The heavy transport plane slowly taxied to the starting point on the runway, then lowered its folded wings and gradually accelerated until it raised its nose and soared into the sky like a roc spreading its wings.
The long, drawn-out sound of the engine during takeoff could be clearly heard even inside a bus with the doors and windows closed.
Jody watched the plane disappear quickly from sight, her face darkening.
The current situation seems somewhat different from what he had learned through satellite intelligence.
He tried to inquire about the origin of the heavy transport plane, but Chen Jianzhou seemed clueless as well. Jody then realized that their visit was truly unwelcome.
Why would the people here send a young man in his twenties or thirties who knows nothing about anything to receive them?
It's utterly baffling...
Even Amelia, who had been staying deep within the base, sensed that this visit was unlikely to go smoothly.
She glanced back at the transport truck following the bus, which was carrying the supplies they had brought; the " Population Bomb " was inside.
Although her father didn't have high expectations for her, she still set an ideal goal for herself before coming here: to promote cooperation between the local space agency and them to advance Plan A, and at the same time, to get the local agency to accept Plan B as a backup.
But the visit hasn't even officially started yet, and she already feels it's going to be difficult. Forget Plan A, maybe even achieving Plan B would be a success...
The bus, after a brief stop, restarted and soon drove out of the modern airport.
After leaving the airport, Jody, who had just been feeling immense pressure, breathed a sigh of relief.
Because the outside of the airport is completely different from the inside.
Aside from the lack of greenery, everything inside the airport was modern: bright glass, clean runways, orderly staff, and planes packed full of them...
However, the city outside the airport shows obvious signs of decline.
The road was covered with a thick layer of yellow sand, dust filled the air, and the sky was also grayish-yellow. A large number of abandoned buildings and shops, and all useful items such as wood, steel, and glass had been dismantled.
The concrete ground was also dug up in large quantities, exposing large areas of yellow soil, which were planted with corn as much as possible. The area was surrounded by a handmade fence or barbed wire, but despite the tight protection, the people on the bus could still see that the corn had actually withered and died.
Although the city is generally clean, a sense of decay is clearly pervasive.
Just now at the airport, Jody almost thought he had returned to a modern city, but now he realized it was just his imagination.
call!
It seems that although there are some discrepancies with what was written in the intelligence, it is generally correct; we are indeed facing difficulties here.
This is a situation that benefits them.
On the other side, Amelia pressed herself against the glass, watching the scene before her, silently lamenting in her heart. Although she had lived a life of luxury and comfort in the base for a long time, she had not become the kind of person who "doesn't care about material things" under her father's influence.
She was able to empathize with the general public, to grieve for their misfortunes, and to mourn their deaths...
She always harbored the noble ideal of saving the world and humanity. Her participation in wormhole exploration as a biology PhD was not only her father's arrangement, but more so her own decision.
Given her status and abilities, coupled with her father's influence, she could certainly live a carefree life if she chose to stay on Earth.
Hunger and disease, the two killers that decimated most people in this era, were at least a hundred thousand miles away from her life.
But she still resolutely chose to go to the other side of the wormhole, striving for a new life for humanity, knowing that while the New Star on the other side of the wormhole might contain life, it was more likely that death would await her.
It can be said that from the moment she made this decision, she had already abandoned everything she currently possessed, something that most people in this era could not even dream of.
While she was lost in thought, Jody, who was slightly relaxed, began to talk to Chen Jianzhou.
So what if they're young? At least they're in the aerospace industry, their major is relevant.
Jody reluctantly began discussing his plans back home with the young man:
"We have now deployed the latest Endurance spacecraft in low Earth orbit. It only needs one last component to officially enter the final stage of Lazarus missions —the search for a new home for humanity."
When it came to serious matters, Chen Jianzhou's expression turned serious. He stroked his chin and inquired in detail about the specific progress.
Jody didn't hide anything and directly explained her current predicament.
