Those who face the wall, but are in the Nascent Soul stage.

Chapter 92 North Sea

The fire raged for over a month until large-scale human engineering facilities entered the Taiyuan area, at which point Luo Qing gradually handed over the firefighting work to humans.

Ten icebergs were brought from the Arctic region and placed in various locations on the Loess Plateau by Luo Qing. They could provide water and coolness for people carrying out deep firefighting work, and also balance the sweltering heat of the area.

Experts estimate that it would take at least 15 years of continuous firefighting efforts to completely extinguish the fires once humans take over the task.

The amount of manpower and resources consumed during this period will be countless.

But it's better than death.

"Why do I feel like I've forgotten something?"

Luo Qing scratched his head and began to seriously recall whether the underground fire had interrupted anything.

"I remember...Didn't Ding Yi ask me to release a Wallfacer plan? The content was to forcibly establish the research direction of propellantless spacecraft."

"It seems that there is such a thing."

Luo Qing frowned and contacted Sai.

“Sai, have the PDC issue a Wallfacer plan, which stipulates that the research direction of spacecraft of all countries must be ‘propellant-free radiation spacecraft’. This is part of the plan.”

Sai asked curiously, "Why would you do that?"

Luo Qing said, "I believe that propellant-free radiation spacecraft is the right research direction, and this direction has received widespread support from space forces of various countries and many related experts."

Sai quickly explained, "No, what I mean is that the mainstream research direction now is the 'propellant-free radiation spacecraft' route, so why are you emphasizing it unnecessarily?"

"It's already on the 'propellant-free radiation spaceship' route?" Luo Qing asked in astonishment.

"That's not right. I remember the two factions were very close. The old aerospace team wanted to develop a propellant-based, propellantless route, but there was a lot of resistance to it."

"That was true a week ago, but not anymore," Sai said.

"what happened?"

Say sighed: "You'll see for yourself. It was an accident, a major loss to the aerospace industry."

...

a week ago.

The massive geological disaster of the Taiyuan fire cannot overshadow the brilliance of human scientific progress. While humanity was overwhelmed by the disaster, space elevators and controlled nuclear fusion completed their respective transformations.

Even as they personally dealt with the disaster caused by the Taiyuan fire, these composed leaders continued to push forward the exploration of space.

"The sky won't fall down!"

Under this powerful encouragement, the world seemed to be divided into two layers.

The first floor is a vast world for dealing with disasters.

The first floor represents the cold, austere spirit of rock climbing technology.

The technical finalization of the spacecraft was set for the newest and largest super space station in space—the Joint Space Station.

The space forces of the seven permanent members of the Security Council (PDC) arrived at the Joint Space Station via the space elevator. The space forces of each country were distributed in their respective jurisdictions according to their nationality, quietly awaiting the subsequent 'Joint Space Conference'.

To use Chang Weisi's analogy, this is like: the development of the space force has reached the stage where humans bring tools to the seaside. Let alone building spaceships, there is still a long way to go before building a space dock.

The weapon systems for space warfare, the ecological cycle of spacecraft, and the construction plans for space ports—all these technological challenges that humanity has never faced before—will be brought to the forefront.

Fortunately, the space elevator secured the supplies, and controlled nuclear fusion secured the energy.

Humanity will, under the limited conditions of materials and energy, write the first "solution" to countless space problems.

The commander of the U.S. Space Force admitted: "The construction of space defense systems will consume excessive resources. In comparison, mega-projects such as space elevators are just child's play. Human civilization should be prepared for a century's regression in the quality of life."

The French Space Force commander was even more direct: "Let freedom soar through the universe as the spiritual totem of mankind! To hell with bread, milk, and televisions, the monkeys are about to conquer the universe!" Compared to these ambitious colleagues, Chang Weisi's statement was much more tactful: "Keep your feet on the ground and look up at the stars, that's exactly what we've been doing all these years."

...

Joint Space Station – Yellow River Space Zone.

Zhang Beihai had been waiting for an opportunity, but due to various objective interferences, this opportunity had been delayed.

Starlight streamed in through the porthole. Suddenly, a bag of sippy coffee appeared before Zhang Beihai; the coffee seemed to be heated.

"Thank you." Zhang Beihai took the bag of coffee, but didn't drink it; instead, he hung it on his waist.

"You also like watching the sunrise here?" A light blue ribbon was tied to the end of Dongfang Mingxi's hair, swaying slightly in the microgravity. Her silver-gray work clothes made this slender girl look even more delicate, and the starlight outside the ship just coated her with a halo.

Zhang Beihai turned his head and met Dongfang Mingxi's eyes.

"I just came here for some fresh air. There's no sunrise or sunset in space."

"Yes," Dongfang Mingxi replied earnestly.

She pointed out the window, where the sun was turning the crescent-shaped Earth amber, and the clouds over the Pacific Ocean, like cotton wool blown by the wind, were slowly unfurling against the blue velvet sky.

"Look, isn't that the sunrise?"

"That's because the space station is very close to Earth. When the spaceships fly further away in the future, everything will look the same from all angles. There won't be any sunrises or sunsets anymore, only stars, lots and lots of stars."

"It would be better if we didn't fly that far," Dongfang Mingxi said.

"How can we succeed if we don't fly far?"

"I heard from the instructor that the list of the future space support task force has been released. No one from the second phase or our third phase was selected, but four people from the first phase were selected. Are you on the list?"

Zhang Beihai hesitated for a moment, then nodded. This kind of thing can be investigated easily; there's no need to hide it.

Wow! I'm so envious!

"You also want to go to the future?" Zhang Beihai asked.

“Of course! But the higher-ups said that although my political stance is very firm, my political literacy is not up to par. Also, I’m a girl, so I’m not rational enough emotionally, and the pull from my family is too strong. I’m not suitable.” Dongfang Mingxi sighed again: “Actually, I also can’t bear to leave my father, so it’s better if I’m not selected. I’ve given up on that idea.”

Zhang Beihai said, "Active members of the Space Force cannot hibernate privately, but after you retire, you can consider commercial hibernation... if you are really interested in the future."

"Then forget it. I estimate I'll have to retire at sixty, becoming an old woman," Dongfang Mingxi said quietly. "Besides, if I go to the future, there's nothing important to do, and I'll probably just be cannon fodder against the Trisolarans."

After she finished speaking, she looked up at Zhang Beihai.

Zhang Beihai frowned, and said in a serious tone:
"Don't talk nonsense. The future of space warfare is not what you think. Your ideas are very immature as a new force in the space force."

"I know, I know, I have a tendency toward defeatism, I'll correct it immediately! You're only ten years older than me, why do you act like our political commissar and love to lecture?"

"I was a political commissar before."

"...Damn political commissar, we've run out of things to talk about."

Despite saying that, Dongfang Mingxi showed no intention of leaving. Sure enough, this girl, who couldn't keep things to herself, spoke up again.

"Senior, I remember you have a family, right? Doesn't your sister-in-law object to you going into hibernation?"

This was a somewhat abrupt question, but Zhang Beihai answered it anyway, his voice low and deep.

"Of course I'm against it, but there's nothing I can do about it. I've divorced her, and our daughter lives with her. The organization will help them."

Upon hearing this, Dongfang Mingxi bit her lip: "Terrible man... I will never get married in the future, no matter what my father says."

Zhang Beihai shook his head helplessly.

(End of this chapter)