Previously, when Weiss and Lorraine's industrialists faced an unprecedented financial crisis, Nikolai came uninvited and offered to help them solve some troubles. Although it is not decisive, it is also a real act of sending charcoal in the snow. Now, the crisis has begun to pass, and the race for engine-powered vehicles has brought a wave of new orders to Lorraine's automotive industry. The Clumber-Haysen family and Lawrence are the main shareholders of the vehicle manufacturing plant have benefited a lot, and the situation of industrial development in Lorraine has been improved, at least in terms of funding, Weiss is no longer as stretched as it was in previous months. Therefore, when it comes to strengthening the security of aircraft factories, money is no longer the primary issue, but how to lay it out. If it is only a passive defense, then no matter how strict the vigilance system is, it will be broken by the enemy, and it is necessary to introduce the thinking of the battlefield, and actively turn the passive into the active, so that the defense of the factory can have any hope of winning!

This principle is very intuitive to say, but it is complicated to do. Weiss and Nikolai summed up for a while, and felt that it would not be long before the Normans would pay attention to this place—they might already be staring at this place, so they must act quickly, and after initially reaching the expected conditions, they should take the initiative to lure the enemy to spy on intelligence like vaccination, so as to find out the enemy's line, uproot the enemy's hidden outposts, and come to a wave of pre-cleanup, interfere with the enemy's actions, and buy as much time as possible to continue to strengthen security, and finally make this place an "intelligence forbidden zone" for the enemy.

During this half-day, Weiss and Nikolai shifted the conversation from technology to tactics. Around the security of this aircraft cooperative factory, they drew a wartime-like combat plan. At first glance, the nearby barracks and garrison units are their greatest reliance, but this is only an expected means, as it is impossible for the garrison to send troops to provide direct security to the cooperative factories. One of the reasons for their presence is that they can mentally make the enemy feel at ease and their own personnel feel at ease, and at the tactical level, they can often come to provide military training to the security personnel, and the reserve forces of Lorraine have a reason to assemble and conduct combat readiness training in the vicinity. On the other hand, they can carry out regular patrols of the surrounding mountains and forests to enhance the medium and long-range vigilance force, while the real factory security must rely on forces outside the army.

Based on his knowledge of the federal security system, Nikolai proposed to submit an application to the Federal Security Inspectorate to list the area as a federal security alert area on the grounds that R&D and production involve high-level technical secrets, and if approved, it could receive direct support from the Federal Security Inspectorate, including the dispatch of technical forces to strengthen the security of the plant, as well as the provision of certain security funds and necessary equipment - although the amount is not too large, and the equipment provided is at the level of the active army, It is still an extremely beneficial supplement to the factory-based security system.

The military and official forces play a leading and complementary role in the security system of the cooperative factories, and the real main force is the security team organized by the Star Group, the Clumber-Heisen family and the government of the canton of Lorraine. Speaking of security forces, it comes across as a rabble, far less well-trained than the regular army, but relying on the weapons and equipment produced by the Clumber-Heisen factory, coupled with the training of the garrison troops, they can fully approach or reach the combat level of the regular army. In addition, the agricultural aircraft manufactured by the Lorraine Agricultural and Forestry Machinery Plant can build a three-dimensional model for the plant's security system and be put into combat if necessary. The vehicle factory established by the Clumber-Haysen family in cooperation with Lawrence is capable of producing and modifying lightly armored wheeled combat vehicles, and together with the tracked vehicles of the Agricultural and Forestry Machinery Plant, it is not difficult to build a mobile force with dozens or hundreds of wheeled armored vehicles and tracked combat vehicles. As for weapons, thanks to the federal authorization system for light weapons, they can be acquired either in the name of an individual or in the name of a security company. In this way, without financial restrictions, they can quickly pull up a considerable security team.

Considering the practical significance and cost performance, Weiss and Nikolai decided to expand the size of the security force from the current 200 to 600 people, which is equivalent to a regular infantry battalion; The number of motor vehicles has been increased from the current 20 to 80, and the number of new vehicles is mainly wheeled and tracked armored vehicles. In addition to the corresponding weapons, radio equipment is a key support at the technical and tactical level, and they are not only planning to purchase the corresponding radios, but also preparing to use the existing manpower to establish a separate commercial cryptographic system to prevent enemy intelligence infiltration.

