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* * *

National Government

The National Government had to showcase all the nuclear-related technologies they possessed during the visit of the Rome Treaty and the representatives of the United States.

At least, that’s how it appeared on the surface.

“Hmm, is this all there is?”

The scientists from the Rome Treaty and American nuclear physicists examined the materials and research results, checking one by one how far China’s nuclear development had progressed.

“That’s right. This is what we have researched.”

“It was originally developed for our own protection.”

Claiming that it was developed for self-defense.

The Rome Treaty and American research teams, fully aware of the sheer absurdity of this statement, could only scoff at it.

“Sure, that might be the case, but it still feels suspicious.”

“There is absolutely no other meaning behind it. If our movements appear suspicious to the Rome Treaty and the United States, we will rightfully cease our activities.”

The notion that they would stop was hard to swallow.

No matter how backward the Chinese were, could they really not conduct nuclear development given their basic knowledge?

“Alright, let’s say that’s true. Then, this is your research team?”

“Yes.”

They were shown the research team readily enough, but one had to be able to trust this.

Regrettably, neither the Rome Treaty nor the United States were fools.

Especially, the Rome Treaty Organization decided to put strong pressure on the National Government.

“Still, we cannot take any chances. As there are precedents, we will establish the headquarters of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty here in Chongqing.”

“That’s not a bad idea. Further nuclear development must be completely blocked.”

The United States agreed with this, but Soong Mei-ling did not.

“That is interference in our internal affairs!”

She wanted to sweep away the representatives from the Rome Treaty and the United States on the spot but managed to hold herself back.

“Interference in internal affairs? We are only concerned about nuclear issues. If you feel pricked, there is nothing you cannot accept.”

What could be so pricking that she would resist so vehemently? Isn’t that a bit strange?

After World War II, the National Government was interested in nuclear technology.

By coincidence, Chinese nuclear scientists who had been expelled from the United States had come to the National Government, enabling them to attempt nuclear development, and they had been preparing for several years.

After all, they were receiving sufficient logistical support for post-war recovery from the Rome Treaty, and it seemed feasible to focus resources on just nuclear development.

But this way, it was essentially a complete blockade.

“That may be the case, but this does seem…”

“Our intentions in wanting to develop are as suspicious to you as yours are to us. How can we trust that you will truly halt nuclear development if we simply step back?”

Honestly speaking, with the current situation, could the National Government officials actually give up on nuclear development?

If asked, the answer would likely be no.

The National Government had no intention of passing up this opportunity, and by the time it was known that they were developing nuclear weapons, it implied that even the warlords were aware.

Would they simply sit still?

“That may be true, but please trust our sincerity. This could make us look like a country being interfered with by the warlords.”

“Well, we have time, so let’s find a point of agreement.”

The Rome Treaty Organization left behind the suggestion to slowly derive an agreement point, while for a while, Soong Mei-ling had to grapple with the Rome Treaty and the United States concerning the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty headquarters.

During this time, at the Zhangjin Nuclear Research Institute, critical experiments were beginning using two hemispheres of plutonium placed at a suitable distance without joining them.

However, an order came down from above to combine them immediately.

“Is this right? We should combine them into one?”

“Yes, combine them into one and see how the situation changes.”

The order to join these hemispheres together.

In truth, it was enough substance to potentially breach the critical point.

Yet, the research team, just beginning nuclear research, did not possess enough knowledge to oppose this.

“Hmm, isn’t this our first time doing this? Wasn’t the initial instruction to move them up and down?”

Originally, the plan was not to join the hemispheres but to encapsulate a small sphere of plutonium-239 and verify the reactions by moving the top hemisphere up and down.

Once measurements were complete, they were to separate it immediately, but this experiment felt a bit strange.

Doing so carried significant risk, yet an order to combine them was given.

What would happen if they joined them like this?

“Well, since it’s Dr. Chen Qisheng’s instruction, it should be fine. Join them.”

“Yes.”

And then that summoned the worst outcome.

The combined plutonium exceeded the critical point, and as a result, the singular plutonium sphere began to emit a blue light.

Yes, this was nuclear fission.

In the original history, this was the very incident known as the Demon Core. In this world, it occurred in China.

“What’s this? It’s getting really hot!”

“What should we do about that?”

“It seems we must drop it somehow, but how do we drop it?”

