Cataclysmic Era: I can unlock the tech tree

Two years later.

Beyond Proxima Centauri b, 3000 starships are poised for deployment.

Meanwhile, the probe satellites surrounding it have already flown off into the distance.

In the dim universe, countless tiny, eerie blue lights suddenly began to twinkle.

Earth Command Center.

In the giant holographic projection directly in front, an ever-expanding detection network is taking shape.

Lu Yongchang stood solemnly on a high platform behind the command center, carefully examining the data displayed on the holographic projection.

[The homeship is fully prepared, and all personnel have entered hibernation mode.]

The engineering vessel is ready.

The Gluttonous Supply Ship is ready.

【…】

[Fleet-wide detection network deployment completed]

[No abnormalities within 1AU, ready to depart at any time]

One green light after another lit up in the holographic projection.

Lu Yongchang took a deep breath, glanced at the "dirty" ice hockey puck outside the porthole, and gave his final order.

"Human fleet, set sail!"

"Target: Ross 154 Galaxy!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zero's voice rang out.

"Command confirmed."

"The flight route has been planned."

"The fleet will enter [Advance 4] status in 15 minutes. All personnel remaining in the area are requested to immediately enter the deep-sea compartment."

Lu Yongchang pressed the switch of the electromagnetic adsorption device next to him and stood up from the chair.

"Professor, see you in sixty years."

Zhao Zijie's voice came from beside him.

Lu Yongchang was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and nodded.

See you in sixty years.

As he spoke, he strode toward the deep-sea compartment at the far end of the command center.

After a familiar series of procedures, Lü Yongchang slowly closed his eyes.

Before closing his eyes, his gaze lingered on the end of the star map.

Ross 154, hopefully it can provide a safe haven for humanity.

A faint thought flashed through my mind.

The next moment, his consciousness was completely plunged into darkness.

……

A few minutes later.

Once it was detected that everyone had entered hibernation, the lights inside the starship were turned off one by one.

At the same time, the Hall thrusters at the stern of each starship gradually brightened.

Proxima Centauri b.

A remote corner of City No. 4.

Ren Feng stared blankly at the holographic projection in front of him.

The projection shows real-time images transmitted from the satellite.

It was as if 3000 small suns were rising in the deep, dark universe!

At this moment, even the brilliance of Proxima Centauri seemed incredibly dim!

"Xiaofeng..." an aged voice came from the side, "Has the human fleet already set sail?"

Ren Feng turned to look at his maternal grandfather.

The old man squinted and reached out to grope on the coffee table beside him.

Ren Feng chuckled, got up to get the old man his reading glasses, and said softly, "Yes, the fleet has already set off."

"You're something else! I told you long ago that a minor surgery in the medical pod could cure presbyopia, but you just wouldn't believe me!"

The old man chuckled, reached out and took the glasses, placed them on the bridge of his nose, and then waved his hand.

"Hey! How dare you talk like that?"

"The thought of having a robot inside my body makes me uncomfortable!"

"Anyway, I think my eyesight is fine," the old man muttered softly.

Ren Feng shook his head with a wry smile, no longer explaining the difference between nanorobots and ordinary robots.

"Xiaofeng."

After a moment of silence, the old man said, "I'm staying in this dying star system just to keep an old man like me company as I'm halfway to the grave."

"Life won't be as comfortable as it used to be."

Do you regret it?

Ren Feng's breath hitched slightly.

Then, he smiled with relief: "I might have regretted it at first, but now... I've come to terms with it."

"Living a simple life like this is not bad at all."

"Besides, didn't 80 million of the new generation also choose to stay in the Proxima Centauri system?"

"We'll see."

"Before leaving, Professor Lü left behind a weak artificial intelligence here. In addition, we can seek help from Zero or others at any time through long-distance communication, and there are various types of robots, so the quality of life will not be too bad."

Seeing Ren Feng's confident demeanor, the old man fell silent, though a hint of worry flashed in his eyes.

Really, is there such a comfortable thing?

From Earth all the way to Proxima Centauri b, he has experienced too many things in his life.

From the rise of the Xia Kingdom and the establishment of the Human Alliance to escaping Earth...

He experienced almost everything firsthand.

That's why the old man was very clear in his heart that the development of human civilization would never be smooth sailing.

In the event of a crisis, would the human fleet still have the resources to care for this sub-civilization with no potential for development?

Thinking of this, the old man sighed again and glanced at his grandson beside him with a very complicated look.

He had already told his grandson all of this, but... his persuasion was useless.

The old man shook his head almost imperceptibly, banishing the thought from his mind.

So be it.

Children and grandchildren have their own blessings; it's not up to an old man with one foot in the grave to speak on such matters.

Ren Feng, standing to the side, clearly did not notice the subtle expression on the old man's face.

At this moment, his gaze remained focused on the holographic projection directly in front of him.

Looking into the endless deep space, there were 3000 bright, dark blue dots.

……

Sixty years later.

It is 0.01 light-years away from the Ross 154 galaxy.

A fleet with a pockmarked surface slowly glided by.

Although the fleet was not attacked during the voyage, the once pristine hull of the fleet appeared extremely dilapidated due to the effects of cosmic rays and tiny meteoroids.

At the very center of the fleet, inside the flagship, the Earth.

Inside the central computer room, various indicator lights flashed rapidly.

Then, starting from the engine room, the lights inside the ship gradually came on.

A star map slowly emerged.

[Distance: 0.01 light-years (632.4 AU)]

[Arrived at the preset wake-up area]

[Starting wake-up procedure]

[The first batch of people who have been awakened are being roused...]

……

at the same time.

Within the Ross 154 galaxy, 0.01 light-years away.

The four probes continue their exploration mission around the dark red Ross 154.

For the past sixty years, they have been tirelessly sending data on the primary star to the solar system.

After being relayed, this data was transmitted to Zero.

According to the program preset by Lü Yongchang, if Ross 154 shows any abnormality, Zero will immediately and unconditionally execute the deceleration program and wake up all personnel inside the Earth.

Fortunately, no abnormal data has been reported in the past sixty years.

According to the four probes, Ross 154 is operating perfectly normally, spreading its own warmth into this dark and cold universe.

But with the arrival of the fleet, a gray shadow once again appeared inside the "normally functioning" Ross 154.

The gray shadow vanished in an instant.

The detector continues to transmit normal data to zero.