Hangzhou Was Saved

Under Jupiter's gravitational influence, dark clouds churned overhead, oxygen grew ever thinner, and the sky dimmed, pressing heavily on everyone's hearts.

The heavy truck sped along. Because it was moving so fast, the cabin jolted violently. Everyone fastened their seat belts and sat quietly without speaking.

Han Duoduo was still just a little girl. Worried, she asked, "Grandpa, the government bulletin said Jupiter's gravity is going to capture Earth. If we fix the engine, can we escape?"

Old Man Han shook his head. "Grandpa doesn't know either."

Li Lianke spoke up then, his tone dejected. "I'm afraid it'll be difficult. Every engine may have fifteen billion tons of thrust, but Jupiter's gravity is simply too strong. Jupiter is the largest and fastest-spinning of the Solar System's eight planets. Its mass is more than three hundred times Earth's, and its volume is more than thirteen hundred times Earth's. With the thrust of Earth's engines alone, it'll be difficult to escape Jupiter's orbit. Most likely, we'll be torn apart by Jupiter directly."

"Didn't the scientists say they were using Jupiter for some kind of 'Gravity Slingshot'? How did things end up like this? Their wrong judgment is taking everyone on Earth down with them," Liu Qi said angrily.

Li Lianke shook his head. "The Gravity Slingshot theory isn't wrong. There have already been two successful tests. I don't know if you've heard of the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 probes. They used the boost from the Gravity Slingshot effect to fly out of the Solar System, becoming the two farthest-traveling artificial objects humanity has ever made."

"Then why did it fail this time?" Liu Qi asked.

"Taking it from a tiny artificial satellite to the entire Earth makes it countless times harder. Everyone is feeling their way across the river, and science