Cataclysmic Era: I can unlock the tech tree

"Professor, Academician Fang Xu is here to visit."

Zero's electronic synthesized voice rang out in the quiet office.

On the desk, a deep blue holographic drawing floats in the air.

Without looking up, Lü Yongchang said directly, "Let him in."

"I guess he was anxious too, otherwise he wouldn't have come directly to me."

As he spoke, he reached out and rotated the holographic image in front of him, making further changes to some of the devices in the blueprints.

Just now, he temporarily halted the Guangwei-1 renovation project.

As the person in charge of the Guangwei-1 renovation project, Fang Xu was naturally dumbfounded when he learned of this news.

Everything was fine.

How come the projects I had disappeared?

After making some inquiries, Fang Xu was even more bewildered when he learned that Lü Yongchang was making significant changes to the design drawings of Guangwei-1.

The Guangwei-1 redevelopment project has been underway for 25 years. Although only some basic construction work has been completed so far, that is no reason to drastically change the design blueprints!

then……

He went directly to Lü Yongchang's office, ready to "demand an explanation".

……

The office door slowly opened.

"Lü Yongchang!" Fang Xu's voice carried a hint of resentment, but as he stepped into the office, his voice quickly softened. "Is there a problem with the design drawings for Guangwei-1?"

"Where is the problem? How serious is it? Whose module is responsible for the issue?"

"I will investigate thoroughly when I get back!"

Sitting behind his desk, Lü Yongchang's lips twitched slightly. He looked up at Fang Xu with a complicated expression, then slowly shook his head and sighed.

Fang Xu was startled.

His tone became even more humble.

"Yongchang...is there a major problem with the design?" Fang Xu walked forward somewhat guiltily, craning his neck to look at the holographic blueprints in front of Lü Yongchang. "That's impossible, it's been checked countless times..."

Seeing Fang Xu's cautious demeanor, Lü Yongchang couldn't help but smile: "I didn't say there was a problem with the blueprints, why are you being so careful?"

Fang Xu: "...???"

"No, if there's nothing wrong with the drawings, why are you stopping the project?!" Fang Xu straightened up immediately upon hearing that there were no problems with the design.

Lu Yongchang looked at Fang Xu with a half-smile and said softly, "I think we need to add another device."

Fang Xu: "..."

……

Lu Yongchang reached out and waved his hand through the air, and the holographic image magnified accordingly. At the same time, Zero completed the 3D modeling of Guangweiyi.

On the holographic model, rows of ultra-high-power land-based Type III laser cannons can be seen everywhere.

This is just the most basic weaponry on this satellite.

Plasma missile silos, high-powered plasma cannons, planetary-level magnetic field shields...

It is no exaggeration to say that this modification plan transformed this natural satellite into a super weapon with a diameter of 6186.98km.

The only drawback is that this all-around superweapon cannot move freely—it can only orbit Dawn Star in its own orbit.

"pity……"

Looking at the 3D model of the Guangwei Fortress in the holographic projection, a hint of regret flashed in Lü Yongchang's eyes: "It can only be used to fight against civilizations at level four or below."

Fang Xu's lips twitched slightly.

Listen, can you hear what people are saying?

What does it mean to only be able to fight against civilizations at level four or below?

"Even if a Level 4 civilization came, this thing wouldn't gain much advantage, would it?" Fang Xu muttered to himself.

"The gap between the two is even greater than the gap between a Type I civilization and a Type III civilization!"

"I doubt it could even withstand a typical starship from a Type IV civilization!"

"Is it really that exaggerated...?" Fang Xu's eyes were full of astonishment as he asked in an incredulous tone, "The weapons deployed on Visor One can destroy our small planetary flagship, the Earth, in ten seconds. Surely that can't even withstand a regular starship from a Type IV civilization?"

Lü Yongchang did not speak, but instead turned his gaze to the long, ring-shaped "tube" in the equatorial region of Guangwei.

Fang Xu noticed his gaze.

"A particle accelerator?"

"Is this why you halted the project?"

Within the holographic model, this particle accelerator occupies the most valuable equatorial region of Saturn.

"What a waste." Fang Xu frowned. "We clearly have several particle accelerators, why waste so many resources building this... behemoth?"

"In order to study antimatter," Lü Yongchang took a deep breath, then exhaled a long, stale air, and said bluntly, "humanity should also prepare to enter the fourth level of civilization."

"Antimatter is the key technology for reaching Type IV civilization."

Upon hearing this, Fang Xu's expression gradually became serious: "You mean...?"

"A Type IV civilization, could it possibly use antimatter as an energy source?"

Antimatter is the opposite state of normal matter.

For example, the positron, also known as the anti-electron, has the same mass as the electron but carries a positive charge.

For example, the antiproton has the same mass, spin, and lifetime as the proton, but it carries a negative charge.

As for antineutrons, although they do not carry a charge, their magnetic moment is opposite to that of neutrons.

When these antimatter particles come into contact with matter, they annihilate each other, releasing an enormous amount of energy.

This energy far exceeds the energy produced by nuclear fusion!

Faced with Fang Xu's question, Lü Yongchang answered without hesitation, replying with certainty, "That's right!"

"The energy gains from heavy nuclear fusion are too small to be considered."

"And light nuclear fusion..."

"From a Type I civilization to a Type III civilization, we have essentially exhausted the potential of light nuclear fusion."

"Do you still remember that flagship of the Lator civilization?" Lü Yongchang gazed into the infinite distance, a faint expectation in his eyes. "It could manipulate gravity, and even enter warp drive..."

"The energy required for this is definitely not something that a small nuclear fusion process can provide."

Fang Xu turned his head thoughtfully to look at the holographic image beside him.

"But... what about storage?" Fang Xu frowned. "Humans have done a lot of research on antimatter since Earth's time."

"However, due to preservation issues, the research progress is not optimistic."

"The preservation of positrons and antiprotons may be relatively simple."

"It only requires confinement with a magnetic field in a vacuum environment."

"For current human civilization, it's a piece of cake."

"But... what about the antihydrogen atom?"

Fang Xu looked at Lü Yongchang in front of him with a puzzled expression: "Since we are researching antimatter, we must solve the problem of preserving antihydrogen atoms."

P.S.: Regarding the plot of Lin Shuguang's interview in the parliament in the first two chapters, there are also basic positions in the parliament, and Xu Ting is doing the most basic position.

P.S.: Thank you so much to the amazing Jiuli乄 for the certification!