Chapter 121: Human Shield
At this moment, only five astronauts remained alive.
Among them, one must take on the logistics support mission, so only four could handle the hydrogen bomb transportation.
For four people to share the 250 kg weight, especially at this life-or-death moment facing threats, with spacesuits liable to fail at any time…
Tong Zheng’s gaze was cold and sharp like a hawk.
He looked toward the astronaut who had originally been responsible for the hydrogen bomb’s left-center section. Without waiting for Tong Zheng to act, he took the initiative to move to the hydrogen bomb right-rear corner, replacing the previous comrade and grabbing the handle at the hydrogen bomb right-rear corner.
The four exerted force simultaneously, pulling the hydrogen bomb up once more.
The team began advancing again, but the speed slowed further.
The three-minute countdown now had only 110 seconds left. In the previous 20 seconds, they had advanced just 30 meters.
40 meters remained to the passage end.
At the current speed, covering the final 40 meters in 110 seconds was no problem at all.
But the problem was that they seemed unable to maintain the current speed.
In a moment, the astronaut following behind the team, handling the logistics support mission, also emitted large amounts of white mist from his body, swayed for a moment, and slowly collapsed.
From this moment on, no one could repair their own damaged, leaking spacesuit.
The four remained silent, showing no reaction to their comrade’s collapse.
At this moment, only one thing remained in people’s eyes: the world.
At the passage end, that glimmer of light.
Nothing else besides that.
The four continued advancing at their fastest speed.
40 meters, 30 meters, 20 meters…
92 seconds remained until the preset hydrogen bomb detonation time.
At that moment, the astronaut at the hydrogen bomb left-rear corner also emitted white mist from his body and slowly collapsed.
The heavy hydrogen bomb fell to the ground once again, and the team stopped once more.
Tong Zheng silently turned his head, quietly gazing at the hydrogen bomb fully on the ground.
At this moment, only 3 remained on their side.
He knew clearly that, in terms of load, with full effort, they could bear the average of about 80 kg per person.
But the problem was that, due to the hydrogen bomb’s own structure, these loads could not be evenly distributed.
Two on the left, one on the right?
Then the one on the right would need to bear over 100 kg alone, exceeding the physical limit.
Two in front, one in back was the same.
Relying on the astronauts’ physical strength, lifting this hydrogen bomb and advancing had become impossible.
What should they do?
The mechanical timer ticked to 88. Ahead, they could even see the silhouette of the floating city.
This final 20-meter distance had become like an unbridgeable chasm, separating life and death, hope and despair irrevocably.
So…
Tong Zheng took a deep breath.
He went to the hydrogen bomb front, pulled out the rope, quickly tied it to the hydrogen bomb front, then bent down and lowered his head, tensing his entire body like an old ox.
The other two companions also bent down simultaneously, pressing their arms against the hydrogen bomb tail.
The three exerted force together. The next moment, the heavy hydrogen bomb left a clear drag mark on the passage bottom.
It began sliding forward just like that.
Ahead, the light symbolizing hope grew brighter.
In the final 20-meter distance, another 10 meters were forcibly crossed.
Then, among the remaining three astronauts, another astronaut collapsed from exhaustion.
The last astronaut besides Tong Zheng changed from pushing to squeezing, sitting directly on the ground with his back against the hydrogen bomb tail, using both legs and arms to push.
Behind the glass helmet, his face was contorted, teeth clenched tightly, eyes bulging, facial veins bursting, throat vibrating continuously as if roaring in fury.
But his roar was confined within his spacesuit, not transmitting even a bit to the outside.
At the same time, Tong Zheng ahead pulled the rope with all his might.
Under their combined effort, the stopped hydrogen bomb began moving slowly again.
Ahead, the cliff wall at the passage end was clearly visible. The massive floating city filled with mystery and the unknown also came clearly into Tong Zheng’s view.
Destroy it, destroy it.
Destroy it, and civilization can continue; humans can keep multiplying on Earth.
Our nation, our family, loved ones, friends, compatriots can keep living.
Must destroy it, must destroy it…
But at that moment, Tong Zheng suddenly felt a chill throughout his body.
He lowered his head with difficulty and saw a large steel plate on his chest had burst open.
The spacesuit had finally given out.
Amid the sensation of his body swelling a full circle, Tong Zheng clearly felt his life and consciousness being rapidly drained away.
He knew that from this moment, he had about 2 minutes of life left.
This was the limit for a human body to survive in a vacuum environment.
But in these final 2 minutes of life, only the first 30 seconds could he maintain consciousness.
This too was the limit a human body could achieve in a vacuum environment.
So…
With his last strength, he crawled a short distance to the side, clearing the path for the hydrogen bomb to continue forward.
At this moment, the hydrogen bomb was less than 4 meters from the passage end.
Using the light from the floating city, he turned to look at his comrade.
That comrade was still braced behind the hydrogen bomb, pushing with all his might.
Only 4 meters left, must push it, push it through the passage, into the cavity, must push it through…
You can do it, you definitely can do it…
At this moment, only this one voice roared madly in Tong Zheng’s heart.
But the hydrogen bomb remained completely still.
The next moment, that comrade’s body went slack.
With one person’s strength alone, it couldn’t be pushed.
Tong Zheng’s heart sank instantly. But…
That comrade’s face showed no loss or despair.
Under Tong Zheng’s gaze, he pulled out the high explosive from his waist and pressed it against his abdomen.
Tong Zheng’s pupils dilated instantly.
He instantly understood.
Although this was a vacuum environment with no air and thus no shockwave, the explosion fragments themselves possessed extremely high kinetic energy.
So, could they use that kinetic energy for the final push on the hydrogen bomb?
But installing the bomb directly on the hydrogen bomb would damage its casing, preventing detonation.
Then, add a human shield between the bomb and the hydrogen bomb!
Let this human shield filter out the explosion’s destructive force, applying only the backward kinetic energy to the hydrogen bomb!
Under Tong Zheng’s gaze, that comrade resolutely pressed the detonation button.
The next moment, the bomb burst into a fierce firelight, exploding silently.
Amid a cloud of red blood mist, spacesuit parts and shattered limbs exploded outward instantly.
The hydrogen bomb was also violently thrust backward by the fierce impact, directly pushed past the passage end, floating into that cavity, and beginning to fly toward the floating city in the zero gravity environment.
