Sending exploration satellites via civilian launchers, leaving the solar system after eons, was not a plan Dr. Zhao could devise.
"I know you have many friends. If cost is no object, you could entirely create a viable plan. As for subsequent actions, the Investigation and Research Office can help us with permits. Financially, the Star River Consortium already has an industry for developing civilian spaceflight."
Dr. Zhao looked perplexed. "But why send it out of the solar system? Is it truly good to wander in this universe?"
Qin Yexuan said solemnly, "That was the plan I made for them before I left the minor universe, and it's something I owe everyone in the minor universe. Don't forget, there's a planet inside. Once you restore the minor universe's energy, start working on this immediately. The sooner, the better. The time flow inside is too fast. If we delay any longer, I fear the minor universe experiencing spiritual energy resurgence might have already perished."
Dr. Zhao grabbed his arm. "When can I go in?"
"When the time is right. I make that decision. After you go in, you'll need to represent me to find a few people. They are friends and disciples I left there. You will be my envoy then, telling them the next plan."
Dr. Zhao still held him, refusing to let go. "Before I go in, you must explain clearly why you're sending the minor universe into space."
"Because it will give them more options. They can land on some barren planet during their journey and redevelop it, or they can swallow a planet to expand the minor universe."
"One day, it might swallow enough resources to become a true universe!"
Dr. Zhao's eyes lit up with a terrifying intensity. "Then, if I cultivate, can I live to see that day?"
"Within the minor universe's time, you would need to reach a level close to an extraterrestrial powerhouse. That depends on your aptitude and willpower."
Dr. Zhao was engrossed.
She sat in the secret chamber, eating, drinking, sleeping, and relieving herself, but she wouldn't leave.
It was as if she feared Qin Yexuan would take the minor universe away.
Zhu Tianqi had completely resolved the Haotian consciousness within Chen Xing's body, which granted her a massive amount of spiritual energy, leading to a rapid increase in her cultivation.
Now, she was holding a meeting in Chen Xing's name.
Not long after the remote video conference began, Zhu Tianqi displayed her commanding side, first confirming the plan to launch space probes as soon as possible and designating it as the consortium's top priority for the half-year anniversary.
After closing the video conference, she handed a document to Qin Yexuan. "That little girl is named Pang Pang. Her home address and kindergarten address are all here."
"Pang Pang, that's an interesting name."
"They say she was too thin when she was born and almost didn't make it. Her parents named her Pang Pang to wish for her health."
Zhu Tianqi rarely showed tenderness. "Promise me, it would be best if you can keep this child safe."
Qin Yexuan shook his head. "Haotian won't give me that chance, but... I can try Plan B!"
"Plan B!"
"That plan is too dangerous!" Su Qing appeared, representing the consciousness of the girls within her, and opposed it collectively. "We all object!"
Plan B was a concept Qin Yexuan personally proposed but never intended to use.
"This plan can be executed without alerting anyone, erase the most information, and allow us to quietly start anew in this world."
Qin Yexuan finally persuaded the girls within Su Qing, and Zhu Tianqi was also prepared.
"If it fails, at all costs, destroy the kindergarten! Blame all the sins on me!"
After saying this, Qin Yexuan took a shower, changed his clothes, and had the best meal.
He closed his eyes for half an hour, fully integrating the last of his spiritual energy into his body. Then, he walked out of the manor and came to Seventh Road in the city, a kindergarten next to Hongxing Community.
After waiting for a long time, he didn't see Pang Pang appear.
Qin Yexuan turned around and quietly entered Hongxing Community. The best houses here were in Zone Six, all detached villas.
He waited for the night to deepen, intending to sneak into the third house.
"Qin Xuan..." Director Wang appeared like a ghost from the side, and a large group of people completely surrounded the area.
Qin Yexuan raised his hands.
Director Wang walked over, first looking at the villa. "We've spoken with the little girl's parents. You must cooperate with me on this matter!"
Qin Yexuan raised an eyebrow. "So, you believe me now?"
"At least Zhang Min believes you," Director Wang said impassively.
Qin Yexuan, however, heard something in his words. "Director Wang, you and Zhang Min, you haven't...?"
Director Wang coughed violently. "No, don't talk nonsense. We only had dinner together, all for work."
The colleagues from the investigation team around them all wore strange smiles.
