Jinling launch site.
The bad news that suddenly came from the front line caused the entire ground command center to be in chaos.
Earthquake!
It's actually an earthquake!
In the satellite aerial footage, the raging sandstorm soared into the sky, rolling out circles of arc-shaped shock waves. Swept by the violent airflow, the surrounding sand dunes were razed to the ground, and the crater was filled up, leaving only a deep scar imprinted on the surface of Mars. From a distance, the entire mountain range was in a mess, collapsing into ruins in the dust that covered the sky …
Fortunately, there was no sea on Mars, and there was no lava that could erupt. The Mars scientific research station a few kilometers away was only shaken by the earth-shaking tremors for a while. Other than some cabinets and potted plants that were knocked over, there were no major problems.
However, what was worrying was that the collapse of The Gates of Hell had triggered a series of chain reactions including regional sandstorms.
At this moment, within a radius of tens of kilometers from the epicenter of the epicenter, there was gray dust everywhere.
Looking down from the satellite, they couldn't see what was happening on the ground at all, and they couldn't receive any signals from there.
In the command room of the ground command center, the sound of reports came one after another.
Everyone's heart was in their throats, and they were praying for their compatriots on Mars.
"An earthquake has been detected in the area of 15 ° south latitude and 128.1 ° west longitude! According to the observation results of the Mars scientific research station, the initial judgment is that the magnitude is above 9.5!
"The Gates of Hell mountain range has collapsed! The entire area is currently covered by a sandstorm!
"The sandstorm is expected to last for about a week …
"Latest news! Two personnel lost contact during the operation!
"One of them … is Academician Lu."
When Director Li heard this bad news, his blood pressure rose in an instant, and his eyes were bloodshot.
He stepped forward and grabbed the staff sitting in front of the control panel. The sixty-year-old old man seemed to have gone crazy. He grabbed the staff member's collar and spat out saliva everywhere.
"What's going on? Academician Lu is missing?! What the hell is going on?! "
The researcher who was grabbed by the collar was trembling with fear. He didn't even dare to breathe, let alone speak.
It was not that he was afraid of being beaten up by this old man.
He was purely afraid that if he told the truth, the old man's heart would not be able to bear the grievous news.
Right now, the fate of Academician Lu was unknown, and this was already a heavy blow to the Republic. If they were to lose an old leader who had been with them since the Pangu era, then the losses would be far too great.
Director Chang Hezhi looked at Director Li, who was standing next to him, and he quickly grabbed him.
"Old Li, calm down, don't be so impulsive! It's still unclear what's going on on Mars. What if it's a false alarm? "
"Calm down! Tell me how to calm down! " Director Li threw the staff aside and looked at Director Chang. He was so excited that his beard was trembling. "That's Mars! Not on Earth! "
If he was on Earth, let alone an earthquake, even if a world war broke out, they would still bring him home at all costs.
However, on Mars, even if they wanted to do so and were willing to do so at all costs, they simply did not have the conditions to do so …
Director Li's already aging cardiovascular system suddenly couldn't withstand the anxiety. His eyes widened, and his breathing became rapid.
Seeing that the situation was bad, Director Chang quickly held him, and the staff next to him also rushed over.
"Old Li! What happened to you, Old Li! "
"Director Li fainted!"
"Quick! Call an ambulance! "
"Medic! Someone is down here! "
The space launch site, which was already in a mess, became even more chaotic because Director Li suddenly fainted in the command room.
Everyone looked at Director Li, who was put on a stretcher and carried away, and their hearts were filled with a layer of haze.
This was definitely the darkest moment in the history of China's aerospace industry.
There wouldn't be another day that could be as terrible as today … ….
…
"Okay … I understand."
Jinling Institute for Advanced Study.
Deputy Dean Yang Xu, who was sitting in his office, put down the phone in his hand with a heavy expression. Director Qian Zhongming, who was the director of the Institute of Computational Materials, stood next to him.
"What the hell is going on? Is there any news from the space launch site? "
Just twenty minutes ago, the Institute of Astronomy of the Jinling Institute for Advanced Study observed a regional sandstorm on Mars through an astronomical observation satellite deployed in geosynchronous orbit.
Because there was no warning, experts at the institute preliminarily judged that it was caused by an earthquake based on the existing information.
And the magnitude of the earthquake was probably not small.
Considering that Academician Lu was on a mission there, Yang Xu immediately called the Jinling launch site. He didn't expect the launch site, which had always been familiar with them, to be silent this time.
Although he didn't get any useful information, his intuition told Yang Xu that what he was most worried about had happened.
"All launch activities have been suspended, probably because of the earthquake on Mars." After a moment of silence, Yang Xu continued, "Although the people over there are unwilling to disclose more inside information, according to the schedule previously announced by the Mars landing office … I'm afraid that the expedition team is doomed."
A trace of surprise appeared in Qian Zhongming's pupils. His expression gradually became solemn as he spoke.
"How could this be? Could it be that extraterrestrial civilization … "
"I don't know, and it's hard to say." Yang Xu shook his head and said, "I'm afraid there are other secrets behind the Mars landing plan. We don't have any news now, so it's better not to make wild guesses. Not to mention … "
The tense expression on Yang Xu's face suddenly relaxed slightly, and he smiled to ease the atmosphere.
"Not to mention Academician Lu.
"I believe that with his abilities, even if he encounters a big problem, it won't be a big problem."
Mars is there.
If only that's the case …
Qian Zhongming smiled bitterly in his heart.
Although he knew that Vice Dean Yang was comforting him, he didn't feel comforted in his heart. After sighing softly, he restrained the expression on his face and asked seriously.
"Then what should we do now?"
Yang Xu thought about it and spoke.
"Block the news for the time being. Let the experts at the astronomy institute not talk nonsense. No matter what the situation is over there, we will rely on the news from the Mars landing office. "
Qian Zhongming said awkwardly.
"I'm afraid we won't be able to block the news for too long. It's not just us … I'm afraid the whole world is watching the situation on Mars. I'm afraid that by tomorrow at the latest, someone will feel that something is wrong."
Academician Lu was the spiritual pillar of the Jinling Institute for Advanced Study.
At least more than 80% of the researchers gathered under this ivory tower because of his halo. If he encountered an accident, although these people might not leave, the blow to their morale would undoubtedly be quite heavy.
Especially the world-leading position of the Institute of Computational Materials.
The reason why they were able to defeat the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford was basically because of Lu Zhou. If they lost the halo of Academician Lu, although they wouldn't fall from the altar, it would obviously be difficult for them to remain as the number one in the world as before.
"Block it for as long as possible." Yang Xu looked at the clock on the wall. After a moment of silence, he continued, "The situation on Mars is still uncertain.
"At the very least, we can't mess up ourselves."
Almost at the same time.
Star Sky Technology headquarters.
Chen Yushan, who was sitting at her desk and working on the work at hand, suddenly frowned slightly and pressed her hand on her left chest.
"Strange …"
An inexplicable throbbing made her murmur softly.
"Is it because I've been too busy with work recently?
"At the end of the year … I should also consider training a successor."
Chen Yushan raised her right hand and rubbed between her eyebrows. She then picked up the ballpoint pen on the table and reinvigorated herself.
She slept peacefully last night, but for some reason, there was a burst of heart-wrenching pain in her chest.
It was like …
Somewhere in her heart, a piece of something had been dug out …
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