Chapter 43

“The emergency power is turned on.”

“Emergency internal communication channels are turned one.”

“Emergency defense system is turned on.”

“Ventilation system is on.”

“Radiation defense window has been lowered.”

“All departments, please be on standby.”

In the corridor, there were clumsy footsteps and shouts. The radio was turned on but it was a human female voice instead of a mechanical voice.

Then dull noises were heard in all directions. An Zhe looked toward the corridor and saw a steel curtain suddenly fall, blocked all the windows. It looked very thick and An Zhe remembered Poet’s words. Once the magnetic field disappeared, the cosmic rays and solar wind would immediately hit the surface of the earth.

Thus, he knew that Lu Feng had pulled him into the corridor, leaving the space where the cosmic radiation might reach. The buildings in the main city were the peak of human science and technology. The thickness of the walls and the special materials prevented a radiation attack. Once the lights in the United Front Centre went out madly, they steadily turned on again. It was just that this time, they were much weaker than before.

In a nearby lab, the sound of a researcher called someone on the communicator was heard. He was too anxious, making his voice loud enough to be heard from the corridor.

“D1342 is requesting increased power supply! The instruments can’t stop!”

A voice was heard from another laboratory. “Requesting emergency power in D1343, otherwise precious samples will soon be inactivated.”

Who would answer their request? An Zhe didn’t know. He glanced in the direction of D1344 and subconsciously grabbed Lu Feng’s sleeve.

Lu Feng looked down at him. “It’ll be okay.”

An Zhe nodded.

The broadcasts continued. “Personnel of the equipment centre, the city defense station, the emergency response department and the logistics supply department of the United Front, you are invited to the 17th floor’s meeting room. Please don’t take the elevator and use the emergency stairs.”

“The Lighthouse’s magnetic field observatory office, please link up the system warfare centre immediately.”

“The Lighthouse’s magnetic field observatory office, please link up the system warfare centre immediately.”

The volume of the radio was at the maximum and it echoed in the corridor.

An Zhe asked Lu Feng, “Will we return to the Lighthouse?”

“I’ll wait for orders.” Lu Feng watched the bridge like he was thinking of something. Then his gaze returned to An Zhe. “Don’t run around and follow me.”

An Zhe said, “Okay.”

He heard the radio say, “Personnel from the command office, joint staff, Trial Court and operations centre, please go to the communication centre on the 14th floor of the United Front. Please don’t use the elevator and take the emergency stairs.”

The moment Lu Feng entered the communication centre, An Zhe could hear voices inside.

“The Northern Base is calling the Underground Base, please answer.”

“The Northern Base is calling the Underground Base, please answer.”

“The Northern Base is calling the Underground Base, please answer.”

A person wearing large black headphones was talking with more than a dozen display screens in front of him with some curves and parameters jumping. However, he was only talking to the communication channel. There was empty noise coming from the opposite end.

In the middle of the hall was a middle-aged man in a black military uniform. His features were cold and dignified and the epaulettes indicated that he was a lieutenant general. He nodded when he saw Lu Feng come in. “You’re here.”

There were other soldiers who came in after Lu Feng. Their ranks and department weren’t the same but their expressions were all cold and solemn. There were chairs in the communication centre. They spread out and sat down, An Zhe sitting quietly beside Lu Feng.

The lieutenant general received a call and 30 seconds later, he hung up and told the officers in the hall, “Based on the Lighthouse’s magnetic field observation office, the strength of the global magnetic field plummeted five minutes ago. However, there are no abnormalities from our protected eastern magnetic pole.”

“Obviously, there was a major failure with the western magnetic pole on the other side.”

An Zhe listened to the lieutenant general. He knew what the magnetic field meant to humans.

The magnetic field protected everything on the planet. Once it was lost, the cosmic rays and solar wind would enter. In this short time, it would bring about a severe drought to the entire world. Exposed humans would be affected by radiation and suffer from various malignant diseases, dying or mutating. If there was no magnetic field protection for a long time, the entire planet’s atmosphere would be scattered by the solar wind and the world would become a dead desert.

The two magnetic poles manufactured by humans were located in the Northern Base and the Underground City Base. Both of them maintained a weak magnetic field covering the world and were inseparable. If one of them had a problem then the other would lose its effect.

There was no need for extra communication between them. The aurora appearing in the sky at night told the other that they were still there and still safe. Now the aurora was gone.

At this time, the person debugging the equipment said, “Reporting. The artificial magnetic field has disappeared and the ionosphere is disturbed. Short-wave communication isn’t feasible.”

The lieutenant general frowned and spoke after three seconds of silence. “At all costs, turn on the long-wave communication.”

“Yes!”

In the era when humans lost satellites and ground relay stations, long-distance communication became very difficult. Only short-wave radio waves could penetrate through the ionosphere into the atmosphere. However, the artificial magnetic field was weaker than the original and communication was very unstable. Now that the magnetic field completely disappeared, the ionosphere was disordered and communication became even more difficult.

Long-wave communication was different. It was ground to ground, using the earth and sea as a medium. It was stable and reliable, but the start-up costs were high. Only the oldest code could be used to transmit messages. At the same time, it was one-way. This meant that if the other party couldn’t turn on long-wave communication, they wouldn’t be able to communicate.

The message was passed down layer by layer. Finally, the communication centre received the feedback message and the long-wave communication device was turned on. The dispatcher picked up the instrument and sent codes of different intervals and lengths. This was inputted into the system in turn and uploaded to the communication channel.”

“The Northern Base is calling the Underground Base, please answer when you hear it.”

There was a long silence.

“The Underground Base is the most well-built of the four human bases. It is difficult to imagine that it will encounter a disaster.” An officer said, “I hope it is just equipment failure.”

He had just spoken when there was a shrill noise from the receiver! It was a rustling, stabbing, chaotic sound that seemed to come from the infinite universe, like the breath of a dying giant monster. Everyone in the room held their breaths until 20 seconds passed.

“Beep.”

“Beep beep.”

“Be, beep—”

The telegram finished and the dispatcher’s body trembled as he quickly recorded it.

Five minutes later, the lieutenant general asked, “What did they say?”

The dispatcher was pale and his lips were trembling. He read the paper where the signals were located and spoke. “They said that… the Underground City Base… encountered a heterogeneous invasion. The losses are heavy. They are… resisting and repairing the magnetic pole.”

“The ammunition stockpile is already less than one-fifth… the nuclear weapons reserve is exhausted and the number of soldiers is insufficient. Requesting…” The dispatcher gritted his teeth and continued, “Requesting support.”

There was silence.