Qin Yexuan was happy for Zhang Min. "That child is intelligent and kind. She deserves a good home."
Director Wang frowned. "Let's talk about Haotian. At least Pang Pang's parents support us."
"Why do they support us? Are they that selfless?"
"Because this morning, their daughter stood up from her wheelchair and was completely healed. After the initial excitement, the young couple was also frightened. Their daughter's temperament has changed completely. Just at noon, she ate two jin of raw beef!"
Qin Yexuan nodded. "Haotian originally had time to disguise himself well, but our actions forced him to accelerate his pace. He's controlling the little girl to accumulate energy as quickly as possible to break through his cultivation."
Speaking of this, Qin Yexuan lowered his voice. "Once his cultivation breaks through to Shattered Void, all the current methods in the world will be useless against him."
Director Wang asked anxiously, "How much time do we have left?"
"It's hard to say. I can't predict Haotian's cultivation speed, but it certainly can't be delayed until tomorrow morning. He's not even bothered about exposing himself to eat raw beef for energy, so he must be close to breaking through."
Director Wang looked at his phone. "Under the absolute guarantee of the child's safety, give me a solution. As long as the child is unharmed, I will support you even if I have to risk my life."
Qin Yexuan smiled. "Plan B!"
"What do you mean? Stop beating around the bush. Everyone here will listen to your command."
"First, I need a computer. Have someone create a game, simple and crude is fine. This game must simulate an infinitely repeating world, where the game time repeats endlessly. Don't worry about graphics; text or even raw code is fine, but it must run successfully and be bug-free."
"Impossible. Even the most rudimentary game would take a year to develop to run bug-free."
Everyone gathered, contemplating this difficult problem.
Qin Yexuan refused to reveal the subsequent plan unless Director Wang solved this issue.
After an hour of intense discussion, a young man suddenly said, "Can we use an existing game? We can get emergency authorization for a standalone version. Get the big bosses to negotiate, get a special version, not for commercial use..."
Director Wang stared at him. "What game?"
"Minecraft! It was developed in 2009, and it's been updated. I've been playing it."
The young man quickly explained.
"Contact the higher-ups. We have three hours to finalize it. It will be 11:30 PM then, and there's still time."
Immediately, the entire state apparatus was mobilized. Personnel from various departments formed an emergency task force and contacted the game's representative within half an hour.
After further urgent negotiations, a copied version of the game was transmitted.
"In one hour, six thousand programmers will work together. A specially modified version, stable and error-free. Inside, it's a simulated minor universe, very crude, but the scenes can be reused. All unnecessary modules have been removed. An ordinary computer can run it."
Director Wang immediately had a top-of-the-line laptop brought over. After removing the network module, he ran the game. Once it was confirmed to be working, he looked at Qin Yexuan. "Now, tell us your Plan B!"
Qin Yexuan smiled. "You know, in the minor universe, I never truly interacted with computer games. And Haotian, who was lurking within me, never had the opportunity to truly engage with computer games. He has almost no concept of them. He had no chance to encounter them even after the universe's spiritual energy resurgence and his emergence."
Director Wang's eyes flashed. "So, Haotian is not vigilant towards virtual worlds and virtual games."
"Heh heh, the most ingenious part is that his consciousness, in a sense, can be viewed as a transmitted signal. Do you understand?"
Director Wang was utterly shocked. "Did you make preparations in the minor universe? Endured for tens of thousands of years, never touching this area, all for today's preparation?"
Qin Yexuan said solemnly, "The moment I first understood the nature of Haotian's consciousness, I left this contingency. You're right, I've endured until now precisely to exploit this point. Haotian's consciousness is almost perfect, but any perfect thing has a ridiculous weakness."
Director Wang trembled with excitement. "Lure Haotian's consciousness into this virtual game, an infinitely repeating world, and he'll be effectively imprisoned. This virtual program on the computer is his lifelong prison. You are a f*cking genius!"
Qin Yexuan raised his hand, slowly releasing all the spiritual energy within him.
"Haotian, possessing Pang Pang, will sense this spiritual energy and be unable to resist cultivating. Before he reaches Shattered Void, he needs to separate from Pang Pang's consciousness and hibernate alone for a period, perhaps a few minutes, perhaps a few hours. That will be our only window of opportunity."