Jing said it aloud.
"... So you're currently short of astronauts?"
"Uh... he's an astronaut."
"That's how you call it." Ignoring this minor difference, Chen Jianzhou recalled the exploration plans he had heard about recently:
"Actually, our space agency was only recently restarted, and I don't know if we currently have any active or former astronauts."
"Oh, you didn't know? Well..." Although they had only known each other for less than half an hour, Jody was already used to Chen Jianzhou's ignorance.
However, to his surprise, Chen Jianzhou didn't finish his sentence.
Then the young man uttered something that surprised him:
"However, I can tell you now that manned exploration projects are included in our future space plans."
Jody's eyes lit up immediately, and she instinctively grabbed Chen Jianzhou's hands. "How long will it take for that plan to be implemented?!"
Chen Jianzhou thought for a moment, "It should... probably be a recent plan, but I'm not too sure about that."
This is truly unclear.
Actually, he's been feeling a bit confused lately.
Since that strange team of experts arrived, they, who were originally the core backbone of the space agency, have suddenly become marginalized figures.
Even when formulating future space plans, they can only know a general outline; all the details are kept secret.
The news that a manned wormhole exploration mission might be carried out in the coming months was almost all he knew.
However, his teacher, Zhou Kun, seemed to have a different opinion and did not quite agree with the experts' views. His teacher believed that China was not yet capable of conducting another manned launch, and that rash action could ruin the current favorable situation. At the very least, they should wait until the recently launched "probe" reached the wormhole orbit before making any decisions...
But these internal disputes couldn't be discussed with Jody.
Jody had never imagined things would be so complicated, and he was incredibly excited.
"You sent an astronaut to our side; we're in dire need of one!"
These words almost escaped his lips.
However, he subconsciously felt that saying it like that was wrong, so he forcefully suppressed the impulse.
Reason told him that this matter needed to be handled gradually; haste makes waste. So he could only patiently continue chatting with Chen Jianzhou.
As they were talking, the bus continued moving forward.
Looking at the dilapidated street scene outside, the delegation on the bus felt that something was amiss, but they couldn't quite put their finger on it...
"Something seems off," Amelia whispered to Jody during a brief moment of silence.
Jody followed her gaze to the car window. "What's wrong?"
"Where is everyone?" a voice suddenly rang out from inside the car. "Why are there no people on these streets?"
A single word awakened me from my dream!
Amelia then realized what was happening, turned to look out the car window, and sure enough, found that there wasn't a single resident in sight on the street!
This is clearly a populated city!
Jody looked at Chen Jianzhou, silently preparing herself for him to say he didn't know.
However...
Chen Jianzhou touched his hair. "I actually know that!"
"The residents should all be gathered together working by now, with each neighborhood responsible for different areas..."
As they were talking, the bus turned a corner, and then everyone suddenly saw on another road that many people wearing goggles and masks were using brooms or similar cleaning tools to clear away the thick layer of mud and sand on the road. The dust they kicked up almost swallowed their figures.
"Is this street cleaning?"
Chen Jianzhou nodded.
Amelia asked, "Why clean the streets? What's the point?"
Given the current situation, there are basically no cars on the road, and the sand will cover it again in a few days, so in her opinion, this matter is completely meaningless.
"It's not just cleaning the streets; I've heard there are other jobs too, like repairing power lines and water pipes..."
Chen Jianzhou heard this news from his family; he usually stays at the base, busy with his work.
The passengers on the bus were even more confused.
"Repairing electrical wires and water pipes... what good is that?" Jody blinked.
Do these people still expect to restore electricity and water supply?
It's important to understand that even within their own country, there's no guarantee of electricity and water supply for cities right now.
Even farmers like Cooper, the new-age "oil" tycoons, still rely on solar power.
Chen Jianzhou scratched his head again. Just when Jody thought he was about to say he didn't know again, his eyes looked up slightly, as if he were recalling something. After a while...
