Rust - Chapter 1039



Only Krnovel

RUST [RUST]-1039

Ironically, the first place where the unusual changes in plants were detected was on the battlefields of Southeast Asia.

“Even if you spray napalm, the bushes will grow thicker in ten to fifteen days?”

[Yes. It is said that the forest is now beginning to encroach on roads and cities.]

The climate was already hot and humid, but now it is even worse. Even in the extreme heat, which is similar to putting an egg in a steamer, the jungle did not die.

“This is ridiculous.”

It was ridiculous. There was a reason why most thermometers were set to 42 degrees. If it went higher than that, it would cause irreversible and fatal problems.

But the weather in Southeast Asia was humid, with temperatures hovering between 45 and 50 degrees. It wasn’t quite like a sauna, but it was hard to endure. It was surprising that the war continued in the midst of all this.

“I feel like I’m going to die while sleeping. No. It’s so hot that I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep.”

[Sudden deaths among the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions are on the rise.]

Hood took over the explanation of the artificial intelligence Diana.

[The Empire’s specialty, modular nuclear power plants, are selling like hotcakes. It is said that even the small Korean nuclear power plants, which appear to be an improvement on the Empire’s modular nuclear power plants, are not selling well because they are out of stock.]

The empire was expanding its markets in South Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Brunei, while Korea was advancing into North Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and then western India.

The empire, in disarray, extended a hand of reconciliation to Korea, instead maintaining a virtual truce with the Holy Kingdom. It handed over modular nuclear power plant technology.

If the Holy Kingdom and Korea form a military alliance, the Imperial modular nuclear power plant technology will be lost, so they took the initiative.

It was possible to replicate modular nuclear power plants with only Korea’s current technology. It was more realistic for Korea, which had turned into an enemy, to transfer its old modular nuclear power plant technology and divide the Southeast Asian market, rather than producing modular nuclear power plants.

The Empire’s offer wasn’t bad for Korea either, since the one item the Empire imported was a modular nuclear power plant.

The dangers of large nuclear power plants were increasing. They were not safe from earthquakes and tsunamis, and it was difficult to stop sinkhole monsters and mutant monsters from rushing in. What if there were special forces of enemy forces with powers, including cannibals and vampires, to commit terrorism?

In order to prepare for such a situation, we had to place a few high-level personnel near the nuclear power plant. Even so, there was no guarantee that it would be able to stop it.

It’s okay now because of the Kim Yang of the Holy Kingdom and the Royal Guard, but in the long run, the large nuclear power plant was something that had to be dismantled.

[It appears that mass production began immediately after the Empire transferred the old nuclear power plant technology.]

“The Empire and Korea exchanged like that?”

[Because the Korean government has consistently requested small nuclear power plant technology and nuclear fusion technology, but has refused.]

“I know what will happen to the next government in Korea, so I’ll leave it at that. That’s okay.”

Maru was calm, but Ms. Kim was not.

[We are doing sinkhole monster defense and now nuclear power plant defense, so why are you asking the Empire to give it to you? Without telling us in advance? How about you just play with the Empire and leave us alone?]

An angry Kim Yang insisted on withdrawal.

[There’s no need to get so excited. The Korean government prioritized its own interests. It’s true that we didn’t transfer power generation technology, and it’s also true that we refused to form a military alliance with Korea. In a situation where the Southeast Asian war is escalating, it’s definitely more profitable to share the market than to be a vassal of the empire.]

[Why should we think about that? We should also think about our own interests first.]

As Ki-soon encouraged Ms. Kim, Hood also helped her.

[That’s because it’s beneficial to prevent sinkhole monsters from occurring in Korea.]

If Korea were to be consumed by a sinkhole monster, a population of over 50 million people, including Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese refugees, would become the sinkhole monster.

What if the sinkhole monster heads north, passing through North Korea and heading towards China, which is torn into seven parts? China’s population has decreased significantly, but it is still estimated to be over 500 to 600 million.

Hood’s story was that if that huge population were to turn into a sinkhole monster, it would be virtually impossible to handle.

[It is true that we are in a situation where we cannot use strategic nuclear weapons. So, blocking it in Korea now is the cheapest way to block it.]

[······.]

Kim Yang, who had swallowed her anger, looked at the floor.

[You said you were coming, why isn’t it coming?]

“Because we’re building a new private jet.”

They were building an airship to replace the private jet that crashed in Indonesia. That was one thing, but they also wanted to wait and see what the Korean government and the organization would do if they made it seem like they would be there soon.

[So when are you coming?]

“After about two months?”

Maru shrugged his shoulders slightly at Kim Yang’s expression as if asking why it would take so long.

“The fact that they fled from Kyushu means that the situation is serious. I want to visit Kyushu to see how serious it is. I also want to go see the situation in Southeast Asia with my own eyes.”

If I were to go in order, I was planning to start from Southeast Asia and then go to Kyushu on the way up.

[There’s a war going on, is there really a need to go?]

The war in Southeast Asia was fierce. The Vietnam front had quickly expanded to the coastline of the Indochina Peninsula and the coastline of Indonesia and the Philippines.

Even though the Empire had taken away many of its key power players, the harsh war situation in Southeast Asia was awakening new power players.

“I guess there are some things that are on my mind. If there is talent, I scout them.”

It remained to be seen what the Korean government and the exiled faction would do during that time.

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The long, marble-like, wooden-floor private jet didn’t look like a blimp at all. It felt more like a plump Blackbird (SR-71).

It had vertical take-off and landing engines because gas alone could not maintain lift, but even taking that into account, its appearance did not look like that of an airship.

Most importantly, it had the ability to operate for up to four hours in volcanic ash and dust.

“It’s nice not having to rush through time.”

