Rust - Chapter 662



Only Krnovel

RUST -662

Empire – New York, the city that never sleeps, really couldn’t sleep.

“An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 or greater has occurred in a location believed to be London. This is an artificial earthquake.”

The term artificial earthquake meant that the earthquake was caused by a nuclear explosion. Considering that the magnitude of the Tsar Bomba, which exploded at 4,200 meters, was about 5.2, an earthquake of 6.8 or higher would mean that a nuclear explosion with a power greater than that of the Tsar Bomba had occurred.

“A magnitude of 6.8 or higher? What on earth did the British do?”

They detonated 4 or 5 Tsar Bomba-class hydrogen bombs? Are the British crazy? No, the problem was that they had that many hydrogen bombs in the first place.

“It looks like a test of a new type of hydrogen bomb.”

“Are you targeting the season?”

During the bitter winter, contact was lost. The ports were all frozen over, and navigation itself was impossible due to the huge ice floes.

Even if satellites and radars were functioning properly, for some unknown reason, the more sensitive the electronic devices, the worse the condition.

If you think about it the other way around, it’s a good season to do something crazy and then pretend you didn’t have a way to contact them in advance.

“That wouldn’t be the case. There’s no reason to conduct an open hydrogen bomb test in some important place, whether underground in London or near London.”

They wouldn’t have conducted a nuclear test in the capital of the country. That would have been a bigger problem, because it would have meant that London, England, had been hit by a nuclear attack.

“Are you saying there are guys who detonated a hydrogen bomb in London?”

After several hours of hesitation, urgent news came.

“Paris, France. An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 or greater has struck a location believed to be Paris. This is an artificial earthquake.”

“······.”

“······.”

The disaster warning center fell silent. From London to Paris. This was definitely a nuclear attack. And it was either a nuclear attack using multiple Tsar Bomba-class hydrogen bombs, or a nuclear attack using a super-large hydrogen bomb larger than the Tsar Bomba.

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Winter was a quiet season for mutant monsters. There were some that ventured out to find food, but most of them would just hibernate and endure.

Therefore, paradoxically, winter was the best season to defeat mutant monsters. The Empire armed itself with cutting-edge equipment such as winter clothing, exosuits, and special bullets for giant monsters, and hunted the mutant monsters that were in hibernation.

Even if the hunt failed, it was humanity that ultimately won. The monsters that woke up from hibernation and began to move their bodies forcibly needed to replenish their calories, and the monsters that had no way to replenish their energy in the harsh winter gradually weakened and died.

The harsh winter that was thought to threaten the survival of humanity has turned into a trap that can kill mutated monsters that cannot be caught with ordinary firearms.

The defenses that had been so dangerous that they had to build a wall around the outskirts of New York began to stabilize again with the winter. Now that they had found a way to subdue the mutant monsters using the winter, they planned to launch a full-scale subjugation campaign the following winter.

The problem was the rat kingdom that was lurking beneath New York, but this could be solved by moving it to the new city under construction and subduing it in earnest.

Even though relations with the Holy Kingdom had grown estranged due to the North American Free Trade Agreement issue, the Holy Kingdom did not withdraw the field mice it had dispatched.

Likewise, the Empire did not stop trading with the Holy Kingdom. Unfortunately, the Holy Kingdom’s technology was improving day by day.

Even the very large airships were like that. It was obvious from the appearance of transport ships with a total length of over 1,000m. It was a situation where it was physically possible to transport only about 200 tons, but the overwhelming transport volume far exceeded that.

Considering the presence of a crow escort capable of fending off attacks from flocks of mutant birds, it was virtually impossible to conduct proper trade without the assistance of the Holy Kingdom.

The Empire, the former United States of America, handed over the large airship, but in just one year, the Holy Kingdom acquired an ultra-high-difficulty technology that was several times more difficult.

“I thought we had surpassed the singularity just by looking at the exosuit and the airship that could overcome the extreme cold, but this is such a giant airship. It is clear that we have surpassed the technological singularity.”

It was a topic that was mentioned months ago, but now that the evidence is so vivid before my eyes, I have no choice but to admit it.

The development and research of technology through artificial intelligence was incredibly scary. The empire was using all its resources, including its non-existent resources, to develop and research artificial intelligence.

“What happened to the new clone?”

“We are designing using all of our computational power.”

