Cataclysmic Era: I can unlock the tech tree

The blueprints for the second-generation exoskeleton armor soon appeared on the holographic projection above Lü Yongchang's desk.

Looking at the blueprints for the powerful, fully-covered humanoid armor, a faint smile appeared on Lü Yongchang's lips.

In his opinion, the second-generation exoskeleton armor is not very practical and can only be used in specific situations.

After all, no matter how powerful the exoskeleton armor is, can it withstand the cannons of a starship?

Planetary landing operations are extremely rare occurrences.

If it weren't for the precious tree resources, Lü Yongchang could have easily ordered antimatter bombs to plow the surface of this planet.

He simply couldn't believe that life forms living on planets could withstand the damage from antimatter bombs with their physical bodies!

What giant creatures, a carnivorous forest...?

Under the barrage of high-yield artillery fire, everything else is insignificant!

But if we want to use those trees to research more effective radiation shielding for starships... planetary landing operations become an essential part of that.

It must be said that Zhu Ziwen's modifications came in handy at just the right time!

……

"drop!"

"Planetary explorer, Xia Zhou, welcome to Earth year 2921. Currently, the Human Alliance fleet is on the edge of a black hole..."

The slightly stiff electronic synthesized voice echoed in his ears. Xia Zhou slowly opened his eyes. Before the choking sensation could reach him, he coughed forcefully to clear the remaining deep-sea fluid from his trachea.

"2921..."

The confusion in Xia Zhou's eyes gradually faded. He exerted a little effort and crawled out of the deep-sea compartment: "This hibernation period was really long..."

As he spoke, he turned his head to look to his side.

The neatly arranged hibernation pods were quietly fixed on the starship, looking like rows of exquisitely crafted coffins.

In the distance, warm orange-yellow lights illuminated several hibernation pods.

He squinted slightly, trying to make out the text in the holographic image above the hibernation pod.

"Zhong Wenhao... He Bolun..."

He murmured the familiar names in the holographic projection.

"Did they only awaken the planetary explorers?" Xia Zhou murmured in confusion. "Strange, isn't the fleet currently in the black hole region?"

"Did the fleet discover something near the black hole?"

"…Exploration officer Xia Zhou, please report to conference room number six in two hours."

Zero did not respond to Xia Zhou's mutterings.

Xia Zhou frowned slightly and turned to look at the porthole not far away.

With just one glance, his eyes widened in shock.

"Is this a black hole?"

"That's truly spectacular..."

Suddenly, his expression changed slightly, and he shivered violently.

The gaze fixed on the black hole shifted from admiration to a faint sense of fear.

"No, no, no..." Xia Zhou shook his head vigorously, throwing away the unreliable thoughts in his mind.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

"The Academy of Sciences wouldn't issue such an order... would it?"

But this kind of thing...

The less you try to stop thinking about it, the more likely it is to surface in your mind!

"Xia Zhou!"

A shout came from behind.

Although it was an extremely familiar voice, it still made his body tremble violently.

"What are you thinking?"

A large face with a bright smile appeared in front of him.

Seemingly noticing the lingering fear on Xia Zhou's face, the smile on his large face faded slightly, replaced by a hint of confusion: "Hey, Xia Zhou, what are you thinking about?"

"Say something? Have you gone drowsy from sleeping too long?"

"Feed him/her?"

A hint of worry appeared on his large face, while a slightly rough hand kept waving in front of his eyes.

Xia Zhou clicked his tongue softly and impatiently slapped away the hand that kept waving in front of his eyes.

"Hey Su, you idiot, do you really have this much energy even though you just woke up from hibernation?"

Su Daizi, whose real name is Su Pengfei.

Because he often does some silly things, he is jokingly called Su the Fool by Xia Zhou and others.

"Hehehe..." Su Pengfei's large face revealed a pair of big front teeth. "That's right, don't you know who I am!"

"You don't think I'm praising you, do you?"

Xia Zhou said weakly.

"Huh? Isn't that right?" Su Pengfei was stunned for a moment, then asked in confusion.

Xia Zhou: "...Ah, right, right, right."

"So, Zhou-ge, what were you thinking about just now?" Su Pengfei asked again with a grin, "Contemplating life?"

Although he was filled with worry, Xia Zhou patiently explained.

"Tell me, why did the Academy of Sciences call us up?"

"Is that even a question? Of course, it's about exploring planets!" Su Pengfei looked at Xia Zhou as if he were an idiot.

Xia Zhou: "..."

He can accept being looked down upon by anyone, but he absolutely cannot accept being looked down upon by Su Pengfei!

"You idiot!" Xia Zhou raised his hand in exasperation and slapped Su Pengfei hard across the face. "Look out the porthole!"

"The fleet is right next to a black hole! You know what a black hole is?!"

"What kind of planets are you exploring?!"

Su Pengfei turned his head blankly and looked in the direction Xia Zhou was pointing.

"Holy crap...that's spectacular..."

Xia Zhou's face stiffened: "Did I ask you to sigh about this?!"

"So... Brother Zhou, what exactly are you trying to say?" Su Pengfei straightened his expression and asked with some confusion.

"..." Xia Zhou was silent for a moment, then lowered his voice and said, "Do you think we might be sent to investigate black holes?"

"This is a deadly profession!"

"So what?"

Su Pengfei wore his usual simple and honest smile: "If this is an order from the Academy of Sciences, if the Human Federation needs us to do this, if this can elevate human civilization to a higher level..."

"Then we just need to carry it out."

"I was prepared for this from the day I became a planetary explorer."

Xia Zhou fell silent.

After a long silence, he sighed deeply: "Su idiot...you really are an idiot!"

Xia Zhou raised his hand and gently patted Su Pengfei's broad shoulder: "Let's go, get ready, we need to report to conference room number six."

With that, Xia Zhou turned around and prepared to leave the hibernation area.

Su Pengfei's voice rang out again.

"I asked Zero a question when I woke up just now."

"After we went into hibernation, a great battle that spanned tens of light-years took place near Proxima Centauri."

"The war destroyed countless star systems, including Gliese 555."

Xia Zhou's expression changed slightly, and he immediately slowed down his pace.

"The tail-cutting plan launched by the Academy of Sciences last time has worked."

"Human civilization has successfully forged a path to survival because of their sacrifices."

"Why...why are you telling me all this...?"

Xia Zhou lowered his head and said in a low voice.

"Brother Zhou, we all know that your...your father was selected for Project Cut-Off."

"Perhaps you have some reservations about this plan from the Academy of Sciences..."

Su Pengfei walked slowly to Xia Zhou's side, his smile unwavering: "But I just want to tell you, he is a hero, a hero of human civilization!"

"Moreover..." He paused for a moment before speaking again, "Project Cut-Off the Tail was a plan that the Academy of Sciences was forced to launch under duress."

"I believe that when given a choice, the Academy of Sciences and Parliament would never make such a decision again."

Xia Zhou clenched his fists tightly, but then immediately relaxed them.

He let out a long breath, muttering blankly, "A...hero...?"

"Perhaps."

Xia Zhou shook his head slightly and walked forward with a somewhat dejected expression.

"Xia Zhou..."

Su Pengfei watched Xia Zhou's figure gradually disappear into the distance and around the corner ahead, hesitant to speak.