Chapter 1013 - 56: War of Independence

The intercontinental nuclear missile designed by the Leaping Plan is a nuclear fusion weapon, with the warhead roughly divided into two parts. One part uses a small-scale fission trigger to induce nuclear fusion, requiring one kilogram of Plutonium-239 for each warhead in this section.

The missile mainly relies on the second part, which contains the nuclear fusion fuel, for lethality. This part requires 11.5 kilograms of deuterium-tritium mixture—

For Night City, deuterium-tritium can be extracted directly from seawater. Although the cost is high, at least there’s a place for collection. In contrast, Plutonium-239 is fraught with difficulties and is primarily "imported" by Lille from Marvel World.

"...The factory has prepared the deuterium-tritium mixture. I won’t ask where you got those radioactive elements extracted from seawater and the refining technology; in short, they work well."

The center of the operations room is a holographic projection map, projecting the entirety of Night City, with assets directly controlled by the City Hall emphasized.

It’s clear that many seawater treatment plants have quickly been established on the coast of Night City. On one hand, to meet the daily water demand, and on the other, to enrich radioactive elements from seawater to satisfy the nuclear weapon needs.

The former Arasaka Seaside has begun to pale in comparison to the seawater treatment plants led by Night City’s construction and without the owner’s investment, that place is now negligible.

These seawater treatment plants transport the processed water and other resources into the city through pipeline technology, constructed as one of Night City’s major municipal projects...

Part of the underground city’s construction project.

And on the outskirts of the city, at the end of these pipelines are agricultural test fields. In the outskirts of Saint Domingo, Evil Land has built many vertical farms at the first station entering Night City. There, various agricultural technologies are researched, and the "agricultural resources" produced, such as soil binders and fertilizers, are sent to the trial fields outside the city for planting.

It is evident that during this period, not only is the Leaping Plan proceeding well, but the basic resource supply plan is also functioning normally.

The holographic projection screen shifts to Southern California:

"Military Technology has deployed over three armored divisions to Southern California in the past few weeks, and Miles has stationed more field teams at the US-Mexico border. The trade impact is significant, and if this continues, even those money-hungry bandits in Mexico won’t continue doing business with us."

Lille stood by the operations table, silently estimating the resources at hand.

Currently, a total of three intercontinental nuclear missiles have been completed in production. After he transports the Plutonium, it will take a week for final assembly. As it’s the first production, the manufacturing speed will be slower.

Thinking, Lille asked, "What’s your plan?"

"We directly take Southern California. If your missiles work, we can cripple that city with three missiles, and then we immediately launch an assault to take over the city.

Once we control Southern California, there will be no obstacles with the airways to Mexico."

Lille directly shook his head in denial: "We can’t place all our hopes on the Mexicans; this is a war between us and New America—

Where did New America get its manpower sent to the front line?"

Hansen stroked his chin: "Of course, they were drawn from elsewhere..."

"Based on your understanding of New America, how much do you think their military forces will grow after the Metal War?"

"Hard to say... but these years Miles has been reforming this policy or unifying that market, companies founded by separatists aren’t easy to manage."

This topic left Hansen a little unsure of how to reply.

He was good at warfare, but the Military Technology expansion plan?

He was a military commander, not a Department of Defense official; he indeed had little concept in this aspect, with enough headaches dealing with Dog Town issues, he didn’t have the mind to probe into these.

But someone is different: if there’s anyone in the world who understands Military Technology and New America, it’s definitely Arasaka Company.

Coincidentally, Arasaka Company is in Night City, and the person once responsible for North American operations is right here—Arasaka Yorinobu.

Yorinobu was sitting on the side, because he was also involved in that "virtual network war", and even died several times, he still hadn’t recovered from the state of overstimulation, with his mind full of Iron Riders and Titans:

That is the special forces Night City needs to train, not some "Ninja" "Legendary Mercenary"...

Hansen turned his gaze to Yorinobu, and V followed suit, calling out to Yorinobu:

"Rich boy, stop daydreaming, we’re asking you a question."

Yorinobu finally snapped back from his fantasy, quickly recollecting the topics discussed earlier, rubbed his eyebrows, and said:

"Uh... over the past few years, Military Technology has invested a lot of resources into unifying New America. You also know how tricky companies are, North America doesn’t have just one Military Technology company, every Free State has its own corporate privileges..."

Saying this, he paused, seemingly organizing his words:

"Military Technology’s manpower is stretched thin, these past years I have been adopting radical policies against them, aiming to make these two companies fight each other again, they are more tolerant than I imagined. The most severe was hiring gangs to blow up their warehouse in Night City, but they just swallowed this grievance."

In 2069, New America launched the Unification War, aiming to reclaim the "separatist states". These states had seceded from the Federation decades prior following the disastrous US-Mexico war and a financial fraud scandal in the United States, declaring themselves Free States, including Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming-Montana, Arizona, and others, with Night City also located among them.

Decades of independence developed different economic systems in different states, with companies and local bureaucratic interests deeply intertwined. Governance was far more troublesome than occupation, and New America had been coordinating these headaches in these recent years.

Lark nodded at these words: "Indeed, Military Technology’s primary focus isn’t on Night City at all. My main task in the Joint Logistics Bureau is also to help the President sweep away some stubborn elements... through espionage means."

Yorinobu had completely come back to his senses, assuredly saying: "And two years ago, before I... killed my father, Military Technology was still maintaining a shrinkage policy, and the turmoil of these two years could totally delay this process."

"And they lost me," Lark said somewhat confidently, "Though compared to our city’s top ’hackers’, I’m nothing, but I’m the top hacker of the Joint Logistics Bureau, without me, Miles’ operations will only slow down."

Lille nodded: "And now, the Euro market has collapsed, mobilizing troops means Miles’ control over other regions within the territory diminishes...

We not only need to attack Southern California but also ’liberate’ our neighbors—"

Lille reached out his hand, and the operations sandbox in front of him immediately transformed into a map of the United States, with three curves representing intercontinental missiles departing from Night City, directly striking Arkansas, Iowa, and Minnesota!

And among the 16 states to the left hit by the intercontinental missile, 13 were once Free States!

"...This isn’t Night City’s war against New America, this is the Free States’ war of ’independence’ against New America."