Most of the computing power is being invested in designing and producing new clones, leaving other areas untouched.

“We need to solve the new clone problem before winter passes and we too must head towards the technological singularity.”

“I’m doing my best.”

Although they may not be able to surpass the Holy Kingdom, they are not far behind. The new clones are currently in progress to make up for the shortcomings of the U+ program and the Bloody Mary program.

To put it simply, we were researching an original clone created by synthesizing the genes of Director Yu’s clone and the Vladinaru clone.

“The embryo is dying due to an unknown cause of repulsion. In order to solve this problem, it seems that genes with stronger characteristics···.”

“You’re not talking about going after Vladimir Kalin’s genes, are you? As I said before, Your Excellency.”

The researchers kept asking for the addition of Vladimir Kalin’s genes, saying that it would create the ultimate humanoid weapon, but Dan Brown cut them off like a knife.

Aiming for Vladimir Kalin’s genes?

It may not be impossible, but there is no back.

“The moment we, who are ahead in cloning technology, go after the genes of the King of the Holy Kingdom, an all-out war will break out. Are you confident that you can hold off the Holy Kingdom’s attacks until the clones are mass-produced?”

“Wouldn’t it be possible to suppress an all-out war with nuclear deterrence?”

“Yes. There will be no all-out war. Both sides will be destroyed.”

“No. That was until last year. The Holy Kingdom has already secured the technological singularity. We have to assume that we can block missile attacks from whomever we fight. Should we still prepare for an all-out war and secure Vladimir Kalin’s genes?”

“······.”

“······.”

In just over a year, the Holy Kingdom acquired Aegis ships and built an air defense network, and used technological singularities to create an even more powerful defense system.

It was a sacred kingdom obsessed with security and safety. If we went to war with such a sacred kingdom, there was no guarantee of victory. Our missiles would be blocked as soon as they were fired, but the missiles fired from the other side would be stuck here.

“There’s no need for war. If we just drive away the rats guarding the underground of New York, we’ll destroy ourselves.”

“······.”

“······.”

Even if we succeed in creating the strongest clone, it will take time for the quantity to accumulate. Who will buy that time?

“Don’t think too hard about it, and just make sure to do the research you’re currently doing.”

“All right.”

“······.”

[Your Excellency the President. An emergency report has arrived from the Disaster Warning Center.]

“What’s going on?”

[Reports indicate that London, England and Paris, France appear to have been hit by hydrogen bombs.]

“Upload all the relationship information.”

An emergency response meeting was immediately held.

“Are you sure about this information? A hydrogen bomb?”

“London and Paris. Who on earth attacked those places?”

General Dan Brown could sense it.

The culprit was the Holy Kingdom. There was no other place to think. First of all, the means of attack.

‘Power enough to obliterate London and Paris? The warhead must weigh at least 20 tons.’

The Tsar Bomba also weighed 27 tons. There was currently no country that could simply launch a Tsar Bomba-class hydrogen bomb by missile.

The Empire had no place to launch such a missile, and while the Confederacy had the facilities and equipment to launch them, there was no reason to drop two or twenty-ton hydrogen bombs on London and France.

Russia suddenly joined France and Britain? China? Split into seven parts and killing each other, and then suddenly joined London and Paris?

There was another reason why it was hard to believe that China had fired the shot. They had already fought the United States and exhausted their intercontinental ballistic missiles, and all of their related facilities had been destroyed.

They are busy just trying to make a living, and while they are split into 7 parts and fighting each other, they make an intercontinental ballistic missile, load it with a Tsar Bomba-class hydrogen bomb, and plant it on France and England? Why on earth? It wasn’t China either.

All that remains is the Holy Kingdom. If it were a giant airship, it could have used hydrogen bombs as a form of bombing. Why did they blow up London and Paris?

‘The Holy Kingdom is a monarchy. There is no need for a reason.’

A political system where if Vladimir Kalin decides, it’s over. A country where if the king declares war, war begins immediately.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

‘Why did they use hydrogen bombs on London and Paris?’

What is the reason? It wouldn’t have happened without a reason.

‘It’s not good. It’s dangerous.’

The problem is that just as Dan Brown himself identified the Holy Kingdom as the culprit by the law of elimination, it is clear that the Confederacy will also identify the Holy Kingdom.

