Chapter 1024: That Was Cool!

Chapter 1024: Showing Off!

The colossal steel structure pierced the clouds, standing on both sides of a concrete platform as vast as a plain, looking from afar like a double-edged steel spear thrusting from the seabed toward the sky!

It was an artificial valley, built in the very heart of the turbulent southern sea!

Not only was Dora stunned, her eyes wide and frozen in place, but even Ye Shi, who had just crawled out of the hatch, was deeply shocked, his mouth hanging open.

He seemed to be at the center of a giant "V"-shaped tower.

Looking up, there was nothing but an endless precipice, with only the highest point where a fist could block out the horizon!

This was the Alliance's space elevator!

Though not ninety thousand kilometers long, it was still enough to dazzle his eyes.

"Holy crap..." Ye Shi muttered involuntarily.

Damn.

He had only been away for three months, and the Alliance had already become this awesome?!

Jiang Xuezhou was equally stunned, rubbing her eyes and looking again.

"...Is this made of ceramic steel?"

Finally recognizing the material of the steel structure, she took a deep breath, only to get a mouthful of sea breeze, coughing several times before calming down.

Ye Shi patted her back gently, showing concern.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine..." Regaining her breath, Jiang Xuezhou looked up and murmured, "You guys are way too over-the-top. Did you build a starship on the sea?"

Or two vertical aircraft carriers.

Either way, it was shocking enough for her, who had only seen similar structures in ruins from the Human Union era.

Ye Shi fully understood the shock she felt at that moment, since he wasn't much different.

Though someone had spoiled the elevator's situation on the official forum before, text descriptions and dry photos were nowhere near as spectacular as seeing it in person.

"...Even though this is my first time seeing this thing, I heard it was under construction a long time ago, only recently finished."

And—

It wasn't solely the Alliance's achievement.

From the very beginning of the space elevator project, it had been a joint effort by various units and organizations from the Alliance, the Corporation, and the South Sea Alliance. The Ideal Group, in particular, had contributed a great deal, completing nearly 37% of the production capacity.

In return, however, the rewards they reaped from this project were enormous.

Word had it that as of yesterday's market close, the Ideal Group had risen by 50% over the past 120 trading days, reclaiming its position as the most valuable company in Ideal City!

For the first time in a century and a half since Ideal City's completion, something like this had happened.

The Ideal Group, once reduced to a property management company, had once again opened up the imagination of Ideal City's residents about the future, thanks to the completion of the space elevator and the injection of high-quality asset shares. It had made itself great again!

In fact, it had already transformed from a company of Ideal City into a company of human civilization.

By the time everyone vaguely realized it, this had already become a fact.

The same was happening with Endpoint Group in Ideal City.

As the representative of what was once Ideal City's "most conservative force," Endpoint Group had always opposed the Corporation's expansion outward, in order to protect its market share and council seats.

After all, there was no demand for networks in the wasteland, and the chaotic environment wasn't suitable for building Endpoint Cloud. A server costing tens of millions of Credits could be blown to pieces with a single rocket launcher.

But with the end of the Wasteland Era, this most conservative corporate subsidiary had instead become the most progressive force, actively promoting globalization like the internet companies of the old era.

Currently, the Alliance's postal, logistics, industrial, and financial sectors had gradually adopted Endpoint Cloud services.

It wouldn't be long before civilian networks were opened up, thanks to the widening of undersea cable channels and the improvement of infrastructure.

By then, even lying on the beaches of Friesland Port, Ideal City residents could connect to their hometown networks, or even play battle royale games with netizens from Coral City buried beneath the sea.

After two and a half centuries, the human survivors of eastern Zhongzhou would once again welcome the internet age!

That would surely spark a new wave of prosperity, perhaps turning Ideal City's Big Five into six, seven, or eight giants.

But that was a story for another time...

...

Not long after the group left the elevator cabin, a crowd approached from afar.

