Chapter 128: “I Became the God of Death” (Today’s combined big chapter will not be senselessly cut in the middle, please enjoy…)
“Report, the target is traversing the blackout zone and may temporarily not receive the signals we send.”
The lead aircraft reported to Apollo Captain.
At this time, the Cangyuan First Battle Group’s speed had exceeded Mach 8, entering the ionosphere. The high-speed friction between the outer shell and gas molecules generated plasma that enveloped the aircraft, theoretically hindering the transmission and reception of electromagnetic signals.
This phenomenon typically only improves when the flight altitude is greater than 100 kilometers or the speed drops below Mach 6.
However, in reality, Cangyuan’s electronic technology reserves were far superior to Apollo’s.
A mere blackout was nothing to worry about.
The bóláo niǎo could receive enemy-friend identification requests; it just didn’t want to bother responding for now.
Ying Ji Chang Kong: “The enemy has detected us. Prepare for engagement!”
Fengqi Loulan: “Mmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-ah!”
Ying Ji Chang Kong: “Be serious. We’re in a battle.”
Fengqi Loulan:
A moment later, five fighter jets simultaneously burst out of the blackout zone and began to respond using the temporarily swapped Apollo IFF devices.
“Captain, the target seems to be—an ally—”
“Ally!? Seems!?”
The Captain’s brain fell into extreme confusion.
How could it be an ally?
He had a premonition that he would have difficulty making decisions on this matter himself. To avoid being held accountable and blamed later, he should immediately contact the person truly in charge on the ground.
“Minister Omar, this is the reinforcement unit. We just detected infrared signals from the surface, estimating that at least one space-faring vehicle is taking off from the Desert. Its current altitude is already greater than 100 kilometers. May I ask, was it launched by your side? Please verify!”
“What did you say—”
Omar was also dumbfounded.
What a joke! I only have two space fighter jets here. If they took off, who the hell would protect me?
He immediately checked with his assistant: “Do our fighter jets have any aerial training missions today?”
“No, sir,” the assistant didn’t know why he was asking, “They are all under strict guard in the hangar, and the pilots are on the ground.”
—Made me nervous for nothing.
“What kind of crappy radar do you have!” The startled Omar, with an angry tone, loudly accused the Captain, “Can’t you have some tactical sense? Why would you think that’s an ally!?”
“It’s not that I think so, Minister Omar,” the Captain felt very wronged, “but the situation is truly bizarre. The enemy is using a very rare chemical engine, and just completed the response. The IFF verification has passed.”
Thump!
Omar suddenly felt his heart being heavily punched by someone.
What a joke! First, what is ascending is definitely not an Apollo space-faring vehicle; this can be 100% confirmed.
Nor could it be a vehicle secretly hand-built by the City Lord of Kohl; if such a vehicle took off from Oasis City, he couldn’t possibly not know.
The reason that thing uses a chemical engine must be due to a lack of nuclear fuel and zero element, forcing it to rely on such an incredibly primitive method to enter space.
So, who would build such a space-faring vehicle? Who would lack nuclear fuel and zero element?
Unless one deliberately feigns ignorance, it’s not hard to guess.
Even with primitive propulsion, such a vehicle could still reach the moon. With some cunning, it might even be possible to stealthily raid the lunar mining facility…
As a Minister, Omar’s capabilities were considerably stronger than those of an ordinary employee; he was the type who could unleash his potential the more critical the situation became.
At this very moment, he began to piece together a large number of fragmented facts.
And the process was truly thrilling.
Did the enemy truly seize the mining facility with the help of traitors within Apollo? Did the “traitors” they spoke of truly exist, or were they fabricated?
This raises a huge question mark.
And if those “traitors” didn’t exist, and the enemy fabricated a false appearance, there was only one purpose.
To conceal their true strength!
To make me misjudge the threat level!
Damn it…
Is there a possibility that the enemy’s strategic ability is actually far superior to my own? Have I been within their calculations from the very beginning?
Most terrifyingly, the enemy’s space-faring vehicle is responding with Apollo IFF—this indicates they have sufficient technical and industrial capability to perfectly repair or replicate the relevant device from the wreckage of previously shot-down reconnaissance aircraft!
