Ou Zhanpeng had initially estimated that it would only take a month to scan the擎天巨柱 (Qingtian Jizhu), but within a few days, he realized his projection was far too optimistic.
A month was the time for a robot to scan from the top to the base vertically. However, the structure of the pillar was far more complex than anticipated. Whenever it encountered expansion or contraction structures, the robot would waste a considerable amount of time on horizontal scanning. A precise calculation suggested that even two months might not be enough to complete the scan.
If they could enter the interior of the giant pillar, scanning for another two months would be short; it wouldn't be surprising if it took half a year to get things done.
Ou Zhanpeng reported the situation to headquarters. After a discussion among the Three Giants, they gave Star Ark an extremely clear reply: Scan the giant pillar with all your might!
In other words, Star Ark no longer needed to concern itself with the war against the Seven Great Civilizations or any other miscellaneous matters.
Furthermore, subsequent missions were also arranged. After scanning this pillar, they would also scan the planet near毕宿五 (Bìxiùwǔ).
Precise scanning and comparison were beneficial for the next stage of research.
The military thought this way and acted accordingly. The relevant research teams were established at the fastest pace and soon sent to Galaxy 130.
Simultaneously, a research vessel arrived. The most notable feature of this ship was its small orbital elevator.
That's right, an orbital elevator.
With the ship serving as the orbital space station, its bottom compartment would open, and super-high-strength cables would be directly lowered to the designated landing point. Then, small elevator cabins would transport personnel and supplies to the ground. While not as fast as landing craft, it was simple, convenient, and cost-effective.
It was rumored that this was a new technology developed by the military for interstellar immigration, and it hadn't been used on immigration ships yet; it had made its debut on a research vessel.
Following this, there was round-the-clock transportation of supplies, sending a batch of equipment and robots into the ruins. First, holes were drilled into the walls, then anchors were fixed, and finally, custom rooms were assembled. Detection revealed that the radiation intensity inside the ruins was far less than outside.
The final product was a small research station fixed to the wall, capable of accommodating eight to ten people for long-term station work.
If comfort was sacrificed a bit, the total number of personnel could be increased to around twenty.
Originally, the military intended to solve the energy problem of the research station using wireless power transmission. However, the walls of the ruins perfectly shielded the transmission signals, unless the transmission source was directly facing the window.
But it didn't matter. The military had extensive experience in building so many research stations; they immediately built a small ray battery power station outside the window!
Due to the strong environmental radiation, the military had to encase the receiving equipment in thick lead glass. However, the reduced radiation could still provide sufficient power for the research station.
At this stage, Star Ark could completely hand over the subsequent research work to the research station. The problem was that the force field robots could not operate without the ship's control. Inevitably, Star Ark had to remain there.
To speed up the process, Ou Zhanpeng increased the number of robots to twenty-six, shortening the work of over two months to about ten days.
Ou Zhanpeng wanted to avoid wasting time here, so he had to increase the number of robots.
After the research station and its auxiliary facilities were completed, the research vessel returned to Earth, sending another set of equipment and personnel to Kepler-186f, the planet that Star Ark had discovered near Kepler-186.
The warship cut through the ruins, building another research station in the same manner.
However, this was just the beginning!
Solar System, United Fleet Ground Command Center, Classified Conference Room.
The Three Giants sat together again, but their expressions were filled with insurmountable worry.
Zhou Guangyi swiped his finger, and the conference table instantly transformed into a display screen, opening a special document: "This is the exploration result of the frontline fleet during this period. We have discovered 17 supernovae, and their distribution range is not wide, with an average of one every 50 to 70 light-years."
As he spoke, a holographic star map rose from the table, showing a dozen flashing points of light, each representing a supernova.
Above the star map, there were line segments representing the scale. According to the numerical markers, one centimeter represented one light-year.
Zhou Guangyi tapped the table again. One of the flashing points exploded, its shockwaves spreading outwards, followed by the second, third... all seventeen supernovae exploded in sequence. The resulting gamma-ray bursts overlapped, eventually covering the projection.
"This is the result we have analyzed based on the current situation. Each explosion is separated by only a few weeks. As the gamma-ray bursts continue to spread, they will completely cover this area in the coming decades. At that time, all star beasts will be killed by the gamma-ray bursts, whether in space or on the ground."
