"Ruins of a controllable fusion reactor were discovered in Xizhou City?"
When Yin Fang heard the news from Chu Guang, astonishment immediately surfaced on his face.
Chu Guang nodded. "We have already secured the relevant informant as well as the reactor's approximate location. The intelligence is very likely reliable."
Suppressing his surprise, Yin Fang pondered for a moment before speaking. "... A backup reactor for the subterranean transit network. That certainly is sensational news. But even if it's an intact fusion reactor, it hasn't been fired up for over two centuries. Trying to repair it... probably won't be an easy feat.
"And what's more, how do you plan to solve the most critical problem: the fuel?"
Conventional fusion reactors were fundamentally different from the ones housed in vaults. This difference manifested not merely in fuel rod dimensions, but even more so in the entire installation's underlying design philosophy.
One served as a backup for public infrastructure, while the other was the energy core of a permanent fortification. The former pursued energy efficiency, whereas the latter prioritized endurance.
Even after a shutdown of over a century—or even two—a vault's reactor could still be restarted once fresh fuel rods were inserted.
Conventional reactors, on the other hand...
Most would likely fail to restart properly after being shut down for just several decades.
Aside from restarting the reactor, there was an even more critical issue: reactor fuel.
Eighty percent of the controllable fusion reactors across the Human Alliance's lands utilized third-generation controllable fusion technology, whose reaction process and byproducts were completely safe—namely, fusion reactions utilizing two Helium-3 nuclei. While releasing enormous amounts of energy, this process produced zero neutrons.
Yet the problem was...
To mine Helium-3 on a large scale, there were only two options.
Either go to Mercury, or go to the Moon.
Neither was particularly realistic for the current New Alliance.
Having heard Yin Fang's concerns, Chu Guang thought it over for a moment, then said, "You don't need to worry about the reactor repairs. According to intelligence gathered from the front line, Vault 101 in Xizhou City previously undertook repair work on that reactor. Clearly, those vault dwellers possess the relevant technology to fix it... or they are experts in the field themselves."
Yin Fang nodded. "That inference is reasonable."
Pausing briefly, Chu Guang continued, "For the same reason, there's no need to worry excessively about the fuel. Since they deemed it necessary to repair the reactor, they have most likely already obtained the fuel required to start it, or... at the very least, they know the coordinates where it's stored."
Yin Fang's eyes lit up. "Makes sense. If the fuel problem couldn't be resolved, repairing the reactor would be pointless. If I were in their shoes, I certainly wouldn't waste the effort either."
"So the key right now is to make contact with Vault 101," Chu Guang said, a smile unfolding across his face. "If we drive out the marauders in Xizhou City and properly resettle the local survivors, we should be able to earn their trust."
Although the blast door of Vault 101 had closed again, they would surely retain observational capabilities on the surface to determine when to open next.
It was just that the exact means of their observation remained unknown; circumstances differed vastly from vault to vault.
Just as Chu Guang was pondering what method to use to contact them, Yin Fang poured a bucket of cold water over the idea from the side.
"... That said, I think it's better if you don't get too optimistic."
Chu Guang looked at him. "Why?"
Yin Fang shrugged and continued, "Anyone who's dealt with blue jackets knows they're a stubborn, intractable bunch. If they conclude that current surface conditions aren't suitable for rebuilding civilization, they might just climb straight into their hibernation pods and lie flat until the next century before getting up to work again."
Seeming to realize that he had cast too wide a net with his criticism and caught his own boss in the collateral damage, Yin Fang hastily tacked on another sentence. "Of course, I don't mean you... You're an exception."
Hearing this, Chu Guang couldn't help but smile faintly.
"It's fine. Even if you included me, I wouldn't mind."
Pausing, he continued, "Being hard to communicate with is indeed a problem, but we have to try regardless."
After all, it was a controllable fusion reactor.
Even if the remaining fuel reserves could only last for twenty years, or even ten, it would save the New Alliance an enormous amount of development time.
The players from the old era and the blue jackets wielding core technologies could resolve some development bottlenecks in their respective fields of expertise.
