Rust - Chapter 725



Only Krnovel

RUST -725

The history of mankind has been dramatic enough to be called a soap opera. And it is even more so now that the end is in sight.

The average summer temperature in Detroit was 24 to 26 degrees, with a high of 28 degrees. But now it’s already over 40 degrees.

As if temperatures above 40 degrees were terrible enough, days with temperatures exceeding 45 degrees were occurring, causing deaths of aquatic life in Lake Erie and Lake Huron, making it a literal apocalypse for lake life.

“How about a stratospheric airship?”

They continued to launch stratospheric airships as a replacement for satellites. Line 1 was a communications network connecting the Holy Kingdom and the Empire. Line 2 was being built to follow Kim Yang’s path to East Asia.

As they moved westward from Detroit, dropping communication airships one by one, they were able to monitor the situation of the mating expedition in real time.

[The communication distance is shorter than expected.]

“It’s difficult. It’s hard.”

‧

Wired communication was difficult due to the mutant monsters cutting off the communication network, and wireless communication was down due to a combination of factors.

Although the Holy Kingdom succeeded in securing a communications network that could exchange text and pictures, it was difficult to manage its vast territory efficiently with that alone.

So, what came out of this was the continuation of the project to rebuild the communications network using stratospheric airships as replacement for artificial satellites, which had been gradually being promoted for some time.

Although considerably more numbers had to be sent into the stratosphere than initially calculated, the ultra-small core was able to produce enough power to allow for some level of restoration of communications.

As long as the ionosphere isn’t destabilized by solar activity or a naturally occurring EMP (Electro-Magnetic Pulse) knocks out electronic devices, that is.

And as if the reputation of being a soap opera would not go away, the irregular black spot activity that had been quiet for several months began.

“Isn’t that too much even if you do it for real? Earth writer?”

[Not an Earth writer. More like a Sun writer or a Space writer.]

Maru shook his head at the scale hidden in Diana’s joke. Even the Earth’s estimate alone was daunting, so he had no idea what would happen if the scale expanded to the Sun or the universe.

“Yeah. Haa- How much damage was there?”

[Virtually all airships except those equipped with new reactors have been decommissioned.]

The story is that all the existing stratospheric airships have become inoperable. The existing airships were equipped with solar power generation systems, small generators for emergencies, fuel, and batteries, but they could not survive.

“The energy system is disrupted by solar activity alone?”

[This is because a solar storm caused by sunspot activity collided with the Earth’s magnetosphere, causing a geomagnetic storm.]

Geomagnetic storms not only cause large-scale power outages by momentarily converting alternating current into direct current, but also act like an EMP.

As a result, the connection with the Empire via text messaging was cut off, as was the connection with the Newport News Shipyard. Canada, where Ki-soon was, was also cut off from contact.

Even though they could exchange news within a day or two by using a high-speed aircraft, this was not the expedition led by Kim Yang.

“Has communication with the expedition team also been lost?”

[Communication with the expedition team was not lost.]

The new stratospheric airship that the expedition team is launching is not only equipped with a response system to solar storms, but is also equipped with communication equipment using lasers, so there should be no problem maintaining communication.

“Thank goodness. First, let’s restore communications from the Canadian side, and then restore communications from the Newport News Shipyard and the Empire in that order.”

[A new communication airship has been ordered. Communication system replacement. Upgrade begins.]

A massive upgrade and reconstruction of the communications network has begun.

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The Newport News Shipyard was struck by lightning.

“The Aegis radar system is malfunctioning.”

“What are you talking about? The construction is finished, and now it’s broken?”

Could not withstand the EMP following the geomagnetic storm.

“It couldn’t be helped because we were in the middle of upgrading our EMP countermeasures.”

“This is driving me crazy. All of them?”

“About half.”

“They say the new aircraft carrier under construction is also fine.”

Half of the ships in the 2nd Fleet suffered electronic equipment failures. Fortunately, the new aircraft carriers under construction survived.

“That’s fortunate.”

Fortunately, it was a new aircraft carrier, but because the technology had reached the singularity, it was actually going to be the last aircraft carrier to use pre-singularity technology.

However, since it was equipped with a nuclear fusion reactor, its output has more than doubled compared to before, and it has become a monster with a cruising speed of 35 knots and a maximum speed of 42 knots, despite being an aircraft carrier.

That being said, the cruising speed of 35 knots was a speed of 65 km. The maximum speed of 42 knots was a speed that could be seen only in high-speed ships in the past.

