159: Chapter 159 First Glimpse of Brilliance: The "Thunder Department's" High-Energy Particle Cannon
Leaving the "Taiji" test field, Lin Mo did not pause for a single moment. While the success of the unified force field shield was heartening, it was, in the end, a shield. To destroy "the piercer" and interrupt that arrogant "greeting," they ultimately had to rely on a spear capable of breaking through its defenses.
This sharpest of spears was the very fangs that made "soaring heavens" famous—the "Thunder Department" high-energy particle cannon array.
He did not return to the laboratory but went straight to the Tactical Intelligence Analysis Center at the "Bright Dawn" base. Here, the link with the "Fuxi" host was most direct, allowing him to access all combat simulations, test data, and the latest maintenance reports related to the "Thunder Department" weapon system.
Su Xiaowan was already waiting there, data flowing across several screens in front of her. "Consultant Lin, Captain Long has confirmed receipt of the force field shield data package and installation instructions. The 'Guanghan Palace' industrial zone has activated emergency production lines. The adapted version of the shield core components is being packaged and is expected to be delivered to 'soaring heavens' by a dedicated high-speed shuttle in eight hours. Meanwhile..." She switched to a screen showing complex energy curves and structural diagrams, "the final pre-war status assessment report for the 'Thunder Department' main cannon array is out, and... there's a live-fire power test video from the asteroid belt range. It was coordinated by 'fuxi' three days ago, top secret, and has just been decrypted and transmitted."
"Play the video and open the status report at the same time," Lin Mo ordered, his gaze burning bright.
The main screen lit up, showing a perspective from an observation satellite disguised as an asteroid. In the center of the frame was a nickel-iron asteroid about three hundred meters in diameter, appearing as an inconspicuous dark spot against the distant background of stars. Dozens of kilometers away, a tiny speck of light was adjusting its orientation—it was a specially modified unmanned test ship carrying a prototype of the "Thunder Department" main cannon.
"Test Code: 'Sharpening the Blade'," Su Xiaowan explained from the side. "Target: Asteroid S-779, average density 7.8, structural integrity intact. The test ship is equipped with a Type-III 'Thunder Department' main cannon, with an energy output power approximately 78% of the Type-V 'Thunder Department' officially deployed on 'soaring heavens'."
"Energy charging complete. Launch countdown: 3, 2, 1..."
In the video, at the front of the test ship, a point of light so blindingly white it was impossible to look at suddenly flared up at the sharp-styled muzzle covered in cooling structures, as if a miniature star were being born in the vacuum! Immediately following, a beam of light, its magnificence and terror beyond words, tore through the silence of space and shot straight toward that asteroid!
There was no sound, but everyone seemed to hear the roar of surging energy in their minds.
The diameter of the light beam was not exaggerated, but wherever it passed, the background starlight of space underwent subtle distortions, as if being pushed aside or stretched by an invisible force.
A thousandth of a second later, the light beam precisely struck the center of the asteroid.
The expected violent explosion and flying debris did not happen immediately. Instead, a more eerie and terrifying sight took place: at the impact zone, the asteroid's surface material—hard nickel-iron alloy—seemed to skip the melting and vaporization process entirely. Under unimaginable high temperature and pressure, it was instantly "decomposed" into a rapidly expanding, scorching plasma cloud composed of elementary particles and radiation! This plasma cloud expanded at a horrific speed, like an orange being crushed by an invisible hand, completely tearing apart and annihilating all internal structures!
Just a single exposure lasting less than 0.5 seconds!
When the blinding light and the expanding plasma cloud gradually dissipated, the images sent back by the observation satellite left the entire analysis center in dead silence.
That three-hundred-meter diameter asteroid... was gone. No, it couldn't be said to have completely disappeared. In its place, only a thin, rapidly cooling and dispersing cloud of metal vapor dust remained, along with a few tiny fragments that had been ejected to extreme distances, melted and then re-solidified. The main body, over 99% of its mass, had been completely "evaporated" in a physical sense under the bombardment of that "Thunder Department" particle cannon!
"Power assessment..." The monitor's report carried a hint of trembling, "Instantaneous energy deposition exceeds the 10^20 Joule magnitude... simulated peak temperature in the target's core area exceeds one hundred million degrees Celsius... predicted penetration depth against standard starship equivalent homogeneous steel armor... uncalculable, theoretically 'complete destruction'."
Complete destruction! Evaporating an asteroid in one hit!
This was the power of the top-tier directed-energy weapon currently possessed by humanity! It was truly a destructive force capable of serving as the main cannon of an interstellar warship!
