Zhao Qiang stopped the drilling rig and, through the communication system within the three rigs, ordered the other two to stop as well. Fortunately, the three rigs were very close together. If they were far apart in the rock, even if Zhao Qiang were very capable, he wouldn't be able to contact the other two. Of the three rigs, only Zhao Qiang's was equipped with a rock stratum detection system. The other two, hastily built, were simplified versions. If it weren't for Zhao Qiang directing them, they probably wouldn't know where they had drilled to.
With a dozen meters to go before reaching the cave wall of the sinkhole, Zhao Qiang drilled a T-junction horizontally, turned the drill around, and began moving explosives out. He then set a timer and inquired with the other two drills, who replied that they were also installed. For special forces soldiers, this was a piece of cake. The key was to avoid being detected by the robots, otherwise, who knew how they would try to stop them? As of now, the newcomers should not have noticed the enemy's infiltration. The feint attack strategy had succeeded.
"Withdraw!" Zhao Qiang gave the order, and the three drilling rigs returned along the original route. The success was unbelievable to Zhao Qiang. The robots' combat power was indeed amazing, but these alien creations were not without their flaws. Otherwise, would they have made a mistake when testing the spaceship? However, when did they create such a large number of flying robots? This was something Zhao Qiang had not anticipated. Fortunately, those flying robots had already been deployed. It would take time to retrieve them and attack Yang Shiyun and the others on the ground. But now that the sinkhole was about to collapse, even if the ground forces responsible for drawing the robots' firepower faced great pressure, it would be worth it.
Zhao Qiang continued drilling upwards along the original path. Although he was about to reach the surface, he was still keeping an eye on his surroundings. He needed to choose the best location to pick up Yang Shiyun and the others and remove them from the ground. At this moment, Zhao Qiang saw a large object on the screen. It was in the rock layer beneath him. The object was approaching Zhao Qiang at an extremely fast speed. However, the detection system accurately measured that the object was only very close to Zhao Qiang's drilling rig, not heading straight for it. Zhao Qiang zoomed in on the image of the object on the screen. It was a spaceship, flying upwards along the huge sinkhole!
The aliens' development speed is too fast! They actually succeeded in testing their spaceship while Zhao Qiang and his team were on the ground. Or perhaps they were already capable of using the spaceship, but it malfunctioned for some reason and was repaired in a short time. Either way, the spaceship being on the ground is not a good thing. Given its size and combat capabilities, Zhao Qiang probably couldn't handle it! Not to mention ordinary weapons on Earth. Are they really going to use nuclear weapons? That would have serious consequences.
"Go back and meet Professor Yang immediately. I have other things to do." Zhao Qiang's navigation base was complete. He gave orders to the other two drilling rigs. Even without his rig as a guide, the others could evacuate from the sky. Of course, they had to be wary of the flying robots that had gone out suddenly returning. However, Zhao Qiang was attracted by the approaching UFO. He had to find a way to stop the UFO from flying up, or better yet, destroy it completely.
The other two special forces soldiers couldn't control Zhao Qiang; they could only obey his orders. Moreover, the battle on the ground had already been decided, and Yang Shiyun and the others were forced to huddle in a corner of a mountain. The robots' attacks were becoming increasingly fierce. Although they had left behind hundreds of broken bodies, Yang Shiyun and the others were already at their wits' end, and the robots were only a hundred meters away from them.
Two drilling rigs burst out of the ground, and the operators opened the hatches and took out compression cannons. They had brought almost all of the special forces division's compression cannons for this mission, but there was nowhere to store them, so some were left in the drilling rig cabins.
Boom, boom! The newly added compression cannons halted the robots' advance. Yang Shiyun waved her hand: "Everyone, get on the drilling rigs and prepare to retreat! Hey, where's Zhao Qiang? And the other drilling rig?" Yang Shiyun asked the other two special forces soldiers.
The two special forces soldiers fired as they spoke, saying, "Instructor Zhao may have made another discovery; he turned back."
Yang Shiyun angrily punched the drilling rig, "How could this guy act on his own?"
The special forces soldier said, "Professor Yang, board the plane quickly, we'll cover you."
