Chapter 200: Static Electricity (1/2)
Chapter 200: Static Electricity
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Commander Xia brought Luo Yuan and his team quickly towards the last transport plane, along with Mu Wenwen.
The transport plane was a very wide one, especially on the inside. Apart from the container where the giant lizard resided, it had a refrigerator and only a few other goods. Needless to say, the whole plane seemed rather empty.
The plane was not the least bit cosy, as it was never meant for public charter. They did not even have any basic chairs, let alone velvety soft carpets or luxurious interior décor. The guests had nowhere to sit but on the floor. Fortunately, the inner walls had metal rails, which they could at least hold on to.
After Commander Xia and a few soldiers brought them into the plane, they did not budge, and decided to stay put. This was due to the fact that Luo Yuan and the rest were not common survivors, but ones with immense destructive power, who must be kept under vigilant surveillance. However, such intentions were not stated outright in a blunt manner, as the soldiers were mostly mere acquaintances.
Their eyes were darting around the plane, with an initial feeling of novelty, which soon wore off. The interior was encrusted with exposed metal; filling the air with a pungent, rusty smell. The interior workmanship was no better; rough and shabby, with some parts welded carelessly, resembling a poor excuse of a twisted earthworm. Likewise, the iron flooring was not the least bit smoothened, with remnants of metallic pricks and debris on it.
The transport plane gave them a glaring impression that it was built in a hurry.
However, this was expected, as artisans during wartime did not have the luxury of time to meticulously work through the details, and unlike more tranquil working conditions, quantity triumphed over quality
Time was ticking slowly and soon enough, more than 10 minutes had passed.
The engine roared from afar, and one by one, the transport planes breezed through the long runway and made its way into the air. Soon, it was their turn to adjourn.
Their bodies swayed slightly as the planes took off. Huang Jiahui, who was beside Luo Yuan, suddenly clung onto his arm tightly and nervously. The rest were no better. They held onto the railing as tightly as they could and their bodies were tense; rigid with nervousness.
In fact, Luo Yuan was worried too, but he didn't let it show.
As an evolved human with innate connections to the earth, he could feel a sense of insecurity as he was lifted off the ground. Furthermore, the earth was still a world dominated by mutated beasts, who could ever guarantee that the sky was safe? It was a risky adventure for him indeed.
When Commander Xia saw that everyone was laden with unrest, he assured, “Many will have similar reactions during their first flight. Rest assured, we have taken such flights several times now. Generally, most mutated birds aren’t active during the night. Even if they were, most of them would not be able to fly up to 10,000 meters high. Therefore, flying at night would usually be safest time for us all.”
They heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing the commander’s reassuring words.
At that very moment, their body sank with the inertia, as the heavy transport plane started to disembark from the runway and gradually heightened into the air.
“Commander, considering that you have been flying a few times now, haven’t you faced any dangers before?” Huo Dong asked bravely, at ease upon sensing Commander Xia’s relatively friendly demeanour.
The commander hesitated before he spoke slowly, “I wouldn’t say it’s 100% safe. After all, the current condition is no longer the same as before. Even though there aren’t any flying mutated beasts in the air, it’s still dangerous to fly in the sky. We had our transport planes fly back and forth, and out of five times, two planes had crashed.”
When they heard what Commander Xia said, their tranquil state of mind turned turbulent once more.
“Could the transport plane’s quality be responsible for those incidents?” asked Huo Dong, feeling tense.
“It could be, but the main reason is still the discharge of electricity at high altitudes, which seriously tampers with our electromagnetic waves. You’ll find out later.” Commander Xia said, with a slightly serious face, “Many newspapers are currently speculating that it could be the one causing mutation and global warming. Such phenomenons were increasingly occurring, at greater strengths. A year ago, the electricity discharge was almost undetectable and did not affect the various instruments in the plane at all. However, as it was now more apparent, and if it was not for the anti-electromagnetic interference equipments in the planes, it would cease to function entirely.”
“This issue has not been made known to the public yet, to prevent panic in the society. So, please keep it between us.”
“It was said that the violent supernova explosion hundreds of light-years away had caused a massive stir in the galaxy. Besides, it had also stimulated the solar activities to be increasingly active and frequent. It was likely that after the stir-up, the mutation would cease, but we don't know how long this would will last. It may take up a few years to hundreds of years.” His face further darkened upon finishing his sentence.
Apart from Chen Jiayi and the other kids who were unperturbed, the faces of the other adults had turned sour.
Luo Yuan had heard about such a theory prior to the apocalypse, but he was not concerned nor did he feel the need to question it, as he knew that there was nothing he could do. He was well-aware that the storm in the galaxy would not only cause mutations, but also had the power to adversely affect the atmosphere.
He felt conflicted inside, as the earth seemed so fragile, like an egg without its shell.
Luo Yuan was relieved to know that the storm in the galaxy was too weak to annihilate life on earth instantly. However, the storm was gradually getting stronger and nobody knew when it would hit an unbearable stage for all life forms on earth. After all, human beings were akin to frogs in warm water, only that frogs were still capable of jumping out upon sensing a rise in temperature. But alas, human beings can only struggle in vain, watching helplessly as danger draws closer.
Luo Yuan suddenly felt his skin mildly tightening and his hair began to stand on its end.
There were shocked; everyone could feel the static electricity. Their faces slightly paled in fear.
“Commander, look at the time! Why did it strike so quickly this round?” A soldier glanced at his watch doubtfully.
“It seems like it has only been 20 minutes!” Commander Xia checked the time in shock, “I’ll check the cockpit!”
Luo Yuan’s heart skipped a beat while seeing the commander scurrying towards the staircase. He took only a minute and returned with a solemn expression. This reduced everyone to a bundle of nerves.
“What’s the situation now?” Luo Yuan asked.
“We are currently flying at an altitude of 7,000 meters. Previously, static electricity only occurred with an altitude of 10,000 meters. It looks like its range had widened over the last few days. As the plane is about to cruise at lower levels, we should be alright. Just stay calm!” said the commander, forcing a slip of a smile.
“Do we have any parachutes in here?” Lin Xiaoji asked abruptly.
The Commander shook his head and kept silent. He was clearly not as calm as he appeared to be.
After Lin Xiaoji got his answer, he laid on the floor, crestfallen.