Chapter 302 - Duty

Translator: _Min_ Editor: Rundi

Jiang Chen provided the fallout shelter with ten crystal energy rods.

This type of energy rod followed a similar design to the 100mm nuclear fusion core, except that the contents are not 1 gram of tritium used for nuclear fusion reactions, but rather 1000 crystal shards. This was also the enhanced version of the energy rod used in the power armor. The output was similar to the nuclear fusion core, but the energy input was only one-tenth of it.

These ten crystal energy rod could maintain a month of energy consumption for the fallout shelter, Jiang Chen personally sent it to the ground.

“I won’t give you the hope to store energy to pass the winter. Also, if your research speed slows down, I will decrease the energy supplies.”

While handing over the ten crystal energy rods, Jiang Chen also gave them his research expectations.

Design a light armor, high mobility, and strong firepower of the self-propelled artillery, as an improved version of the Tiger. With the truck pulling the cannon, it was rather outdated. Since they have the opportunity now to upgrade to a better armor, Jiang Chen naturally would not let this opportunity go.

“Without rules restraining us, this is the most logical choice.” To Jiang Chen’s threat, Han Junhua only nodded indifferently.

“Are you not going to fight for more benefits?” Jiang Chen smiled.

“There is no need.” Han Junhua shook her head. “Threats can make people remain alert.”

Especially since she knew that even if she demanded more, Jiang Chen would not give ground on this point.

“Haha, smart choice. But seriously, this is my first time meeting such an interesting opponent.” Jiang Chen laughed before turning around and going to the elevator.

Han Junhua didn’t oppose the word opponent. She looked at Jiang Chen and calmly blinked her eyes.

“Am I really interesting?”

“Of course, not everyone can escape the shackles known as human nature and use rationality to think. I have to say, you have a talent. Are PAC’s colonels all at this level?” Jiang Chen let out a sigh.

If that was the case, then PAC was too scary.

“Does it have to do with ranking?” Han Junhua retorted.

Jiang Chen paused for a moment before he smiled. “Of course not. In other places, I have seen colonel ranked officers, and their brains are not at all this smart. Some drawn to technicals, some arrogant… I am only curious.”

“Where?” Han Junhua asked a different question.

“In my backyard.” Jiang Chen laughed as he said a truth that was easily misinterpreted.

Then your backyard definitely would not need to worry about survival,” Han Junhua said as she automatically interpreted the backyard as the Fishbone base, and the colonel is only a rank that he freely gave out.

“You are not wrong. Although there are concerns, they are not serious.” Jiang Chen nodded, but he was referring to the events in the other world.

He didn’t experience the irreconcilable economic crisis caused by the energy crisis in 2150, nor was he a social scientist that had to imagine when the two countries would become under high tension and what the situation would evolve into.

“It certainly makes people envious,” Han Junhua said emotionlessly.

“Can I ask you another question?”

…

“Go ahead,” Han Junhua said concisely.

“What is motivating you to go against me? The honor of a soldier? Or loyalty? But without human nature, would you need these boring things? Especially now that PAC no longer exists?” Jiang Chen smiled.

Han Junhua didn’t answer directly.

“Do you understand the word responsibility?”

“I see, makes sense.”

Jiang Chen smiled as he didn’t say goodbye. He then went up the elevator.

Han Junhua watched the elevator ascend as she discretely frowned.

After returning to the surface, Jiang Chen left the defense of the base to Cheng Weiguo’s support, Wang Zhaowu. He urged him to constantly maintain an eye on the fallout shelter, including communicating with the representative every other day to ensure Xu Lu and other staffs were safe.

Wang Zhaowu was first puzzled by Jiang Chen’s order, because as of now, the troops stationed here lived rather harminously with the blue skins. But Jiang Chen didn’t explain the situation as he repeatedly cautioned him.

“If the elevator malfunctions or anything unusual happens that prevents the surface from contacting the underground, contact me directly…”

“Yes, general!” While still puzzled, Wang Zhaowu didn’t ask any questions.

Jiang Chen nodded as he was pleased with his attitude.

“Keep an eye personally, don’t let other people know.”

After those last words, Jiang Chen left the command center of the troops stationed at the camp and walked to the empty ground.

One-fourth of the wall’s construction had been finished and an estimate of one week before the main structure could be completed. The Fishbone base soldiers had searched the entire Songjiang terrain in the past few days and didn’t find any strong raider groups.

Although there were three unknown military forces with sizes similar to the Huizhong Mercenaries they wiped out, the current force of the Fishbone base no longer needed to worry about those small fishes. Based on the consideration of decreasing possible things from going wrong, before the wall is completed, Jiang Chen had already notified Wang Zhaowu not to bother with them.

After he ordered the soldiers already lined up in the middle of the camp, Jiang Chen and Cheng Weiguo walked to the gate.

“Old Cheng, let’s make a bet?”

After Jiang Chen got in the car, he abruptly said as he looked at the camp 27’s gate.

“Haha, boss, you are funny. Other than the few packs of cigarettes, I have nothing to bet with you.” Cheng Weiguo laughed.

Food, everyone knew Jiang Chen didn’t lack food.

When he heard his subordinate’s words, Jiang Chen paused before he started to laugh along.

