Chapter 985: Vertical Casting Well Activated!

Chapter 985: The Vertical Casting Shaft Activates!

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Pre-war era "Orion" missile cruiser wreckage suspected to be occupied by an illegal armed organization!

Currently, the Alliance authorities are in discussions with various factions such as the Academy and corporations, exploring closer cooperation to address the threat of pre-war era relics.

This newspaper's correspondent urges everyone to remain rational and not to heed rumors! Although lead can indeed block a certain degree of radiation, hanging it around the neck or tying it around the waist is meaningless and lacks scientific basis.

—"Survivor Daily" Avant City Edition

]

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The "Celestial" organization surfaces! Identity suspected to be digital ghosts of the Human Union era expeditionary force!

An expert from the Alliance Academy of Social Sciences published an editorial, arguing that the existence of the "Celestial" organization fully demonstrates that uploading one's mind to a circuit board is a foolish and unreliable act of collective suicide, akin to "carving a mark on the boat to find a lost sword."

However, another Academy expert analyzed that the extreme ideology of the "Celestial" organization stems from the overly homogeneous social strata on the Lagrange space station, and their predicament is similar to that of the Legion.

Regardless, the threat from outer space has drawn the attention of high-level figures across all factions.

Secretary-General of the Representative Assembly, Si Wen, stated in an interview with reporters that the esteemed President Li Minghui will fight the Celestial forces to the end and will never flee from battle.

Li Minghui himself has yet to comment on the Representative Assembly's statement, only indicating that one hundred thousand neutron torpedoes may pose a severe challenge, and the South Sea Alliance should expedite the development of a high-orbit anti-missile system.

—"Survivor Daily" Ring Island Edition

]

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The battle for Yangzhou reaches a stalemate!

The new leader of the Mammoth Kingdom, Shawa, rules with an iron fist, stabilizing the front lines after enduring the initial assault.

Although the Brahman Kingdom achieved victory in the first battle, due to insufficient logistical supplies and a lack of mountain warfare equipment, many units have suffered heavy non-combat casualties. The Northern Field Army was nearly annihilated in its latest breakout attempt!

The new Industrial Commissioner strongly condemned former leader Abu Saik, claiming his tenure's poor policies severely damaged the Brahman Kingdom's economy and industrial development, and were the main cause of heavy frontline casualties. Restoring to pre-damage levels would take at least twenty years.

Despite numerous difficulties and lurking dangers, the Commission is confident in overcoming the crisis. Sawa, the second-in-command of the Family Council, reiterated at the Commission meeting that the pain is only temporary and once again called for unity among all strata of the Celestial Capital.

According to sources, Zaid harshly criticized Sawa's crackdown on cockroaches and rats as "short-sighted" during an internal meeting, likening it to a flirtatious gesture of a young girl—lacking both vision and thoroughness.

To protect the farmland along the Eternal River, he advocated for more radical measures, striking at the Red Earth.

—"Survivor Daily" Golden Galleon Port Edition

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The threat of the "Celestial" is drawing near, but when the sky falls, there are always tall ones to hold it up, aren't there?

That godforsaken place is far too distant from New Westhaven Port; our correspondent cannot yet interview the suffering Celestials, only hoping they can endure a little longer.

However, it is noteworthy that His Majesty Salun coughed heavily during this morning's council, possibly hinting at a major move by the Eastern Empire. We will publish a special edition to interpret the deeper meaning behind this!

Additionally, the war in the Free State is nearing its end. The police department and the Hound Special Forces, loyal to the City Hall, have seized control of over half the urban areas.

The Corporation is likely finished, but the outcome is still uncertain, after all, Bugra is not only the Free State of Bugra's citizens but also the Free State of the vast wasteland wanderers.

Even if the local gangsters are all wiped out, Flintstone Group can recruit new allies from the wasteland.

The Free State's corporations and civilians may still fight for a while, but that kind of gang-style warfare is mere skirmishes compared to our neighbors.

Both sides have shed rivers of blood in Yangzhou, with casualties exceeding the total number of combatants in the Free State's civil war!

Facts prove that even the apocalypse cannot stop the Brahmans from slaughtering each other.

Beyond war, other calamities unfold in turn.

Due to the Brahman Kingdom's vigorous industrial development, the industrial facilities of Old Westhaven Port have nearly withered away, with industrialists switching careers to become swimmers.

