Chapter 433 - 424: Why Am I So Busy

Chapter 433: Chapter 424: Why Am I So Busy

The nuclear powers undoubtedly became the main force of this operation. The core of this force was, naturally, the nations that possessed the most suitable super-bases and still had the resources to spare for large-scale research, development, and production at this stage.

Less powerful nations could offer technical assistance. Meanwhile, countries with advanced civilian nuclear programs were already not far from weapons-grade capabilities, so they could help by providing raw materials.

In reality, the world’s nuclear stockpile was enormous, so there was no need to build more. However, considering the scale of the Demon Tide seen in the previous vision, if the other hordes were just as large, it would be best to dismantle the numerous low-yield warheads and use their materials to build larger-yield weapons.

In fact, Qin Xiaoxia shared the concerns of some experts that Demons from Kaslopa might mutate when exposed to nuclear radiation. After all, the variety of Demons was vast.

Unlike humans, who would actively avoid radioactive zones, the monsters’ desire to reach Earth was driven by a madness devoid of all reason. They would charge into a irradiated deatrap even if they knew it meant certain death, making dangerous, radiation-induced mutations a real possibility.

However, one factor was critical.

Reflecting on the horror of its decay now led to a terrifying conclusion: Kaslopa’s world was already dead!

At the very least, its life-giving Power of the World was almost completely exhausted, causing the souls of the vast majority of its Demons to collectively decay. This decay was unlikely to produce beneficial evolution, as their inherent potential had been severed along with their world.

As for the few individuals who maintained pure, independent souls, avoiding danger is a basic survival instinct.

A world’s decay is far more terrifying than its desertification. The latter is like being air-dried; the former, like rotting from within.

...

On May 20th, after the representatives from all participating nations had returned home safely, numerous technical experts in relevant fields were summoned.

These experts all knew what they were there to do: build a new generation of nuclear weapons.

Even many scientists who had previously been dedicated to civilian nuclear applications, and had even criticized nuclear weapons, were now flocking to the task.

Humanity’s hatred for the monsters from the Otherworld had long been a collective driving force for the species. The dignity of their position as the world’s dominant power made people eager to show their enemies just how heavy humanity’s iron fist could be.

Research into new launch vehicle technology began at the same time.

The first touchpoint leading into the Otherworld was at an altitude of over a thousand kilometers. After falling through into Kaslopa, the scanning altitude had reached twenty thousand kilometers.

The top-down descent into the Otherworld provided plenty of room to maneuver. Design features like aerobraking and gliding could effectively reduce fuel consumption, meaning the actual energy cost wouldn’t be too high.

Humanity’s current ICBMs already met most of the requirements for delivering nuclear weapons. What was needed was to integrate space-launch technology, quickly modifying the design to develop a more suitable vehicle that would allow a warhead to maintain a much longer flight path after entering the Otherworld.

After all, the Dawn Sage had said the Otherworld was far larger than Earth and that the touchpoints weren’t close to one another. So, human scientists set an insane new requirement: by using atmospheric gliding and its main propulsion system, the nuclear delivery vehicle had to be able to maintain a horizontal cruising range of 20,000 kilometers after entering the Otherworld.

Qin Xiaoxia had no idea how they’d calculated that 20,000-kilometer figure. ’That seems like overkill,’ he thought.

However, there were also 10,000-kilometer and 5,000-kilometer models in the works.

Besides developing the warheads and the delivery vehicles themselves, two other tasks were equally important: the Holy Spirit’s search for other touchpoints and the Master Sage’s cartography.

The pressure was immense.

For both the Holy Spirit and Qin Xiaoxia.

A certain Master Sage was discovering he had a real talent for masochism, having unwittingly shouldered a monumentally difficult task.

...

「May 21st, 12:50 AM, Hua Country Time.」

At a military base in the western region, several photon radars ascended on lifts to ground level and began adjusting their orientation.

A few technicians ascended with the radars, performing a quick check of their ground-level operations.

One of them glanced at his watch.

"It’s almost 1 AM. At that time, the quantum radars in the other deployment zones will all power up to maximum simultaneously. They’ll start firing microwave photon streams into the sky, covering their pre-planned sectors."