“Everyone knows, right? This time, after the 2nd Fleet’s maintenance and upgrades are completed, we will withdraw from Newport News. We will have to take all the necessary equipment apart and take it with us. We will do the maintenance work thoroughly.”

“All right.”

“But what if the Empire objects to the demolition of the shipyard?”

“If you object, keep half. Half is ours anyway. I’ll report it.”

Currently, two new aircraft carriers are under construction simultaneously, one for the Holy Kingdom and one for the Empire.

As soon as the Holy Kingdom’s aircraft carrier was completed, they were preparing to withdraw from the shipyard. It was safer to build a new shipyard in Holy Kingdom territory than to defend Newport News, which was in an ambiguous location.

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Dan Brown, who had been focusing his energies on the maritime city, was informed of the problems at the Newport News shipyard only after a long time.

“So you’re saying that you’re going to move the shipyard’s facilities and equipment as soon as the new aircraft carrier is built?”

“Yes. The new aircraft carrier now only has its interior work left.”

“At the current rate, it appears that the shipyard facilities will be dismantled within one to two weeks.”

The Newport News Shipyard was the most modern shipbuilding facility in the United States. They’re talking about tearing it down.

It was difficult. They were building a seaborne city that could accommodate over ten million people, and they needed a powerful navy to protect it.

‘Even if a maritime city has an airport, it still needs a lot of additional aircraft carriers and Aegis ships.’

To build more nuclear-powered submarines, Aegis ships, and aircraft carriers, the Empire needed the Newport News Shipyard.

“What would you do if we objected to the previous installation?”

“He said he would take away as much as the share of the Holy Kingdom.”

They were saying they would tear down half of the facilities. The shipyard was already lacking, so they were going to tear down half of it. There was nothing to say if they were going to take it as a share, but the empire was very sorry about the half.

[Your Majesty, a communication has arrived from the Holy Kingdom.]

“communication?”

[Yes. Prince Vladimir Kalin contacted you through a direct line.]

“Not connected.”

The ionosphere shook due to the solar storm, causing all communications and radio broadcasts to be out of order. Even text communications that were barely being maintained were blown away by the geomagnetic storm, which was similar to an EMP, but suddenly communications were restored.

The fact that communications were restored a little over 20 days after the solar storm erupted meant that they had effectively succeeded in building a completely new wireless communications network.

As General Dan Brown’s mind became more complicated, Maru’s voice and face appeared on the monitor. It was a video call.

[It’s been a while, Your Excellency the President.]

“That’s right. That’s surprising, by the way. I thought this kind of communication would be impossible for a while. Is that a stratospheric airship?”

I never knew that research using quantum computers and artificial intelligence could be this powerful.

Even if we were to overcome the singularity using artificial intelligence or quantum computers, it would be meaningless without the basic facilities and equipment.

Of course, I thought that even if there was a technological gap with the Sacred Kingdom that had reached the singularity, there wouldn’t be a big difference right away, but it was unexpected.

With the successful construction of a communications network, it was clear that the territorial control of the Holy Kingdom would increase.

‘The gap is getting wider.’

In terms of scale, the Empire was still overwhelming, but in terms of quality, the Holy Kingdom was gradually gaining ground. This was also the case with the construction of this communications network itself.

If the gap until now was in tactical terms, this means that the Holy Kingdom is now ahead in strategic terms as well.

Real-time, organic operations will become possible, and troop deployment and rotation will be much faster than now. In fact, not only will the operational radius increase, but national defense capabilities themselves will also improve.

It is an undeniable fact that modern warfare is electronic warfare and information warfare.

[Yes, I used that.]

Dan Brown was bitter. The basic technology for both stratospheric airships and super-airships was an American legacy.

“I see. A communications airship. Can you supply it to the Empire?”

[For the time being, we are short on supplies as we need to establish a communications network in the Holy Kingdom, but we will send it to you as soon as it is organized.]

“Thank you. I had a lot of problems because of the communication failure.”

Two people who are careful about what they say to each other because people are listening.

[Ah- I’m contacting you about the Newport News Shipyard.]

“I also received a report about the Newport News Shipyard a little while ago.”

The story progressed quickly. Maru recommended dismantling the shipyard’s equipment and installing it in a new shipyard being built by the Holy Kingdom. Dan Brown wanted to keep all of the shipyard’s equipment intact.

[Did you know there are mutant spiders in Richmond?]

“Yes. I heard the news.”

