279: Chapter 279 The Dike Breaks

January 8th, 2:17 AM.

Northern Fleet, Command Headquarters.

Kuznetsov raised her head; she didn't know when she had fallen asleep again.

The high-intensity dispatching and commanding had left her physically and mentally exhausted. Although she knew the situation was urgent and no problems could occur, after confirming that "there is no new information for now," she still slumped over her desk and passed out.

"Li Ming...?"

There was no response. Ever since he said he "needed to verify some things," he had not returned.

"Wu Sha?"

There was no response either; she was trying to guide civilians to evacuate.

"Snai... Snai? Where are you?"

Kuznetsov forced herself to perk up, stood up, and walked out of the office.

"Kuzna..." Snai floated down from the second floor of the command headquarters and wrapped herself into Kuznetsov's embrace.

"What's wrong, Snai?" Kuznetsov asked softly.

"Danger, there is danger..." Snai's voice was trembling. "Something is approaching..."

"Approaching?!"

Kuznetsov put Snai down and drew her command sword from her waist.

Nothing was happening around them.

Pamir ran in from outside. "Marshal! You're awake?"

"I'm awake... Pamir, is there any situation outside?"

"The situation... is very chaotic!" Pamir struggled to find the right words. "Heavy snow has blocked the roads, and Ushakov is clearing the evacuation routes as much as possible... There is still fighting on Peter's side, but the other side doesn't seem to have ultra-long-range capabilities, so the situation is still under control."

"Where is Li Ming? What is he doing?"

"I'm not sure..." Pamir scratched her head. "I don't know where he went..."

"Not sure... that's not right." Kuznetsov sheathed her sword and suddenly grabbed Pamir's shoulders. "What is the situation at the Severomorsk Research Institute?"

"There has been no news from Severomorsk, but Nakhimov is there, so there shouldn't be any problems, right..."

"Contact Severomorsk immediately! Hurry!"

Severomorsk. The Northern Fleet's naval maintenance base and Meta testing ground, which also handles wisdom cube development and Ship Girl maintenance work. If an accident occurred there...

After soothing Snai, Kuznetsov turned to continue exchanging information with Peter the Great.

At the same time, she also needed to think about how to communicate with the local defense forces.

"Marshal..." Pamir put down the telephone, her voice trembling. "I can't get through; all means of communication are ineffective..."

"...Suka. Tell Ushakov to return first, and also, use every means possible to contact that bastard Li Ming!" Kuznetsov leaned against the command console and drew a red circle around Severomorsk.

"Yes, Marshal!"

It was now 2:42 AM.

Ushakov rushed back. "What's wrong, Kuzna?"

"Severomorsk has lost contact," Kuznetsov said. "I need you and Pamir to go there and take a look."

"Then you..." Pamir looked at Kuznetsov worriedly, but was interrupted rather roughly by her.

"I'm not dead yet!"

Rrring...

Kuznetsov's phone rang.

It was Li Ming calling.

Kuznetsov immediately answered the phone. "Li Ming! What are you..."

"Activate the CBRN defense system immediately! Damn it! Move fast—"

Whoosh...

This was the sound of what seemed to be a shockwave sweeping through, followed by a "beep—"...

"...Activate the CBRN defense system immediately! Sound the alarm!"

A few seconds after the command headquarters' CBRN defense system activated, a red shockwave swept across all of Murmansk, staining the pitch-black night sky with a blood-red hue.

After a brief moment of static, the electronic equipment completely disconnected from the network.

"Suka..." Ushakov looked at the sky through the reinforced glass. "What is this situation?"

"Meta..." Kuznetsov murmured. "Pamir, try to reconnect to the command network. Ushakov, check the external situation and see if anyone can still stand outside!"

"Got it!"

"Understood!..."

Snai was floating around uneasily in mid-air and was pulled down by Kuznetsov and stuffed into a seat. "Quiet, Snai."

"Hui..." Snai curled up.

——————

"...Thanks, Mercury."

"I told you not to come, not to come!" Mercury Memorial Meta turned back and scolded. "Now look what happened! You're trapped here!"

Li Ming looked at Severomorsk in the distance; at this moment, the area was already shrouded in black-red matter.

"Tch..." Li Ming shook his head. "Mercury, are you alright?"

"It doesn't affect me much for now..." She frowned and observed the surroundings. "What do you plan to do now?"

"We can't just leave it alone," Li Ming replied. "The situation is already out of control. We must find a way to re-establish contact with others, and also..."

Li Ming looked at the shipyard in the distance. "Make the necessary preparations."

"Then I'll send you back to Murmansk first," Mercury said. "Don't refuse; your body is too weak right now."

"...Thank you, Mercury."

"Remember to be extra grateful, hmph..."

"Wait a second, look at that. What is it?" Li Ming had been staring in the direction of Severomorsk and suddenly discovered some points of light.

"What the hell..." Mercury looked over and was silent for a moment. "Brette."

"What's wrong?"

"They should be the hovering autonomous combat units developed by the Russian Federation. Obviously, they have lost control."

"..."

Mercury turned back to look at him. "Commander, the situation is urgent. If you are still the Commander—I am waiting for your command."

"...Huh?" Li Ming was stunned. Why was she saying this at a time like this?

"The safety of this world is in your hands. The base in the Carpathian Mountains should have already noticed and is on the way. And you, Commander," Mercury looked into his eyes, "you need to make a decision."

Li Ming swallowed, then narrowed his eyes. "Mercury."

"I'm here, Commander."

"Can other combat units from the Carpathian Mountains be sent over?"

"Yes."

"Very good. Send the army and air force up, and wait for my command." Li Ming rubbed his hands together and exhaled a puff of hot air in the cold wind. "As for now, we need to create a big enough commotion... Can you do that?"

A smile curved on Mercury's lips. "Understood, my Commander."

Severomorsk was less than ten kilometers away from Murmansk, so Mercury chose the simplest and most brutal method—

She deployed her rigging and fired shells at the ammunition depot near the shipyard.

"Boom—"

Then Mercury smashed the remaining shells into the spreading autonomous combat units, and during the reload interval, she grabbed Li Ming, pulled him onto her rigging, and retreated rapidly...