[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer":3,"chapter-cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-chapter-435":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Cyberpunk: Cross-dimensional Science and Engineering",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1151576,1495,"Chapter 435 - 407 Falling Behind Means Doing Dirty Work","cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-chapter-435",435,"\u003Cp>\"Radiation will harm your DNA, causing deformities in your limbs...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We’re perfectly fine, aren’t we?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mos, a Tanzanian official, was patiently explaining these problems to his fellow countrymen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it all seemed futile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to Wakanda’s control over the African Union, most officials in the alliance were educated intellectuals, at least not illiterate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mos had even studied in France, fluent in French, English, and local dialects. Although his major wasn’t nuclear energy, he knew about radiation and worker protection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His fellow countrymen didn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These ragged men would take any job available. The pay at Mkuju River wasn’t much higher than other jobs, but it was stable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a stable income, many were willing to sell their souls. Mining was just hard work; they didn’t see any problem with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who answered scratched his head and chuckled, \"It’s not you; you can make money just like that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He rubbed a few fingers together, seemingly implying that officials like Mos could make money with a flick of their fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mos was infuriated, almost wanting to slap his fellow countryman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I care about your labor protection, and you accuse me of corruption for making quick money?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man grinned, \"Brother, don’t get angry. What’s your deal?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did you listen to what I just said?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You don’t even wear any safety gear yourself...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he finished, he shut his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A robot walked by behind Mos, controlled by Lille.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earlier, he had upgraded the camp’s testing equipment on this basic robot to monitor the radiation levels in the camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The radiation levels in the workplace were off the charts, especially outside the mine tunnels where radon gas was detected, clearly exceeding safe levels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Radon is a radioactive gas. Normally, these areas should be sealed off, but it was evident that the mining company had not taken such measures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lille handed Mos a set of protective gear used by the mining crew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Radiation levels are excessive. It’s worse inside, but it’s better to wear the protective suit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking around, the soldiers of the Atlas Group had also added protective plates to their exoskeleton suits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man had nothing more to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just called up from the mine, he wasn’t aware of what had happened. But seeing the leaders in protective suits...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It probably was serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lille glanced at the bewildered workers; he knew that merely imparting knowledge wouldn’t quickly improve their safety awareness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he walked toward the mine, he murmured, \"Wear the protective suits and wait in the rest area. I’ll take some photos so you can claim compensation from these companies.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few workers hesitated, eager but looking towards a baffled Mos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The latter waved his hand impatiently, \"Go on, hurry up!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then followed Lille.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mr. Lee! Mr. Lee... How are things here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not good. Radon gas is leaking, and the land outside is highly radioactive. They must have buried mining waste shallowly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about the people here...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In the past, I’d say they were beyond help.\" Lille spread aside a wooden beam, \"The radiation levels are off the charts. Worse, they barely use respiratory protection, and radioactive dust in the lungs causes permanent damage.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was more severe than silicosis and just as incurable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inhaling radioactive dust meant lifelong radiation exposure from the lungs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it wasn’t entirely hopeless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But now, with future technological breakthroughs, we might replace their lungs, and they could live a long time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearing the rubble, Lille saw the collapsed mine pit caused by a tunneling error.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, Uranium-10 Company had cut costs to the bone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Africans might not be easy to manage but were cheap. $100 could buy them for a month, far from urban oversight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uranium mining was technical; applications even more so. If the Tanzanian government pushed these foreign companies out, they couldn’t monetize the minerals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No money, no development, no economic sustenance...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The former Minister of Mines might have known but chose to ignore it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mos looked pensive, \"We need to shut this place down.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s unrealistic,\" Lille said, advancing with a detector, \"Some have worked here since 2005, thinking they found good jobs, got married, and had kids.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That sounds good.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s not. Their health deteriorates over time. But their children are different. Many are born with congenital diseases and slight deformities. I asked around, some old employees know it isn’t normal work, but they need money to treat their kids.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This...\" Mos was stunned, \"Do they know?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not yet, but they will soon. Didn’t you arrange for someone to explain it to them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone has their logic and cognition; once knowledge aligns with these, their minds will upgrade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Angry shouts came from outside the mine:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"... I’ll kill... those...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mos fell silent again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Educated in France, he knew the French would never be treated this way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If forced to work overtime, they’d riot at City Hall. Miners in vests?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Joking; with that energy, they’d better implement labor protection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he knew his countrymen lacked skills, knowledge, even foresight; essentially, they lacked education; their thinking was archaic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Making them think, labor, and fight for their rights like those in developed countries...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Impossible, and unlikely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They lagged far behind, not just in technology.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lille picked up a brown stone beside the rock wall, applied slight pressure with a hydraulic arm, crushed the surface, wiped off the dust, revealing its glassy interior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Mkuju River deposit existed in his world, and the ore quality seemed consistent across both.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Quality’s good, but don’t worry too much. Based on Africa’s current electricity usage, this vein will last you decades.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Decades...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, just the explored reserves. Could be more inside. Adding plutonium to the reactor could extend it...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, Lille received an urgent message.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Sender: T’Challa]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[T’Challa: Lille, Mei Army has landed in Somalia! They have planes... bzz... this morning...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Bzz...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lille was stunned, Mei Army had taken Somalia?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How did T’Challa know?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Planes...?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could ponder further, remote communication was cut; Frank’s voice replaced it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Frank: Boss, seems there’s something in the sky...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Frank: It’s a transport aircraft! They’re air-dropping! Prepare for combat, hold you... bzz...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Bzz...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Enemy attack!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the mine, Frank held his gun while standing watch in the lookout tower, surveying the sky as the camp was quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Africa’s sky was very blue and had high visibility, especially on such a sunny day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lille liked having him shoot some scenic videos with the Cyber Modulator, and he was happy to oblige: he could show them to his wife and kids.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The high-power observation lens built into his helmet allowed him to lock onto eagles high in the sky, shooting unique wildlife footage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Spring has come... another mating season...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frank scanned the sky, luck on his side, quickly locking onto a moving object.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it didn’t seem like...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked familiar?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zooming in fully, Frank felt a chill:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thing was indeed familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a Mei Army transport plane!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Iron Soldiers hung beneath it, the plane quickly arrived over the camp...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were air-dropping directly!\u003C\u002Fp>",1167,"2026-06-03T12:33:12.910Z","2026-06-03T12:33:19.802Z",1,"novelbin.me","953e51fd43d8cf86b4f1e00527f481aaa8128818959ba55c2d559ca6443d2dd6","cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-chapter-436","cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-chapter-434",1068,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fcyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-cover.jpg"]