Chapter 555 - Investigative reporter (1/2)

The patrol squad escorted Ren Xiaosu, Fang Zhi, and the others to the edge of the stronghold. The nonessential residences had already been cleared out and demolished, and new defensive fortifications were currently being built.

This area used to be a clean and tidy street, and there were small shops and old residential buildings around six stories high that stood on the road. But now the residential buildings and shops had all disappeared. In their place was ground covered in dust and dirt with half-built bunkers and some simple machine gun nests.

Such defensive fortifications were for defending against enemies in a battle once the stronghold walls got breached. But looking at the state of things, how were they supposed to fight this way?

Furthermore, the stronghold gate was sealed shut as well.

“Why’d they seal the gate?” Fang Zhi asked in surprise, “We came in through the east gate this morning. It wasn’t shut over there.”

They were north of the stronghold, which had four city gates in total. Right now, the north gate had already been completely sealed shut with some concrete analogue. Ren Xiaosu had a look at it and saw the material was not fully dry yet. It looked to him like the gate had just been sealed in the past two days.

No one from the patrol squad next to them answered. Meanwhile, Ren Xiaosu was thinking that war might really be breaking out soon. Why else would they seal the gate for no reason?

The east gate was perhaps the only city gate that was not sealed off in the entire stronghold. Could it be that the enemy was going to attack from the west? And that was why the Zhou Consortium only left the east gate untouched?

When they arrived at the construction site, Ren Xiaosu and the others were made to carry bricks and assist the Engineering Corps in building the defensive fortifications.

While carrying bricks, Ren Xiaosu also kept an eye on what the Zhou Consortium’s troops were up to.

First of all, they collected the transported supplies and consolidated them under the troops’ supervision. Usually, this signaled that a very tough war was impending.

Second, they planted naval mines in the river that ran through the stronghold. These mines even seemed to have been specially transported here from the other strongholds.

There were many lakes and rivers in the Zhou Consortium’s territory, while the Wang Consortium’s regions were dominated by plains. As for the Kong Consortium, they were connected to the sea. These were the geographies of the three consortiums. As such, the Zhou Consortium was more versed in the research and development of underwater weapons.

Honestly, Ren Xiaosu could not understand what was going on even after watching for a long time. What on earth were they guarding against? They actually had to plant mines in the water? Normal troops would not be getting into the stronghold through the canal, right?

While they were working, Ren Xiaosu did not feel tired at all. With his physical fitness, this little bit of work was nothing to him.

But Fang Zhi and the others were so tired they nearly died. When they went to collect their lunches, Fang Zhi’s hands were trembling as he held the plastic meal tray given out by the Zhou Consortium.

Fang Zhi grumbled, “Ren Xiaosu, we were just having a laugh in the car. Why did you have to stoop this low? Wait a minute, weren’t you working too? Why don’t you look tired?”

Ren Xiaosu glanced at him. “You people don’t usually do any physical labor at all. When danger really comes, y’all will never be able to run away. It’s for your own good that you can get some training now.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Fang Zhi was speechless. “The Central Plains is such a safe place, and we don’t even see any wild animals around anymore, so where’s the danger that you’re talking about?”

Ren Xiaosu pointed to the ground. “Isn’t Stronghold 74 already facing imminent danger?”

Fang Zhi had a look at the massive defensive fortifications around him. It seemed like that was really that case. He asked, “What on earth is going on here? Is the Qing Consortium coming to attack soon?”