A meteor streaked across the sky, landed in the easternmost part of Zhongzhou Continent, and crashed heavily into a field.
That muffled sound could be heard hundreds of meters away, let alone Wang Dashan who was working in the fields with his tractor.
"Damn...what was that just now?"
Startled by the sound, the slovenly man jumped off the tractor, pulled out the shotgun hanging on the side of the cab, walked towards the direction of the sound, and stuffed a shotgun into the chamber.
Shotgun.
This place is located on the border of Yunjian Province, and it is also the northwest corner that no one cares about.
Normally no one would come to this poor place. Even the businessmen thought there was too little oil and water here, and would rather go further and try their luck in the neighboring province.
But nothing is absolute.
He had met a few mutants last month - they were probably deserters who had been dispersed by corporate patrols.
Those ugly guys, even just looking at them from a distance, made him feel disgusting.
It was a pit more than ten meters wide, as if it had been blasted out by a cannonball.
Looking at the destroyed crops, Wang Dashan's heart ached, but he still approached carefully.
There seems to be something in the pit.
He glanced at the Geiger counter on his wrist to confirm that the radiation indicators were normal, and then took a closer look.
I saw a silver-white metal sphere lying in the pit. There was a trace of heat around it. The scorching high temperature even evaporated the water in the soil.
"What the hell is this?"
Looking at the metal ball in the pit, Wang Dashan studied it for a long time but couldn't figure it out.
Pressing the communicator hanging on his shoulder, he reported the situation to the guards in the village.
Not long after, a pair of car lights appeared at the edge of the field, and a guard wearing an exoskeleton jumped out of the car and strode towards him.
"What happened?"
As soon as the words were spoken, the guard noticed the pit in front of him, shone a flashlight into it, and narrowed his eyes slightly.
Wang Dashan, who was standing aside, said quickly.
"I was working in the field just now, and suddenly I heard a violent noise, so I walked over and took a look...and then I found this thing in the field."
The guard continued to ask.
"Did you see where he fell?"
Wang Dashan pointed to the top of his head.
"Heaven."
"Heaven?"
The guard had a surprised expression on his face. He looked up at the sky and then at the metal ball. Suddenly, as if he remembered something, his eyes suddenly filled with confusion.
"You watch here, I'll call Enterprise One—"
The words just fell.
Before Wang Dashan, who was standing next to him, had time to agree, he saw a black shadow flying in the distance.
That's a corporate plane.
The jet-black fuselage is about ten meters wide, like a big bird. The two roller-type engines rotate slowly and spray blue arc light backwards.
It became a downward blow.
The air waves overwhelmed the wheat in the field, and the plane landed smoothly in the field.
As the cabin door opened, six soldiers wearing exoskeletons walked out of the cabin one after another.
One of them was carrying a large box that was higher than his head. He walked straight into the pit, picked up the silver ball, and put it into the box.
"Hey, wait, you broke one of mine."
Seeing these people taking things and leaving, Wang Dashan, holding a shotgun, chased after them and mustered up the courage to yell.
However, before he finished speaking, a banknote was thrust into his hand, blocking his words.
The soldier wearing an exoskeleton stared at him and asked concisely.
"Is it enough?"
"Enough, enough, hehe..."
Looking at the banknotes in his hand, Wang Dashan's originally indignant expression suddenly turned into a smile, and he politely watched the soldiers return to the plane.
100Cr.
Not to mention the crushed wheat, it was more than enough to buy all the crops in his field.
The guard glanced at this guy enviously, turned around and returned to his car.
If only it had been discovered earlier, he would have had a share of the money.
You will never suffer a loss if you work for a company. This has almost become a common sense in Yunjianxing.
Although those people are not generous, they will never be stingy with the rewards in their hands...
If there is any place in this wasteland where you can admire the last glow of the Federation of People's Federation, it is undoubtedly the Utopia called "Ideal City", the pearl of the East Coast.
The layers of concrete and steel frames extend from the ground to the sky. If you stand on the ground and look up, you can't even see the end.
The neon light pollution is the most vivid portrayal of this city. The holographic images projected on the outermost buildings can be seen even from dozens of kilometers away.
No matter how prosperous the wasteland visitor is, he will look around like a country bumpkin with his eyes wide open, and be confused by the flashing lights and the traffic that extends in all directions.
Maglev trains shuttle between high-rise buildings, like schools of fish swimming among seaweed.
Only a few big fish can swim to the highest point and enjoy the first ray of sunshine in the morning...
Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, the man looked out the window quietly, as if admiring the fish tank in the living room.
His name is Luo Yong, he is one of the core members of the Silver Wing Group's board of directors and holds 17% of the shares.
"Emergency communication means... It seems that our Pioneer is really in trouble." The guest sitting on the sofa looked at the wine glass in his hand with interest, and suddenly said something casually.
His name is Kang Le, and he is one of the core members of the board of directors of Kangmao Group.
Unlike Silver Wing Group, which is mainly engaged in the manufacturing of heavy engineering equipment, Kangmao Group's business scope is mainly auxiliary equipment and medical equipment.
Although the two of them are drinking buddies, when they get together, the topics they discuss always have nothing to do with wine.
"Um."
"I heard that your son was on that Pioneer?"
"Yes."
Seeing how calm this guy was, Kang Le raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise.
"Aren't you worried?"
"Don't you have a human cloning customization business? Just clone another one." Luo Yong said in a normal tone, and there was no trace of waves in his calm voice.
Kang Le raised his eyebrows slightly and glanced at him twice in surprise, as if he didn't expect him to say that.
Moving his eyes away from the figure in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, he smiled lightly and said.
"...We can clone cells, but we can't clone memories, let alone souls."
"You still believe that stuff?"
"It has nothing to do with whether you believe it or not. It's just an abstract statement. I think that people are a concept that is different from things, and flesh and blood is just the carrier of this concept. Making containers is easy, we could do it a long time ago, even
We can do better than what is born naturally, but we still cannot transfer abstract ideas from one container to another..."
Kang Le continued to talk endlessly, but Luo Yong, who was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, didn't want to listen and just stared out the window intently.
Not far away, an "Electric Ray" transport plane slowly passed through rows of tall buildings and landed on the apron on the roof of the building.
He saw several soldiers carrying a box and quickly walking into the building.
Soon, the satellite installed in that box will be sent to a professional technical department to be disassembled and the data inside will be downloaded.
Although he has not yet read the data stored in the satellite, Luo Yong can already guess what is written in it.
This means of emergency communication should only be used in the most critical moments.
Since the satellite left its orbit and landed here, it already contains a lot of information...
I'm not interested in your theories."
Looking away from the window, Luo Yong interrupted Kang Le's eloquence.
Staring at the man sitting on the sofa, he continued in a serious tone.
"The Vault is the belief of the residents of Ideal City. We finally found it after two centuries. As long as we can open that door, we can end all the chaos in the wasteland and return this land to that great era."
.”
Kang Le was stunned for a moment, and then he laughed out loud as if he had heard some funny joke.
He shook his head and put the wine glass back on the table.
"...You laugh at me for believing in souls, but you believe in an even more unreliable legend."
Luo Yong corrected him and said.
"That is not a legend, but a conclusion reached through rigorous and precise calculations."
There is no change in Kang Le's attitude.
"Calculation... Haha, if there really was that kind of technology to deduce the future, wouldn't those guys lying in the graves have thought that it would be like this?"
"What can be deduced is not the future, but the possibility in the sense of probability. Isn't our existence the best proof."
Ideal City is built on Shelter 6, and everything here is strictly a product of the "Fortress" plan.
Unable to refute this sentence, Kang Le was silent for a while and suddenly said in a very soft voice.
"... Let's assume that the Vault No. 1 really has the ability to correct the chaos in this wasteland like a wind and a lingering cloud. Who can guarantee that it will not affect our current prosperity?"
It would be nice if the Pioneer just went out for a walk.
Whether it is spreading the company's philosophy, sowing the seeds of civilization, or showing off prosperity and strength... it is of great benefit to the company.
After all, when doing business with a group of primitive people, you can get at most a few shells or animal skins.
But if you sell miner exoskeletons and mining machines to those wastelanders, like those wastelanders show you the good life in the ideal city, when their caravan passes by again, you only need to spend some pieces of paper to exchange them
To a cartload of ore.
Expedition for ideals is just a slogan. Even if they come back with nothing, no one will blame them.
However, no one expected that the group of young men would actually find the shelter.
It is precisely because of this that the attitudes of the major groups that originally supported the expedition began to warm up and become ambiguous.
The only one who unswervingly supports the expedition is the Silver Wing Group.
It's not because of any lofty ideals, it's mainly because they invested in building the Pioneer.
That land-based fortress not only embodies their hard work, but the crew members on it are also the elite backbone cultivated by the group.
Don't talk about other people.
His son is on that fortress...
Although they say that it would be nice to die and have another child, that is just talk.