These two are both vigorous and resolute personalities, and they do it immediately, and at the same time, they are cautious thinking with thick and fine. Weiss, instead of police and reservists, selected native Somsonas from the joint security forces of the Free Lorraine Canal Industrial Zone, and quickly formed the first batch of reinforcements to go to the cooperative factories on a voluntary basis. These young men underwent three weeks of rigorous military training in the garrison barracks before joining the security team of the cooperative factory, which helped to raise their reserve level to a higher level, not only to be proficient in various weapons in active service, but also to acquire the basic skills of combat.

At the same time, both Weiss and Nikolai wrote letters to their old comrades-in-arms and old superiors, asking them to recommend suitable candidates from among their colleagues who had retired from the military and had excellent abilities and qualities to lead the security work of the cooperative factories. With the help of all parties, they quickly identified three candidates who had served as officers in the federal army, and through interviews and other means, two of them were determined to serve as senior commanders of the security team of the cooperative factory. Nikolai's side also successfully recruited some retired pilots, who initially joined the Lorraine Agricultural and Forestry Air Corps to conduct air patrols in the vicinity of the cooperative factories in the name of agriculture and forestry production. In this regard, they have fully communicated and cooperated with the garrison troops. In the early days, out of safety considerations, the garrison sent officers to work in shifts in the Lorraine Agricultural and Forestry Air Force as observers to ensure that their normal flight activities would not endanger the military safety of the garrison troops.

After the initial construction of the three-dimensional security system, Weiss took the former capable partner of the Lorraine guerrilla operation to conduct field surveys in the mountains and forests near the cooperative factory. With the reverse operation of guerrilla warfare thinking, he chose a number of hidden locations to establish mobile and fixed-point guard posts, set up a three-layer cordon, and personally led the increasingly strong cooperative factory security personnel to conduct on-the-spot drills, so that they had an intuitive understanding of their responsibilities and potential dangers in the future in the way of confrontation drills. Under Weiss's coordination, the garrison also formed a cooperative relationship with the security forces of the cooperative factories on a regular basis, and continuously strengthened the "physical defense" of the cooperative factories through this form of infiltration and anti-infiltration hunting and counter-hunting.

With the advent of winter, the pace of people's lives has slowed down again, and outdoor activities have been greatly reduced, but in the far north, the excavation of the remains of the so-called spaceship has entered the mining stage, and every month it is possible to refine enough star stones to build several large flying ships, and distribute them according to the proportions previously agreed upon by the countries. Just at this rate. Each nation can add a sizable fleet each year, but according to the joint agreement, they must use a significant portion of the Starstone for non-military flying ships.

Seeing the real Star Source Stone resources, people's skeptical attitude towards the events in the north weakened a lot. Although people of insight continue to remind or take responsibility for the institutions responsible for the events in the north through various channels that the civilization information of the spaceship relics is far more valuable than the star source stone resources, both the Wessex government and the Joint Exploration and Mining Committee have always been a reason: the northern ice is too thick, and only a part of the resources can be extracted by means of mining and drilling, and it may take several years or even more than ten years to get closer to those relics.

Since the summer and fall, the living pair of Barras and Gunevere have met in Belakaser almost every two months, sometimes even once a month. Although Weiss and the others have been worried that Gunevere is too deep in the play, at least from her situation, everything is still under control. After the winter, the two continued to date in Belakse, and after the initial construction of the security system of the cooperative factory, Weiss and Nikolai went to "make an appointment" as planned.

At the airport port of Belakase, they met Prince Barras as scheduled. The frail new crown prince of the Norman Empire remained alive and the affairs of the Norman Empire seemed to remain in his hands, while Barras continued to wield military power as Chief of the General Staff of the Military Forces. As for the extent of the relationship between the two men, and whether the power structure within the Norman Empire has been stabilized, these information from various parties are not exhaustive, and there are still contradictions between them, which makes people feel confused. Through the route of Gunevere, although we can understand the mentality and concepts of Prince Barras in different periods, these are also not fully believed.

At the sight of Nikolai, a look appeared on Ballas' face that seemed to be a smile but not a smile. Both Weiss and Nicholas were his prisoners, and Nicholas was imprisoned by the Normans for much longer, even spending several months in the Norman Empire. Weiss didn't ask much about that experience, and Nikolai didn't take the initiative to mention it, so he maintained a state of tacit understanding.

