Chapter 1: Crossing Over with the Base Vehicle

  The slowly opening eyes were fiercely pierced by the scorching sunlight, and before anything could be seen clearly, everything in front of them suddenly became blurry again.

  Zhong Yi wanted to cover the sunlight with his palm, only to realize that his whole body was sore and numb, as if he didn't even have the strength to move a finger. What's going on?

  With his eyes closed, Zhong Yi slowly came to and remembered that before he fainted, he was riding an old motorcycle rented from Ailsa Rock Resort, alone, to appreciate the grandeur of the world's largest rock. The shock of the red rock made him a bit too excited, and he, who could easily operate a helicopter, somehow flipped over on the two-wheeled motorcycle.

  "Damn it!" Zhong Yi cursed in a low voice, "If the instructors at the academy find out about this, we'll get zero points for our driving lesson. We'll also be ridiculed by our classmates!"

  Squinting with eyes that had gradually become accustomed, the large red rock known as the world's first appeared in his line of sight again, but it gave Zhong Yi a strange feeling. He scanned the surroundings, and all he saw was endless desert. Where was the motorcycle? That damned Australian scammer, the crappy second-hand bike that nobody wanted at the Erjing River used car market, had actually taken 500 Australian dollars in deposit from him, which was equivalent to over 3,000 RMB, almost enough to buy a new one.

  At this moment, Zhong Yi felt a bit of strength restored, and with the support of both hands, he crawled up from the wilderness. He didn't know how long he had been unconscious or how far he had fallen. Within several meters around him, there was no sign of that broken motorcycle.

  "Huh? What's that?" Just as Zhong Yi was panting heavily with his hands on his knees, he suddenly saw a huge, square, black cargo container appear in his line of sight!

  "Is this place really building a Transformers theme park? If it's true, then the Australians are quite creative." Apart from the color, the strange carriage's shape is too similar to Optimus Prime. Zhong Yi couldn't help but laugh, but his dry lips were torn open in several small mouths, and he felt a bit tragic. However, as an outstanding graduate of the Armored Corps Engineering Academy and newly promoted lieutenant, Zhong Yi didn't mind too much. During his years at military school, he and his classmates had undergone wilderness survival training multiple times, and they had experienced worse situations than this. The most dangerous time was when Zhong Yi got lost in the grasslands and killed three wild wolves with a 95-style dagger. When he found a herdsman's yurt, Zhong Yi was on the verge of collapse, covered in blood, and almost got killed by the herdsman who mistook him for an escaped convict. Eating raw food and sleeping outdoors wasn't anything exaggerated for modern military personnel from the Republic.

  The motorcycle that was the root of all troubles has not been found yet, fortunately the military backpack on my back is still there. I had planned to camp in the desert overnight anyway, so I can get up early and admire the breathtaking sunrise at Uluru as rumored. The items prepared in the backpack are still quite complete. Stumbling a few steps forward, leaning against the side of a huge black strange carriage, who cares what kind of Transformers car it is, let's just borrow some strength to rest for a while

  He pulled out a water bottle from his backpack and took several big gulps, ah, the sweetness of rain after a long drought! He comfortably stuck out his tongue to lick his lips, "No!" Zhong Yi suddenly stood up, the replenishment of water allowed his brain to quickly recover its thinking ability, the keen senses of a soldier made Zhong Yi immediately feel that something was off around him: this place wasn't even the scenic area of Ailsa's giant rock.

  Most of Australia's scenic spots are like this, with little difference between developed and undeveloped areas, all desolate. The crowded scenes like those in domestic scenic spots can't happen here at all. Can the total population of Australia be more than that on Tiananmen Square? However, Zhong Yi immediately confirmed that this was not a place he had been to before, although the giant red rock was still quietly lying there, and the surrounding area was still a vast desert with only sparse wild grass. There were no roads leading here, no parking lots or other buildings, no fences around the giant stone, and most importantly, there were no people - except for this huge black monster truck beside him, just like many uninhabited areas in Western Australia's highlands, where not even a human figure could be seen within sight.

  "Is anyone there?" Zhong Yi shouted, but all he heard was a faint echo in the wilderness, and then it returned to its previous tranquility, without even a hint of wind. Dazed and confused, Zhong Yi couldn't understand what was happening, only that he had fallen off his bike and everything had changed. But when faced with an unclear situation, one must remain calm, which is a basic quality for a soldier. Zhong Yi didn't panic, turned around, opened his backpack, and took out a bag of ham. In unfamiliar environments, always pay attention to maintaining your physical strength in order to face various dangers that may arise - this was the first sentence taught by the instructor during wilderness survival training, which Zhong Yi had remembered clearly.

  He took out the ham, but Zhong Yi couldn't eat it now. A more astonishing thought surged into his mind: someone had touched his backpack.

  A water bottle, a food bag, a marching tent, a multi-functional flashlight... A large pile of things was dug out and thrown to one side. Nothing was missing, except for the prize for being first in the graduation exercise - a Qilin computer specially used by the military.

  "Damn it!" Zhong Yi let out a long sigh, "What a pity! I just installed Red Alert and didn't even get to enjoy it yet!"

  Note: The Red Alert installed by Comrade Lieutenant is not a public version, but a special military school version, used to cultivate the tactical command ability of cadets.

