"Most of it is true."
"The higher-ups did consider test-firing a Goddess of Love in this world. Though this weapon's power surpasses the Light of Peace in space,"
"Its delivery method is the same as the Light of Peace. That means unless we can approach PLANT's home territory,"
"Its deterrent capability would be greatly diminished. Revealing it now might even increase the likelihood of Coordinators deploying Genesis first."
"As for the Planetary Engine, it has a fatal flaw."
"Since its initial design purpose was purely as a propulsion system, converting it into a Planetary Cannon in a short time..."
Wang Hu shook his head, his expression carrying some regret.
"It's not that we can't do it, but there's simply not enough time."
"According to assessments from the technical experts in the Equipment Department, all we can achieve now is increasing the Planetary Engine's jet flame from 70,000 meters to 100,000 meters."
"But this minor improvement is utterly insignificant compared to the distance between us and PLANT."
"What a waste, considering a single Planetary Engine can generate 15 billion tons of thrust."
"Just imagine, if we could truly convert it into a weapon, what kind of power would that be?"
"15 billion tons of thrust?"
Shocked by this figure, Lelouch did some quick mental calculations and felt a chill run down his spine.
This meant if the East Asian Alliance had enough time to actually convert the so-called Planetary Engines into weapons,
This weapon would become the Alliance's ultimate trump card, capable of suppressing all opposition for eternity!
"Couldn't it be made into a cannon form?"
Yang Wei hadn't thought as deeply about this as Lelouch, and truth be told, he wasn't very clear about the technical aspects.
But drawing from his military background and knowledge of firearms, he offered a new suggestion.
"Look, firearms use gunpowder to propel projectiles. So if we modify the Planetary Engine, wouldn't it become a giant cannon?"
"There's no rule saying super weapons must only appear in energy-based forms, right?"
Hearing this, Lelouch quickly looked at Wang Hu. Not understanding the actual parameters, he was also curious why the East Asian Alliance hadn't done this.
If even Yang Wei could think of it, there was no reason the East Asian Alliance wouldn't have considered it.
Or was there some critical problem that couldn't be resolved?
"The Planetary Engine uses Vacuum Rock Refusion Technology as its power source, triggering silicon atom refusion chain reactions through helium-3 to obtain high-energy, high-pressure plasma flow."
"At maximum power operation using special methods, it can unleash 20 trillion tons of thrust, operating in pulsed jet mode."
"Known hydrogen fusion requires 10 million degrees Celsius, helium requires 200 million degrees, and silicon requires at least 1 billion degrees or higher."
"This is temperatures even the sun cannot reach. So the question is, what material in the human world could serve as a projectile to be launched?"
Wang Hu spread his hands, indicating it wasn't that they didn't want to, but the actual circumstances didn't permit it!
"Besides, manufacturing it as a cannon? That would be sheer waste of its potential."
"Such high temperatures!"
Yang Wei felt genuine admiration, sincerely impressed by the scientific research capabilities of the Breaking Ball World.
"Wait."
While Yang Wei was merely impressed, Lelouch on the other side had noticed a critical point.
Initially, his mind had short-circuited from the shock of such a sci-fi method as burning rocks, but now thinking about those extreme temperatures...
"Then how did you manufacture the outer shell for the power source? Since you can't even produce artillery shells."
"How did you contain 100 million degrees of high temperature without letting the Planetary Engine melt away completely?"
If they could contain such energy, they should be able to create artillery shells.
"The Planetary Engine covers an area approximately 50km in diameter and stands 10km tall. For reference, Mount Everest, the highest mountain today, is about 8,848.86 meters above sea level. Therefore, the Planetary Engine has become the highest peak on the surface."
Wang Hu stared at Lelouch as he spoke.
"Do you think such a massive structure was built just for show? To dissipate heat and contain energy, we had to resort to crude methods."
"Even after achieving this, the Planetary Engine's ejection operates on a 60-second cycle - 10 seconds of ejection followed by 50 seconds of cooling and adjustment."
"The Planetary Engine we brought here is actually a sample unit manufactured back in their day."
"It's already the smallest in size and volume, so its heat dissipation capability was inherently poor, leaving the least room for modifications."
"Forcing structural changes could very likely lead to uncontrollable consequences."
"Is that so?"
Lowering his head, Lelouch began thinking hard. They seemed to have reached an impasse.
Various plans formulated in his mind, only to be rejected one after another.
Automatically placing himself in the East Asian Army's camp, striving to create a world where his sister could be happy.
He forced himself to conceive a method to break through this deadlock.
"Damn it, if only I could use Geass in this world too."
After much contemplation, Lelouch began missing the absolute control ability he had obtained in the C World. If he encountered such a situation in the C World...
He would simply walk over and issue commands.
Forget about destroying Genesis - if he wanted, the entire world could become his servant.
Going round in circles, Lelouch returned to his floor-flipping tactic, thinking about solving the Genesis threat by striking at its root.
Since I can't deal with Genesis directly, I can deal with the people instead!
"Sorry about that."
Just as the several people present fell into silent contemplation, Li Chengzhi had successfully brought Zhang Peng and his companion back from Kira's group.
They hadn't expected that just wandering around outside would get them mistaken for spies and nearly arrested.
Troubling Wang Hu's people to bail them out, Zhang Peng immediately expressed his gratitude upon entering.
"Please don't mention it."