Yet to achieve a true leapfrog victory, they ultimately had to rely on the heritage left behind by the Human Alliance.
Leaving the Scientific Expedition's office, Chu Guang took the elevator down to Floor B4 of the vault and sat down on the sofa in the browsing room.
Spending ten minutes at the terminal, Chu Guang drafted a document regarding the relief plan and issued instructions to the relevant departments.
"The first batch of relief supplies will consist primarily of food, medicine, and a small quantity of weapons. The airdrop operation will be carried out by the No. 81 Steel Mill's H-1 'Dragonfly' project team.
"In addition, the New Alliance will establish a temporary liaison office in Hope Town, Xizhou City, to handle population censuses, household registration, supply distribution, and survivor relief."
It was not just supplies; several administrators had to be airdropped in as well. Since Hope Town had become part of the Alliance, the Alliance naturally could not leave them unattended.
This included training the guerrillas, rebuilding the administrative framework, taking over logistical affairs, and so on... These efforts would commence simultaneously with the arrival of the relief supplies.
As for the candidate to head the liaison office...
Chu Guang considered it for a moment.
This person had best possess an adequate understanding of Xizhou City, along with practical experience in resettling and managing refugees.
Most crucially, they had to stand unswervingly on the New Alliance's side, immune to co-optation by the old local relationship networks.
Synthesizing these factors, a suitable candidate suddenly came to Chu Guang's mind.
...
North of Dawn City.
The Home of Refugees apartments.
Ever since taking in the more than six hundred survivors from Qingshi County, the living space here—which had never been abundant to begin with—was packed to bursting.
To resolve the manpower shortage, the Logistics Department had recruited a batch of literate survivors with management experience from among the refugees to serve as assistant administrators.
As the leader of the refugees from Xizhou City, Ma Ban was naturally recruited into this team and groomed as reserve talent.
Ma Ban had always performed his duties with utmost diligence.
Not only because many of the accepted refugees were his own kinsmen, but also because he yearned to integrate into the collective of the New Alliance through this work.
They were a displaced, homeless people.
The New Alliance, which had been willing to take them in, was their sole reliance.
Even if the Bone Chewer tribe were defeated, returning to live in Xizhou City was impossible; there was no longer any place for them there.
Yet to Ma Ban's astonishment, less than two months after assuming the post of assistant administrator at the Home of Refugees, he received a transfer order from the Logistics Department.
And it was a transfer order concerning his old home.
"... Make me the director of the Alliance's liaison office in Hope Town?" Having listened to Old Luka, Ma Ban was utterly dumbfounded.
Looking at the stunned Ma Ban, Old Luka nodded and said in a solemn tone, "This is the Administrator's will."
Ma Ban couldn't resist asking, "I know it's the Administrator's order, but why... me?"
Luka continued, "The Administrator said that you know the situation in Xizhou City well enough. He needs an administrator with sufficient local knowledge to represent the New Alliance and carry out work on the ground."
Hearing this, a bitter smile surfaced on Ma Ban's face.
"I do know the situation in Xizhou City, but... my relationship with the Xizhou City resistance can hardly be described as good."
If the relationship had been good, he wouldn't have fled south with his people to wander the wasteland.
Seeing through the worries in Ma Ban's heart, Old Charlie continued, "You don't need to worry about that. From now on, you represent the New Alliance, not yourself or your kinsmen. We will dispatch personnel to assist your work. You only need to follow our instructions and ensure the relief and resettlement of the survivors are carried out properly."
Hearing that the New Alliance would send people to help him, Ma Ban finally let out a sigh of relief.
Familiarity was one thing, but if the locals refused to cooperate, all his local knowledge would come to naught.
Now only one final question remained.
"The roads to Xizhou City are blockaded now, aren't they? How am I supposed to get back?"
Previously, although Lion Fang had been stationed in Qingshi County, the route from Xizhou City to Qingquan City hadn't been completely sealed off. Slipping around through the forests outside the county town under cover of darkness was manageable.
