Chapter 1179 Target: Japan

Finally, it was Zhou Wei and Wang Zhiming from the Eastern Theater Command. The two stepped forward almost simultaneously, their attitude extremely respectful.

"Chairman!" Zhou Wei's voice was filled with undisguised excitement and obedience. Wang Zhiming didn't say much, but his tightly clasped hands and slightly forward-leaning body said it all.

They were also filled with mixed emotions, but more than anything, they felt fortunate to have "bet on the right horse" and looked forward to future shared benefits.

Compared to the lingering "equality" obsession that Wei and Wu still held, they recognized their place much earlier and more thoroughly.

When Gu Chengyuan shook hands with them, his smile became even more gentle: "The committee will make progress on the Yangtze River waterway issue soon, don't worry."

"It's all thanks to the Chairman!" Zhou Wei replied hastily.

The handshake session has ended.

Everyone sat down again, but the atmosphere in the meeting room was different.

An invisible new order, with Gu Chengyuan at its absolute core, was clearly established in this simple handshake.

The leaders of the three war zones looked at the young figure in the main seat, their feelings a mixture of emotions.

Yes, leader.

Although they might not use this title frequently, deep down they all understood that from this moment on, this chairman, who was only in his twenties, was their de facto superior.

The sign of the "Zhou Bang's End-of-Day Emergency Military Committee," along with the newly signed, substantially binding agreement, has firmly tied them to the Central Plains War Zone.

The so-called "emergency" is nothing more than a vestige of dignity left over from the old era, a political fig leaf.

Faced with an absolute disparity in strength and shared survival pressures, traditional notions of seniority and age appear utterly insignificant.

The peak they climbed, which took them decades and even the opportunity presented by the apocalypse, may only be the starting point in the eyes of others.

In the future, even if the old central government miraculously reappears, Gu Chengyuan, who holds de facto military power over the four major war zones and controls a vast industrial system and advanced technology, along with this already formed "committee," would probably have enough confidence to say "I'm sorry, I can't comply."

The wheels of history have rolled over the old tracks and are now thundering forward toward a direction defined by the strong of the new era.

They are both participants in this transformation and...subordinates under this new order.

This realization left the veterans present with mixed feelings—helplessness,感慨, and uncertainty about the future—but ultimately, they all turned into a silent acceptance of reality.

They exchanged glances, both seeing similar emotions in each other's eyes—the end of an old era and the arrival of a new era, full of unknowns and challenges, ushered in by this young chairman.

'Can he... really lead us to the light?'

Just as the leaders of the three major war zones present were still unable to help but ask themselves questions and had various doubts and uncertainties, Gu Chengyuan suddenly smiled and invited them:

"Ladies and gentlemen, the signing ceremony is now complete. How could such a momentous event as the establishment of the 'Zhou Bang's End-of-Day Emergency Military Committee' not be accompanied by a grand signing celebration?"

"Please move aside and follow me!"

Seeing the mysterious yet excited expression on Gu Chengyuan's face, the leaders of the three major war zones present were instantly intrigued!

As Gu Chengyuan stood up first and walked towards the side door of the conference hall, the leaders of the three war zones looked at each other, their complex emotions caused by the signing temporarily replaced by intense curiosity.

A grand signing ceremony with celebratory fireworks? What kind of fireworks could possibly be set up in this government building?

Filled with doubt, they followed Gu Chengyuan through the corridor to an observation room next door that was already prepared.

The observation room has no windows; the only focal point is the huge, ultra-high-definition screen on the wall that displays live footage.

The scene on the screen was clearly located somewhere within the headquarters of the Central Plains Military Region, beside a wide and quiet internal road.

In stark contrast to the peaceful scene along their path, a colossal steel beast now stands proudly in the center of the screen, fully engaged in combat!

That was a massive, powerful-looking missile launcher!

The chassis is extremely heavy, with massive multi-axle tires gripping the ground firmly. At this moment, the launch hatch has been fully opened to the rear, and a huge hydraulic support arm is steadily supporting the launch tube at the launch angle.

The most eye-catching thing was the missile body that had slowly risen from the launch tube and pointed straight at the sky!

The projectile is long and slender, covered in digital camouflage paint, and gleams with a cold, hard metallic luster under the light transmitted from the screen.

Even through the screen, everyone present could clearly feel its suffocatingly large size and the terrifying sense of oppression it contained, enough to destroy the world, by using the trees and lampposts along the roadside as reference points!

"This is... an intercontinental ballistic missile?" Wei Jingfang, commander of the Western Theater Command, his pupils contracted sharply, and he whispered the question almost subconsciously.

As a general, he was naturally familiar with Zhou Bang's strategic deterrent capabilities. The design of the launch vehicle and the size of the missile... it was clearly a national strategic asset, an intercontinental ballistic missile!

Commander Wu Xianglin of the Southern Theater Command also gasped, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily.

He looked at Gu Chengyuan, his eyes filled with disbelief: "Chairman Gu, the 'fireworks' you mentioned, could it be... this?"

Zhou Wei and Wang Zhiming from the Eastern Theater Command held their breath, staring intently at the screen, their hearts also filled with turmoil.

Using intercontinental ballistic missiles as fireworks?! This is beyond extravagance; it's... the ultimate display of power!

They weren't surprised that the Central Plains Theater Command possessed intercontinental ballistic missiles. They had witnessed the massive H-20 bomber fleet and the terrifying "Ghoul" force, so it was almost a certainty that they had strategic missiles. It would be strange if they didn't.

What truly shocked them was that Gu Chengyuan would use this as a congratulatory gift for the establishment of the "Committee," declaring the cornerstone of the new order to everyone in such an ostentatious and domineering way!

Gu Chengyuan stood in front of the screen, hands behind his back, calmly watching the missile poised for launch, as if admiring a work of art.

He did not answer Wu Xianglin's question directly, but instead spoke in a calm yet powerful tone:

"The old order has collapsed, and new rules need to be forged with strength, and also need to be made clear to everyone."

He turned slightly to face the three war zone leaders who were deeply shaken, his tone still calm, but every word carried immense weight:

"What you see before you is the DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missile deployed by the strategic missile force of the Central Plains Theater Command."

"Its maximum range can reach more than 14,000 kilometers, enough to cover any corner of the globe."

"Using solid fuel, it reacts quickly and can complete launch preparations in a very short time after receiving an order."

"Most importantly, it is equipped with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), which can attack multiple strategic targets simultaneously and have a probability of over 95% of breaking through any existing anti-missile system."

Gu Chengyuan's voice wasn't loud, but every parameter he announced was like a heavy hammer blow to the hearts of Wei Jingfang, Wu Xianglin, Zhou Wei, and Wang Zhiming.

They know all too well what these numbers mean—it's the ultimate destructive force capable of altering the geostrategic landscape!

And now, it appears before them so clearly, in an almost "display" manner.

“And today,” Gu Chengyuan’s gaze returned to the giant arrow poised to be released on the screen, his tone suddenly turning cold, carrying a chilling and resolute air:

"The 'signing ceremony' that we prepared for the establishment of the 'Zhou Bang's End-of-Day Emergency Military Committee' will not take place on this ravaged homeland beneath our feet."

He paused, then declared, word by word, with absolute clarity:

"Target locked—Fusang!"

.....