[Serialized Novel] "Lute of the North Wind" Episode 41

Previous Episode

Episode 41: Countermeasures Headquarters for the Red Tide in the Sky (3)
"How are you going to remove the scab? Unless you peel it off, the residents can't return to Kagamihara, right? Are you going to keep the residents evacuated for years like in a nuclear power plant accident?"
A natural question was fired.
"I will explain the clearing operation myself."
Ikegami stood up, glaring across the conference room. The air became tense in an instant.
"The logic is simple. We will use Patriot missiles to punch a hole in the scab. Once a hole is opened, a powerful downdraft on the level of a downburst will occur. We will use that airflow to blow the scab away in one go."
A downburst is a disaster-level downdraft caused by the updrafts of a cumulonimbus cloud. Although the generation principle is different, the point is that by opening a hole in the lid, we will generate an instantaneous, strong downdraft, and use the force of the airflow that has lost its escape route to blow the scab away—a hybrid operation between the Self-Defense Forces and meteorology.
"However, we need to change the vector of the downdraft after the direct hit. A natural downburst spreads along the ground in concentric circles when it reaches the surface. Instead of scattering it horizontally, I want to reverse it into the sky in a V-shape while maintaining its violent force. It would be best if we could surround the impact point with a bowl-shaped wall of concrete or steel to prevent it from spreading sideways, but we can't set that up in a few days."
Ikegami stroked his chin with his left hand.
"That's where this comes in. We will use the Mirror Pond in the Mirror Forest Green Park. The Mirror Pond is bowl-shaped, deep, and large. We will use the Patriot to target the area above the Mirror Pond with pinpoint accuracy, hit the Mirror Pond directly with the downdraft, and trace the inside of the pond to direct the airflow toward the sky."
Ryuto projected an image illustrating the mechanism.
"To do that, we have to drain the pond. The park is under the jurisdiction of the City Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, right?"
Ikegami asked Maeda from the City Bureau.
"The Ground Self-Defense Force will handle the draining work. There is a high possibility that the trees in the park will be knocked down. Can we get permission for that as well?"
General Sagiike pressed Maeda.
"U-understood. Our staff will also..."
"No, that won't be necessary. We are trained for coordinated operations. If amateurs are wandering around, the work won't progress. Your permission is enough."
Maeda cowered before the two old generals.
Catching that in the corner of his eye, Ryuto added.
"The Patriot has a missile guidance function, so we can control the impact point. However, we cannot guarantee that there will be no damage at all. Also, how the airflow will affect the surroundings is an unknown. That is why we are evacuating all residents."
"The operation will be carried out on June 30th, after the evacuation is complete."
Ikegami declared in a tone that brooked no argument. Not a single person raised an objection.
The "Red Scab Clearing Operation" was passed unanimously.

"Next, we need to eradicate the rumors about Kagamihara. Anxiety strips people of their reason in their actions. Eradicating rumors is the key to carrying out the operation."
Ryuto led the meeting again.
"I would like the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications to coordinate with the Government Public Relations Office to correct the misinformation about the infectious disease in the media and broadcast that the Kagamihara Crisis is a meteorological disaster. I also ask for awareness to be raised through social media."
The thin-faced bureaucrat from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications seat immediately began typing into his tablet upon hearing Ryuto's request.
"Public relations to foreign countries is also an urgent task. Please notify each country through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that there is no concern of infection, that it is a meteorological disaster caused by global warming, and that it should be discussed in the same field as forest fires. It might be better for the Prime Minister to send a message to the whole world. I leave the decision to the Cabinet Secretariat."
Overwhelmed by Ryuto's rapid-fire explanation, they were left speechless.
"May I ask one thing? This is Niwamoto, the Mayor of Kagamihara."
The "Anpanman Mayor" raised his hand from the end of the table.

To be continued