“Ahem, speaking of this, I have been considering a problem recently.

Cheng Weiguo immediately put on a serious face when he heard his leader discuss serious matters.

“You don’t need to be so serious, I am only asking you for your opinion.” Jiang Chen shook his head as he took out two cigarettes from his pocket and passed one to Cheng Weiguo while he lit one for himself. “What do you think about the living conditions of the survivors in the Fishbone base?”

He had been considering, now that the Fishbone base has been growing in size, if he should open a market? For example, providing salary and use the salary to purchase food from the base.

But Cheng Weiguo didn’t think that far. He just thought the boss was so considerate of the subordinates and replied gratefully.

“Everyone is warm and full, they are living a great life.”

Jiang Chen smiled as he realized the question from his perspective would yield the same answer from anyone, so he didn’t ask anymore.

“Boss, what is the bet that you wanted to make?” Cheng Weiguo asked.

Jiang Chen laughed, stuck the cigarette out the window, and dusted the ash off in the direction of camp 27’s gate.

“Within one month, without firing a single bullet, this fallout shelter will belong to me.”

……

After finally sending away the “Plague god”, she returned to the fallout shelter. Han Junhua felt relieved.

She didn’t know if it was her illusion, but she felt that the way he looked at her was different.

Weird, it didn’t feel like hostility.

But rather, mockery?

Han Junhua shook her head as she passed through the arch door and walked to her office.

Without surprise, a discontent middle-aged man stood at the door.

“Since we already acquired the power, why don’t we immediately restore the supply levels back to normal?”

“The supply levels will be restored to normal gradually, but it will favor the researchers,” Han Junhua said emotionlessly.

“Why?” Wu Yaguo questioned.

“Because we are working for other people.” Han Junhua didn’t stop as she walked around Wu Yaguo and opened the office door.

When the fallout shelter was closed, everyone’s work was relaxed. A lot of people didn’t even need to work. The production system was highly automated, as long as there was energy, there would be food and water. In an enclosed society there was no competition. The sluggish work habit has become rooted in everyone in the past twenty years. Although a lot of people were highly intelligent, it would be hard for the knowledgeable but lazy people to meet the research speed required by the base.

Since the energy stored in and the amount consumed by the fallout shelter was clear, the Fishbone base’s energy source was not without a price. With their previous egalitarian ways, it would allow everyone to “die” in their lazy ways.

“Who made all this!” Han Junhua’s indifferent attitude triggered Wu Yaguo. He angrily reached out his hand to grab her shoulder.

But before his hand could touch her should, a sharp pain came from his leg as his vision blurred. He was slammed to the ground.

A gun was pointed at his head as Han Junhua casually let go of the hand holding onto his arm.

“From now on, the fallout shelter assembly is dissolved. I use the power of the leader to retract any of the permissions given to the residents by the former leader.

“Okay, Miss Han Junhua.”

A robotic voice came from the speaker above. The control terminal of fallout shelter 027 granted her decision.

“You, you can’t do that.” Wu Yaguo’s face turned pale.

“But I can.” After putting away her pistol, Han Junhua walked into the office and closed the door.

The energy crisis was solved, and the residents’ mood returned to normal. It was time to clean up the mess.

Han Junhua saw Academician Qin standing in front of her desk.

“Is there something you need?” She said concisely as she sat back in her chair.

“Mhmm, I heard… You sent leader Zhang’s daughter as the ambassador to be stationed at the Fishbone base,” Academician Qin hesitated for a moment and said slowly.

Zhang Yuzhu, that seemed to be her name. The baby that the former fallout shelter leader made an exception for.

“Mhmm, she is righteous, and her personality is bright. Since she was born in the fallout shelter, she has no impractical thoughts, and is fitted for this job.” It was enough to make a mistake just once, she already made the mistake of sending Shi Yongtian to the surface as the communicator.

The people that experienced the prosperity from before the war, when they see the survivors suffering among the ruins, it was hard to ensure they won’t sprout the mentality of feeling superior. But for the people that were born in the fallout shelter, they truly longed for everything on the surface, they won’t mind if it was all in ruins or not.

If they could gain the friendship of the Fishbone base and peacefully integrate fallout shelter 027 while maintaining a certain status, it would be the best scenario Han Junhua could think of.

Seeing that Academician Qin didn’t leave, Han Junhua stopped working and raised her head.

“What else?”

“Mhmm, here is a letter… My old friend asked me to give it to you.” Academician Qin gave her the slightly crumped letter.

Han Junhua glanced at the name as she took it.

“Why do you give it to me now?” As she opened it, she said nonchalantly.

“Because I think it is more appropriate now…”

<First, let me repent for my actions.

But I won’t regret.

I can’t lead the residents of the fallout shelter till the end. Under my leadership, they will only walk to destruction.

Perhaps after ordering the execution of the intruder, I should have executed that infant.

But I couldn’t.

I am a coward.

I chose death, I should have died a long time ago.

Human nature is also the burden of survival.

I remember you told me this before.

If my death could wake up a more decisive leader, then perhaps it wouldn’t be too late.

- Zhang Qiming, to my colleague.>

The hands holding the letter trembled. Han Junhua took a deep breath as she hid the grief behind a mask.

The grief to duty.