217: Chapter 217 Wheat Harvest Meets Target! Joint Strike Just One Vote Short

Day 66, 1:07 PM.

Greenhouse, Level 3.

Hydroponic Rack 21.

Lin Wan grasped the last stalk of wheat, pulled it out by the roots, and tossed it into the storage bin.

She had cleared twenty-one rows in one morning.

The preliminary dry weight estimate was nine and a half to ten tons, more than expected.

She pulled the towel from around her neck and wiped her face haphazardly.

The LED array shone brightly, but there was no wind in the Greenhouse; after working for half a day, her work uniform was already stuck to her back.

"Song Ya, bag everything harvested today. Air-dry them tonight, and we start grinding tomorrow afternoon."

"Got it, I'll go call for help right now." Song Ya closed her clipboard and stepped closer. "Technician Lin, are today's numbers accurate?"

"Close enough, nine and a half to ten tons." Lin Wan stuffed her harvesting knife into her tool bag. "We'll keep at it tomorrow morning. I estimate there's another eight tons left to clear. The total should be seventeen and a half to eighteen tons—we've reached the target."

"We reached the target," Song Ya repeated the words, a light flickering in the corners of her eyes.

"Mm." Lin Wan tilted her head. "Go get to work."

Song Ya turned and called for the crew.

Lin Wan leaned against the iron pillar of the Hydroponic Rack and opened her logbook to fill in the numbers.

9.5 to 10 tons.

Day 66, 1:07 PM, harvest for today complete.

She capped her pen and pressed the communicator at her waist.

"City Lord, the third harvest is done for today. Nine and a half to ten tons, no hitches. We'll clear the remaining eight tons tomorrow morning and have flour by the day after."

"Good," Lu Chen replied from the other end, the sound of a pen scratching across paper in the background. "Lin Wan, once the air-drying is done tomorrow night, we'll inspect the spring replacements tonight and finish up tomorrow morning. When can you spare some hands for the fourth test?"

Lin Wan gripped the communicator tighter.

"There's no need for a fourth time, is there?" she asked tentatively. "You gave the nod to the data from the third test this morning."

"Running it one more time won't hurt."

Lin Wan tucked the logbook under her arm and strolled a few steps down the aisle.

"City Lord, are you waiting for some specific news? Is that why you're insisting on another run?" She laid it out plainly.

There was silence on the other end for two seconds.

Waiting for Forge.

Lin Wan slapped her palm against the crossbeam of the Hydroponic Rack.

Waiting for Forge.

If the joint strike was successful, Polaris would take root where it stood and work alongside the Dawn Legion.

If it failed, this iron hunk would have to throw off its treads and run at full speed; the Shock-absorbing Layer would be their life-saving trump card.

Waiting for Forge meant waiting for this verdict.

"If the joint strike is a no-go," Lin Wan pressed, "when are we scheduled to move?"

"The City-State's auxiliary engines will burn out between Day 73 and 74," Lu Chen's voice was steady. "We can't retreat earlier than Day 71, or the degradation window won't open. We can't be later than Day 74 either. Any later, and everyone in The City-State will be dead."

"A three-day window, at most."

"Correct. Day 71 to 74."

Lin Wan rolled those numbers around on the tip of her tongue.

"City Lord, what if the joint strike actually happens?" she changed the subject. "What about the degradation then?"

"If it happens, it depends on how the battle goes. How much of the remains are left and how much can be degraded are questions for later," Lu Chen spoke candidly. "But as long as the joint strike is set, this ship won't have to run. All thirty thousand people can be brought up. The word 'window' won't even need to be calculated."

Not far away, Song Ya was leading people in a line to bag the wheat; the dry fragrance of the grain wafted into her nose in waves.

Lin Wan glanced down at the logbook under her arm.

"City Lord," her voice dropped half a notch, "if the joint strike really goes through, how do you plan to fight this war?"

Only the static of the current remained in the communicator.

"Before we start fighting, finish the wheat harvest properly," Lu Chen replied.

Lin Wan chewed on those words and didn't dig any deeper.

"Fine." She let go. "I'll go supervise the bagging and report the total weight tonight."

The communication cut off.

She stood rooted to the spot.

Above her was the warm yellow light array, beneath her feet were the cold, hard iron racks, and on either side was the mostly harvested wheat stubble.

