Chapter 199 - 199: High Orbit Test


    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion


    After Tang Rui returned home for a shower, he headed to the office area in search of Lin Chao. To his surprise, Lin Chao was nowhere to be found.


    Where had he disappeared to?


    “Red Lotus, where is Lin Chao?” Tang Rui inquired, knowing that the Al monitored the entire office area.


    “Master, Lin Chao is currently on theunch well cover,” Red Lotus reported, projecting the live video feed for Tang Rui.


    Tang Rui sucked in a breath at the sight of Lin Chao sitting cross-legged on theunch well cover, a picture of concentration.<div>


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    He was dumbfounded.


    What was this all about?


    He switched off the projection and approached theunch well.


    “Lin, what’s the idea here?” he asked, bewildered.


    “Just pondering some issues,” Lin Chao answered nonchntly.


    Pondering? On theunch well cover? Such a strange ce to ponder, Tang Rui thought, certain there must be limits to absurdity.


    “Come on, Lin, can we talk this over properly? If there’s a problem, just tell me. Let’s skip the dramatics, alright?” Tang Rui couldn’t help but feel a mix of amusement and frustration.


    “Sure, what would you like to discuss?” Lin Chao replied, his face expressionless.


    Who would choose to sit on the cold metal cover by choice? But Lin Chao seemed to have his reasons.


    Previously, he had reported to his superiors that Tang Rui hadpleted the secondary booster, and it was already installed in theunch well.


    The superiors had responded with a clearmand: to sit on theunch well cover and prevent anyunch attempts by Tang Rui at all costs.


    “I mean, can we get down from here?” Tang Rui suggested, forcing a smile.


    “No, it’s quitefortable,” Lin Chao replied, shaking his head.


    “Don’t worry, I have no intention ofunching anything.”


    “Really?”


    “Truer than pure gold. Moreover, there’s nothing above us. There’s no fuel loaded, sounching isn’t even an option right now.”


    “Let me just make a quick call.”


    Lin Chao proceeded to pull out his phone and dial.


    Two minutester.


    After hanging up, Lin Chao finally climbed down from theunch well cover.


    “The designs and data you uploaded are being evaluated by the higher-ups. We’ll have to wait for their review before proceeding.


    “Even if you wanted tounch, the trajectory needs to be pre-set. It’s no trivial matter,” Lin Chao said earnestly.


    “I’m aware. This device isn’t a toy airne. I wouldn’tunch it on a whim,” Tang Rui reassured him. He wasn’t naive;unching was never his intention.


    The device was ced in theunch well because it was designed to be there, not necessarily to beunched immediately.


    Everyone operated this way: fuel was only added when aunch was imminent; otherwise, it’d be a needless thrill.


    And even without the fuel, the device required regr maintenance.


    Such devices were far more costlier than most.


    Even if it was not in use, it’d be a financial drain year after year.


    For Tang Rui, however, this wasn’t an immediate concern.


    Since there were no warheads fitted in the missile, maintenance wasn’t necessary; it could simply be left as is.


    Relieved to see Tang Rui wasn’t joking, Lin Chao’s tension eased a bit.


    But he still felt the need to keep a watchful eye on Tang Rui.


    So, he invited Tang Rui to join him for tea while they awaited further instructions from above regarding how to proceed.


    Meanwhile, an expert panel of professors was busy scrutinizing Tang Rui’s uploaded materials.


    At the onset, the panel consisted of only seven members.


    Tang Rui’s documents referred to multi-stage rockets and high-thrust liquid oxygen kerosene rocket engines, so the initial review was handled by experts in rocketry.


    But when these experts studied the design and started their evaluations, they sensed something was off.


    Was this supposed to be a carrier rocket?


    Since when do carrier rocketse with thirty-two escape towers, each fitted with solid rocket engines?


    The reviewing experts were taken aback.


    They had no choice but to call for additional expertise.


    This time, researchers specializing in the Dongfeng series were summoned because this carrier rocket matched their field of expertise.


    Thus, a group of more than a dozenmenced a thorough review and assessment.


    After five intensive hours of evaluation and preliminary calctions, they reached a consensus.


    If the actual performance matched the design specifications, then Dongfeng Express Group might see the addition of a new brand, perhaps named Dongfeng-45-


    However, the performance described seemed a bit exaggerated.


    The expert panel rmended a testunch to observe the actual performance.


    The higher-ups concurred with the review panel’s report.


    Regardless of the expert panel’s rmendation, a testunch was inevitable given the unease this device caused. Onceunched, it would alleviate many concerns.


    The following day.


    A new generation ballistic missile testunch n was unveiled by the authorities.


    For such an operation, a notification to foreign countries was mandatory.


    Failure to notify might result in an immediate and aggressive response.


    The notification served to reassure others: that this was a testunch, not an offensiveunch.


    A single word could alter the course of humanity.


    “What? A high-orbit testunch?”


    Tang Rui received the instructions to proceed with the testunch along a preset trajectory. The authorities had even arranged the targets for him.


    Set in the northwestern region, thirty-two targets were ced, with the farthest apart by 1100 kilometers, scattered rather than aligned.


    In essence, the challenge was formidable.


    But Tang Rui was undeterred by the difficulty.


    What concerned him was that the high-orbit test couldn’t demonstrate the carrier rocket’s full capabilities.


    Nevertheless, the current geopolitical climate didn’t permit aunch from his backyard into the Pacific.


    “A high-orbitunch it is. Crossing international borders mid-flight could cause significant disputes,” Lin Chao exined, nodding in agreement.


    The secondary booster, regardless of its non-armed state, was enough to instill fear.


    Who would take the word for it that it was unarmed?


    “Fine, 1 understand,” Tang Rui resignedly agreed.


    So, a high-orbitunch it would be.


    By four in the afternoon, Tang Rui was in themand hall, synchronizing the data link with the spacemand center for the finalunch preparations.


    Thepany staff had also taken shelter within the mountainplex.


    “Navigation system connected.”


    “Main system checkplete.”


    “Fuel loaded.”


    “All systems go, flight trajectory confirmed.”


    The spacemand center was receiving all the information about the secondary booster.


    Sitting in a floating chair, Tang Rui waited for themand center toplete its preparations.


    “Director Tang, everything is in order, we are clear tounch on schedule,” the head of the spacemand center confirmed with Tang Rui.


    “Okay, just over a minute to go,” Tang Rui nodded, checking the clock.


    Shortly after, the countdown for the secondary booster’sunchmenced.


    3… 2… 1…


    Launch!


    Tang Rui pressed the red button on his chair.


    Boom!


    The secondary booster in theunch well ignited, its engines’ powerful thrust surging, propelling it upward.


    Shrouded in white smoke, the all-white secondary booster soared straight into the sky..</font>