Technology can solve many problems, but not all problems can be solved with technology.
Luo Yong looked at Kang Le sitting on the sofa and said in a serious tone.
"I don't expect to convince you by reasoning. Let's talk about the conditions."
Kang Le did not ask about the conditions, but looked at him.
"Oh? What do you want me to help you with?"
"In another two hours, the analysis of the data should be completed."
Luo Yong opened his cuffs with his index finger and glanced at the time on his watch, "We will submit a plan to expand the scale of reinforcements at noon today. We have already received the support of Changge Group and only have the last vote left. I hope you can convince me.
The board of directors of Kangmao Group supported our proposal at the company’s top board meeting.”
Changge Group is the largest arms dealer in Ideal City.
Kang Le is not surprised at all that Silver Wings Group can get the support of those guys.
Those arms dealers are eager for the fighting outside to be in full swing. Their favorite thing to do every day is to offer discounts and promotions for their own products while complaining that the company's armaments are too low and demanding that the size of the commando force be expanded.
Although there are tens of thousands of companies in the enterprise, each company that holds shares of the parent company has the right to vote on major resolutions, but because the vast majority of the equity is in the hands of the five giants, when a proposal has
When the three giants support it, there will be no suspense about the proposal's passing.
On the contrary, if three giants oppose it, a proposal will not be passed anyway.
Kang Le thought in his heart, this guy found his head and hit a wall with the other two families.
Presumably, the "Endpoint" Group, which is mainly engaged in intelligent business, and the "Ideal" Group, which is mainly engaged in public utilities and urban construction, are completely indifferent to the affairs in the wasteland.
It seems that the only one who is likely to be won over is himself.
"Expand the scale of additional personnel. Kangmao Group can accept equipment and financial assistance, but it can only accept this. I don't know what agreement you have reached with Changge Group, but the scale of the commando team is large enough, and you don't
Would you like to see those war maniacs become bigger?"
Luo Yong said without any change in his expression.
"The agreement we reached with them has nothing to do with expanding the size of the commando force. It is about other areas."
Kang Le stared at him for a while and nodded slowly.
"Okay, I can help you, but I am just a shareholder on the board of directors of Kangmao Group. You can't expect me to convince others with just my words.
Luo Yong said nothing, waiting for him to continue to make conditions.
After a pause, Kang Le continued.
"If you are willing to relax on the proposal for androids to participate in public affairs, I think they will agree to your request."
Upon hearing this request, Luo Yong breathed a sigh of relief, and his tense expression finally relaxed into a smile.
"make a deal."
Distant valley province.
A touch of morning and dusk finally appeared on the horizon, and residents of Dawn City opened their windows and walked out of their homes to welcome a new day.
But at this moment, someone in Vault 44 had not slept all night and was still sitting in high spirits in front of a unique computer.
"Unbelievable, guess what I found in those data?!"
Without looking at Yin Fang, who had bags under his eyes deeper than those of a panda, Chu Guang, who was sitting on the sofa nearby, replied absentmindedly.
"What?"
"Order for the Lagrange Space Station Connection Module Renovation Project!" Yin Fang continued speaking quickly with a happy expression on his face,
"I knew it was really not easy for a research institution to own an independent scientific research satellite!"
Lagrange space station is okay.
That's really far enough.
At present, the army is pressing forward step by step, and Chu Guang cannot think about such far-off things for the time being.
He cares more about reinforcements from the east coast than distant space technology.
However, he still joked casually.
"Are you going to fulfill the order for them?"
Hearing this, Yin Fang couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"Are you kidding? Those were orders made more than 200 years ago! By the time the Doomsday War breaks out in 2125, the design work has been completed.
50%."
Chu Guang: "What then?"
"Then, they planned to replace the astronomical telescope on the No. 41 connecting arm with a two-kilometer-long mass accelerator. Then, we found some technologies in the list that could be recycled."
"This includes 12 electromagnetic control-related technologies and 4 key technologies for gas molecule manipulation, 5 of which have reached Class A standards, 3 technologies have reached Class D standards, and 2 have reached Class C standards!"
Good guy, C-level technology!
And there are two of them!?
With a surprised expression on his face, Chu Guang, who was originally uninterested, immediately sat up straight from the sofa.
At present, the new alliance has only two C-level technologies, one is solid hydrogen and the other is a3 aerospace aluminum alloy.
The high-end technical reserves have doubled, which can be said to be a gain that completely exceeded his expectations.
Technology is fundamental to the development of the alliance.