Yang Shiyun said, "No, two drilling rigs can't carry that many people."
The special forces soldier said, "Squeeze in as hard as you can. It's safer underground than on the ground because those flying robots are about to return to reinforce us. We can't go through the ground like we came here."
Yang Shiyun said, "I'm not afraid. There always needs to be someone to cover us. You guys go!" After saying that, Yang Shiyun carried a thick compression cannon on her back. It was very difficult for one person to make this thing. Fortunately, Yang Shiyun's body was special. She was half human and half machine.
This was not the time to argue. The special forces soldiers did not dare to waste any time and immediately boarded the drilling rig to go underground. In fact, with Yang Shiyun added, it wouldn't have been impossible to squeeze in, but Yang Shiyun naturally had her own plans. If she didn't want to leave, no one could force her.
With a deafening explosion, as if the sky had collapsed and the earth had caved in, the land in the surrounding area of several square kilometers changed. The ground suddenly rose several meters and then crashed down. This crash was not just a few meters; the entire sinkhole sank into the ground, forming a funnel-shaped sinking vortex around it, with surrounding rocks rolling into it.
The rocks kept falling downwards, carrying astonishing kinetic energy with each acceleration. At that moment, the UFO was directly below. The sinkhole was originally a straight drop, and the UFO knew something was happening above it and had nowhere to hide. The only option was to descend, but its descent speed could not keep up with the falling rocks. Finally, a rock hit the upper part of the UFO, causing it to shake. The falling rocks continued unabated. At first, the UFO could withstand the impact, but as more and more rocks hit it, it could no longer bear the heavy burden and began to lose control, crashing and slamming along the sinkhole walls to the bottom.
The robots on the ground were stunned. Although they could still locate the enemy target, and to their delight there was only one enemy, a woman, the sinkhole behind them had collapsed. The robot's controller suddenly froze, pausing control of the machine. The robots stopped moving in a daze, then turned around and rushed back to the sinkhole in unison. They had to find a way to ensure the sinkhole remained clear; it was their duty!
However, turning back meant certain death! The robots disappeared into the vortex as the ground sank, rendering their strength and speed useless. Yang Shiyun activated the anti-gravity device, easily suspending herself in the air and escaping this calamity.
[781] Destroy
Humans fear death, but machines do not. They try to stop the sinkhole from sinking, but in the face of the power of nature, even robots cannot resist disappearing with the falling earth. However, the intelligent life that controls the robots is not stupid. They soon realized that the robots were just watching from a distance near the sinkhole, waiting for their outermost companions to return. It seems that the underground operators have not yet figured out what to do next.
Yang Shiyun watched the sinkhole sink from the sky. The ground stopped moving after a few dozen seconds. The sinkhole was still a huge pit. So many rocks fell in but it didn't block it. After all, the explosion only occurred on the surface of the ground. The energy of the explosives was limited. Otherwise, it could have turned the entire sinkhole upside down. Yang Shiyun decisively contacted her grandfather.
"Two earth-penetrating nuclear bombs will be launched in quick succession, with a half-minute interval between them."
Yang Zhaoxi did not hesitate. This was a critical moment to reverse the tide of human defeat. Since Yang Shiyun had ordered him to launch, he should no longer be affected by interference waves. Otherwise, if the two nuclear missiles were to land elsewhere, the damage would be far beyond what the country could afford.
At this moment, Zhao Qiang had already drilled a hole in the cave wall and was waiting for the spaceship to arrive. The spaceship, which had just been flying up along the sinkhole, was now being smashed down by the falling rocks from above. It was wobbling and out of control. However, given the sturdiness of the spaceship's materials, it would be difficult to completely destroy it with these rocks. Zhao Qiang had to do something behind the scenes to help it.
Zhao Qiang had naturally replenished his energy for this battle, and since his previous actions hadn't used his energy, he didn't need to conserve it now. He released a large amount of energy to form a barrier net at the bottom of the sinkhole. Boom! The spaceship collided with the energy released by Zhao Qiang, and the huge impact caused an energy explosion. This explosion was far more powerful than the energy carried by falling rocks. In addition, some of the energy was disintegrating the spaceship's outer shell under Zhao Qiang's control. The already out-of-control spaceship could no longer withstand the pressure and exploded with a loud bang.
