Chapter 111: A Shocking Masterstroke
The earth seemed to have been stomped heavily by someone.
On a vast plain 100 kilometers away from the Aerospace Base, as the command was issued, the entire plain was instantly enveloped in smoke and dust that blotted out the sky.
From a distance, it was impossible to see clearly what had happened inside.
Only the massive vibrations transmitted from the ground let those outside know that something tremendous must have occurred here.
At that instant, cylindrical missiles dragged long tail flames as they burst out from the smoke and dust, shooting toward the horizon like arrows off the string, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
The commander here stood on a distant hillside, gazing at this shocking scene, a flame igniting in his heart.
This scene was a first for Great Xia and even the whole world.
The cost of one anti-aircraft missile was tens of millions, and firing so many at once meant billions vanishing in an instant.
“Only Xinghai could do this.”
The commander gazed at the tail flames disappearing one by one in the sky, standing in place lost in thought for a long time.
Xinghai Aerospace Base Command Hall.
“Missile cluster posture is good, very good! 20 kilometers from impact point, impacts on target will begin in 1 minute.”
The colonel showed excitement.
The missile flight data feedback on the big screen even exceeded the previous test firing. From these flight posture data, this interception would surely succeed.
Fan Ren took it all in, gradually feeling at ease in his heart. The system designed by A’dai had certain autonomous learning and correction capabilities. If the previous missile flight control scored 99 points,
then after correction and learning, it would absolutely reach 100 points now!
Liu Shengzhan was similarly shocked by the supercomputer’s capabilities.
The simultaneous launch of 100 anti-aircraft missiles intercepting a target at 20 Mach—this massive data volume would previously have consumed a huge amount of computing power from the command data link system.
On a real battlefield, this would mean that even if these missiles operated normally, other departments needing the command data link would be crippled.
In modern war, this command data link integrating all units was a true heavy weapon of a great power.
It not only coordinated all combat units in an orderly manner but also replaced numerous frontline commanders, issuing the most precise command orders.
But now, after integrating the Xinghai Supercomputer system, this command data link system’s computing power had greatly increased.
He was envious.
“Interception impacts beginning! All missiles will hit the target within 20 seconds.”
As the colonel’s words fell, the hall fell silent again.
Everyone stared intently at the dense light spots on the radar screen, eyes unblinking.
In Fan Ren’s view, the light spots on the radar screen began to decrease rapidly, and 20 seconds passed in a flash.
The moment the countdown ended, only the light spot belonging to the space station remained on the entire radar screen, continuing to flash forward.
“All missiles have hit the target, calculating route data.”
The colonel continued reporting, but his tone was no longer as serious as before, now carrying a hint of ease.
Fan Ren saw the calm and composed performance of the hall’s various operators and felt a sense of admiration.
Under the influence of these Military Headquarters personnel, their Xinghai engineers had become much more disciplined.
This wasn’t to say Xinghai engineers were lax, but they lacked the mental state of Great Xia Military Headquarters personnel that seemed impervious to any external interference.
“Space station fall path deviated 5° northeast, will pass 9 kilometers from the space elevator in 10 minutes.”
His voice was high and full of vigor.
“I declare this interception operation a perfect success!”
As his words fell, no imagined cheers rose in the Command Hall; some Xinghai engineers couldn’t help but fidget.
It was so painful not being able to cheer.
A smile appeared on Fan Ren’s face—this was Great Xia’s soldiers, with the infinite charm of remaining unflinched even if Mount Tai collapsed before them.
United States, Aerospace Command Headquarters.
“Commander, the monitoring point just reported they detected nearly a hundred light spots appearing on radar, traveling at 1200 kilometers per hour, all disappearing at close range to the space station.”
The adjutant wiped the sweat from his forehead; he too had been shocked when receiving the report.
As a professional, he knew at a glance from this flight speed data that it was Great Xia’s Hong-9 series anti-aircraft missiles.
Nearly a hundred—that was tens of billions fired off at once.
Simply too ferocious.
Auro didn’t care much; anti-aircraft missiles had a self-detonation function upon contacting the target, attempting to affect their space station with the explosion shockwave and fragment shrapnel.
But in fact, this space station had enormous kinetic energy; a simple explosion couldn’t change its trajectory.
He picked up a cigar from beside him, took a majestic puff, and said slowly from behind the swirling smoke: “To use a Great Xia ancient saying, it’s like an ant trying to stop a chariot—nothing to worry about. Go on, keep monitoring, and tell me the result in 10 minutes.”
He waved his hand, sat on the sofa with eyes slightly closed, enjoying the nicotine stimulation to his brain from the cigar.
Hearing this, the adjutant felt relieved; he knew this knowledge better than Commander Auro and knew interception was impossible.
He was just startled by Great Xia’s bold move.
He immediately closed the door gently and retreated.
‘Bang’—a figure collided heavily with him, roughly pushing open the door he had just closed behind him.
“What’s going on with you!”
Auro was startled, his good mood instantly gone, his face coldly staring at the two subordinates who had fallen to the ground at the door.
The adjutant’s head was dizzy, feeling someone step on his chest and leap over his head.
“Report to commander: space station path has deviated; expected to pass 9 kilometers from space elevator in 10 minutes.”
This subordinate’s face was pale, shocked not only by Great Xia’s grand scale but also frightened by this result.
Auro’s cigar fell from his hand to the ground.
He knew what his subordinate meant.
This was not just a failure of the impact mission; it also meant Great Xia now had the ability to 100% intercept hypersonic targets at mid-range distances.
“Commander, what do we do now?”
The subordinate’s panicked voice pulled him back from his shock.
Auro ignored the cigar on the ground and hurriedly pulled out his mobile phone to dial a number.
“Get out. Without my orders, no one enters. Continue monitoring the space station’s fall path.”
After speaking, he dialed the phone in his hand. The still-unrisen adjutant felt himself dazedly pulled up again and thrown outside the door.
United States, General Office.
Wells looked at the mobile phone slowly moving on the desk due to vibrations and smiled.
At this moment, Great Xia’s space elevator must already be collapsing.
“Hello, Auro. Congratulations on completing the mission.”
“President, Great Xia launched 100 Hong-9 series anti-aircraft missiles, successfully knocking our space station off its predetermined orbit. Impact mission failed. In another hour, the space station will fall into the ocean.”
Wells’s mobile phone slipped from her hand; she didn’t care if it was damaged and quickly picked it up.
“What about the space elevator? The space elevator! Is it collapsing already! Ah, tell me!”
“Very sorry, President.”
The phone then sounded a busy tone.