For Chu Guang, recycling new technologies is more exciting than seeing more and more players break through to LV2.
"Can you elaborate on that level of technology?"
"That's what I'm going to do."
Yin Fang had a proud expression on his face, cleared his mind and continued.
"One is the synthesis route of 10-anion azidine compounds used for ejection buffer airbags... This thing is similar to solid hydrogen, with extremely high energy density. However, unlike solid hydrogen, azidine compounds are naturally unstable and more energy-efficient than batteries.
Good for bombs."
"The other one is about the control of nitrogen molecules. A gas shield can be formed through a gas control field. Your hammer uses similar technology, which you should be familiar with. However, this thing consumes a lot of energy. There is no portable reactor.
Can be used for short periods of time with chemical batteries and capacitors.”
Chu Guang said with a smile.
"It doesn't matter! My shelter residents won't mind! By the way, what is the electromagnetic control related technology?"
"Well, it's related to the mass accelerator, which is simply an electromagnetic cannon. You won't be able to use it for the time being...well, but that's not necessarily the case."
Speaking of this, Yin Fang suddenly paused for a moment, then changed the subject and continued.
"When the fusion reactor in Xizhou City is re-ignited, it should be no problem to get a few mass accelerators to use as anti-aircraft guns."
"It's not too difficult to get the required materials. That thing is much easier to use than your artillery."
Electromagnetic gun!
Chu Guang suddenly became excited when he thought of the electromagnetic point defense system on the Pioneer that could stop even artillery shells.
Can you put a mass accelerator on a tank?"
As if you guessed that he would ask this question.
Almost at the same time that Chu Guang finished speaking, Yin Fang shook his head and said.
"Don't think about it, unless you can get the technology related to the miniaturization of electromagnetic guns. This thing is an electromagnetic gun for the space station and needs to be used with a fusion reactor. No matter how much it is scaled down, it is impossible for you to put it on the car. "
It’s nuclear fusion again…
"Okay, pretend I didn't ask."
Chu Guang calmed down his excited expression and sighed slightly regretfully.
It will be great when the Alliance can independently produce fusion reactors.
But it seems useless to think about it now.
More critical than the fusion technology itself is the nuclear fuel required for fusion.
The nearest helium 3 collection station is on the moon 380,000 kilometers away.
Seeing Chu Guang's unsatisfied expression, Yin Fang couldn't help but complain.
"Just be content, two C-level technicians! In the academy, this merit is enough for a D-level prospector to be promoted to C-level."
"No, I'm not dissatisfied. I'm just wondering when our reinforcements will arrive."
"Then you have to ask the people in the company, but I advise you not to have high expectations. Those people may not be easy to deal with." When he said this, Yin Fang's expression was a little subtle.
Looking at that subtle expression, Chu Guang suddenly thought of something and said.
"Speaking of which, there's something I've always been curious about."
"What's up."
"The relationship between the college and the enterprise doesn't seem to be very good?"
Yin Fang thought seriously for a while.
"This statement is true. Although I personally don't hate people in the company, we do have big differences with them on some things.
"Because of their development of the ruins?" Chu Guang said thoughtfully.
Yin Fang smiled lightly.
"That is just an appearance. It is their freedom how to use the relics... What is disappointing in the end is that they have taken possession of the precious heritage without any enterprising spirit. Whether it is territory or knowledge, you can find that they are not actually that eager. .Wealth? Maybe,
But I think it’s not so much the desire for wealth, but the greed for enjoyment.”
"You can see that they decorated their home beautifully. The luxury there is almost the same as that of the Prosperity Era. Many wastelanders and old popsicles dream of living there for a lifetime. But in my opinion, it is clearly far away from prosperity. The farthest place in the era.”
"The era of prosperity has left many things behind, whether it is unused fusion batteries, garbage that can be recycled, or black boxes that can turn garbage into treasure... But all these things will be used up sooner or later, either today or tomorrow. .”
"As soon as we finish sorting out the technologies left over from previous civilizations, we will immediately start exploring new topics and find ways to restore the planet's ecology to pre-war times."
"And they are just squandering their small inheritance."
Speaking of this, Yin Fang paused for a moment.
"Of course, there are some respectable people in the company. Finding a shelter is a good idea... I remember that the college also sent a scientific expedition team into the desert before."
Chu Guang was slightly stunned.
"The academy has also looked for No. 0 shelter?"
"That happened many years ago," Yin Fang sighed, "I only remember that the scientific expedition team disappeared into the desert and no one mentioned it again."