Chapter 24: A Single Shot to the Soul

1:00 AM, July 31st.

The protective casing had been retracted, revealing the rocket in its entirety to the world. It was a straight, slender pillar, over ten meters in diameter and reaching a towering height of 150 meters. The Storm-9 consisted primarily of sixteen main engines and twenty-eight attitude control thrusters. Its hull was finished in a stark, cold black-and-white, a color scheme rarely seen on Chinese rockets. Condensation mist drifted from the fuel injection ports; the entire rocket stood like a gleaming, frigid sword amidst the fog. Countless spotlights bathed it in brilliance. Tonight, it was the undisputed protagonist of the world, and every gaze was fixed upon it.

Inside the command center, Zhang Zhaoming, the head of the Space Administration, looked at Zhu Jincheng with a wry, helpless expression. "Old Zhu, couldn't we have spared a few more months? With our current budget, building a reusable rocket would have saved us a fortune."

"Who needs reusability? Efficiency is what matters—use it and discard it!" Zhu Jincheng rolled his eyes, finding it impossible to explain the situation to this young hothead. Should he tell him that once a lunar base was established and cooperation with the *Wandering Earth* world was secured, space elevators would no longer be a dream? Besides, the *Wandering Earth* world possessed planetary engines. To be honest, he, Zhu Jincheng, didn't care much for a mere hydrogen-oxygen rocket. Once they settled things with the other side, they would be using nuclear fusion engines instead; wouldn't that be better? Reusing chemical rockets was pointless. If they could land on Mars, the issue wasn't the technology, but the money—and now, they simply didn't care for such trifles. Chemical rocket engines were just transitional tools; there was nothing to regret about discarding them. They weren't worth that much. Once the exoskeleton battery technology was downgraded for civilian use, they would earn that money back in minutes.

"Yes, yes, you're the boss. You fought for the funding and the technology, so you get the final say," Zhang Zhaoming sighed, nodding in resignation. One could not fight the inevitable. They would just have to focus on reusability after this moon mission was complete.

"Old Zhu, one minute to launch!" a researcher interrupted.

Hearing the warning, both men immediately turned their attention back to the massive screen.

"Attention all units, prepare for the one-minute countdown!" the flight director’s clear, resonant voice rang out.

"Shuguang, gantry separation successful."

"Understood. Countdown: thirty seconds!"

After the final command, the entire hall fell into a profound silence.

Meanwhile, the live broadcast chat, which had been frantic, suddenly went quiet. Everyone watching held their breath, eyes locked on the colossal rocket on their screens. Space enthusiasts across the globe waited with bated breath. At the base, Fang Jing, along with Zhou Yuan and their teammates, stood in the hall, fists clenched, hearts pounding with tension.

"Ten seconds to countdown!"

"Ten, nine, eight... three, two, one!"

"Ignition!"

"BOOM!"

The broadcast feed shifted to the launch pad. As the order was given, the igniters erupted, instantly setting the fuel from the rocket’s engines ablaze. A massive fireball surged from the exhaust ports. The 150-meter-tall, 7,000-ton behemoth began to rise slowly amidst the flames, gaining speed—faster and faster—until those on the beach could see nothing but the blinding exhaust plume.

A small sun had risen over the pitch-black beach of the South China Sea. For a moment, the entire sky turned as bright as day. On the beach, tourists who had traveled from all over looked up in awe, letting out collective gasps of "Wow!" The entire shoreline was filled with exclamations, occasionally punctuated by patriotic shouts and expletives of sheer amazement.

Back at the command center, the flight director issued the next order: "Attention all departments, liftoff time: 23 minutes, 45 seconds, 30 milliseconds."

"Wenchang, remote sensing and control normal."

"Xishan, optical radar tracking normal."

"Yuanwang-1, remote sensing and control normal."

"..."

Crisp, powerful voices echoed through the control room and were broadcast to the world. Every viewer and every citizen felt a surge of exhilaration. They didn't dare cheer just yet; everyone remained glued to their screens, watching the space agency staff.

In a different camera angle, the rocket, glowing like a sun, gradually disappeared into the clouds. As flight continued and the ground cameras could only capture a faint silhouette, the broadcast switched back to the control center. The onboard cameras were busy recording the flight.

*Beep, beep, beep!*

Suddenly, a sharp, urgent alarm from the control center made the hearts of everyone watching skip a beat. What was happening?

"The rocket has reached the target altitude. First and second stage separation!" the flight director’s voice was swift and clear.

"First and second stage separation complete!"

On screen, the massive first stage was pushed away, falling toward the vast ocean, while the second stage ignited the moment it detached.

"Second stage ignition successful!"

"Entering pre-set orbit!"

"Boom!"

Only then did the command center erupt into thunderous applause. The tension on the faces of the aerospace staff vanished instantly. People stood up, hugged one another, and waved their arms in excitement.

"Excellent!" Old Zhu’s eyes were filled with emotion. A perfect success on the first launch—what a way to start!

"Fairing deployed, solar panels unfolded, payload has reached the target position. All remote sensing centers, please verify."

"Wenchang verification complete."

"Xishan verification complete."

"..."

"Shuguang, understood!"

Only then did a look of relief wash over the flight director's face. This was a total success. The high-thrust second stage had naturally achieved orbital injection with great speed. A large red banner lit up on the main screen of the command center: *Storm-9 Remote-1 Rocket Launch a Complete Success!*

Tonight was destined to be a night of thrill. The live stream chat had already exploded.

"Success! Holy cow, holy cow, holy cow!!!"

"So the moon landing mission begins now, can't wait."

"One shot, one kill! Who else is on our level?!"

"Incredible!!!"

Beyond the digital celebration, people on the beach outside the launch center, having received the news of the success on their phones, began to dance and cheer. A group of middle-aged people excitedly unfurled the national flag. It fluttered in the sea breeze as they linked arms, jumping and singing *Sing for the Motherland* in unison. It was just like that moment during the air show when the J-20 flew low; amidst the roar of the engines, they had sung with one voice:

"Sing for our beloved motherland, from now on marching toward prosperity and strength!"