I live in the Martian wilderness!

Ten minutes later.

The atmosphere in Conference Room One was as heavy as ice.

On the holographic screen on the wall, a list of supplies carried by the Candle Dragon One, accurate to the gram, is scrolling.

Zhang Jianguo spoke first, his voice hoarse: "Sky Dome Mainframe, based on this list, report Captain Gu Yu's baseline for survival resources."

The AI's voice rang out in the conference room, devoid of any emotion, and the data on the screen immediately highlighted:

【I. Heavy Equipment Unit. Total Weight: 12.5 tons】

【Tiensuo Multi-functional Engineering Vehicle】: 8.5 tons.

【Xuntian Mars Rover】: 4 tons.

Assessment: To maximize the transport of these two core assets, the survival supplies in the landing module were compressed to the limit.

II. Survival and Medical Supplies. Total Weight: 200 kg

Food unit: 80 kg. 60 servings of standard nutritional paste and a small amount of dehydrated food. Based on a daily consumption of 3000 kcal, this can sustain the diet for 63 days.

Water source unit: 110 kg. 110 liters of stored water. The water circulation system is sound, but the initial water volume is extremely low.

Medical and Cultivation Unit: 10 kg. A minimal medical kit and a "Seed Bank of Hope" required by the Aerospace Engineering Specification Requirements.

III. Scientific Research and Tools/Supplies. Total Weight: 250 kg

Tools and spare parts: 200 kg.

3D printing consumables (polymer adhesive): 50 kg.

Total weight of supplies carried: 12.95 tons.

After the data was listed, the entire conference room fell into a deathly silence. Everyone understood the cruel truth hidden behind the list.

"Sixty-three days..." an elderly academician with white hair slowly spoke, his voice hoarse.

"In the original Fire Seed Project, the Long March 12 was to deliver supplies every month. So... on the Candle Dragon, we... we only gave it two months' worth of rations."

"The water source is equally dangerous." The chief engineer's face was extremely grave.

"An initial water volume of 120 liters means that the water circulation system cannot afford any malfunctions or unexpected losses. Once the circulation is broken, he will die of dehydration within a few days."

"He has the seeds," someone struggled to say, "He can plant them..."

"It's too late!" the old academician interrupted him ruthlessly. "Even if he starts immediately, setting up a hydroponic system requires a huge amount of water, and the water he carries is insufficient. Not only that, but even waiting for the first batch of crops to mature will take at least sixty to ninety days!"

"And his food supply was only enough to sustain him for two months! The food chain broke before his first crops even matured! It was a dead end!"

Zhang Jianguo interrupted the discussion, which was gradually sliding into despair, "Sky Dome, putting aside the uncertainty of planting, what is Captain Gu Yu's absolute survival limit time relying solely on existing resources?"

A few seconds later, the main AI gave its final judgment:

[Calculation complete. Under ideal conditions with no equipment malfunctions and 100% water recycling...]

[Captain Gu Yu's estimated survival limit is 66 Earth days.]

If local underground water ice resources cannot be found and extracted during this period, this limit will be shortened to less than 40 Earth days due to the inevitable depletion of the water cycle system.

Sixty-six days.

This number, like a noose, instantly tightened around everyone's neck.

Rescue efforts are no longer long-term plans measured in "years," but rather a race against death measured in "days."

The air in the conference room seemed to freeze, with only the faint hum of the instruments adding to the suffocating silence.

Zhang Jianguo stood up, braced his hands on the conference table, and leaned forward slightly, like a lion about to pounce on its prey.

He slowly began to speak: "We only have sixty-six days in total. I need a plan to send signals and supplies to Mars before Gu Yu runs out of food."

The chief engineer of the aerospace group stood up, his face extremely grave. "Commander-in-chief, a conventional Hohmann transfer orbit would take at least six months. Moreover, our existing landing plan is completely ineffective."

He pulled up the design file for the Candle Dragon One, and the lander, with its streamlined beauty, appeared on the screen.

"Everyone, the reason why Zhulong 1 was able to safely land on Mars with a payload of more than ten tons is not because we invented any new black technology."

