[{"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-974":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},1152615,1495,"Chapter 968 - 21: One Hour from Night City to Berlin?","cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-chapter-974",974,"\u003Cp>Away from the reckless social evolution theories, the Illuminati serves as a highly efficient social management AI. Its formidable data processing capabilities and enduring model accuracy make societal adjustments as easy as playing a game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike traditional AI and data management, it fully understands the vague \"policies\" of humans and provides suggestions comprehensible to humans, instead of requiring manual adjustments of simulated values and outputting strings of numbers like outdated models.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, this AI, as a social management auxiliary AI, possesses a very convenient functionality: it can understand human speech and respond in kind. Its comprehension and communication abilities are top-tier among humans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now appearing in the command room is merely an external data processing node of the Illuminati; the true core model resides within Lille’s mind, still utilizing quantum computing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The large eye in Cyberspace cannot be directly observed by humans. However, when a rogue AI emerges, it instinctively forces all signaling devices to emit a large amount of electromagnetic radiation to perceive the world, causing anomalies in their prosthetics, which manifest in the sensory nervous system as severe noise, flickering red mosaics, lightning, and visual gaps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is immensely terrifying for people of this era.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Illuminati had entered the Night City Hall’s network, and Lille did not stop it from continuing to extract information, allowing it to unconsciously extend its existence—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until several gigantic tentacles in Cyberspace adhered to it...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The suckers on the steel tentacles easily breached its cyber image and connected in a unique way, like countless steel nails being driven into a human body, immediately merging with the nervous system and assuming control through external stimuli!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is not merely ordinary control but a kind built on erosion and understanding, not just the mechanical control of behaviors but comprehending its operational principles and then executing control...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like it controls the society of the European Union, directing the thoughts and propositions of its people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time, the Illuminati experienced the emotion called fear: If the AI controlling it now can understand its operational model, does it not imply it can be replaced?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Across from the Illuminati, Munemasa observed the European AI with an octopus clinging to its head and shook his head internally—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had experienced the same treatment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To others, it appeared as nothing more than a somewhat cute invertebrate by human aesthetics, but to the invaded AI, it was rather indescribable...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To force a comparison, it felt like being controlled by \"oneself,\" a \"self\" clearly perceived as a foreigner yet irresistible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The small octopus appeared in the air, raised a tentacle to Lille, and gave a thumbs-up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Small Octopus: (｀∀´)Ψ, big brother, the newcomer has been educated well.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lille approached the panel and began to speak: \"The greatest problem is the Europeans. I have already exposed my identity. The European Union and the corporations will soon know it was me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they employ the orbital mass projector, it’s challenging for us to survive the attack.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The threat from the lunar orbit’s mass projector, in some sense, was even greater than that of a nuclear bomb, considering the world’s immature intercontinental ballistic missile technology.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the mass projector was different; it could target almost any location on Earth with precision, needing only a small amount of alloy and thermal barrier coating, while inside is packed with a chunk of concrete made from lunar soil to become a weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In contrast, nuclear bombs still rely on powerful industrial capability to refine weapons-grade uranium.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hansen remarked, \"Not sure whether to say you’re incredible or impulsive. We can’t deal with that thing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mass projectors can’t penetrate underground.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But a mass projector can continually produce projectiles, keeping us pinned down.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lille’s prosthetic eye flickered with light, and the content on the display began showcasing his plan according to his thoughts:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is merely a defensive measure. We need equivalent offensive capabilities, and we need to produce a certain kind of missile—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hansen showed an interested expression: finally, they reached the main topic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Lille sank the Arasaka Aircraft Carrier, Hansen had been pondering this problem for two years, questioning whether such missiles could be industrially produced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lark, situated in Dog Town and most well-versed with the movements within Cyberspace, innocently commented:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"At that time... you were on a nuclear warhead; I guess it was an enlarged smart weapon bullet? If every warhead hosted an AI of your caliber, the cost...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, this top-notch hacker lacked extensive knowledge of weapon technology. Her entire life had been spent being groomed by New America as a humanoid AI weapon, so this behavior was understandable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>V raised an eyebrow as well: \"Every strike consumes a Burger King?