Armed Train in the Apocalypse

In the core conference room, the massive electronic sand table almost occupied the entire wall, with blue and white lights representing the enemy’s positions, clear and distinct, divided by the Donghuang border. To the east, it was all white, indicating it had been claimed by the Pale Demon, while to the west, there were only a few scattered blue lights spread across the long defense line.

Opposite the sand table was a heavy oak long table, with nothing on it except a few steaming ceramic tea cups.

Two men were arguing by the table.

The golden general stars on their epaulettes were somewhat dazzling under the cold light.

General Akseyel, deputy commander of the western war zone, was an old-school soldier with broad shoulders and ruddy cheeks.

His fingers had large knuckles that hit the smooth tabletop heavily, making a ”thud thud” sound.

”Alliance? With those Donghuang people?” His voice was loud, filled with undisguised disdain, ”Yuri Vasilyevich, are you insulting the blood of our ancestors, or insulting the young men under me freezing in the snow? When did it come to them teaching us how to fight? ’Pale Demon’? We’ll use our steel and will to crush them back across the ocean!”

Opposite him, Yuri, who had just returned to the battlefield, took a deep breath, ”Akseyel, excitement can’t change the width of the battlefield. The area we need to defend is just too large, and the vanguard of the ’Pale Demon’ has crossed the Ob River.”

”Will?” Yuri slightly raised his chin, ”Obsidian Industries had a firm will, fought to the last man, yet couldn’t stall the enemy for more than forty-eight hours.”

Akseyel choked slightly, although he despised the White Bear who abandoned tradition in all aspects, their artillery was real; to be effortlessly taken by the Pale Demon meant his elite might not be much stronger.

Yuri softened his tone, ”This is the era of evolution, we’re already lagging behind...”

”Don’t bother me with that crap!” Akseyel suddenly stood up, the chair legs screeched against the floor.

Like an enraged lion, ”I know what the Donghuang people want, don’t I? When have they reached out for free? Port? Mine veins? Or turning us into their cannon fodder again? This is letting the wolf into the house! We can solve it ourselves! Shrink the defense line, concentrate reserves, organize a counterattack...”

Seeing his old friend in this state, Yuri sighed, knowing persuasion would no longer work; now it was time to use the Mao Bear tradition.

Yuri unbuttoned his coat and turned to punch his old buddy’s face hard.

With a bang, the latter was knocked down.

”Yuri!”

That punch not only failed to defeat him, it made Akseyel even more furious.

Soon, muffled sounds of fighting filled the room, two Gunfire generals, Tier Two Evolvers, engaged in hand-to-hand combat in the narrow space.

As the two were in the heat of battle, the heavy explosion-proof door silently slid open, and the room’s air seemed to freeze instantly.

The man who walked in wore a perfectly tailored dark gray suit with a heavy wool military coat, no medals, only a small double-headed eagle badge on his collar.

He looked about fifty years old, with neatly trimmed hair, graying temples, his face calm and even somewhat weary, but when his gray eyes swept over the room, they carried undeniable weight, no entourage, just a blank-faced colonel in a guards uniform quietly standing outside the door.

Yuri seemed choked, stood at attention, straightening his chest.

General Akseyel quickly stood up too.

President of Northern Union Mao Bear, by tradition and some unspoken yet deeply ingrained conventions, still honored as ”Emperor” within the core circle of high military and security meetings.

This wasn’t written law, but a remnant pose of unspoken allegiance.

In the system, Mao Bear practiced a federal modern framework with division of power, the president held great authority.

Yet within the army and powerful departments, hierarchy was strict, personal allegiance colored relations, the general staff and defense ministry responsibilities often intertwined, ultimately unified under the president alone.

Officers’ promotions, major deployments, often considered not only ability and battle merits but also their faction allegiance and loyalty to the core; this old imperial bloodline flowing under the modern democratic system’s shell, hidden in peace times, became clear under war pressure.

After doomsday, Mao Bear’s imperial bloodline quickly resurgent, renamed Gunfire to differentiate from before.

Then virtually occupied entire Mao Bear, now Gunfire is Mao Bear, Mao Bear is Gunfire.

”Continue,” the president’s voice was low, calm yet authoritative, he walked to the head of the table, didn’t sit, just rested his hand on the cold chair-back, ”I heard some discussion about commands.”

Akseyel took a deep breath, seemingly finding the core of his being, stepped forward half a pace, ignored Yuri’s warning glance.

”Mr. President, forgive my bluntness, your order requires us to conduct comprehensive military coordination with Donghuang, even allowing their reconnaissance units and rear support forces into our deep territory. This is unprecedented, morale of the army will be affected, soldiers’ emotions cannot accept it, we Mao Bear soldiers, enough to defend every inch of our motherland!”

His speech was filled with fervor, with a trace of appeal to the highest adjudicator.

The president quietly listened, his gray eyes watching Akseyel’s beard shaking with excitement.

When he finished, only the faint noise of the ventilation system was left in the meeting room.

The president didn’t directly refute him, even gently nodded.

”Aleksey Petrovich.” He said calmly, ”So, from your professional standpoint, tell me, how much time, and what’s the cost to thoroughly drive the main force of ’Pale Demon’ from the Donghuang border back east of the White Eagle Strait?”

”I need a definite, executable campaign plan.”

”Not slogans, but troop comparison calculations, logistics support nodes, estimated casualty numbers, and phased goals.”

Akseyel opened his mouth, the color visibly drained from his face. Rapidly flashing through his mind were those horrendous loss reports, the stretched reserve lists, and the electronic sand table’s white disaster representing the enemy, still slowly but steadily spreading westward.

His lips moved a few times, wanting to speak a number, a plan, but ultimately, all impassioned words stuck in his throat, unable to deliver that ”definite, executable” answer.

The cold reality is more biting than the Changbai Ice Field wind, instantly piercing through the body beneath his military coat.

Seeing his silence, the president’s gaze shifted to the massive electronic sand table.

”We already lost most of the land.” The president’s voice was light, yet distinctly clear in the silent room, ”From the White Eagle Strait to the Yenisei River, then the Ob River, cities, villages, mines, and that northern untouchable area.”

He paused, chewing over the weight of these words.

”Aleksey Petrovich, we can’t lose the last half.” He turned his head, his gaze fell back on Akseyel’s face, with no blame, only a nearly cruel clarity. ”Sometimes, guarding requires borrowing strength, even if it comes from a direction you dislike, survival has no romance, only choice.”

He glanced last at Yuri, ”If he still doesn’t understand, then you take full charge of liaising and coordinating with Donghuang.”

After speaking, he slightly nodded, like just ending a routine briefing, turned away heading for the door, the hem of his wool military coat brushed gently against the cold ground.

The door closed silently.

[The Steel Fire Law is really striking, reading it felt dizzy, not fully digested, the new chapter feels oddly written]