Chapter 284: Underground Port Completion
Chapter 284: Underground Port Completion
Moving forward, there would be a training camp for the inertial confinement fusion reactor that should last one to two months. After ensuring everything was in order, the fusion reactor would officially take over as the power system of the Spire Experimental Base. From there on, the underground base would become a full-fledged self-sufficient bunker.
Meanwhile, an L-shaped inland port was excavated by the section of the Spire Experimental Base bordering the ocean, according to the initial planning. Reinforced concrete was used to fortify the structure.
The port extended to the open sea through an underwater tunnel approximately one kilometer long. There was no seawater in the tunnel yet as it was not opened.
Chen Chen had designed three gates that respectively labeled as gates A, B, and C. They functioned similarly to floodgates seen in reservoirs so that the Spire Experimental Base would not be overflowed with seawater after the tunnel was opened.
For the submarine to pass through the tunnel and enter the Spire Experimental Base, the first gate would have to be opened. Upon the submarine entering, the gate would have to be closed while the other two gates were to be opened.
As for the submarines themselves, Chen Chen knew better than to order titans like “kilo” or “lada” class submarines. The reason was simple.
First of all, those submarines were too large. There was no chance of Chen Chen’s port sheltering them.
Secondly, although the submarine was not classified as nuclear submarines, they were still a significant destruction force. Ordering such units would only attract the unwanted attention of the major continents since the destructiveness of these units were monumental compared to regular tanks and combat helicopters.
Thirdly, due to the design of military-grade submarines being too sophisticated, they ended up not being able to dive into deep ocean territory. A kilo-class submarine could only dive to a depth of 300 meters while the lada-class submarines may reach up to 400 meters. Some nuclear submarines with double-hull holds could dive to a depth of 500 meters at most.
Meanwhile, Chen Chen’s Spire Experimental Base was 723 meters below sea level.
Therefore, Chen Chen only had Little X forge an identity and ordered batches of submarines all across the world. There was a variety of exploration-based and patrolling type submarines, most of them were micro submarines capable of carrying just three to five people.
Unlike military-grade submarines, the exploration submarines were not fitted with any weapons or adapted for long-term haul requirements due to their size. As a result, this class of submarine was able to dive up to 700 to 800 meters. The submarines Chen Chen had purchased were a class of tourism submarines that could dive up to a thousand meters.
These tourism submarines were mini-submarine models five meters long and three meters wide. Unlike other submarine models, these submarines were U-shaped like a pair of giant pliers. At the center of its U-shaped design was a spherical cockpit.
This spherical cockpit was almost entirely made of tempered glass which evenly distributed underwater pressure. There were three evenly-sectioned seats on its inside, allowing a 360-degree panoramic view. Such qualities were largely desired by wealthy tourists.
What was even more impressive was the price of such tourism submarines, priced at 1.8 million U.S. dollars.
These submarines were already posted at the Blacklight Cruise awaiting dispatch. Meanwhile, after nearly a year of construction at the Spire Experimental Base, the port project was finally approaching its final stages.
At this time, the tunnel to the outside world had been completed. This was a 1,200-meter-long circular passage with a diameter of ten meters. It connected the cave of the Spire Experimental Base to an endpoint by the coastline.
Inside the tunnel, the three giant gates had been installed. The farthest gate was installed at the very end of the tunnel, only several meters away from the open sea.
“The next step from here on is pretty simple. All we need to do is to use dynamites to blow up the outermost layer of the Earth to open up the tunnel. Just like that, we have a new entrance to the Spire Experimental Base.”
After listening to Little X’s explanation, Chen Chen went to the port construction site again upon leaving the inertial confinement power station. He first inspected the 100 square meters and 30 meters deep square wharf and saw the tunnel excavated underneath the wharf. He had to ask, “Once the Spire is connected to the open seas, how will the entrance be disguised? A gate propping out of the underwater rock formation should be rather eye-catching.”
“There’s no need to worry about that.”
Little X replied, “I’ve already had the Black Knights operate submarines to cut out a portion of the outermost layer of the rock formation on the other end of the passage. This outer wall could be made into a camouflage for gate A. This way, nobody would notice the tunnel unless the gate was opened.”
“Not bad.”
Chen Chen tipped his head agreeably. “Then let’s begin now.”
“Yes.”
After Little X had issued the order, Chen Chen saw a gigantic, fortified gate several meters thick descending by the entrance located by a lower section of the pit-shaped port. The tunnel was completely sealed off after that.
There was a gigantic letter “C” written atop the gate.
At the same time, the artificial intelligence X-111 of the Spire Experimental Base issued a warning across the entire laboratory. “Caution, in ten minutes, the air pressure in the Spire Experimental Base may experience unstable disruption. All personnel is advised to remain awake to avoid damage to the middle ear canal while sleeping...”
“Five seconds countdown: Five, four, three, two, one!”
“Boom, boom, boom...”
The faint rumbling of repeated explosions. Chen Chen could feel the ground below his feet trembling slightly which was soon followed by a distinctive reoccurring shockwave coming from a distance that was slowly drawing closer.
“The rock formation is broken through, seawater is now surging in and filling the space between gate A and gate B...
“The space between gate A and gate B is now filled with seawater, now closing off gate A...
“Gate A is fully closed, opening gate B...
“Gate B is opened!”
With each of Little X’s caution, the rumble approached even closer. The tremendous vibration coursed through the Earth and the gate C below Chen Chen’s feet and was felt across the entire Spire cavern.
Surely enough, the seawater had reached gate C.
However, Little X still kept gate C shut while repeating the previous procedure.
“Closing gate B... Gate B is closed, opening gate A again...
“Closing gate A... Opening gate B...”
After repeating the sequence many times, the entire tunnel was finally filled with seawater. At this point, Little X shut off gate A again and prompted. “Sir Godfather, I’m making the preparations to open gate C.”
“Open it.”
Chen Chen nodded without the slightest inclination of wanting to leave.
So, Chen Chen beheld as the titanic gate let out a low and deep wail as a tiny gap appeared below it parallel to the motions of the rumbling.
In an instant, water that had been compressed into thin sheets surged in through the gap. Even by the port, Chen Chen could smell the distinct, sulphury smell of the sea.
After that, the gate continued to rise taller and taller as more seawater rushed inside the base. Chen Chen’s ears were filled with a deafening rumble. The port was quickly filled with seawater from the tunnel!
The billowing waves only came to a halt after the water level in the port had risen just slightly below where Chen Chen stood. After that, the underwater gate C was closed again, sealing off the tunnel.
With that, the construction of the artificial inland port had been wrapped up.
Moving on, the purchased mini-submarines would have to be docked by the port, which would allow easy access to the base through the port instead of having to enter from the stations spread across Eco Science City.
There were also water pump installations inside the underwater tunnel. This meant that if the situation deemed necessary, the seawater could be drawn out of the tunnel as well as the port.
The entrance by the port was certainly not as convenient as the elevator in Eco Science City. However, the opening of the port represented a more secluded retreating option from the Spire Experimental Base.
On the off chance that Chen Chen accidentally slipped tongue in the future or the Spire Experimental Base became exposed and the Eco Science City became surrounded by armies, Chen Chen could still retreat from the underwater passageway.
After all, it was good to have an option to live to fight again another day. One had to be on the lookout for all possible scenarios and prepare the appropriate alternatives. Although Chen Chen believed that he would never fall to such a point, there was nothing wrong with preparing something for himself to fall back on.