Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 1325 Interstellar Logistics Planning (First Update)

The largest cargo ship on Earth is just a tiny vessel in the void. The first futures ship from the Martian Foundry, which departed from the summit of Mount Olympus, the highest peak in the solar system, was actually about the same size as a cargo ship on Earth. It was a landing module carrying war engines strapped to a rocket, and its carrying capacity did not reduce the cost of void logistics by much.

Although the entire container of Martian soil was merely an experimental sample used by the Martian foundry to test logistics routes, it still served as a diplomatic gift that showcased Latvinia's technological prowess and ambition—both a present and a veiled warning. Earth had never been the Latvinian emperor's domain, nor had he ever taken the UN Outer Space Treaty seriously. With that entire container of Martian soil serving as proof of his scientific capabilities, he could use it to gather the world's top scientists and transform Latvinia into a nation that championed progress, rationality, and science.

As the culprit who blatantly undermines the international order, exposes the illusion of peace created by trade agreements and the shared interests of vested interests, and intrudes into strategic locations in Europe, potentially plunging the world back into an era of war, Latvinia's reputation is far from pleasant. Without the emperor's formidable personal strength and technological advantages, without the precision strike capabilities demonstrated by teleportation technology, and without the ability to conquer the entire Balkan Peninsula and quell all ethnic conflicts, even if Regent Victor von Dum personally went on a visit, it would be unlikely to secure many trade treaties, since Latvinia itself does not occupy the moral high ground.

As a proponent and inheritor of transhumanism, Earth is merely his starting point, not his destination.

He consistently upheld the ideal of cooperation with the human race, treating all races, ethnicities, and human regimes equally, because he knew that only by uniting all of humanity could they survive in this bleak universe. Only by establishing the survival hegemony of the human race could all external conflicts and survival crises brought by extraterrestrials be completely resolved, and a long period of stable development be achieved. However, many people considered this nothing more than a pipe dream, a pretext to cover up personal ambitions.

The Emperor was unconcerned by such slander. When the alien fleet, which humanity's current will could not withstand, arrived, people would see the truth in the shadow of fear and death. The money earned by the privileged class would become meaningless numbers, and the need for survival would surpass all other needs. However, this slander still hindered the development of advanced Latvinia. The Emperor had foreseen all of this long before Latvinia was established; otherwise, he would not have painstakingly placed the industrial base on Mars, allowing it to obtain large quantities of industrial raw materials without the constraints of political infighting on Earth, to conduct experiments that pushed the boundaries of scientific ethics, and to explore the limits of science. At the same time, he mobilized the entire Balkan Peninsula to build a giant orbital tower to prepare for receiving large quantities of military equipment transported from the Martian foundry, bypassing the smaller Tianjian space station.

Victor von Doom still thought the Emperor's idea was a bit of an exaggeration; a whole crate of Martian soil couldn't buy a top-notch science course. "Who are you planning to recruit?" he asked the Emperor, who was engrossed in drawing. "Any scientist who claims to want to go to Mars will be sent back before they even reach the airport, and might even be investigated as a spy. I will absolutely not send air power to pick up any scientist; that would only further damage Latvia's international reputation and cause trouble for my upcoming visit."

"Do you remember Thumbelina?" Victor von Doom thought the Emperor was talking to the little girl on his lap. He had seen many adorable medieval-style drawings in the manuscript, such as a knight riding a snail chasing a knight in a thatched hut with chicken feet, a man kidnapped by a rabbit, and a person blowing a trumpet with their buttocks. Victor von Doom nodded only after confirming that the Emperor was not telling Milia the story of Thumbelina.

"That artificial intelligence?"

"Harold Finch, he possesses unparalleled programming skills, capable of creating silicon-based intelligence using the simplest techniques. The emotion analysis module at the Martian foundry is a technology developed based on his code." The Emperor patted Milia's head, deliberately messing up her hair so he wouldn't be the only one scolded when they met the witch later. "This is just an example; not every top scholar is under official control. If—and I mean if—we could invite Harold Finch to Mars, freeing him from his meaningless vigilante career, I would be very happy."

"And what about Jane Foster?" Victor von Doom said. "Your other identity is that master's degree holder at that research institute. You have the opportunity to recruit Jane Foster, a Nobel laureate, to work on Mars."

"That's the Nobel Prize, not some particularly prestigious award. This isn't to deny Jane Foster's research, but without Thor and the Rainbow Bridge, Jane Foster would never have received that award. The observational data in her paper on the Einstein-Rosen Bridge is unique; unless the Rainbow Bridge descends to Earth again and is observed, no one else can replicate the calculations." The Emperor still didn't look up. "Of course, we all know she's right, but the Nobel Prize she received was more of an award for the Asgardians than for her. It was a political award, not very meaningful. In comparison, the paper on black hole event horizons from the same year was much more creative."

"I understand. I will add the Mars research base cooperation plan to my upcoming visit itinerary." Victor von Doom nodded. "But what about Mabas's thoughts?"

"It will gradually be withdrawn from the Martian Foundry. My assigned task for it is the research and supervision of the Celestials. Moreover, the Martian Foundry's hierarchical system has now been established; anyone who joins Mars becomes a Martian, accepting that science-first ideology," the Emperor said with a smirk. The Celestials are the foundation of the Martian Foundry. Countless technologies derived from reverse engineering are applied in all aspects of life. Even more terrifying is that the Celestials are still alive, existing in the material universe with science and technology beyond human comprehension. It is a dangerous treasure, and the Martian Foundry must explore it carefully and resolutely conceal its secrets.

"Do you think everyone can use their short life experiences as an anchor for long-term reflection, just like us?" The Emperor spoke of a social problem that would arise in the future, especially as technology advances and humanity inevitably turns to machines rather than genetic modification to achieve longer lifespans and stronger physiques. Compared to the latter, the former seems safer and easier to upgrade and iterate. "Once large-scale cybernetic modifications begin to be accepted to adapt to the time on Mount Olympus, how much humanity remains will not be determined by themselves, but by the machines."

He picked up a pen and began to draw in the air with its soft tip, and a diagram of the human nervous system appeared out of thin air in the blink of an eye. "The number of human nerves is limited, and the electrical signals they can transmit are also fixed. Exceeding this limit could very well drive a person insane. This kind of thing was not uncommon in the early days of the Mars foundry. Without the addition of artificial nerves and thinking modules, randomly installing prosthetics would only drive people crazy. So, how much of a person can still be considered human if they don't even have their own brain?" he said. "The premise is that people deny the existence of the soul, and I will also deny the existence of the soul to them, only calling it a transdimensional spiritual projection. See? So there's no need to worry about this. Once you join Mars, you're a Martian. You just need to figure out how to deal with the questioning from the scientists' families."

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(End of this chapter)