Only after completely destroying the spaceship did Zhao Qiang feel relieved. The aliens' production capacity was not unlimited. They probably hadn't been planning this landing operation in just a few days; they might have been preparing for decades or even centuries. Even if they couldn't be wiped out from underground, this should have depleted most of their strength. If they wanted to land again, they would have to wait for another opportunity. By then, humans might be better prepared and have more sophisticated methods to welcome these visitors from underground. Humans might not be good at other things, but they should be no less adept at scheming than alien life, provided they had time to prepare.
Zhao Qiang boarded the drilling rig and headed down into the underground world. He wanted to take this opportunity to observe the situation in the underground world. Of course, Zhao Qiang would not rashly go down directly. He advanced cautiously, and if he detected the signal waves of the jamming equipment, he would immediately return. He did not want to be trapped inside again.
Boom! The ground shook violently overhead. Zhao Qiang's heart skipped a beat. It must be that Yang Shiyun had summoned a bunker-buster nuclear bomb. It seemed that the sinkhole's collapse due to the explosion was not going well. Otherwise, Yang Shiyun would not have used the backup plan. After all, nuclear weapons are not trivial matters. Once the navigation is disrupted by the robot's interference waves, it will cause other consequences. However, it seems that the explosion point should be inside the sinkhole. That is to say, the bunker-buster nuclear bomb summoned by Yang Shiyun was not interfered with. The explosives that were dropped earlier successfully destroyed the equipment on the upper level of the sinkhole, so the nuclear bomb attack could be used.
Boom! Then another bombardment followed. It's unlikely that the sinkhole could remain unchanged after two nuclear strikes. Since the nuclear bombs exploded under the rock, the pollution and subsequent damage would be minimized. This outcome is much better than letting robots roam freely on the ground.
Zhao Qiang continued his descent, finally stopping about 200 meters before breaking through the geological barrier and entering the underground world. This was because the super equipment on Zhao Qiang's body was showing signs of malfunction, indicating that there were still interference waves underground. Unless Zhao Qiang went deeper into the interior of the intelligent life spaceship underground, found the device controlling the interference waves, and destroyed it again, he could only rely on his own energy to maintain his movement underground. Doing so was too dangerous, especially since Zhao Qiang had already consumed a lot of energy. It seemed that the probe had to end here.
Zhao nodded. The fact that he was able to stop the spaceship midway and completely destroy it meant that the trip was worthwhile. Otherwise, the spaceship would have just crashed, and the robots would only need to make some repairs to be used again. But now that the spaceship has exploded, unless they find a new spaceship, it will definitely take a lot of time to build one.
Yang Shiyun heard a whooshing sound overhead and turned around to see a large number of flying robots returning. They had received orders at the last moment before the sinkhole collapsed, but by the time they returned, it was too late to save it. The sinkhole was completely destroyed unless they dug another tunnel.
Upon spotting Yang Shiyun suspended in the sky, the robots automatically swarmed around her. Their primary command was to kill any humans within sight. Although there was still a command to save the sinkhole, that command was clearly ineffective. Until they received the next command, killing humans was their primary order.
Yang Shiyun clearly lacked significant combat power. She flew away from the area at high speed, firing back intermittently. The robot also had weapons, but the heavy machine gun fire could not hit the agile Yang Shiyun. Because there were few obstacles in the air, she could fly backwards, clearly seeing the attacks behind her and always dodging at the last second before the bullets arrived. Her flying speed was no slower than the robot's, and the two chased and fought each other, neither able to gain the upper hand for a time.
When Zhao Qiang returned to the ground, the area around the sinkhole was deserted, but it was completely different. The sinkhole had become a real deep pit, and the bottom of the pit was covered with countless rubble. These rubble were not only covering the surface of the sinkhole, but the power of the last two nuclear bombs had almost completely destroyed the sinkhole passage. It would take about the same amount of effort to open it up again.
