Ch.301Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (3)

# National Government

The National Government had to show all their nuclear technology to the Roman Treaty and the United States delegation.

At least that’s how it appeared on the surface.

“Hmm, is this really everything?”

Nuclear physicists from the Roman Treaty and the United States examined the documents and research results, passing them around to verify how far China’s nuclear development had progressed.

“Yes. This is the extent of our research.”

“We originally developed it only to protect ourselves.”

Self-protection, they claimed.

The Roman Treaty and American research team, well aware of how false this was, could only sneer.

“Fine. That may be so. But it still seems suspicious.”

“We absolutely have no other intentions. If the Roman Treaty and the United States find our activities suspicious, we will certainly stop.”

Certainly stop? If only that were easy to believe.

Even if the Chinese were behind, could they not develop nuclear weapons with their basic knowledge?

“Alright. Let’s say that’s true. So these are your researchers?”

“Yes.”

They willingly showed their research team, but could this be trusted?

Unfortunately, neither the Roman Treaty nor the United States were fools.

Especially the Roman Treaty Organization, which decided to put strong pressure on the National Government.

“Still, we can’t be too careful. Given the precedent, we will establish the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty headquarters here in Chongqing.”

“That’s not a bad idea. We must completely block any further nuclear development.”

The United States agreed, but Soong Mei-ling did not.

“This is interference in our internal affairs!”

She wanted to sweep away these Roman Treaty and American visitors right then and there, but she restrained herself.

“Internal affairs? We’re only interested in nuclear matters. If you have nothing to hide, there should be no reason to object, right?”

Why such fierce opposition? Isn’t that a bit strange?

After World War II, the National Government had become interested in nuclear technology.

Fortunately, Chinese nuclear scientists who were practically expelled from the United States had come to the National Government, enabling them to attempt nuclear development. They had been preparing patiently for several years.

The Roman Treaty was already providing enough material support for post-war recovery, so if they focused their efforts on nuclear development alone, it seemed possible.

But this was complete obstruction.

“That may be true, but this…”

“From our perspective, your development attempts are suspicious, so we have no choice. How can we be sure you’ll actually stop nuclear development if we just say ‘oh, I see’ and back off?”

True words indeed—if things continued this way, would the National Government officials really abandon nuclear development?

The answer was clearly no.

The National Government wouldn’t miss this opportunity, and from the moment their nuclear development became known, the warlords would know too.

Would they sit idly by?

“That may be true, but please believe our sincerity. This could make us look like a country subject to interference from warlords.”

“Well, we have plenty of time, so let’s find a compromise.”

The Roman Treaty Organization suggested finding a compromise slowly, and for a while, Soong Mei-ling had to wrestle with the Roman Treaty and the United States over the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty headquarters.

Meanwhile, at Zhangjin’s nuclear research institute, they were beginning critical experiments, adjusting the distance between two plutonium hemispheres without joining them.

But then, orders came from above to suddenly combine them.

“Is this right? Combine them into one?”

“Yes, they want us to combine them and observe what happens.”

Instructions to combine the hemispheres.

This was potentially enough material to exceed the critical point.

But the research team, just beginning their nuclear research, didn’t possess enough knowledge to oppose this.

“Hmm, isn’t this our first time doing this? I thought we were originally supposed to move them up and down.”

The original experiment was not to join the hemispheres but to surround a small plutonium-239 sphere and measure the reaction by moving the upper hemisphere up and down.

The measurements should have been taken and the hemispheres immediately separated, but somehow this research seemed strange.

Joining them together carried risks, yet the orders were to do exactly that.

How could they know what would happen if they joined them?

“Well, it’s Dr. Chen Xueshen’s order, so it should be fine. Join them.”

“Yes.”

And that brought about the worst possible outcome.

The combined plutonium exceeded the critical point. As a result, the unified plutonium sphere began to emit a blue light.

Yes, this was nuclear fission.

What in original history was called the “Demon Core” incident had now occurred in China in this world.

“What’s happening? It’s getting extremely hot!”

“Shouldn’t we do something about that?”

“We should drop it, but how?”