Leading them were two people: one was Han Mingyue, a researcher from the Alliance Academy of Social Sciences, and the other was Sun Zewen, a researcher from the Alliance Institute of Biology.

The former needed no introduction; she had become somewhat famous among players due to frequent appearances in newspapers and her habit of assigning quests.

As for the latter, new players might find him unfamiliar, but old players who entered the game during the alpha version could still recognize him.

He was a resident of Vault 401 and an expert in mental interference devices and resonance field theory.

The so-called resonance field theory was essentially morphogenetic field theory.

Since morphogenetic field theory had recently been formally established at the Alliance Research Institute, he, as a pre-war researcher in that field, had instantly become a leading authority.

His white hair and beard, along with his immortal-like demeanor, truly gave him the bearing of a grandmaster.

But Ye Shi remembered that when he first met him, the guy wasn't this elegant, professorial figure—he was being forced by raiders at gunpoint to make pills.

Just as Ye Shi was reminiscing about the days when he and his buddies ran dungeons together at the start of the game, the old man rushed up to him excitedly and reached out to touch his hand.

The enthusiasm startled Ye Shi, making him momentarily wonder about the old man's orientation.

Seeming to realize his own abruptness, the old man smiled apologetically, quickly withdrew his hand, and made amends.

"Sorry... I got a bit carried away. Um... may I ask if you truly possess psychic powers?"

"Yes..." Ye Shi nodded cautiously.

Professor Sun Zewen rubbed his hands excitedly, as if unsure how to express his feelings at that moment.

Understandably so.

After all, this was a realm that even the Age of Prosperity had never penetrated—humanity's first contact with dimensions beyond the three-dimensional world.

Ye Shi suddenly felt like a qigong master, with a bit of a mystical vibe.

Not that he was truly a mystic; he had indeed communicated with It.

Even if the one he had spoken with was merely an echo left by It in this universe.

"Unbelievable... If you're not lying, your experience will explain the realms beyond dimensions that we've never been able to understand... Ah, wait, I'm not saying you're faking it. I saw the news."

Watching the flustered Professor Sun Zewen explain himself, Ye Shi shrugged lightly.

"Whatever. Even on the planet Gaia, there are staunch materialists who doubt the existence of the Insov Tree, since not everyone can see such things."

Dora said the Qiu people had no psychics, but Ye Shi didn't think so.

For a primitive civilization with a highly exclusive religious culture, accepting psychics was extremely difficult unless their culture inherently included psychic elements.

Perhaps there were psychics among the Qiu tribes.

But due to their worship of the Ancestors and the Sky, and their hostility toward the Insov Tree, their society might have spontaneously rejected these awakened anomalies.

After all, their technological level hadn't yet reached the point of unlocking "mental interference devices," let alone using pure technology to converse with It and hear Its mockery.

Such an outcome would mean that even if someone awakens their psychic power, their subjective rejection would weaken their own mental perception, ultimately leading to self-purification.

Night Ten had personally experienced this. When he was still a "foolish materialist," he could barely sense the existence of psychic power, at most possessing a stronger sixth sense than others. But when he tried to understand those things he had originally rejected, becoming a "clever materialist" or rather a "cunning pragmatist," psychic power miraculously appeared.

This is the most fascinating aspect of psychic power. The existence and strength of this mental ability are themselves determined by the mind.

Professor Sun Zewen stared intently at Night Ten, his voracious expression like that of someone admiring a work of art, enough to make the latter feel uneasy. Soon, however, his gaze shifted to Dora, and his expression grew even more fervent.

"Humans on the Gaia planet... all possess psychic power?!"

Night Ten shook his head.

"Not everyone. Even among the tribes in the forest, only a portion can."

"Even just a portion is incredible enough!" Professor Sun Zewen sighed, his eyes burning as he looked at him. "Next time you go to Proxima Centauri, please take me along!"

Faced with that fiery gaze, Night Ten stepped back half a step with a subtle expression and made a regretful face.

