36: Energy Crisis! Target: Hongwan Nuclear Power Plant Exclusion Zone

Far from the noise and flames of Jiang City's old district, the black iron ghost sailed across a vast, boundless expanse of open water.

This area was originally a plain agricultural reclamation zone on the outskirts of Jiang City, but it had now completely turned into a vast ocean.

As far as the eye could see, there were no traces of human civilization left, except for the occasional tip of a high-voltage power tower poking out of the water and floating dead trees.

Inside the cockpit, the atmosphere was unusually relaxed.

Su Qingyu was organizing the two pieces of "god-tier equipment" they had just acquired—

The Tinder Crystal was locked inside a lead box with the highest security level.

Meanwhile, that deep blue bio-fusion crystal core was placed under a microscope for structural analysis.

"All clear."

Jiang Ran leaned back in the Commander's seat, letting out a long sigh of relief as he looked at the empty scan results on the radar screen.

That pack of bounty hunters, who were like mad dogs, had been left so far behind that not even a shadow remained.

In this deep-water zone, no ship could keep up with the black iron ghost's speed.

But before he could enjoy even a minute of peace, zero's mood-killing voice rang out again:

[Warning: Energy reserves are critical.]

[Current fuel remaining: 18%.]

[Estimated cruising range: 120 kilometers (economic speed).]

"How did it drop so fast?"

Jiang Ran frowned and sat up straight. "Didn't we just pump five tons of diesel from that Logistics Park fuel depot before we left?"

"Commander, you may have some misunderstandings regarding the energy consumption of a Lv3 battleship."

zero pulled up a red energy consumption analysis chart:

"While Lv3 possesses a stealth system and an ultra-high speed of 60 knots, these are all built on the foundation of the 'Hybrid Heart' operating at full power.

Especially during the breakout battle just now—

Activating optical stealth, driving the heavy Mechanical Arm, maintaining the drone swarm's charge, plus the full-speed ramming... after that series of moves, it's drinking diesel like water."

Jiang Ran looked at that glaring "18%," and his expression turned somewhat grim.

Although he had devoured an outboard motor at Lv1 and obtained the so-called "Infinite Power Core."

But that core's power output was too low; at most, it could maintain the ship's daily lighting and low-speed drifting.

To drive this steel monster, with a displacement of nearly 50 tons and fully loaded with high-tech equipment, into high-intensity combat, he still had to rely on those two high-power diesel generator sets.

"This is the bottleneck."

Jiang Ran tapped his fingers on the armrest, a hint of irritation flashing in his eyes.

In this apocalypse, fuel was blood.

Although abandoned cars could be found everywhere to siphon oil from, that inefficient method of scavenging was too time-consuming.

Moreover, as the ship's level got higher, if he had laser weapons or energy shields in the future, relying solely on burning oil wouldn't be enough to power them.

"I don't want to be a fuel rat anymore."

Jiang Ran turned to look at the deep blue crystal core on the lab bench:

"zero, since we already have this 'bio-fusion crystal core,' can we start the Lv4 power upgrade ahead of schedule?"

"Deducing Lv4 blueprint..."

A few seconds later, a brand new design chart, full of industrial-violence aesthetics, was projected onto the holographic screen.

[Target Blueprint: Lv4 Nuclear-Powered Battleship (Initial Phase)]

[core Component: Miniature Cold Fusion/Fission Hybrid Reactor]

[Required Materials:]

Energy core: bio-fusion crystal core (Already owned).

Reactor Vessel: Requires special zirconium alloy resistant to high temperature and high pressure (Missing).

Radiation Shielding Layer: At least 5 tons of high-purity lead or heavy metal composite plates (Missing).

Control Rod System: High-purity graphite and borides (Missing).

"We have the 'fire,' but we're missing a 'furnace' to hold it."

zero summarized: "If the crystal core is activated directly, the energy it releases will melt the black iron into molten iron within 0.1 seconds."

"A furnace..."

Jiang Ran looked at the list of missing materials: zirconium alloy, heavy lead, graphite.

These were all special materials dedicated to the nuclear industry; they couldn't be found in ordinary hardware stores or factories.

In these waters, there was only one place that might have these things.

Jiang Ran slid his finger across the map, finally stopping on a red skull icon located a hundred kilometers to their northeast.

[Hongwan Nuclear Power Plant]

That place used to be the electrical heart of Jiang City and its surrounding cities.

But on the day the flood broke out, a serious leak occurred there, and it was designated as a "permanent forbidden zone" by the authorities.

"Red Bay."

Su Qingyu's expression changed when she heard the name. "That's a major disaster area for radiation.

They say the flood submerged the reactor and the cooling system failed. The current radiation levels could probably make a person glow green."

"Radiation?"

Jiang Ran glanced at his pale palm, and a faint blue halo flickered in his eyes.

If it were before, he would definitely have taken a detour.

But now, as an "Abyssal Walker," radiation was no longer a Grim Reaper to him, but rather a slightly pungent seasoning.

"As long as the energy problem can be solved, I'll charge into hell if I have to."

Jiang Ran stood up and issued the command:

"zero, correct course. Target: Hongwan Nuclear Power Plant."

"Proceed at economic speed."

"Let's go give this ship a heart that never goes out."

...As the black iron ghost sailed toward the northeast, the surrounding scenery began to undergo unsettling changes.

The floodwaters, which were originally pitch-black but relatively clear, gradually took on a murky, dark red hue.

This red was not the color of fresh blood, but a sickly shade that looked like rust mixed with decaying algae.

The fishy smell of the water in the air disappeared.

In its place was a thick, mixed stench of metallic corrosion and the rotten-egg smell of hydrogen sulfide.

"Warning. External radiation levels are rising exponentially."

zero's voice broke the silence in the cockpit:

[Current radiation dose: 3.5 Sv/h.]

[Exceeds the lethal standard for ordinary humans by fifty times.]

"And it's still rising."

Su Qingyu stared at the Geiger counter in her hand, which was jumping wildly. The "zzzt zzzt" electrical sound was as dense as the chirping of ten thousand cicadas.

She looked out the porthole, her expression grim:

"This is where the name 'Red Bay' comes from.

The flood breached the nuclear plant's breakwater and submerged the core.

Although the reactor might have automatically shut down,

the cooling water circulation system failed, leading to a massive leak of highly radioactive cooling water, which triggered a red tide outbreak in the surrounding waters."

Jiang Ran looked out through the porthole.

Countless pale dead fish floated on the water's surface.

Not only small fish, but he could even see several massive mutant river dolphins floating belly-up in the red muddy soup.

Their skin was ulcerated and covered in tumors; they had clearly died in extreme agony.

This was a forbidden zone for life.

"Look ahead." Jiang Ran narrowed his eyes.

Through that layer of red radioactive mist,

on the distant horizon, three massive hyperbolic cooling towers stood silently in the water like three grayish-white tombstones.