Chapter 144 - 143: Down to the Same Level
Li Qingsong’s intention was actually quite simple.
’The environment on Venus is too harsh, which prevented me from deploying large-scale infrastructure on its surface. I couldn’t build a Supercomputing Base, which allowed you to exploit that weakness and seize the planet.’
’Your technology is more advanced. You’re capable of deploying large-scale infrastructure on the surface of Venus, building a Supercomputing Base, and stationing a large number of unmanned combat forces.’
’With conventional methods alone, I can’t take Venus back.’
’So... I’ll just have to make the environment on Venus’s surface even harsher. So harsh that even you can’t handle it, to the point where you can’t build large-scale infrastructure. That will drag you down to my level!’
The impact of an asteroid with a mass of approximately 24 trillion tons would achieve this goal.
The asteroid that struck Earth and caused the dinosaurs’ extinction was only about 10 kilometers in diameter, with a total mass of approximately 1.4 trillion tons—a mere 6% of this asteroid’s mass!
But even that smaller asteroid triggered drastic changes in Earth’s environment, causing massive tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. Volcanic ash filled the atmosphere, leading to a global freeze.
And now, if this asteroid were to strike Venus, the energy released would be at least 20 times greater.
Furthermore, Venus already had extremely active geology. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions were frequent across its surface.
Predictably, once the asteroid struck Venus, it would immediately trigger a new, massive wave of geological activity. Countless powerful earthquakes and volcanic eruptions would occur, making the already hostile surface of Venus even more inhospitable—so inhospitable that even the Blutuk People would be powerless to continue their construction!
In this way, the advantage the Blutuk People had gained by capturing Venus would be nullified.
Furthermore, the asteroid’s acceleration phase was completed within the Asteroid Belt, which was his heavily fortified territory. The Blutuk People were powerless to interfere at this stage.
And once its acceleration phase was complete, the asteroid would begin hurtling toward Venus at over 20 kilometers per second. Even after entering the Blutuk People’s controlled space, how could they possibly stop such a ferocious beast, a behemoth of immense kinetic energy?
’Bombardment with Electromagnetic Cannon Projectiles? Searing it with laser beams?’
’Those tactics worked against Warships, but they were useless against a solid asteroid.’
’Atomic bombs? Even Hydrogen Bombs?’
’They would have some effect, but not much.’
’Nuclear weapons could only shave off a fraction of the asteroid’s mass. Even if a massive number of nuclear detonations managed to reduce its mass by half, so what?’
’Besides, I wouldn’t just let them attack this asteroid at will.’
’Try to use my own method against me? Build enough Thrust Devices on the asteroid to push it off course?’
’Putting aside the fact that I would obviously interfere and stop the Blutuk from trying, even if I let them, their sphere of control is limited to the vicinity of Venus. By the time the asteroid gets that close, it would be far too late. They wouldn’t have enough time.’
The Blutuk People’s only hope was to dispatch a massive fleet to intercept and occupy the asteroid while it was still far from Venus, and only then could they attempt to alter its trajectory and prevent the collision.
’Then bring it on! It’s just a battle in open space. It’s not like we haven’t fought one before!’
Events unfolded just as Li Qingsong had predicted. Upon detecting the asteroid being propelled toward Venus by Li Qingsong, a massive number of Warships immediately departed from Venus and attempted to approach it.
Li Qingsong’s fleet, in turn, formed a tight protective cordon around the asteroid.
Both sides went all out.
For a time, the space around the asteroid became the focal point of the war for the entire Solar System.
Li Qingsong had the resources of seven major planets to draw upon, while the Blutuk People had the resources of Venus.
Li Qingsong had four hundred million active Clones, with no internal friction and zero communication overhead, making them incredibly efficient. The Blutuk People, on the other hand, had a population of nearly one hundred billion; though less efficient, their sheer numbers were a significant factor.
Countless heavy cargo ships arrived in the vicinity of the asteroid, delivering enormous quantities of supplies to both sides. Incredibly brutal and fierce fighting also erupted along these supply lines, with raids and counter-raids, ambushes and counter-ambushes.
On the main battlefield, Warship after Warship was destroyed. Both sides suffered heavy casualties, though Li Qingsong’s forces took the greater losses.
But Li Qingsong didn’t care at all.
’If they destroy a thousand of my Warships, I’ll replace them with a thousand more. If they kill a million Clones, I’ll replace them with a million more. I must give it my all and ensure that the propulsion of the asteroid is not affected!’
Under these conditions, at the cost of over three hundred million Clones and more than one hundred thousand destroyed Warships, Li Qingsong finally carved a bloody path through the enemy’s desperate interception. He had forcefully escorted the asteroid to a point just 10 million kilometers from Venus.
At this point, he had successfully accelerated its speed to 20 kilometers per second.
At this velocity, it would collide with Venus in approximately six days.
This was already within the Blutuk People’s sphere of control, and Li Qingsong’s forces had no choice but to withdraw.
But it didn’t matter. A behemoth of this size could not be stopped or have its trajectory altered in just a few short days.
Not even numerous high-yield nuclear warheads could do it!
It was like a runaway, heavily loaded truck speeding down a highway on Earth. Even if you riddled it with thousands of bullets and tore the truck to shreds, you couldn’t make it stop instantly.
Li Qingsong could almost see it: the Blutuk People on the surface of Venus, panicking as if doomsday had arrived.
But in the next moment...
"Hmm?"
Li Qingsong’s eyes narrowed slightly.
He witnessed a somewhat unexpected scene.
He saw that in orbit around Venus, a giant spacecraft that had been circling the planet at a velocity of roughly 10 kilometers per second suddenly began to accelerate.
The vessel was immense, a full two kilometers in length. Li Qingsong had always assumed it was merely a space station; he never expected it to be a ship capable of free movement.
A giant vessel like that, if filled with ballast, could likely have a total mass as high as ten billion tons.
Now, this giant vessel accelerated, reaching the velocity needed to escape Venus’s gravity, and set a collision course for the asteroid.
Li Qingsong’s expression grew increasingly grim.
’So this was the Blutuk People’s countermeasure!’
A ten-billion-ton giant vessel moving at approximately 11 kilometers per second would possess a total kinetic energy of about 6 x 10^20 joules.
In terms of TNT explosive equivalent, that’s roughly 150 billion tons of TNT!
Moreover, the energy from such a kinetic impact is incredibly focused. The vast majority of it would be transferred directly to the asteroid, unlike a Hydrogen Bomb explosion where the energy radiates out in all directions!