"I probably won't be going again."

Professor Sun Zewen stared at him blankly, blurting out without thinking.

"Why?!"

Night Ten pondered for a moment before speaking.

"How should I put it? The ruins on that planet have already been fully excavated. The Insov Tree has told us everything it knows about the Pioneers... I don't really want to disturb the people living on that planet anymore. I've already caused them enough trouble."

He paused, then continued.

"But I will suggest to the Administrator that we set up an observation station there, to passively observe their civilization's progress without interference. Perhaps you could consider working with me to push this forward."

Professor Sun Zewen looked at him in astonishment, his eyes a mix of confusion and surprise. In the end, however, he relented, nodding with a complicated feeling.

"That might be the best choice..."

He wanted to say that direct intervention might be more efficient, but then he thought of the Human Union. Keeping a sense of reverence for the universe was probably a good thing. As a remnant of the Human Union era, his feelings about the fall of that former glory ran far deeper than any of the younger generation here.

"Alright, no need to regret it... I think even without returning to the Human Union era to seek historical lessons, the lessons from the past two centuries are profound enough."

Han Mingyue laughed heartily and patted Professor Sun on the shoulder, then turned to the young woman named Jiang Xuezhou, speaking in a relaxed tone.

"I've also found you the most professional cybernetic doctor in the Alliance—Mr. Ibers, CEO of Boulder Military Industries. He will handle your cybernetic surgery and replace your limbs with bionic skin co-designed by the Academy and Kangmao Group—"

Before Jiang Xuezhou could speak, Night Ten tensed up and interrupted Dr. Han Mingyue.

"Ibers?! Let that madman perform the surgery?"

Han Mingyue smiled.

"He is indeed a bit mentally unstable, but his skills are probably the best on this planet... even the corporate people say so."

There was nothing wrong with that statement. Still, Night Ten couldn't help but worry.

Jiang Xuezhou took Night Ten's hand and said softly, "Don't worry about me. I'm also an expert in cybernetics; I can take care of myself..."

Seeing that Jiang Xuezhou had spoken, Night Ten said no more.

Watching the lovey-dovey couple, Han Mingyue teased, "Alright, alright, it's only a few days. The surgery will be done quickly... Your mentor's research ship is already waiting on the landing pad. You'd better hurry over."

Jiang Xuezhou nodded and was about to leave, but Night Ten, standing nearby, was taken aback.

"You're not coming with me?"

Jiang Xuezhou glanced at him with some embarrassment.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Do you expect me to wander around looking like this... strange mess? Even if you don't mind, I do. Anyway, I won't be following you for now... You take Dora and Little Koala to look around. I'll wait for you in Dawn City."

She had already discussed it with her mentor while in the sky—she would go to Boulder City first to get her condition treated.

As she said this, she seemed to remember something and added a warning, "And hey... don't use someone's reverence for the Ancestor to do anything weird! That's immoral!"

Dora tilted her head.

Perhaps because Jiang Xuezhou's expression was too vague, her psychic power couldn't quite grasp the meaning of those words. But although she didn't understand, the others present did.

Han Mingyue reacted the most, bursting into laughter. Professor Sun Zewen coughed awkwardly, pretending not to understand. Though also a shelter resident, he had recently become a rising star in academia and a titan in the field of "psychic studies," so he still had a bit of an image to maintain.

As for Night Ten, he was already choking on his own saliva.

"Weird things," indeed...

What a baseless accusation! At least wait until he had the tools to commit the crime before framing him!

But then again, after returning to Dawn City this time, should he find a way to get one?

Just as Night Ten was seriously pondering this question, Dora, who had been silent, spoke up in a shy, low voice.

"Am I causing you trouble?"

"How could that be?" Han Mingyue walked up to her with a smile. "Let me introduce myself. I'm a researcher at the Alliance Social Sciences Research Institute, entrusted by the Alliance Administrator to be your guide for this trip to Earth... By the way, do you know what the Social Sciences Research Institute is?"

