--June 16, 2043, 7:00 a.m.--
A massive alarm suddenly blared throughout the Shatterdome. Everyone who heard it paused and looked up, then understood what it meant—
The monsters had arrived.
"Move, move, move!"
The mechanics sprang into action, rushing to their assigned posts. The cleanup crews began clearing the Jaeger launch channels. The channel in Hangar Six had been badly damaged in the battle two days earlier, and nearly a hundred people rushed to the site to accelerate repairs. The workers who had been repairing Hangar Six's walls also slid down from above. More important tasks awaited them now—
Every face was grave and calm. Tens of thousands moved with the orderly precision of worker ants in a nest.
Humanity had never been so united, so united in hatred against a common enemy—though they had the monsters to thank for that. It was the monsters that had given humanity the resolve to overcome anything.
It was not just the ordinary staff of the Shatterdome.
At the same time, in detention cells, residential quarters, hospital beds, combat simulation zones, Jaeger maintenance areas, and throughout Hong Kong—more than a dozen pairs of blazing eyes turned toward the Shatterdome's Command Center.
Whether they were men or women, old or young, the same words rose in every heart at that moment—
Now, it's my turn.
These people, each with their own temperament, were sitting or standing, each wearing a different expression as they straightened their collars, readied themselves, and headed for the Command Center.
The Command Center was almost in chaos. The operating terminals had not yet been fully inspected when the monster alarm went off. Everyone looked tense as they did everything they could to complete their tasks.
The large screen above the main console displayed a map of the Pacific Ocean region. The glowing point marking the monster's first appearance lay two hundred kilometers north of the Solomon Islands. A large dotted circle surrounded it, indicating the possible area where the monster might be located. Although its precise position had yet to be determined, the Chinese Air Force had dispatched two J-20 fighter squadrons to investigate, while the Navy's destroyer early-warning units were also rushing to the scene. It would not be long before they sent back live footage.
The Shatterdome in Sydney, Australia, was already on high alert. Five Mark 7 Jaegers had long since been activated. Together with the Australian military, they formed a coordinated air-and-sea formation along Australia's eastern coastline. If the monster dared make a move, the waiting Jaeger pilots would strike it head-on.
Jiang Tianzheng watched the live feed while inspecting the systems. Just then, Zhang Wenhu, pilot of Huangshan, entered, followed closely by the Tang Brothers. The three immediately asked the commander about the current situation.
"Reporting!" The three stood at attention and saluted, speaking in unison. "Huangshan pilot Zhang Wenhu, FL Dongting pilots Tang Jia and Tang Yi, ready and awaiting orders!"
This was a standard procedure unique to the Chinese military. Although Jiang Tianzheng knew the three had long been prepared for battle, he had always kept public and private matters separate, with military discipline above all else. Besides, their vigorous report immediately raised the Command Center's already soaring morale another notch.
"Very good!" Jiang Tianzheng nodded solemnly. "Maintain readiness and await orders!"
"Yes, sir!"
The three immediately marched to one side, while Jiang Tianzheng began issuing evacuation orders for Hong Kong to the messenger beside him.
"Relocate the residents, clear the docks, and seal the bridges." Jiang Tianzheng added sternly, "Although the monster is a thousand miles from Hong Kong, we cannot let down our guard. Get every living thing into the shelters. Not one is to be left behind!"
The messenger saluted, then immediately ran back to his station and began relaying orders to every unit.
Just then, all the pilots and Jaeger workgroup leaders poured into the Command Center—
Lin Yin, calm-faced, with an injury to her right hand,
Angie Beckett, uneasy and visibly nervous,
Seti Andrews, relaxed and eager for action,
Mike Kane, composed and steady, his gaze fixed straight ahead... and many others.
Jiang Tianzheng even spotted several doctors who rarely left their rooms, Hermann Gottlieb among them... In short, the Command Center was instantly packed to the brim.
"Good, everyone's here." Jiang Tianzheng began outlining the situation. "A monster has appeared two hundred kilometers north of the Solomon Islands. Although we have not yet determined its movements, we cannot overlook even the slightest possibility... Do you still remember why we exist?"
"Destroy them!" "Protect the civilians!" "Drive them back where they came from!"
The crowd immediately erupted into overlapping shouts. Though their words differed, their meaning was the same. Jiang Tianzheng was deeply satisfied.
"Good." Jiang Tianzheng raised a finger, signaling everyone to be quiet. "We still do not know how many monsters there are, so I will not assign missions yet. But I expect everyone to give this their all. From today onward, all entertainment activities are canceled. You will remain on standby twenty-four hours a day. Pilots must get enough sleep. Smoking and drinking are strictly prohibited. Understood?"
"Yes, sir!" The crowd immediately answered with a thunderous roar like a tidal wave.
Jiang Tianzheng nodded, then said to the messenger beside him, "Put me through to the LYG Shatterdome."
Not long after, the commander of the LYG Shatterdome appeared on the large screen.
"Comrade Wang Kaishan, have you fulfilled your promise?" Jiang Tianzheng asked the screen.
"Rest assured, Comrade Jiang Tianzheng. Shanghai and Huashan are undergoing their final inspections. At the earliest, they will be deployed to your unit within a week." The heroic-looking middle-aged man on the screen replied.
Before Jiang Tianzheng could speak, the crowd behind him had already begun whispering among themselves.
People discussed why Shanghai, the second Mark 8 unit, and Huashan, the last of the Mark 7s, were being sent to the Hong Kong Shatterdome at the same time, and what a spectacular sight it would be afterward.
Among the crowd, only Hermann suddenly understood.
It feels good to be trusted. Hermann thought. It seemed Jiang Tianzheng had accepted his theory—if they were going to destroy the breach within three days, he was prepared to spare no expense.
"Very good." Jiang Tianzheng finally relaxed. He nodded to Wang Kaishan on the screen in thanks, then said to the fired-up crowd, "In addition, Singapore's Mark 7 Jaeger, Midnight Ghostfire, will be joining us. They are all on their way here now. As for why the two war gods and Midnight Ghostfire are coming here, I'll explain after we achieve victory... All right, go get some rest and conserve your strength."
Jiang Tianzheng paused, his gaze sweeping across the crowd.
"There's still a hard battle waiting for us."
Before you continue