12: Chapter 12 National-Level Talent Cultivation Program and the Dragon Nation's Determination

Amidst the roar of the helicopter, Luo Yu's expression grew solemn.

An emergency mission?

He had joined the army less than two days ago, and an emergency mission was already knocking on his door? He just wondered how difficult it would be.

Regardless,

if it was too difficult, he would refuse.

Before Godzilla had fully grown, stability was the priority above all else.

Seeing Luo Yu's tension, General Zhan Kuang waved his hand and said, "Don't be so nervous. I'm not sending you to the front lines."

"Phew!!"

Luo Yu breathed a sigh of relief and asked curiously, "Then what is the mission?"

General Zhan Kuang didn't answer directly. Instead, he took a red-covered document from his briefcase and handed it to Luo Yu.

Several gold-embossed characters were printed on the cover: [Top Secret — National Scholar-Level Cultivation Plan]

Luo Yu took the document and flipped to the first page.

[Resolution of the Dragon Country Supreme Command Headquarters]

[Serial Number: SSSSS-001]

[Strategic Positioning Regarding Second Lieutenant Luo Yu and His Beast Pet 'Godzilla']

[After discussion in an emergency meeting of the Supreme Command Headquarters, it has been unanimously decided:]

[1. Elevate Second Lieutenant Luo Yu's cultivation plan to the 'National Scholar' level.]

[2. Effective immediately, Second Lieutenant Luo Yu's growth and safety are designated as one of the country's highest strategic priorities.]

[3. The Dragon Country will spare no expense and exhaust all resources to assist Second Lieutenant Luo Yu and his beast pet in their evolution.]

[4. Authorize Second Lieutenant Luo Yu to prioritize the use of all domestic nuclear waste resources, including but not limited to: nuclear power plant waste, military nuclear materials, and sealed radiation sources.]

[5. Establish a special task force responsible for Second Lieutenant Luo Yu's logistical support, security protection, and resource allocation.]

[Signatory: Supreme Commander of the Dragon Country]

After reading the document, Luo Yu's hands trembled slightly.

The National Scholar-Level Cultivation Plan.

The weight of these words was immense.

In the entire history of the Dragon Country, those who could be bestowed with the title of 'National Scholar' could be counted on one's fingers.

Every single one

was an existence that changed the destiny of the nation.

"This..." Luo Yu looked up at General Zhan Kuang. "What have I done to deserve this?"

"It's not about what you've done, it's that your ability is too important to the country." General Zhan Kuang's expression was grave as he said in a deep voice, "Luo Yu, do you know what nuclear waste means to the Dragon Country?"

"..."

Luo Yu shook his head.

General Zhan Kuang took a deep breath, his eyes becoming complex.

"Fifteen years ago, when the Abyss Era began, 'Abyssal Rifts' appeared on the floor of the Pacific Ocean, and giant beasts from other dimensions began their continuous invasion."

"Humans awakened talents and developed Mecha Hunters to resist with all their might."

"But at what cost?"

General Zhan Kuang's voice became low and powerless.

"The abuse of nuclear weapons, the overloading of nuclear power plants, the scrapping of mecha reactors..."

"Over fifteen years, more than eight million tons of nuclear waste have accumulated globally."

"The radiation intensity of this waste is enough to ensure that not a single blade of grass grows within a ten-kilometer radius. Even an A-rank Awakener wouldn't last an hour in a high-concentration radiation zone."

Luo Yu's throat tightened, but he felt a surge of excitement inside.

Eight million tons of nuclear waste.

The scale of this buffet was terrifying.

General Zhan Kuang continued.

"On the land of the Dragon Country, there are eight nuclear radiation forbidden zones."

"The Baijiang Nuclear Power Plant is just one of them, and it's the one with the lightest radiation."

"The most severe is 'Death Valley' in the northwest. It used to be our nuclear testing base, and now the radiation levels are a hundred thousand times higher than normal."

"Then there is 'Ghost Island' in the Donghai. Ten years ago, a super-large nuclear power plant was destroyed by an Abyssal Giant Beast, and the entire island was contaminated by radiation."

"These forbidden zones occupy ten percent of the Dragon Country's land area."

As he spoke,

General Zhan Kuang's eyes turned red.

"Ten percent might not sound like much, but that's nearly a million square kilometers! That was originally our land, our home, and now it has become a dead zone!"

Luo Yu's fists couldn't help but clench.

He could feel the grief, indignation, and helplessness in General Zhan Kuang's words.

"So..."

General Zhan Kuang looked at Luo Yu with burning eyes and said, "When the high-level officials learned of your ability, everyone was ecstatic."

"If you can dispose of this nuclear waste, the land of the Dragon Country can be restored to life."

"Those citizens forced to leave their homes could return to their ancestral lands, and those soldiers who died from radiation pollution could finally rest in peace."

General Zhan Kuang stood up and gave Luo Yu a military salute.