Zhao Qiang activated the location system and tracked Yang Shiyun, but Yang Shiyun's location kept changing. Zhao Qiang knew she was in danger, so he immediately chased after her. Sure enough, Yang Shiyun was flying wildly in the sky around the sinkhole, with dozens of flying robots behind her. Fortunately, the number of robots had not yet reached Yang Shiyun's limit, but with the robots from the outside returning to support her, he believed that Yang Shiyun would soon be unable to hold on.
Zhao Qiang quietly crept to the surface, waiting for an opportunity. Yang Shiyun was flying along a fixed trajectory, also waiting for Zhao Qiang to return to the ground. How could she evacuate safely if Zhao Qiang didn't return safely? Beep beep, Yang Shiyun received a signal from Zhao Qiang, and she immediately turned towards Zhao Qiang's hiding place.
Because the flying robots had only one target, their density was very high. Yang Shiyun flew without any direction, which thwarted the initial plan of the robots to flank her from all sides. They had no choice but to chase after her. As Yang Shiyun flew lower and lower, the robots naturally followed, like a swarm of bees. Suddenly, Yang Shiyun crashed to the ground. The robots were naturally not to be outdone, but their scanning systems suddenly detected that someone had stood up on the ground. Then, their bodies felt as if they were being pulled by countless powerful hands. Bang bang bang, the flying robots exploded one after another in the air. Before they could even turn around and escape, they were all wiped out.
Yang Shiyun abruptly activated reverse propulsion, her body braking and landing with a whoosh. Instant ascent and descent in zero gravity was no problem. Zhao Qiang scanned the rest of the sky, confirming no other robots would arrive anytime soon. He pointed to the drill rig, and the two of them went inside, disappearing underground. This area had become a complete military no-go zone; ordinary people venturing in would definitely suffer harm. Chenguang County's attempt to hold out was futile; the civilians were now filled with regret and naturally wouldn't stay.
The special forces division personnel have received the order to attack. They are not in a hurry because the source of the robots has been blocked. These robots will eventually be gradually devoured. Even if their weapons are advanced, they cannot stop the human numbers. Moreover, the special forces soldiers have already penetrated into various units, and the weapons they carry are sufficient to deal with those robots.
In Beijing, at a hotel where the state hosts banquets for important officials, a place that is not usually accessible to ordinary people, security was even tighter today. Almost all the prominent figures from the central government were present, but everyone waited quietly. Even Yang Zhaoxi and Hu Weimin were waiting quietly, and no one was making a sound.
Finally, a secretary came in and whispered a few words in the leader's ear. The leader stood up and said, "Let's go out and greet Comrade Zhao Qiang. He's finally back."
Zhao Qiang had already changed his clothes. Besides Yang Shiyun, Xu Xiaoya was also by his side. It was an important occasion that the First Madam had to be with him, especially since Xu Xiaoya was now a very important figure.
"Welcome, welcome, Xiao Zhao, welcome back in triumph."
Zhao Qiang responded warmly. He wasn't someone who acted arrogantly. He was easily satisfied and would repay kindness tenfold. Moreover, after glancing at the people in the room, he didn't find anyone he disliked or didn't want to see. So his previous request had been met, and that was enough.
"Let's eat and chat." The top leader invited Zhao Qiang to sit down, with Yang Shiyun on his left and Xu Xiaoya on his right.
Yang Zhaoxi was very pleased. Although his third granddaughter, Yang Shiqi, whom he was most proud of, did not attend the banquet, his second granddaughter unexpectedly appeared. Both granddaughters were his own flesh and blood, which finally allowed Hu Weimin to save face.
"Tell me about the situation at the front," the top leader said somewhat seriously.
Zhao Qiang said, "Sir, please rest assured. Although we don't know when the forces of the underworld will open up the passage to the surface again, I predict that it will definitely not be possible in a year or two. This is not because they can or cannot break through the rock barrier, but because they also need to accumulate the strength to fight against us."
The leader asked, "What about the robots that already exist outside...?"
Zhao Qiang said, "The special forces division is already cooperating with other units to annihilate them. However, these robots, which have lost contact with the underground intelligent life, have activated their autonomous control system. They have already gone into hiding, so it will take time to find and eliminate them."
