Will the kemonomimi encounter Alien Ranch Story?

"Then you've misunderstood me."

"Heh~" An Suo let out a cold laugh that was neither confirming nor denying.

In the restaurant, the crops and fruits picked by tourists are simply processed into dishes. "We don't have a flour jar!" Golden grains are poured in, and when they come out, they are dough with water added, which is then sent to the fermentation chamber to ferment.

You look disappointed.

“Of course, I’m a reporter.” Lin Yuxia solemnly held up her notebook. “What do you think the audience likes to see? The truth or dry, boring documentaries? Wake up, that kind of stuff will only turn you from a billionaire into a millionaire.”

"What the audience wants is excitement. What do you watch the news for? The mundane, unremarkable life you see every day? Admit it, you just want to see dead people, the more the better. You just want to see explosions, the bigger and more spectacular the better. You'll be more excited and happy then, and you'll say you didn't mean to offend, but that's what you really think!"

"What do you think viewers are thinking when they watch news about war? Ah, war, how cruel~ Bullshit! They say war is cruel, but what they're really thinking is: Let the hell break out, let it get bigger and bigger, more cannons, more corpses, more explosions, as long as the bombs don't fall into their neighbor's yard, that's what they're thinking!"

"So, without flour jars, dust explosions, the thrilling adventures inside the space station, the security team subduing criminals at the last second, no dead bodies, no flames, no killing, what's the appeal of this? Do you even think these people come to this highest point just to take a look at the view? Of course, it's because this is the closest place to death, so it's exciting!"

"Uh..." An Suo really wanted to say, as expected of the Rat King's granddaughter, has she figured out the fundamental nature of journalism in such a short time? What the audience wants is not the truth, but strange and exciting news that will stimulate their emotions. To put it bluntly, they want to be curious. Nobody cares about the truth at all.

Chapter 83 Terra Ark

Chapter 83

Kazdel, ground station, "We caught the saboteurs." Faced with the results reported by Lungmen, the Doctor nodded nonchalantly. This kind of thing was expected. As the saying goes, if no one is really causing trouble, you really need to reflect on whether you are doing something stupid.

Compared to such trivial matters, he was more concerned about the status of the Ghost Shark III work ship, which was preparing for a long voyage. Its destination was a planet in the second orbit of the Terra system, where it would search for possible traces of the original test ship and, incidentally, test its ability to travel long distances within the system.

"The possible locations of the early settlers' space facilities and debris are marked here." There are only a few red triangles on the star map. "The wreckage of the solar observation ship and test ship may be here. The last trace of the lost immigrant ship is in the meteorite belt at the edge of the galaxy, and finally, there are the exploration space station and probes located here."

"How did you manage to build such a large spaceship without any further space plans or achievements?" Old Xia asked curiously, looking at the markings on the star map. They hadn't even achieved large-scale colonization within their own system, so how did they manage to build Ark III?

“Actually, we did have colonies, but… they were all wiped out by a solar flare. If you’re thinking of going to see if there’s anything left, I suggest you don’t waste your time.” The doctor then marked the locations of several more stations on the star map.

"These colonies were not large and were established concurrently with Project Ark. Their main function was to provide mineral materials and space smelting industry."

"We can go and take a look, at least we can use it to fool others." After all, discovering the First Men's alien colony will at most make the Terrans marvel at how amazing the First Men's technology is, but they won't have too many doubts about the speed of Kazdel's space industry.

"Also, now that the shipping lanes are open, are you ready to deploy the landing ark?"

The last part of the Originium meteorite has exploded, and a winding path has appeared through the outer protective asteroid belt of Terra. In fact, it would be possible to fly directly upwards from the North and South Poles and then bypass the asteroid belt, but that would require a lot of fuel to keep up with the speed of the Moon and the Ark.

For a large-scale transport of personnel, supplies, and repair tools, the losses are extremely unacceptable, especially since the production speed slowed down rapidly after Lao Xia's side exhausted the prefabricated parts provided by the Star Alliance. This kind of loss is even more contrary to the overall plan.

"Landing on the Ark is just the first step; there are many more things to do," such as expanding the Sky Station, adding more industrial assembly and mining modules, advancing the spaceport construction to the third phase, and allowing the mass launch of cargo containers to the Ark, etc.

In Terra orbit, the new Specter-class spacecraft jettisoned its booster rockets and switched to main engine power to enter the vicinity of the orbital space station. Then, drones and engineers fueled it with more propellant. Next, it began its journey toward Terra's second moon, the Ark.