"On the contrary, it's because we integrated several already mature and cutting-edge technologies. That's the real reason we were able to lead the world and be the first to land on Mars."

"Our Dongfeng series hypersonic aircraft are designed to withstand the terrifying high temperatures generated when gliding at Mach 10 at the edge of the atmosphere."

"Its entire hot-end structure uses the most advanced carbon-carbon composite material (C/C)."

On the screen, a simulated animation of a Dongfeng missile skipping across water at the edge of the atmosphere appeared, with the leading edge of the warhead burning red.

"Simply put, the Candle Dragon One is a flying surfboard that can withstand temperatures of nearly 2,000 degrees Celsius."

"The entire heat-insulating base is made by enlarging the surface material of the Dongfang missile by hundreds of times and adding an active cooling system to it."

The chief engineer then changed the subject, and the animation switched to the landing process of "Candle Dragon No. 1".

"Our landing plan is essentially a 'Dongfeng missile' that has been magnified hundreds of times and whose ultimate goal is landing."

"But the goal isn't speed, but rather the ultimate energy consumption. It will be like a missile slowed down infinitely over five days."

"Through hundreds of close encounters with the atmosphere, the enormous kinetic energy it carries is gradually rubbed away."

An experienced expert in thermodynamics calculations raised a question: "Chief Engineer, I understand the analogy. But even in Earth's atmosphere, a Dongfeng missile can only glide a few times."

"The Zhulong-1 will undergo hundreds of friction cycles. Even with active cooling, the accumulated heat load is terrifying."

"Professor, you've overlooked a crucial variable—atmospheric composition." The chief engineer pulled up a molecular structure diagram of CO₂. "All our past thermal barrier problems stemmed from flying in a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere."

"Mars offers us a physical bonus. When the lander rams carbon dioxide molecules at hypersonic speeds, a large portion of the energy is used to excite vibrations within the complex molecules."

"Instead of being directly converted into temperature, carbon dioxide is simply a natural energy absorber."

He released a figure: "At the same speed and altitude, the peak heat flux experienced by Zhulong 1 in the Martian atmosphere was nearly 30% lower than that on Earth."

"Mars' atmosphere, while too thin to support a parachute, is just cool enough to make 'atmospheric braking' possible."

"This is an engineering coincidence that was tailor-made for us! We were the first to set foot on Mars, not because we were luckier than others."

"Instead, it perfectly combines world-leading defense technology with unparalleled engineering integration capabilities and an ultimate understanding of the laws of physics."

"While other countries are still searching for more heat-resistant tips for hypersonic aircraft, we've already begun to consider how to forge those tips into a sturdy shield capable of withstanding extremely high temperatures!"

However, the chief engineer did not sit down. He waited until everyone calmed down, then used a basin of ice water to extinguish all the flames that had just started.

"But," his voice became incredibly heavy, "this only correct solution, this solution we were so proud of, is dead..."

He pointed to the distant dot of light on the screen, representing the new location of Mars.

"The atmospheric braking scheme has an absolute prerequisite: the spacecraft must have enough time and fuel to perform a lengthy orbital braking maneuver after arriving at Mars."

"Reduce the spacecraft's speed to a level where it can be captured by Mars' gravity. Only after becoming a stable Martian satellite can it begin that five-day skipping game."

"And our Shenzhou heavy-lift rocket can easily do that over a distance of one million kilometers."

"But now, Mars is 60 million kilometers away! To arrive before the 66-day food countdown ends, any spacecraft must use a 'high-speed intercept' orbit!"

"It will hurtle across Mars like a cannonball with no turning back!"

"But it's simply impossible to catch up with Mars in sixty days, nor is it possible to carry enough fuel to complete that crucial atmospheric braking maneuver!"

A desperate silence fell over the meeting room once again. Deeper and colder than before.

They are facing not just a problem of distance, but a technological gap across the entire aerospace system.

"Perhaps..." Suddenly, someone spoke up, breaking the silence.

All eyes were focused on the figure who slowly opened his mouth at the other end of the conference table: Academician Wang Tianyuan, the chief physicist of the State Academy of Sciences.

Academician Wang slowly pushed up his glasses and said calmly, "We can activate the Kuafu spacecraft."