Chapter 594 - 582: Beyond the Plan

Within a concrete bunker less than 10 kilometers from the epicenter, Tian Zhan also saw the explosion through the observation window.

However, compared to the people at sea, what the IAEA observers saw was an inferno on earth.

Their bunker was situated near the local forest park and its construction began from the very start of establishing the controlled area, built solidly with concrete, rebar, and lead plates. Theoretically, it could directly withstand a nuclear blast 5 kilometers above, and it was extremely sturdy.

Personnel entered and exited through an underground passage temporarily constructed from a farther location, and there was no doubt about its robustness.

The first thing they saw was a blazing fireball flashing across the narrow view of the observation window, and then the blindingly pale light turned the observation window into a super-bright screen emitting a cold glow.

This phase lasted for about 5 seconds, after which the outside scenery turned into a sea of flames. The shockwave, carrying countless debris, kept rolling along the terrain unabated, efficiently demolishing all buildings and trees around. Innumerable fragments flew past the surface of the bunker at incredibly high speeds.

To the highly robust bunker, this was nothing much, but the real main event was the underground shockwave. Tian Zhan immediately felt the entire bunker shake violently, coarse concrete walls constantly shedding dust, and even while sitting there was a feeling of being thrown off the stool.

The shockwave from the nuclear blast was the first test, and as a country located on a seismic belt, the explosion of the Ground Drilling Bomb induced an earthquake of magnitude 5.2 right away.

At ground level, after the first wave of high-temperature gas had dispersed, the low-pressure area that formed around the epicenter began sucking in fresh air, and objects that were already heated to extremely high temperatures immediately started to burn.

Trees were burning, buildings were burning, steel was burning—almost everything visible was burning at high temperatures. Within a radius of three kilometers there was nothing but a sea of fire, and the fire even reached as far as 10 kilometers, igniting the entire forest park.

Looking out from the bunker, they found themselves completely surrounded by flames—the outside world was an uninhabited inferno.

Even through the reflective glass, through the thick porthole, Tian Zhan still seemed to feel the high temperature that could ignite the skin in an instant.

In that moment, he even had the illusion that a world war had erupted, and civilization had been destroyed.

But then the anti-interference phone connected by phone lines began to ring, and the voice on the other end broke his delusion.

"Bell Tone, this is Longgong, please report the situation on site immediately."

"Bell Tone received!"

Tian Zhan immediately perked up, describing what he saw through the observation window accurately:

"According to our unit’s measurements, the deviation of the epicenter is ±9, depth deviation 11 to 17. The observatory felt an extremely strong tremor. Judging detonation is successful, judging detonation is successful!

The average surface temperature exceeds 300 Celsius. It’s currently impossible to measure the epicenter. The radiation residue is still huge. It’s estimated that a measuring aircraft can be dispatched to take photos of the scene after 1 hour.

Bell Tone has sounded, Bell Tone has sounded!"

"Longgong received, Bell Tone has sounded. Continue to prepare for the next ringing of the bell!"

After ending the communication with the superior, Tian Zhan realized the others were doing the same thing. However, Bailey was the fastest, after all, the Pacific Fleet had eyes everywhere here.

"According to our radiation observation satellite data, an enormous amount of abnormal radiation briefly emerged at the epicenter, but it subsequently decreased to levels lower than anticipated. I believe we have ignited the core and burned away the nuclear fuel inside."

Bailey shared the summarized information just received from the Pentagon, showing no signs of joy.

Tian Zhan: "Colonel Bailey, we will verify against your information as soon as possible."

Bailey: "Tian, suddenly I’m thinking, what if one day I see the same thing in Ryukyu and then become a puff of dust in the air."

"..."

"Sukaburet!"

A curse suddenly erupted from beside them, followed by the sight of Sergey’s scrunched old face.

He looked at Tian Zhan:

"Your warheads are too powerful. They’ve blasted a hole hundreds of meters in diameter. I doubt that the No. 2 reactor core hasn’t shifted into the sea!

Moreover, we cannot perform a second survey, our Iskander’s attack position is no longer accurate!"

"But we did the calculations before launching. The radioactive material content in the radiation cloud didn’t exceed the standard, which indicates that the No. 2 reactor core hasn’t been affected."

Tian Zhan looked puzzled; these technical matters had been demonstrated countless times. Sergey’s worries seemed excessive.

But the Russian shook his head determinedly and said:

"We must find a way to correct the deviation. I’m going to apply to my country right now to swap the 450,000-ton warhead for a 700,000-ton equivalent one. Only then will it be safe enough."

"..."

Tian Zhan frowned and thought briefly, then shifted his gaze to Bailey, who, surprisingly, wore a face of indifference and nonchalance.

"??"

Bailey, "Isn’t this why we prepared Plan B? If the first one deviates, we increase the yield. Sergey makes good sense."

"But there are less than four hours until the second launch—"

By this point, Tian Zhan had fully realized that these two had colluded in advance to exploit a loophole.

Of course, the cleanup plan couldn’t have just one scheme. Given the complete uncertainty of the expected results, the IAEA had four: ABCD.

Plan A’s yields were 340,000 tons, 450,000 tons, 200,000 tons; Plan B was 700,000 tons, 700,000 tons, 550,000 tons.

This wasn’t just a matter of increasing the yield. China didn’t have ready-made nuclear warheads for Plan B, and the third 550,000-ton airburst hydrogen bomb had to be two-phase, which, it was believed, America didn’t have in stock, and the status of Russia’s 700,000-ton Ground Drilling Bomb was unknown.

No wonder these two parties barely argued when discussing the cleanup sequence and readily agreed to the East Wind 15C executing the first strike, smoothly passing the advanced cleanup plan. They were waiting for this opportunity.

They likely had their warheads set for Plan B all along, never intending to use the stingy Plan A.

The constantly shifting eyes of Sergey and Bailey confirmed just that, but Tian Zhan wasn’t filled with the fury of being deceived.

After all, since he had started the process, he was even less concerned about the subsequent ones. Maybe this was all within expectations; anyway, he was only in charge of execution, not privileged enough to know so much.

What dirty political dealings...

His tacit approval pleased the other two. Perhaps feeling slightly guilty, Sergey even went out of his way to explain to Tian Zhan:

"Iskander is big. We’ve never equipped it with warheads less than a million tons in yield. A 700,000-ton yield is already much reduced. Trust me, even if the core sinks to 200 meters, it will be completely cleaned up."