I handed over to another world

While Jupiter's energy torrent penetrates Saturn's rings through the Rainbow Bridge device, thirty-six anti-gravity platforms are tearing through the orange-yellow fog on Titan's methane ocean.

The engineers of the Red Dragon Association stood on the suspended command ship, looking at the outline of the base gradually taking shape in the holographic sandbox - it was an enormous super-sea city composed of a dodecagonal honeycomb structure. Each unit was flashing the unique blue light of quantum coral. It was an absolute spectacle.

"Start the anchoring protocol!"

As Wang Tong gave orders on the communication channel, a liquid metal ball with a diameter of one kilometer fell straight from the bottom of the anti-gravity platform.

These nanomachine groups containing blue starfish genes boiled the moment they came into contact with the methane ocean, stretched out their tentacles like silver jellyfish, and built a permanent foundation in the liquid alkane at minus hundreds of degrees Celsius in the blink of an eye.

Its speed amazed everyone who saw it.

"Do you know why you chose Titan?"

Zhou Chenshen's holographic image rises from the crystallizing foundation, and the data stream behind him displays the real-time conversion rate. "The methane reserves here are a million times the proven oil on Earth in the 21st century - of course, we don't burn fuel now, this is just a metaphor."

The hovercraft suddenly lowered its sampling arm and scooped up a ladle of silver mucus - these nanomachines transformed by quantum corals were frantically devouring methane. Wang Tong's detector showed that the mucus composition had turned into a complex of graphene and carbon nanotubes.

"Every cubic meter of liquid methane can be converted into three tons of building materials."

He tapped the sampling spoon, which had suddenly solidified into a metal plate. "In seven hours, the first carbon spire will grow here."

Zhou Chenshen's holographic projection nodded: "This technology is really good. At least it achieves the unity of access and use."

“How long will the whole process take?”

"It will be done before I return to Earth."

"So less than half a month?"

"Yes."

Wang Tong nodded, threw the sampling spoon into the recycling tank in front, and turned to Zhou Chenshen in the holographic projection state and said: "I will do my best to report the suggestion after I go back. At that time, we must replace all of our people with intelligent equipment... It's too painful. I heard a few days ago that the observation explorer at one of the survey stations went crazy. I don't know if it's true."

"I'm not crazy, I just have a psychological problem."

Zhou Chenshen said to Wang Tong, "You and I are old classmates. We graduated from the training class together. You know the situation very well. The reason why we are not using intelligent equipment now is because there are many problems in the first batch that cannot be accurately figured out by intelligent equipment."

"But I can tell you clearly that the association is indeed concerned about this matter. Vice President Chen also mentioned this matter when he convened a meeting of all developers. He said that there is a special research team on Earth that is responsible for the relevant intelligent machine transformation. It is estimated that the exclusive intelligent machine equipment on Jupiter will be available in the next few months."

"That's a good feeling."

Wang Tong nodded, "I hope it can be installed before I leave."

"Let's get ready to start our grand journey!"

He spoke to Zhou Chenshen, "The spire is beginning to form."

While Earth scientists are still debating the "ethics of interstellar development," twelve kilometer-high spires have sprung up on the methane ocean.

The tower is covered with structures similar to the gill slits of fish, which are converting Titan's dense atmosphere into a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen - this is the ecological imprint of the Red Dragon Association, a steel forest that breathes with mechanical gills.

"warn!"

"Watch out for the shockwave!"

Amid the alarm of the Yanhuang system, the hovercraft fleet quickly rose into the stratosphere.

In the center of the base that was taking shape below, a hexagonal anti-gravity device erupted with a force field that distorted space, forcibly increasing Titan's gravity from 14% of the Earth's to standard gravity in a short period of time.

Wang Tong held onto the railing that had suddenly regained its gravity, and looked at the data jumping on the holographic screen: "Do you know how many interstellar battleships we have dismantled?"

He pointed to the unfolding dome structure. "These anti-gravity engines were originally prepared for the large fleet of Dyson sphere devices that will follow - but now they are going to create humanity's first alien sky here."

When the dome was completely closed, a miracle happened - the thick orange-yellow fog was decomposed by the quantum filter membrane, and Titan's starry sky was clearly visible for the first time.

