Chapter 293: Collapse

China’s decision to control the return of its people is based on Du Qiu’s hope to give Dream Technology some time to fully assess the current state of the Japanese Archipelago.

Only after simulations prove that a mega-tsunami will not occur will arrangements be made for the people to return, otherwise, the consequences are inconceivable.

China’s government accepted this suggestion, while their own geological experts urgently computed the same.

“How’s the situation?” Du Qiu asked urgently.

Han Guoqiang launched a 3D projection, pointing at the projected Earth, and said, “Previously, we calculated the subsidence of the Japanese Archipelago as an isolated event.

In fact, starting from the San Andreas Fault, all geological disasters currently spanning the globe are interconnected and resonate with each other.

Our previous tsunami simulation ignored other variables from different locations.

On September 20th, Mexico invited Americans to detonate a nuclear bomb underground northwest of Lancer City by 170 kilometers to halt the fault’s extension.

This affected the activity of the Pacific plate, with the Japanese Archipelago on the western boundary of the plate naturally being affected.

We’ve confirmed the situation at that time: the regular daily magnitude-8 earthquakes in the archipelago happened twice on that day!

Afterward, this regularity was completely disrupted until the land subsidence on October 8th — in those 18 days, only nine magnitude-8 earthquakes occurred.”

Unable to help himself, Du Qiu asked, “Does that mean the Japanese Archipelago is much calmer than originally projected? Then why did land subsidence still occur on October 8th?”

Han Guoqiang, pointing to the strata beneath the Japanese Archipelago, explained, “Because the previous earthquakes had already brought the fractured strata to a critical point.

But due to so many fewer earthquakes, the timing of the land subsidence remained the same, yet the intensity was affected.”

Du Qiu, intrigued, asked, “So are you saying the remnants of the Japanese Archipelago won’t undergo subsidence?”

Han Guoqiang shook his head, “No, this outcome will not change. Remember how we likened the Earth’s crust to an eggshell?

The appearance of the San Andreas Fault has already created cracks in the crust; blocking the fault extension with nuclear bombs added cracks rather than healed them.

Unlike a stationary eggshell, the Earth’s crust is in motion, with the Pacific Plate constantly moving eastward, pulling the Japanese Archipelago with it.

In other words, according to the past movement speed of the Pacific Plate, the ultimate fate of the Japanese Archipelago is to be dragged into the depths of the Pacific.

However, the appearance of the San Andreas Fault has accelerated the eastward movement of the Pacific Plate, thus advancing the eventual subsidence of the Japanese Archipelago to this year.”

Du Qiu asked, “So if the San Andreas Fault hadn’t appeared, this situation wouldn’t have occurred?”

“No, this situation was already predestined!” Han Guoqiang decisively stated, “Do you remember the Mayan prophecy? In fact, this should be attributed to the Pleiadians.

The San Andreas Fault is a scar left from an asteroid impact on Earth 60 million years ago, and so is the future appearance of the Central American Rift.

This latent injury, after tens of millions of years of development, when the solar system moved to its current position rotating around the center of the Galaxy, due to the time-space distortion zone affecting Earth’s magnetic field, the activity on the Pacific Plate intensified and the Central American Rift appeared.

Thus, we can predict that the second rift is also around the Pacific.”

Struck by this, Du Qiu remarked, “No wonder the Pleiadians were so certain about the onset of a grand Ice Age.”

Han Guoqiang nodded, “Yes, they went through scientific simulations and clearly had a profound understanding of the Milky Way, knowing the location of the time-space distorted space.”

“It seems we need to accelerate our development to explore the Pleiades sooner, to see what kind of cataclysm they experienced.”

Moved, Han Guoqiang expressed, “This task will likely fall to your young generation. I, an old man, might not see that day.”

Du Qiu looked at Han Guoqiang, smiled, and said, “Maybe not. With the rapid development of our technology, human longevity may significantly increase. Perhaps you could personally land on a Pleiadian star.”