When did they manage to do this?
Two weeks ago? No, a month ago?
A deep sense of fear and unease swept through Omar’s heart.
Because he found himself unable to remember or count.
It’s been too long…
The enemy acquired the IFF device too early! The amount of information they could have gathered during this period is simply too vast!
For Apollo, the situation might have unknowingly spiraled completely out of control. “Shoot it down!”
Cold sweat beaded on Omar’s forehead as he shouted at the Captain.
“What? Are you sure you want to shoot it down? But—I need to verify the command, sir! Please authorize!”
“What the hell are you still talking about?! Immediately! Now! Fire all missiles and shoot it down!”
“Understood. Command received—”
At this moment, the distance between the First Battle Group and the Apollo fleet had reduced to 300 kilometers, and both sides began to enter each other’s fire control acquisition range and effective weapon range.
No, this is very bad! I need to retreat quickly!
Omar couldn’t stay any longer; the floor of City Lord Kohl’s palace felt like scorching lava at this moment.
He called his assistant: “Immediately prepare my yacht. We need to evacuate this planet as soon as possible!”
It’s alright. That yacht’s maximum speed is 60% of the speed of light. As long as I can activate the warp drive, no one will be able to catch me! And no one can intercept me!
The assistant froze on the spot!
“What are you waiting for?! Why are you standing there?”
“Minister Omar, you—you don’t remember? That yacht has already been sent to the bumpkins—”
Ah…
+!
Omar felt his hands and feet turn cold.
I forgot about that!
How malicious! Was it because they calculated my choice at this very moment that they tricked the yacht away in advance!?
Calm down, calm down. Nothing has happened yet, right? This doesn't mean anything. I haven't lost yet! The power gap between us and the enemy is still very significant. The enemy might just be making a last-ditch effort, like a moth flying into a flame!
Being outmaneuvered might just be my illusion. Yes, it’s an illusion!
“Enemy aircraft group has launched a large number of unknown objects!”
An alarm sounded in Chang Kong’s fighter jet cockpit.
The bóláo niǎo’s radar stealth performance was much better than Apollo fighter jets. The enemy’s radar couldn’t lock onto them at the current distance, but it could launch missiles in advance towards the approximate location based on their infrared signals, letting the missiles fly in by inertia first.
Or, more accurately, free-fall according to the current relative positions of the warring parties.
“Disperse formation!”
Chang Kong calmly issued the command. “Enemy radar beam locked!”
“Enemy missiles incoming! Distance less than 100 kilometers!”
The onboard AI warned again.
Now’s the time!
“Begin countermeasures!” Chang Kong shouted in the squad channel.
Cangyuan was too familiar with the performance of Apollo fighter jets. Everyone knew that their trash main cannons would be ineffective at the current distance, and they would inevitably attack with missiles.
Just counter their moves!
Each bóláo niǎo also launched as many as 64 small smart missiles from its vertical launch systems on the dorsal and ventral sides.
For this battle, the invincible Cangyuan Engineers worked overtime again, urgently modifying the aircraft. They removed the previously highly successful airborne laser main cannons and replaced all weapon payloads with these small missiles, each weighing less than 50 kilograms.
Their maximum velocity increment in space was actually not impressive, and they were not expected to shoot down enemy aircraft at this moment. Half of these missiles’ mission was to intercept incoming enemy missiles.
The other half didn’t even have warheads; their nose cones were replaced with radar reflectors that could mimic the bóláo niǎo’s radar echo characteristics, thereby instantly creating a large number of false targets.
Most of the missiles hit the decoy targets, and hundreds of fireballs bloomed in the silent void.
Illuminating the path ahead, incredibly dazzling.
“Remaining enemy missile count: greater than 15”
The onboard AI’s tone was cold.
After confirming that a significant number of enemy missiles had still slipped through, Chang Kong’s side, two wingmen not carrying nuclear warheads, accelerated forward without hesitation, resolutely.
“It’s okay, we’ll complete the final interception.”
While performing evasive maneuvers, they released a large amount of aluminum foil to interfere with radar lock.