Even more shocking is the ecological sphere floating in the center of the dome. It is a three-dimensional farm built with blue star corals that is cultivating genetically modified crops. Its roots are directly embedded in the carbon soil converted from methane. In the future, it will grow on this soil and transform everything in front of it.

“This is no ordinary offshore platform.”

Zhou Chenshen's holographic image suddenly appeared on the top of a spire, and a streamlined metal hill was rising under his feet.

When the outer armor plate flipped over like scales, revealing the dense array of plasma cannons underneath, "Each unit of the Titan base can be reorganized into a starship within 24 hours."

As if to prove this statement, the hovercraft in front of Wang Tong suddenly disintegrated into countless hexagonal modules. These metal pieces shining with quantum coral blue light reassembled themselves on the methane sea and instantly transformed into a three-kilometer-long shuttle-shaped battleship.

The open ring structure at the bow of the ship is siphoning liquid methane, and the dark blue flame ejected from the tail draws a strange track in the thick atmosphere.

“Remember that gas station in Jupiter?”

Zhou Chenshen's voice came from inside the battleship, "The Titan Base can refuel 100,000 such battleships every hour - but we need it to prove that humans can grow roses in the worst environment in the galaxy."

……

When Wang Tong's spacecraft "Guiyan" crossed the orbit of Mars, he saw the blue and white outline of the Earth through the porthole - twelve space gardens made of quantum corals were suspended there, like emerald necklaces dotted around the mother planet.

Six months of Jupiter exploration have left the 37-year-old engineer's temples with a silvery gray color like stardust.

In the auditorium of Shangdu, the headquarters of the Red Dragon Association, Chen Lin stood in front of a holographic star map, with real-time images of the Titan base floating behind him.

When Wang Tong and other twenty-four rotating engineers walked into the meeting room, a pale golden rain of light suddenly fell from the dome, and an honorary emblem in the shape of Jupiter's Great Red Spot appeared on everyone's uniform.

"You have grown an oxygen forest in a sea of ​​methane at -179 degrees Celsius."

Chen Lin's voice was filled with rare warmth. He tapped his fingers and a medal of flowing liquid metal floated in front of each person. "This is the special medal of 'Interstellar Pioneer'. Its material is the same as the Jupiter spire you built - it also records the entropy reduction process of human civilization every minute and every second. It is awarded to you today to prove your courage and honor."

The moment Wang Tong touched the medal, he suddenly saw his work log for the past six months flashing in it - the first activation of the quantum coral anchor, the repair of the dome torn by the methane hurricane, and even the diary he wrote at the survey station late at night when the medal collapsed.

The voice of the Yanhuang system came from inside the medal: "Thank you for every bit of courage you have reserved for mankind." Twenty-four on-duty personnel, including Wang Tong, suddenly raised their hands and saluted Chen Lin. Then they saluted the people below in the auditorium, and thunderous applause broke out at the scene.

The star map behind Chen Lin split into thousands of hexagonal modules as he waved his hand, forming a holographic model of the Jupiter ice layer survey station.

"In thirty hours, the first batch of Canglong-class omnics will arrive on Europa."

He waved his hand to bring up the parameter interface, showing a highly anthropomorphic mechanical body - those bodies with quantum coral veins flowing through them could actually simulate humans' intuitive reactions in extreme environments.

"They don't need to breathe, but they will pretend to breathe to understand your work pressure; they don't need to eat, but they can taste methane smoothies to optimize resource conversion."

Chen Lin's humor made everyone laugh, but it also made Wang Tong's eyes hot - only those who have truly endured days and nights under the ice can understand the weight of these design details.

Now the association has really listened to their needs, which means that at least for the next six months, he won't have to continue suffering under the ice of Jupiter at home like he did in the first half of the year.

After the awarding ceremony, Chen Lin left Wang Tong alone.

The two of them walked through the transparent corridor bridge on the top floor of the headquarters. Chen Lin waved his hand, and the holographic projection immediately changed the entire office space into an interstellar style. Right below them was the lunar dock that was being expanded, and tens of thousands of mining ships equipped with Dyson cloud technology were swimming towards the deep space like a school of silver fish.

Wang Tong was slightly stunned by this scene. He didn't know what the meaning of Chen Lin's doing this was.

"check it out."