  Although the most expensive computer in the backpack was lost, other items were also important. To get through the current difficulties, they could only rely on them. Zhong Yi collected the remaining items with a dejected expression and patted the large toy car beside him. A low-pitched hum came from it, and he clearly felt that the body of the car was very solid. "It's almost as if it can withstand non-alloy armor-piercing bullets, and its armor is comparable to that of the 59-style tank. Australia really doesn't lack iron ore, does it? Even a toy is made so sturdy." Zhong Yi evaluated the black large car with a professional eye, then chuckled: "If you add a Huang Hai heavy truck head to it, it would truly be like an Autobot."

  "Alright, Atlas, saving the Earth is up to you now. I'm outta here, bro."

  Carrying forward the revolutionary optimism, Zhong Yi shouldered his camouflage backpack again and turned to head towards Da Hong Shi. No matter what, he had to figure out what was going on first - where did the buildings and people near Aier Si Rock go?

  The sun in the north was still expressing its passion with scorching rays, and after walking a few steps, Zhong Yi wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. He turned around to take another look at the strange car, and suddenly widened his eyes - the black body of the car had emitted a faint red glow. Somewhat startled, Zhong Yi didn't rashly approach it, but instead adjusted the backpack on his back, assuming a defensive posture. Just as he was wondering if the strange car would suddenly stand up and transform into a giant pillar, a very neutral voice came from within the car body - in Mandarin Chinese, which Zhong Yi could hear clearly: "DNA test complete. Male, 22 years old, ethnic Chinese, physical quality C-level, completed primary mission, military rank junior lieutenant. Meets the task conditions of the Great China Base, command identity binding complete."

  "What's DNA? What's a C-level body? What's the Great China Mission? What's with the commander?" Zhong Yi was full of questions after hearing this. He had thought that this strange vehicle was just a prop from the Transformers theme park, but it turned out to be a high-tech product that could automatically collect DNA and even had artificial intelligence. Could someone be playing a prank on him?

  "DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is a molecule that comprises the genetic instructions used in the development and function of all living organisms."

  It was still that neutral voice, and Zhong Yi almost went mad with rage. "Stop, stop, I don't need you to explain this, I know what DNA is! Who are you? What's this 'Great China Mission' and 'Commander Identity' nonsense you were talking about earlier?"

  "I am the Great China Base of the Galaxy Kirin system. After DNA binding, you are the highest commander of the base. In this world, you also need to complete the tasks specified by the base vehicle, accumulate military merit, and promote your military rank in order to obtain more command authority from the base."

  "Qilin system? Great China Base Car? This world? Could it be...?"

  "Yes, Commander. That's right, the base vehicle is that computer in your backpack. The Great Wall base vehicle is the only one that can be chosen to operate in the Qilin system. And this world is a parallel space of the world you once lived in."

  "Damn it..." Zhong Yi had already lost count of how many times he had blown his top today, and he simply couldn't control the suffocating emotions. You'd think that with all the time-traveling going on these days, getting hit would be no less likely than winning the jackpot in a two-color lottery. But when it came to him, he didn't ask for much - just not to be tossed into some godforsaken place like Australia to play Red Alert or something. The problem was, who was he supposed to play with? In this vast land of over 800 million square kilometers, the total population was roughly equivalent to the number of people at Tiananmen Square during the flag-raising ceremony.

  You're saying that in this western highland, with a population density of less than one person per square kilometer, what's the point of having a base car? Can't even find another human to play together happily!

  But what's with this Great China Base Car, it's like the college version of Red Alert, a multiple-choice question, no need to think - Chinese soldiers would naturally choose the Great China Base Car. However, I hope the version of this Great China Base Car isn't too low-end, if they really release an early People's Republic of China version, and the most powerful tank is the Type 59, wouldn't those guys die from laughter?

  "What's going on... I was already a lieutenant when I graduated from military school, and now you're demoting me to second lieutenant?"

  "Report to the superior officer, your military rank issue is evaluated by the base based on your previous accumulated military merits in the Qilin system. The lieutenant rank system you mentioned is not recognized for the time being."

  Zhong Shaowei was speechless. Who says playing games is useless? I worked so hard to get first place in the practice, but it's not even as good as those few guys who stay in their dorm every day! It seems like our second-in-command has already become a lieutenant general! Ah, what's the use of thinking about it too much. First, let's find a safe location. This area next to the Ailsa giant rock is quite empty, but it's definitely not a good place to develop a base. This huge stone pillar is clearly a landmark for the enemy's air force.

  "Can you move?"

  "Reporting officer, no problem, the Great China Base vehicle is fully capable of autonomous operation, with a speed equivalent to... your walking ability."

  "Alright! Let's walk and chat. Ah... by the way, we can't call you 'Base Car' anymore, that name is too tacky and will be looked down upon. What should we name you instead?"

  Zhong Yi thought of his original intention for coming to Australia and remembered the social circle where he first met her.

  "Alright, let's name you Heavenly Bird then! It's a bit of a hassle, so let's just call it Bird for short..."

  "Accept the naming, sir! From now on, my name will be called Tengoku Bird!"

  "Heh heh, bird, can you change your voice? This tone of yours is really annoying."

  "No problem, sir, which tone do you prefer?"

  "Is it like Zhi Ling Jie Jie's? Isn't that too sweet? How about a different one, bird-like, sweet and soft voice, is it suitable for speaking Chinese?"

  This time, it's the super intelligent Heaven Bird comrade who is speechless.