A pair of hands climbed up the watchtower.

The mad dog, who was guarding the edge of the mining area with binoculars, turned his head and looked over. "How's it going?"

"We discovered some traces of biker gangs; they didn't go far and were just wandering around outside."

Mad Dog said, "The mining area is of utmost importance. Send two teams out to patrol it."

Yuan Yongliang shook his head and said, "They haven't been 'delivered' yet. They're all new recruits. It's easy for them to die if we take them out."

"Sigh, what do you think about forming a 1,500-strong Spring Army Corps?"

“The master has his own considerations. With just 50 mercenaries, we can’t defend Black Street. Not to mention the biker gang, we can’t even fight the Sandcastle Army coming down from the Third District Pass. Black Street doesn’t have the industrial base to produce standard weapons. Eighty percent of the new recruits are still using spears and crossbows. It’s no different from a militia.”

Yuan Yongliang sighed, stood side by side with Mad Dog, and gazed at the distant horizon of the sand dunes.

"Although the power workshop has been preserved, the iron pipes made by those gunsmiths are not very good and the production volume is too low. It will take at least several years to fully equip so many people."

Mad Dog said, "We've been training them for a thousand days to use them for one. First, we need to train them in throwing axes, spears, and crossbows. Most importantly, we need to train their physical fitness and endurance. Have you come up with a new training plan yet?"

"I'm following up. Food supplies are plentiful now, so training people is quite easy."

"Yes, make sure everyone is well-fed. The master wants elite soldiers, not useless ones."

Mad Dog turned his head to look behind him. There was a huge mine pit with flat stone cliffs at the edges. There were three entrances and exits, and stepped roads that stretched out of the mine pit.

From the watchtower, you can see the buildings in Black Street just thousands of meters away.

Truckloads of ore were transported out and stored nearby in an open-air smelter in the center of the mine. The clanging and banging sounds were incessant as slaves, citizens, and miners worked with great enthusiasm.

The various plates and workpieces smelted from this factory would be transported to the Black Street Power Workshop to be processed into firearms and tools.

The military camp was located just outside the mine, overlooking the entire site. Three watchtowers stood around it, and the sounds of orderly marching and training echoed from within. As the wind and sand swept by, the shouts were as loud as drums, powerful and imposing.

The entire mine consists of three parts: the living area, the smelting area, and the military area.

Looking down from the top of the tower, it appears somewhat desolate.

But everyone was full of energy.

The reason is simple: miners, soldiers, and craftsmen all received wages, and, apart from slaves, the labor force enjoyed benefits such as free food and lodging.

Every day, truckloads of food are transported from the Black Street Industrial Zone, cooked into a porridge in large pots, and served with some vegetables. Occasionally, they can even have meat soup, although there is hardly any meat in it. Being able to drink soup is something that the workers in the mine pit never dared to imagine before.

The entire work module operates on a relatively scientific full-time shift system. There is a sufficient labor force in the Black Street. A total of 250,000 people from the fourth and fifth districts, including the Black Street, are competing for limited jobs. This is because Master Qin abolished the separatist forces in the Black Street, integrated the Black Street industrial chain, and put everyone into production. The coordination ability is stronger than before. Food is plentiful and cheap. Even slaves can afford to eat. At the very least, they can eat six or seven tenths full every day.

The remaining labor force was all recruited into the military, where they did not participate in production, but received salaries, food, and lodging.

Qin Che is no saint. Healthy lazy people and idlers will be driven away, and those who resist will be enslaved or have their organs removed.

And now the newly established Spring Corps.

1500 people is a whole unit.

However, only 50 mercenaries were equipped with standard-issue 'Sand Crocodile-10' automatic rifles and bulletproof plates.

Hundreds of men are equipped with iron pipe guns produced in the Black Street workshops. These guns are made of springs, parts, and barrels, and most of them are handmade. They also have flamethrowers, Molotov cocktails, and other equipment. These men are well-trained because they used to help the Black Street leaders fight and brawl.

The remaining 1,000-plus men were complete new recruits, and they all used cold weapons: crossbows, spears, knives, and axes. The workshops could barely mass-produce these things by hand.

A mixed force, divided into three levels.

This is exactly what mad dogs are worried about right now.

He had already dispersed his elite troops, assigning each of them to train dozens of men, focusing on improving their endurance and physical fitness, as well as their proficiency in using weapons.

As for the gunmen, who were working with the mercenaries, they didn't have enough ammunition; each person was only allocated three rounds per day.

"I heard that the master is building a second power workshop and has contacted the inner city walls to hire some old gunsmiths, and even wants to hire a scholar."

"A scholar?" Mad Dog raised an eyebrow.

"Technological development requires smart people, and the master wants to mass-produce iron pipe guns."

The mad dog shook his head: "That's expensive."

"With this grain, we're not short of money," Yuan Yongliang said with a slight smile.

Suddenly, the radio strapped to his belt made a hissing sound, followed by a report from his subordinate, "Deputy Regiment Commander Yuan! We've spotted a biker gang!"

Yuan Yongliang and Mad Dog exchanged a glance and then looked towards the southeast of another watchtower.

The air was distorted in the scorching desert. As the sunlight slanted down, the enemies appeared as tiny black dots, rapidly approaching the mine.

"Approximately how many people are there?" Yuan Yongliang asked loudly.

"It's a force of over a hundred men!"

Mad Dog hurriedly said, "Have the new recruits assemble, and take two battalions out immediately!"

"yes!"

The two quickly climbed down the watchtower and rushed to the military camp, where they saw rows of metal vehicles standing ready. There were only three hedgehog-shaped vehicles; the rest were rusty dump trucks assembled with iron plates and chains. The chassis were high, making them difficult to break, and they could speed across the desert.

About a thousand people had already assembled in the open space of the military camp and climbed onto the troop transport vehicles with their respective instructors.

At Mad Dog's command, a convoy full of soldiers drove out of the barracks gate.

Climb the not-so-steep sand dunes and approach southeast along the edge of the mine pit.

Buzz!

Buzz!

The hum of the locomotive's engine grew louder as it approached.

A force of over a hundred men, all bikers, drove up from the edge of the desert.

Their formation was scattered and disorganized, each armed with a gun. Before they even got close, they fired several shots into the sand, sending up two or three columns of sand and gravel flying.

"get off!"

Mad Dog turned around and shouted. The truck, packed with soldiers, stopped side by side. At the same time, three Hedgehog trucks cleared the way, and several mercenaries jumped out of the passenger seats, holding rifles and opening fire.

Da da da—

First, a burst of firepower suppressed the enemy, destroying three to five motorcycles on the sand, causing them to explode on the spot.

Immediately afterward, amidst the flames, the three hedgehog vehicles quickly dispersed and slowed down, while the seven or eight massive metal vehicles behind them rushed down the sand dune.

"On my command! Three! Two! One! Fire simultaneously!"

Swish, swish, swish!

A dense barrage of crossbow bolts rained down from the sky at the last moment.

The war is about to begin!