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lille glanced at V, always sensing V’s dissatisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That wasn’t an AI weapon. The conditions just weren’t met at the time. In reality, the finished product doesn’t require consuming a... er, one of me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the integration of AI indeed matured the technology significantly. I have perfected the foundational design with my weapons consultant.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Munemasa stood aside, satisfied as Lille began projecting the intercontinental ballistic weapons refined by his efforts—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to innovative small-scale weapons, these mass destruction weapons, converging on annihilation, destruction, and precision, represented a revolutionary weapon design concept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bigger, farther, stronger remain unchanged, but quantitative changes lead to qualitative transformations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I call it the intercontinental ballistic missile—as its name suggests, this weapon targets trans-regional objectives. Simply put, it must at the very least satisfy striking Washington from Night City.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hansen’s eyes lit up: \"How do you achieve it? And how will you breach interception systems? How do you ensure accuracy?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Familiar with the technology for range issues, Lille utilized multi-stage rocket engines and high-density solid fuel, though this obviously held no meaning for Night City—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Night City lacked oil wells, even the cultivation of ethanol was challenging, so fuel was predominantly reliant on imports.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, through years of battle-hardened experience and Munemasa’s secret research, plus assistance from several other worlds, Lille had entirely broken through to another propulsion technology.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The following details are military secrets.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A brand-new engine appeared on the screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Name: FP-500 Plasma Propulsion System]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Description: Incorporates a small nuclear fission reactor, utilizing superconducting magnets to generate magnetic fields, confining plasma within the thruster and using alternating magnetic fields to accelerate the plasma, producing thrust.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ionic control technology was something Lille initially learned from the military technology of the Centaur Mecha in this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The main cannon of this mecha, under overload conditions, could control high-temperature plasma to even mimic a laser-like effect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Subsequently, Lille discovered very expensive superconducting levitation technology on Susan Forrest’s floating car. Munemasa also knew of this technology, and upon acquiring mastery, Lille combined the two technologies to create the Rattlesnake Electromagnetic Cannon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Removing the material aspect, the Titan Fall World presented a more powerful light cannon technology, whereas in the Transformers World, Transformers possessing vast spark energy still needed to obtain material for projectile or as propellant from external sources—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Magic Cube, along with the spark source technology contained within, provided them with this structural framework, even allowing them to directly inhale air, ionizing, compressing, and then expelling it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For human industries, achieving such effects is quite difficult, but referencing these designs allowed for the creation of one’s own propulsion device.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The specific impulse of this plasma propulsion system exceeds 500 seconds, and by replacing the fuel system with a nuclear fission reactor, its weight and volume are significantly reduced, drastically increasing the upper limit of attack range!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hansen’s expression, initially brimming with excitement upon reviewing the numbers above, quickly turned strange:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Lille estimated this technological route’s range upper limit at 20,000 kilometers...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To know, from Night City to Berlin didn’t even exceed ten thousand kilometers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a lack of confidence in Lille from Hansen, but rather the absurdity of the number...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this world, missiles with a range exceeding a thousand kilometers were considered strategic weapons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are these data... trustworthy?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the unseen Cyberspace, Munemasa sneered: foolish humans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lille also shook his head:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ve been quite conservative.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"However, we can’t achieve that level immediately, technological advancement requires time. Simply put, disregarding speed, this number is absolutely achievable. Don’t forget how I returned.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lille used an ion thruster to return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hansen stroked his chin: \"So slow? If you’re not considering speed, surely this figure is beyond reason.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mach?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hansen raised an eyebrow, as his tactical brain quickly calculated...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This means it takes less than an hour to travel from Night City to Berlin—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From Night City, delivering a warhead to Berlin would take less than an hour—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hansen was stunned because this completely transformed the nature of warfare.\u003C\u002Fp>",1440,"2026-06-03T12:33:38.571Z","2026-06-03T12:33:48.023Z",1,"novelbin.me","e46ea1bbb2e2aa0ce3044de364c708ea9201068867b4c5329a35b1926c4647ec","cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-chapter-975","cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-chapter-973",1068,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fcyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-cover.jpg"]