Dora blinked.

"Your eyes tell me it's an institution that studies us."

A flicker of surprise crossed Han Mingyue's eyes, and she said teasingly, "It seems Brother Night Ten wasn't joking—'psychic power' really does exist. But please don't mind; our research is not malicious. It's only meant to deepen our understanding of each other on the premise of peace... We want to understand you."

Dora nodded gently.

"I can feel it."

Han Mingyue's eyes grew even more astonished, and the interest in her pupils deepened.

"Incredible... I'm becoming more and more curious about the things on the Gaia planet."

A society where psychic power is widespread and the cost of trust between people is extremely low...

This formed an interesting and stark contrast with her previous research topics, potentially bringing her unexpected inspiration.

Dora smiled shyly and accepted the compliment.

"We can chat on the way."

Just as everyone was chatting merrily, a Killer Whale transport plane landed at Dawn City's airport.

Escorted by a squad of soldiers in exoskeletons, a black crate was loaded onto a transport truck and driven to the warehouse of the research institute under the Alliance Scientific Expedition Corps.

At this very moment, the Alliance's chief scientist and administrators were all standing in this nondescript warehouse.

The black crate was unloaded from the truck, and two guards in power armor stepped forward to open it, revealing the oddly shaped reactor device.

Gazing at the rough, even sloppy mechanical construction and the metal dials, a strange expression crept onto Chu Guang's face.

"...Is this the so-called Perforator?"

The so-called "Precursor" civilization's "sacred relic" left in this world through the hands of the younger generation.

To be honest, this thing looked like nothing more than a piece of junk shaped like a reactor; the mottled rust only made one involuntarily doubt whether it could still function.

If he hadn't followed the entire affair from start to finish on the official website, he might even have suspected that that kid Ye Shi was playing a joke on him.

The researchers present whispered among themselves, exchanging glances of astonishment and doubt.

Clearly, Chu Guang wasn't the only one who thought this thing was unreliable; even Yin Fang, standing nearby, wore a similarly subtle expression.

"...Anyway, let's give it a try first."

As he said this, Yin Fang waved his hand, signaling a researcher waiting nearby to step forward and insert a fuel canister of matching specifications into the cylindrical metal tank.

This fuel canister was a second-hand empty one recovered from the Orion-class missile cruiser.

This was also Ye Shi's suggestion.

According to his explanation, only a fuel canister that "had once been filled with fuel and had never been opened after all the fuel was exhausted" could be recharged by the Perforator.

It sounded rather mystical.

And mystically unreasonable.

However, adhering to the principle of controlling variables, Yin Fang still heeded that strange advice and followed the procedure step by step in the first experiment.

The researcher, having prepared everything, glanced back at him, and upon receiving the command "Begin the experiment," immediately pressed the button.

At that very moment, an incredible scene unfolded: a blinding white light suddenly burst forth from the center of the reactor, instantly penetrating the solid tank body, even rendering it transparent!

Faced with this sudden development, Lü Bei instinctively stepped in front of Chu Guang, while X-16 beside him also warily advanced half a step, staring tensely at the dazzling white light.

Fortunately, the terrifying energy did not last long; it soon collapsed, eventually shrinking into a point, which was then contained by the fuel canister inserted into the reactor.

As everything settled, the researcher operating the experimental equipment immediately stepped forward, disconnected the power, and simultaneously pulled out the fuel canister from the tank, proceeding to inspect it.

And it was at this moment that the most incredible thing happened—

After a series of tests, the fuel canister, which had originally been depleted of energy, was now found to be full of helium-3!

As if that empty fuel canister had been a fake...

"This, this is too incredible..."

Yin Fang's face was filled with astonishment, his eyes fixed unwaveringly on the fuel canister.

Chu Guang's reaction was relatively calmer, but after a moment, he couldn't help but sigh.

"That kid actually pulled it off."