บท 15: Chapter 12 Kepler-22b_1
With the pleasant surprise of Li Hao's arrival, Zhou Naiyi's "stall" was getting set up. Besides their own team, Gao Yunfeng's team were still the favorites. While their performance in the last round was sub-par, it was still representative of Tianjing Mechanical Martial Arts, and people generally believed they would learn from their previous defeat.
Of course, given Dragon Headmaster's character, he would not place all his eggs in one basket.
They had Star Geography in the morning.
Li Hao was yawning non-stop. Early in the morning, he got rid of those three curious kids. Men could be troublesome too.
It wasn't long before Marlon came over and sat beside Li Hao, "Bro Hao, let's continue our deep conversation from yesterday. You should know, you've got a chance! Ye Tong clearly has feelings for you!"
"Don't talk nonsense, we've known each other before. It was just an emotional reunion between old friends."
"No need to explain. You should thank me for being your brother. I know you too well. What were you dreaming of? Sure, it's a bit of a crush, but the thing is, what you did back then left a great impression on her. Girls, especially pretty ones, only remember what they care about. Otherwise, even a half brother is of no use. Don't blame me for not warning you. With a beauty like her, if you don't make your move, she'll be gone in a month."
Li Hao shook his head.
Marlon was visibly anxious, "You, Musashi, and Zuo Xiaotang are all hard to get. Especially you. Musashi is passive and suitable for mature women. Zuo Xiaotang's into anime. Only you, I can't even figure out what you like. But no matter what, Ye Tong is the peak of your life. To be the son-in-law of the Nangong and Ye families, wow, I'm just going to lean on you in the future..."
Li Hao covered Marlon's mouth, this gossipmonger couldn't help spitting out anything and everything. Zuo Xiaotang and Musashi were both laughing, even without Li Hao's, they would be Marlon's next subjects. Marlon was wasting his talent in not being a matchmaker.
Having extricated himself from Marlon, Li Hao started to doze off. He had been messed around enough by Marlon yesterday. How did the guy have such energy?
Today's class was taken by Dr. Yan Nan. Dr. Yan Nan never took attendance and had the best temperament.
"… The NUP currently has the highest total economy and technology level in the Solar System Alliance. But we, the USE, still have a say in many fields, particularly in space lanes and in the development rights of several extra-system planets. These are the next targets of the Lunar Federation. Historically, such situations often lead to war. The good thing is, the ROM's attitude is ambiguous. They're not for the Earth, but they don't want the Moon to get too powerful. These years, not only the NUP but also the ROM's development is remarkable. I have high hopes for ROM given its prime location, abundant mineral reserves - the only drawback is its population…" Dr. Yan Nan took a sip of water.
"Li Hao!"
"Yes!" Li Hao, who had just fallen asleep, stood up almost immediately, causing the whole class to burst out laughing. Sleeping in Dr. Yan's class was a unique feat.
"Do you think there's a possibility of civil war in the Solar System Alliance?" Dr. Yan Nan asked. He remembered this student for always attending class. His frequent sleeping was getting too much to bear this time.
"Professor Yan, actually, it doesn't matter if there's a civil war within the solar system or not. Our main enemies are external," Li Hao stated.
Dr. Yan Nan was taken aback, "Tell me more."
"We've colonized Kepler-22b and reaped great rewards, but we also encountered our very first attack from alien creatures. These bugs appeared out of nowhere, and I suspect a conspiracy. The moment humans set foot on Kepler-22b, it was like opening Pandora's Box. The biggest threat now comes from outside," Li Hao stated.
Li Hao continued, "Kepler 22b was humanity's biggest gain from their interstellar expedition. Even before the moon was colonized, this rich Earth-like planet was already on many people's minds. When we finally took it, Kepler turned out to be even better than we had imagined. But not long after landing, our vanguard was nearly wiped out by a swarm of silicon-based giant worms that had appeared out of nowhere."
This was a large class with over two hundred students. Almost as soon as he finished speaking, the classroom erupted in laughter. Particularly because Li Hao's serious expression was even more amusing.
Before Dr. Yan Nan could respond, someone stood up, "Li Hao, you must be confused from sleeping. Our human technology is currently the best in the Milky Way. Conquering the galaxy is just a matter of time. Kepler 22b is a gift to us humans. As for those bugs, they're no match for us. Exterminating them is just a matter of time. You're too cowardly."
"Exactly, this world belongs to the brave. The universe outside is vast, full of endless opportunities. Why do we strive if it's not to realize the value of humanity?"
Everyone started chiming in, their pride swelling. What extraterrestrial civilization are we talking about? Humans knew already, but generally, they were disappointed. These creatures might have some fighting capabilities, but in the face of a coordinated air and ground attack by humans, they had no choice but to retreat. And if they were a top-tier civilization, they wouldn't have waited until now. Where were they hiding, anyway?
Were they supposed to hide out of some unfounded fear? That was just waiting for death.
Li Hao's words had ignited everyone's enthusiasm. After all, this was Tianjing Mechanical Martial Arts, where elites gathered.