Smiling to reassure Zhang Peng and his companion, Wang Hu turned to Li Chengzhi and asked.
"They didn't become suspicious, did they?"
"No."
Understanding what his friend was asking, Li Chengzhi shook his head.
"I told them these two were members of a special classified unit. They apologized incredibly fast."
"What, would you rather I told Kira and the others the truth?"
"Not for now."
Wang Hu hadn't actually decided whether to tell Kira and the others the truth yet.
If Yang Wei hadn't come to tell him that once the war in this world was over, he would have to go to another world to clean up another version of himself's mess, Wang Hu might never have revealed the truth to Kira and the others in this lifetime.
But now...
Let's see. At the very least, they had to deal with the current war first before talking about other matters.
"What are you all troubled about?"
After entering, Li Chengzhi observed the atmosphere. Setting aside that foolish woman bleeding on the floor with a pale face, both Wang Hu and Yang Wei had initially looked rather grim.
"What else could it be? Still the same old matter."
Hearing this, Wang Hu recounted the discussion they had just had.
"Oh?"
Li Chengzhi glanced at Wang Hu in surprise, deep in thought.
Hadn't they already reached a conclusion on how to deal with the Coordinators' Genesis? This guy must be trying to set a trap for someone.
"The higher-ups have communicated with the Atlantic Federation. The task of attacking Boaz Fortress will be handled by us."
Since his friend wanted to set a trap for these guys, Li Chengzhi didn't mind giving a little push.
"Also, our underground operatives in PLANT have made contact. Lacus, the last remaining banner of the Clyne Faction, has finally come to terms with reality and is ready to cooperate with us."
"The higher-ups are asking for our opinion—whether we're willing to go to PLANT to receive Lacus."
"Boaz Fortress?"
Yang Wei suddenly interjected. "The Coordinators didn't retrieve our Nova Fortress?"
"Did they drag another small satellite from somewhere else and modify it into Boaz?"
"Yes." Li Chengzhi nodded and explained.
"With only Fortress Jachin Due, the Coordinators obviously weren't very reassured."
"After all, if the fighting reached there, it would mean they were at their doorstep."
"And behind Jachin Due is Genesis, concealed by Mirage Colloid."
"If it were us, we'd also want to push the front line outward as much as possible to maintain sufficient strategic space."
"Initially, we planned to use a Planetary Engine to propel an abandoned satellite, Mendel."
"For this, we were prepared to send troops to reinforce it. According to the plan, the final result would be a massive, solid battering ram accelerated by the Planetary Engine's power."
"As long as the parameters were calculated correctly, once the acceleration process was complete, even if the Coordinators discovered us and attacked with Genesis, we wouldn't have to worry."
"But now, since we're going to attack Boaz, Mendel can be saved for later."
"Propelling an entire Colony Satellite?"
Lelouch secretly marveled at the scale, feeling that his previous ambitions had been too small, far too small.
Even in his wildest dreams, using the unique layout of the Britannian Empire's Tokyo Settlement in Area 11, he had considered tearing up the floor to trap and kill the garrison troops. But compared to what the East Asian Alliance was planning—modifying an entire Colony Satellite—his ideas seemed utterly petty.
The East Asian Alliance was clearly aiming for a war of annihilation!
Leaving aside Yang Wei and the others' shock at the East Asian Alliance's grand ambitions, Wang Hu asked Li Chengzhi:
"Clyne is dead after all? I remember the last report I read said our underground operatives in PLANT had already joined forces with them, didn't it?"
"If our people hadn't given them a hand that time at the satellite opera house, Lacus would have almost been cornered by ZAFT Forces' special operations unit."
"Naive idealist." Li Chengzhi felt somewhat speechless just thinking about Mr. Clyne's behavior.
"They say he didn't want to be misunderstood and accused of being a true traitor to his country."
"No matter what, he refused to accept our assistance, insisting on acting alone."
"And now? Cornered by ZAFT Forces, ended up being shot to death in a chaotic firefight."
"Thanks to him, I suppose, that Miss Lacus finally came to her senses."
"That's why we've been assigned the mission to extract her."
"May I ask, who exactly are Miss Lacus and Mr. Clyne?"
Lelouch, who had been listening nearby, had a glint in his eyes. For the East Asian Alliance to go to such lengths—
and dispatch Wang Hu, who could be considered their absolute ace—this Miss Lacus must be extremely valuable.
Perhaps he could make some moves in this area?
"Oh, Lacus?"
While Lelouch was scheming about Lacus, both Wang Hu and Li Chengzhi were scheming about everyone present.
The protagonist of a world naturally carried great fortune.
Even when transported to another world, they would surely be stronger than ordinary people.
As Wang Hu explained who Lacus and Clyne were, he waited for Lelouch to voice the thoughts in his heart.
As for Lelouch, originally intended to be Wang Hu's prime minister in the C World—
Hehehe, watching the contemplative Lelouch, Wang Hu of the CE World thought to himself: we're both Wang Hus.
What's yours is mine, and what's mine is still mine—no need to be so distant.
"I think—"
Sure enough, after weighing his options, Lelouch opened his mouth to voice his opinion.
But suddenly, from beside them, Nunnally, trembling like a little rabbit, cried out in alarm.
"Miss C.C., Miss C.C., what's wrong with you?"
Clearly, due to the wound on her wrist causing continuous bleeding, this Miss C.C., who had always sought death, was close to achieving her wish.
(End of Chapter)