Chapter 276: The Northern Territory

It was said to be a 37% utilization rate.

In reality, it had already occupied more than half of all the non-essential space that the shelter could spare.

At this point.

The potential limits of Jianghe City's subsidiary shelter became apparent.

It could provide food for a maximum of 90 million people.

"It shouldn't be necessary to fill all the shelters with crops."

"With the current expansion speed of the farmhouse."

"Once the population is fully accommodated and plantation construction begins on a large scale."

"We won't need the assistance of these subsidiary shelters anymore."

This was a hopeful vision for the future.

As long as the grain-producing plantations were fully relocated into the farmhouse.

Su Wu's defensive pressure would be significantly reduced.

Even in the worst-case scenario.

Relying on the thick outer walls of the farmhouse, constructed with rapid-setting cement.

He could likely ensure his own safety.

January 28th.

A caravan train, consisting of 100 snow transport vehicles and one Icebound-class Land Battleship, connected end-to-end.

Loaded with combat robots, ammunition, and cheap industrial goods.

Slowly departed from the farmhouse.

Accompanied by sporadic snowstorms.

For the first time, it headed towards the unfamiliar north.

It would traverse the mountains, heading to a large shelter over 100 kilometers away, the closest one to Jianghe City marked as part of the anti-human faction.

To occupy it by force.

And then sell the goods carried on the vehicles to other nearby shelters.

Three hours after the caravan's departure.

Carriage No. 21 of the caravan train.

Ding Han held his electromagnetic rifle, silently gazing out at the endless ice fields outside the window.

"First time out, feeling a bit nervous?"

Beside him, a middle-aged man in exoskeleton armor chuckled as he struck up a conversation.

"Captain Xie, do you think we'll encounter any dangers on this journey?"

"Like avalanches or earthquakes."

Ding Han turned back, not hiding his unease.

After all, he was a novice who had grown up in Jianghe City and only undergone three months of basic militia training.

Even shooting required the assistance of the exoskeleton armor's computer to barely achieve an 80% hit rate.

Let alone actual combat and long-distance travel.

Faced with this unfamiliar environment, it was natural to feel panic and fear.

"Of course, there will be unexpected events."

"As for whether they'll be dangerous."

"You need to have some confidence in our technology."

"As long as we're on the vehicle, nothing will go wrong."

Xie Hongtao shrugged, finding Ding Han's nervous demeanor somewhat amusing.

As a veteran who had followed the caravan for nearly a month.

Watching the caravan grow from nothing into the massive train now stretching over a kilometer in length.

No one understood better than him the incredible firepower of this trackless train they were riding.

Whether it was occasionally capturing hostile shelters, annihilating raiding bandits, or encountering various natural disasters.

The caravan's performance was nothing short of godlike.

For instance.

He had once witnessed, during a severe earthquake.

A massive boulder, weighing tens of thousands of tons, rolling down from a cliff.

Heading straight for the caravan passing through the canyon below.

Then, the Icebound-class Land Battleship at the head of the caravan.

Using its multi-barrel electromagnetic gun, similar to an anti-aircraft cannon.

Fired tens of thousands of rounds per second.

Sending a waterfall of blue light upward.

It literally blasted the rapidly falling boulder into pieces mid-air.

Turning it into a shower of fine dust and gravel that fell onto the caravan's roof and the surrounding area.

In the end, the entire caravan emerged unscathed from the canyon.

Not even a layer of paint was scratched on the snow transport vehicles that bore the brunt of the impact.

"Is it really that powerful?"

Ding Han listened with a mix of belief and doubt.

Although the warm, spring-like temperature inside the vehicle and the tightly closed windows.

Created a stark contrast with the extreme cold and snow outside.

Giving him an immense sense of security.

But rationally, he knew.

This was just a false sense of safety.

Only a thin layer of armor and glass separated him from the outside world.

At any moment, an accident could shatter this fragile barrier.

