Chapter Twenty-Five: The Fortress of Yanjing!

The purpose was to contribute his own strength to the nation’s construction.

Seeing the newly updated work schedule, he had no objections at all. Even if he had to work night shifts every day, he felt it was no problem. Now that disaster was looming, who had the leisure to think about their own comfort?

Beside him, his coworkers continued to complain.

“There are night shifts again! It’s exhausting!”

“Exactly! So tiring!”

“I don’t want to work!”

“Enough! Stop talking! If you don’t want to work, then don’t! And when trouble comes, don’t expect the country to protect you!” Wang Shuai suddenly turned around and shouted, his eyes burning with fierce anger.

The group was startled by Wang Shuai’s outburst.

Er Gou recovered, his face full of anger. “What’s your problem? How you talk! Can you speak properly? What we say is none of your business!”

Wang Shuai let out a cold laugh. “It is my business.”

The others pulled Er Gou back, “Alright! Don’t say more!”

Wang Shuai said nothing further, lowering his head to focus on his own work. Time was running out. According to Chu Xiao’s prediction, there were a little more than two months left. For such a massive project, who knew when it could be finished?

Er Gou shook off the hands holding him and buried himself in work, muttering, “You’re patriotic, so am I! Can’t I complain a bit? It’s not like I’m not working!”

Wang Shuai heard him, but didn’t respond.

Chu Xiao sought out Qin Lihua and Zhang Fengli to ask about their recent progress.

“It’s fine! On schedule,” said Qin Lihua.

“A little faster than expected,” Zhang Fengli replied.

Chu Xiao nodded, furrowing his brow, thoughts turning to other matters.

“Alright, I understand. If there’s any problem, call me. I need to go to Yanjing City and see the situation of their fortress construction.”

“Okay.”

Chu Xiao made preparations and took a private helicopter to Yanjing City.

The first matter was to find the city’s mayor—Cheng Shaohui.

“Hello, Mayor Cheng, I am Chu Xiao.” After a solemn introduction, Chu Xiao extended his hand.

Cheng Shaohui hurriedly wiped his hand and shook Chu Xiao’s.

“My name is Cheng Shaohui, just call me Shaohui.”

Chu Xiao didn’t bother with pleasantries, getting straight to the point.

“I’m here to inspect the construction of Yanjing Fortress. Are there any major issues?”

Cheng Shaohui shook his head, “None at all! Just minor issues, easily solved.”

“Good! Take me to see the progress. I hope it’s not too slow.”

“Of course!” Cheng Shaohui immediately stood and led Chu Xiao to inspect the construction.

Chu Xiao circled overhead in the helicopter. The situation was acceptable; in many places, the foundation was just being laid.

Some areas had finished the foundation and begun building upwards.

“Balance the work progress! Transfer personnel from faster sites to slower ones. The higher the construction, the more connections are needed,” Chu Xiao said, his eyes fixed on the ground.

He knew that if Nanjing was fine, he would soon have to go to America for negotiations.

America, I am coming!

Chu Xiao returned to Mingzhu City and found the Number One Leader.

“Leader, I’m headed to America.”

“So soon? Should you reconsider, or send someone else?” Number One looked at Chu Xiao with concern. He truly didn’t want anything to happen to Chu Xiao at this critical moment.

“No need! Everything is nearly arranged. The only thing left is the research on weapons.”

“I will return safely! If the Lord of the Underworld can really be destroyed, then we won’t have to worry so much anymore.” Chu Xiao looked at Number One with unwavering resolve.

He knew that if he didn’t go himself, his heart would never be at ease.

As a reborn soul, his duty was to protect the Nine Provinces, not cling to his own life.

“Very well! Go ahead, I’ll send people to protect you.” Number One saw the determination in Chu Xiao’s eyes and knew he wouldn’t be stopped, no matter what.

Besides, if the Lord of the Underworld could truly be eliminated in its cradle, wouldn’t that secure the people of the Nine Provinces all the more?

“Thank you!”

“How’s laser gun production?” Chu Xiao hoped to take a few laser guns with him, so if trouble arose, he could better protect himself.

“Average—about three thousand units so far! Some parts are difficult to manufacture.” Number One knew this was less than Chu Xiao had hoped, but they had already done their best.

“Alright, take me to the armory.” Chu Xiao’s gaze was calm as ever.

They entered the armory, where all the scientists continued their work without a hint of slackness.

Chu Xiao casually picked up a few guns and went to the test bench.

With one shot, a steel plate was pierced instantly—not so much pierced as melted away by intense heat.

That was the power of the laser gun.

Chu Xiao tested it again on a titanium alloy plate.

One shot, and though not as dramatic as on steel, it still left a sizable dent.

He examined the gun’s surface—crafted from the hardest A8 titanium alloy, a material far superior to ordinary titanium, with much greater heat resistance.

The middle section was semi-transparent, made from a high-fiber material that could concentrate and emit the laser effectively.

Its energy source was stored sunlight.

The internal structure transformed and extracted the needed rays, strengthening them to produce the laser.

The sun’s power is beyond estimation—far greater than humanity imagines.

“Not bad,” Chu Xiao nodded with satisfaction. Its power was close to what he remembered from his previous life.

Number One’s eyes widened in surprise. This weapon could penetrate iron plates—far more powerful than he had expected.

Chu Xiao noticed Number One’s astonishment and casually handed him a gun. “Here! Try it!”

Number One weighed the laser gun in his hand. After countless battles and handling endless machines, he had never seen such a pistol.

Small in size, yet containing so much energy.

It was far more formidable than he had imagined.

He fired a shot—the recoil was virtually nonexistent.

Held in hand, it wasn’t heavy, just a normal weight.

Yet Number One soon remembered this weapon could only deal with the weakest humanoid combat machines of the Lord of the Underworld, and his heart grew heavy.

“We still need to keep developing—create weapons far more powerful than this. Otherwise, once true conflict begins, we’ll be at a disadvantage,” Number One said deeply.