A Tangled Mess of Orbits

With the communications antenna set up, Su Ming began contacting locations across Taya and handling matters.

But there was less to deal with than he had expected.

As the framework became more complete, a great deal of the work had been divided among those in charge.

Su Ming mainly reviewed incident reports and responded to requests for important decisions.

In addition, with Charybdis subdued, Su Ming disbanded the team that had been temporarily assembled at the Spinel base.

Most of its members returned to their respective posts.

Only Stacy stayed behind.

Every day, she and Xiwo rode Lanmo to visit Charybdis.

They called it a visit.

In truth, they were checking whether the terrifying giant pinned up at the surface had woken up and intended to cause trouble.

"Charybdis's number one head is frozen stiff."

Xiwo reported over the radio.

"The water temperature is minus 1.7 degrees Celsius, and the recent drop in temperature has caused Charybdis to hibernate."

"What about the other head?" Su Ming asked.

"We sent down a deep-water probe to take a look. It isn't moving much either," Xiwo replied.

"By the way, we found something."

Stacy took over.

"Charybdis's body contains a large amount of plant matter."

"Plant matter?" Su Ming frowned.

"Judging by its biological makeup, a considerable part of it may consist of tough plant fibers."

Stacy explained.

"We found definite traces of chlorophyll."

"It's a unique life-form, a hybrid of plant and animal."

Su Ming wasn't particularly surprised.

A life-form so impossibly enormous was something he could accept as long as it didn't have a nuclear reactor inside it.

But then Su Ming suddenly thought of something troubling.

"Wait, chlorophyll?"

"Doesn't that mean it can absorb carbon dioxide?!"

Stacy, however, looked as though she had known all along.

"Of course."

"You only