The commander sighed: "It was our oversight. We should have listened to your advice and evacuated the entire Chenguang County from the beginning."
Zhao Qiang smiled and said, "Commander, you don't need to blame yourself. What's past is past. The key is to be cautious about our future and not let the tragedy repeat itself."
The leader raised his glass and said, "Yes, yes, you're right. After this experience, will we still not carefully consider your opinions, Xiao Zhao? The world has really been plagued by disasters lately. I thought China would get through this safely, but I didn't expect to suffer a loss in this matter. It's my responsibility."
Zhao Qiang said, "Commander, if we want to completely get rid of the threat from those underground forces, we must develop technology at a high speed. Even if we stop for a day, they will probably surpass us. Don't forget that their technological level is already higher than ours."
The leader said, "That's natural, but your technology system has far surpassed the current level of our country. We still need your guidance and assistance in how to proceed."
Zhao Qiang pointed at Yang Shiyun and said, "Chief, Shiyun will be in charge of matters related to scientific and technological development from now on."
The leader asked with some confusion, "She...?"
Yang Zhaoxi didn't understand either. In their eyes, Yang Shiyun was certainly talented, but she could never surpass Zhao Qiang's abilities. However, none of them knew that Yang Shiyun was no longer the simple Yang Shiyun she once was; she now had another identity: the microchip Xiao Wei, a parasitic host from an alien civilization.
Zhao Qiang said, "Don't worry, sir. Would I trust the wrong person?"
Everyone suddenly realized: "Yes, yes, even if Shiyun's level isn't up to yours, you're still there to help her out. You young people are all good friends, we understand that."
Zhao Qiang then pointed to Xu Xiaoya and said, "Commander, our first priority is naturally weaponry. These are essential tools for dealing with invading enemies. Shiyun's research and development will naturally be followed by production, which will require a large amount of funding..."
The top leader said decisively, "We will provide it free of charge."
Zhao Qiang said, "I know that the country's funds are also limited, so Xiaoya will be responsible for raising these funds, and she will also be in charge of mobilizing relevant enterprises to assist. I need the central government to give them both absolute power, to ensure that their orders are obeyed and that no one can obstruct them!"
(Thanks to dvid问天 for the 100 coins!) RO!
【782】Night Market
Province L suffered heavy losses and turmoil during the robot attack. From the provincial party secretary to the mayors of various cities, everyone was severely criticized. Fortunately, the political situation was not stable at the time, so no personnel adjustments were made; otherwise, a large number of officials would probably have been removed from their posts.
Tiannan City, the capital of L Province, is a large city. Despite the rumors circulating outside, it remains a bustling metropolis. At this moment, as the streetlights begin to illuminate the night, two people stand on the street. While others hurry by, these two look around leisurely.
"Director, you're sure you're not mistaken, there might be robots hidden here?" Liu Jia asked.
Zhao Qiang lit a cigarette for himself: "Let's look for it. If we don't find it, then forget it."
An elderly woman wearing a red armband immediately appeared nearby: "Smoking on the street is strictly prohibited in our city; you will be fined."
"Sweat!" Zhao Qiang quickly stubbed out his cigarette. Liu Jia was about to reveal his identity when Zhao Qiang glared at him and said, "Pay the fine right now!" Liu Jia, while taking out his money, asked, "How much? We need a receipt."
The old lady produced a stack of receipts as if by magic: "Invoice? Yes." The receipts were labeled "Sanitation Management Fee".
As Liu Jia handed over the money, Zhao Qiang waved his hand and said, "Let's go, don't stand here, it's too conspicuous."
As night fell, the crowds surged, the shouts of various vendors rose and fell, and when traffic came to a standstill, horns blared incessantly. "This street is really not suitable for setting up stalls, otherwise it would be impossible to walk." Fortunately, Zhao Qiang and Liu Jia were only walking and didn't care much about the road conditions; in fact, they enjoyed watching the excitement.
