The door of the courtyard house has been welded dead

The damp sea breeze, carrying the smell of rust, wafted towards us.

More than 120 naval submarine officers and soldiers, led by the fleet commander, descended the wet, non-slip steel stairs one by one. The sound of their rubber shoes hitting the metal was particularly clear in the silence as they entered the No. 1 dry dock of the shipyard in an orderly manner.

Steel supports crisscross overhead in a grid pattern, with external cables connecting to the submarine's hull. Searchlights pierce the shadows, gradually outlining the massive structure below.

Jiang Defu's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily. The steel behemoth lurking at the bottom of the dock was like a sleeping sea monster, or a whale. Even without the cover of the sea, its sheer size still exuded a breathtaking sense of oppression.

The hull features a unique cigar-shaped design, somewhat resembling a toy priced at $1.99. The black and gray pressure hull is covered with regularly arranged drainage holes, like the scales shed by a deep-sea creature.

The ten-meter-high hull was almost level with the side wall of the dock. When Jiang Defu looked up, he found that his line of sight had to climb all the way up the hull, and he even had to take a few steps back and stick to the wall of the dock before his eyes could reach the conspicuous turtle-back structure on the top of the hull.

The raised arc is not a natural curve or a raised turtleback, but a compartment specially designed to accommodate the top-secret *** type submarine-launched ballistic missile. It can be said that this is the most important weapon on this submarine.

Even he, the weapons chief, doesn't have specific information about the missile yet. He only knows two approximate parameters: first, a range of 1,200 kilometers; second, it can be launched underwater. Even its name is still marked with an asterisk (*).

The alloy armor covering the turtle's back gleamed with a cold metallic luster under the light, like the protruding spine of a deep-sea dragon, bearing the heavy responsibility of sea-based nuclear deterrence and the triad of nuclear counterattack measures.

Currently, the navy appears to be leading the way.

Jiang Defu pressed down on his military cap, suppressing his racing heart despite his obvious heartbeat. He couldn't possibly tremble with excitement in front of the fleet leaders. As a weapons officer at the regimental level, he couldn't afford to lose face in public.

That's right. As the weapons officer of a ballistic missile nuclear submarine, he is a high-ranking officer. The captain and political commissar are both at the division level. After receiving the designation from the Navy, he will automatically become the commander of this submarine squadron.

Throughout his journey, after graduating from military academy and entering Beijing, he had never seen the sea again. He had been prepared to spend his life in the circle of military representatives, without ever having the opportunity to board a ship.

As a result, after his time at the factory ended, he received a recommendation from Li Feng and was able to return to the azure ocean.

It's possible that he also has a deep connection with his brother-in-law, Ouyang Yi. Old Ou, who was doing research at the Red Star Factory, seems to have made some technological breakthrough. The two of them complemented each other and that's how they got this opportunity today.

Nuclear counterattack capability! The first of its kind in China. Although it hasn't been launched yet and hasn't been equipped with any missiles, Jiang Defu didn't care anymore. In some ways, this thing is even more deterrent than an aircraft carrier.

Being able to become the weapons officer of such a ship has already proven that his future is not limited to this.

"Watch your step."

Jiang Defu's voice echoed in the empty dock. The soldiers, like him, were all looking up at the hull. Jiang Defu knew more. After the initial shock subsided, he forced his heartbeat back to normal.

The leader walking in front heard Jiang Defu's reminder, glanced back, and was also very impressed with this weapons officer.

A kid from the countryside, his academic performance at the Qing D Artillery School wasn't particularly outstanding.

He served as a military representative stationed at the factory, but he never gave up on returning to the deep blue ocean and continued to study on his own at the military factory. It is this kind of personality that is the key to his becoming the weapons chief of Project 092.

Major national weapons systems need a weapons commander with his personality to ensure the final checkpoint is properly secured.

When Jiang Defu's fingers finally touched the surface of the hull, he relaxed completely. This was the feeling of his future comrade-in-arms who would cut through the waves. The paint on the hull had a unique supple texture.

Jiang Defu is not greedy. As long as he can return to the deep blue sea, he will persevere no matter how harsh the living conditions are for submariners.

As you walk to the bow, six dark, 533mm torpedo tubes come into view.

They were arranged in a triangular pattern, each tube opening fitted with a heavy waterproof gate. The torpedo data inside was already memorized; this was the submarine's second most important weapon, primarily serving its own underwater defense. Jiang Defu leaned back, his gaze sweeping over the fine threads on the surface of the launch tubes, imagining the scene of thunderous torpedoes bursting through the water—a scene he knew he would likely never witness.

These seemingly silent fangs are not only a powerful weapon for submarine self-defense, but also a deadly weapon to tear through the enemy submarine's defenses. At this moment, they are like lurking beasts, waiting for the moment to strike.

The best weapon against submarines is a submarine itself.

However, this behemoth is not an attack nuclear submarine. Its massive size puts it at a significant disadvantage in underwater combat, and the manual states that such situations should be avoided at all costs.

Its greatest effect is its invisible deterrent.

The group continued toward the stern of the boat, the huge propeller tightly wrapped in a waterproof tarpaulin.

Even so, the silhouette still visible beneath the fabric made the officers and soldiers realize its astonishing size.

"This leaf must be at least five meters in diameter!"

Upon reaching the stern, Jiang Defu looked at the enormous propeller and muttered to himself that it was much larger in every aspect compared to conventionally powered submarines.

After inspecting the exterior of the submarine, the discussions in the dock gradually subsided, and the officers and soldiers began to file up the creaking iron stairs.

Finally reaching the top of the boat, Jiang Defu held onto the edge of the hatch and ducked inside.

A circular metal door frame blocked his way, forcing him to bend down to pass through.

The scene before him instantly overturned his understanding: the submarine, which looked as majestic as a mountain on the outside, had such a cramped interior space.

The overhead pipes crisscrossed like coiled dragons, almost brushing against the brim of his hat.

The equipment cabinets on both sides are closely packed together, leaving only a narrow passage for one person to pass at a time. If two people meet, they even have to turn sideways to pass each other.

Originally, Jiang Defu was quite proud of his tall and robust physique, which made him a leader in the army. However, upon entering this cramped space, he was dumbfounded.

Conversely, the slender build of the soldiers gave them an advantage in maneuvering within such confined spaces.

The air was filled with a complex smell of engine oil, metal and rubber, which lingered in the enclosed space for a long time. To be honest, it was very pungent. Jiang Defu felt that his nasal cavity was itchy after breathing in so much air.

Even before setting sail, the officers and soldiers of Project 092 already faced numerous negative buffs. Submarine soldiers, as the most mysterious and challenging branch of the navy, are undoubtedly also the most difficult to command.

The passageway underfoot is covered with anti-slip textures, and you can feel the fine particles with every step. This is to prevent people from slipping when the submarine is rocking underwater.

The missile compartments occupied a large area, resulting in exceptionally small crew quarters and dining areas. It's as if the designers were carving flowers on a sesame seed, making the most of the space.

"Wow, this is the dormitory?"

Not to mention the soldiers' berths, which were barely larger than train sleeper berths, even the cabins where the captain and political commissar lived were extremely cramped. This was the living, working, and even future combat environment.

Jiang Defu felt that he might have been too happy too soon. (End of Chapter)