Cataclysmic Era: I can unlock the tech tree

2042.10

Zhao Zijie and Gao Yang sat quietly inside the Luan Bird Starship.

Outside the porthole, all was peaceful.

Sunlight shone on Titan's oceans, and the tiny waves reflected shimmering light.

In the distance, several Xuan Nu starships maintained low-altitude flight, attempting to lure more jellyfish with their plasma tail flames.

This was their last shift, and also the last few days that humanity spent on Titan.

Over the course of nearly two years, the orbiting Taotie has made several round trips between Mars and Titan, successfully transporting large quantities of hydrocarbons and organic matter.

A few days earlier, Mars had sent long-distance communication to Zhao Zijie and his team.

The Celestial Court Project has been successfully completed as planned, and all humans in Mars City have begun boarding the planes.

This means that humanity has completed all starship manufacturing projects and resource stockpiling plans.

What they faced next was a long journey of 4.22 light-years to the stars!

"Calling Luan Niao, this is area C3."

A familiar voice came from the radio communication device.

Zhao Zijie withdrew his gaze from the porthole and calmly pressed the communication button.

A response came immediately from the communication equipment.

"We have been circling for more than 5 days and have not yet detected any signs of jellyfish activity."

"Requesting to return to base!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zijie remained silent for a while.

"Permission granted to return."

"C3, you can come back now."

Communication was cut off.

Zhao Zijie reached out and gently swiped his hand across the holographic image in front of him, putting a big X on the sea area marked C3 on the map.

"Another area has been ruled out."

Looking at the holographic image before him, he murmured softly, "Only eight sea areas remain to be investigated."

Although the culling operation could only be carried out at night during high tide, the two-year-long operation had completely depleted the resources of the Kraken-Marie Sea—in recent months, the number of jellyfish they had culled had been decreasing.

On Titan, fifty Mystic Maiden IIs worked tirelessly for eight days, only to attract a few hundred jellyfish.

This was a scenario that was unimaginable before.

Therefore, five days ago, in the early morning on Titan, Lü Yongchang issued his final order.

If no new jellyfish are found after five consecutive days of searching, the culling operation will be terminated.

"Zijie, do you think there are still jellyfish in this sea?" Gao Yang's question came from the side.

Zhao Zijie shrugged, looking slightly helpless, and said, "How would I know?"

"Nobody can say for sure about this."

"You won't get a definitive answer unless you drain the Kraken-Mare Sea."

"However, one thing I'm certain of."

At this point, Zhao Zijie sighed deeply: "Even if some jellyfish survive, their population is too small, and they will inevitably face extinction."

"Unless, of course, they reproduce asexually."

A hint of doubt flickered in Gao Yang's eyes: "Don't the other oceans on Titan have jellyfish?"

Zhao Zijie rolled his eyes at Gao Yang, annoyed: "I really don't know how you passed those basic courses back then..."

"For two whole years, didn't you notice we were hunting jellyfish in the Kraken-Malay Sea?"

Gao Yang chuckled awkwardly, scratched the back of his head, and said, "I did notice, but I didn't think much of it..."

Zhao Zijie was increasingly speechless. He shook his head helplessly and patiently began to explain.

"Based on previous test results, the Kraken-Mare Sea contains 80% of the liquid on Titan."

"But the discovery of the inland sea significantly increased this proportion."

"According to Zero's assessment two years ago, the Kraken-Mare Sea contains more than 95% of Titan's liquid."

"Leaving aside the depth and size of the other oceans on Titan, the inner sea and ice volcanoes alone have structures that other bodies of water on Titan cannot have."

As they spoke, several more return-to-base requests lit up in the holographic image.

Zhao Zijie silently reached out and cut off the corresponding areas of the sea.

He breathed a long sigh of relief when the last ship, Xuan Nu II, sent a request to return to port.

"Let's go."

He stood up from the captain's seat and stretched: "Our mission is complete."

"It's time to go and rendezvous with the Heavenly Court."

……

A [Taotie] Nebula-class supply depot rests quietly in orbit around Titan.

It is waiting for the remaining fifty or so starship pilots on Titan.

In the coming days, the pilots will travel in it from Saturn to Jupiter.

Meanwhile, the human fleet, the Celestial Court, will also travel from Mars to Jupiter.

The two will meet in Jupiter's orbit.

And by relying on Jupiter's massive size, they could avoid the enormous solar storm caused by Venus's fall to the sun two months later!

As for the outdated Luan Bird Starship?

Naturally, it was left on Titan as proof that humans had once been there.

This is also a helpless move.

Compared to the Nebula-class starships, the Luan bird's flight speed is too slow.

……

A few days later, on the shore of the Kraken-Marie Sea, the Hall thrusters at the bottom of fifty Xuan Nu II ships simultaneously emitted streaks of dark blue flames.

With its powerful thrust, these Mysterious Maidens IIs slowly rose into the air.

Then, they changed direction, drawing a graceful arc before flying towards the sky.

On the beach, a Luan Bird Starship, emptied of all its supplies, lies quietly.

Beside the starship, a massive jellyfish-catching device stood amidst the gentle waves.

Under the dim sunlight, the two man-made objects seemed to be recounting the crimes committed by humanity over the past two years.

……

Time flies.

After two days and nights on Titan, a group of pale yellow jellyfish suddenly appeared on the shore.

Unlike the original jellyfish, this group of jellyfish was noticeably smaller.

They remained on the undulating surface of the methane sea, their heads facing the Luan Bird Starship and the hunting equipment on the shore, seemingly gazing at the two enormous man-made objects.

Suddenly, one of the jellyfish wiggled its body and swam towards the sea.

Its behavior clearly attracted the attention of the other jellyfish.

Amidst the commotion, a group of jellyfish hesitantly followed the first jellyfish, swimming together toward the shore.

After several hours of arduous journey, the jellyfish finally arrived at the trapping device and the Luan Bird Starship.

Then, something amazing happened.

These dozens of jellyfish actually arranged themselves in a circle, "dancing" their rounded bodies on the beach!

It looks like a human sacrificial ritual.

A few hours later, the jellyfish, in neat rows, once again moved toward the Kraken-Malay Sea.

Contrary to everyone's expectations, this new jellyfish actually possesses consciousness!

If Zhao Zijie were to see this scene, he would surely let out a sigh!

"Words become law; how terrifying!"

Unfortunately, with the departure of Xuan Nu No. 2, this scene will inevitably remain unknown to anyone.