The entire Pacific Ocean lost its dawn on the second day. When the nuclear weapon exploded in the air, the fireball touched the surface of the sea. The red algae, the Seafolk, and the seawater were all vaporized by the mushroom cloud that followed. As the fireball and smoke rose, it caused the surrounding air to be sucked towards the center of the explosion, further sucking the dust into the smoke cloud. As the smoke cloud was blown away by the wind, some of the larger dust gradually fell to the surface of the sea and radiated, while the smaller dust would float in the air for a long time. The light radiation caused a huge fire in the red algae forest that had not vaporized. The thick smoke produced by the fire would inevitably meet with the floating dust as it rose. From then on, they would circle around the Earth with the westerlies and continue to spread towards the south. Finally, it would form a barrier that covered the entire space.
This barrier was the nuclear winter before the apocalypse. After a large amount of dust was injected into the atmosphere along with the rising mushroom cloud, it formed a stratosphere that absorbed the sunlight, causing the temperature on the ground to continue to drop. In this irreversible process, the entire world fell into darkness. The Americans had miscalculated. According to the speculation before the apocalypse, to form a long-term nuclear winter, they would need to detonate a nuclear bomb with a yield of five billion kilograms. According to their thinking, the explosive yield of more than a hundred nuclear bombs would only be a little more than a hundred million kilograms. It might cause great damage to the natural environment, but it was far from the standard of destroying the world. However, they had forgotten that the red algae itself was a plant that contained high energy. After the red algae was ignited, it was equivalent to burning hundreds of millions of tons of oil. Furthermore, the red algae in Hawaii was far more than a trillion tons.
After the nuclear explosion, there was no longer any daylight. Whether it was the United States or Australia, they were all plunged into endless darkness. The other side of the Earth was slightly better, there was a little bit of light, but one could only see less than a hundred meters away. During this period of time, the entire world fell into silence. Satellite communications were also affected by the nuclear radiation and were intermittent. On the contrary, England seized this opportunity and frantically migrated towards the North Pole while the Seafolk were silent. Within a month, through various methods, they migrated 20,000 people to the North Pole. With the seeds of these 20,000 people, England temporarily did not face the danger of extinction.
Over the past month, the situation at Australia's Liu Ya had also changed. After Kluge's substitute arrived in Australia, he showed his face for a short period of time before disappearing permanently. Legere also disappeared, and the various departments in Australia welcomed the biggest purge in history. The remaining Germans and Westerners in the various departments were almost wiped out, nominally because they supported Assad's rebellion.
In the process of the purge, New Era intentionally or unintentionally promoted the Chinese people. Nominally, it was a show of goodwill towards China, but in reality, it was to complete the handover of power in Australia. Unknowingly, Australia had already become China's overseas colony. Zhang Xiaoqiang did not interfere with New Era's cleaning up of Australia's administrative system. In Zhang Xiaoqiang's heart, he had never thought of accepting Australia's Liu Ya into China's system. This wasn't just a matter of distance. Just China alone would take China's renaissance decades to clean up, and there was also Russia that came knocking on his door. It could be said that as long as he wanted, China's territory could instantly expand by three times. Under Kluge's instruction, New Era befriended Zhang Xiaoqiang, hoping to make up for the losses that they had caused to China. There were no absolute friends or enemies. In the face of benefits, countries and prejudices were insignificant.
Whether Zhang Xiaoqiang wanted it or not, Australia was already his. New Era took all the helicopters and Harrier airships, as well as the 20,000 tons of red algae that were to be delivered in the future back to Europe. As for the population and territory, China would be responsible for it. At the same time, it also gave Zhang Xiaoqiang a headache. The temperature of the nuclear winter became extremely abnormal. The average temperature dropped by 15 degrees, while the temperature of the Pacific Ocean dropped by more than 30 degrees. The food and clothing of millions of people were like shackles that bound Zhang Xiaoqiang tightly. The airship fleet transported food from China day and night, but it was still not enough. If it wasn't for the fact that there were too many mutated beast corpses on the east coast that day, no one knew how long these millions of people could last.
After the arrival of the blood phoenix, Australia, where millions of people lived, was completely free from the threat of zombies. This was not good news for them. Without daylight, the temperature dropped, the food shortage, and the political changes made most people anxious. Other than the transportation fleet, there was very little human activity on the ground. Large tracts of farmers gradually withered and died as they couldn't get any sunlight before the harvest.
The previously bustling new city fell into dead silence. Only when people went to work would the street lights be turned on. The survivors wore thick clothes and walked into the factories like ghosts under the dim street lights. Only in the factories could they feel the light and heat. The cold nuclear winter didn't let the survivors stay at home to wait for relief, and Zhang Xiaoqiang didn't plan to let them do nothing.
