pertwk Chapter 42 Missiles Clear the Way
Chapter 42 Missiles Clear the Way
"So many ships, are they all going to be sacrificed?"
Li Xiaming stared at the silent and massive steel column outside the window, his voice filled with barely suppressed awe.
Wei Tingsong nodded; his profile appeared particularly sharp in the morning light.
"It's ultimately just a matter of time."
He spoke slowly, his voice low and deep.
"In this race against the apocalypse, what we at Tokyo University lack has never been technology or determination, but time."
"Do you know how long it took for our first polar research vessel, the 'Xuelong,' which was built independently by Southeast University, from the start of production to its official launch? It took almost a year."
"This time, it all started when the organization decided to use this frozen waterway on the Yangtze River to transport the nuclear reactor."
We have less than a week to give our 300 shipyards across the country!
Wei Tingsong sighed deeply.
"A week...that's too short!"
"Even if we are the world's number one shipbuilding force and in terms of efficiency, we still cannot build a completely new icebreaker in the full sense."
We can only modify sturdy cargo ships and engineering vessels, installing the strongest rams as quickly as possible, reinforcing the most crucial keels and hulls, and replacing them with engines capable of continuous power output in icy water.
Wei Tingsong stated without any hesitation:
"Such ships must have structural defects, and they will inevitably experience frequent malfunctions during navigation. In fact, at critical moments, we may need them to use their hulls to break through the ice at any cost."
Every master craftsman in every shipyard, and every crew member who boarded these ships, knew perfectly well that their vessels were destined to be abandoned and sunk.
"Because our only standard for modification is functionality, without considering their lifespan."
Wei Tingsong shook his head, his gaze returning to the fleet, his eyes fixed on a group of loyal and brave warriors about to face their deaths.
"From the moment they were selected and entered the dock, their true mission was to serve as a 'shield' for breaking through the ice of nuclear reactors! They were paving stones!"
"These ships, which embody the hard work of countless workers, will remain in the glacier one after another."
The crew members on board will also have to wait for some time before they can be rescued and brought ashore, and their lives may even be in danger.
But that's the price we pay, and that's why we're standing here.
What we need to do is ensure that the sacrifice of every ship and crew member is worthwhile, and that it must be exchanged for even just one more kilometer of the nuclear reactor's journey forward.
Wei Tingsong looked at Li Xiaming, his eyes burning with determination:
"Finally, they were safely delivered to Jiangcheng!"
Li Xiaming was speechless for a moment.
But he admired the courage of Wei Tingsong and the countless shipbuilding workers and crew members who were fearless in their sacrifice.
Just then, a broadcast came on, which perked Li Xiaming up.
Attention all crew members! Attention all crew members!
[The first wave of ice floes is approaching 5 kilometers ahead. The Rocket Force is preparing missile fire to provide cover. All vessels are advised to prepare to withstand the ice floe!]
Upon hearing this, Li Xiaming looked at Lu Yi in surprise.
"Brother Lu, did I hear that right?"
"This time, the transport convoy is actually using missiles to clear the way!"
……
……
In the military camps along the Yangtze River, where troops were already poised for action.
"Report: Rocket Force fire units are in position, target area locked."
Then the communications soldier's voice came through.
The officer looked at the endless expanse of gray-white ice field from the drone's perspective and said in a deep voice:
"Permission to strike is granted. Let us clear the way for the convoy!"
After several tens of seconds, the world fell silent.
Immediately afterwards, a series of deep and penetrating hisses came from the distant sky, as if the sky had been torn apart by an invisible giant blade.
On the eastern horizon, several straight, scorching trails suddenly appeared.
Like blazing spears hurled by the gods, they tore through the morning mist, cleaved the sky with the force of thunder, and hurtled precisely toward that frozen river!
boom--!!
The deafening explosion came from several kilometers away, causing the ship to tremble slightly even through the thick portholes.
On the distant river surface, clusters of blazing, expanding fireballs could be vaguely seen suddenly rising up, and shockwaves spread out in a ring at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Thick smoke and steam mixed with ice chips shot into the sky, forming black mushroom clouds.
The last wisp of smoke was blown away by the river breeze.
Soon after, the fleet also arrived in this area.
The thick, jagged ice floes that were originally there have disappeared, replaced by a violently surging "ice break tide" covering a wide expanse of the river.
Ice blocks of varying sizes tumbled, collided, and squeezed in the murky river water, making a continuous "crackling" sound as if it were a swamp made of broken ice.
Explosions can shatter icebergs, but they can't eliminate all obstacles, which was the outcome Wei Tingsong had anticipated.
He immediately gave the order:
"Now!"
"First echelon, full speed ahead! Crush them!"
At the very front, the largest and most menacing heavy icebreakers, with the most menacing bow modifications, immediately sped up and moved at full speed upon receiving the order.
They adjusted their posture, their prows, sharp as giant axe blades, aimed at the churning tide of broken ice ahead, and fearlessly charged in with the momentum to crush everything!
Boom—whoosh—!
The deafening roar of steel colliding with solid ice echoed across the river.
The massive hull plowed into the ice floes like a road roller, its bow cleaving through the ice waves, its thick armor belts pressing ice blocks of all sizes directly underwater or ramming them to the sides.
The ice rubbed against the hull, producing a teeth-grinding crunch, and the broken ice crystals splashed up white waves several meters high on both sides of the ship.
The second echelon, with its slightly smaller icebreakers following closely behind, acted like hyenas in a wolf pack, further expanding the gains.
They maneuvered skillfully on either side of the path cleared by the lead ship, using the sturdy sides of their hulls to squeeze and ram into any ice shards that had slipped through or regrouped.
This is to ensure that the waterway is continuously widened and compacted, protecting the special transport ships carrying nuclear reactors from the threat of ice floes.
The entire convoy, thanks to the fearless charge of the first and second echelons of ships, allowed the special transport ship carrying the nuclear reactor to safely proceed along the channel carved out by explosions and steel towards the next kilometer.
The next wave of missiles from the Rocket Force is already ready.
Before the fleet had even left the current swamp of broken ice, they began a massive bombardment of the glaciers in the next area.
Everyone gritted their teeth and moved forward with bated breath.
During this period, some small icebreakers encountered unexpected situations.
For example, they might accidentally collide with a huge chunk of ice that has sunk to the bottom, causing damage to the cabin or cracks in the already unstable hull frame.
The crew did not take the opportunity to escape immediately. Instead, they calmly steered the ship away from the group while it was still able to move, without hindering the progress of the ships behind.
All sacrifices were made to ensure the successful delivery to the nuclear reactor.
All of this is to ensure that our fellow students at Tokyo University can use electricity and heating reliably, while also allowing factories across the country to resume production.
All crew members are aware of this!