Shan Qiuyu rubbed his temples, his thoughts surging like the tide, but he couldn't describe his feelings.
After a long silence, he broke it: "This civilization... let's call it Civilization A for now. They are too powerful for us, feeling like a mountain pressing down on us, and a mountain that could collapse at any moment."
"Me too," said Mu Xingyu.
If someone who didn't know the truth heard the Three Giants speak like this, they might find it amusing.
But being in the midst of it, they could only feel oppression and fear.
Originally, they only knew that Civilization A was very powerful, but they never imagined they would be this powerful.
Zhou Guangyi sighed, "Compared to Civilization A, we are no different from ants in a nest. What do you think Civilization A's attitude towards humanity will be?"
The implication was, if Civilization A was unrestrained, would they disregard humanity's existence and directly detonate a supernova near the Solar System?
"Attitude?" Shan Qiuyu twitched his mouth. "Is it necessary?"
Silence fell again in the conference room.
Yes, do humans need to care about ants?
Similarly, does Civilization A need to care about humanity's thoughts?
Mu Xingyu thought for a moment and said, "Optimistically speaking, the more advanced they are, the more civilized they should be, and they should consider the safety of native species. However, I personally don't think the situation is that optimistic."
The consensus for humanity has always been that the more advanced a race, the more civilized it is. But this judgment is based on humanity's own logic. The actual situation is far from simple.
After humanity ventured into interstellar space, they encountered many interstellar civilizations, but these civilizations were far less advanced than imagined.
Or rather, only their technology was advanced, while their humanities lagged behind.
It's the interstellar era, yet it's still an empire, can you believe it?
Warships have traveled tens or hundreds of light-years, and yet there's still slavery, can you believe it?
Therefore, advancement and power do not necessarily equate to civilization. If Civilization A's social system lagged far behind its technological level, no one could guarantee what would happen.
Even if Civilization A was solely focused on hunting powerful beings like the Iron Blood Shadow Warriors, Mu Xingyu wouldn't find it strange at all.
Zhou Guangyi rubbed his temples with a headache. "We haven't even touched upon Civilization A's capabilities. It's too early to think about these things. Since Civilization A's ultimate goal is to eliminate star beasts, the most important issue right now is to find out if there are any traces of Civilization A within 50 light-years."
The three of them sighed. Shan Qiuyu said, "We don't know the situation with the Qingtian Pillar yet. We can only screen all the planets. This is a considerable workload!"
Zhou Guangyi made a firm decision, stating clearly: "It concerns Earth's safety, and it must be launched as soon as possible. My idea is this: for all star systems with research stations, conduct self-checks immediately. For star systems without research stations, assign nearby warships. For other star systems, immediately dispatch warships, especially from the frontline fleet. Leave a portion of the warships to continue investigations, and transfer all remaining warships back, leaving not a single one behind."
"We can only do this," Shan Qiuyu nodded. "I suggest dividing the fleet into two groups. One group will check from near to far in sequence; the other group will first check the more dangerous large stars and then check the less likely red dwarf stars. And we cannot limit the radius to 50 light-years; we must also check farther away."
Thanks to the efforts of all the ancient sages, humanity now knows that only massive stars have the qualification to become supernovae, and the greater the mass, the easier it is. Civilization A must also look for such stars first. If there were no suitable targets, they would then turn their attention to stars of a lower category.
As for whether red dwarf stars are viable... Shan Qiuyu believed they most likely were, but red dwarf stars have too little mass. Even if they could be detonated, the coverage range wouldn't be very large, perhaps not even ten light-years. It would be time-consuming, effortful, and achieve no purpose, so the possibility of Civilization A detonating red dwarf stars was very small.
Zhou Guangyi and Mu Xingyu nodded in unison. Mu Xingyu suggested, "This is not something only we should handle. Should we notify other civilizations?"
"Notify them, including the Roar people," Zhou Guangyi said.
Although Star Ark was unable to continue negotiations, the basic framework had been agreed upon. The military had specifically dispatched a new team to continue negotiations, and they had achieved phased results.
"Also, let's check the locations of other civilizations' home planets. If there are no other civilizations within the kill zone of the gamma-ray bursts, then we are safe. Otherwise... we need to be prepared!" Shan Qiuyu said.