Regardless of whether it was Australia or China, they were still frantically preparing for war. On the production line, Thunderstorm Rifles continuously walked down the production line to equip the troops. In the smelting center, Australia's high-grade ores were smelted into steel and cast into the shape of artillery shells. In the munitions factory, millions of bullets and rockets were produced day and night.
In the tallest building in the new city, Zhang Xiaoqiang and Xavier stood on the balcony and looked at the pedestrians on the street in silence. Leger took the two virus serums and followed the two gods to the European headquarters. He handed the entire Australia over to Zhang Xiaoqiang, and Zhang Xiaoqiang handed it over to Xavier. Xavier's contributions couldn't go unnoticed in ensuring the normal operation of Australia in the midst of chaos.
"The satellites have detected that the number of Sky Dancers above the Hawaiian waters hasn't decreased. Of course, it hasn't increased either. It's maintained at around ten thousand, and they're concentrated near the Hawaiian waters without any signs of spreading. If we're careful, we should be able to avoid them. That way, we can open up an air route to the United States …"
Looking at the survivors below who were no longer as lively as before, Zhang Xiaoqiang couldn't help but tell them the bad news. The Americans had created a nuclear winter, but the Red Algae in the Hawaiian waters hadn't been destroyed. The whole world had calmed down in the darkness, but it had also caused great trouble for humans. Zhang Xiaoqiang didn't know how the survivors in the wild or underground were going to survive the nuclear winter.
"There's news from the Americans?"
Xavier was stunned. Ever since they disappeared during the day, there hadn't been any news from the Americans, as if they were all dead. The Americans probably knew that they were in big trouble and didn't dare to show their faces again.
"No, I think they're in a terrible situation now. Although the United States has a large amount of oil reserves, it can't compare to the Red Algae. If it weren't for the millions of tons of Red Algae providing electricity, I'm afraid that at least one-tenth of the millions of people wouldn't be able to survive. Didn't they promise us artillery shells before?
This time, they should be able to fulfill their promise, right? "
Zhang Xiaoqiang was concerned about the Americans' businesses. The American military base in Singapore didn't have a lot of ammunition, and most of it was fuel and equipment parts. Zhang Xiaoqiang didn't need these things. Australia's military system was too weak, and the production of large cannons couldn't be increased. Almost three million people revolved around the military system, but not many cannons had left the production line. There was also the problem of ammunition. Australia didn't lack the resources to manufacture artillery shells, but they lacked the equipment to process them.
"I don't know how long this war will last. The British and Russians have already been eliminated. If Regal is successful, the New Era will also be eliminated. Only the United States, Genesis, and China are left …"
After the end of the world, serving the New Era was his career. Back then, the New Era was just a loose organization. Under Delia's monstrous leadership, it gradually grew into a colossus that dominated several continents. Then, he watched helplessly as this colossus was divided, weakened, and finally destroyed. His heart was filled with indignation, but what could he do even if he was indignant?
His name in the New Era was a traitor. It would be fine if he didn't appear, but the moment he did, it would be the moment of his death.
"Even if all the Red Algae is destroyed and all the Seafolk are killed, we still might not win. The root of the problem is still that meteorite …" Zhang Xiaoqiang knew where the focus of this war was, but destroying that meteorite was easier said than done.
The sea was not in the hands of humans, and now the sky of the Pacific Ocean was also not in the hands of humans. Perhaps before they could even see it, they would be drowned by countless Seafolk. Passively defending was always a helpless move, but it was even more difficult to obtain a chance of victory.
"According to physicists, the nuclear winter is weakening, and there are still two months before the night disappears. We still have two months to prepare …" Xeller did not know what to say. Thinking of the news he had received, he told Zhang Xiaoqiang this as an early good news.
"This means that in two months, that damned meteorite will also be ready to launch the craziest revenge. Last time, the New Era angered it, and the Seafolk besieged it. Now that the Americans have angered it, what will it be?"
Zhang Xiaoqiang did not think that this was good news. Two months was not a long time, and in the dark of the nuclear winter, humans and the Seafolk were not on the same starting line.
"Oh, right, Officer Huang Quan and Officer Ishihara both sent a message saying that they need as many explosives as possible. Can you have the transport team transport them from China next time? All the explosives in Australia are used to produce artillery shells …" Xeller thought of something and suggested to Zhang Xiaoqiang. Zhang Xiaoqiang did not disagree. Be it Huang Quan or Ishihara, they were both talented generals. Since they had requested this, he would not ask why. As long as the two of them could hold their own defense line and buy as much time as possible for the rear, victory would be theirs.