"Long time no see, you're still single?" This was the first thing Barras said to Nikolai, as if an old friend was caring and greeting.

Nikolai did not show obvious hostility towards Barras, otherwise she would not have been willing to come to Bela Casser to meet him.

"Is there anything wrong with one person having one person's freedom, two people with two people's concerns, each with their own wishes and gains?" Nikolai replied lightly.

This conversation surprised Weiss, as if Ballas had pursued Nikolai at the time, and from this point of view, it was speculated that he might not only have a soft spot for Gunnevere, but also interested in the opposite sex who had influence in the Federation, and this may be a big move for him to occupy and rule the Federation in the future?

Ballas smiled wryly, looked at Weiss and said, "Actually, I've always thought you two were a good match. Now that President Leibold has stepped down from office, what else can stop you from being together? ”

Weiss didn't feel the need to answer this question. He took the initiative to change the topic and said: "We came to visit today, in fact, we want to talk about cooperation with His Royal Highness the Prince. ”

"I'm here as a passer-by, not talking about business or dealing. I'm just coming to see my sweetheart and I'll leave after reading it. Prince Barras rejected his offer in a way that surprised Weiss, without even asking him what he wanted to talk about.

"However, isn't your previous attempt to acquire our factory through Gunevere a gesture of deal?" Weiss found a very good entry point to refute.

Ballas neither admitted nor denied it, he frowned slightly, waiting for Weiss's words.

"The deal I'd like to say is that we don't stop you from meeting with Gunevere in any way, and I hope you don't send intelligence agents to Lorraine anymore, let alone sabotage our land, which won't do us any good. After all, in the current situation, the whole world is aware of the positive significance of peaceful coexistence and cooperation. The clouds of war should have left over our heads. Weissdau.

"I've never given such instructions. In fact, I am only in charge of the organization and training of the army, and in peacetime it is impossible for our army to cross the border into the territory of the Federation. Of course, except in rare cases, just like you did back then. Barras said this with a sense of poise and arrogance in control.

Weiss retorted: "However, I am very annoyed that there have been 15 vicious intelligence incidents in Lorraine in the past year, 11 of which were against military targets and the other 4 against technical targets, even at our newly established Free University of Lorraine." During these incidents, we found a total of 29 suspicious individuals, some of whom have been confirmed to be suspected Norman intelligence agents. ”

"What do you mean by confirming that it is a suspected Norman intelligence agent?" Ballas unceremoniously pointed out the "language disease" in this sentence - since it is confirmed, what is suspicion? The reason why he was so unscrupulous was because those people were already cold corpses and could no longer confess any information.

Weiss did not answer his rhetorical question directly, but continued: "There are also some native residents of Lorraine, according to their confessions, they were coerced and tempted by the Norman military department in what they did, and the funds they obtained, the technical support they received, and the instructions they obtained came from the Norman army, these are undoubted. ”

Barras didn't look surprised or annoyed at all, just let out a faint "oh", and then said lightly: "This matter is not within my authority, and when I get back, I may ask someone from the military intelligence department." I think what you said earlier is also reasonable, in the current situation, we do not need to continue to engage in confrontation, but should cooperate more, but these things are not up to me. ”

"I know what you're planning for a long time." Weiss feigned annoyance and threw out this sentence.

In accordance with the previously discussed performance, Nikolai kicked Weiss's foot with his shoe and motioned for him not to go any further. For this little action of theirs, Barras naturally took it in his eyes, but he didn't say anything, pretending not to see it.

"We're all young, and we still have a long way to go in life. For decades to come, I hope that we will all be able to face each other in such a calm manner, that we can sit comfortably at the same table and drink tea, instead of standing on opposite sides of the battlefield and fighting to the death. Nikolai said.

Barras gave her a smile: "I hope this is the result too, but there are many things we can't decide. The world is not dominated by us, at least not yet. ”

In the second half of the brief meeting, the two sides tasted tea and said nothing else, but before leaving, Ballas gave Weiss another bombshell sentence: "By the way, I mentioned your brother last time." Recently, I received inconclusive information that he was still in Lorraine. If what they say is true, he is not under our control at the moment, and is, in your words, a free man. ”