The combined plutonium that had exceeded the critical threshold became so hot that it was difficult to touch, and soon it heated to such an extent that even the research director came running in.

Normally, someone would need to sacrifice themselves to drop it before it overheated, but tragically, not a single person was in a state of mind to think that, and the head of the Zhangjin Nuclear Research Institute, receiving orders from Dr. Chen Qisheng, realized the situation too late and appeared.

“What’s going on?”

“Director! Following Dr. Chen Qisheng’s orders, we attached it, and it’s heating up crazily! That blue light!”

The institute director’s mouth fell open as he looked at the glowing plutonium sphere.

“Why did you say to attach it? Certainly, you were told to check it while adjusting the height! Are there really scientists among you?”

“We’re merely researchers who responded to Dr. Chen Qisheng’s recruitment.”

“From the beginning, weren’t you supposed to follow Dr. Chen Qisheng’s orders without question?”

From China’s standpoint, they couldn’t afford to pick and choose.

Developing nuclear weapons and studying radioactivity, the Zhangjin Research Institute was one of those.

As usual, Dr. Chen Qisheng had begun an experiment to check such critical points. How could they attach it?

“Damn it. We need to run!”

Regrettably, there was no time to escape.

Shortly after, that singular ultimate plutonium had transformed into a nuclear weapon, igniting.

**Bang! KABOOM!**

The explosion that started at the Zhangjin Research Institute engulfed the researchers and soon consumed the entire Zhangjin city.

Yes, this was a nuclear explosion.

The people of Zhangjin city, living their peaceful daily lives, had to die in the explosion, and Chen Qisheng, who was on his way to the Zhangjin Institute, collapsed in shock at the sight of the city being engulfed in flames.

“What… what happened! What is going on?!”

If we just follow the orders, there wouldn’t be any problem—so what kind of mistake had been made?

Even in anticipation of such situations, they had tried to set up research facilities outside the city due to government pressure but had to place their institute within the city due to the watchful eyes of Western powers, thus they were extra careful regarding their research.

Yet here they were, resulting in this disaster due to an experimental failure.

What were they to do about this?

Countless innocent people must have lost their lives.

As he stood there, stunned at the horror unfolding before his eyes, he was approached by the hidden Xianyu and Okhrana agents.

“Are you Dr. Chen Qisheng?”

“I am Chen Qisheng. Who are you?”

Without time to grieve, Chen Qisheng found himself facing these armed individuals and could not hide his shock at their appearance.

They were all armed with guns. What on earth could they possibly want?

“Well, there’s no need to know that. You’ve been far too busy, haven’t you?”

The muzzle of a gun was pressed against Chen Qisheng’s forehead.

The researchers who had been heading to the institute with him had been dead for some time now.

“What… what? Could it be you are behind this…?”

**Bang!**

While Chen Qisheng was taken aback, a cool muzzle appeared at his temple, and he lost consciousness.

Thus, unlike in original history, Chen Qisheng failed to achieve China’s nuclear or missile development, disappearing from history without leaving a name.

Confirming Chen Qisheng’s death, Xianyu turned to gaze at the burning Zhangjin city with narrowed eyes.

Zhangjin, which had been severely punished. A fitting end for those trying to take on the Tsar.

How to report this in a way that would please the Tsar?

“Branch Chief, the military is approaching.”

Of course, escaping from this place was the priority.

“Take him away. We will handle the bodies at headquarters.”

“Yes, Branch Chief.”

The Okhrana agents dragged away Chen Qisheng and his accomplices’ corpses.

As Xianyu looked back one last time at the city of Zhangjin engulfed in the flames of the explosion, a smile crept across his face.

These foolish Chinese dared to challenge the new order. As the Tsar had said, this divided China was beautiful, and those who needed a beating to gain their senses were inevitable.

The nuclear explosion in Zhangjin was also known to the representatives of the Rome Treaty and the United States.

Of course, it was merely a failure of development and left the National Government feeling foolish.

“Do we look like fools to you? You dare conduct a nuclear bomb test openly?”

“W-We have never done anything like that!”

For the National Government, it was nothing but being wronged.

Even if they had actually created it, who would be foolish enough to conduct a nuclear bomb test right in front of the delegation?

Were they seriously going to use a city with people as a testing ground?