Maru transmitted data about his encounter with the spider. When Den Brown confirmed this, a small vein appeared on his forehead.

“According to the combat data and reports, there is a high possibility that Richmond will fall to the Spiders within one year at the earliest, or two years at the latest.”

[Yes, this is a report assuming the Holy Kingdom has withdrawn from Richmond, but I think it is almost certain.]

There’s a mutant spider in Richmond over Newport News. It’s a real pain in the ass. We’re going to take it off, but what are we going to do about the spiders if we want to keep Newport News?

Maru’s story was simple. So, let’s nuke Richmond to wipe out the spiders, and absorb the survivors there into the Empire.

If the Holy Kingdom uses hydrogen bombs, the Newport News Shipyard will also fall within the range of attack. Even if they shoot them away from the direct impact, the shipyard will definitely be blown away by the aftershock, including the EMP. So wouldn’t it be better to shoot the nukes after dismantling the shipyard’s equipment?

‘Did you say that you were going to tear down the equipment to use nuclear weapons?’

The protruding tendon on Dan Brown’s forehead twitched.

“Instead of using a strategic nuclear weapon like a hydrogen bomb, why not use it as a small tactical nuclear weapon?”

So, you won’t return the tactical nuclear weapons you stole? You can return them after locking them so they can’t be used in the Holy Kingdom.

[It would be difficult to eliminate the spiders with tactical nukes.]

“Still, it’s better than the shipyard blowing up.”

There was silence for a moment.

[The Holy Kingdom is thinking of pulling out of Richmond and Newport News. If you were to acquire the Holy Kingdom’s share of the shipyard, what would you be willing to pay in return?]

Maru, of course, had no intention of giving up his shipyard shares for free, even for the sake of the national interest of the Holy Kingdom.

“What about space shuttle technology, parts, and facilities?”

[······.]

“······.”

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Maru was momentarily speechless when Dan Brown said he would give up the space shuttle technology, equipment, and parts. This was something he had not expected at all.

If the Newport News Shipyard was the present, aerospace technology was the future.

The technology had reached a singular point where it could design not just a space shuttle, but a space battleship. However, the problem was that no matter how good the design was, there was no infrastructure to build the spaceship.

And when Dan Brown said he would hand over parts and equipment, it meant that the Holy Kingdom would be able to quickly establish its space infrastructure.

[Wow- That old man is coming out strong? Aerospace technology and facilities. The singularity technology was too high to use right away, but if I get that, it will definitely be convenient.]

Ki-soon was acting cute during a video call after a long time.

Maru looked at Den Brown in the video without saying a word. He also looked at Maru without saying a word.

‘Stratospheric communication airship technology and super-large airship technology were all technologies of the Empire and the United States. Even though they knew that the Holy Kingdom was ahead of the Empire in terms of technology, they handed over future technology, spaceflight technology?’

Is that it? Helping with the development of technology, and then following along when the technology is perfected? In any case, it was not a losing proposition to exchange space technology for Newport News shipyard equipment.

“I will gratefully accept your kindness.”

[I’m glad you recognized my kindness.]

“I repeat, the spiders scattered across Richmond are no easy task. If the Empire fails to eliminate them with tactical nuclear weapons, the Holy Kingdom will have no choice but to use hydrogen bombs for the sake of humanity’s future.”

It was the Holy Kingdom that had decided to take over aerospace technology and leave Richmond and Newport News behind.

[I would like to see a military communications network established quickly from Newport News to Boston for the war against spiders.]

“······.”

As expected, Den Ajae was Den Ajae.

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The expedition led by Kim Yang passed through the western United States and entered the Pacific Ocean.

The Black Drake’s assistant AI gave a brief report on the current situation.

[Entering the Pacific Ocean. Current temperature is 45 degrees, wind speed 2 m/sec. Humidity 78%.]

She was shocked by the temperatures in the western United States. The highs during the day were in the 70s. It was only a matter of time before it hit 75 to 78 degrees, but that was all she had to say.

With such high temperatures, it would have been normal for the Rocky Mountains and the Naval Mountains to have all dried up and died. Yet, the green forests of the Rocky Mountains remain intact.

Ms. Kim found that somehow creepy.

Doesn’t something seem strange?

The fact that the children who should die are alive and well.

After continuing on such a creepy flight, the expedition reached the vicinity of Sakhalin and Hokkaido.

[No longer accessible.]

It was an assistant AI that was difficult to approach.