220: Technological Explosion and the Transformation of "Homeland"

On the seventh day back in "Homeland," Zhuoyue was woken promptly at six in the morning by his biological clock. He lay on the narrow but comfortable bed in his dorm, staring at the ceiling for three seconds—the newly cultivated "Starlight Moss" emitted the softest glow before dawn, like an inverted river of stars. Then he sat up and rubbed his face.

The rapid pace of life over the past week occasionally gave him the illusion that time was flowing abnormally. The relatively slow, contemplative rhythm of the "Void Corridor" and the journey back had been completely shattered, replaced by a seamless succession of meetings, experiments, demonstrations, and discussions. Each day felt compressed, each hour packed with content.

He put on his work uniform and glanced at the digital calendar on the wall. It was densely marked, almost covering the entire interface: 8 AM, Energy Shield Project Team Meeting; 10 AM, New Engine Prototype Test; 1 PM, Materials Science Department Consultation; 3 PM, Weapon R&D Seminar; 7 PM, Core Layer Technology Briefing... "You stayed up late again last night." Su Mu's voice came from the doorway. She leaned against the doorframe, holding two packets of nutrient paste, and tossed one to him. "Evelyn said your brainwave monitoring showed less than four hours of deep sleep."

Zhuoyue took the nutrient paste and gave a wry smile. "There's too much in my head; I can't stop even when I lie down." He tore open the packaging and mechanically chewed the neutral-tasting paste. "The knowledge from Beacon Gamma... it's like an iceberg, I've only seen one-tenth above the water. Every time I try to clarify one concept, it pulls out ten new questions."

Su Mu walked into the room and casually adjusted the towering stack of data pads on his desk. "So you need a more systematic organization, not to treat yourself as a human database. Commander Wang has already ordered the formation of a special team to help you categorize and organize that knowledge."

"I know," Zhuoyue swallowed the last bite of nutrient paste, "but some things... are hard to express completely in language or formulas. Those 'feelings' about the nature of energy, the 'touch' of multi-dimensional space, I have to demonstrate them myself."

This was the dilemma of his new role in "Homeland": he was both student and teacher; both researcher and translator. The knowledge transmitted by Beacon Gamma was not a textbook in the traditional sense, but more akin to an "experiential inheritance"—containing a large amount of intuitive, perceptual content, which was precisely the most difficult to translate into conventional scientific language.

Evelyn's Scientific Frontline

At 7:30 AM, Zhuoyue walked through the main corridor of the Third Research Zone to the conference room. Most of the laboratories on both sides of the corridor were already brightly lit, and through the observation windows, busy researchers could be seen. The air was filled with the mixed scent of ozone and a new type of coolant—a characteristic smell of a period of technological explosion.

In the Third Lab, Evelyn stood before a holographic projection, discussing with five researchers. The projection displayed a dizzyingly complex energy field topology map, with countless lines and nodes interwoven into some non-Euclidean geometric structure.

"...So the flaw in traditional shields is that they assume an attack comes from a single vector in three-dimensional space," Evelyn's voice was clear and calm, her finger tracing a path on the projection, "but 'web-weaving' related energy attacks have been proven to have cross-dimensional properties. Our new model must incorporate eleven-dimensional field equation correction terms."

A young researcher raised his hand: "But the real-time calculation requirements for an eleven-dimensional field equation would exceed the capacity limits of existing quantum processors."

"So we don't calculate all dimensions," Evelyn pulled up another set of data, "only the subset of dimensions where the attack actually manifests. This requires a prediction algorithm—based on the 'entropy' energy characteristic model provided in the Beacon Gamma data."

Seeing Zhuoyue standing at the door, Evelyn paused the discussion. "Perfect, Zhuoyue. Regarding the dimensional transition probability distribution of 'entropy' energy, I need to confirm some perceptual details."

For the next twenty minutes, Zhuoyue engaged in an in-depth discussion with the research team about the energy characteristics he felt while fighting the "Scavengers" in the "Void Corridor." This was not a theoretical discussion, but rather a "phenomenological description": how that energy "felt" both present and absent, how it "slipped" between different dimensions, and what kind of "precursory vibrations" it would have before an attack.

"It's like... the surging before water boils," Zhuoyue struggled to find a metaphor, "but not in physical space, rather at the bottom layer of perception. You can 'feel' a certain dimension becoming 'thin,' as if energy is about to leak out from there."

