Reborn in 1950: Shorting the Federal Reserve at the Start

"BOOM—!!!"

A deafening roar echoed across the Water Gate Bridge south of Gutuli.

The towering flames instantly engulfed the single-lane bridge suspended above the abyss. Debris flew everywhere, steel bars twisted, and the massive bridge, like a giant with a broken spine, crashed into the bottomless, dark valley.

The dust has settled.

The only passage that originally connected the north and south is now reduced to a terrifying gap that is eight meters long and bottomless.

"Done!"

General Smith, commander of the 1st Marine Division, stood on the high ground on the south bank, put down his binoculars, and let out a long sigh of relief.

A hint of relief at surviving the ordeal finally appeared on that face, which was filled with exhaustion and fear.

"This explosion has effectively closed the gates of hell."

Smith took out a lighter, lit a cigar, his hand still trembling slightly.

"The Chinese have no heavy equipment, no bridge-building machines. Faced with such a huge gap, unless they grow wings, they can forget about crossing."

"Tell the lads they can get a good night's sleep tonight. Tomorrow morning, we'll head back to Ham Hing Port and go home for Christmas!"

A cheer erupted from the American positions.

They had been chased by these "ghosts" all the way, suffering heavy losses and being utterly terrified. Now, this insurmountable barrier finally allowed them a chance to catch their breath.

however.

What Smith didn't know was that it was on the north bank of the broken bridge.

Wu Qianli, leading the Seventh Company, stood on the edge of the cliff, looking at the huge gap with worry.

"Those foreign devils are really something else."

Yu Congrong kicked a rock on the edge of the cliff. After listening to the rock fall without making a sound for a long time, his face turned pale. "Company commander, what do we do? We're infantry, we can't fly over there."

"What about the engineering battalion? How much longer?" Wu Qianli asked.

"Even if the engineer battalion arrives, it won't make a difference."

Mei Sheng shook his head, his face grave. "Such a large span, and not a single decent tree around. It's impossible to build it with just wood and stones. Unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless there's a steel bridge. A finished steel bridge."

The voice just fell.

A muffled and enormous roar suddenly came from the sky.

The sound wasn't like the shriek of a fighter jet, but rather a deep, powerful roar that made the snow on the ground tremble.

"Buzzing—"

Everyone instinctively looked up.

In the pitch-black night sky, several massive transport planes, resembling the size of Kunpeng (a mythical bird in Chinese mythology), were flashing their navigation lights as they slowly flew over the Watergate Bridge.

That was a heavy transport aircraft that Shen Jinghong specially allocated (or redeemed) from the "future".

"They're here!"

Wu Qianli's eyes lit up, and he grabbed the handheld phone abruptly:

"Attention all personnel! Airdrop! Give way!"

"Splash—"

The cargo door of the transport plane opened.

Giant white parachute flowers bloomed in the night sky.

Under each parachute hung a huge, square wooden crate.

That's not a supply.

That's steel.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

The heavy crates landed precisely on the open ground on the north bank, stirring up a cloud of snow and mist.

The engineers rushed forward and pried open the box with crowbars.

"hiss--"

With the help of the flashlight, everyone saw what was inside and gasped in shock.

They are prefabricated steel beams that gleam with a metallic sheen!

It also comes with matching bolts, bridge plates, and even special wrenches and jacks!

"This is... a Bailey bridge component?!"

The engineering battalion commander was so excited his voice cracked. He touched the numbered steel beams as if he were touching his own wife's hand:

"It's the upgraded version! The steel frame, the workmanship... my goodness, this is a giant building block!"

"Stop lamenting! Let's get started!"

Wu Qianli roared, "Director Shen said this is a surprise for the Americans! The road must be open before dawn!"

"yes!"

A bridge-building project, a feat worthy of being recorded in the history of human engineering, has begun.

No design drawings? No need!

The box contains a foolproof instruction manual; anyone who can read can spell it!

No crane? No need!

This special steel is incredibly lightweight; two people can lift a large beam!

"One, two, three! Go!"

"Tighten the screws! Quickly!"

Hundreds of engineers and soldiers, like a swarm of meticulous worker ants, were working rapidly on the edge of the cliff.

Steel beams were spliced, bolts were tightened, and bridge decks were laid.

The broken bridge is extending towards the other side at a speed visible to the naked eye.

