the more distant future, when many bases overseas finally have the capacity to explore the outside world, their teams will be called pioneers or trailblazers.

Su Xun was once a member of the pioneers. The connections between the major bases, or the relocation of some small bases, were often accomplished through their efforts.

Rather, it is these people who, in a dark apocalypse, have continuously expanded safe territories for human civilization.

Of course, this stage will arrive earlier and on a larger scale now. With Su Xun's efforts, they will have more manpower to devote to this work, and if they have the capacity, they will even participate in some of the production work within the base.

At the Taimon base, these people will be led by Qin Chang, who is also on the list of survivors and directed the base's reconstruction and construction. The superhumans who appear later will be under the command of Su Xun.

"Comrade Qin, we'll have to work together well from now on." Su Xun smiled and shook hands with Qin Chang. The man was about fifty years old, not tall but strong and muscular, his clothes bulging like rocks.

Qin Chang in his previous life did not operate in this area. Su Xun only knew that he was an ordinary person who gradually became extraordinary, and he did not know much about him.

But the fact that he has managed to do this and has gone a considerable distance on the path to the extraordinary is enough to prove the strength of his perseverance and conviction.

When at work, Qin Chang is a very serious person, and Su Xun doesn't exchange many pleasantries with him: "Come on, let's go take a look at our base vehicle. In the future, many of our tactics will need to revolve around this thing, so let's familiarize ourselves with it in advance."

The two arrived at a ground-level parking lot, where two enormous vehicles were parked. Su Xun had requested the factory to manufacture some simplified versions of the base vehicles, smaller in size, according to different needs. As a regional hub, Taimon Base was allocated two unmodified versions.

The finished products of these two base vehicles were not much different from the prototypes that Su Xun had seen, but the genuine heavy armor made the whole vehicle look more majestic and imposing.

A car that is 20 meters long, 7 meters wide, and about 7 meters high, makes you feel like you are approaching a mountain when you get close to it.

There were quite a few people gathered around the two vehicles, exchanging ideas and discussing. They were the engineers and drivers who had come with the vehicles. These people would be stationed at the base, and each location equipped with these vehicles would have at least fifty people on standby to ensure that the vehicles could be put into operation as soon as possible after the apocalypse.

As far as the eye can see, almost everyone is accompanied by an apprentice, and these engineers are working hard to pass on the skills they have mastered to them.

Ultimately, apart from those on Su Xun's list, no one dared to guarantee they wouldn't die. In fact, death was a fairly high probability event. Su Xun didn't know what kind of internal struggle these people had gone through, but it seemed they had accepted this reality.

Spreading knowledge to more people is a necessary but unavoidable safety measure in this situation.

Seeing the two leaders approach, many people stopped and saluted. Su Xun and Qin Chang waved to them, telling them not to pay attention to them. They went around to the side to observe the two ships—or rather, the two land cruisers.

The military green body of the vehicle has been painted with some patterns. Due to the large size of the vehicle, there are quite a few patterns, mostly portraits or silhouettes of people from the past, as well as emblems such as the red flag.

Even Qin Chang, standing beneath these two colossal vehicles, couldn't help but be awestruck. He hadn't been involved in this kind of work before, and this was the first time he'd seen such a thing. He asked, "Does this vehicle have a name? I mean, a specific name." Su Xun gently stroked the vehicle, his face filled with emotion, "We call this model 'Red Sun.' It's one of the most tangible achievements of Project Chasing the Sun. We hope that when the survivors trapped in the wasteland see it, it will be like seeing the red sun dispelling the darkness, bringing them warmth and hope."

“Each vehicle may have a unique name, but we haven’t chosen one yet. The two that were first produced have been assigned to us, and we’ll call them Red Sun No. 1 and Red Sun No. 2 for now.”

Qin Chang nodded and suggested, "The names after number two can be decided later. Let's call number one 'Red Sun No. 1'. I think that's a good name."

Su Xun clapped his hands and said, "Okay."

"Let's go up and take a look, and study the specific battle tactics!"

The two boarded the Red Sun No. 1 base vehicle. The structure inside was not much different from the prototype vehicle that Su Xun had visited before, with only some minor adjustments. Therefore, it was his turn to introduce it to Qin Chang this time.

"In short, this is a mobile integrated supply center that combines medical care, maintenance, and defense. As we advance into the wasteland, it can serve as a reliable support for our side on the battlefield."

"With the help of the base vehicle's work station, nearby armored vehicles can be given more thorough maintenance and repair."

"Using this as the core, along with tanks, armored vehicles, and infantry, a pioneering team of one hundred people can be formed."

Walking up the stairs inside the carriage to the roof, you can find a relatively safe observation platform, as well as four remote weapon stations equipped with heavy machine guns and grenade launchers. These stations provide powerful fire support for the battlefield and also offer some degree of air defense.

The weapon station uses a simple and reliable electric motor drive, so there is no concern that it will be unusable in the apocalypse.

"I remember that sentry machine guns were also set up around our base?"

"It's not exactly a sentry machine gun; it's just something that can be operated by a person inside a safe fortress. This kind of thing is useless in human-to-human warfare, but it's perfectly adequate for defending against zombies."

As Qin Chang answered Su Xun's question, he also pondered the combat mode proposed by Su Xun.

"No wonder some people call this kind of vehicle a land cruiser. This kind of formation is like a fleet that has been moved to land, a ground combat group with cruisers at its core!"

Su Xun nodded and said, "Actually, calling it a cruiser isn't quite right. It should be called a supply ship. If it's full of superhumans, then you could call it a land-based aircraft carrier."

Qin Chang shook his head and chuckled.

Just like sentry machine guns, such large units appearing on human battlefields would likely only be bombed, and any villager could easily take them down with a cannon. But zombies don't even know how to lay landmines, let alone conduct systematic warfare.

For a considerable period of time to come, these massive base vehicles will remain a core piece of heavy equipment for the pioneering legions, until a high-level supernatural being emerges capable of destroying them.

(End of this chapter)