The researchers quickly recorded these seemingly subjective descriptions, but Evelyn knew that these intuitive perceptions were crucial for refining the mathematical model. Countless breakthroughs in scientific history began with a researcher's "feeling" for a phenomenon, which was then formalized into theory.

At 8 o'clock sharp, the Energy Shield Project Team Meeting officially began. More than twenty people gathered in the conference room, including theoretical physicists, engineers, energy system experts, and two military officers from the "Homeland" Defense Force.

Evelyn presented an animation of the principle of the new "Phase Shift Shield." "Based on the perceptual data provided by Zhuoyue and the field theory from Beacon Gamma, we have redesigned the shield's activation mechanism. A traditional shield is like a rigid wall, while the new shield is more like... a flowing net."

In the animation, the shield was no longer a uniform energy membrane, but a dynamic structure composed of countless hexagonal units. When an attack came, the affected units would quickly reorganize, diverting the attack energy along specific paths away from the protected target.

"The key is prediction," Evelyn emphasized. "We need to determine the type, direction, and dimensional characteristics of an attack in milliseconds before it actually occurs, and then adjust the shield structure. This is why Zhuoyue's perceptual descriptions are so important—we need to train the AI to recognize those 'precursory vibrations'."

A gray-haired engineer frowned: "The theory is beautiful, but real-time adjustment of such a complex structure... can the control system keep up?"

"That's the second breakthrough point," Evelyn switched the screen, displaying a design drawing of a new type of processor. "Based on Beacon Gamma's hyper-dimensional computing principles, we designed a 'probabilistic preloading' algorithm. The system doesn't passively wait for an attack, but continuously calculates the probability distribution of all possible attack paths and pre-adjusts the shield's 'tendency'."

The meeting lasted for two hours, with deep and intense discussions on technical details. Zhuoyue played a unique role in it: when discussions reached an impasse, he often offered insights from an unexpected angle—not based on formulaic derivations, but on his intuitive understanding of the nature of energy.

"I'm not sure why," he said during an argument about energy frequency modulation, "but I think the problem might not be the frequency itself, but the 'smoothness' of frequency changes. There's a concept in Beacon Gamma's knowledge called 'dimensional harmony'... it's like different voices in music needing to coordinate, not simply superimpose."

This statement silenced the theoretical team for five minutes, then the chief physicist slammed his hand on the table: "Yes! We've been using a linear superposition model, but what hyper-dimensional energy fields need is non-linear coupling! Zhuoyue, can you describe this 'dimensional harmony' you just mentioned in more detail?"

Zhuoyue's Journey of "Technical Translation"

After the meeting, Zhuoyue only had fifteen minutes to get to the engine testing ground. On the way, he met Dr. Chen from the Materials Science Department—an elderly scientist specializing in nanostructures, who had been waiting for him in the corridor for three days.

"Zhuoyue! Just five minutes!" Dr. Chen almost physically blocked his path, holding a material sample shimmering with a strange iridescence. "Look at this! According to the energy resonance synthesis method you provided, we've made an initial sample, but its stability only lasts for three hours!"

Zhuoyue took the sample, closed his eyes, and injected a faint trace of energy into it. In his perception, the atomic structure inside the material was like a meticulously choreographed dance, but some "dancers" were out of rhythm. "The energy anchoring points of the third lattice layer are too strong," he said, opening his eyes, "suppressing the free vibration of the fourth layer. Try reducing the resonance coefficient of the third layer by fifteen percent, and simultaneously enhancing the coupling of the seventh layer."

Dr. Chen quickly recorded, his eyes shining: "How did you perceive that?"

"It's like... listening to a symphony and being able to tell which instrument is out of tune." Zhuoyue handed the sample back. "But the specific adjustment parameters require your precise calculations. I'm just pointing out the direction of the 'off-key' note."

This kind of "technical translation" work occupied most of Zhuoyue's time. The knowledge from Beacon Gamma often existed in multi-dimensional, holistic forms, and to transform it into technology usable by "Homeland," it needed to be "dimensionally reduced" to the engineering language of the three-dimensional world. Zhuoyue became the critical conduit for this dimensional reduction process.

This situation reached an interesting climax at the Materials Science Department consultation at 1 PM.

The meeting's theme was "Breaking the Limits of Energy Conductor Materials." Traditional superconductors require extremely low temperatures to operate, but "Homeland" needed materials that could efficiently conduct energy at ambient space temperatures. The Beacon Gamma data mentioned a concept of "topological superconductivity," but the related mathematical descriptions involved a symbol system that "Homeland" scientists had not yet mastered.