If the American troops on the other side saw this speed, they would probably wet their pants in fear.

Four hours later.

The east was beginning to lighten with the first light of dawn.

Division Commander Smith stretched, crawled out of his sleeping bag, picked up his coffee, and leisurely walked to the edge of the cliff, ready to witness the despairing expressions of the Chinese gazing at the bridge with longing.

"Good morning, damn war."

He took a sip of coffee and casually raised his binoculars.

next second.

"puff--!"

The scalding hot coffee sprayed out, and the binoculars slammed onto the instep with a thud.

"Aww!"

Smith ignored the pain in his feet; his eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

What did he see?

桥！

A brand-new steel bridge, gleaming with a cold metallic light, spans the gap that was blown up just last night, just like a giant steel dragon!

This is impossible!

My God! Is this an illusion?

That's a steel bridge weighing tens of tons!

Even the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with a full set of heavy machinery, wouldn't be able to set it up in less than three to five days!

How did the Chinese do it?

Are they devils? Or do they carry Doraemon's pocket with them?

Just when Smith was questioning the meaning of life.

Suddenly, the roar of an engine came from the other side of the bridge.

The voice was deep, powerful, and carried an overwhelming, domineering quality that seemed capable of crushing everything.

Followed by.

A massive steel monster slowly climbed onto the newly erected steel bridge.

Thick, long gun barrels, heavy armor, and tracks grinding against steel plates with a teeth-grinding screech.

tank!

These are Chinese tanks!

Moreover, it's not one of those light tanks, but a proper heavy main battle tank (actually a Pershing that was captured from the US military and repaired, or a Type 59 prototype that was heavily modified)!

"Boom!"

The tank tracks kicked up dust as it swaggered over.

Following behind were countless volunteer soldiers, surging in like a tidal wave across the mountains and plains.

They carried Type 56 assault rifles, wore bulletproof helmets, and had eyes as cold as knives.

"Run! Run!"

Smith let out a piercing scream, turned and ran, not even bothering to pick up his hat that had fallen off:

"They're not human! They can use magic!"

"My God! They'll conjure up bridges! They'll even conjure up tanks!"

"This war can't be fought! Mom, I want to go home!"

At this moment, the psychological defenses of the US military completely collapsed.

This is no longer a war.

This is a myth.

This is a ruthless crushing of Western industrial arrogance by a mysterious force from the East.

……

a few days later.

POW camps in the rear of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army.

In a simple interrogation room.

A captured U.S. Army colonel was huddled in a corner, looking dazed and with unfocused eyes.

He was wrapped in a blanket and holding hot water in his hands, but he still couldn't stop trembling.

"Name?"

The staff officer of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army in charge of the interrogation tapped on the table.

The colonel did not respond.

He kept muttering something, his voice very soft, like a dream or a curse.

The staff officer frowned and moved closer.

"What did you say?"

The colonel suddenly looked up.

Those bloodshot eyes were filled with deep fear and confusion.

He gripped the staff officer's sleeve tightly, and in an almost insane tone, he forced out a single word through gritted teeth:

"Gundam..."

"What?" The staff officer was taken aback, not understanding.

"Gundam! It's Gundam!"

The colonel roared hysterically, gesturing wildly as he spoke:

"I saw it clearly! It was the soldier carrying the explosives! He jumped three meters high! He was pushing the truck all by himself!"

"And that bridge repairman! He was holding a light! A blue light!"

"You have Gundams! You definitely have Gundams!"

"I want to see MacArthur! I want to tell the President! The Chinese have mastered alien technology! If we don't surrender, the Earth will be destroyed!"

The staff officer looked at the terrified prisoner, shook his head helplessly, and wrote a line in the interrogation logbook:

The prisoner of war is in a state of extreme mental confusion and appears to be hallucinating. Medical treatment is recommended.

He closed the notebook, turned around, and walked out of the interrogation room.

Outside.

Shen Jinghong was standing in the snow, watching the soldiers cleaning up the battlefield in the distance.

He heard the shouts coming from inside, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips.

"Gundam?"

He pushed up his glasses and muttered to himself:

"It's not built yet. But..."

Shen Jinghong's gaze was fixed on the distant north, where the Shenzhou Bureau's underground base was roaring day and night.

"Since you're so afraid, I can't let you down."

"Next, it's time to prepare something even more exciting... a 'sci-fi movie' for you."