Forcing him to face the harsh environment outside.

"You'll realize your worries are unnecessary once you've experienced more—"

"Actually, you won't have to wait long."

"You'll see for yourself soon."

Just as Xie Hongtao was speaking, he suddenly felt a slight tremor in the air.

Turning to look out the window, he saw a massive snow wave sweeping towards them from the distance.

"Avalanche!"

Following his captain's gaze, Ding Han looked out the window.

Instantly, he felt a surge of fear.

He hadn't expected his earlier worries to become reality so quickly.

As he stood there, unsure of what to do.

Several streaks of fire shot out from the train.

Falling directly into the path of the oncoming snow wave.

Then, with a series of massive explosions and towering flames.

The snow wave, which had accumulated over 15 meters high.

Was literally blasted apart.

Dispersing the kinetic energy it had built up.

"What was that?"

Ding Han's mouth went dry.

In his mind, only something like a nuclear weapon could possibly rival the natural force of an avalanche.

Other weapons, whether heavy artillery, rockets, or missiles.

Wouldn't be able to completely disintegrate a several-kilometer-long snow wave in just a few hits.

"Rockets loaded with third-generation metallic hydrogen explosives."

"It's normal you haven't seen them before."

"They were only recently developed by our researchers."

"Even the former federal military didn't have access to such high-powered explosives."

Xie Hongtao raised an eyebrow slightly, showing off a bit.

"Now you understand why I said there's no need to worry."

Following the trail left by the avalanche.

The caravan passed through the mountains and entered the territory of the new city.

Here, they were less than 20 kilometers from their destination.

Ding Han and Xie Hongtao began to hear warning prompts from the artificial intelligence.

Instructing them to replenish and check their ammunition, ensure their exoskeleton armor was functioning properly.

And prepare for combat.

Ding Han's expression turned serious as he nervously followed the AI's instructions for pre-battle preparations.

Xie Hongtao, on the other hand, remained calm.

Even taking the time to brew himself a cup of coffee using the wartime rations.

Having been through multiple battles, he knew that the people in their carriage.

As one of only 40 human members in the entire caravan.

Wouldn't be sent to the front lines in the first wave of combat.

They would only be called upon after several rounds of robot probes.

And by that time.

The enemy would have already been thoroughly defeated.

Leaving them to simply mop up the remnants.

What followed.

Was just as Xie Hongtao had experienced before.

Under the operation of several spider robots equipped with cutting blades.

The metal gates of the shelter were silently opened.

Then, a large number of machine dogs and combat drones flew in first.

Bringing with them a storm of metal unleashed by electromagnetic rifles.

Next, the spider robots, as the main force, entered.

Their involvement.

Finally caused a noticeable commotion inside the shelter.

That was the sound of rocket explosions.

The spider robots, armed with third-generation metallic hydrogen rockets and highly penetrating, silent electromagnetic sniper rifles.

Completed the suppression of the shelter's hidden firepower points.

Burying the last remnants of resistance under explosions and rubble.

A dozen minutes later.

The security team to which Ding Han and Xie Hongtao belonged.

Marched proudly into this large shelter marked by the AI as part of the anti-human faction.

And in a villa estate surrounded by forests and lawns.

They encountered the shelter's top officials, captured by the robots.

"The environment here is nice."

Ding Han opened his helmet, taking a deep breath.

Although the air he breathed at the farmhouse in Jianghe City, purified by the central air conditioning.

Wasn't exactly foul.

It still couldn't compare to the natural scent of this place.

"It's only nice here."

"Other places are hell."

Xie Hongtao's expression darkened.

He connected to the shelter's monitoring room via a tablet.

And flipped through scenes that even he, a seasoned veteran, couldn't help but be shocked by.

Human slaughterhouses, human pet amusement parks, chains, skewers—

The depths of human depravity were on full display here.

But he only felt a moment of anger.

