CHAPTER 462: CHAPTER 460: DEMOLITION MISSION

Below the fissure beside the settlement point, several Titans are drilling grooves along one side of the fissure for placing support steel beams.

Due to the need to demolish the surrounding building debris with explosives, in order to prevent affecting the structural stability of the current settlement site’s location, it must be reinforced.

The reinforcement method is also simple, building a frame with steel beams to secure the platform formed by the snow under the settlement, and filling the frame with a mixture of rubble and snow blocks, then pouring water over it to freeze it completely.

In this way, the foundation of the settlement point can be secured, becoming solid and stable.

This is not a new idea, merely an old trick used more than two thousand years ago by Prime Minister Cao during his campaign against Xiliang, building with water.

However, unlike Prime Minister Cao who could directly draw water from the Wei River, the rescue team could only collect snow, melt it, and then quickly sprinkle it over the needed areas, or else the water would freeze into blocks of ice in the minus dozens of degrees temperature before it was poured out.

Relying on this method, the Titans and construction workers only need to carve out the grooves for placing steel beams and insert the beams into them, without even needing cement, as the frozen blocks of ice at low temperatures are strong enough to firmly anchor the beams within the ice and snow.

Of course, much like Prime Minister Cao’s temporary solution of building with water, using this method to freeze the steel beams in place with ice can only be a temporary emergency measure.

Although under current conditions there won’t be thawing due to warming weather, this is an earthquake disaster zone, and if aftershocks or new quakes occur, vibration could cause the ice layers to crack, so this is merely a time-saving and material-saving emergency method under special circumstances.

With this quick construction method and the Titans’ efficiency far beyond ordinary workers, a steel framework was soon erected, and the filling was completely buried during construction, making the settlement location solid and stable.

Then, with the foundation of the settlement stable, demolition work of the surrounding buildings was naturally arranged.

In fact, while Titans were erecting the framework, a construction team composed of paratroopers had already ventured into the building debris that had not collapsed to plant explosives.

This was quite a dangerous job, not only due to the inherent risks of planting explosives, but also because they entered remnants of buildings that had endured numerous disasters without collapsing.

These structures, despite various reasons for not collapsing, had already unstable internal structures, and no one knew if they might suddenly collapse due to people entering and placing explosives.

The collapse of the debris in itself poses no problem, but if it collapses with people inside, then it’s truly dangerous.

Even though the paratroopers entering the debris had Exoskeletons for protection, if tons of material came crashing down from above, even Titans could be smashed, let alone people.

Fortunately, these paratroopers were quite lucky, and although confirming the building structure and placing explosives felt like dancing on a tightrope, they completed the task safely, preparing for demolition.

"Seems we need to develop some weapons next time, in such situations, directly bomb with artillery, letting people in to plant bombs is always too risky." Standing high up, Chen Xin saw the paratroopers who went into the ruins to place explosives successfully retreat, and couldn’t help but complain as he felt relieved.

"Who uses artillery to demolish houses?" The Commander of the paratroopers, hearing Chen Xin’s words, couldn’t help but joke back.

Having been worried about the soldiers planting explosives, now seeing their successful return, the Commander felt much lighter, at least now in the mood to joke.

But speaking like this, he still couldn’t help but sigh: "If there could be a way for soldiers to complete tasks without risking their lives, that would be the best indeed! A soldier’s duty is to protect the people, but who doesn’t have parents who gave birth to them? Watching these soldiers risk their lives to carry out missions, how can one not feel distressed!"

"That’s why there’s the ancient saying that kindness cannot command troops, there will always be times when sacrifices and contributions are needed, and someone always must go." Chen Xin similarly sighed.

In wartime, soldiers bleed and sacrifice to protect the country, and in peacetime, they still bleed and sacrifice to silently contribute and protect the nation and its people.

If it were the previous Chen Xin, perhaps he would only feel touched, unable to do anything for these people, but now he could develop new equipment for these soldiers.

Although this cannot eliminate the danger, at least it can provide them with a bit more protection when facing danger.

With such thoughts, Chen Xin spoke: "I’ll think about what new equipment might be developed to at least increase the soldiers’ survival capabilities in such situations."

Chen Xin thought of his ongoing research into Heavy Power Armor, a piece of equipment whose defensive capabilities in dangerous environments were quite excellent, and not only could it withstand the impact of explosives, but it could also ensure the wearer’s survival chances even under direct hits from small-caliber artillery, making it quite suitable to equip soldiers for such dangerous missions.

However, Chen Xin himself hadn’t much participated in the development of the Heavy Power Armor, only handing a few prototype Power Armor sets to the research team to let them design improvement plans, which had not made much progress so far.

Now it seems perhaps he should hasten the research progress.

With this thought, Chen Xin and the Commander retreated to a safe place, as the detonation was about to occur, standing too close was very dangerous.

In order to save time as much as possible, several buildings’ debris was demolished simultaneously, not only increasing the complexity but also greatly increasing the risk.

Therefore, everyone within the settlement was instructed to stay in secure locations and avoid watching, leaving the monitoring of the demolition to the Chenlong Ark in the sky.

"Countdown five seconds, five, four, three, two, one! Detonate!" With a countdown, the loud bang of exploding dynamite sounded, followed by more intense rumbling after a tremor.

From the safety of his cover, Chen Xin clearly saw through pre-set monitors that first, a puff of smoke rose inside the surrounding building remains, then they began to collapse entirely, turning into a pile of caved-in rubble as planned.