Chapter Ninety-Two: The Return Voyage

The main substance of the message sent by Zhang Desen was roughly this:

Latest developments: it has been learned with alarm that another force of humanoid enemies armed with cold weapons has begun attacking the Wen Mountain and Hanjia prefectures of the Shujiang Kingdom.

Although these enemies, who fight with cold weapons, are far weaker in combat than the humanoid enemies of the Ormei Empire, their numbers are enormous. If the Shujiang Kingdom is destroyed, they will certainly continue their assault on states such as Daxing and Lingnan. Humanity will once again face a crisis of survival, so please make defensive preparations at once and be ready to meet the enemy at any time.

In addition, based on the intelligence already in hand, we suspect that the humanoid enemies of the Ormei Empire and those cold-weapon humanoid enemies may also be hostile to one another. Therefore, we conjecture that this time the Ormei Empire’s humanoid forces will probably support Councillor Qian’s proposal for the Daxing Kingdom to send troops against those cold-weapon enemies. If so, it may be advisable to cooperate with them on this campaign.

At the same time, since the Southern Dian Kingdom has fallen into grave danger and its capital has already been seized by primitive humanoids, please make every necessary preparation.

When the Liu family received this message, Master Liu immediately sent his steward, Liu Man, in person to the Prime Minister’s residence of Zhang Chengwei to inform him. After hearing the news, Zhang Chengwei also felt it rather troublesome and said:

“Understood. Tell Master Liu to pass word to Desen that I will handle it.”

Liu Man replied:

“Yes, Prime Minister.”

Zhang Chengwei suddenly asked again:

“By the way, has Qian Qiu already been informed of this matter?”

Liu Man replied:

“I don’t believe so. According to Young Master Zhang, he learned of it through another channel. Councillor Qian probably has not had time to hear of it yet, though it should be soon. Also, Young Master Zhang suggested that if troops are to be sent, it would be better for Councillor Qian to be the one to propose it.”

After hearing this, Zhang Chengwei said:

“Very well, I understand. Tell Desen to return as soon as possible. And there are some matters that must be told to him at once...”

Liu Man immediately said:

“Yes, Prime Minister, please speak!”

...

Meanwhile, Kaba Dur came running up to Yuri Gotnev with a report in hand and said:

“Report, my Führer. Those foolish barbaric kin have come.”

Yuri Gotnev was taken aback and asked:

“Foolish barbaric kin? Which ones?”

Kaba Dur said:

“The ones who reject modern civilization and still carry primitive weapons, of course!”

Yuri Gotnev was startled and asked:

“What? How far have they advanced?”

Kaba Dur said:

“They are very close to us now. It is reported that the Wen Mountain and Hanjia prefectures of the human Shujiang Kingdom have in effect already fallen. At present, those barbarian troops have their spearhead pointed straight at the Guanghan prefecture and Chengdu of the human Shujiang Kingdom, and it won’t be long before we see their shadows here as well.”

“Damn it!”

Yuri Gotnev swore, then went on:

“No. Issue orders immediately: intensify the attack on Gekur, and at the same time clear the battlefield wherever territory has already been occupied. Advance while clearing, and do not allow a single thing to fall into their hands. Also send a message at once to Councillor Qian of the human Kingdom of Daxing, telling him to urge the human Kingdom of Daxing to deploy troops to resist those barbarians and destroy as many of them as possible. Do you understand?”

Kaba Dur answered at once:

“Yes!”

...

Likewise, Zhang Desen and Li Longfang were also making preparations to return to Earth. At the moment, as they moved weapons from one place to another, they chatted. Li Longfang asked:

“By the way, Desen, the special forces you mentioned before really are the same kind of troops you served in in your original universe, aren’t they?”

Zhang Desen said:

“Yes. I think I’ve already explained it to you thoroughly.”

Li Longfang said:

“That’s right. In fact, I also want to join this unit and become one of its members.”

Zhang Desen said:

“That would be excellent. If you’re willing to join, that’s the best thing of all. I want to divide this ninety-man special operations team into three squads, and I’d like you to be the captain of the first squad.”

Li Longfang said:

“All right. I won’t let you down.”

Zhang Desen said:

“But the training will be very hard.”

Li Longfang replied:

“No matter how hard it is, I’m not afraid. I came from the battlefield—what hardship would scare me? Back when I was fighting, I once got separated from my unit and even ate snakes raw to survive until I rejoined the main force.”

Zhang Desen was stunned at this, then said excitedly:

“Excellent. Let me tell you: the very first lesson for a special forces soldier is learning to eat things like snakes, insects, mice, ants, and the like.”

Li Longfang blinked.

“Really?”

Zhang Desen said:

“Yes. Only by learning these things can a special operations team sustain itself in prolonged combat far from its rear lines.”

Li Longfang asked hopefully:

“Then I count as qualified?”

Zhang Desen said:

“No. For now you’ve only just barely passed the first test. There will be many subjects, and once training begins you’ll understand. Determination is the most important thing.”

Li Longfang said:

“I have plenty of determination.”

