Godzilla Earth: Origin - Book 1: Chapter 21: Looking at the Ground

After getting off the car, Akiyama Ryo and Amano Mitsuyu, escorted by two robots, passed through the area where fortress gun base foundations were being constructed and arrived at the construction site outside.

The once lush forest in this area had been completely cleared.

Heavy transport planes descended from the sky, bringing more robots and construction materials.

The workers below operated large machinery, transporting and melting building materials to construct their accommodations for the night.

Once they finished constructing a framework, countless small unmanned robots arrived to turn the framework into houses.

Even more machinery and personnel were involved in creating that immensely massive base.

In just one morning, they had built such a steel city. Anyone who saw the construction speed would be amazed. It was incredibly fast.

However, Akiyama Ryo was already accustomed to seeing their constructions through videos before the meeting.

Upon reaching the construction site, the two robots led Akiyama and Amano into a newly built small house. Inside the house, several military personnel who were engaged in a conversation noticed their arrival and ended their discussion, greeting Akiyama and his companion:

“Hello, comrades. You must be the person in charge on the Hokkaido side. I’m Yang Qing, the head of the East Asian Far Eastern Barrier Construction Support Unit.”

“Hello, I am Akiyama Ryo, the head of Emergency Management in the Hokkaido metropolitan area.”

“I am Amano Mitsuyu, Mr. Akiyama’s assistant.”

Both Akiyama and Amano returned the greeting, and after that, the head of the support unit glanced at his team members and immediately changed his tone, continuing:

“Well, pleasantries aside. Mr. Akiyama, regarding the matter of electricity and construction materials, I expect a proper response from you.”

“How much do you need?”

“500 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and 10 million tons of steel.”

…

“500 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and 10 million tons of steel. Have you come up with any solutions?”

In the Hokkaido metropolitan area government hall, Amano, a member of the parliament, looked at the report presented by his son and trusted subordinate. His thoughts were uncertain.

He glanced at them, knowing that merely informing them of something he already knew wouldn’t have made them rush back.

“We have a solution.”

Akiyama and Amano answered together, then handed over a new report.

“Ten major steel manufacturing companies, including Tengang, Shin Kyokuto, and Shinkyu, have not shipped their steel produced this month due to emergency cargo redirection.”

“If we requisition all of their steel, we can fill the construction materials shortage. However, I need your authorization.”

“As for electricity, due to the disappearance of Tokyo, the Far East region has a significant surplus of power.”

“If we transfer a portion of the original Tokyo’s electricity, even 100 billion kilowatt-hours won’t be a problem.”

Saying that, Akiyama stepped forward, and Amano, the parliament member, finished writing the document in his hand and handed it to him, saying:

“That will be all. Don’t disappoint me.”

“Yes!”

Having received this written authorization, Akiyama and Amano left the government hall, called a self-driving car, and headed towards the port.

…

“For 34 Anti-Godzilla Cannons. We need a total of 170 million tons of steel.”

“The other regions will contribute a total of 150 million tons, so the remaining 20 million tons is our own problem.”

“The first Anti-Godzilla Cannon is expected to be completed in 5 days, and all Anti-Godzilla Cannons will be installed within 50 days. How is the speed?”

“Steel is not a problem, and speed is not a problem. The problem lies in the energy storage of the Anti-Godzilla Cannons.”

“In the design, to deliver a strong enough blow to Godzilla, each Anti-Godzilla Cannon requires 200 million watt-hours of electricity per shot.”

“Based on the calculation of 50 shots per cannon while Godzilla is advancing, we need 300 billion watt-hours of electricity.”

“But we don’t have that much capacity.”

“Don’t you have enough now?”

“The current capacity is only enough for the basic operation of five Anti-Godzilla Cannons. We need support here. Considering multiple uses, we need at least one trillion watt-hours of battery capacity. Otherwise, we cannot sustain long-term operations.”

“Alright, we will find a solution and try to deliver everything you need to the Far East within 10 days.”

…

Seven hours later, on the road leading to the construction site of the Anti-Godzilla Cannon base in the Hokkaido metropolitan area, numerous heavy trucks are transporting all the necessary construction materials.

They form a continuous line that stretches as far as the eye can see from the base of the Anti-Godzilla Cannon.

On the upper level of the base, two figures are standing and looking down at the brightly lit construction site.

“I didn’t expect your efficiency to be this fast. I’ve always heard that people in the Far East are rigid, but it turns out your minds work quickly.”

“That was before the nuclear war. After the war, the world became the same.”

“Is that so? I must have misunderstood you.”

“Sigh…”

“Do you want one? A cigarette?”

“No, thanks. I quit already. But I have a question…”

“What’s your question? Go ahead.”

“I’m just curious, do you really have the confidence to complete all this before Godzilla arrives?”

“If you ask me that way, I can’t answer you.”

“The awakening and landing time of Godzilla are not determined by us humans. All we can do is to try our best to complete the assigned tasks before it wakes up, and turn this place into a favorable front line against Godzilla.”

“Mr. Yang, do you think we cannot defeat Godzilla in a short amount of time?”

“It’s not that we cannot defeat it, it’s that Godzilla is still a living creature.”

“You see, Godzilla can run, right? And the Anti-Godzilla Cannons can’t kill Godzilla in one shot, nor can they be used underwater.”

“So, I think that although we can defeat Godzilla, it is still impossible to kill it, right? Without a major technological breakthrough, we can only hope to repel Godzilla.”

“Don’t you think so?”

Exhaling the smoke, Qiu Shan, standing next to Yang Qing, pondered and agreed with this statement.

“But you don’t have to be too disheartened. I know about your family, and I believe we will be able to defeat Godzilla.”

“Mr. Yang, a few days ago, I heard the exact same words, saying that we will definitely defeat Godzilla.”

“And at that time, their basis was science. What is your basis now?”

As Qiu Shan spoke, he took out a cigarette. Just as Yang Qing was about to say something, Qiu Shan directly put the unlit cigarette into his mouth.

It turned out that it wasn’t a cigarette, but just a cigarette-shaped candy.

“Well… as for the basis, take a look at the ground.”

Qiu Shan looked down, and although it was already 22:00 at night, the construction site was still brightly lit.

Heavy trucks were transporting building materials, transport helicopters were operating in the dark night.

Robots were welding the parts of the massive cannon base, and workers were working tirelessly day and night to build the main structures.

“Click, click, click.”

In the darkness of the night, the newly repaired substations began to operate, and the lights illuminated the darkness of the mountains as bright as day.

The flow of vehicles, the flow of people, the flow of light continued without interruption.

He probably understood.

March 21, 2208, 22:31.

9 days before Godzilla’s awakening.