The Invasion Day – Chapter 43

Table of Contents | Character Guide

Chapter 43

Fu Shiwu said with a serious expression: “Since the SUV itself is also metal, why don’t you modify it as a whole? I think the ride height can be raised a bit, the internal space can be enlarged, then the rear compartment can also be made bigger. Since your metal ability can change the entire shape of light steel keel before, you should be able to do the transformations I mentioned.”

Tang Xuhai’s eyes lit up. He nodded and said: “I haven’t thought of these things, I’ve just thought about reinforcing the windows. Indeed, I can modify the whole thing. The car bumper can also be changed, since the current one probably can’t endure severe impact.”

“Yes.” Miao Jia couldn’t help but interject: “I once saw a video on the Internet, which showed a Hummer car that directly smashed the front of another car upon impact, while the Hummer itself was completely intact.”

“That car material should be a special alloy, right?” As the original owner of the car, Wen Zhaoming couldn’t hold back his fluttering heart: “The metal accessories of this type of SUV are generally made of either titanium alloy or aluminum alloy, and the car body should be made of low-carbon steel.”

After thinking for a moment, Tang Xuhai said: “The hardest metal I know is high-carbon steel. My combat knife is made of this alloy.”

Miao Jia moved his fingers swiftly and soon obtained lots of references from his laptop. He said: “The hardest alloy in the world at present is tungsten steel. The hardness of this steel is very high, comparable to diamond. The strongest single metal is chromium, while a material to help stop bullets is fiber-reinforced composite…”

Miao Jia surely was accurately positioned as their intelligence specialist. He could pull out lots of information after barely a few minutes.

“Wait a minute!” Tang Xuhai interrupted him with a headache: “Where can I even get chromium? Beside, the bulletproof fiber-reinforced composite… Aren’t we getting a bit too far-fetched here, let’s focus on what suits the current situation first?”

Miao Jia closed his mouth and looked at him in embarrassment.

Fu Shiwu calmly pushed his glasses up and said: “You have a metal-type ability, so you can experiment with changing the alloy ratio. Perhaps we can obtain a stronger material.”

“Uhm.” Tang Xuhai nodded: “If the condition allows. Now we only have the metal from the car body itself. If I can collect more metal materials in the future, maybe I can convert it into an armoured personnel carrier1It looks like this..”

“An armoured personnel carrier!” Miao Jia’s eyes beamed with a golden light as excitement cast over his face. He was exactly at the age when boys started to be fascinated with larger-than-life vehicles.

This was a dream that everyone hoped to be able to realise: To build their own armoured vehicle.

As Tang Xuhai began to upgrade the entire SUV, Fu Shiwu and Miao Jia help him to push the car to the parking lot where the vehicles had all been abandoned. Tang Xuhai used his metal ability to directly remove the metal plates from other car bodies, transformed them and directly used them to reinforce their own SUV.

Tang Xuhai carefully felt the sensation going through him. The materials needed to be arranged methodologically for him to control the components inside. Certain components didn’t have to be melted under high-temperature; they could be straight away molded into the alloy components that their team needed.

The SUV slowly deviated from its original appearance and its body was raised higher than before. The bumper became tougher, the car body became wider and the rear compartment became larger. The entire car was fortified and thickened, almost comparable to that of a bulletproof car. It was basically protected from head to toe. 

It was just that the modified car had now turned into a bright silver colour of alloy, its original black paint completely gone.

Tang Xuhai frowned in dissatisfaction.

Fu Shiwu said comfortingly: “It doesn’t matter, we can find some paint later to make it into another colour.” 

Tang Xuhai was still unhappy. He determinedly put his hand on the car body, and a moment later, the surface of the car became a colour palette that constantly changed its shade.

“What are you doing?” Fu Shiwu asked curiously.

“I’m trying to put a layer of metallic paint on the outside.” Tang Xuhai gritted his teeth. Soon, sweat started to pour down.

The components changed into different proportions and colours under the commands of his ability. Tang Xuhai also wanted to ensure the components that were extracted out wouldn’t affect the toughness of the car body itself.

Fu Shiwu worriedly watched Tang Xuhai doing his best and sighed quietly. It wasn’t the first time he saw the man’s stubbornness.

Earlier modification of the car had used up most of Tang Xuhai’s energy, consuming almost the entirety of his ability. But now he started to perform even more complicated micro-manipulation of the materials. Really, this man couldn’t stand not looking for death.

It wasn’t until Tang Xuhai was about to faint out of exhaustion that he finally created a colour that satisfied him.

It was a matte layer that didn’t reflect any light at all, made completely from alloy but carrying the same effect as a coat of paint.

Looking at the silver-grey modified car, Tang Xuhai was finally minimally satisfied. He clicked his tongue and said: “Let’s stay this way first. When we arrive in the military district, I’ll find someone to paint it with a camouflage layer.”

Miao Jia stepped up to express his admiration: “Hai ge, you’re amazing!” He gave a thumbs up.

“Am I not?” Tang Xuhai raised his chin proudly.

Seeing that he was obviously drained but still here holding out, Fu Shiwu angrily slapped his shoulders: “Go to sleep!” 

Tang Xuhai was stunned for a second: “Oh.” Then he turned his head and said to Miao Jia: “Go go go! Kiddo, you should go to sleep too.”

Saying so, he staggered away.