He then said:
"I remember a document was issued a few days ago that mentioned industrial recovery, transportation first, water and electricity in place, information connectivity, and educational support..."
"Thinking about it that way, maybe those planes at the airport before were also related to this?"
Whether this statement is correct or not, Chen Jianzhou doesn't know. He usually stays at the base doing research and doesn't know much about political affairs.
However, Amelia and Jody both raised an eyebrow after hearing his words.
Given the current state of the world, does industry still have a future?
In modern industry, if even one link in the chain is lost, the entire supply chain will collapse; especially since the global industrial system is now essentially broken down.
Most countries can barely maintain the scale of certain low-end industries to meet the needs of the people on a small scale.
This is already the limit.
In this context, is industrial revival possible?
What will we use to revitalize the economy?
Amelia expressed skepticism.
But as the bus continued forward, more and more people appeared before her.
Along the roadside, there were people repairing electrical wires, digging up water pipes, checking network cables, and even someone using an excavator to demolish a house...
In addition, there were long queues of people on the roadside, with many doctors sitting side by side at the front, intently treating patients.
What's most surprising are the unusual cars behind these doctors.
"X-ray..." Amelia suddenly blurted out.
"What's wrong?" Jody asked, puzzled.
"Look at that car, there's definitely an X-ray machine inside, and the people going in are getting X-ray examinations!"
Hearing Amelia's certainty, Jody also carefully examined the medical vehicle and indeed found an X-ray marking on it.
He turned to look at Chen Jianzhou, hoping this young man could answer his questions.
Without hesitation, Chen Jianzhou said, "This is a large-scale free clinic event. Doctors will provide free medical treatment to everyone who comes for a check-up."
He knew this so clearly because his mother was among those people in line.
"Can everyone have an X-ray?" Amelia suddenly asked.
"Yes," Chen Jianzhou was quite certain of the news, "Anyone can be included. Besides X-rays, they also seem to offer ultrasound examinations, professional gynecological exams, blood tests, and so on... I remember that's what the promotional material said."
It's not just the free clinics; it seems their workplace will also be starting the same tests soon...
Chen Jianzhou thought to himself, still somewhat confused.
Jody and Amelia exchanged a glance, both sensing the surprise in each other's eyes.
"Incredible..."
Amelia looked back, gazing at the free clinic in the distance. "Even in our country, most hospitals can't offer so many tests these days."
And the free clinics here are actually better than those in their hospitals?
Suddenly, Jody began to doubt her own judgment again.
This doesn't look like they're facing any difficult situation at all...
Amidst a jumble of thoughts, the bus traversed the city, heading straight for the space station.
The sights inside the base left Amelia somewhat dazzled.
The space base, after being restarted, has basically returned to its original appearance and looks more modern than the airport where they landed before.
In a daze, Jody felt as if she had rediscovered the feeling she had at the airport—that global riots had never happened, and that they were now in modern society.
Just then...
Zhou Kun and his men came out to greet them warmly, which greatly eased Jody's resentment and made her feel that her group was finally being taken seriously.
However, this pleasant feeling lasted for less than half an hour. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Zhou Kun's entourage introduced the specially arranged itinerary to the delegation.
"Visiting the space base, attending academic conferences, continuing to attend academic conferences, and then attending yet another academic conference..."
Jody had no idea that their visit would be arranged this way.
Their time was packed full, visiting this and participating in that, but--
None of the content here is directly related to wormholes!
Aren't they even giving me a chance?
------Aside------
I'm exhausted. I just set up a small desk on my bed to write, and then I saw another cockroach crawling onto the bed! Where did this thing hide?! There's no food in my room at all. Is it surviving by eating dead mosquitoes...? Mosquitoes bite me, I kill the mosquitoes, then the cockroach eats the mosquitoes—is this how the food chain works? Tonight is going to be another night of searching for cockroaches...