"This part of the symbols looks like it's describing some kind of... spatial twist?" Professor Li, the chief scientist of the materials department, pointed to a group of rotating geometric figures on the holographic screen, puzzled.

Zhuoyue stared at the symbols, feeling a familiar cognition emerge—this was not purely mathematics, but a mixture of mathematics and perception. The Beacon Gamma civilization seemed to have developed an "experiential mathematics," where the symbols themselves carried an intuitive sense of the phenomena.

"This describes not just spatial twisting," he said slowly, his fingers unconsciously mimicking the trajectory of the symbols, "but the 'feel' of energy in twisted space. It's like water flowing through different shaped pipes; your hand can feel the change in water resistance."

Professor Li and the other five material scientists exchanged glances.

"Could you... be more specific?" a young researcher tentatively asked.

Zhuoyue took a deep breath, deciding to try a different approach. He stood up, cupped his hands in the air, and began to mobilize his own energy. A faint glow spilled from his fingertips, condensing and weaving above the conference table.

"Imagine energy not as an invisible flow, but as something with texture..." he said, while using energy to "weave" a dynamic model—a network of countless light points, rotating, folding, and reorganizing in three-dimensional space. "Traditional materials are like rough pipes; energy flowing through them generates a lot of frictional heat. What we need is..."

The model began to change, the structure of the light point network becoming extraordinarily complex, exhibiting non-orientable surfaces similar to a Klein bottle.

"...a material structure that allows energy to 'turn smoothly.' Not forcing energy to change direction, but letting space itself guide the energy to turn naturally."

Old Engineer Zhang—a highly respected but extremely pragmatic technical veteran in "Homeland"—frowned. "Comrade Zhuoyue, I understand what you mean, but how is that achieved engineering-wise? What material do we use to construct this 'space guidance' you speak of?"

"It's not about constructing space with matter," Zhuoyue's eyes lit up, "but about letting the arrangement of matter 'create' microscopic spatial structures suitable for energy flow!"

He was completely immersed in the demonstration, and the energy model became increasingly complex, beginning to display multi-dimensional characteristics. The light points were no longer confined to the three-dimensional visual range; some parts seemed to "disappear" and "reappear"—that was Zhuoyue trying to show the concept of dimensional folding involved in topological superconductivity.

"Look, when energy flows through this area," he pointed to a particularly complex node in the model, "it actually briefly enters another dimensional plane, bypassing traditional resistance, and then..."

At that moment, Zhuoyue's control over a subtle balance in the model deviated slightly. Perhaps it was due to the fatigue of working sixteen continuous hours, or perhaps the model itself was already pushing the limits of his current control.

The light points at the center of the model suddenly accelerated their rotation, their color shifting from a stable blue-white to an unstable orange-red. Zhuoyue tried to regain control, but the energy flow had already formed a positive feedback loop.

"Wait, that's not right—" Before he could finish, the entire energy model burst into countless light points with a soft "pop," like the tiniest fireworks display, scattering across the conference room.

Most of the light points harmlessly dissipated into the air, but a particularly concentrated cluster of sparks flew directly towards Old Engineer Zhang. The old engineer instinctively leaned back, but the sparks had already brushed past the top of his head.

A faint smell of scorching permeated the air.

The conference room fell into a brief silence. Everyone looked at Old Engineer Zhang—or more precisely, at the top of his head. The wig he wore year-round due to hair loss from early radiation exposure had a ring of scorched marks around its edge.

Old Engineer Zhang himself didn't seem to realize what had happened, just blinking, a bewildered expression on his face.

Then, someone couldn't help but let out a suppressed chuckle. Then a second, a third. Finally, the entire conference room erupted in laughter—including Old Engineer Zhang himself, who, when he felt the scorched mark on his wig, also shook his head and laughed.

"Well, then," Old Engineer Zhang took off his wig, examining the damage, but without a hint of anger in his tone, "this hat has been with me for fifteen years, and today it has finally been honorably wounded. Zhuoyue, your demonstration effect... is quite stunning."

Zhuoyue was crimson-faced: "I'm sorry, Old Engineer Zhang, I—"

"Don't apologize," Old Engineer Zhang waved his hand, put his wig back on, the scorched part adding a touch of comical dignity. "At least I thoroughly understand the danger of this technology. And... in those last few seconds before you lost control, some structural changes in the model gave me an idea."

He turned to Professor Li: "Old Li, what if we don't aim for a complete topological structure, but instead create a 'local topological phase change material'? Only at the moment energy flows through it, does the material locally enter that special state?"