Miao Jia was dumbfounded to see Tang Xuhai being so ‘obedient’. After watching Tang Xuhai taking his leave, Fu Shiwu turned to look at Miao Jia through his glasses.

Miao Jia felt the skin on his face tighten and immediately said: “Fu ge, good night!”

Miao Jia ran away as quickly as a flash. Fu Shiwu then walked towards his sleeping bag.

Tonight, Tang Xuhai and he would sleep on the concrete floor outside the car, while Wen Zhaoming and Miao Jia would sleep in the car.

Tang Xuhai was the last to wake up the next day due to the complete consumption of his ability the previous day.

When he got up, Fu Shiwu walked over with a solemn look and whispered to him: “Commander Wang just asked me come over, saying that we should leave as soon as possible.” 

Tang Xuhai’s heart thudded as he looked back at Fu Shiwu with a grim expression.

With a heavy heart, Fu Shiwu nodded: “The time has come.”

At this moment, Miao Jia jumped out of the car holding the laptop and approached the two of them: “Hai ge, Fu ge, an alien wave seems to be gathering and moving towards Yun City. There isn’t much time. They’ll reach the eastern suburbs in one day!”

Fu Shiwu breathed in deeply: “We only have one day?!”

Tang Xuhai punched the ground, smashing a shallow pit into the concrete floor: “Damn!”

“Hai ge, shall we decide quickly?” Miao Jia looked at him anxiously.

After the evolved aliens’ ambush at the central warehouse failed that night, the place wouldn’t be safe for long. Sooner or later, the aliens in Yun City would attack again. If these aliens combined with those already inside the eastern suburbs and sieged the warehouse, they wouldn’t be able to escape even if they grew wings!

“Call Wen Zhaoming back! Tell him that we’re setting off. It doesn’t matter how many people he has convinced, just bring them here. If he can’t convince them, don’t bother anymore!” Fu Shiwu neatly made the decision at once.

Tang Xuhai took a deep breath. He crawled out of his sleeping bag and said to Fu Shiwu: “Let’s fill up the fuel tank and get ready to go!”

Wen Zhaoming had gone out to persuade more people since early morning.

In this short period of time, he had moved the hearts of seven people, including three ability users and four mutants.

At present, they were a small team of four people, where the division of work was relatively obvious. Tang Xuhai was responsible for combat, Wen Zhaoming took care of planning and Miao Jia handled intelligence. However, Wen Zhaoming felt that Fu Shiwu had an even more important role.

“What can I do?” Fu Shiwu looked nonchalant on the surface, but his heart was actually a little uneasy.

If he was to be honest, he really felt that he wasn’t as useful as the other two who had special abilities, and even Miao Jia, who had no special ability, was more helpful than him. This had Fu Shiwu feel terrible about himself.

“You’re the soul of our small team. It would be impossible without you.” Wen Zhaoming said sincerely: “Only you can be the central figure of this team.” 

Fu Shiwu was stunned. He said in puzzlement: “Why me? Both you and Tang Xuhai are more powerful than me!”

Tang Xuhai had amazing strength while Wen Zhaoming, even if he was disabled, was a special ability user with an extremely sharp mind.

“Shiwu, you have a trait that neither of us has.” 

Tang Xuhai nodded in agreement: “I also think this arrangement is very fitting. Leave the fighting for me and the thinking for Lao Wen, you can take the lead.”

Fu Shi Wu became even more baffled as he listened to Tang Xuhai.

“What is the trait that I have?” Fu Shiwu pushed his glasses up and stared at the other two with blank eyes.

“That’s it!” Wen Zhaoming and Tang Xuhai said in unison.

“???” Fu Shiwu’s hand that was pushing the glasses stopped at once.

Since the very beginning, Fu Shiwu had always carried a cold and fierce aura of a white-collar elite, and for some indefinable reason, he had the ability to influence his surroundings with his own perception. This sometimes brought an unparalleled sense of superiority and suppression, making people almost unable to breathe under the pressure of his aura.

Wen Zhaoming was the one most affected by this. He said: “The two of us are not comparable to you when it comes to keeping people in order.” 

“Yes!” Tang Xuhai smiled evilly: “Although we all know your true personality, your appearance is very deceptive. This is the one thing we need.”

Fu Shiwu instantly wanted to explode.

What do you mean by that?! You mean I’m strong outside but as weak as a kitten inside?!

“Don’t be angry, we’re complimenting you! This is a tactic called ‘to keep one’s own counsel’!” Tang Xuhai wrapped his arm around Fu Shiwu’s shoulders.

Fu Shiwu had never rubbed shoulders with anyone since he was a child. Such an action that symbolised friendship instantly made the frustration in his stomach disappear without a trace.

He stared at Tang Xuhai’s smiling face and asked: “Is it really a compliment?”

Tang Xuhai felt a bit funny, then he cleared his throat and said solemnly: “Really, your personality is more decisive than me and Wen Zhaoming sometimes. You know what to do, when to do it and what is in our favour. When we have things that need discussion and the stakes are high but the decision can’t be made quickly, you can directly call the shots.”

Tang Xuhai said until Fu Shiwu felt his heart shaking. All his life, he had never taken up a leadership position, but having to shoulder such a responsibility somehow gave him an enormous stimulation.

“Alright.” Fu Shiwu nodded.