But this was only the prelude.
Next, Skywell would repeatedly generate gravitational fields hundreds of times per second, pulling the ejected matter into a long plume until it broke free of the Moon Satellite's gravity and surged into space. The process resembled a pulse engine, relying on brief, rapid bursts to gain greater thrust through repeated acceleration.
It was a continuously rising staircase. Once the ejected material reached its theoretical target velocity, it would become a siphon mouth tens of thousands of kilometers high, endlessly drawing out the core material and casting it into the frigid cosmos. In this state, the molten ejecta would also serve as the propellant shifting the Moon Satellite's orbit. It was more powerful than any engine, because its strength came from the celestial body itself.
Soon, the once scattered rain of magma grew increasingly concentrated amid deafening roars, gradually taking the shape of a pillar. The extreme heat not only burst the air apart, but also set the surrounding forests ablaze. Even through the thick protective glass, Xia Fan could feel the shockwaves from the pulsed ejections.
From this moment onward, the clouds and mists that had lingered within Baiyao Mountain for thousands upon thousands of years would become history forever.
"Energy overload: 115%."
"The launch shaft has overloaded. Inner-wall temperature has exceeded the warning threshold."
"Warning. The Escape Tower is at risk of disintegration. All personnel, evacuate immediately!"
The Thought-Control System's safety module continued reporting the situation on site in its usual methodical manner.
But all of this had been anticipated in the plan.
The launch shaft was not an engine. Its modifications had focused only on reinforcement and removing restrictions; expecting it to operate from beginning to end had never been realistic.
"Can it hold?" Xia Fan asked.
"The propellant output is still