Another technician stomped his feet. After confirming the checks were complete, he pulled out a pack of chewing gum and offered a piece to his colleague.

"Can’t smoke on the job. Have some gum."

"By the way, what do you guys think my chances are if I ask the Holy Spirit for a photo and an autograph?"

The technician, who looked to be in his thirties, glanced over at the Holy Spirit glowing brightly in the distant night.

By repeatedly sweeping space with a photon stream at night, any encounter with a touchpoint would produce subtle variations. These changes were too minor for the radar to image, but they were more than enough for the Holy Spirit’s eyes.

It was also more suitable at night, with less light interference. The Holy Spirit would follow Earth’s rotation, chasing the darkness. And aside from a few fixed-base installations that were difficult to move on short notice, other quantum radars—mounted on trucks or transported by air—would follow in its wake.

The goal was to discover as many touchpoints to the Otherworld as possible, one by one, by sweeping the sky.

This method was countless times more efficient than having the Holy Spirit search blindly on its own.

Hearing their friend’s desire for an autograph, one of the others chuckled.

"You should just go for it. They say that while the Holy Spirit isn’t human, it was born from the convergence of human goodwill. It should be fine."

Another person let out a confused "Huh?"

"I heard the Holy Spirit was the Spirit Body of a virtuous ancient person, created through worship after they died."

"Bullshit. Dr. Zhao says the Holy Spirit was originally a Natural Spirit from the Otherworld, tamed and converted by Dawn, and that it only evolved into a humanoid form over time."

"You’re getting sidetracked. Dong, are you gonna get the autograph or not?"

The one who’d brought it up hesitated, then lost his nerve.

"Maybe next time... We’re at a critical point in our work. I don’t want to make a bad impression..."

"Wuss!" "Coward!" "Pathetic!"...

Overhearing this from a distance, the Holy Spirit felt a bit odd. ’This feels like a group of friends teasing a boy who’s too scared to confess to his crush.’

At 12:55 AM, the technicians all cleared the radar’s perimeter, descending via the personnel elevator.

At 1:00 AM sharp, staff inside the base activated the radars.

In the Holy Spirit’s Perception, there was a sudden BUZZ... and then waves of strange, twisting light particles fanned out across the sky.

Its Magic Power surged to a crescendo. Its entire form blurred, and its eyes overflowed with light that streamed like a nebula.

Faintly, from other directions across Hua Country, similar waves of light particles could be seen shooting into the sky.

Like sweeping a floor, the beams swept back and forth across the target area for tonight’s first phase.

One minute passed, then two, then ten. The first phase was complete, but the Holy Spirit had seen nothing. The radar’s sweep began to shift, adjusting its angle by five degrees.

A mere ten seconds later, a glint appeared in the Holy Spirit’s eyes.

’Another one! Altitude: 800 kilometers. Well begun is half done!’

Completing one true "global scan" was projected to take thirty days. Once it was finished, the task of correlating the discovered touchpoints with their corresponding locations in the Otherworld would fall squarely on the Master Sage’s shoulders.

Even so, compared to the Holy Spirit’s impending globe-trotting mission, Qin Xiaoxia was, for now, still confined to the Association Secret Realm, frantically crafting White Crystal Components.

This was mainly because the Insect Man needed time to gather its familiar, rational companions. Kaslopa was so vast that even for beings who possessed immense Magic Power, simply traveling was a chore.

He worked with both hands, his mind split between two tasks as he carved the Magic Patterns onto a pair of White Crystals, finishing both components in half an hour.

"WHY?! WHY?! Oh, god... Why am I so busy?!"

Alone in his tower office, Qin Xiaoxia let out a few frustrated howls. Then, he resigned himself to his fate and magically pulled over two new White Crystals.

’Damn it... Insect Man, you’d better find me a lot of grunts—ah, no, I mean, a lot of *reliable partners* over there in Kaslopa. I’m counting on you all to find the touchpoints, map the terrain, and handle navigation...’

And just like that, Qin Xiaoxia had already slapped a label on the Magic Creatures of Kaslopa he had yet to even meet.

P.S. Second Chapter for Thursday.