Cataclysmic Era: I can unlock the tech tree

Outside the Gliese 555 galaxy.

【warn……】

The spherical probe continues to relentlessly send warning messages to the region of the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

When the waiting time reached the preset standard, the Type I artificial intelligence built into the detector finally stopped its somewhat "rigid" behavior.

Error: No response.

[Backup plan activated...]

[Continue implementing the two-dimensional debris recycling program.]

……

After several minutes of careful consideration, Lü Yongchang finally decided to wait patiently.

Of course, humans weren't idle during the waiting period.

On the one hand, the Academy of Sciences began discussing solutions to this crisis.

On the other hand, small planetary-level supply ships [Gluttony] and [Homeship Ships] equipped with antimatter engines and star gold-carbon ytylene composite armor were scattered and heading towards the vicinity of the Gliese 555 system.

Similar to Project Dandelion, these starships will head towards the pre-selected Heng star system the moment the Cleaners civilization reveals its malice.

The remaining armed fleet, including the Golden Crow battleship, the Dimensional Strike Ship, and the Battering Ram, withdrew to Dawn Star and deployed a defensive formation relying on Dawn Star and the Planetary Fortress of Light and Moon.

As for Lü Yongchang and a group of researchers, while the Cleaner civilization probe was "stagnant," they had already boarded the human flagship "Earth" in a synchronous orbit around Dawn Star.

Unlike the migrations during the Proxima Centauri era, the current Dawn Star is completely devoid of human presence, except for some plants and animals that cannot be taken with them.

……

Lu Yongchang sat in his long-unused seat, reached out and brushed the armrest of the conductor's chair, and sighed softly.

Beside him came Zhao Zijie's voice, "All combat units have been deployed."

"We are now..."

As he spoke, Zhao Zijie glanced at the stationary detector in the holographic projection, and hesitated before asking, "Should we retreat?"

"We can preserve most of humanity's human strength before it makes a move."

Lü Yongchang understood the meaning behind Zhao Zijie's words.

It simply means sacrificing a portion of the Golden Crow battleships to buy enough time for the Earth and the rest of the starships to retreat.

He firmly shook his head and refused, saying, "There's no need."

"We are too slow to escape in the face of a civilization that has mastered warp drive technology."

"If we stay, we can increase the chances of success for Project Dandelion."

Even a 0.01% chance is good.

"Human civilization..." As he spoke, Lü Yongchang closed his eyes, leaned back in his chair, and sighed deeply, "It must not perish in my hands."

"no way……"

He muttered to himself.

"Professor, the probe has made a move!" Tao Yuda's exclamation rang out in the command center of the Earth.

Lu Yongchang suddenly opened his eyes, straightened up, and looked at the huge holographic projection in front of him.

In the holographic projection, the spherical detector that was originally stationary suddenly started to move.

There's a saying that goes something like that.

Still as a virgin, swift as a rabbit.

This is the best explanation of this spherical detector.

There was no reaction time.

The antimatter collection device and the human probe that were blocking the spherical detector collided directly with it!

Bang!Bang!Bang!

With a burst of sparks and countless shattered fragments, the dark gray spherical probe hurtled straight toward the Gliese 555 star system!

"How fast?!"

Seeing this scene, Lü Yongchang didn't have time to think. His face flushed slightly, and he shouted loudly.

A researcher quickly swiped the holographic projection in front of him, and the moment he saw the data, his face turned deathly pale.

"professor……"

"50%, 50% of the speed of light."

The researcher's lips trembled slightly as he struggled to utter a number.

The command center was silent, with only the sounds of breathing and heartbeats audible.

50% of the speed of light.

This is an extremely shocking number.

It's important to understand that only after humans mastered antimatter engines could they increase the fleet's top speed to 50% of the speed of light.

And this speed is just the starting speed of the enemy's detector!

What's this called?

"I already stepped on the engine, and you're telling me you just shifted into first gear?"

……

【warn! 】

[The area ahead belongs to human civilization. Please state your purpose immediately!]

[To be repeated, the next part belongs to...]

In the deathly silent universe, electromagnetic waves surged one after another.

……

"Warning, ten-minute countdown!"

As the synthesized voice of "Zero" rang out in the command center, a countdown timer appeared in front of everyone.

Looking at the constantly fluctuating blood-red numbers, Lü Yongchang felt a tremor in his heart.

Based on the speed of the spherical probe, it will reach the Dawn Star synchronous orbit in ten minutes.

Before that...

Since all warnings have had no effect, human civilization is left with only one option.

"attack!"

"Attack immediately!!"

Lu Yongchang's face flushed red, and his hands trembled slightly as he issued the attack order!

Sitting next to him, Zhao Zijie, the fleet's military commander, straightened up and shouted in a deep voice.

"Attention all units!"

"Electromagnetic cannons firing in unison!"

……

The moment the order was issued.

The Golden Crow battleships, lined up in neat formation, raised the long gun barrels mounted on the sides of their hulls.

Under Zero's control, each gun barrel began to undergo minute adjustments.

The spherical detector travels in a straight line and moves at a very stable speed, so calculating its trajectory is extremely easy for zero.

However, in order to ensure the accuracy of the electromagnetic projectiles, Zero still defined a relatively large attack range.

After completing the trajectory adjustment work for the electromagnetic railgun.

A volley of shots!

Two rounds of shots!

Three rounds firing simultaneously!!!

In just a few seconds, more than 5000 small planetary-level [Golden Crow] battleships unleashed hundreds of thousands of electromagnetic cannon shells at the target area!

These projectiles are filled with a large amount of antimatter.

At the moment of contact, all of this antimatter will be poured onto the surface of the spherical detector.

This was also the best solution that the Academy of Sciences arrived at after discussions during the period when the spherical detector was stationary.

Strongly interacting materials, similar to neutron star matter.

Its strength is excessive, as can be seen from the footage of it crashing into the antimatter collection device and human probes.

At least, current human materials, even the strongest star gold-carbon dithium armor, are like a fragile piece of paper in front of it, easily punctured.

However, it still falls under the category of matter.

Anything that is matter will react with antimatter.

The battle plan is then quite simple—just bring the antimatter into contact with its surface.

Once the annihilation reaction occurs, its incredibly hard outer shell will completely collapse!