Chapter 14: Pushing the Stars

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Three astronauts stepped out of the spacecraft and started working with their tools.

The time was limited for the meteorite to pass through the orbit of the moon. If they wanted to push the meteorite off its course with the gravitational pull of the moon, every second counted.

They watched the astronauts in their heavy space suits through their TV screens. As they worked, Chen Xin prayed and rooted for them.

Unlike Team USA who lost their connection, Team Vermillion had a slightly better feed throughout the whole process, meaning people from Earth could still track their progress. 

The TV stations provided some narration too where the narrator explained what the astronauts were doing. The audience could listen to the live news, and based on the narration, they better understood what the astronauts were doing and how far they were progressing.

Team Vermillion had an easier mission in comparison to Team USA. Team Vermillion only had to drill and secure the booster. Team USA however, had to drill a hundred-meter hole for the nuclear bomb.

Although they needed to drill more holes, it was a relatively easier task. The three astronauts worked together and managed to complete their drilling in a short amount of time.

When the astronauts were done, Chen Xin and the TV audience became agitated. Even the broadcaster said in an excited voice, “Alright! The drilling is completed! Next, all that’s left for the astronauts is to install the screws. Once the screws were installed, the astronauts would have completed all their tasks, they could go back into the spacecraft and initiate the booster. The meteorite would be pushed off!”

Chen Xin stood up upon hearing the news. He watched the astronauts install the screws clumsily because of their heavy spacesuits. He could not resist his urge to reach out through his TV screen and help them tighten the screws.

He was far away so he could not do anything but worry.

Luckily the astronauts were prepared for the screw installation before they set off for their mission. They had a professional drilling tool that helped them install each screw within a second. Plus they were working together, so the screws were quickly installed. Sixty billion people watched them complete their mission.

The commanding officer at NASA hastily grabbed the microphone and yelled at the astronauts, “Return to the spacecraft immediately! Initiate the booster! Leave the f*cking equipment behind!”

The TV station cut to the old commanding officer with white hair. Chen Xin looked at him on his TV screen and wondered if his heart could handle the strain at his age.

It was understandable why the commanding officer yelled since Chen Xin wanted to scream at the astronauts too. He wanted to tell them to ignore the tools and hurry up with the booster.

Every second mattered. The sooner they got onto that spacecraft, the sooner they would be able to push that meteorite off its course and save the world.

When it came to saving the Earth, tools and gadgets meant nothing in the rescue operation, especially when a billion-dollar USA space shuttle was sacrificed in the process.

The astronauts followed their orders. They checked the screws then immediately ran towards to spacecraft. They then quickly activated the booster.

The custom made booster fired up and the spacecraft separated, leaving the meteorite surface.

The USA space shuttle could take off easily because their nuclear bomb cleared away the pyroclastic flow, unfortunately, the Vermillion spacecraft had to face incoming debris.

Fortunately, the booster helped cleared a gap for them to fly through. They were back in space and were joined by the Space Shuttle Endeavor. Both of them began their return to Earth.

Meanwhile, the meteorite changed course from the thrust generated by the booster and the gravitational pull of the moon.

“Thanks to the bravery, heroic sacrifices of our USA and Vermillion astronauts, the meteorite is moving away from Earth. According to scientists, the meteorite will be pushed off its course within a few hours. In the next few days, the meteorite will no longer hit Earth, the fate of humanity is restored!”

A good-looking female reporter almost cracked her voice from cheering. Chen Xin cheered loudly too. Although it meant his preparations were all for nothing, it was all worth it. All he wanted was Earth to be saved and for humans to continue living under the warm sunlight.

He cheered and celebrated until he lost his voice. Chen Xin calmed down when he felt thirsty.

He noticed the TV station missed out on mentioning something important. The meteorite was blown into two halves. The one meteorite that was pushed off its course was the big meteorite half, but what about the smaller half?!

Chen Xin ran to his laptop and checked for the latest news. He simultaneously switched the TV news channels.

However, the TV stations were all about cheering and celebration. The TV audience relaxed as if the danger was completely removed. It disappointed audiences like Chen Xin who wanted to be informed on important news.

Thankfully, the Internet would provide the information he needed. Some netizens asked the same question on the smaller meteorite. Would the small meteorite crash into Earth?

Someone replied with facts and evidence, “The Russians will blow the smaller meteorite into bits with a nuclear bomb.”