"Quick, everyone get ready!" Kunlun Mountain Base was bustling. After getting approval from the top leader, the general received permission to launch the Wu Gang ahead of schedule.
They had to finish all preparations at maximum speed and set off to rescue him. The urgent mission made everyone tense. They were supposed to have another month, but now the launch was suddenly moved up.
The Wu Gang could fly, but for safety, it had been taken apart and reassembled several times for checks. Now, losing a month of prep time left everyone worried something might go wrong.
The crew had all gathered. This time, the mission would go straight to the moon. Only China could mobilize every resource needed to build a spaceship from scratch in just 5 months, even when it only existed as a blueprint before. With execution, action, and productivity, China lacked none of them—so they pulled it off.
They'd originally planned an extra month of training, but no one expected this emergency. There was no choice but to launch early. For Liu A'dou, they'd thrown the entire space program into chaos, showing just how much the country valued him.
"This is not a drill, not a drill!"
The astronauts knew this was a rescue mission. They didn't hesitate and got ready immediately.
"General, I want to go too," An Rong volunteered. As the Wu Gang's chief engineer, it was like her own child—she wanted to go with it.
"Dr. An…"
"General, I know the Wu Gang better than anyone. If the crew has problems because of lack of training, I'll need to be there to fix it instantly."
"You can guide them from here. And there might not even be problems," the general replied.
"The Wu Gang is extremely complex. Without being on-site, it'll be almost impossible for me to catch issues. And one small problem can set off a chain reaction. I have to be there. Besides, as you said, it might go smoothly—and if it does, it'll just be a trip," An Rong insisted firmly.
Seeing the determination in her eyes, the general sighed. "Alright, I agree. But you must take care of your own life—because to our country, you are incredibly important."
"My life is important to me, too. I won't do anything reckless. Thank you, General." An Rong smiled brightly. She was thrilled—she was finally going to space.
Onboard the Wu Gang were six pilots, cargo, and seven advance engineers. Everyone was in position.
An Rong boarded, and then the launch area was cleared. The Wu Gang would be carried into high altitude by rockets before starting its engines. Using the nuclear pulse drive near the ground would fry all nearby electronics.
An Rong had stood under the Wu Gang countless times, always feeling tiny beneath it. Only China could have built such a massive project in so little time.
She put on the bulky spacesuit and stepped onto the elevator. The cars below looked like matchboxes. The Wu Gang was 72 meters long and 28 meters wide, with most of the space taken up by the cargo bay. The cockpit was small but could cram 20 people: the pilot, co-pilot, and 18 extra seats.
The hatch was at the very top of the spacecraft. The other pilots were already seated. An Rong had to climb down stairs built into the top of the ship to reach her seat.
The heavy suit made every move awkward. Climbing stairs was even worse. She'd climbed these stairs many times before, but never had it been this hard.
Thankfully, with help from those around her, she finally got to her seat. By then, An Rong was drenched in sweat. The new spacesuit design was still in progress. The current Kunlun Mountain suits were old, heavy, and clumsy—but for now, they'd have to make do.
"Comrades, this rescue mission is extremely important. It's not just about our teammate's life. It's also about the data from the Type-15 Space Guardian, and our country's entire future in space exploration. Some of you may not have finished your training or might feel unprepared, but I believe in your spirit. I believe in our engineers who forged the Wu Gang through countless trials. Our journey is to the stars and the seas. Today is our first step. Comrades, godspeed."
"All systems normal, preparing for ignition."
"Countdown begins…"
An Rong gripped her safety harness tightly. This was her first time heading into space. There was no way she could stay calm. Right now, she felt like she was sitting in a tin can. Once they ignited, all they could rely on was this metal spaceship. Since the dawn of the space age, accidents had never stopped—rockets exploding, parachutes failing—pilots and spacecraft alike lost in disasters.
Her lips turned pale, and her body trembled uncontrollably. Even though she'd helped build the Wu Gang from scratch, she couldn't fully trust she'd make it out alive. Then she wondered: what had the astronauts who rode spacecraft she designed felt like? Suddenly, she felt deeply moved and grateful for every astronaut who'd trusted her with their lives. They were truly remarkable.
Ignition!
The booster rockets roared with flames. An Rong felt like her organs were shifting inside her. She'd braced for it, but the shock still nearly took her breath away.
The astronauts clenched their teeth as the massive ship slowly lifted off. A rainbow-like arc of light crossed the landscape as it rose.
Everyone on the ground looked up. The nation's future, hopes for space exploration, and the rescue mission were all pinned on this rushed launch.
"The ancients said: 'Jade towers and celestial palaces, so high they chill the soul.' But today, it's us. United in purpose, we strike for the moon's new laurel," the general whispered as he watched the ship trail a white plume into the sky. "Today, we'll turn a new page in history."
"Reached target altitude. Activating nuclear pulse engine."
"Systems normal, ignition systems normal."
"Understood. Beginning ignition sequence. Everything's normal—igniting."
Boom!
A brilliant blue flame burst from the Wu Gang's rear, blasting it into a new acceleration. "Ignition complete."
"Detach booster rockets."
"Booster rockets detached."
"All systems normal. The Wu Gang is accelerating," a ground technician reported excitedly. The hardest part was over—no explosions, no mishaps. Now they just had to wait for the spacecraft to clear the atmosphere.
Every astronaut's heart pounded wildly. The feeling was overwhelming—excitement and nerves pounding in their chests like a child's small fist. The ship flew faster and faster.
"Captain, we've detected a massive object approaching from the ground," came the urgent report from the second squad, who'd been lying in wait.
"Scatter! Everyone scatter!" No one wanted a collision.
The Pythons broke apart like startled bees, opening a path. A huge, oddly shaped spacecraft shot past them at incredible speed. What was that?
The Python pilots stared in disbelief as the Wu Gang zipped by their formation like a giant dwarfing their tiny ships. The Wu Gang was big enough to hold 10 Pythons inside.
But the real shock was that this behemoth was moving even faster than their fighters. The second squad's captain quickly radioed Eden. "Eden, Eden! We've spotted a— a— a massive alien ship!" They were convinced there was no way any Earth nation could've built such a thing. It had to be extraterrestrial.