#1009 - War of Independence

The intercontinental nuclear missile designed for Project Skyfall is a fusion weapon. The warhead is roughly divided into two parts. One part uses a small-scale nuclear fission trigger to initiate nuclear fusion. In this part, each warhead requires one kilogram of Plutonium-239.

The missile relies mainly on the second part, the part containing the fusion fuel, for its destructive power, which requires 11.5 kilograms of a deuterium-tritium mixture.

For Night City, deuterium-tritium can be extracted directly from seawater. Although the cost is not low, at least there's a place to collect it. In contrast, Plutonium-239 is much more difficult to obtain, basically relying on Riel to 'import' it from the Marvel world.

"...The factory has already prepared the deuterium-tritium mixture. I won't ask where you got those radioactive elements enriched from seawater, or the purification technology. In short, they're working well."

The center of the war room is a holographic projection map, showing the entire layout of Night City, with the assets directly controlled by the municipal center highlighted in color.

It's clear that many seawater treatment plants have been rapidly built along the coast of Night City, partly to meet the daily water needs of Night City, and partly to enrich radioactive elements from seawater to meet nuclear weapons needs.

The former Arasaka Waterfront now appears insignificant compared to the seawater treatment plants built under the leadership of Night City. Without the investment of its owner, that place is now worthless.

These seawater treatment plants use pipeline transportation technology to input the treated water and other resources into the city, as a major municipal project of Night City.

A construction project belonging to the underground city.

On the outskirts of the city, the ends of these pipelines are connected to agricultural experimental fields. Many vertical farms have been built on the outskirts of Santo Domingo, the first stop for the Badlands entering Night City. There, people research various agricultural technologies, while also sending the produced 'agricultural resources,' such as soil binders and fertilizers, to experimental fields outside the city for planting.

It's clear that not only is Project Skyfall progressing well, but the basic resource supply plan is also operating normally.

The holographic projection shifts to Southern California:

"Militech has deployed more than 3 armored divisions to Southern California in the past few weeks, and Myers has stationed more field teams along the US-Mexico border. The impact on trade is significant. If this continues, those money-grubbing bandits in Mexico won't continue doing business with us."

Riel stood beside the war table, silently estimating the resources at hand.

A total of three intercontinental nuclear missiles have been completed. After he teleports the plutonium over, it will take a week to complete the final assembly, because it's the first time, the production speed will be slower.

While thinking, Riel asked, "What are you planning to do?"

"We'll take Southern California directly. If your missiles work, we can paralyze that city with three missiles, and then we'll immediately launch a surprise attack to take over the city.

Once we control Southern California, there will be no obstacles to the shipping lanes with Mexico."

Riel shook his head directly in rejection: "We can't put all our hopes on the Mexicans. This is our war with the New United States—

Where are the people the New United States is sending to the front lines coming from?"

Hansen stroked his chin: "Of course, they're being transferred from other places."

"Based on your understanding of the New United States, how much do you think their troop size will increase after the Metal Wars?"

"It's hard to say, but in recent years, Myers has either been reforming this policy or unifying that market. Companies opened by separatist elements are not so easy to manage."

This topic made Hansen a little unsure how to answer.

He was good at fighting, but Militech's expansion plan?

He was a military commander, not a Ministry of Defense official. He really didn't have much of a concept in this area. The Dogtown affair was enough to give him a headache; he didn't have the mind to probe these things.

But there were others who were different: if there was anyone in the world who understood Militech and the New United States best, it would be the Arasaka Corporation.

Coincidentally, the Arasaka Corporation was in Night City, and the person formerly responsible for North American operations was here—Arasaka Yorinobu.

Yorinobu was sitting on the side, because he had also participated in that 'Virtual Network War,' and had died several times. He still hadn't recovered from the overstimulation, and his mind was full of Pilots and Titans:

That's the kind of special forces Night City should be training, not some 'ninjas' or 'legendary mercenaries'.

Hansen turned his gaze to Yorinobu, and V also looked over, shouting to Yorinobu:

"Hey, pretty boy, stop spacing out. We're asking you a question."

In 2069, the New United States launched the Unification War, aiming to reclaim the 'Separatist States.' These states had seceded from the federation decades ago after the disastrous US-Mexican War and the US financial fraud scandal, calling themselves Free States, including Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, Arizona, and several other states, including Night City.

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Decades of independence had developed different economic systems in different states. The interests of companies and local bureaucrats were deeply intertwined, and governance was far more troublesome than occupation. The New United States had been coordinating these headache-inducing troubles in recent years.

Songbird nodded upon hearing this: "Indeed, Militech's main focus is not actually on Night City. My main task at the Federal Intelligence Agency is also to help the President clean up some stubborn elements... through espionage."

Yorinobu had fully recovered and said firmly: "And two years ago, before I... killed my father, Militech was still maintaining a policy of retrenchment. The turmoil of the past two years could very well delay this process."

"And they lost me." Songbird said with some confidence, "Although I'm nothing compared to the top 'netrunners' in our city, I'm the top hacker at the FIA. Without me, Myers' actions will only be slower."

Riel nodded: "And now, the Euro market has collapsed. Militech's mobilization of troops means that Myers' control over other regions within the country is decreasing.

We must not only attack Southern California, but also 'liberate' our neighbors—"

Riel stretched out his hand, and the war table in front of him immediately turned into a map of the United States. Three curves symbolizing intercontinental missiles departed from Night City, heading straight for Arkansas, Illinois, and Minnesota!

And among the 16 states to the left of the states targeted by the intercontinental missiles, 13 were once Free States!

"...This is not Night City's war against the New United States, this is the Free States' 'War of Independence' against the New United States."