“Ha, do we look like idiots to you? Then that explosion must have been caused by dynamite, I suppose?”

“That’s… well… um, commonly speaking, would we experiment on our own citizens?”

That had some validity, but it only made it more absurd, didn’t it?

What kind of dreadful research were they conducting that it ended in an explosion?

Considering that they had hidden it in the city, was it not true that they had deliberately engaged in nuclear development?

“Does that mean you conducted nuclear research without any thought or knowledge? How low was your level to engage in such insanity?”

To be precise, they merely set up a nuclear research institute in a city to deceive the eyes of the Rome Treaty and the United States.

Naturally, there was no reason for the Rome Treaty and the United States to take this seriously, having caught wind of such facts beforehand.

“I can’t hold back anymore. The establishment of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty headquarters is confirmed. If you refuse, we will also mobilize military force!”

“Do you think our nuclear weapons won’t rain down on the National Government? How dare you mock us this way?”

Having obtained a justifiable ground for intervention, the Rome Treaty and the United States boldly demanded the establishment of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Organization headquarters.

“Ah, understood. But please forgive us in terms of mobilizing military strength.”

The National Government found itself facing off against the world’s strongest powers, the Rome Treaty and the United States.

Even united China would be utterly decimated, and the National Government could not fight alone.

In the end, Soong Mei-ling accepted the demands of the Rome Treaty and the United States to install the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty headquarters.

“What on earth is going on?”

Soong Mei-ling questioned Dairi, who was in charge of the matter.

Dairi should have been managing things properly.

“Dr. Chen Qisheng has gone missing.”

Dairi had to make judgments based solely on the circumstances in Zhangjin, having not anticipated this at all.

Yes, that was what Dairi was saying now.

Dr. Chen Qisheng had ruined things and fled.

Initially, the Rome Treaty—specifically Russia—was already aware of Dr. Chen Qisheng’s existence, but Dairi could only speculate that way, having had no knowledge of this.

“Could he have been caught up in the explosion?”

Soong Mei-ling had brought Dr. Chen Qisheng after seeing his character and potential for nuclear development, so she presumed he had perished in the explosion, but Dairi shook his head.

“No. Given the explosion’s timing and when Dr. Chen Qisheng moved from the Tianshin Institute, it’s highly unlikely he was caught. More likely, he fled out of fear of responsibility after witnessing the explosion.”

After Jiang Jieshi’s death, Dairi, whom she had relied on more than anyone, caused Soong Mei-ling to tremble with feelings of betrayal.

“Ha. So he just messed things up and ran away?”

“It appears I trusted too much in someone who was expelled from the United States.”

Wasn’t this fundamentally a foolish attempt at nuclear development from the start?

The National Government had no choice but to accept the demands of the Rome Treaty and the United States to install the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty headquarters.

“At last, Soong Mei-ling, that damned fox, has gone mad!”

“Developing nuclear weapons to call back the great powers to Central China!”

“Let’s oust the National Government from their soft autonomy!”

Meanwhile, the warlords, refusing to acknowledge the soft autonomy of the National Government that sought to dominate them with nuclear development, decided to oust it from its soft autonomy.

The warlords united and marched towards Chongqing.

This marked the beginning of the First Chinese Civil War.

* * *

Exciting news had arrived from China.

It was, in fact, delightful news from the National Government.

Zhangjin city had reportedly been blown away due to a nuclear test failure.

Additionally, it was said that Chen Qisheng had been killed by Xianyu, which was a bit of a disappointment.

It would have been better to keep him alive to absorb every last drop of usefulness. Hm. Still, Russia now could develop nuclear capabilities even without Einstein, so it was of no concern.

However, the fact that a city had been lost was unexpected, and it seemed that things escalated enough that the explosion was quite large.

Facilities were not in good condition either.

“Zhangjin city has been blown away. It appears the situation has escalated more than expected.”

It was unfortunate for the countless Chinese lives lost, but then again, this was somewhat unavoidable.

It wasn’t my doing; it was merely that the Chinese nuclear researchers, lacking knowledge, were trying out nuclear technology and ended up losing everything.

They should quietly focus on standard nuclear development instead of conducting odd experiments.

Though even if they didn’t, other research institutes would likely have been taken care of by us anyway, but regardless.

I was rather pleased that things were going well beyond expectations.

 

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