A tax official who wished to remain anonymous complained that life is getting harder. Before, he would apply Vaseline lip balm before leaving for work; now, he can only find a piece of lard in the kitchen and kiss it.

Our correspondent also finds this utterly tragic.

Of course, this tax official's hair oil did not become cooking oil for the poor, after all, Red Earth does not require complex cooking techniques, and a famine rivaling that of the Xilan era has coincidentally erupted there.

His wise and mighty Majesty Salun is utterly baffled, claiming that although he dismantled some heavy factories in Westhaven Port, he left behind quite a few light factories, certainly not to the extent of stripping the land bare as slandered by the Celestial Capital newspapers.

In his plan, the western coast of the Brahman Province could become the Eastern Empire's light industrial production base, much like Golden Galleon Port and the Hundred Yue Strait are for the Alliance.

We can see that His Majesty Salun is a true fan of someone, diligently copying their homework.

Unfortunately, our neighbors are so uncooperative that our Majesty has to subsidize them with some Vaseline oil to help them through the immediate crisis.

—"Survivor Daily" New Westhaven Port Edition

]

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War has never ended. After the Torch Church, the "Celestial" from the Prosperity Era once again attempts to guide the future direction of the wasteland wanderers on the surface.

Clearly, they want us dead.

Regarding the threat from outer space, the Great Rift's response is no response—it seems one hundred thousand neutron torpedoes cannot penetrate their turtle shells.

The Ideal City Council held an emergency meeting, with results expected to be announced after the crisis ends.

As for the Legion... well, the Legion is gone, and thankfully so.

Fortunately, this time the Academy did not stay behind the scenes, finally showing some backbone after a long absence, betting a precious research vessel for the sake of all humanity!

Of course, it might also be because this mess is their doing—if they hadn't lost that research vessel, perhaps the Lagrange point space station would have found it difficult to board the "Orion" missile cruiser.

Currently, the Alliance has dispatched the Burning Legion to geosynchronous orbit.

Please do not worry; if you truly cannot sleep, think of the Steel Heart.

General MacLennan's assessment is that if he had to face the Burning Legion as an opponent, he would rather turn his gun on God.

Additionally, friends in New Westhaven Port, please do not be too absurd; your Majesty Salun likely just has a cold.

—"Goblin Observer"

]

...

Regarding the "Celestial" organization and the threat from 36,000 kilometers away, neither the Academy nor the Alliance deliberately suppressed the news.

First, it is nearly impossible to completely conceal such a significant matter; second, it is to avoid unnecessary panic.

After all, proactive disclosure offers a chance to clarify the situation, while hiding it would cede the battlefield of public opinion.

Then, any absurd version of events could emerge.

It was precisely for this reason that, before rumors could spread, Chu Guang had the "Survivor Daily" of Dawn City conduct an exclusive interview with the Alliance's scientific expedition team on this incident, publicly revealing the Alliance's strategies and preparations for the crisis.

The response from Dawn City's residents brought Chu Guang considerable relief.

The chaos and unrest lasted only two days.

Before the sun rose on the third day, the anxious populace had returned to normal.

Perhaps because they had experienced one apocalypse before, most wasteland wanderers reacted quite calmly to the prospect of another world-ending event.

Moreover, panic is useless in the face of a global catastrophe.

Furthermore, during similar crises in the past, they had successfully navigated the most dangerous moments under the Administrator's leadership.

They had every reason to believe that this time would be no different.

In the omnipotent Administrator, they held a devout and unwavering faith...

……

In the western district of Xizhou City.

Rows of dilapidated houses stood upon the ravaged ruins, with abandoned steel scraps and wooden planks scattered everywhere, while the waterweeds clinging to the wall bases and window sills seemed to still exude a damp breath.

Since the dawn of the Wasteland Era, this district had been submerged for a considerable time under the backflow of the lake.

It was not until the soldiers of the Alliance arrived and renamed this land "Dawn" that this city, steeped in lake water, finally saw the light of day again.

That said, even though the Alliance brought order here, the area was rarely visited due to the frequent appearances of Crackclaw Crabs.

Only when the crisis of the "Celestials" emerged did this forgotten corner of the district regain the Alliance's attention.

At this very moment, trucks were shuttling along the roads beside the ruins, their bustling activity rivaling even the heart of Dawn City.

And at the center of the dusty construction site lay an even more astonishing marvel—

A towering giant well stood amidst the dense concrete ruins!