[You can re-enter right away after regrouping outside the volcano’s range.]

Even with the strongest EMP, it could withstand about 3 hits with EMP countermeasure equipment, and the defensive power of the composite carbon armor, which was a fusion of upgraded defensive shields and mutated monster materials, was beyond imagination.

“Even the new shield alone should be able to block most air-to-air missiles and surface-to-air missiles, so I think there won’t be a problem.”

[It is possible to block it sufficiently with existing weapon systems, but it is difficult to guarantee 100% blocking as weapons using mutant monster materials are being released.]

That’s true. Even the Battle of Seattle, where the Empire and the Confederacy fought, only made the arms race more intense.

To combat cannibals and vampires, psychic countermeasure devices were introduced, and the upgrade speed of exosuits was also increased.

To combat the rat and bird populations, the Empire developed a poison gas that was deadly to rodents and created sonic weapons to repel birds.

It had already been several years since the Holy Kingdom gained supremacy over the airspace, and it was likely that each country would have developed weapons to attack the Holy Kingdom’s airships.

“Will Southeast Asia also have a new air defense system?”

[There are circumstances in which the Empire exported new surface-to-air missiles to Indonesia and the Philippines.]

It was a good thing. I needed to check it out for myself anyway.

“How’s the situation? South Vietnam and Indonesia have self-propelled guns left behind by the Imperial Army, so I think they have the advantage.”

[Without someone with abilities like Leon Bonnard, the utility of the artillery is low.]

South Vietnamese and Indonesian artillery units were extremely vulnerable to the harsh climate, jungle terrain, and biological EMP.

The accuracy of the shot was extremely low when shooting at uncertain coordinates on the shaking ground, and it was not easy to leave the scene after firing the shot.

Without Leon Bonnard, the war in Southeast Asia was changing from a firefight with artillery battles to a guerrilla warfare with small units attacking and stabbing each other.

A battlefield where ability users are the main characters, rather than fighting with conventional weapon systems. It was a battle centered around ability users, exosuits, and infantry firearms.

“Tanks, self-propelled guns, and missiles. Abilities, exosuits, suicide drones, and small missiles.”

If the tanks, self-propelled guns, missiles, and airships lose their power, it will inevitably become a mud fight centered around capable people, exosuits, and infantry.

[And there is another singularity.]

Artificial intelligence Diana discovers something strange in the Southeast Asian war.

[Non-combat casualties account for over 35% of all casualties.]

“Non-combat losses?”

Non-combat losses generally meant losses due to disease or accidents. In addition, missing persons and desertion were also included in non-combat losses.

“Is it worth it even if it’s an epidemic?”

[Diseases that appear to be contagious are also a significant cause, but there are also a significant number of missing and desertion cases during operations.]

“Desert. If you desert in the jungle, you won’t be caught. That makes sense. Then what about disappearance?”

[There are cases where entire platoons and companies have disappeared.]

The war in Southeast Asia was becoming increasingly muddy, with epidemics, disappearances, and desertions. It was said that special forces made up of people with powers were roaming around, but it was unclear whether they were actually people with powers or cannibals or vampires.

“Not even a platoon, but a company?”

[Military intelligence agencies of each country are looking into the cause of the disappearance, but have not found the cause.]

Maru’s gaze became sharp.

‘There’s no way cannibals or vampires weren’t involved, right?’

War was a feast for them. They couldn’t miss out on a feast that would make them stronger.

‘I think there must be at least one in each country’s special forces.’

With the Holy Kingdom and the Empire dividing the wireless communications network, it would be impossible for any country to use a wireless communications network other than their own in times of war.

In these times when telepathic abilities are rare, it would be correct to assume that small-scale infiltration operations utilize the mental waves of cannibals and vampires.

‘If the operation seems dangerous, the guys inside will lure the troops, eat them, and erase all traces.’

Then a perfect disappearance was possible.

“Where are the places with the most disappearances?”

[This is Indonesia.]

It was the country with the most severe volcanic activity, earthquakes, and sinkholes.

‘And there’s war in the middle of all that?’

It was a bitter taste in my mouth.

The simulation results showed that even if Maru had not swept away the existing governments in Southeast Asia, war would have inevitably broken out.

This was because Southeast Asian countries were already at their limits. Water resource problems due to dam construction in upstream areas. A unilateral ban on agricultural product exports in a situation where they could not respond to sudden climate change. Survival was now at stake, beyond historically controversial territorial issues.

‘Survival.’

A graceful white airship headed for the red mud of Southeast Asia.

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Like many other Southeast Asian countries, Indonesia’s regime collapsed due to Maru’s attack. Not only did it collapse, but the capital city, which was already sinking, was completely submerged.

The sinking capital city was a problem, but that wasn’t it. A series of volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, and sinkholes were created here and there.

It’s a sinkhole, so it won’t explode unless you provoke it, so if you build a defensive wall and manage it, you can use it effectively, but the rest wasn’t like that.

The volcanic eruption and subsequent earthquake shook the already shaky Indonesian landscape. Some areas sank as much as a metre overnight, though the exact cause is unknown.

Rainwater and streams mixed with volcanic ash destroyed farming. The rice paddies and fields that survived were often burned by the high temperatures of over 45 degrees.

It was not because they liked South Vietnam or the empire that they went to war. It was because they wanted to gain safe territory to which they could move their food and capital in return for their participation in the war.

The same was true for the Philippines, as the existing Vietnamese regime, North Vietnam, and Thailand unilaterally regulated food exports.

Food sent from the empire, South Vietnam, and Cambodia was the lifeline of the Philippines. And Indonesia, the enemy, was caught stealing food from the Philippines, claiming to be on the same side.

“What are these kids trying to do now?”

“You said you’d pay me back later?”