The combined plutonium that had exceeded the critical point became too hot to handle, and soon it heated up so tremendously that even the institute director came running.

Normally, someone would have to sacrifice themselves to drop it before it heated up, but sadly, no one’s mind was clear enough to think of that. The Zhangjin Nuclear Research Institute Director, who followed Dr. Chen Xueshen’s orders, belatedly understood the situation and appeared.

“What’s going on here?”

“Director! We followed Dr. Chen Xueshen’s instructions and joined them, and now it’s heating up insanely! That blue light!”

The institute director’s jaw dropped as he belatedly observed the plutonium sphere emitting blue light.

“Why did you join them? Didn’t I clearly say to check by adjusting the height? Are you people really scientists?”

“We’re just researchers who responded to Dr. Chen Xueshen’s recruitment.”

“Weren’t we instructed to follow Dr. Chen Xueshen’s orders without question?”

China was in no position to be picky.

They were developing nuclear technology and researching radioactivity, and the Zhangjin Institute was part of that effort.

As usual, Chen Xueshen had begun tests to verify the critical point, but to join them like this?

“Damn it. We need to run.”

Unfortunately, there was no time to escape.

Soon, the unified ultimate plutonium became a nuclear weapon and ignited.

BOOM! KABOOM!

The explosion that started at the Zhangjin Institute first consumed the researchers, then the entire institute, and finally engulfed the whole city of Zhangjin.

Yes, this was a nuclear explosion.

The people of Zhangjin, going about their daily lives, were caught in the explosion and had to die. Chen Xueshen, who was heading to the Zhangjin Institute, collapsed on the spot when he saw Zhangjin engulfed in the explosion.

“Wh-what happened! What on earth is that!”

Everything should have been fine if they had just followed instructions, but what had they done?

He had anticipated such situations and tried to set up research facilities outside the city center, but due to Western powers’ surveillance, they had no choice but to place the institute in the city center and be extremely careful.

But now this disaster had occurred due to a failed experiment.

What should be done about this?

Countless innocent people must have died.

As he hung his head in disbelief at the catastrophe before him, Xian Yu and Okhrana agents who had been lying in wait approached him.

“Are you Dr. Chen Xueshen?”

“I am Chen Xueshen. Who are you?”

With no time to grieve, Chen Xueshen had to face those who had come looking for him, unable to hide his bewilderment at their appearance.

They were all armed with guns. Why were they drawing their weapons?

“Well, you don’t need to know that. You’ve been causing too much trouble.”

A gun barrel was pressed against Chen Xueshen’s forehead.

The researchers who had been heading to the institute with him were already long dead.

“Wh-what? Don’t tell me you-“

BANG!

The startled Chen Xueshen gained a neat hole between his eyes and collapsed, losing all strength.

Thus, unlike in original history, Chen Xueshen failed to achieve China’s nuclear and missile development and disappeared into the annals of history without leaving his name behind.

After confirming Chen Xueshen’s death, Xian Yu turned and narrowed his eyes at the burning city of Zhangjin.

Zhangjin had been severely punished. A fitting end for those who dared to develop nuclear weapons to challenge the Tsar.

How should he report this to please the Tsar?

“Section Chief, troops are approaching.”

Of course, leaving this place was the priority.

“Take him. The headquarters will handle the bodies.”

“Yes, Section Chief.”

The Okhrana agents took away the bodies of Chen Xueshen and his companions.

Before leaving, Xian Yu looked at Zhangjin engulfed in explosion smoke from a distance and smirked.

These foolish Chinese daring to challenge the new order. As the Tsar had said, China is beautiful when divided, and these people only come to their senses when beaten.

The Roman Treaty and American delegation in Chongqing also learned of the nuclear explosion in Zhangjin.

Of course, it wasn’t a complete development, which was simply absurd from the National Government’s perspective.

“Do you think the Roman Treaty is a joke? Conducting a nuclear bomb test so openly?”

“W-we did no such thing!”

The National Government could only feel wronged.

Even if they had really made it, would they be stupid enough to conduct a nuclear test while the delegation was present?

Moreover, would they use a city full of people as a test subject?