Now, however, that was impossible.
Songlin Valley had become the front line, the heights on both sides bristling with dense networks of trenches. Trying to sneak past right under the marauders' noses was nothing short of a pipedream.
Old Luka smiled and said, "No need to worry about that. We've prepared an aircraft for you."
"An aircraft?"
Ma Ban was taken aback, a sudden foreboding rising within his chest.
He didn't have to fret for long.
With Old Luka's next words, his premonition swiftly turned into reality.
"That's right. You will board the New Alliance's latest asset, the H-1, to reach the airspace above Xizhou City. Elites from the Guards Corps will jump with you in a tandem parachute drop."
Upon hearing this, Ma Ban was instantly thunderstruck.
"Wait, I've never jumped before—"
As if anticipating he would say that, Old Luka offered him a reassuring smile and gave his shoulder a comforting pat.
"Don't worry. The Guards Corps are the Administrator's trusted inner circle, all professionally trained paratroopers. You don't need to fret about the landing. Just obey orders, grab your luggage and letter of appointment, and depart!"
Ma Ban: "???"
...
Late at night.
The airfield north of Dawn City.
A propeller plane nearly twenty meters long slowly taxied onto the runway.
Compared to the "little sparrows" in the hangars, which averaged only five or six meters in length, this massive machine named the H-1 "Dragonfly" looked distinctly more like a proper aircraft.
Three electric motors provided ample thrust, while a fuselage constructed from A3 aerospace aluminum alloy kept the airframe lightweight while offering superior protection against small-arms fire.
Although its maneuverability fell short of Goblin Technology's W-2, it boasted superior cruising speed and endurance over long-distance flights.
Whether tasked with long-range transport or strategic bombing missions, it could handle either with ease.
Even mounting a 37mm cannon on the flank of the fuselage per the Administrator's request to provide close air support for ground troops would be an effortless task for it.
"Brothers, let those little flies from Goblin Technology see what real professional work looks like! What a real aircraft is!"
"Awoo!"
On the airfield, the players of No. 81 Mill let out spirited roars and sent forward the only player among them who had actually touched an airplane in the real world to serve as pilot.
As for the copilot seat, it was filled by one of the mill managers—[Ya'er I Wanna Go to the Restroom].
The H-1 "Dragonfly" was a two-seater. While it could theoretically fly solo, it was best to place some weight in the copilot seat to balance the center of gravity.
Though Brother Toilet Cable had never piloted a plane in his life, sitting in the copilot seat just to make up the weight was no problem at all.
"Bro, are you sure you can handle this?"
Wearing an aviator cap and buckled into the copilot seat, Brother Toilet Cable spoke nervously while tightening his harness.
The production cost and labor hours of the H-1 were more than ten times those of the W-2, and this plane was the sole prototype produced by the No. 81 Steel Mill.
Although they had conducted multiple flight tests beforehand to ensure the beast could get airborne, taking it to the front lines on an active mission was a first, leaving him unable to shake his tension.
"Don't ask your daddy if I can handle it. Just holler if you can't take it! For a prop plane like this that can't even crack four hundred kph, what could possibly be hard about flying it?" [Unprofessional Anti-Mantou] chuckled, gripping the flight stick with both hands and stomping the throttle all the way down. "Hang on tight!"
A tremendous surge of thrust slammed from behind, and completely caught off guard, Brother Yasuo was pinned directly against his seat.
"Let me just ask one damn thing—where on earth did you actually fly before?!"
"2042!"
"?"
"Hahaha, just kidding... Cough, actually War Thunder."
"???"
With every muscle tensed, Brother Toilet Cable widened his eyes, staring unblinkingly at the airspeed indicator as the aircraft accelerated to full throttle.
Amidst the roar of the propellers, the landing gear lifted off the ground. Spreading its wings, the "Dragonfly" raised its massive nose, finally climbing smoothly into the sky.
Watching the ground recede outside the cockpit, Brother Toilet Cable's pounding heart finally steadied a little, and he let out a slight breath.