Compared to the Ark, the Specter-class spaceship, which is already a behemoth to most people, still seems like a small shuttle.

The ark is semi-circular, resembling a giant jellyfish with its head facing Terra, or an apple core that has been eaten. Behind the hemispherical head is the apple core-like trunk, and the uneven parts on the core are the parts that were not completed in the first place.

The Ark is divided into four parts from front to back. The huge hemispherical head carries engineering equipment, personnel compartments, equipment compartments and energy systems, as well as a huge sail constellation matrix, a super-large Originium computer array, and an Originium force field projector for Terra, etc.

"This area itself was created as part of Terra's space city project. Building an ark from scratch is too difficult, but expanding a super-large space station into part of the ark's hull and then installing engines to push it away is relatively simpler."

"I mean it's simpler in terms of workload, but in reality, the engineering and technical difficulties are not simple at all, and are even more difficult." At that time, Terra's biggest headache was the workload itself, so choosing this solution was a last resort.

"The second part is the core you see. This part is the storage area. Artworks, historical documents, technical documents, and a huge amount of supplies prepared for the journey are transported from Terra and stored in this area, secured to the racks in various ways."

"Then there's that little mushroom-shaped thing at the end of the kernel, which is where the Ark Engine is installed. Actually, we didn't even have time to install the support frame. The sub-light speed Originium Driver was still undergoing final theoretical verification at the Academy of Sciences, and then it was too late."

By using the Originium field effect to capture Originium particle radiation from the sun as a working propellant and power source, and then influencing these particles like a propeller stirring water with the Originium effect field, the spaceship can be further accelerated. According to the initial estimate, this would allow the spaceship to be accelerated to sub-light speed before reaching the region where solar radiation energy particles are weakest, thus enabling it to escape the Terra system.

Furthermore, it was initially considered to use planetary shelters to avoid the first burst of the sun, and then take advantage of the interaction of the source energy field that suddenly increased throughout the entire galaxy to allow the spaceship to escape at a higher speed. This would allow for a relatively reliable timeframe to successfully compensate for the speed at which the Terra galaxy was constantly flying away from the main disk galaxy and enter the densely populated edge of the galaxy.

"According to our astronomical observations at the time, the stars in this region were relatively young, and the probability of having habitable planets was not low." Stars that are too far away are too young, and their planets are all in a molten state. The high-energy radiation and flames emitted by young and vigorous stars also make it almost impossible for life to survive on the surface.

However, very old stars are too cold and do not have enough energy to support the surrounding planets. Moreover, most of these very old stars are located in regions filled with black holes. Therefore, the branch belts in the middle of the outer star belt are areas with a high incidence of habitable planets.

Just as the Covenant's Galactic Habitability Exploration Program concluded, the Perseus Arm is simply uninhabitable. It's not that the ends are too young, the middle too volatile, the roots are full of black holes, and the living ones are even more volatile, while the farthest parts are so old they're barely clinging to life.

On the contrary, the Orion Arm, which branches off from the Perseus Arm, has a large number of habitable star belts. Similarly, the star belts branching off from other main spiral arms also have a considerable number of age-appropriate stars. Although neither the Covenant nor any advanced interstellar civilization is capable of surviving on most planets and star systems—but…

Just like humans have the ability to build residential areas on isolated islands, deserts, and high mountains, and even provide you with electricity and internet access, and although the cost is high, it is not unacceptable, but would you live there?

The same principle applies. On Earth, the land area is limited, but for an interstellar civilization, finding a habitable or adaptable planet is incredibly easy.

This question can also be understood as why most civilizations prefer to find a planet to terraform and inhabit rather than live on a spaceship. It's not that they lack the ability, but rather, how should I put it?

Traveling in a motorhome and staying wherever you want is a very comfortable experience, but if you had to live in a motorhome for the rest of your life, even if it's actually more comfortable than a regular house, no one could stand it.

It's like all the hotel rooms at Sky Station are booked out, while none of the space villas and living pods developed by the doctor have been sold.

There are tons of inquiries about short-term rentals for vacations and parties, but not a single person actually buys it for long-term residence. After all, planetary gravity should never cause problems under normal circumstances, but artificial gravity is another matter entirely.

Even in terms of human lifespan, artificial ecosystems are much more reliable than natural systems in the short term, but they are also much more monotonous, and the probability of problems in the long term is much greater.

"So what is the last block? Why can't I see it?"

