Age of Cosmic Exploration

Chapter 315: Base and Video

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The terror in the dark did not show itself at least for the first half a year. The days went by so peacefully that people had started to forget about the initial fear.

The Noah One was still lodged underground. In fact, hope for the Noah One to become a spaceship again was practically nil. At most it could only become a base for the human settlers.

Even though the Noah One could no longer lift aboveground, humanity's activity range naturally couldn't be limited within the confines of the Noah One. As time passed, people felt trapped within the claustrophobic metallic walls and underground tunnels. Therefore, so far, the range of human activities had expanded to several thousand kilometers around the Noah One.

However, for some reason, the Noah One's higher officials barred people from exploring deeper underground. All forms of exploration could only be done on the surface. This had created some mild resentment among the scientists, but the surface had plenty of research opportunities as well. In comparison, they understood that there might be safety concerns if they ventured deeper underground, so they didn't really challenge the ban.

On the other hand, with the finished construction of a defense structure 3 kilometres around the Noah One, the safety zones had to be redrawn. The immediate surroundings of the Noah One was still a green zone, 3 kilometres around the Noah One and within the defense structure was a light green zone, the area from 3 kilometres to 10 kilometres was a light red zone, 10 kilometres to 50 kilometres was a red zone, and beyond 50 kilometres was a black zone. Other than that, everywhere on the surface was considered a red zone.

"…This area is perfect. From the explored map, this place is most suitable to build a base. First, this place is close to the river, it is on flat, fertile ground, and there is an open coal mine 30 kilometres north-west of the area. Secondly, upstream from the river is a rich deposit of iron. It will provide the resources we need for base building."

Many people had gathered in the Noah One's meeting room. They included the military officials, technicians, and scientists. They were discussing something that had been discussed for almost a week, and that was building humankind's first base on this planet.

Most of the Noah One's supplies had disappeared during the warp. Over the past half year, the Noah One had found more than ten substitute foods, including five animals, 2 insects, 9 plants and 2 fungi. Thankfully, this planet's nature wasn't ruined, so with high tech harvesting technology, like hovercrafts, that allowed people to harvest over an area of several thousand kilometers, the Noah One didn't have to worry about food shortages anymore.

However, there were plenty of other things to worry about. For example, the energy level, metals, and material supplies. The Noah One was still using nuclear reactors to get their energy, so when the uranium that was used as fuel was exhausted, the Noah One would lose its lighting, temperature maintenance, air purifier, and much more. In other words, the moment the Noah One's energy supply ran out would be the day humanity dies.

Therefore, base construction was inevitable, and it would be better for it to be around the coal mine. There would be a giant fuel generator to replace the function of the Noah One's nuclear reactor, and the remaining uranium on the Noah One could be stored for emergency use.

However, the construction details had caused a split, and the biggest argument was about the location and the purpose of this base.

One party felt that the base should be built directly over the coalmine and the base itself could be the fuel generator and metallurgy base. In other words, the base would become an energy and metallic materials production plant, an industrial city that spared none of the pristine environment.

The other party thought the new base should be on a flood plain that was 30 kilometers away from the coalmine. The fuel generator could be built on the mine, but the base had to be further away. The base would be a residential city and most people on the Noah One would be moved there, leaving the spaceship with only maintenance workers.

This was the difference in opinion. One side thought the base should be an industrial site, while the other thought it should be a residential city. Each had their own arguments. The industrial party said that the planet still had many unknown dangers, especially under the circumstances where human beings still couldn't breathe the air directly, so they shouldn't let the citizens out of the Noah One, because it amounted to murder. On the other hand, the other party argued that the living conditions underground were not palatable and they should fulfil the citizens' wishes to interact with nature. This was especially true for children, as it was not good for their development to be cooped up underground.

In comparison, the industrial party's argument was more acceptable. It was good to interact with nature, but if the interaction involved life-threatening danger, then most wouldn't choose something like that. The industrial party's plan was more safe and acceptable.

However, for some reason, the military officials leaned towards the residential area base compared to the safer industrial base. It also due to the officers' leaning and intervention that the industrial base that had more public support was at a similar level as the residential base idea.

Until now, both sides were still arguing and proposing their own ideas. The discussion could not be allowed to drag on anymore, so finally, the military decided to step in to introduce a compromise, which was an industrial-residential base.

Other than providing enough electricity, the base would be responsible for producing a large amount of metallic materials like iron, copper, silver, aluminium, and the like. They would also search for a rubber substitute on the planet or create a mass plantation using the rubber tree seeds brought from Earth. They would look for radioactive ores as well.

At the same time, residential areas would be built within the base. Of course, not everyone would be forced to move there. It would be a half-permanent, castle-esque residence that would not only isolate the planet's air but also be installed with a homeostatic system, weapons, and defense systems. It could be used as a defensive fort whenever necessary.

"…This is too obvious."

Norton sighed and told the adjutants before him.

They knew what Norton meant. The evidence of military intervention in this base building was too obvious. Even the purpose of the supposed residential area was too obvious. It looked more like a war fortress than a residential area. Due to this, many people had started asking around about whether there would be an impending war. These citizens were not dummies, and the way the military intervened in the base building was such an obvious tip off.

"It is rather obvious, but we don't have time to do this leisurely. Yun Si has once again felt the danger coming, and it's getting closer," Austin added.

It had been half a year since the mysterious virus, and of the survivors of the virus, around 8 of them had found obvious differences in their bodies. For example, Austin displayed a mental acuity that wasn't there before, and the military doctor by the name of Yang Yun Si displayed a sort of danger prediction ability.

The military was slowly given to notice the changes in these 8 people. For example, Yun Si's power was found out after he managed to save his patrol unit from certain death multiple times.

Not only that, about a month ago, a secret exploration unit comprising of Blue Berets and Yun Si were given the task of venturing underground to investigate what kind of danger was lurking underneath. They came back with a broken spacesuit, and the technicians started pulling the video device embedded within the suit.

Every spacesuit was equipped with such a device. It would record the wearer's last moments before the spacesuit died from battery or damage. It was due to the footage on the video that the Noah One's officers decided to move aboveground. In fact, if the situation demanded it, they wouldn't hesitate to abandon the Noah One.

The video was from the three Blue Berets that disappeared half a year ago. The video showed them collecting samples. In the video, a floating creature about the size of a football that looked suspiciously like an octopus with tentacles floated to the three soldiers.

However, curiously, the three of them didn't seem to notice the octopus. Even when the octopus landed on one of their space helmets, they ignored its presence.

Then, the scariest thing happened…

One of the soldiers opened his space helmet. The video showed him opening the helmet naturally while he talked with his comrades. The octopus then landed directly on his scalp. Even while the octopus was tearing open his scalp and sucking everything within, including the brain and eyes, the soldier was still talking as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Finally, the octopus burrowed into the soldier's skull and its eyes popped out of the soldier's eye sockets. Then it used its tentacle to close the scalp…

Then the three of them continued laughing and chatting among themselves as they walked deeper into the darkness…

Translator's Thoughts

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