Zhang Tianyuan was unaware of the grand ideals that Robert had conceived in the dead of night.
He spoke with the space station again in the morning to confirm that the three astronauts were in relatively good condition. He then led a vehicleload of soldiers back to the shelter in "2012", left a message, and then selected a city near Bai Xu to return to the Legend World.
The round trip consumed 20,000 units of base energy, which was a drop in the ocean for Zhang Tianyuan at this point.
Guided by the communication, Zhang Tianyuan and his team arrived at the launch site around noon and saw the return capsule, which had been sealed away for nearly two years.
The most attention-grabbing part is undoubtedly the return capsule section of the spacecraft. This rounded capsule, which looks almost trapezoidal and resembles a flying saucer, is crucial to the astronauts' ability to return to Earth.
An aerospace expert explained from the side:
"This Soyuz spacecraft is similar to our domestic spacecraft in performance and configuration. For example, both are three-module configurations, namely the combination of an orbital module, a reentry module, and a propulsion module. The overall length of both is 8 to 9 meters, the total weight is around 8 tons, and the diameter of the reentry module is about 2.2 to 2.5 meters..."
Those listening nearby felt somewhat at ease.
Using rockets to transport manned spacecraft is essentially similar to delivering goods by car.
Since the size and weight are both suitable, it can naturally be transported using domestic rockets, with only minor modifications needed.
Zhang Tianyuan wasted no time and, along with several aerospace experts and the Soyuz spacecraft in front of him, returned to the shelter of "2012".
Thanks to the passage we took this morning, the protective shelter is now ready.
As soon as the Soyuz spacecraft returned, it was towed away for disinfection.
After disinfection, it will be sent to a professional department to check whether it can withstand the task.
Along with it came all the relevant data and technical design drawings of the Soyuz spacecraft, as well as information on the related rockets.
Several experts, carrying this information, rushed to the isolation conference room to discuss rescue strategies with their colleagues from the "2012" timeline.
The senior management of "2012" were already waiting in the shelter. Zhang Tianyuan gave a brief overview of the latest situation in Legend World before asking about the latest situation in Doomsday.
The old man with the buzz cut said worriedly, "Now the sun's activity has not only stopped..."
Instead of stopping, things have become increasingly intense; the scale and intensity of various activities have now increased a hundredfold compared to previous records.
Another high-ranking official also looked distressed. "Now, even a slight movement of the sun would have been record-breaking before May. Even a fool could tell there was something wrong with the sun."
"Therefore, panic is rising abroad, and even domestically, many rumors are starting to circulate."
Zhang Tianyuan was astonished. It's only July, and in just two months, the record for solar activity has increased a hundredfold...
This really leaves people no choice but to panic.
Putting himself in their shoes, Zhang Tianyuan realized that if he were a native of this time and space, seeing the sun like that, he would also worry that the sun was about to explode.
However, he knew that it wasn't the sun that was about to explode, but humanity itself.
The film set where the sun is blown up doesn't exist in this timeline.
The old man with the buzz cut suddenly remembered something:
"By the way, President Zhang."
"We've come across some new intelligence lately; it's said that the Maya civilization once made a prophecy about the end of the world..."
As they spoke, they handed over some documents.
The above information concerns the Maya civilization's doomsday prophecy.
Zhang Tianyuan opened it and took a look.
He was very serious.
In reality, he would definitely scoff at this thing in his hand, because the so-called doomsday prophecy is just a hype gimmick.
2012 was a special year in the Mayan calendar system, symbolizing the end of the Old Sun Age and the beginning of the New Sun Age.
but,
We're in the world of movies now!
In this world, the Maya were the ones who accurately predicted the end of the world, down to the exact timing.
Zhang Tianyuan silently finished reading before putting down the documents in his hand.
"I can't see anything special in this intelligence. The information left behind by the Maya civilization doesn't explain how they could deduce the cause of the apocalypse."
The old man with the buzz cut said, "That's not what we're concerned about. What we're more worried about now is whether this is some unknown periodic activity of the sun?"
Zhang Tianyuan was taken aback, but then he understood.
"Are you worried that the sun will periodically cause major catastrophes on Earth, leading to the annihilation of civilization?"
The old man with the buzz cut nodded.
Zhang Tianyuan thought about it carefully and realized that it was indeed possible.
If the Maya in this timeline...
If civilization really relies on calculations, and even the end of the world can be predicted...
What kinds of things can be predicted through calculation?
Something that follows a fixed pattern and cycle!
If the apocalypse was calculated, it means that the sun in this timeline does indeed begin to move violently at fixed intervals, causing a major catastrophe on Earth and wiping out most life.
This even indirectly suggests that the world of "2012" may have had a so-called "prehistoric civilization," which was simply destroyed in the disaster.
They may have only passed down the time of their demise, which could be an important basis for the Maya civilization to predict the end of the world.
As for why modern people cannot find traces of prehistoric civilizations?
Perhaps they were buried in the major earthquake.
After all, the deepest hole ever dug by modern people is only a little over 10,000 meters deep, and its diameter is only a little over 20 centimeters.
During a major cataclysm, there will be massive earthquakes on a tectonic plate scale; who knows how deep the original surface will be buried...
Of course, this theory still has many flaws.
But right now, it seems there's no other possibility besides this explanation.
The old man with the buzz cut frowned and said, "What we're worried about now is that the sun might periodically cause catastrophes on Earth; that would be very troublesome."
"Our entire world will become uninhabitable; we'll have to move after a while..."
Although the doomsday cycle may be tens of thousands of years or even longer, the thing is like a time bomb, always causing people to feel uneasy.
Zhang Tianyuan understood the old man with the buzz cut's feelings.
We used to think Earth was the cradle of human civilization, but now we're discovering that this cradle may have already shaken several babies out of the water...
For an ambitious civilization, such a planet is not a long-term habitable place.
All he can do now is offer words of comfort.
Whether the apocalypse is cyclical or not, let's study that after we get through this crisis. There's no point in thinking about it now.
"In addition, historical materials and artifacts related to the Maya civilization can be carefully preserved."
The old man with the buzz cut sighed, "I was just saying, to see if you, the chairman, have any other leads."
Zhang Tianyuan shook his head; there was no need to lie to them about something like this.
"By the way, how are things in other countries? Have they noticed any signs of the apocalypse?"
Zhang Tianyuan suddenly remembered the third scientist in the movie who discovered the apocalypse.