“We are now in the last block,” Ghost Shark said as it turned toward the harbor near the end of the hemispherical shape.

"Because the scaffolding hasn't even been installed yet, the engineering arms were originally supposed to be installed here after the work in the storage and main trunk areas was completed. You can think of them as super-large engineering decks extending outwards like the tentacles of a jellyfish," the doctor pointed on the hologram. "Some of the shield system and active defense system will be installed on the smaller support arms extending from the main trunk, and some production facilities that require gravity will also be installed on the main trunk."

The completed Ark diagram was gradually perfected on the hologram, and the whole thing looked like a jellyfish with hundreds or thousands of tentacles of different sizes, with some of the tentacles twisted into a mushroom-like stem in the center.

"So, where are you planning to put those guys in their rooms?"

"Doesn't the surface of the main block look very safe?"

Ahead lies the main body of the ark, resembling an umbrella canopy, surrounded by shield systems and engineering rotors like umbrella ribs. It certainly gives one a sense of security, as long as you don't worry about which way the ark's inertia will carry it when it takes off. I imagine it will be quite a sight to see these surface-fixed buildings and cabins detach one after another, like a spacecraft releasing its clamps.

Unfortunately, the main and command areas are now just bare frames made up of gas and liquid pipes and supports, with nothing else. There is no reactor or engine installed at the end either, making it a typical unfinished project.

The Specter approached the docking ports on the back of the completed main hull of the Ark. These docking ports were arranged in a ring and were used to transport materials and personnel during the initial construction. However, more docking ports and anchor points were located on the unfinished main body of the Ark.

The original plan was that any space station with maneuverability would dock with it, so that personnel could be transported as quickly as possible and the construction of the Ark's launch module could be completed.

"Hiss~" The airlock depressurized, and after a thousand years, the Ark passage finally welcomed visitors once again. The lights flickered a few times before going completely dark. "Uh, it's been in disrepair for years. There's still a lot to fix here," Nian said, standing in the passage surrounded by constantly exploding sparks, his expression a little embarrassed.

"Let's go straight to the server room; we don't have much time to waste."

"Okay, this way is fine. I'll open the door for you." Nian snapped his fingers, and the gate at the end creaked upwards, only to get stuck halfway up.

"Forget it, don't bother. This place is basically a giant garbage dump; there's hardly anything usable here," Ling complained.

"Let's go, you guys must really want to see the Sailboat's monitoring room, right?"

As you pass through the intricate network of pipes inside the ark, you can see city-like structures reflecting a dim light under the enormous dome.

“The Immigrant Matrix, these building-like structures, each one is a cryogenics center, sealing away the brains,” Ling explained, then pointed to the dome and said, “The Immigrant Dome, after arriving at the target planet, this mushroom-shaped dome of the ark will separate from the main body and descend to the surface, becoming the immigrants’ initial living area.”

These black buildings and suspended structures were prepared for that time. In addition to refrigeration facilities, there were also facilities for cultivating plants and animals, building materials, recycling and manufacturing equipment, and cultivation equipment to create new bodies for the Terran immigrants at that time, all located in the center of the dome.

At the center of the dome, a huge, spiraling column, thick at both ends and thin in the middle, rises from the ground and connects to the top of the dome.

"At the top are the solar-assisted power system and the Originium battery pack, which are used to manufacture artificial light sources in the future. Of course, the power source for the battery pack we are using now has long been burned out by the reactor. Besides, you only installed a prototype reactor back then."

"The center of the spiral column is where the sailboat's base is located, while the biological cultivation system and environmental control system are at both ends of the spiral column. They are used to create new bodies and control the environment inside the ark, as well as maintenance drones. Of course, it's also an unfinished project. If you had installed this maintenance system in time, the ark wouldn't be in this state now."

"The container project was only in its second phase at the time. Kal'tsit was one of the only living organisms created after the disaster, based on the same batch of giant beast cells. How could it have been installed in place for you back then?" The Doctor rolled his eyes.

"As for the Originium Engineering system, also known as Originium Arts, its development was only fully completed during the Dark Ages and Underground Ages after your period of dormancy."

Therefore, the Originium Arts of the Durin tribe and the Originium Arts as understood by the Terrans are completely different concepts, and it is even difficult to explain these things to modern Terrans. In a sense, the Durin tribe is the race closest to the ancestors of Terrans.

Because the Ark's internal rail transportation system was completely nonexistent, with exposed skeletons and tracks everywhere, they would have to slowly fly across these dangerous elevated tracks. Fortunately, there was almost no gravity here, so the speed they could fly using their jetpacks wasn't too slow.

