I can upgrade the shelter-Chapter 778 - 676: Blood Tax

The group called the Knights, of course, cannot really be like those medieval armored figures riding horses.

In fact, even if they wanted to go retro and ride horses, there are no horses available in the current environment.

Although in a certain sense, this regional armed force does need mobility, and in the absence of cars or other modern transportation, horse riding is a way to solve the problem.

However, for these "Knights," Chen Xin has prepared snowmobiles and snow vehicles, all modified versions equipped with isotope thermoelectric batteries.

Nowadays, Flame Country has already fully mastered the isotope thermoelectric battery technology provided by Chen Xin and can produce these "nuclear-powered" vehicles.

In fact, these almost fuel-free transport tools are widely used domestically, and nuclear-powered snowmobiles paired with protective suits are the first choice for most people who need short-distance travel. Driving a car is still an option but is more suited for long-distance travel.

After all, being lightweight, flexible, and convenient, snowmobiles are indeed useful for commuting short distances with one or two people.

Chen Xin doesn’t plan to provide Land Ships to these Knight groups. In fact, they don’t even have the non-flying Mobile Bases, only obtaining a small-scale set of military camps composed of prefab cabins and functional container units from the Aid to Europe fleet.

As for the snowmobiles and other transport, as well as the weapons equipped by the Knight group, aside from a set of exoskeletons to enhance combat capabilities and protective suits that can withstand extreme cold environments, their weapons remain conventional firearms and a small number of heavy weapons.

This consideration is mainly due to the combat function of the Knight group, as what they face are ordinary armed groups, not alien creatures that can render 9mm bullets ineffective.

According to the plan discussed between Chen Xin and various autonomous cities, a Knight group will be responsible for maintaining the order of three to five autonomous cities based on city size, primarily dealing with armed groups with certain military forces.

Since it’s about combating humans, there’s no need for heavy weapons like electromagnetic rifles and heavy machine guns.

The reason some heavy weapons are still retained is mainly for unexpected situations; typically, these Knights can only use ordinary firearms and throw explosives.

The Knight group’s expenses are mainly provided by the cities they are responsible for. These cities periodically pay certain funds to the Knight group and are responsible for providing daily necessities, while the Knight group tries to maintain peace and stability in these cities.

With the Knight group established, a security system comprised of joint security forces, autonomous militia, and the Knight group was formed.

In this system, the joint security forces are naturally the main military power, equipped with excellent weapons, responsible for eliminating large-scale armed separatist forces, possessing good mobility, capable of covering a considerable area.

They do not station in a particular city regularly but use the Land Ship as a base with periodic patrols as their main activity.

Meanwhile, the militia are the main forces maintaining city security, not heavily armed, with only a few light police weapons like handguns, scattered across their own cities, doing the previous police work, maintaining city security.

The Knights are considered a supplement between the two, possessing certain military capabilities, mainly serving as a backup to the joint security forces.

After all, due to the limitations in the size of the forces and the way of operation, the joint security forces focus mainly on eliminating and dealing with large-scale armed separatist forces, while for remote areas or smaller armed forces, deploying them is obviously overkill.

The Knights, however, serve as an effective supplement to the joint security forces, capable of playing the role of long-term stationed forces in particular areas, sending personnel to patrol main cities and settlements within the area, even dispersing to multiple cities to cooperate with the militia could effectively maintain the area’s security.

It is precisely due to such advantages that plans to establish Knight groups received support from various autonomous cities.

Soon, several Knight groups were established with the support of these autonomous cities, effectively improving local security conditions.

With the joint efforts of security maintaining forces, militias, and Knight groups, areas originally chaotic in order and seriously divided by armed separatists quickly stabilized, and the establishment of various autonomous cities allowed many people and resources previously beyond the official control of European countries to be utilized again, providing strong support to the frontline.

After all, both the officials of European countries and Chen Xin obviously wouldn’t let such a significant force as autonomous cities drift outside of the war against alien creatures.

Though the officials of various countries cannot effectively control autonomous cities, they have no choice but to acknowledge their existence, this doesn’t mean the officials of these countries really have no way of dealing with autonomous cities. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

After all, as the original lawful rulers of each country, with military power at their disposal, if truly forced to a corner, it wouldn’t be a problem if they decide to send the military to crack down on a few autonomous cities as a warning and deterrent.

Therefore, as the price for official recognition of city autonomy by the countries, each autonomous city needs to pay taxes to the officials to support the frontline battling alien creatures.

Luckily, the autonomous cities also understand that their peaceful days largely depend on the frontline holding off alien creatures’ invasions, so they don’t have much objection concerning this.

Autonomous cities are required to pay taxes to support the frontline, and Knight groups naturally can’t be exempt.

Although they can’t be considered an army, they are still a military organization. Despite these Knight groups only receiving sustenance from autonomous cities without a source of income, they too have to pay taxes.

However, what they need to pay is not the resources like the autonomous cities. Instead, they must send part of their personnel directly to participate in the fighting on the frontline.

The battle against alien creatures naturally demands casualties, thus this tax form is humorously referred to as a "blood tax."

According to the regulations, after being established, each Knight group needs to deploy one-fourth of its personnel to the frontline to combat alien creatures every three months, then rotate them for another quarter in three months.

This way, within a year, a Knight group essentially has all its members serve on the frontline for three months.

Originally, Chen Xin and the officials of various countries thought the Knight groups would oppose this demand but did not expect that after the requirement to pay "blood tax" was relayed, the Knight groups did not show much resistance.