Spiritual energy flowed into the villa, and startled cries soon came from within.
Qin Yexuan immediately pushed the door open. Director Wang signaled everyone to step back and followed him with the laptop.
Pang Pang's parents, their faces filled with panic, pointed at their daughter, who was asleep on the sofa. "Just now she was muttering incoherently, then she started breathing heavily and fell asleep."
Qin Yexuan held their hands and forcefully applied the Mind Control Technique.
The parents immediately sat down blankly, not speaking.
"What are you doing?" Director Wang was surprised.
Qin Yexuan had already picked up the girl. "Because there's no time to explain, no time to calm them down and get their approval for our plan."
He said coldly, "What if the parents object? What if they demand assurances? What if they insist on confirming your identity or even require written documents? Can you afford to drag it out?"
Director Wang had nothing to say.
Qin Yexuan led him into the bedroom, then took a deep breath. "Connect the data cable. Don't worry, under normal circumstances, I'll resolve it in under a minute."
It was an agonizing minute, one that felt as long as the end of the world.
When Qin Yexuan opened his eyes, released Pang Pang's hand, and her parents rushed in, a ripple appeared on the screen of the laptop in Director Wang's hand.
Qin Yexuan exhaled a long breath. "It's done!"
Cheers erupted outside.
Simultaneously, at the manor, receiving the news, Su Qing and Chen Xing also jumped up in celebration.
Plan B, against all odds, had achieved the impossible.
In the underground garage of the Investigation Office, everyone looked at the laptop.
Within the game program running on the computer, a small figure was moving rapidly.
The data generated by the program pulsed incessantly.
Director Wang looked at Qin Yexuan.
Qin Yexuan said coldly, "Set the game time ratio to maximum!"
"Then for every second the computer runs, 2.1 billion years will pass in the game. That's the maximum setting."
"Let Haotian spend countless 2.1 billion year cycles in the virtual world until he goes mad or his consciousness completely disappears."
Qin Yexuan looked at the small figure amusing itself in the game and added, "You need dedicated personnel to monitor this computer. If the computer ages or experiences a power outage, you only have 10 minutes to restart the game, otherwise, Haotian's consciousness might manifest in various unpredictable ways."
"Don't worry, we're considering using cloud server backups..."
"No internet connection, cloud servers won't work..."
"Then I'll try to arrange more machines. Our office's future task will be only one: to ensure the perpetual operation of this entire game!"
Thus, Haotian would be engrossed in the virtual world.
Forever and ever!
...
Six months later, at the Western Region launch site, Chen Xing stood tensely with various experts in the launch pad monitoring room.
The Star River Group's first space probe was about to be launched!
Qin Yexuan was in charge of pressing the launch button.
At this moment, the countdown reached its final second.
He looked towards the distant launch pad, sensing the minor universe disguised as a meteor at the top.
Passing through the outer shell, through the force field.
He saw Dr. Zhao cultivating somewhere.
He saw Li Tianxing, adorned in magnificent attire, standing on the highest peak of the planet, his gaze sharp as lightning, having already entered the ranks of extraterrestrial powerhouses.
And other disciples.
Sun Qinglu was in a vast divine palace, with three thousand disciples kneeling before him. He too had reached the cultivation level of a top Daoist powerhouse.
...
Qin Yexuan gazed with infinite longing at the familiar minor universe, the civilization that had flourished under his care.
Then, without hesitation, he pressed the launch button!
...
Su Qing walked over. With the merged consciousness of many girls within her, she gently held Qin Yexuan's hand.
At this moment, they both smiled.
"The past will eventually pass. We can also cultivate. Perhaps after eons, we might still see the minor universe grow."
Qin Yexuan took her hand and quietly left the launch base.
Members from several different factions still attempted to track them, but the two easily shook them off.
"What do we do next?" Su Bingyan asked with a hint of melancholy.
Qin Yexuan looked towards the distant horizon. "Time is long. I've explored that world completely, but this world, I haven't even left the provincial capital. Come with me. We'll start with simple travel... You can take turns leading our consciousness."
Indeed, though time was vast, life must go on.
As the night deepened, the two held hands and gazed at the starry sky, their figures drawing closer under the bright moon...
This is indeed: "Like these stars, not from last night; hand in hand, we gaze at a galaxy..."
End of text!