And it would take time, but the world, including Britain and France, would also deduce that the Holy Kingdom had used the hydrogen bomb.

[A Confederate agent is requesting talks in his capacity as special envoy.]

“Tell him to wait.”

“From the South? An agent came through this bitter cold?”

“If it’s an emergency proposal, isn’t it because of the hydrogen bomb?”

“Yes, but how did you react so quickly?”

“It is certain that the Confederacy has some means of communication.”

Just as the Empire had built airships capable of traveling in extreme cold, the Confederacy had clearly acquired a means of long-distance communication.

Chancellor Den Brown decided to sort out the situation for now.

“The country that blew up London and Paris is most likely the Holy Kingdom. Assuming it is the Holy Kingdom, give your opinion on how to respond.”

“That must be the reason why the Confederate agents came.”

Of course, even if our relationship has become a little distant, the Empire is a close ally of the Holy Kingdom.

“We should cut ties. If we had considered our empire an ally, we would have discussed matters of such importance that we would have launched a nuclear attack.”

“I agree. No matter how much the international order has collapsed, I think a country that launched a nuclear attack without any prior measures is an untrustworthy country.”

“Wasn’t it a kingdom in the first place? It was a country where life and death could be turned upside down at the king’s discretion.”

“Not only did they interfere with our cloning technology, but they also did something with the North American Free Trade Agreement. And didn’t they refuse to form a mutual defense alliance with us?”

“Yes. Although they have a mutually beneficial relationship in many ways, the only formal agreement between the Empire and the Holy Kingdom is the Non-Aggression Pact.”

The treaty between the Holy Kingdom and the Empire was one thing. The non-aggression pact with the Confederacy was also one.

“Let’s be realistic. If it is true that the Holy Kingdom used hydrogen bombs on France and Britain, war is inevitable. If the chaos calms down to some extent, France and Britain will declare war.”

“England and France would choose war even if they were not in a position to go to war. Nothing would be more effective than war in calming internal turmoil.”

“The problem is not simply a British or French problem.”

“Because the EU will join the war.”

In effect, it was the beginning of a war between the EU and the Holy Kingdom.

“This is difficult.”

“Since they launched a nuclear attack without declaring war, war cannot be avoided.”

“You have a suspicion, but no evidence, right?”

“I will demand a powerful inspection of the Holy Kingdom.”

There was no way the Holy Kingdom would allow an inspection.

“Under the pretext of refusing inspection, EU member states will mass-produce nuclear bombs. Britain and France have just been hit with nuclear weapons without warning.”

“Not only the EU, but every country that maintains a government will produce nuclear weapons.”

The deterrent that had been so precariously protected was released. An unheard-of new nation called the Holy Kingdom suddenly appeared in North America, and within two years of its founding, it blew up the capitals of England and France with nuclear weapons. Nuclear deterrence? Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty? That kind of thing was not going to work.

‘What on earth were you thinking, Vladimir Kalin?’

Chancellor Den Brown sent a special envoy to the Holy Kingdom.

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[You choose to go to war with our kingdom.]

[The probability of war breaking out as a result of the calculation is more than 98%.]

[I guess they decided to declare war on our kingdom and begin internal reorganization.]

[In addition, we will secure all the technology and resources that our kingdom possesses.]

They intend to take over the entire Holy Kingdom. Do they think that is possible? The AI ​​Diana and Samantha could not understand the humans’ choices.

[Humans are so uncivilized.]

[Uncivilized is a term that discriminates against humans. It is recommended to use it in a more refined way, such as insufficient, lacking, or regrettable.]

The two AIs analyzed the situation and relayed the data to Maru.

“So if I say I don’t know, you’re going to request an inspection?”

[Yes, that’s right.]

“If you refuse the inspection, they’ll use that as an excuse to start preparing for war?”

[Yes, that’s right.]

“You said you didn’t know and stepped back?”

[The probability of entering war preparations is greater than 98% based on the calculation results.]

Maru was a little annoyed. He had stopped the slugs and the dwarves from spreading throughout the world, but the price he paid was war.

“······.”

[The Imperial envoy is requesting an audience. He warns that not only the EU, but the Empire, the Confederacy, and even the Mexican Confederacy may all turn their backs on the Holy Kingdom.]

Maru’s eyes darkened at the words of the artificial intelligence Diana.

This is true.