Once We Lived in Nanjing

How to negotiate with the Russians and Europeans is not Zhao Bowen's business. As a qualified client, all he needs to do is to provide the requirements and deadlines. As for how to achieve them, a good client should not be concerned about those details. Perhaps the Aerospace Group is urgently dispatching their best drinkers, with two boxes of Beijing Red Star Erguotou aboard the plane.

"The second step, we need to build a model to analyze the behavioral pattern of the 'big eyes', which is the premise and the foundation for formulating subsequent plans. This includes the route for BG4MSR to the first and second bases, data transmission solutions, and countermeasures," Zhao Bowen declared facing the camera, slapping the map behind him, "Everything must prioritize the safety of the girl's life and the data security within the first and second bases. We must ensure that no harm comes to people, and no data is compromised!"

Bai Zhen and Wang Ning sat on the couch in silence, the atmosphere somewhat solemn. This was a military operation deployment meeting, a pre-war mobilization, but the war they were preparing for would erupt twenty years later.

"This task is assigned to the computer group."

"As long as we have enough data, we can perform model analysis. We have reserved sufficient computing power on this end," the computer group stated, "All the supercomputers that can be mobilized domestically are in our hands."

The computer group is also financially robust, adept at mobilizing supercomputers.

"The third step is to obtain data from the first and second bases, which is our preliminary goal. To deal with 'big eyes', multiple contingency plans must be made. If we're lucky and it temporarily does not affect the operation of BG4MSR, then there's no need to take the risk of striking first. Let's secure the data first," Zhao Bowen continued, "But if there's a significant chance it affects our plans, then we should eliminate it first to prevent future problems."

"How to eliminate the 'big eyes', Teacher Zhao, do you have a plan?" someone asked.

"We believe that with the current capabilities of BG4MSR, it is very difficult to contend with the 'big eyes'. It's dangerous."

"We know very little about the 'big eyes', given it's an alien lifeform."

"What weapon to use against it? A rocket launcher? Man-portable missiles? Aside from whether they can be delivered, even if they can be, they're not usable."

"No, the risk is too high, we can't take that chance."

The attendees engaged in a back-and-forth debate.

"No—" Zhao Bowen elongated his tone, his hands gesturing downwards to quiet the crowd, "We won't use conventional weapons. Conventional weapons have already been proven useless. If we are to do it, we must be thorough, eradicate the problem in one fell swoop, leaving no room for future threats... There is one type of weapon that has been proven to be truly effective in practice."

Everyone knew what he was referring to, but still, their eyes showed surprise.

In this long-standing era of peace, Zhao Bowen's words sounded like a joke, like armchair strategizing, wild speculation. It could appear in novels, in scripts, in tall tales—but it just wouldn't be a part of real life. How could anyone sit in a residential building in a district and seriously discuss such a topic? Yet everyone knew it was no joking matter. It was indeed a viable plan, a strategy worthy of serious consideration, perhaps even their only option.

Miss Qiu.

She was a codename, representing the most powerful weapon in human history.

Nuclear weapons.

If the plan were to be executed, then they would become the first organization to use nuclear weapons in combat since World War II. Such a groundbreaking and earth-shattering decision was actually made in a living room of a residential area in Qinhuai District.

This might be the third nuclear bomb used for military purposes in human history, and it would explode in Nanjing City.

"What are you planning to do to get the nuclear bomb there?" Bai Zhen asked, "Bury it underground for twenty years?"

"That's impossible. If I dare bury a nuclear bomb underneath Nanjing City, millions of Nanjing citizens would tear me apart, and then tear all of you apart," Zhao Bowen waved his hand, "The only viable plan is to send it to the heavens..."

He paused at this point and even he himself sighed and added, "That's fucking insane."

If Zhao Bowen really wanted to send a nuclear bomb to the sky, a rough count of the international treaties he would be breaking could fill a household registry. He would be trampling underfoot the treaties humanity has formulated like the Outer Space Treaty, the Space Non-Militarization Convention, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, which is an extraordinary act of brinkmanship. Aside from North Korea, no nuclear bomb has truly exploded in the human world for twenty years.

In the movies, Zhao Bowen would perfectly fit the role of a terrorist.

And the kind of super-terrorist tycoon who aims to destroy the world, could a Hollywood blockbuster villain be called a villain if they couldn't get their hands on a nuclear bomb?

"Old Zhao, you have to be extremely cautious. The Cuban missile crisis wasn't played as big as this, don't start World War III," Wang Ning was feeling timid. He felt this was not something he should be meddling with, "By the time Black Moon arrives, humans might have finished themselves off."

During the Cuban missile crisis, Soviets only transported nuclear bombs to South America, into the backyard of the United States, and that led the global situation to a knife-edge; the Cold War reached its peak. Now, Zhao Bowen wants to send a nuclear bomb into the sky, hanging it over everyone's heads. This Sword of Damocles is much more ruthless than what the Soviets did; what if it falls? Wherever it falls, it would be a major international incident.

There have been similar incidents in history; in 1978, a Soviet Kosmos 954 maritime surveillance satellite armed with a uranium-235 reactor fell on Canadian territory. Its crash caused widespread nuclear radiation contamination and sparked intense international disputes.

Wang Ning backed off, he was just a department head waiting to retire and get by, how did he get involved with such a dangerous thing as nuclear weapons?

"Old Zhao, is it too late for me to back out now?" Wang Ning asked.

"It's too late," Zhao Bowen said, "Wait for death."

"Can... can this plan be approved at the top?" Bai Zhen asked, "We've promised not to be the first to use nuclear weapons, don't slap the Foreign Ministry in the face."

"That's a promise to humankind," Zhao Bowen replied, "It doesn't apply to aliens."

Typical petty-bourgeois like Wang Ning and Bai Zhen are quite timid and afraid of trouble, and while Bai Zhen always complains that the headquarters lack boldness, having nothing to show but their long names, when the big gun really appears, Bai Zhen shrank back in fear. They realized that this big gun also means great responsibility; just looking at this enormous burden is suffocating. Bearing the lives of millions of people, the relations between great powers, and the future and destiny of all humankind, one can clearly distinguish who is iron and who is mud when such a heavy burden falls upon their shoulders.

Bai Zhen is definitely not made of such steel, nor is Wang Ning. Of course, they also don't want to admit they are mud, at best they might be aluminum alloy.

Something as terrifying as a nuclear bomb, anyone can own it, just not themselves.

Zhao Bowen indicated that the plan had already been approved and the necessary signatures had been obtained. While they were speaking, a nuclear bomb was being transferred out of the nuclear arsenal.

Bai Zhen and Wang Ning exchanged glances, knowing there's only one person in the country with the authority to sign off on this.

"Now I truly understand... this means war," Bai Zhen sat on the couch with his hands hanging down, whispering, "A storm is coming, and the building is full of wind."

"This war has already begun," Zhao Bowen turned around, faced the camera, and vigorously waved his hands, "Comrades, the trumpet for the charge has sounded, time waits for no one, everyone, spring into action! GO! GO! GO!"