Chapter Sixty-Six: Dongfeng-5 Heavy Lift Rocket

After the staff left, Peng Dongli finished his phone call as well.

“Junior brother, I just spoke to the company about your situation. They’ll remotely check the microrobots in your body, and if anything comes up, they’ll get back to me. I’ll let you know then.”

Zhang Mingyang nodded, indicating he was fine. He thought perhaps he hadn’t been resting well lately, and a day’s rest would solve it.

But Peng Dongli was still worried and suggested he visit the factory hospital just in case.

“No need, senior brother. A day’s rest will be enough. Let’s hurry to our next destination.”

Seeing he couldn’t persuade him, Peng Dongli conceded. “Alright, let’s finish today’s tasks early so you can rest well tonight.”

“Good, let’s make the most of our time.”

…

The two left the warehouse and headed for the command center of the Mo Bei Base, the northern command building. They ascended to the tenth floor and stopped before a closed room. Peng Dongli knocked on the door.

A man opened the door and was visibly surprised to see Peng Dongli. “Mr. Peng, what brings you here?”

Peng Dongli greeted him warmly with an embrace. “Why can’t I come? What, Xiao Liu, now that you’ve been promoted, you don’t recognize me anymore?”

Xiao Liu laughed. “How could I dare stop you, Mr. Peng? Please, come in.”

The two entered the command room, where walls were lined with screens and busy staff bustled about.

Observing the control room, Peng Dongli asked, “Xiao Liu, am I bothering you? Looks like you’re pretty busy.”

Xiao Liu replied, “It’s nothing. This is how it is every day. It’s all for the country; a little hardship is nothing.”

Hearing this, Peng Dongli thought to himself that the tone of leadership suited him well.

“Xiao Liu, let me introduce someone,” Peng Dongli said, pushing Zhang Mingyang forward. “This is Zhang Mingyang, our base’s energy engineer.”

“Hello.”

“Junior brother, this is Liu Yutian, the duty director of the command center.”

“Hello.”

After the introductions, Peng Dongli asked, “Xiao Liu, how many missions do we have today?”

Xiao Liu replied, “Fifteen cargo missions today—ten empty, five fully loaded.”

“Let me explain, junior brother,” Peng Dongli said. “Empty means rockets depart from Earth to the moon for loading, and fully loaded means they return from the moon to Earth carrying cargo.”

Zhang Mingyang looked at Peng Dongli with admiration. “Senior brother, you know all this?”

Xiao Liu explained, “Mr. Zhang, all cargo rockets at Mo Bei Base are manufactured by our Northern Group. Most of the staff here are Northern Group employees. Mr. Peng was once the deputy commander of Mo Bei Base; he naturally knows.”

“I see.”

Zhang Mingyang’s admiration for his senior brother grew—he seemed to know and have done everything.

“Xiao Liu, will there be any supply rockets going to the Lunar Palace Base tomorrow?”

Xiao Liu hurried to check the screens. “Mr. Peng, tomorrow a rocket carrying daily necessities will head to the Lunar Palace Base. Are you planning to go?”

Peng Dongli considered for a moment, glanced at Zhang Mingyang, and replied, “Yes, I’ll go alone tomorrow. It’s a base mission—I need to check the progress on ore extraction.”

Upon hearing Peng Dongli was going, Xiao Liu quickly added his name to the personnel list for tomorrow’s Lunar Palace Base mission.

Zhang Mingyang, hearing Peng Dongli was going to the Lunar Palace Base, quickly said, “Senior brother, I have to go too. I came out this time to learn from you all.”

Peng Dongli patted Zhang Mingyang’s shoulder. “Given your recent condition, I really can’t let you go with me. I’m not just going anywhere—this is to the moon. If you have another episode up there, with lunar medical facilities, it’s far too risky.”

To the moon? Zhang Mingyang thought he’d misheard. “Senior brother, you’re going to the moon tomorrow?”

Peng Dongli nodded. “Yes, tomorrow I’ll be heading to Da Di Valley’s Lunar Palace Base. That’s where the Moon Gold Mine is being developed. The main purpose of this mission is to inspect the mining progress.”

Once it was confirmed Peng Dongli would go to the moon tomorrow, Zhang Mingyang couldn’t contain himself. “Senior brother, I want to go—I must go. My health is fine, I can do this.”

Seeing Zhang Mingyang’s excitement, Peng Dongli pressed him gently. “Junior brother, this isn’t like going anywhere else—it’s the moon. With your earlier symptoms, the vacuum environment could seriously endanger you.”

When his senior brother still wouldn’t allow him to go, Zhang Mingyang resorted to banging his own head. “Look, senior brother, I’m fine. Even hitting it like this, nothing happens.”

Peng Dongli hurried to stop him from self-harm. “Alright, alright, junior brother, I’ll let you go. I’ll let you go.”

Turning to Xiao Liu, he said, “Xiao Liu, add one more person for tomorrow.”

“Understood, Mr. Peng.”

With his senior brother’s approval, Zhang Mingyang stopped and smiled. “I’m really fine, just a lack of rest. I’ll go to bed early tonight and be ready for tomorrow.”

Peng Dongli, recalling Zhang Mingyang’s stubbornness and Lin Guangming’s advice before departure, thought: “Zhang Mingyang is extremely stubborn. Once he’s made up his mind, nothing can stop him. At times like this, don’t oppose him—let him hit the wall himself. When he finally realizes he can’t break through, he’ll give up on his own.”

“Senior brother, what are you thinking about?”

“Oh, nothing.”

After arranging tomorrow’s journey, Xiao Liu told them, “Mr. Peng, Mr. Zhang, gather at Launch Tower 14 at nine in the morning. The rocket will launch at nine twenty.”

“Okay.”

With the time and place settled, Peng Dongli suggested Xiao Liu take them to see Launch Tower 14 and explain the safety precautions.

“No problem, Mr. Peng.”

After handing over his work, Xiao Liu led them out of the control room.

Downstairs, Xiao Liu opened the car door for them, then drove them to Launch Tower 14.

The vehicle weaved through the many launch towers until they arrived at Tower 14.

The three got out. Xiao Liu pointed to the rocket being loaded before them. “Mr. Peng, Mr. Zhang, this is the rocket you’ll take tomorrow—the East Wind Five heavy-lift rocket.”

Zhang Mingyang looked up at the colossal structure, marveling aloud, “How massive it is!”

Xiao Liu explained, “This is considered small. The East Wind Five heavy-lift rocket was designed over a decade ago. It’s 105 meters tall, 35 meters wide, with a payload capacity of only 300 tons. It’s the smallest heavy-lift rocket among all models.”

Zhang Mingyang asked, “Which rocket has the largest payload capacity?”

Xiao Liu glanced around and replied, “The East Wind Fifteen is currently the most powerful heavy-lift rocket in service. Unfortunately, it just launched, so you didn’t see it. That one stands 150 meters tall, 50 meters wide, can carry 750 tons, and uses four nuclear-powered engines.”