Chapter 359: The Acquiescence of the Polar Bear

Li Mingyuan worked almost without sleep or rest, rushing between various teams to solve one technical difficulty after another.

"Chief Engineer Li, you must take a break," a young engineer said worriedly, "You have been working for 72 consecutive hours."

Li Mingyuan waved his hand: "Let's talk after all this is over. The Di Guo could launch a Mushroom Strike at any time; we cannot afford any delays."

He braced his exhausted body and continued to throw himself into his work.

At the other end of the base, the research and development of the Mushroom Bomb also entered the final sprint stage.

The test results of the Detonation Lens were exhilarating—after adopting the new design of the rotating ellipsoidal configuration, the deviation in pressure distribution dropped to below 0.5%, fully meeting the design requirements.

"Look at this," Dean He excitedly showed Li Mingyuan the latest high-speed photography photos, "The Detonation Wave is almost a perfect sphere, and the compression uniformity has reached 99.8%!"

Li Mingyuan carefully inspected the photos, a satisfied smile appearing on his face: "Excellent! With this, the efficiency of our Mushroom Bomb will be at least 20% higher than that of the Di Guo!"

The breakthrough in the Detonation System was equally exhilarating. Lao Liu's team successfully implemented the multiple redundancy design proposed by Li Mingyuan, and the synchronization error dropped to a staggering 0.018 milliseconds, far exceeding the expected goal.

"Theoretically, this system can detonate 256 detonators simultaneously, with a time precision better than 20 microseconds," Lao Liu reported proudly, "And we conducted extreme condition tests; the system remains stable under high temperature, low temperature, and strong electromagnetic interference!"

The seven-fold safety design of the Safety Interlock System was also completed, not only ensuring operational safety but also preventing potential theft and reverse engineering by the Di Guo.

The achievements of the various groups began to integrate, the various components of the Mushroom Bomb were gradually assembled together, and a brand-new weapon belonging to the Long Country was about to emerge.

……

In the basement of the Di Guo Presidential Palace, a secret meeting was underway.

"Gentlemen," the President looked around at the few remaining high-ranking generals in the room, his voice hoarse, "We have no other choice. The Long Country's technological advantage and military offensive have pushed us into a corner. To defend national security, I have approved the Mushroom Bomb Operation."

There was Silence in the room; everyone understood what this meant.

"What are the details of the plan?" the Minister of Defense asked.

A tall, thin general wearing glasses stood up: "To ensure the success of the operation, we will take extreme secrecy measures. Only those present know the complete plan. We will mobilize the final technical forces to prepare two tactical Mushroom Bombs within 48 hours, to be executed by specially selected pilots on a suicide mission."

"What are the targets?" the Chief of Staff of the Air Force asked.

"One is the Long Country Frontline Command, and the other is the military industrial base where Li Mingyuan is located, according to our intelligence." The general pointed at the map, "Once these two targets are destroyed, the Long Country's military advantage will be significantly weakened, and we can regain the initiative on the battlefield."

The President took a deep breath: "I have already notified the Polar Bear Country through secret channels, informing them of our decision."

"What was their reaction?" the Minister of Defense asked nervously.

"They... chose to acquiesce." The President's expression was complex, "The Polar Bear Country is worried that the Long Country's technological development is too fast, threatening regional balance. They will not publicly support us, but they will not stop us either."

The atmosphere in the room became even heavier. The attitude of the Polar Bear Country meant that the international pressure they would face might be smaller than expected.

"Then, the Mushroom Bomb Operation is officially launched," the President announced, "May God bless us."

……

Just then, a communications officer hurried over: "Chief Engineer Li, urgent notification! The Di Guo has just issued a formal warning to our side through diplomatic channels: if the Long Country does not immediately withdraw from the war, they will use that weapon!"

There was an uproar in the conference room.

"This is a naked Mushroom threat!" the director of the Military Department said angrily.

Li Mingyuan, however, was unusually calm: "They are at their wit's end; this is their final struggle."

"I suggest we speed up and conduct a test explosion before that."

……

At the Di Guo Mushroom Bomb base, it was a scene of busyness.

"Speed it up! We don't have much time left!" Colonel Williams yelled at the busy technical personnel, "Two tactical Mushroom Bombs must be ready within 24 hours!"

The atmosphere inside the base was suffocatingly tense. The scientists and technicians had grave expressions, yet they did not dare to slacken their movements in the slightest.

"Is this really our only choice?" a young scientist asked his colleague in a low voice, "Using that weapon, this means..."

"Shut up and work!" his colleague warned in a low voice, "Now is not the time to discuss right or wrong; we only have the duty to obey orders."

Colonel Williams patrolled the base back and forth, ensuring that every link proceeded according to plan. As the executive officer in charge of the Mushroom Bomb Operation, he knew the importance of this mission—this might be the Di Guo's last chance to turn the tide of the war.

"How is the assembly progress of the Mushroom Bomb warheads?" he asked the Chief Engineer.

"85% complete, Colonel." The engineer wiped the sweat from his forehead, "But I must remind you that this way of rushing has safety hazards. Under normal circumstances, assembling Mushroom Bomb warheads requires strict inspection procedures and cooling time."

Williams sneered: "It is wartime now; no one cares about normal procedures. The President gave us a death order; two Mushroom Bombs must be ready by tomorrow, no matter the cost!"

He turned and left, leaving behind the worried-looking engineer.

At the other end of the base, pilot selection was underway.

"Gentlemen," an officer stood in front of more than a dozen pilots, his voice low, "I will not lie to you. This is a one-way mission; no one can return alive. You will pilot the aircraft carrying the Mushroom Bombs and crash directly into the targets. This is the highest honor of sacrificing one's life for the country, but it must be voluntary. Now, those willing to participate, please step forward."

After a brief silence, all the pilots took a step forward.

A flash of respect crossed the officer's eyes: "Very good. We will select the two best among you to carry out this sacred mission."

The selection process was extremely strict; in the end, two experienced ace pilots stood out—Major Jackson and Captain Rodriguez.

"Congratulations," the officer saluted the two, "From now on, you are the Mushroom Heart of the Mushroom Bomb Operation. Remember, this mission concerns the survival of the country and must not fail."

The two pilots straightened their backs and returned the salute, their eyes flashing with firm light.

"For the Di Guo," Major Jackson said in a low voice, "we are willing to give everything."

At the same time, the Di Guo intelligence department was also working intensely, collecting the latest intelligence on the Long Country's defense systems.

"According to our analysis," an Intelligence Officer reported to Colonel Williams, "the Long Country has likely already sensed our Mushroom plan and has begun to deploy defensive measures. Their 'Thor' rocket launchers and 'Air Strike-1' Missile systems could both be used for interception."

Williams frowned: "Is there any way to break through their defenses?"

The Intelligence Officer unfolded a map: "We have designed a special flight route, using terrain for cover to avoid the Long Country's Radar monitoring as much as possible. At the same time, we will use the most Advanced electronic jamming equipment to confuse their Anti-aircraft System."

"Success rate?" Williams asked straightforwardly.

The Intelligence Officer hesitated for a moment: "Conservatively estimated, around 50%."