This is also the mainstream view of the Solar System Alliance as a whole. Humans are quite confident in their current strength. Li Hao is not afraid; he also agrees that we should explore beyond our known boundaries, but believes we must proceed with caution. Living in a well and knowing nothing of the great ocean is a major pitfall.
Yan Nan smiled faintly, signaling everyone to quiet down. "Li Hao, stay after class. Everyone, let's continue. Gather yourselves and return to the recent Mecha Contest we just concluded. NUP pushed hard for this, even bearing most of the costs. From what we see now, they won. But I think this is a good thing. Instead of hiding the problems, it's better to throw them out there, understand ourselves, and face the challenges head-on..."
"Bro Hao, you're too timid. There are opportunities out there! I enrolled in the Starship Department because I hope that one day I can command my own spaceship, lead a crew, and conquer the universe. It's every man's dream. Isn't that right, Xiao Tang!" Marlon said quietly, "Maybe one day I'll have my own territory on Kepler, becoming a lord, that would be great."
"My dream is to attend an arths concert, the tickets..."
"Alright, alright, look at your aspiration. Musashi, we should have the same dream, right?"
Musashi glanced at Li Hao, "Bro Hao, do you see any problems with my combat style? I've been pondering it all night and I feel like I can't crack it. Is there something wrong with my training methods?"
Li Hao touched his nose, "When did this happen?" Musashi's methods and fundamentals are both very solid. His situation is unique; it's incomparable to anyone else's, but that's not something he could say out loud.
"Don't overthink it. Everyone has their unique training method and style. You come from a professional family, it would be better for you to ask your father than me."
Musashi nodded. Li Hao might be a good fighter, but he lacks the necessary experience and vision to give advice.
Marlon was speechless. These two idiots, they were so nerve-wracking. In the age of technology, while combat skills are useful, they aren't everything. Even if you're part of the mobile unit, being strong as an individual doesn't mean much.
So he chose the Starship Department. Mechas might be cool and heroic, but they're not practical. Isn't being a captain dashing too?
Yes, he would have Manman as his first officer on their romantic interstellar journey… Life...
Ding ding ding...
The bell rang, signaling the end of the class. Everyone's passionate discussion abruptly ended. As Li Hao was about to leave, he remembered that Professor Yan Nan had asked him to stay behind. He urgently followed her, as the credit for this class was crucial.
They were in the tutors' lounge next to the classroom.
Yan Nan wiped her glasses, revealing a slight smile. "You're young but mature. I've read several of your papers which are filled with profound concerns. Do you have a particular reason for this?"
Li Hao shrugged, "Professor Yan, Kepler 22b is 2.4 times the diameter of our earth, with a temperature of around 21 degrees. It has oceans and forests, it's a perfect, larger-scale Earth. It also contains rare elements that we don't have on Earth. Even after exploring the entire solar system, we have never encountered a place as perfect as Kepler. The only thing that held us back before was its distance of 600 light years and wormhole technology. But now we've just mastered wormhole technology only a few years ago, and the flares from the star that Kepler orbits gave out the coordinates that let us successfully complete our first wormhole jump. Moreover, Kepler turned out to be even better than we had imagined. Everything is too perfect, Professor. The appearance of the giant worms is also strange. They are silicon-based lifeforms, which is odd. Aren't there things we have failed to consider? For example, could another civilization be fishing us in?"
Yan Nan nods, "Have you read the 'Star Civilization Barrier' I published two years ago?"
"I have, Professor. I completely agree with this perspective. Maybe there could be some sort of space barrier between celestial domains, preventing highly advanced civilizations from arbitrarily invading less advanced civilizations. The wormhole is like a fishing rod. The moment when we arrive at Kepler would also be when the coordinates of humans are exposed. Now that we've taken this step, we can't be overly optimistic." This wasn't Li Hao being overly worried, but the impact Bleem had on him. In the world of Bleem's dreams, there were quite a few simulations about battling on Kepler 22b, and based on what he knew so far, Bleem's simulations were never pointless.
Those universally recognized low-level giant worm silicon-based lifeforms left a deep impression on him. They weren't low-level at all.
"In fact, many scientists hold the same view as you do. However, the help that Kepler has given humanity is too significant. I have seen some internal information. Let me put it this way: it could help us achieve a hundred-year leap in technological transformation. At present, NUP's conversion is the best. The exceptional performance of the new weapons this time is also thanks to the new element K23 found on Kepler. It has been called the God Element by the material world. We can understand the resulting frenzy. If you have any ideas, feel free to discuss them with me anytime."
Professor Yan Nan gave Li Hao a pat on the shoulder. Overall, humanity is stuck in a state of blind optimism and hubris. That's the trend.
Li Hao nodded his head. If there really is an extraterrestrial civilization fishing, then the Solar System would be a fat fish. If not, then humans are the chosen ones. The images and conditions of Kepler 22b are all viral; it's a place that makes you want to go as soon as you lay your eyes on it.
If you had to find an accurate word to describe it, that word would be—Paradise.
(The new book is out, dear friends, please add it to your collection. PS: All the scientific theory in the book is mostly serious nonsense.)
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