"Our underground defensive facilities can accommodate all citizens, but gamma-ray bursts can last for months. Food, medicine, drinking water, and sanitation issues all need to be arranged in advance," Mu Xingyu said.
The consumption of so many citizens nationwide every day was a astronomical figure, and the output was equally astronomical. The initial design of the underground defensive facilities was only for short-term shelter; long-term issues were not considered at all. If not handled properly, the citizens evacuated to the defensive facilities would soon fall into chaos due to lack of food and water.
Sanitation was also a top priority. Even if food and water were sufficient, if excrement and urine were everywhere and sewage flowed freely, would it still be a place for humans to live?
"Do we have a clear understanding of the specific situation of the underground cities?" Zhou Guangyi asked.
"Construction is ongoing, and the completed underground cities can accommodate one-third of the population. There is a very large gap," Mu Xingyu said. "The situation in foreign countries is not as optimistic; even ten percent is an overestimation."
After several Earth defense battles, each one was a narrow escape from death. Therefore, the military had long begun building a large number of underground cities, especially in plateau regions.
Those areas had higher altitudes and thicker crusts, making them the best regions for building underground cities.
Next were the major mountain ranges scattered across the country. Although the conditions were not as good as the Roof of the World, they were still excellent regions that were not to be underestimated.
Finally, there were the underwater cities. The construction difficulty was no less than that of underground cities, but the construction conditions were better, the construction speed was faster, and even the environment was much better than underground cities, making them an important supplement to the national air defense system.
However, considering the impact of gamma-ray bursts on the global climate, the safety of shallow sea areas could not be guaranteed, so underwater cities were generally built in areas with relatively stable crusts.
Underwater cities were not the large glass structures seen in sci-fi movies, but rather multi-layered high-strength shells made of various composite materials. Most observation windows were small round windows like those on submarines, with large observation windows reserved only for a few areas.
In case of accidents, large protective plates would cover the windows, and the city could be partitioned when necessary to maximize the safety of the underwater city.
In the face of epoch-making changes, everyone could only prioritize the safety of the majority.
Given the enormous energy of gamma-ray bursts, the minimum depth of underwater cities must reach 40 meters, with 50 meters recommended, and preferably below 70 meters.
Engineering personnel not only built a large number of underground cities but also constructed a vast underground transportation network connecting these cities.
Trains from plain areas did not need to travel to the plateau; they could enter underground tunnels from specific locations and directly enter the underground cities.
The transportation in underwater cities was a bit more complex, but not too difficult. The current practice was to lay tracks on the seabed and use amphibious trains for transportation.
For the public, although underground cities were safer, their acceptance was lower, while they were more accepting of underwater cities.
Some underwater cities, due to their superior locations, not only offered views of abundant marine life but even had underwater farms. For a time, there was even speculation about underwater city real estate, which was both exasperating and amusing.
Due to the military's strong promotion, a large number of people have moved into underground and underwater cities in recent years, and the population in surface cities has significantly decreased. Some small cities in certain regions have even undergone complete relocation.
This was also the officially recommended method. After all, in a new environment, if everyone around you were strangers, it was inevitable to experience psychological problems.
Conversely, if all faces were familiar, overcoming even a harsher environment would be easier.
As for the situation outside, it was difficult to say.
Although the military had taken over the defense of Blue Star, they could not dictate to other partners, and could only make suggestions through foreign affairs departments.
The partners did not lack seriousness, but many partners' systems were not efficient enough. Even with existing examples before them, they could not learn, which was quite frustrating.
The construction of private shelters was quite common, but their quality varied, as did their depth, and reserves and equipment were even more problematic. It was difficult to say whether they could withstand gamma-ray bursts.
Some wealthy individuals with more energy and connections even directly contacted foreign affairs departments, inviting engineering personnel through private channels to help them build private shelters.
However, it was a pity that their own engineering personnel were not enough and had no capacity to support external projects for the time being.
This was the situation. However, even if Civilization A detonated Alpha Centauri A, it would take at least four years for the gamma-ray bursts to reach Earth, giving both their own side and allies ample time to make arrangements.
Let's hope the worst-case scenario does not occur!