He wouldn't do anything unnecessary.

Because under the AI's judgment, those who committed these acts.

Would not be allowed to live after being squeezed of their value.

Taking a deep look at the captives being roughly interrogated by his colleagues.

Xie Hongtao then teamed up with Ding Han.

To carry out the new task assigned by the AI.

Heading to the depths of the shelter, to the cells where the so-called slaves were held.

A few minutes later.

On the 7th underground level, a heavy iron door was opened.

The bright light from outside.

Illuminated the faces of over fifty people with numb expressions.

"Who's Shi Feipeng? Step forward."

Xie Hongtao scanned the room.

Each of these clearly malnourished, ragged individuals.

Held a phone, their screens displaying game interfaces.

It looked both ridiculous and somewhat eerie.

But this was, in fact, a common sight across the Eastern Continent.

Thanks to Su Wu's persistent investments and endorsements over the past period.

Game coins had become one of the most stable currencies in the post-apocalyptic world.

Whether used in the game mall or traded with other shelters.

They could be exchanged for valuable goods or services.

Thus, even the most bloodthirsty bandits.

For the sake of profit.

Would specifically keep a group of people to farm game currency.

Hearing Xie Hongtao's question.

The people in the room showed no reaction.

Only after he impatiently repeated himself with a harsher tone.

Did someone's gaze subtly shift towards a particular individual.

Comparing the photo on his tablet, Xie Hongtao quickly identified the mission target.

He walked over and announced in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Shi Feipeng, your distress signal on the Wish System has been received."

"Since our primary goal here is to secure the resources of this shelter, eliminating the thugs is just a bonus."

"Therefore, apart from the initial deposit."

"The remaining game coins will be refunded to your account, along with three standard meal vouchers as compensation."

"You can request to redeem them from the AI anytime you need in the future."

After saying this.

Without waiting to see if the man understood.

Xie Hongtao turned to everyone else in the room.

"Now, all of you, come with me."

With the caravan's armed strength.

Capturing a large civilian shelter was as simple as eating and drinking.

While the first caravan heading north to the new city was engaged in battle.

Su Wu didn't spare it any extra attention.

Only afterward did he check the inventory of resources in the large shelter's warehouse.

Those resources.

Excluding low-value items like fuel.

The total amount of basic materials was around 30,000 tons.

Not a lot, but not insignificant either.

"The quantity of rare resources is decent."

"Enough to build two Icebound-class Land Battleships."

"There's also a sizable population, about 70,000 people—"

"Wait, this large shelter originally had a population of 140,000."

"In the half year since the apocalypse began, it hadn't been affected by external disasters."

"Yet nearly half the people died."

Su Wu fell silent.

Feeling somewhat shocked.

This casualty rate even surpassed that of many shelters in disaster zones.

Looking up more detailed reports on the causes of these deaths.

Su Wu took a deep breath, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"It's time to consider the final punishments for certain individuals before they die."

After successfully plundering resources from the north for the first time.

Subsequently.

As more caravans that had completed their original tasks returned to the farmhouse.

They began to join the northern expansion one after another.

Su Wu's influence in the north rapidly expanded.

In just one week.

They had taken over more than 30 shelters of various sizes, all marked as part of the anti-human faction.

Collecting enough materials to build ten Icebound-class Land Battleships and half a Pioneer-class Land Destroyer.

Additionally, the remaining common materials exceeded one million tons.

Enough to produce a large number of snow transport vehicles, spider robots, and weapons and ammunition.

Keeping Su Wu's super factory busy for several days.

At the same time, the various small goods they brought along for trading with other nearby shelters.

Allowed Su Wu to recover a significant amount of game coins and exchange for a portion of resources.

While game coins circulated elsewhere in the Eastern Continent with some discount.

When used in transactions with Su Wu's caravans.

They could be directly exchanged according to the rates Su Wu had set.

All additional fees, including transportation costs, were waived by default.