"Flying actually seems pretty simple."
Of course, the main thing was that this guy actually knew a little bit.
As for that crap about flying in War Thunder, it had to be nonsense.
Brother Mantou grinned wickedly. "Right? How about you take the stick for a bit?"
With that, he let go of the controls.
The fuselage banked slightly. Having just relaxed, Brother Toilet Cable was frightened out of his wits and frantically grabbed the handrail welded to the cockpit, yelling in panic.
"Holy shit! Don't mess around!"
"Hahaha, don't sweat it, just a joke." A snort came through his pig snout, and Mantou smiled mischievously as he gripped the control stick, giving it a gentle tug to skillfully level the tilting airframe back out.
Brother Toilet Cable glared daggers at the guy.
*Son of a bitch! If I ever let you fly again, I'll take your last name!*
"All jokes aside, the materials on this plane are seriously tough. Damn, using them on a prop plane is such a waste of potential!" Holding the stick, Brother Mantou continued rambling incessantly.
Too tired to engage with him, Brother Toilet Cable reached over and toggled the communications switch.
Clearing his throat, he spoke with solemn gravity. "This is Dragonfly. We have successfully taken off... How far are you guys from the drop zone?"
Accompanied by a burst of static, a familiar voice came over the comms channel.
"We've already arrived, just waiting on you... What about you? How much longer?"
"We're en route. Roughly within twenty minutes."
"No rush. Stay safe."
"Copy that, will do!"
Nervousness gripped not only Brother Toilet Cable in the copilot seat, but also Ma Ban, strapped into a seat in the cabin.
Feeling the vibration of the seat beneath him, every cell in his body trembled. In particular, that brief roll just now had nearly frightened his soul out of his body.
Forget skydiving for the first time—this was his first time ever sitting inside an airplane.
From the moment he boarded, he had been scared out of his mind.
"I feel like this plane is going to fall apart!"
"Relax, it'll be over soon. It's not that dramatic." Sitting beside him, Lü Bei looked entirely composed, even offering a word of comfort.
Yet the remark offered no solace whatsoever; it only made Ma Ban even more terrified.
*What the hell does 'it'll be over soon' mean?!*
*Is he talking about the jump, or dying?!*
Aside from the two of them, four others were seated in the cabin.
Beyond delivering supplies to Hope Town, this flight carried three Awakened from the Guards Corps and three administrators from the Logistics Department.
A month ago, soldiers of the Guards Corps had begun parachute training at the airfield, which was now bearing fruit.
Tandem jumps were one of their standard training subjects; as long as the person strapped to their chest didn't flail about, there were rarely any major issues.
Ma Ban's thoughts were a chaotic mess.
Just then, an alarm buzzer sounded in the cabin, instantly tightening his nerves.
"What's happening?!"
"Don't panic, we're approaching the drop zone," Lü Bei tossed him a nylon harness. "Hold this. I'll strap you to me in a moment."
Ma Ban stared at the sixteen- or seventeen-year-old youth. No matter how he looked at him, the guy was just a kid, hardly inspiring confidence.
"H-How do we strap in?"
Lü Bei explained patiently, "Turn around and face away from me. Leave the rest to me."
...
In the night sky.
An aircraft nearly twenty meters in length arrived over the airspace of Xizhou City, releasing a string of parachutes into the cover of night.
Concealed by the darkness, a squad of guerrilla fighters led by four players quietly approached the supply crates.
Carefully scanning the surroundings, Ye Shi made a hand gesture behind him.
"All clear."
The guerrilla fighters filed out from the shadows, swarming forward around the airdrop crate and dragging it into an adjacent alleyway.
When they saw the bags of dry rations packed inside, astonished, thrilled expressions broke out across everyone's faces.
Ram horn potatoes!
And roasted green wheat cakes!
Many of them had eaten only a single tube of nutrient paste since noon. Seeing the food before them, they began swallowing their saliva.
Ye Shi wore an equally surprised look on his face.
However, he was amazed not by the contents of the crate, but by its sheer volume.