After hearing this, Zhang Desen looked at the equipment being moved before them and said:

“All right. To be honest, these supplies are already enough to meet the needs of ninety men.”

Li Longfang said:

“Yes, but Desen, how will we continue to find equipment like this in the future?”

Zhang Desen smiled.

“Don’t worry. There’s enough equipment here for us to use for quite a long time. All from different eras.”

Li Longfang let out a breath and said:

“That’s good, then.”

Zhang Desen said:

“Relax. Aren’t there also the machines for making them? During this period we’ll have to travel back and forth between the Moon and the Earth many times until we’ve brought back enough things. At the same time, we must teach the craftsmen how to use them, including the mining and refining of raw materials, the installation of power equipment, and the operation of all kinds of machinery for producing weapons and supplies. There is still much to do, but with the records left by the ancient superhuman race, it can be accomplished.”

Li Longfang said excitedly:

“Wonderful. Then these things will keep coming without end.”

Zhang Desen said:

“Yes. Once the supply is sufficient, I’ll even expand the scale.”

But then Li Longfang suddenly remembered the appearance of the firearms he had seen before they were placed into the specially made space transport crates and asked:

“Still, Desen, why are these guns different from the ones you use?”

Zhang Desen said:

“That’s only natural. Just as every swordsman uses a different treasured blade, don’t they?”

Li Longfang was stunned. He had not expected that such a simple question could stump him. It seemed he had made the matter far too complicated. All he could say was:

“Oh, right!”

Zhang Desen continued:

“Besides, the reason I chose these guns is that they resemble the Type 56 submachine gun from the Huaxia Nation of my original universe. That makes me feel they are connected to me in some way, and they can let me relive a part of history.”

Li Longfang said:

“Then that’s good. Not bad at all!”

Some time later, while they continued chatting and moving cargo, the first batch of supplies was finally loaded. After closing the gates of the Tycho Crater base, Zhang Desen and Li Longfang entered the cockpit of the lifeboat.

At this point, Li Longfang said with some excitement:

“Hah, finally finished.”

Zhang Desen said:

“We still have to bring over some space training equipment and simulators, because a great many things are too large, especially industrial machines and the like. Our ship simply can’t fit them all. We’ll need to train a new batch of pilots to operate the large transport ships in this base before we can meet demand. There is still so much to do.”

Li Longfang said:

“We will. By the way, Desen, why not have you take a group of people up first, directly transfer the mechanical equipment we need immediately onto the space transport ship left by the ancient superhuman race, and then have you pilot that ship to move the machinery back first and produce what we urgently need? The remaining matters can be handled slowly afterward.”

After hearing this, Zhang Desen said:

“Good point, Longfang. I think we can certainly do as you suggest. Very well, the solar flare has passed for now. Let’s prepare to return.”

Li Longfang said excitedly:

“Good. At last we can make use of the journey home.”

Zhang Desen activated the Tycho Crater base’s automatic defense system and various necessary programs. From then on, even when Zhang Desen was away, there would be no need to worry about the base being invaded.

He also linked the base to his ship’s computer and related systems, so that in the future, even while on Earth, he could remotely control the base’s various functions. And when he came to the Tycho Crater base again, he would be able to land directly on its takeoff and landing platform.

At the same time, Zhang Desen was thinking about how, after returning, he should advise his father-in-law, Master Liu, to establish an industrial park. After all, the new equipment would surely need a place to be installed. It would obviously be impossible to produce all those things directly in the Tycho Crater base on the Moon, and it would not be convenient to do so at present.

There was also another matter giving him something of a headache: he did not know whether there were enough elite members among the family guards of the Zhang and Liu households who could become pilots. After all, Zhang Desen could not possibly fly every ship himself.

At the same time, he also made up his mind that after returning, he would carefully ask Zhao Chengming just how much possibility there was of reconciling with Hu Tu, the deputy commander of the Liu household guards. Otherwise, under no circumstances could he let Hu Tu and the others learn of anything, including the Tycho Crater base. If they did, they might become extremely dangerous sources of instability.

While Zhang Desen was thinking all this, Li Longfang suddenly asked him:

“By the way, Desen, what exactly is the name of this ship? I’ve never heard you mention it.”

Zhang Desen was stunned, then suddenly remembered. He had only told them that it was a ship, but had never bothered to tell them its name. For one thing, after coming to this universe, Zhang Desen had no other ships apart from enemy vessels, so there had been no need to give them special names to distinguish them.

For another, no one had asked. But now that they were about to take possession of the various pieces of high technology left behind by the ancient superhuman race, perhaps it was time to say it.

Thinking this, Zhang Desen said to Li Longfang:

“The ship I brought into this universe is called Galaxy. This lifeboat is called Lifeboat One, and the other is called Lifeboat Two.”

After hearing this, Li Longfang nodded to show he understood, then sat down and fastened his seat belt.

Once Li Longfang was seated as well, Zhang Desen began the countdown for takeoff:

“Four, three, two, one—lift off!”

“Home we go!”