Chapter 183 The Planning Part 1

Chapter 183 The Planning Part 1

"W-sixty?" Graves repeated the word that had just escaped Richard's lips. "Sir, that's a low-yield tactical nuke. Are we considering the use of nuclear ordnance?" n/.0velB1n

Richard met Graves' gaze squarely. "Yes, the W-sixty. It's a finely calibrated tactical nuclear weapon, designed for precision engagements with a significantly reduced blast radius. Its deployment is, of course, a matter of last resort, but we're facing a situation that may warrant such extreme measures, especially this kind of situation. Our F-35s, Super Soldier, and even our power suit are no match against the magic users. They are too strong, I admit, if there was a leveling system here in this new world, they might be around 50 and above."

"I am not against using a tactical nuke over the Korean Peninsula. Granted the existential threat of the master and his minions. But there may still be survivors that are hiding."

"That's the main point which we will discuss later," Richard said as he turned around. "Make sure to get your wound checked. I don't want you wincing or groaning in pain while we are in the middle of our strategic planning. We need every mind focused, especially yours."

Graves nodded.?"Understood, sir. I'll head to the medical unit right away."

After saying that, Richard left and proceeded to the command center where Sara was waiting.

"You already said your intentions to Graves?" Sara asked.

"I did. Any other developments?" Richard inquired, shifting their focus to new ones.

"There is one. Maria Santos has just contacted us the moment you left. I answered the call and they were asking about the plane that was supposed to come at the airport."

"And what did you tell them?" Richard asked.

"Simple, I told them that there was a sudden change in the schedule so the aircraft had to turn around. We can't tell them that one of our planes just got intercepted and destroyed by a monstrous bird," Sara explained, sounding proud.

Richard felt an urge to stroke her hair but chose to resist, maintaining a professional demeanor. "Good call, Sara. We can't afford to spread panic or reveal our weaknesses. We can just summon one aircraft and make it appear as the aircraft that was supposed to head to the Clark International Airport."

"Right..." Sara said. "Now, I'm feeling hungry. I'm going to grab some snacks. One pack of noodles would do. Do you want anything? Maybe a quick break could help clear your mind."

Richard paused, considering her suggestion. Today was just an intense day and he'd want to take a little break out from it. "Yeah, a break sounds good. Let's go to the cafeteria and grab something more substantial than just snacks," Richard replied.

Sara nodded in agreement. "Sounds like a plan.

The two made their way to the cafeteria, finding it moderately busy with other personnel. They queued up, selecting their meals - Richard opted for a seafood cup of noodles and a coffee, while Sara chose a pack of noodles. Most of the food in the cafeteria are non-perishable items as the fresh ones are already consumed or worse, spoiled or rotten.

They sat at the vacant table near the window, quietly eating their meals. The cafeteria buzzed with low conversations and the clatter of utensils, a contrast to the tense atmosphere of the command center. Richard sipped his coffee, feeling the caffeine start to clear his mind.

Sara broke the silence first. "So, about the W-sixty. We can't just blindly use it to destroy a fraction of the Korean peninsula. We would need visuals and confirmation that the target is in the area right? We can use long-endurance manned or unmanned aircraft."

"I have even better, and I intend to divulge that when we start discussing the idea," Richard said as he took a sip of the soup. "Mmm...cup noodles are the best. The soup is creamy and flavorful, and the noodles are just...how should I describe this...sublime? How about you? Are you enjoying your noodles?"

"I am," Sara said. "This calamansi flavor is one of my favorites?"

"That's one of my favorites too. I used to eat it when my classmates and I were doing our research during my senior high school days," Richard reminisced briefly. "We were rushing this one chapter and we were all hands on deck. I can still remember it clearly. Those are the good old days. But sadly...those normal days are over...replaced by this apocalypse. You know I'm sad for the babies born this year. Because they'd never have a chance to see what the world looked like before the apocalypse."

"What's with you all of a sudden?" Sara asked, a hint of amusement in her voice as she observed Richard's sudden shift into nostalgia.

Richard shrugged, setting down his cup. "Sometimes, amidst all this chaos, I find myself reflecting on how things used to be. Like this zombie apocalypse only existed in fiction. But look, it's happening in real life."

"But haven't you considered that we may be as well inside a fiction world?" Sara said, adding mystery to their conversation.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, your system, it's not really real right in the world? It doesn't follow any universal laws, it's just magic. We don't even know what's real...like."

"Okay, I'm going to stop you over there. You are giving me existential dread," Richard said with a slight chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.

They finished their meal for ten minutes and headed back to the command center. There, Mark and Richard were present. As for the Chief of Staff, well they were busy doing their roles and upholding their responsibilities. They'll be briefed on what had happened in the meeting when it concluded. But most of the time, it's only four of them that discuss the next move.

"So, I see that everyone is present," Richard said, glancing over to Mark and Graves. Sara trailed behind him.

He took a seat at the head of the conference table, his expression turning serious as he addressed the group. "Now, as all you know, I'm planning on using a low-yield tactical nuke over the Korean Peninsula in the hopes of finding and killing the master. It's a low yield so if it doesn't work, I'll level myself up to a certain level that allows me to buy MOAB."

"How are we going to find them?" Graves asked, getting straight to the point.

Richard opened his system and navigated the shop tab. He browsed for items and moments later, he stopped moving his finger.

"We have access to several high-resolution imaging satellites. For instance, we can utilize the USA-224, also known as the KH-11 Kennen, a U.S. reconnaissance satellite equipped with a large telescope that offers detailed imagery. It's been instrumental in past intelligence operations."

Sara leaned in, her eyes sparkling as this was her field. "That's impressive. What about something with a wider surveillance capability?"

Richard scrolled down. "We also have the Lacrosse/Onyx series, specifically the USA-202. These are radar imaging satellites capable of seeing through cloud cover and even at night, giving us a continuous monitoring capability."

"Additionally, we can use DigitalGlobe's WorldView-3 satellite. It's a commercial satellite, but it provides extremely high-resolution imagery and can capture images in multiple spectral bands. Useful for identifying specific details and patterns on the ground. But I don't know which one to buy so Sara, since you are the Chief of Staff for the ISR, you choose."

Sara pondered over the options for a moment. "Given our current needs, I think the best choice would be DigitalGlobe's WorldView-3 satellite. Its high-resolution imagery and spectral bands will be invaluable in identifying specific details. The ability to capture images in various spectral bands could be particularly useful for distinguishing between natural terrain and camouflaged or hidden structures, which could be crucial in our search."

After hearing that, Richard checked the price. It was one hundred and twenty million gold coins. A rocket is included. Given that he has half a billion gold coins in his balance. He didn't hesitate to buy it.