"Mosquito's plane can carry this much cargo now?"
A crate a meter wide and long.
There was no way Mosquito's dinky little craft could have hauled something like that.
Lao Bai glanced up at the sky. "Doesn't look like Mosquito's plane... Brother Toilet Cable was the one coordinating with us over comms earlier. I heard No. 81 Mill was building a plane too. Might be a new piece of gear we haven't seen yet."
Ye Shi said in surprise, "Damn, I didn't see them flexing about it on the forums."
Lao Bai smiled. "Who knows. Maybe they wanted to save it for a big reveal."
Walking over to the ecstatic guerrillas, Fang Chang addressed the group, "You guys haul the supplies back first. We still need to pick up a few people."
Suppressing his excited expression, the guerrilla squad leader looked at him and said, "Will you guys be alright alone? Let me bring a few men along with you!"
"No need," Fang Chang patted the assault rifle slung across his chest and said with a smile, "The few of us are enough. Just wait for us at the subway entrance!"
Though still slightly uneasy, the guerrilla squad leader nodded. "Take care of yourselves then."
...
The instant his feet left the cabin, Ma Ban felt as though his heart had frozen solid. Only when his boots touched the earth did the frenzied thumping return to his chest.
While floating in midair, he had wondered more than once what would happen if the parachute failed to open, or what would happen if marauders spotted their descent.
Fortunately, none of that came to pass...
Slumped on the ground, Ma Ban sprawled out, panting heavily. For the very first time, a profound sensation welled in his heart: having one's ass firmly on the ground was truly wonderful.
Undoing the nylon buckles, Lü Bei—more than a decade his junior—severed the suspension lines with a dagger and patted him on the shoulder.
"Get up quickly. It'll be bad news if a marauder patrol wanders over here."
At the mention of marauders, Ma Ban's newly relaxed mood tightened instantly, and he scrambled to his feet with a start.
"What do we do now?"
"Head to the rally point marked on the map and rendezvous with the others," Lü Bei said calmly, unholstering a Pu-9 submachine gun. "A squad from the Burning Corps is already waiting for us there."
The entire airdrop operation went off without a hitch.
All six people across the three teams touched down safely.
Looking at these NPCs who, though disheveled, were entirely unharmed, Ye Shi couldn't help clicking his tongue.
"How come none of them got hurt?"
Even after countless parachute jumps, unlucky players in the corps still died from all sorts of mishaps.
Kuang Feng replied offhandedly, "Probably because they only have one life, so they take their training a lot more seriously."
Ye Shi was struck with sudden realization. "Holy crap, that makes so much sense!"
Thinking it over, it really was the truth.
If this game were even more hardcore and reset sequence levels upon death, those reckless idiots trying to look cool by pulling their chutes at the absolute minimum altitude would probably tone it down a bit too...
Over the course of a single night.
The New Alliance airdropped nearly twelve tons of food into Xizhou City, alongside urgently needed antibiotics, weapons, ammunition, and other supplies.
Arriving alongside the cargo were three soldiers from the Guards Corps and three administrators from the Logistics Department.
Not disappointing the Administrator's expectations, Ma Ban spearheaded the establishment of the Alliance liaison office the moment he arrived in Hope Town, taking over the town's warehouses and refugee relief operations.
Seeing their old acquaintance standing side by side with the New Alliance's people, Wu Chengyi and the rest of Hope Town's leadership were surprised, yet said nothing.
There had once been friction between them over the past migration, but that had been an unavoidable struggle for survival; the two parties were hardly bitter enemies.
On the contrary, seeing that a survivor from Xizhou City could be placed in an important post by the Alliance, everyone felt a collective sense of relief.
It seemed the Administrator hadn't lied to them.
The official coordinating with Ma Ban was Yang Duo, who oversaw logistics for the resistance.
Considering he had been the earliest official among the leadership to support joining the Alliance, Wu Chengyi felt assigning him to the task would generate less friction.
Of course, the most critical factor was that the two men had shared a bit of history.
Even if it was only a little...
Chapter 321