Thinking Du Qiu was consoling him, Han Guoqiang also smiled and responded, “I hope so, may the dream come true.”

Du Qiu returned to the original topic, asking, “So now, when do you predict the Japanese Archipelago will again experience land subsidence, and will the mega-tsunami arrive as scheduled?”

Han Guoqiang, somberly stated, “Tomorrow morning! The tsunamis will be stronger than previously anticipated, expected to strike the western Pacific coastlines up to 80 kilometers in-depth. In South Korea, due to closer proximity, it could reach 100 kilometers!”

Du Qiu, breaking into a cold sweat, wiped his forehead with relief, “Thank goodness we considered redundancy and evacuated everyone within a 100-kilometer range at that time!”

“Indeed, planning for the worst isn’t wrong.”

“Great, I’m heading to the East Sea right now, hoping the graviton wave generator can weaken the mega-tsunami!”

“Shall we issue a warning?”

“Of course! Whether the world believes it or not, we must act with a clear conscience!”

++++++++

In the deep night over the Pacific, a massive fleet was speeding westward.

At the center of the fleet, four quasi-aircraft carriers represented the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Since September 10th, they had left the Japanese Archipelago, abandoning their nation and people, fleeing to the U.S. Hawaiian Islands for refuge.

On the bridge of the Izumo, Prime Minister Toyotomi Ichiro gazed dazedly into the western night, “Mizukawa, I shouldn’t have left my homeland so early.”

Mizukawa Kazuhide comforted him, “My lord, not only were there daily earthquakes of over magnitude 8 on the Japanese Archipelago, but a virus was also spreading.

A wise man does not stand under a collapsing wall. You are the Empire’s Prime Minister. You could not perish with the Archipelago. You still bear the heavy responsibility of Japan’s restoration.

Moreover, didn’t Dream Technology also warn us? When the Archipelago subsides, it will trigger a mega-tsunami. Leaving was the right thing to do.”

Toyotomi Ichiro remained silent as Defense Minister Kawata Takeo scoffed, “Humph, Dream Technology was just seeking attention. Their warnings have all proved to be wrong.

My lord, we Japanese have a heavenly alignment. Part of the Archipelago remains. If we hurry back now, we might still save some of our kinsmen.”

Toyotomi Ichiro furrowed his brows and asked, “Kawata, are you sure that the remaining part of the Archipelago will not sink further, and that the earthquakes have stopped?”

“Yes. Our task force has already landed on the Archipelago. It is exceptionally calm—unprecedentedly so. As of today, it’s been a full thirty days without any aftershocks. It’s all over.”

Mizukawa Kazuhide laughed, “Thank goodness Dream Technology’s prediction was wrong again. It’s a divine blessing!”

“Hmm, how far are we from our homeland now?” Toyotomi Ichiro asked.

Kawata Takeo replied, “Approximately 800 kilometers. We can arrive in about 14 hours. My lord, it’s late; you should rest now.”

“Good. By the time I wake up tomorrow, our homeland will be in sight.”

The fleet accelerated through the night.

At 11 p.m., deep beneath where the Shikoku island used to be located in the Japanese Archipelago, another violent earthquake struck, magnitude 9.5, lasting 38 seconds.

In this longest, most intense earthquake in recorded history, the remaining part of the western islands suddenly collapsed into the sea.

The speed of the subsidence was so rapid that the Japanese task force on the islands couldn’t even send a telegram.

The entire area’s sea seemed to boil, forming a massive vortex. An invisible energy spread out like ripples in a pond, expanding wave upon wave.

This ripple was actually a wave wall tens of meters high, expanding at an astonishing pace, unstoppable wherever it went!

The ripple spreading eastward was heading straight towards the Japanese fleet speeding from the west.

Around 7 a.m. the next day, both forces collided.

Prime Minister Toyotomi Ichiro, just roused urgently, saw the tremendous wave wall covering the sky towards the fleet through the porthole, his face pale, a flash of despair in his eyes.

“The Empire has fallen!”

A further chapter will be available by noon.