Regarding why the various universities and colleges were called here, the higher-ups haven't said anything yet, so Xing Chen and Ms. Theresa could only stay bored in the guesthouse.
“Xing Chen, I’m so bored.”
Ms. Theresa, for once, had absolutely nothing to do; usually, she could at least write some code in her rented apartment.
“Just bear with it, we won’t be here for many days.”
Xing Chen also had nothing to do; he didn’t want to write his articles and was too lazy to do research related to Originium.
“Can’t we go out for a walk?”
Previously, she had seen many weapons at the military exhibition, but compared to inanimate objects, she wanted to know what the armies of this world looked like even more.
“I want to see your army.”
When Xing Chen heard this request, his head almost exploded. Wandering around the management area? Wasn't she afraid of being arrested as a spy?
“Don’t you Sarkaz also have an army?”
Hearing Xing Chen mention “the Sarkaz army,” Ms. Theresa gave a dry laugh.
“Do we even count as an army?”
“Carrion Eaters, Blood Demons, Wendigo…”
“The Carrion Eaters Legion are Nieci Lei’s private soldiers, and it’s debatable whether those Bloodline descendants and reborn creations even have self-awareness. The Wendigo… they left two hundred years ago; they should be considered Ursus’s army in Ursus, right?”
Tribes such as the Banshees, Sons of the Earth, and Whiplash Demons, which are too few in number, weren't even considered.
“Actually, the most numerous among the Sarkaz are mixed-blood Sarkaz like me,” Ms. Theresa stated her thoughts, “but they either lack combat power (relative to the Royal Court) or have become mercenaries, willing to raise their staves against their own kind if the pay is good enough.”
Manfred was currently working on forming an army, but to what extent he could succeed was something Xing Chen and Ms. Theresa were both unsure of.
So, she decided to take matters into her own hands.
“Alright, I’ll give it a try.” With that, Xing Chen left the room and walked upstairs.
Yu Bo had told Xing Chen his room number, and both of them could come find him anytime.
“Yu Bo, are you there?”
“I’m here, I’m here, let me tidy up.”
Soon, the door opened, and the other party invited him in to sit down.
Then Xing Chen found that Yu Bo’s room was also a single room, which made him feel that the chances of success were much higher.
After he expressed his intention to observe the training, Yu Bo fell into a brief thought.
“If it’s not possible, then forget it.” Xing Chen was not going to force it; it was better to avoid trouble.
“I remember there’s no live-fire training today, why don’t I go ask again?” He said something incredible right off the bat.
Then, Xing Chen returned to his room and waited until the afternoon, finally receiving a call from Yu Bo.
The other party told him to wait downstairs; someone would take him to the armored vehicle testing area shortly.
After not long, Ms. Theresa suddenly turned her head, and Xing Chen knew the car to pick them up had arrived.
“Holy cow, is that a Type 99A?”
Experiencing a main battle tank in motion up close for the first time, Xing Chen’s heart was filled with excitement. This was his own country’s most advanced Wall of Sighs.
“So… small?”
Ms. Theresa had just finished expressing her opinion when Xing Chen turned to look at her, his eyes seemingly displeased.
Indeed, human material technology couldn’t create the giant vehicles of Terra, but she shouldn’t humiliate it like that.
Just as he was about to argue with Ms. Theresa, the tank’s hatch opened.
“Excuse me, are you Mr. Xing Chen and Ms. Theresa?”
“We are. Did Yu Bo send you?”
“Come on up.” The tank commander extended his hand. Xing Chen glanced at the other party’s military rank. Hmm, he didn’t recognize it, but it seemed very impressive.
“It’s a bit cramped.” Ms. Theresa adjusted her posture several times, and by the time she finally got comfortable, it was Xing Chen’s turn to be uncomfortable.
The roads near the guesthouse were well-maintained, allowing the tank to drive at highway speeds.
At first, Xing Chen didn’t feel anything unusual, but as the speed increased, he began to notice something strange.
“Ms. Theresa, what’s the speed now?”
“At least over a hundred, why?”
Over a hundred kilometers per hour on a highway? Is this the speed a modern main battle tank can achieve?
“To be precise, it’s 120 kilometers per hour, both of you.” The tank driver heard their conversation and enthusiastically told them the actual speed, “It’s Yu Bo’s research achievement. As someone who studied materials and machinery, I find it absurd.”
“The more absurd part is yet to come.” The tank commander lowered his head from the turret. “Hold on tight, we’re about to go off-road.”
The driver made a turn with the control stick, the speed of one side of the tank’s tracks decreased, and the crew entered off-road mode.
“Ms. Theresa, are you alright?”
In off-road mode, the vehicle’s bumps were significantly more violent, and coupled with the cramped interior, it was easy to bump into things.
“I’m perfectly fine.” Ms. Theresa gestured while answering, afraid Xing Chen wouldn’t hear her.
Seeing the Demon King as steady as an old dog amidst the bumps, Xing Chen felt he might have been overly concerned.
Just as he was distracted, a rock suddenly appeared on the road ahead, and then Xing Chen’s head made intimate contact with the roof of the vehicle.
“Ouch, ouch, ouch.” He hadn’t felt such intense pain in a long time. There were no particularly dangerous things in his daily life, and in Terra, he felt almost no pain.
“Take your hand away, let me see.” Ms. Theresa immediately pulled Xing Chen’s head towards her, wanting to help him with treatment.
“Be a man, don’t be like a sissy.” The tank commander looked back at Xing Chen, confirmed he wasn’t bleeding, and then dropped that remark.
Hearing this, Xing Chen disregarded the pain and immediately broke free from Ms. Theresa’s embrace.
Although the top of his head had become pointy, his dignity could not be lost.
On the other side, the only woman in the car stared blankly at Xing Chen and the tank commander.
“May I ask what the speed is now? I feel like the speed hasn’t dropped at all.”
“It definitely dropped, it’s only a bit over eighty now.” The driver leaned slightly to the side, allowing Xing Chen to see the digitized panel.
“Over eighty, off-road, you’re carrying people, not pigs.”
Seeing Xing Chen’s injured appearance, the tank commander finally remembered that he was picking up two scholars.
However, they were almost at their destination, so there was no need to slow down at this point.
When they arrived at the testing ground, Yu Bo was already waiting there with another military officer.
After the vehicle stopped steadily, the crew immediately dismounted and saluted the two waiting individuals.
Xing Chen left the crew compartment with Ms. Theresa’s support. His health was already not good, and such an ordeal would surely shorten his lifespan even more.
“Are we the only ones here?” Seeing Ms. Theresa looking a bit disappointed, Xing Chen could guess that what she wanted to see was definitely not just one or two advanced weapons.
“These matters are all quite important; we’ll discuss other things after they’re done,” Yu Bo emerged from under the vehicle, seemingly having checked some parts. “Xing Chen, do you think it’s realistic to build a land battleship using my new suspension system?”
Xing Chen also closely observed the tank’s suspension system. After experiencing intense movements beyond the standard, there were no particularly obvious signs of wear.
“Honestly, I think the biggest problem isn’t whether it’s possible, but whether it’s necessary.”