Chang Kong witnessed his two comrades turn into fireballs. Although he knew they could be resurrected, an indescribable grief and indignation instantly swept over him.
This is war.
To achieve the mission objective, everything can be sacrificed, must be sacrificed, and everything must be given!
Neither the ground camp nor the industrial ship can help us now.
The First Battle Group can only rely on itself!
Fight!
At this moment, the remaining three fighter jets were still stubbornly fighting against the planet's gravity, continuously accelerating, forming a huge relative speed of 8 kilometers per second with the Apollo fighter jets entering the atmosphere.
Even a distance of several hundred kilometers can be reduced to zero in a very short time.
In a flash.
However, this final sprint was not easy.
“This is Dòng me, we have seen the enemy aircraft formation, they have sensed something is wrong and are fully spreading out their formation!”
Fengqi Loulan updated the battle situation in the communication in time, “We must ensure we surround them, and we must get close enough to ensure the power of the EMP. There is no room for compromise!”
Chang Kong: “Dòng me received! Let’s go!”
“Enemy remaining missile quantity: greater than 5”
Twenty, why are there still—
“Prepare to evade!!”
The three nuclear bomb mission aircraft performed a right-angle maneuver at the same time, pioneered by Chang Kong, while simultaneously throwing out the last life-saving straw—radar jamming foil.
After a violent shake, Chang Kong was certain he heard enemy missile fragments hitting the aircraft's outer shell. Red lights flashed on the instrument screen, and multiple subsystems wildly alarmed.
Fortunately, the control stick was still in his hand, the plane could still fly, and it could still be controlled!
Chang Kong: “All aircraft report status, Dòng me is intact and can continue!”
“Dòng me is intact and can continue.”
Fengqi Loulan: “My bomb release mechanism seems to be stuck—”
1
Chang Kong: “This! Can it be repaired?”
Fengqi Loulan: “Probably not! But it doesn't matter, brother, I will definitely ensure the mission is completed successfully! I will be responsible for the shortest middle route, and you two will be responsible for the two wings! Disperse immediately!”
Chang Kong: “Received, Dòng me understands. Take care, brother.”
90 kilometers, 80 kilometers, 70 kilometers. When only 60 kilometers remained to the enemy's left flank, Chang Kong released the nuclear warhead from the main bomb bay, then immediately turned to create a safe distance, avoiding being directly swallowed by the plasma fireball and gamma rays.
On the other side, Fengqi Loulan could no longer complete such a bombing.
Only one option remained to complete the mission.
He looked at the vast and imposing Apollo aircraft formation directly in front of him, feeling content, and gently placed his right hand on the manual detonation button of the nuclear warhead, reciting the famous ancient Indian poem that J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb, once quoted.
“...I have become Death, the destroyer of worlds.”
Three,
Two,
One, Ultimate Self-Destruct Technique!
Three 12.00 megaton nuclear warheads detonated almost simultaneously.
Chang Kong covered his eyes in advance, because in the next five seconds, from his perspective, the sun, which was about to set below the Li Star horizon, was only the fourth brightest object in this star system.
The three nuclear explosions formed a perfect equilateral triangle, a formation representing death, trapping the entire Apollo reinforcements within it.
Such high-yield nuclear bombs, such close-range upper ionospheric nuclear explosions, no exposed circuits could survive.
The explosion flash was clearly visible on the surface. One second after the nuclear explosion, the surging energy transformed into an invisible electronic storm, sweeping through the dark cosmic space, penetrating the dense stratospheric and tropospheric atmosphere, and then impacting the Desert, causing the entire Oasis City to instantly lose power.
The “Free Electron” operation finally lived up to its name at this moment!
“Nuclear—nuclear weapons!?”
Minister Omar, in front of the City Lord and his assistant, lost his footing and fell to the ground.
He looked up at the sky, watching the three bright spots in the high altitude gradually extinguish.
A strange blue-purple sky unfolded with it.
That was both the declaration of Cangyuan's struggle for dominance in the star sea and Apollo's first death knell.
“These guys... they always had nuclear weapons! They've been holding onto them all along! Hahaha—hahahahaha!”
“Minister.”