"Second Lieutenant Luo Yu, the country needs you."

"The Dragon Country needs you."

"Please... help us achieve a radiation-free Dragon Country!"

Luo Yu looked at the tears in General Zhan Kuang's eyes, his heart pounding wildly.

The Little Lizard on his shoulder also let out a "hissing" sound, its eyes flashing with an excited red light.

It could sense

that the radiation in those forbidden zones was the most delicious food for it.

Luo Yu stood up and returned the military salute.

"Reporting, General!"

His voice was loud,

overpowering the roar of the helicopter.

"As long as I am here, the land of the Dragon Country will no longer have nuclear radiation!"

"I promise!"

General Zhan Kuang's tears finally fell.

He tightly gripped Luo Yu's hand.

"Thank you."

"On behalf of the Dragon Country, on behalf of the citizens who lost their homes to radiation, on behalf of the fallen soldiers..."

Luo Yu shook his head with a serious expression. "No need for thanks, this is what I should do."

Then,

Luo Yu said with intentional lightheartedness, "Godzilla needs to eat too. I should thank the country for providing me with an all-you-can-eat buffet."

"Hahaha!!"

General Zhan Kuang was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Well said! Time to eat!"

"From today on, all the nuclear waste in the Dragon Country is your rations!"

"You can have as much as you can eat!"

The helicopter flew through the sky.

Luo Yu sat back in his seat and continued to flip through the document.

The following pages

detailed the information on the Dragon Country's eight nuclear radiation forbidden zones.

[Forbidden Zone 1: Baijiang Nuclear Power Plant]

[Radiation Level: C-rank]

[Nuclear Waste Reserves: 5,000 tons]

[Status: 50% Processed]

[Forbidden Zone 2: Donghai Ghost Island]

[Radiation Level: A-rank]

[Nuclear Waste Reserves: 50,000 tons]

[Status: Sealed]

[Forbidden Zone 3: Northwest Death Valley]

[Radiation Level: S-rank]

[Nuclear Waste Reserves: 200,000 tons]

[Status: Permanently Sealed]

[Forbidden Zone 4: ...]

Luo Yu looked at these numbers, his heart growing more excited and his eyes brighter.

Five thousand tons, fifty thousand tons, two hundred thousand tons...

Added together,

it was over five hundred thousand tons of nuclear waste!

If Godzilla ate it all, how much would its evolution progress increase?

Luo Yu did a quick calculation in his head.

According to the system display,

Godzilla needed 100% evolution progress to evolve from the Awakening Stage to the growth stage.

Some of the five thousand tons of nuclear waste at the Baijiang Nuclear Power Plant had already been absorbed; the remaining radiation in the zone could probably raise its evolution progress to about 40%.

In other words,

around thirteen thousand tons of nuclear waste would allow Godzilla to evolve once.

He just didn't know how many tons would be needed to continue evolving after reaching the next stage. Regardless, Luo Yu estimated that once it reached the growth stage, the amount of nuclear radiation Godzilla would need would definitely be massive.

After all,

the more it absorbed, the stronger it would be. If Godzilla could evolve easily, it would definitely be a weakling.

Only by absorbing more would Luo Yu's confidence be bolstered. The spiritual energy fed back to him would likely make Luo Yu's strength soar like a rocket. Even with a so-called F-rank Talent, he could become a top-tier Awakener.

...

On the other side,

inside the auditorium of Baijiang No. 3 Middle School.

Everything that had happened today was simply too shocking for everyone present.

An F-rank trash whom they had collectively despised and mocked had suddenly transformed into an army second lieutenant personally escorted away by a major general.

This intense contrast

was even more shocking and unbelievable to them than Su Zhiruo awakening an SS-rank Talent.

After a long time,

Principal Li Jianguo was the first to react.

He cleared his throat, took the microphone from the nearby master of ceremonies, and spoke with a voice tinged with a bit of trembling and excitement: "Ahem! Quiet down, everyone! The celebration banquet... the celebration banquet continues!"

"But!"

He changed his tone and raised his volume, his face flushed. "Today, all of us, and our Baijiang No. 3 Middle School, have collectively witnessed a true miracle! Not only did we cultivate an SS-rank genius, but we also produced a... hidden pillar of the nation!"

"Student Luo Yu's example tells us that talent rank doesn't determine everything! A truly strong person always carries a pure heart dedicated to serving the country!"

Li Jianguo spoke with impassioned fervor, but in his heart, he was calculating something else.

In next year's recruitment brochure, he had to write about this extensively!

"Our school's outstanding graduate Luo Yu, with an F-rank Talent, was exceptionally enlisted due to his special contributions and awarded the rank of second lieutenant, personally escorted by a theater major general via aircraft!"

What a gimmick that headline would be! What impact!

It would be far more effective for promotion than some SS-rank genius!

The more Li Jianguo thought about it, the more excited he became,

as if he could already see the grand scene of crowds flocking to the No. 3 Middle School registration office next year.