194: Chapter 194 Kunpeng

After the meeting, Chu Ge followed Academician Chen to his office.

"Old Chen, this is quite a grand scene. Even the [Soul Blade] is here, and it's being broadcast globally. Is the higher-up planning to show off completely in one go?"

"In Old Long's words, it's only because the Prism Tower doesn't have legs; otherwise, he'd have moved them all here too, haha."

"I expect some envious countries will start clamoring again about showing off military might and pursuing hegemony."

"Small nations don't care about that because they know our Huaxia won't bully the weak. This show is for the United States and other Western countries. Whether it's showing off or deterrence, we are using this to announce to the world that the Huaxia nation stands once again at the pinnacle of the world's nations!"

"Well said, Old Chen. Your high spirits just now made me see glimpses of your younger self." Affected by Academician Chen's passion, Chu Ge couldn't help but flatter him.

"I called you here to tell you, isn't your fiancée on the guest list? If she wants to join the maiden voyage, the military has no problem with it. You can decide for yourself."

"Huh? No need, right? She told me yesterday that being invited to the aerospace carrier's completion ceremony was already an honor. As for the maiden voyage, I remember the military has strict limits on the number of people."

Although many A-list domestic stars received invitations for the ceremony day, very few were invited for the maiden voyage, as it involves military equipment.

Although they would be arranged in the living quarters during the cruise.

But as far as Chu Ge knew, most guests on the maiden voyage were dignitaries from countries friendly to Huaxia, followed by international movie stars and big shots; the number allocated to Huaxia could be counted on one hand.

"Haha, who told her to find such a good fiancé? Don't worry, the military agreed, and no one will dare to object."

Chu Ge took his leave happily; this was indeed a pleasant surprise.

The next day, Chu Ge set off for City D. Accompanying him on the same "fat girl" were Captain Gong, Academician Chen, Yan Tianhao, Zheng Jun, and Wang Yun.

Stepping off the plane, Chu Ge looked around. This military airport in City D was quite large. With two days left before the ceremony, there were already many foreign special planes, civil versions of dignitary jets, and military transport planes lined up neatly in a corner of the airport.

Basically everyone entering this airport was a national-level figure. Chu Ge knew that from this moment on, the airport would become very busy.

"Hello, Academician Chu. We are from the base's guard platoon. Commander Wang said the personnel in City D are currently complex, so he specifically arranged for us to welcome and escort you."

While Chu Ge was looking at the busy scenery around him, a second lieutenant platoon leader ran up behind him and saluted.

"Alright, let's go."

"Yes, sir!"

Chu Ge and Academician Chen sat in a jeep, with the others following in other vehicles. The convoy turned a corner and headed toward the base.

The security at the base's perimeter was significantly higher than when Chu Ge had last visited. He noticed armed checkpoints at regular intervals. The closer they got to the base, the tighter the security became. Along the way, he spotted at least five Gun-Missile Integrated Air Defense Vehicles.

These things were specifically designed to deal with low-altitude targets. It seemed the base had made targeted arrangements: high-altitude targets were left entirely to the Prism Tower, while they focused solely on low-altitude targets and personnel.

As they entered the base, Chu Ge saw the massive silhouette of the aerospace carrier from a distance. He had spent several weeks there during the installation of the outer armor, but seeing it now was still breathtaking.

The "kunpeng" lay there like a behemoth, its hull painted in deep gray. The massive Railguns at the bow and stern were faintly visible. Even from this distance, Chu Ge could feel its overwhelming presence, like Mount Tai pressing down.

Chu Ge looked around and realized no one was speaking. Everyone was gazing at the "kunpeng." People like Yan Tianhao and the others were seeing the full form of the kunpeng's hull for the first time, and they were understandably shocked.

A giant 2,100 meters long and 145 meters high—even a pile of wood that size would be stunning, let alone the flagship of the future Interstellar Fleet.

"Academician Chu, you've touched every inch of the aerospace carrier, yet you're still so infatuated?" Commander Wang of the base had been standing there for a while, not wanting to spoil everyone's excitement.

"Haha, I never tire of looking at it. It's just so massive and has its own charm. By the way, Commander Wang, I see many foreign dignitaries have arrived today. Don't you need to welcome them? We're family; you don't need to specifically accompany us."

"They have people from our relevant departments to accompany them. If a soldier like me accompanied them, they'd probably feel uncomfortable, haha. So, I have no choice but to bother you and Old Chen."

"Let's go, Old Chen. Let's sit in Commander Wang's office. As for Yan Tianhao and the others, let them go take a look at the aerospace carrier. Look at them, their eyes are glued to it."

"Alright!"

"Commander Wang, haven't Old Long and Commander Meng arrived yet?"

Chu Ge and Academician Chen followed Commander Wang to his office and sat down, then Academician Chen asked.

"They arrive tomorrow. The base is about to get busy again. With the kunpeng completed, some of the engineers who were gathered here have already returned to their original units in batches. The base has some vacant apartments now, which we've tidied up to host the domestic and foreign guests and media friends."

"Commander Wang, you're hinting at something. Don't worry, they'll have to come back and report soon. Your Dockyard Base still has an entire fleet to produce."

"The remaining engineers will build the Transport Ships first. Those are simple, but I want ten of them. Once you deliver those, the heavy cruisers come next. They aren't much smaller than that big guy outside. The people you have left now definitely won't be enough, haha."

"Academician Chu, I was waiting for you to say that. If you hadn't, I would've been worried, haha."

The three of them laughed in the room. As the commander-in-chief of the Interstellar Fleet and the head of the Dockyard Base, Commander Wang chatted with Chu Ge and Academician Chen from the doorway to the office, and then from the office to the cafeteria.

They seemed to have endless things to talk about. After lunch, Commander Wang took Chu Ge and the others to their quarters. There were significantly more guards here than elsewhere, and the buildings were much shorter; these were likely the former residences of senior engineers.

Before Chu Ge could say anything downstairs, he saw Captain Gong and his team join the security detail. Well, the guards had doubled. He shook his head, bid farewell to Academician Chen, and went to find his room.

In the afternoon, the domestic and foreign performing guests and foreign delegations had mostly arrived. Walking along the base's roads, Chu Ge encountered several foreign female celebrities.

He had seen their films and TV shows when he was in school, but he couldn't remember a single one of their names. Furthermore, in the past two years, he had hardly watched any movies or TV, so he was basically insulated from entertainment news.

"Still looking?" Dilireba Nazha pouted beside him.

"What was her name again? She looks so familiar. My brain can remember ten thousand lines of program code without a problem, but remembering names is a real struggle."

"Megan Fox, the one from Transformers," Dilireba Nazha replied crossly.

"Ah, right, right, right. Holy crap, her figure really is explosive."

"Aaaaah..."

"The next second, a miserable howl echoed from a corner of the base."