364 Return to the Apocalypse (2/2)

”How have you been?”

”Very well, or rather, too well.” With her chin against the back of the chair, Sun Jiao exclaimed.

To be able to live such a comfortable life was unimaginable before. It was two months until an entire year passed after meeting Jiang Chen. This year was the happiest she'd been since she left the fallout shelter. Although a lot of things happened during the process, they managed to make it through intact.

Just like a miracle, the soil tainted by war welcomed order again.

After he said hi to Yao Yao, Lin Lin, and Sun Xiaorou, Jiang Chen headed to the warehouse in the backyard.

This place was previously the base's warehouse, and now it was modified into a building similar to a ”transport array.” Two old warehouses were bulldozed and built into a metal shed around 500 square meters big. Inside contained the magnified version of the ”interdimensional mass transportation device” Lin Lin designed.

Right now, the warehouse was filled with containers of canned food, fresh vegetables, fruit, and meat. Jiang Chen sent Wang Qin a message on the EP, directing 15 workers from the logistics department to transport the food.

”Last quarter, we produced 2000 Reaper Assault Rifles, 400 Hummingbird Drones, 20 Type-50 Electromagnetic Pulse Cannons, 10 T-3 Power Armors, and 1 Sample T-4 Power Armor.” Wang Qin pushed up her glasses as she reported to Jiang Chen the recent production figures.

”The T-4 Power Armor is finished?” Jiang Chen was surprised.

The defense ability of the T-3's armor was something Jiang Chen always criticized. While the front armor was enough to defend against light weapons, it was nowhere enough in a battle against the Death Claw. Jiang Chen demanded that the new model had to replace the plastic armor with the more durable C-type steel without sacrificing mobility.

Just like he expected, the problem that couldn't be solved by researchers at Sixth Street was no trouble for the scientists at the fallout shelter.

”The difficulties with the engine were solved by researchers at the fallout shelter; the improved crystal fuel rod increases energy efficiency by 20% and engine output by 15%. This solves the problem of lack of mobility. The weight of the armor was increased to 700 kilograms to reach the threshold for land-type power armor specs. The total defense increased by 50% while ammunition decreased by 10%.

”What about the attached weapon models?”

”It still has the revolving machine gun on the left arm as the primary weapon, but based on this, the researchers at the fallout shelter also added a five-round grenade launcher on the same side. The grenade is capable of heat-seeking.”

It was a moving fortress.

[Insane, but I like it!] Jiang Chen thought to himself.

”What are the weaknesses compared to T-3?”

”While the front armor is reinforced more strongly, the armor in the back has been decreased. Also due to the weight of the armor, the acceleration provided by the engine is weaker compared to before - it can't perform the high mobility dodging maneuvers T-3 could. It may feel unresponsive when dodging anti-armor weapons, so our research added reactive nitrogen armor on four different sections of the T-4 power armor.

Improving its defense meant sacrificing its mobility, but it was a worthwhile sacrifice. Since not all people could perform the dodging action in less than 0.1 seconds, most of the soldiers in power armor would require the armor to take damage directly and act as a moving shield for the light infantry. It was the role power armor played in combat.

”What's the cost of producing a T-4?”

Wang Qin's finger pressed on the screen and a number appeared in the center.

”27130 crystals.”

”That's so expensive.” Jiang Chen was shocked by the figure.

It was almost three times the amount compared to T-3 armor.

But Wang Qin couldn't do anything about that fact.

”The price of iron and rare metal continues to climb at the Sixth Street to the point where there's a shortage. Based on the information provided by Chu Nan, although there's been an economic boom as well as other factors, there's also been an increase in the number of scavengers, so there's still a significant gap to meet industrial demands.”