Its massive opening spanned the area of several football fields, and from above, it resembled a gaping abyss staring up at the sky!

Yet what was even more breathtaking than the well's vast footprint and unfathomable depth was its internal structure.

Steel ribs, like the spine of a colossal beast, stretched from the rim all the way to the bottom, while the walls beneath those ribs were forged entirely of metal, exuding a stern majesty in the darkness.

This was Vault 100.

To activate the "Foundry Well" at the vault's center, the Alliance's construction crew had dismantled the dome above it!

Now that the dome removal was complete, the recommissioned "Vault 100 Foundry Well" would officially serve as the engine of the Alliance's aerospace industry.

At that moment, an engineer from the Academy stood atop the foundry well, gazing downward with pupils filled with awe.

Though he had often mocked the Alliance's "crude and straightforward" industrial systems, he could not utter a single careless word now.

This could no longer be described as a marvel.

It was like a work of art.

"Incredible..." After a long pause, Zhong Jingchu let out a heartfelt sigh, turning to the old engineer beside him. "I never imagined you could create such astonishing... miracles amidst the ruins. I underestimated you."

There was no hint of flattery in his voice.

The old engineer beside him laughed heartily and replied modestly.

"Not at all. We couldn't have built such a staggering behemoth on our own... Strictly speaking, it's a legacy of the Prosperity Era. We just made use of the waste."

His name was Qi Xiangsong, a professor from Camp 101 and the chief engineer of the Alliance Aerospace Industry Group.

Hearing Qi's explanation, Zhong Jingchu felt a bit more at ease.

Just then, he noticed faint blue lights flickering within the well shaft and curiously asked, "What are those flickering blue lights?"

As if expecting the question, Qi Xiangsong smiled mysteriously and, without explaining, handed him a telescope.

"Take a look for yourself."

Zhong Jingchu took the telescope from the old engineer with some skepticism and peered down into the well.

What he saw left him stunned.

When he realized what those faint blue lights were, his eyes involuntarily widened.

The blue glow itself was nothing mysterious—just sparks from arc welding as it fused alloys.

What truly shocked him was the source of those sparks!

They came from "Cross Spider" engineering robots!

Like spiders weaving webs, they darted and climbed along the vertical steel framework, following pre-programmed instructions to move materials delivered by cranes from the well's rim to specific positions, completing welding and assembly tasks.

Under the labor of tens of thousands of mechanical spiders, a steel structure weighing tens of thousands—or even hundreds of thousands—of tons was visibly "growing" upward!

Though not an expert in aerospace, Zhong Jingchu knew enough about the field.

And that was why he understood how unbelievable this scene was!

No wonder the Alliance's leaders were confident about building another gravity well in the southern sea.

If this foundry well's full potential were unleashed, not just gravity wells—the Alliance's spacecraft might fill low Earth orbit like dumplings being dropped into a pot!

"These mechanical spiders..."

"Are the technological achievement of Vault 100's survivors," Qi Xiangsong said, gazing into the deep well. "After learning about our situation, they decided to join us."

Zhong Jingchu's throat tightened. He turned his gaze back to the vertical foundry well beneath his feet and was silent for a long time before speaking slowly.

"I recall that in the earliest days, the Human Union built spacecraft on the ground... They manufactured parts on the surface, then launched them into low Earth orbit via chemical rockets for assembly. It wasn't until space mining and alloy smelting matured, and the space elevator was completed, that the aerospace industry gradually moved from the ground to geosynchronous orbit, and then to the Lagrange points."

Qi Xiangsong smiled.

"I've heard of that history. So, assembling a spaceship on the ground is a first? Only we've done it?"

"More or less."

Zhong Jingchu nodded, his expression tinged with emotion.

"Back then, our science could only analyze the dimension we inhabited; it hadn't yet penetrated other dimensions, let alone mastered gravitons or manipulated gravitational fields. We had to use the crudest methods, wrestling with the 'resistance' that opposed our outward migration."

"But now it's different. We can not only break free from gravity's bonds but also turn gravity into a monsoon propelling us forward..."

As he spoke, his admiration was palpable, and he sincerely praised,

"In a sense, you've truly made history."

He had once wondered why most of the defecting researchers ended up with the Alliance. Now, he finally understood their thoughts.

They had seen in the Alliance a hope they had never witnessed before.

It wasn't a miracle created by one person.

But by a group, together.

If he, too, didn't carry a mission, he might have been tempted to stay...