The assistant quickly went to help him up, to avoid damage to the company's image.
“Minister Omar, this is—”
City Lord also went up to help.
At this moment, he had no schadenfreude whatsoever. Although he didn't know why the other party suddenly lost his composure, he could feel that the luxurious villa far away in another star system was probably destined to be out of reach in this life.
As for the beautiful City Lord's secretary, she had no idea what this sudden power outage and the flashes in the sky meant. She thought Minister Omar had taken too many “good things” secretly, causing him to suddenly go crazy.
As for nuclear weapons and such, she had just read from the script before.
Minister Omar's mouth was half-open, and he didn't say a word for a long time, nor did he have the courage to confirm the situation with the support troops.
What was the point of calling—the other party couldn't reply anymore, and besides, what would he use to call?
Shout loudly!?
“Ah, so beautiful—”
On the terrace of her own mansion, Cheng Lei let out a short gasp as she looked at the anomaly in the sky.
“What's wrong, Cheng Lei?”
A weak voice came from the master bedroom behind her.
“I—I'm not too sure either.”
Cheng Lei returned to the bedside of the master bedroom, looking at her father, who was sick in bed and almost emaciated, with distress.
“There seems to have been a big explosion in the sky.”
“Explosion? What did it look like?”
“Hmm—very strange, it was like a blue veil spread out, and soon after that, the whole city lost power.”
“Blue veil—” Cheng Yun murmured in a very weak voice, “That should be—EMP.”
“What?”
Cheng Lei didn't understand the last strangely pronounced word.
“Father, I didn't hear you clearly.”
“It's nothing. I feel better today than before... No, much better!”
In space, Chang Kong used mechanical structures to unlock the cockpit, tied his safety rope, which was connected to him, inside the cockpit, then forcefully pushed open the cockpit canopy and floated into space.
The surroundings were a vacuum. His spacesuit was a simple version, only serving to seal, supply oxygen, resist pressure, and provide thermal insulation. He could not move freely.
Due to the very close distance of the nuclear explosion, the “bóláo niǎo”, which also used a carbon shell, was completely paralyzed by the EMP and became a dead object, now orbiting Li Star under inertia.
Even the communicator in his helmet was rendered useless by the EMP. Only the Geiger counter he carried was still working normally,
constantly clicking and alarming. He didn't know if the radiation shielding layer of the spacesuit could withstand the surrounding gamma rays and neutron flux.
It doesn't matter if it can't withstand it, just reforge it.
The fierce aerial combat ended in an instant. There was no sound around, and he felt so lonely.”
Most importantly, was the mission successful?
The nuclear bombs definitely exploded as planned, all three of them, but did they really have an effect?
He looked in the direction of the other surviving pilot, waved vigorously, and then realized that this gesture was a bit foolish.
The other party was at least 100 kilometers away from him; it would be a miracle to see him with the naked eye.
Hmm, calm down!
Don't underestimate yourself, but it's not time to open champagne yet. We need to confirm the results of the battle as soon as possible!
I survived, so my mission is not over yet.
I must see those Apollo Soldiers and their fighter jets with my own eyes.
He took out a specially prepared device from the external pocket of his spacesuit before the mission. It was a flare stick with its own oxidizer, capable of emitting a relatively obvious infrared signal.
Chang Kong waited quietly, 10 minutes, 15 minutes. Finally, after about 20 minutes, he suddenly saw rhythmic white flashes in the dark space background.
Short-long, short-long, short-long, long-long.
That was the Earth's Morse code, CY, which had a history of 1,300 years.
Cangyuan!
It's the First Battle Group!
Chang Kong was so excited that he extinguished the flare stick, took out a powerful flashlight specially designed for this mission that could completely block EMP, adjusted it to maximum brightness, and immediately sent a clear Morse code reply to that direction.
Short-long, short-long! Short-long!
CK, Chang Kong.
This time, the response came from the dense, multiple flashes emitted by the marine Soldiers who came to rescue him.
Short-long, short-short-short-short.
NB!!
Chang Kong was really about to cry this time.
In his eyes, no language could describe the romance of this moment, and no one was more adorable than these teammates in front of him.