“Huh, do you take us for fools? Was that explosion just dynamite then?”

“That… logically speaking, would we experiment on our own citizens?”

That argument had merit, but then the situation was even more absurd.

How poorly must their research have been conducted to cause such an explosion?

Considering they had hidden it in the city center, wasn’t this clear evidence they were deliberately developing nuclear weapons?

“So you’re saying you conducted nuclear research without any thought or knowledge? How incompetent must you be to do something this insane?”

To be fair, they had placed the nuclear research institute in a populated city to deceive the eyes of the Roman Treaty and the United States.

Naturally, the Roman Treaty and the United States, who had already caught onto this fact, had no reason to take them seriously.

“I can’t stand this anymore. The establishment of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty headquarters is confirmed. If you won’t accept it, we’ll deploy military force!”

“Do you think our nuclear weapons won’t fall on the National Government? Are you playing games with us?”

Having gained legitimate grounds for intervention, the Roman Treaty and the United States boldly demanded the establishment of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Organization headquarters.

“I-I understand. Please just spare us from military deployment.”

The National Government alone against the Roman Treaty and the United States, the world’s strongest powers.

Even a united China would be thoroughly defeated, let alone the National Government fighting alone.

In the end, Soong Mei-ling accepted the demands of the Roman Treaty and American delegation to establish the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty headquarters.

“How did this happen?”

Soong Mei-ling confronted Dai Li, who was in charge of this matter.

Wasn’t Dai Li handling everything well?

“Dr. Chen Xueshen has disappeared.”

This was unexpected for Dai Li too, so he had to judge based solely on the situation in Zhangjin.

Yes, that’s what Dai Li was saying now.

That Dr. Chen Xueshen had botched the job and fled.

Dai Li, unaware that the Roman Treaty—specifically Russia—already knew about Dr. Chen Xueshen, could only make such assumptions.

“Could he have died in the explosion?”

Soong Mei-ling, who had met Dr. Chen Xueshen early on and brought him in after seeing his character and nuclear development potential, thought he might have been caught in the explosion, but Dai Li shook his head.

“No. Given the time of the explosion and when Dr. Chen Xueshen left the Tianjin research institute, the possibility of the doctor being caught in it is very low. He probably saw the explosion on his way to Zhangjin and fled to avoid responsibility.”

Soong Mei-ling, who had relied on Dai Li more than anyone since Chiang Kai-shek’s death, trembled with a sense of betrayal.

“Ha. So Dr. Chen Xueshen caused this and ran away?”

“We seem to have trusted someone expelled from America too much.”

If that was the case, wasn’t the attempt at nuclear development itself foolish?

The National Government had no choice but to accept the demands of the Roman Treaty and the United States to establish the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty headquarters.

“Finally, that vixen Soong Mei-ling has gone mad!”

“Developing nuclear weapons and bringing foreign powers back to the Central Plains!”

“Expel the National Government from the Federalism Movement!”

Meanwhile, the warlords refused to recognize the National Government’s federalism, which had tried to develop nuclear weapons to control them, and decided to expel them from the federation.

The warlords united and advanced together on Chongqing.

This was the beginning of the First Chinese Civil War.

* * *

Interesting news arrived from China.

Very pleasant news from the National Government.

Apparently, the city of Zhangjin was obliterated due to a failed nuclear test.

And Xian Yu had killed Chen Xueshen, which was somewhat regrettable.

Keeping him alive and extracting all his knowledge would have been an option. Well, current Russia could develop nuclear technology sufficiently without Einstein, so it didn’t matter.

Still, a city being obliterated was unexpected. The explosion grew quite large because containment was too late.

The poor facilities also played a role.

“Zhangjin city has been obliterated. The situation became bigger than expected.”

The Chinese who died unnecessarily were pitiful, but well, this couldn’t be helped.

It wasn’t my doing—it was simply Chinese nuclear researchers with insufficient knowledge who were caught while honing their nuclear technology.

They should have just developed conventional nuclear power instead of conducting all these strange experiments.

Well, even if they hadn’t, we would have destroyed their other research institutes anyway.

I’m pleased that things worked out better than expected.