Why the Choice

However, that was merely what they told the public.

Jacob was indeed still breathing, but how could he have suffered only burns in a nuclear explosion?

He was not Wolverine.

The escape pod's outer layer had been severely damaged, so Jacob naturally could not have emerged unscathed.

The burns were nothing. The main issue was the nuclear radiation.

It had caused far too much damage to his body. Even if they could successfully pull Jacob back from death's door, he would no longer be capable of high-intensity Jaeger combat.

He would most likely have to retire.

And Wanderer itself would also be leaving the stage.

It had been damaged too severely. Repairing it would require an even greater undertaking than building a new Jaeger.

Under principles controlled by capital, this was not even a choice.

Hawaiian Islands.

Mount Tai and Cherno Alpha simultaneously raised their right arms across their chests toward the west coast.

That was their mourning for Wanderer, their fallen comrade-in-arms.

After confirming that Stegosaurus and Lizard were completely dead, Mount Tai and Cherno Alpha also needed to prepare to withdraw.

Earlier, the battle on the west coast had not yet ended, so naturally they could not leave first.

They had remained ready at any moment to be towed over in support of Wanderer.

Though they came from different countries, they had to stand united against the foreign Invaders known as kaiju.

That was racial consciousness.

Although there had been far too much friction between them before, none of that mattered at a moment when their species faced extinction.

It was just that the journey from Hawaii to the west coast was also very long.

Even at maximum speed, it would take ten minutes.

Yet by then, Wanderer could no longer keep fighting to buy time.

Ten minutes was enough for the newly arrived agile-type kaiju codenamed Lizard to make landfall and even wreak destruction.

Although San Francisco's citizens had already completed their evacuation and all withdrawn into underground shelters.

Without anything to restrain the kaiju, the entire city of San Francisco would be completely destroyed.

It might even cross San Francisco and head for other cities, posing an even greater threat to the public's lives and property.

And more importantly, there was public opinion.

If San Francisco was destroyed again, it would be a massive blow to the credibility of the M government.

Because it would be the M government's incompetence.

When San Francisco was destroyed the first time, it had been the kaiju's first invasion of Earth. Humanity had been unprepared and had no good way to respond, which was understandable.

But this time, even after the Jaeger Program, created specifically to deal with kaiju, had deployed Wanderer, they still failed to protect the city.

This was a responsibility they could no longer evade.

San Francisco was different from Hawaii. Mad Ape's attack on Hawaii had been a sudden landing, and the resulting casualties from their inability to react in time were understandable.

However, San Francisco was the location of PPDC headquarters, the command center for Jaeger operations across the entire Pan-Pacific Defense Line.

If this place fell again, it would amount to a complete questioning of the Jaeger Program.

Moreover, the next leadership election would soon take place.

Any trouble at this time would directly affect whether Chuanpu could be reelected.

Compared with his position, a Wanderer Jaeger was nothing.

Even if Wanderer had fought fierce battles for humanity again and again.

How could such a decision not chill everyone at PPDC headquarters?

Jonathan and the others considered practical solutions. As long as human lives were not threatened, any method or approach was acceptable, so long as they won.

What Chuanpu cared about, however, was only his position and the government's credibility.

But no matter what, Comrade Trump was at least reliable in his attitude toward kaiju.

Unlike Bai Deng, the next candidate, who proposed building a Great Wall of Life.

That would truly be lighting Bai Deng's white lamp. It was no different from raising a white flag and surrendering.

PS: This chapter mainly explained why HE weapons were deployed, since some readers did not quite understand.