"The urban management officers are here! The urban management officers are here!" someone shouted loudly. Instantly, like a stone thrown into a calm pond, a chain reaction spread from one end of the street to the other. Everyone hurriedly packed up their stalls. Those whose stalls were too big to pack up in time just rolled up their important items and hid at the back. "Even if the rest are confiscated, it's better than being caught."
Liu Jia asked in surprise, "What's going on? Are the city management officers bandits?" Liu Jia attended military academy, joined the army, and then became a special forces soldier with Yang Shiqi. He didn't have much contact with society, and he was usually too busy with missions to have much time to go online.
Zhao Qiang said, "You don't usually live among the citizens, so you naturally don't know. Urban development requires planning, but small business owners also need to survive. This is a huge contradiction. In addition, the higher-ups only issue orders, and the lower-ups take the opportunity to make money. So this is a game between officials and soldiers. If the city management officers don't come, you can make money in peace. If they come, you have to run away even if you lose some money, otherwise those city management officers who are angered may do extreme things."
Liu Jia said, "There's no way to solve this." Zhao Qiang replied, "Anyway, I can't think of a solution. Let the administrators worry about it."
"Screech!" A truck drove up, and five burly men jumped out and rushed into the night market. The people in the night market began to disperse, and the crowded road finally showed signs of clearing up. However, soon the sounds of cursing and crying came from ahead. This kind of thing happens in every city. It's a matter of contradictions, and of course, the attitude of law enforcement cannot be ruled out.
Liu Jia said, "Director, let's go take a look." Zhao Qiang said, "Let's take a look."
"Don't hit me! I'll never come here again!" A little girl sat on the ground with her knees drawn up to her chest, surrounded by a pile of headdresses.
Just then, the truck arrived. A burly man wrapped the headdress on the ground in a cloth from his stall and threw it onto the truck. Then he said to the little girl, "Who hit you? Get out of here, or I'll fine you."
The little girl pleaded pitifully, "Please don't confiscate my things, or I won't have money to buy more goods. My family is counting on the money I earn to feed them. Please, uncle, have pity on me!" A crowd gathered, and the city management officers dreaded this situation. Someone stepped forward and lifted the little girl, saying, "Quick, quick! The authorities are cracking down hard lately. Don't set up a stall on this street again; it's too close to the city government."
The little girl retorted, "Why can others set it up but I can't?"
Urban management personnel: "No one else can set up stalls here either; we will clear them out immediately."
Liu Jia stepped forward and stopped the city management officer carrying the little girl: "Sir, please let her go. It's not easy for a girl to make a living."
The city management officer released the little girl and said, "We don't care if they don't set up stalls here." Nowadays, city management officers know that they can't defy public anger.
Liu Jia said to the surrounding stall owners, "Bosses, try to set up your stalls on the sidewalk and don't block the motor vehicle lane. That way, the road won't be too congested. Maybe the urban management officers will turn a blind eye and let you set up your stalls."
The vendors all said, "It won't work. There aren't many people on the sidewalk, but there are a lot of vehicles passing by. If we don't go onto the road, we can't stop customers at all."
Liu Jia, sweating profusely, said, "Your blocking the way has caused traffic congestion, and now the urban management officers are coming to clear you out. This means we can't do business anymore. Think about which loss is greater."
The vendors nodded: "Yes, as long as the urban management officers don't bother us, we're willing to only occupy the sidewalk from now on."
Someone chimed in, "Yes, yes, let us do business here, and we promise we won't block the motor vehicle lane."
The urban management officer shouted, "You wish! Night markets are prohibited in this area. It's a document from the municipal party committee! Get out of here now, or we'll confiscate your stalls again!" Zhao Qiang stepped forward and offered a cigarette. "A document from the municipal party committee isn't inflexible, is it? Since there are so many vendors here, it means there's business opportunity. Even in ancient times, setting up stalls in front of government offices wasn't prohibited. Why is it so strictly regulated now that we're in a civilized society? If you run a business in a secluded place, will anyone buy from you?" The urban management officer shouted back, "We care about the city's appearance! Especially this area, it's the face of the municipal government. No matter how eloquently you speak, it won't work. Don't block the way, or we'll call 110 (the police)!"