Chapter 1025 - 68: Demon (Part 3)

The war has begun.

"The orbital mass projector... Although it sounds like some kind of standalone weapon, it is actually a system."

"This system originated from the European Space Agency’s Moon development colony mission, and from the start, it was just for faster and low-cost construction of artificial satellites."

"The Mass of the Moon is only one-sixth of Earth’s, and its escape velocity is about one-fifth, which means that launching spacecraft or other things requires significantly fewer resources here."

"There are three colonies there, three orbital mass projectors. Through the mass projector, materials from the Moon can be precisely projected to the Earth-Moon Lagrange Point, where they await for spacecraft to collect for construction, then implement construction in space..."

"But later, or perhaps from the very beginning, the European Space Agency developed a new use for it: what would happen if the projected materials didn’t stop at the Lagrange Point and landed directly on Earth?"

"It would have devastating consequences... But this explosion was more fierce than I imagined and exceeded Arasaka’s predictions... In previous intelligence, the strongest projectile from the European Space Agency was 100 tons, with explosive power equivalent to conventional tactical nuclear weapons, but this time is different."

"This might be 300 tons... they’ve improved."

Arasaka knows the orbital mass launcher best because Arasaka Saburo dreams of owning the world’s most advanced weapons.

In the original timeline, Arasaka had already started espionage on the Moon Colony and tried to quietly deploy an orbital mass projector. As Arasaka’s once most outstanding AI, Munemasa understands the European Space Agency’s limits, understands the limits of the orbital mass projector.

The 300-ton explosion was already equivalent to a large-scale tactical nuclear bomb. It’s not that Lille was too scared of such an explosion, but Night City was indeed frightened.

Devastating meteors fell from the sky, causing implosions at the last moment, even resulting in a cluster bomb effect. The City Hall has been completely destroyed, and the surrounding buildings will also result in massive casualties under the impact wave and fragment strikes...

Night City is paralyzed, the surface is paralyzed.

A city of 7 million people, paralyzed.

We don’t know how many people died from this strike, and... how many more will die from subsequent strikes.

The entire underground city was in a post-disaster relief and fear of being attacked: nuclear striking others is one feeling, being struck by others is another.

Moreover, New America has vast land and resources, and so does the European Union, Night City? It’s just a city!

When people are struck, they begin to imagine bad things, this is the bad aspect: we are just one city, but the other side is the whole world!

Luckily...

[Illuminati: Your suggested list construction was very useful, although morale is low, it’s still within controllable limits, it hasn’t collapsed.]

Lille has rich experience being nuclear struck, participating in wars where the number of casualties can be calculated in tens of billions, in such systematic wars, public opinion control is a very important skill...

At first, he disdained studying it, but later he was forced to study, at this time, how to make a list to ensure morale, he knew a thing or two.

But after all, this is a cruel skill: you have to decide who can hide, and who can only die outside.

People who participated in the victorious battle also became collectively a bit depressed: whether it’s V, Jack, or those Iron Riders, Hansen, Arasaka Yorinobu, in front of such power, one can only feel their insignificance.

What good is being able to fight?

V hit the wall hard with his fist, while Jack just glanced at it, wanting to hit too, but he couldn’t.

"No wonder everyone uses Euros, now I feel it, anyone who doesn’t listen will get a stone thrown at them."

The hologram of Munemasa-supplemented:

[Munemasa: To a large extent, you could say the projectile is just concrete, but not just concrete. The technology and energy source needed to make the projectile withstand the high temperatures generated by atmospheric friction, maintain basic shape control trajectory and speed, accelerate the projectile to the Moon’s escape velocity... is a complex system engineering.]

[Munemasa: The European Space Agency controls only one colony, with 300 tons likely their limit. They shouldn’t have many of this class projectile, and energy issues make it difficult to keep launching.]

The mass projector uses electromagnetic rail acceleration for projection, with energy mainly coming from solar power:

The Moon Colony is full of solar panels, theoretically, there are nuclear reactors there, but that’s for survival and running the factory.

The electromagnetic ejector’s track will ablate, which is a major issue on the Moon; energy isn’t infinite either, ejecting large projectiles will extend charging time, while calculating battery packs can store power, it is impossible to carry out high-density attacks...

Lille spoke: "Expected strike interval?"

[Munemasa: If the weapon operates well, the next blow should be at the soonest in 24 hours.]

"Dispatch rescue teams, continue to search for survivors in the ruins, concentrate them in buildings, and construct simple fortifications and outposts in the ruins, take refuge in 20 hours."

[Illuminati: Okay, the advance team selection is done.]

"Next, we need external information, have Adkaduo join the advance team, cover their exit from Night City, while dispatching some Iron Riders to execute the same task, we still have moles in New America, don’t give up on them."

[Illuminati: We are a bit short of hands, but arrangements can be made, and it’s better to have fewer people in the base.]

"Munemasa, adjust the production lines..."

Lille quickly made a decision, one order after the other was issued, the Illuminati’s powerful social resource coordination capability reminded Lille of the limits of this underground city, allowing him to make trade-offs.

But this scene sent a chill through Perares and Ryan: their city was attacked, they wouldn’t need complex bureaucratic systems now, so what should they do?

Thus Ryan immediately spoke: "What should we do?"

Lille looked at Ryan and Perares, in fact, this wasn’t just about the two of them, among the refugees, there still were a few politicians or company executives of similar status, like Sherman from Mackinaw and the middlemen gangs.

"Go to the engineering department for prosthetics modifications and adjustments, join the production line."

"Ah? Us? Go..."

"Yes." Lille interrupted Ryan, "Go work on the production line. If you can understand and learn engineering skills, then go into engineering management, if not, just listen to the team leader and automatic dispatch center."

They must go—

In a life-and-death struggle, there isn’t a need for too many eloquent politicians and managers, especially in the current situation: the underground city isn’t big, under Lille’s supervision, with the Illuminati and an advanced command system, they need to change.

But why not abandon them and take in more skilled workers? It’s because they need to set an example for people, meanwhile play their role as politicians to inspire people.

Moreover, if one day they win, in peacetime those things they are skilled at will still need them.

This is about adaptation and change.

Ryan and Perares exchanged glances, didn’t say much more, made up their minds, and turned to open the door—

They just opened the door and saw Lucy supporting David standing at the doorway, along with top figures from various gangs.

V walked up to Lille, gestured to the group of people outside waiting for work: "What about us? And them?"

Lille returned: "Remember what I told you before? If the European Space Agency directly intervenes in the battle..."

"Then you and I, we go to the Moon."

"And so do they."