Lin Mo stared at the remaining dust cloud on the screen, his face showing little surprise. He had personally provided the core acceleration principles and energy focusing solutions for the "Thunder Department" weapons and had a clear understanding of its upper power limits. However, theoretical data was still different from witnessing this kind of aesthetic of violence on a cosmic scale with one's own eyes.
"What does the status report say?" He turned to another set of data.
"The four Type-V 'Thunder Department' main cannons carried by 'soaring heavens' are currently assessed as 'excellent'," Su Xiaowan reported. "After the last engagement with the 'reaper' probes, all barrels and energy circuits underwent comprehensive inspection and upgrades, particularly enhancing the redundancy of the cooling system. The 'Nuwa' AI reports that the limit time for all four main cannons to synchronize charging to maximum power has been shortened by 0.3 seconds compared to design specifications. Regarding energy supply, the fusion reactor of the 'zhurong engine' is running stably, sufficient to support at least three full-power volleys without affecting the operation of other ship systems."
Three full-power volleys... Lin Mo calculated quickly in his mind. According to the simulations of the "plan" (Houyi), this would likely be the limit number of most threatening attacks "soaring heavens" could launch before "the piercer's" adaptive defenses became fully effective.
"What about the firing frequency modulation module?" Lin Mo pressed. This was key to dealing with "the piercer's" adaptive defense—a tactic devised by "Fuxi" and "Nuwa" based on the "beacon" signal characteristics and probe wreckage data to disrupt the enemy's defensive rhythm.
"Ready," Su Xiaowan pulled up the relevant interface. "The 'Nuwa' AI can directly intervene in the main cannon's energy output control circuit, performing pseudo-random modulation on the energy frequency, pulse waveform, and even the microscopic spin state of the particle beam within nanoseconds. Theoretically, this can greatly increase the difficulty for the enemy's defense system to 'learn' and 'adapt'."
Lin Mo nodded. The spear was sharp enough, and they had even considered how to make that sharpness even more elusive. But the question was, how hard was "the piercer's" "shield"? Where was its adaptive limit? Could the power that evaporated an asteroid in one hit produce the same effect on it?
He connected the quantum communication with "soaring heavens," and Long Zhantian's image appeared.
"Captain Long, you should have also received the final test video and data for the 'Thunder Department' main cannons."
"I received it, Consultant Lin." Long Zhantian's voice was steady, but his eyes were as sharp as knives. "The power is astonishing. But against 'the piercer', I'm afraid we can't count on a single lethal blow. 'Nuwa' is currently re-optimizing the timing and impact distribution of the volleys based on the new data, striving to pour the maximum energy onto the enemy in the most unpredictable way in the shortest amount of time."
"Your judgment is correct," Lin Mo affirmed. "The 'Thunder Department' is our strongest frontal attack method, but it likely won't be the decisive one. Remember the core of the 'plan': interference first, observation as the priority. When 'Nuwa' captures the optimal window, the 'Thunder Department' volley must be unhesitating, precise, and lethal. Installing the force field shield might affect some maneuverability, but it will buy you crucial time for damage resistance and observation."
"Understood. The shield and the spear, we hold them both tightly." Long Zhantian paused and asked, "Consultant Lin, regarding the first wave of attacks 'the piercer' might launch... besides the known kinetic and high-energy particles, what do you think is the probability of it using that 'Spatial Shear' type of attack? We've seen the force field shield test data; it's good that it can withstand simulated attacks, but in actual combat, if the opponent's power far exceeds the simulation..."
This was a very critical question. A test was just a test, after all; the enemy wouldn't play by the script.
"The probability is not low," Lin Mo said candidly. "Therefore, the first priority for 'soaring heavens' is survival and observation. 'Nuwa' must fully analyze the opponent's attack patterns from the very first moment of contact. The force field shield is our reliance for gaining time, but we must never depend on it to bear all attacks. If necessary, use the 'zhurong engine's' superior maneuverability to evade, even if it disrupts the attack rhythm. Only by staying alive can you maintain output."
"Yes!" Long Zhantian responded solemnly.
Ending the communication, Lin Mo's gaze fell back onto the main screen, where the shocking footage of the "Thunder Department" particle cannon evaporating the asteroid was still looping. The blinding white beam and the annihilated star silently spoke of the power possessed by human civilization.
This power, which once existed only in the imagination of science fiction, was now truly suspended in the sea of stars, about to roar in defense of their home.
"The sharpness is revealed," Lin Mo whispered to himself, his finger lightly brushing the frozen image of the light beam on the screen, as if he could feel the violent energy contained within, enough to tear apart the stars. "Now, we only wait for the enemy to arrive, and the blade to see blood."
Inside the analysis center, everyone held their breath, feeling the chilling, heart-pounding yet incredibly exhilarating cold light emitted by that peerless, murderous blade named "Thunder Department" before the great battle arrived.