Chen Lin took something out from the table nearby and handed it to Wang Tong. He noticed that it was a sealed test tube, inside of which bloomed a dark red rose grown on Titan. Every texture on the petals was woven from carbon nanotubes, and a miniature nuclear fusion light source was beating in the pistil.

"This is the first rose to bloom in Titan's Dome."

Chen Lin's fingers stroked the surface of the test tube, and the nuclear fusion light source turned his pupils into amber. "It uses Jupiter's thunder as energy and methane as nutrients - but most importantly, its roots are flowing with the genetic codes of twenty-four engineers."

Wang Tong suddenly discovered that there were micro-carved words etched on the inside of the petals. Under the illumination of the fusion light source, he saw his own name and Zhou Chenshen's engraved side by side in the center of the pistil.

"The creativity you unleash in extreme environments is more precious than any quantum coral."

Chen Lin's voice was deep and powerful. "The Red Dragon Association needs a spark like you. I hope you will be the chief engineer of the dome project of the Mercury Lava Base."

"Ah I?"

Wang Tong was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect that Chen Lin called him here alone just for this matter.

Chen Lin waved his hand to call up a holographic projection. On the scorching surface of Mercury, quantum corals were building honeycomb cities in the magma.

"Next, your salary will be upgraded to S-level, you will have permanent residency at the Mars base, and you will have three months of deep space recuperation vacation every year..."

As Chen Lin spoke, Wang Tong's medals kept refreshing the list of benefits. "But compared to these, I believe you care more about this——"

The projection suddenly switched to an intelligent fleet cruising in the Kuiper Belt, with the Great Red Spot of Jupiter printed on the hull of each warship.

"I have read the omnic protocol you proposed earlier. It is well written and has now been written into the Yanhuang core code. All Canglong-class omnics will abide by the human emotion simulation guidelines."

Chen Lin pointed to the huge silver ship in the center of the fleet and said, "This ship named after you, the 'King Bronze', will carry the Titan's gene pool to Centauri."

Wang Tong's fingertips trembled slightly. He heard the vice president of the association continue to speak at this time - "We will set off for Mercury in three months. Is there any difficulty?"

"No...no!"

"Complete the mission resolutely!"

Chen Lin felt warmth in his palm on his shoulder. "During this time, go to the Antarctic Gene Bank. We have extracted the epidermal cells that you shed at the survey station over the past six months and frozen twenty sets of healthy embryos for you."

"If something unexpected really happens, at least there will be an explanation, right?"

"I understand……"

……

That night, Wang Tong stood on the observatory of the starship dock in Shangdu, watching the blue light of thirty intelligent transport ships passing through the starry sky.

The medal on his chest suddenly projected Zhou Chenshen's figure: "Old classmate, the quantum corals you left on Titan have just completed mutation. They can now compose gravitational wave music that corresponds to human emotional fluctuations. Do you want to listen to the 'starry sky symphony' you played the night you collapsed?"

"Pull it down..."

Wang Tong didn't know what to say for a moment. He was silent for a few seconds before he asked Zhou Chenshen, "I have something I want to ask you."

As the sky in the east began to turn pale, Wang Tong signed his electronic signature on the welfare list.

The last line of flashing golden clauses caught my eye: "The franchise qualification will be activated after signing and can be used freely."

This "special authority qualification" was still relatively unfamiliar to Wang Tong. Zhou Chenshen had not mentioned anything related to it to him last night. Wang Tong was somewhat troubled at this moment.

"What does this qualification refer to?"

The staff member in front of him who was in charge of connecting with him also smiled and said, "The specific permissions still need to be checked by you personally, Mr. Wang, but I can give you some information here - generally, such permissions and qualifications mostly refer to the content of the fleet."

"I see……"

Wang Tong understood what was going on instantly. It turned out that the special qualification meant that he could only use it in the Mercury Fleet three months later. So it seemed that he couldn't use it for the time being.

"sorry to bother you."

He nodded slightly to the staff in front of him. The staff smiled and waved at him, then turned and left with the contract.

“I don’t think I have anything to do next…”

Wang Tong talked to himself, and the Yanhuang artificial intelligence turned into a holographic projection and appeared beside him. After introducing himself, Wang Tong was still quite surprised at the priority of this artificial intelligence - this thing can be seen almost everywhere now, and it can be holographically projected anytime and anywhere, which was almost impossible for the previous Fuxi AI.

The times are really progressing... (End of this chapter)