This suggestion immediately sparked a lively discussion among the material scientists, who completely forgot about the earlier incident. Zhuoyue stood by, both embarrassed and relieved—at least his demonstration had sparked a new idea.

Evelyn appeared at the conference room door at some point, holding a data pad. "Energy loss of control amplitude twelve percent, no dangerous radiation leakage, no structural damage." She reported calmly, then looked at Zhuoyue. "Fatigue index has reached critical point. According to protocol, you now need mandatory four hours of rest."

"But the weapon R&D seminar—"

"Postponed until tomorrow," Evelyn's tone was undeniable. "Su Mu has already rearranged your schedule. Now, go back to your dorm or to the medical bay. Choose one."

Between Evelyn's scientific rigor and Su Mu's silent appearance at the door, Zhuo Yue wisely chose to obey.

Su Mu's Coordination and the "Experimental Field"

On the way back to the dorm, Su Mu walked side by side with Zhuo Yue. On the corridor walls, newly cultivated starlight moss had spread out in beautiful patterns, with some areas designed in the style of constellations.

"You know," Su Mu said, "project teams are practically fighting over your time now. The Energy Department says engine upgrades are the highest priority, the Defense Department says weapon development is vital to the 'Homeland's' survival, and the Research Department says basic research is the long-term foundation..."

Zhuo Yue smiled wryly, "I feel like a piece of clay being pulled in multiple directions."

"So you need a 'schedule manager'," Su Mu blinked, "which is me. Evelyn, Commander Wang, and I have developed a new collaborative framework. From now on, all technical requests must be submitted through a unified platform, and we will assess their priority based on the overall strategy of the 'Homeland'."

"Sounds very bureaucratic," Zhuo Yue pushed open his dorm door and collapsed onto the bed, exhausted.

"It's efficiency," Su Mu corrected, sitting on a chair by the bed. "Otherwise, you'd be torn to shreds. And, it also gives you focused time—at least four hours a day for independent research, digesting the knowledge from Beacon Gamma, undisturbed by anyone."

Zhuo Yue gave her a grateful look, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Su Mu stood up. "Now, sleep. I'll be outside, making sure no one disturbs you."

"Wait a moment," Zhuo Yue called out to her, "What about the 'experimental field' you mentioned earlier?"

A smile immediately appeared on Su Mu's face. "Oh, that. Come with me. Mandatory rest doesn't mean you have to lie there with your eyes closed, anyway."

She led Zhuo Yue through the living quarters to a semi-enclosed space on the east side of the "Homeland" that was originally used for storage. It had been transformed into a unique ecological zone.

The first thing that caught the eye was the large expanse of starlight moss on the walls. Unlike the moss in the corridors, this moss had been cultivated into complex landscape patterns: rolling mountains, winding rivers, and even simulated star maps. The light they emitted was brighter than that in the corridors, illuminating the entire space like a moonlit wilderness.

On the ground, "Moon Crystal Rice" grew in several cultivation troughs. These crops had entered the heading stage, with silvery-white rice ears hanging low, emitting a pearl-like luster. The most surprising thing was their growth rate—it had only been ten days since sowing, yet they had already reached the growth stage of a traditional rice plant after a month.

In the corner, the mycelial network of luminous mushrooms had covered a large area, spreading from the ground to the walls. Mushrooms of various sizes emerged from the mycelium, emitting a soft blue luminescence, like an inverted starry sky.

"This is now the most popular resting area in the 'Homeland'," Su Mu whispered, as if afraid to disturb the tranquility. "Especially night shift workers like to take a nap here. The starlight moss really does purify the air—environmental monitoring shows that the air quality index in this area is thirty percentage points higher than the 'Homeland' average."

Zhuo Yue crouched down and gently touched a leaf of Moon Crystal Rice. The surface of the leaf had a peculiar coolness, like the finest silk. "They're growing so well."

"And they've already started producing food," Su Mu pointed to a small processing table nearby, on which several bowls of pale silver rice grains were placed. "The first batch was harvested yesterday, and after comprehensive testing by Evelyn, it's completely safe and has higher nutritional value than any of our existing grains. The cafeteria will offer the first batch of 'Moonlight Porridge' for tasting tonight."

Zhuo Yue felt a warmth well up in his heart. These lives he had created from energy had not only survived but had truly become a part of the "Homeland," improving people's living environment. Wasn't this exactly what he had originally wanted to achieve?

