Supplementary Plan

Longevity and immortality had tremendous appeal to people of any era.

Who wouldn't want to live for several hundred years? In the past, such a promise would have been nothing but a scam, but after the effects of Red Gas were made public, it had truly become a possibility.

The New Government also understood that humanity was currently facing a massive population shortfall. Logically, if this medicine were successfully developed, it should have been made universally available.

However, the technology had contraceptive side effects, and there was also the issue of human nature. Give someone a small favor and they would be grateful; give them too much, and they would become resentful. Empty slogans urging unity and hard work could never compare to tangible benefits. Since power rested in the New Government's hands, it could use this to strengthen people's drive to strive. Why wouldn't it?

As for those idle people who understood nothing and had no desire to contribute, the New Government could only say sorry.

Under the current circumstances, humanity could not afford to support freeloaders.

Everything had to give way to survival.

To support this plan, the experts had also hastily put together a Civilization Contribution Coin system. It was separate from ordinary currency and was created primarily to accompany the "White Paper on Standards for the Application of Lifespan-Related Technologies." Its general framework used Civilization Contribution Coins as the standard for determining eligibility to use lifespan technology, while the coins themselves were tied to scientific contributions.

Of course, other means of obtaining them had also been considered. Major projects specially approved by the New Government, such as participating in aircraft construction, could earn Civilization Contribution Coins.

The goal was to bring out people's potential as workers.

Some believed this was far too inhumane, that it even deprived many people of their personal rights and was no different from exploiting labor. How could the New Government not understand that? But there was no other way. If humanity still numbered several billion, why would it need to resort to this?

Of course, since the system was still in its infancy, many details—such as whether it would be linked to ordinary currency—had yet to be finalized.

The Hibernation Plan had sat on Yue Yuan's desk for two months, but he had delayed approving it because he and the leaders of the various departments still held out hope for Controlled Nuclear Fusion research and that Warp Engine.

Just like that, another two months passed.

The lukewarm progress of the two projects finally made Yue Yuan resolve himself.

The Hibernation Plan officially began.

To that end, Yue Yuan chaired another expanded meeting.

Once the hall was filled with distinguished attendees, Yue Yuan, dressed in military uniform, stepped onto the podium. Looking out at the sea of heads before him, he spoke into the microphone. "Comrades, I'll dispense with the pleasantries. I trust you all already have some understanding of this meeting. Yes, as you saw on your personal data terminals, this meeting has only one item on the agenda: a vote on the Hibernation Plan."

"You heard correctly. The Hibernation Plan. Some of you may already know the reasons behind it, but others may not yet understand what this is about. Allow me, then, to explain the background and necessity of this plan."

"First, I must tell you all that Callisto's total reserves of nuclear fission minerals have now been fully surveyed. After repeated calculations by relevant experts, it has been confirmed that these reserves can sustain humanity for only around seventy years. If we continue living as we do now without taking any action, then seventy years from now, we will die on Callisto when our resources are exhausted."

After Yue Yuan thoroughly explained the background behind the Hibernation Plan, he continued, "According to calculations by scientists in the relevant fields, after completing the spacecraft's construction, we will need thirty years to accelerate it to 1% of light speed. The deceleration phase will require the same amount of time. Once the nuclear fission fuel consumed during acceleration and deceleration is included, we will have very little usable energy left."

"The Hibernation Plan was born precisely to solve this problem. At its core, it is an energy redistribution plan. As everyone knows, there are two ways to solve an energy problem: increase supply or reduce consumption. Now that we have lost the Sun, there is no supply left for us to increase. We can only reduce consumption."

"To have enough energy to cross that chasm-like sea of stars and allow humanity to endure, we must unite and take action."

After finishing his explanation, Yue Yuan briefly reiterated the plan's main points, then paused for a while to give the attendees time to consider and digest them.

Once he felt the time was about right, Yue Yuan said, "Now then, if anyone has any suggestions or opinions regarding this plan, please speak freely!"

After Yue Yuan finished speaking, a rustle of conversation rose through the hall again. It seemed he had given them too little time to process things. Seeing this, he did not urge them on, merely waited quietly for everyone to think it through.

After a while longer, the discussions finally began to die down. Just as Yue Yuan was about to speak again, a voice suddenly came over the hall's loudspeakers.

"Chief, I have a suggestion."

Speaking freely had been the guiding principle set at the start of the conference, so it was perfectly normal for someone to raise an opinion before the vote.

Although the voice came through the loudspeakers, Yue Yuan found it somewhat familiar. He looked toward the cluster of scientists and, sure enough, saw someone in the front row speaking into a microphone.

At that very moment, the speaker's name lit up on the large screen behind Yue Yuan.

Gan De!

"Dr. Gan, please go ahead." Yue Yuan nodded at Gan De.

"I noticed that the plan does not specify an exact launch date. It only says that the spacecraft will launch on a selected date after construction is complete. There is a problem here. According to the spacecraft construction schedule, it will likely be completed in seventeen years. But I want to tell everyone that we may still have to wait another twenty-three to twenty-five years before we can depart."

Having first presented his conclusion, Gan De then began to explain. "I believe none of you have forgotten that during the Supernova Explosion back then, it was not only our Sun that was affected. The Centaurus Trinary Star System was as well. Judging from the timeline, the Centaurus Trinary Star System was struck earlier than our Sun, but its Mass Ejection has not yet reached us."

Yes, them.

Astronomical observations over the past few years had confirmed that it was not just one of the stars in the Centaurus Trinary Star System that had exploded. All three had been destroyed.

Gan De paused briefly, allowing everyone to recall the report he had given back then before continuing. "In other words, when the time comes, our spacecraft will need Callisto to serve as a shield, helping us withstand the impact caused by the Mass Ejection."

A Supernova Explosion did not only bring the initial wave of Gamma Rays at the moment of detonation. It was also followed by Mass Ejection traveling at up to 10% of light speed.

The Sun had been blasted so thoroughly that not even scraps remained. The Centaurus Trinary Star System, which had been destroyed in the same disaster, would certainly be no different.

Realizing the severity of the issue, Yue Yuan immediately looked toward the scientific team responsible for drafting the detailed plan. "Have you accounted for the energy consumption of this part?"

Thank you to every reader for following along.