Rest In Peace

The two Team USA space shuttles disappeared on the surface of the meteorite. It was like the whole world fell into an indescribable silence.

No one knew what was going on. The explosion of the Tsar Bomba caused a strong magnetic disturbance so the Earth already lost their connection with the three frontline spacecraft. The TV broadcast screen was filled with static, it seemed like even the broadcast director was petrified by what happened and forgot to switch the cameras.

The unbearable silence went on for almost a minute but it felt like an eternity.

The broadcast director remembered that he had to do his job, he cut the scene from static to visuals of NASA Federal Agency live reports.

The two space shuttles were commanded by NASA because the spacecraft was from the United States.

Everyone was desperately hoping for an explanation or a statement from NASA since they lost contact with the astronauts. They need something to calm their anxious heart.

Chen Xin was nervous too but he convinced himself to stay calm. He expected the magnetic disturbance when the United States dropped a nuclear bomb.

However, the magnetic disturbance would not last too long, the spacecraft was designed to combat this situation. Once the temporary magnetic disturbance was over, connections would be back online with the astronauts.

That was what Chen Xin thought of. An expert who worked at NASA gave the same explanation on TV. He comforted the general public and hoped for their patience. He implored the general public to stay calm.

Despite what the NASA expert said and how he acted, Chen Xin could tell he was not as confident as he looked.

The NASA command center behind the expert was wrapped up in their work, it seemed like they fell into chaos. 

They expected this when the nuclear bomb dropped so they stopped panicking.

The disconnection with the astronauts did not last long, Vermillion had already managed to reconnect with the Vermillion spacecraft.

Space visuals from the spacecraft were back on screen. Chen Xin watched the screen attentively.

There was an incoming meteorite as large as a mountain, its surface flared up with a streak of white light like a huge comet.

Chen Xin knew the white flares were due to friction from the air, causing the surface of the meteorite to shed dust and debris. The United States dropped the nuclear bomb to avoid the pyroclastic flow coming from the meteorite. However, the pyroclastic flow was back in a short amount of time.

Surprisingly, the connections were back online with Team Vermillion but not for Team USA.

No one had heard anything from them ever since the two space shuttles went towards the meteorite.

"Are the two space shuttles goners? Why haven't we heard from them?" A few netizens from a Survival Groupchat that Chen Xin was in started to worry. 

It was possible. Although they avoided the pyroclastic flow with the nuclear bomb, no one knew what was the situation and no man had ever landed on a meteorite before. They might accidentally crash into the meteorite and die.

There were another bunch of rational netizens who argued in the group chat, "I think it's just the debris and all that disturbed the connection. According to the United States, they have to drill and set up a nuclear bomb on the meteorite's surface. It's not an easy mission so it's normal for them to take some time."

That netizen did drilling work as a profession. Although it was not as cool as drilling on the surface of the meteorite, he did dig wells at the Northeast so he had the right knowledge to comment on this.

Chen Xin did change the group chat name into 'Survival Groupchat', the theme of the group chat was about survival. However, before the meteorite, the group chat was meant for a bunch of outdoor sports lovers.

All outdoor sports lovers were decently wealthy and they were in diverse professions. The group chat members all had something up their sleeves, they could build their own apocalypse bunkers. None chose to use the official bunker provided by their government.

The girl who seduced Chen Xin with the photo was underestimated. She claimed she did not have a bunker to stay in and wanted to move in with Chen Xin. However, she was well equipped. Chen Xin had a year full of emergency food supplies and other survival equipment, all because of the girl. 

Chen Xin was the only member who showed off his bunker to the group chat, but all other members had bunkers of their own.

The girl who wanted to move in with Chen Xin had her own bunker now, Chen Xin could tell from the photo she sent of her with her sister and her bestie. Her bunker might end up being better than his.

Her bunker could at least supply three people, unlike his bunker, especially when it was girls.

"I think it's a connection disturbance too. There are two space shuttles, it's unlikely that both of them crashed, right? We should be patient at a time like this."

"I'm feeling so anxious waiting for the news. It's like I knew there's a knife hanging above my head, but I'm unsure whether it would fall on me."

"Don't say that. Even if the meteorite strikes, as long as it doesn't hit on Team Vermillion's side, we would have a chance of survival in our bunkers. Author said so, right?"

"But what if we're unlucky? What if the meteorite strikes on our side?"

"Then we will rest in peace, no doubt about it."

Chen Xin sighed at the discussion in the group chat. His nickname was 'Author' in the group chat, he did say that if the meteorite landed on the United States, bunkered survivors could live.

However, apart from himself, no one posted their bunker photos in the group chat. He was unsure whether they were fully prepared for the meteorite.

He quickly sent a text in the group chat, "It seems like I'm the only person that showed photos of my bunker, are you guys prepared? Or are you guys choosing the Government bunkers?"