"It's just like a graveyard." Those black cubes are like tombstones, but it's even worse than a graveyard, because at least there are bones in a graveyard, but there's nothing here.

"We've arrived!" The door to the center of the matrix responded to Nian's command and opened upwards. Traces left during the emergency evacuation could still be seen inside. Documents and stationery that showed no signs of decay in the vacuum environment floated in mid-air, turning into scattered scraps of paper at the slightest touch.

"The control center hall is just ahead." The hatch slid open, revealing the control center behind it, which shimmered like stars. In the center of the cocoon-shaped crystal was a brain connected to a large number of electronic components, its original appearance almost unrecognizable.

"Ah, isn't it terrifying? I think so too. Come to think of it, it looks quite beautiful from here. To be honest, this is the first time I've ever seen something like this," Nian said, patting his fan.

"This is yours..."

“No, this is Ling’s doing,” Nian smiled, then gestured for the doctor to place his hand on the control panel. The colorful holographic screens lit up instantly, and the circular metal wall in front of the control panel folded up and rose, revealing a dazzling starry river outside the window.

Each point of starlight is a container, arranged densely on the inner wall around the columnar maintenance structure, stretching all the way to the edge of the field of vision.

"Welcome, this is Sail, the crystallization of Terra's wisdom, in the physical sense." Each container contains one of Terra's most brilliant or important minds.

"Unfortunately, because the Ark was not completed, the most critical environmental control system and medical monitoring system were not finished, so..." Ling snapped his fingers, and most of the starlight in the sky turned red, with only a few green lights clustered at the top of the central maintenance pillar.

"Now there's just a pile of rotting protein, so the Sailboat constellation you pinned your hopes on was reduced to just a tiny ember a thousand years ago."

"However, there is still a chance to salvage the remaining spark."

Because the Terrans have set foot in this place again, as long as they complete the unfinished project, these remaining dormant parts can exist for a long time and be awakened again.

"Although I really want to start with all modules right now, it's not possible. Order, summarize the Ark's situation and make a list according to needs and urgency." The Doctor patted the dust off the chair in front of him, sat down, and the ancient neural connector on the back of the chair automatically attached itself, projecting the Ark's standby screen in front of him.

"Yes, Captain!"

"The remaining personnel, follow the instructions to move the equipment and restore power to the Ark area. Will the manufacturing plant still be usable within a year?"

"It can be done at any time, but I'm afraid many force field shaping construction machines are already scrapped."

"As long as it's not completely scrapped, we'll complete the Ark's life support module first, then the power module, and finally the manufacturing module, just to secure this main hull area."

"Where's the cryo-chamber?"

"The next phase of the process is expected to involve dismantling the facilities and replacing them with standard space city infrastructure."

"Won't this prevent us from carrying more people?"

“Yes, we can set up tiered decks inside the dome. The top layer will be a normal space city, and the lower layer will be a hibernation capsule area according to the new standards. Then, the main structure may need some adjustments.” The doctor quickly arranged the initial engineering progress.

“Project Ark will be the largest project we undertake. Even though our ancestors completed the most difficult part, what remains is still a severe test. By the way, does your outsourcing company have any solutions?”

“They refunded half the money,” Old Xia shrugged. “But they also gave us a preliminary set of completed drawings. Their point was that we should just demolish and rebuild the one you requested. This set of drawings is just an improvement on the original design you provided.”

Chapter 84 Hey, come and eat!

Chapter 84

The outsourcing company's reason for refunding the money was simple: they couldn't proceed with the next step of the work because they didn't receive the physical samples of the Originium and Originium devices that Lao Xia had sent. Furthermore, the Ark here extensively used such devices and technologies, making it impossible to improve upon the original Terra plan.

Therefore, the outsourcing company offered two options. Option one was to dismantle everything and then build the Ark using Covenant's standard metals instead of this stuff that looks like it's full of my own conjecture.

However, this project is too massive, even requiring a large-scale change in its shape, and it is a grand project that is impossible to complete given the engineering capabilities and time constraints here.

Option two is to use known technologies to stitch the parts together as much as possible, and then refund half the money. The main purpose of refunding half the money is for the last document of this plan, a disclaimer, which states that if any problems arise from this stitching construction method, the company has nothing to do with it. They have already refunded the money, and if you insist on doing this, you can't blame others.

"So you're saying the risk is very high? Can you estimate exactly how high the risk is?"