Only the last two rows remained, standing tall and green.

They would be cleared by tomorrow morning.

She turned around and headed toward Song Ya.

3:42 PM.

Cockpit.

The door was pushed open, and Zhou Yuan strode in, his soles hitting the iron floor with a much louder sound than this morning.

"City Lord."

"Speak." Lu Chen didn't look back, his eyes fixed on the panel.

"A message from Forge." Zhou Yuan stopped by the console and handed over the communicator.

The screen was lit, showing a short paragraph of text.

Lu Chen took it and glanced at it.

Only two lines in total.

Forge revealed the matter of the mapping charts at the council.

Evening Bell changed his stance this afternoon and voted in favor.

Joint strike proposal: twelve votes, six to six.

Discussion continues tomorrow.

He tossed the communicator back onto the desk.

"Six to six," he muttered.

"Yes, six to six, a tie." Zhou Yuan stuffed the communicator into his pocket. "The mapping chart card was played, and Evening Bell was indeed caught by his weakness. But his subordinates didn't all follow suit; two conservatives abstained. It didn't pass the majority."

"How do the abstentions count?"

"They count as opposition," Zhou Yuan replied. "If those two abstaining votes don't budge tomorrow, Forge will still be stuck at six to six. A deadlock."

Lu Chen ran the numbers through his head twice.

Six to six, just one vote short.

The old fox Evening Bell had bowed his head, but the fence-sitters beneath him hadn't all collapsed.

"Does Forge have any other cards in hand?"

"He didn't mention any." Zhou Yuan paused for a moment. "City Lord, I'm thinking if Forge wants to turn the tables tomorrow, he'll need one more thing."

"Speak."

"A reason to make those two abstainers feel like their hair is on fire." Zhou Yuan broke it down. "The Iron Hoof Legion hasn't even touched the edge of the radar yet. Those people are sitting comfortably in Dawn; with no blade at their necks, abstaining is the safest bet. No one takes responsibility."

"What if a scout vehicle enters our radar range?" Lu Chen followed the train of thought.

"Then it's a sitting duck." Zhou Yuan emphasized his words. "City Lord, if a scout vehicle really enters the eight-kilometer radar range tonight or tomorrow morning, will you give that intel to Forge?"

"Yes, in real-time." Lu Chen didn't hesitate. "Is his Beacon Station powered up?"

"Checked it this morning, it's on. As soon as a scout vehicle passes the South Pass, the signal will be sent immediately." Zhou Yuan took a breath. "City Lord, if his Beacon Station rings first, it'll be at least twelve to twenty hours ahead of our radar. We can get the trump card early."

Lu Chen calculated the timeline clearly.

Twelve to twenty hours.

As long as Forge's Beacon Station rang first, that twenty-hour gap would be enough for him to take the hard evidence of 'scout vehicle passed South Pass' and slam it onto the table of the Dawn Council.

Irrefutable proof of a line being crossed.

Those two abstaining votes wouldn't be able to hide.

"Zhou Yuan," Lu Chen said. "Keep a close eye on the communications tonight. Even if Forge lets out a fart, you report it to me immediately."

"Understood."

"Also," Lu Chen turned his chair halfway to face him, "you go and get some damn sleep today."

Zhou Yuan's lips moved, but he didn't speak.

"Only with enough sleep will you have the energy to hold out tomorrow." Lu Chen stared at the bloodshot veins in his eyes. "The joint strike debate won't continue until tomorrow. The scout vehicles are nowhere to be seen yet. Your greatest use right now is to go to sleep."

Zhou Yuan looked at him.

"City Lord, what about you?"

"I'll watch the Cockpit." Lu Chen turned his chair back toward the panel. "I'm used to this iron chair."

Zhou Yuan didn't waste any more words. He stuffed the communicator into his pocket and pushed the door open to leave.

The door clanged shut.

Only the hum of the ventilation fan remained in the Cockpit.

On the panel, the radar scanning line rotated unhurriedly.

Within eight kilometers, it was completely clear.

The fifth light-red signal record was pinned firmly to the bottom right corner of the screen.

Lu Chen picked up his pen and added one last line to the logbook.

Joint Strike, 6-6, debate tomorrow.

Wait for Forge, wait for the beacon, wait for the scout.

He tossed the pen onto the desk.

Five days left.

Tomorrow, we see the truth.