"There's an even bigger surprise," Su Mu pointed to a containment shield at the very back of the ecological zone. "Look there."

Inside the containment shield, several plants Zhuo Yue had never seen before were growing: one was a fern with spiraling leaves, each leaf edge glowing faintly; another was a low shrub with translucent small fruits hanging from its branches, and within the fruits, nebula-like patterns seemed to slowly rotate.

"These are..."

"Our 'derivative experiments'," Su Mu's smile was filled with pride. "After several experts from the Ministry of Agriculture studied your creation principles, they tried to cultivate new variants using traditional breeding methods combined with energy fine-tuning. That fern can absorb carbon dioxide three times more efficiently than ordinary plants; the shrub's fruit, though inedible, can be made into a special light-filtering material once its shell is dried."

Zhuo Yue stared at everything, an indescribable emotion welling up in his heart. His "sudden whim" was no longer a solo experiment but had become part of the "Homeland's" collective creativity, inspiring more people's imagination and innovation.

Undercurrent: Wang Jianguo's Soberness

At 8 PM that night, while most "Homeland" members were tasting the first batch of "Moonlight Porridge" in the cafeteria, discussing the various changes brought by technological breakthroughs, a secret meeting of the core leadership was held in a secure conference room on the seventh underground floor.

Only five people attended: Wang Jianguo, Zhuo Yue, Evelyn, Su Mu, and Zhou Zhenwu, the Minister of Defense. The conference room utilized the latest energy shielding technology, ensuring no possibility of information leakage.

"First, I want to acknowledge the extraordinary achievements of the past two weeks," Wang Jianguo began directly, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "Our technological level has advanced possibly decades in a very short time, thanks to everyone present, especially Zhuo Yue's contributions."

He brought up a holographic data panel, displaying a series of indicators: "The success rate of the energy shield prototype tests has reached seventy percent, engine efficiency improvements have expanded our reconnaissance range fourfold, and the deep space monitoring network has detected three suspicious energy fluctuations—without the upgrades, we wouldn't have discovered any of these."

Zhou Zhenwu interjected, "More importantly, morale. Technological breakthroughs have given everyone hope and confidence. The cohesion of the 'Homeland' is unprecedentedly strong now; everyone believes we not only have the ability to survive but also a future to develop."

"But that's also what worries me most," Wang Jianguo's tone deepened. "Prosperity can mask crises, and technological progress can breed arrogance."

He switched the display to a series of external data: a distribution map of abnormal energy activity captured by the deep space monitoring network, changes in traffic density in the star systems surrounding the "Homeland" over the past month, and fragmented intelligence obtained through black market channels.

"Our technological leap cannot be kept completely secret," Wang Jianguo pointed to the data points. "At least three known interstellar forces have significantly increased their activity frequency around the 'Homeland'. Although they may not yet know exactly what has happened, they can detect abnormal fluctuations in our energy usage."

Evelyn pushed up her glasses: "According to the data from Beacon Gamma, any civilization that shows extraordinary technological progress, especially in the field of energy manipulation, is likely to attract the attention of the 'Web'. Our current activity level may have already put us on their radar."

"So we need to accelerate the next step," Wang Jianguo brought up another document—a part of the star map Zhuo Yue had brought back from Beacon Gamma, with several blinking lights marked on it. "Find the next beacon. While the information provided by Gamma is valuable, it is clearly just one piece of the puzzle. We need more to fully understand what we are facing and how to respond."

Zhou Zhenwu frowned: "But an expedition carries immense risks. Our return last time involved an element of luck, and at that time, our technology was relatively backward, so we might not have been taken seriously. Now, if we send out a fleet clearly equipped with advanced technology..."

"So we won't send out a fleet," Wang Jianguo looked at Zhuo Yue. "At least not a fleet in the traditional sense."

A brand new plan unfolded on the holographic screen: a thoroughly modified small reconnaissance vessel, integrating all the latest technology, but disguised as an ordinary scientific research ship. The ship would not carry large-scale weapon systems but would have enhanced stealth, speed, and protective capabilities.

"The mission of this ship is not combat, but infiltration and acquisition," Wang Jianguo explained. "To go to the nearest marked point on the star map, confirm the beacon's status, acquire data, and then immediately return. The operation must be extremely covert, and the time window short."

Zhuo Yue felt his heart race: "You intend for me to go?"

"You are the only one who can fully activate the beacon," Wang Jianguo looked directly into his eyes. "But the risk of this mission is different from before. Last time, you accidentally stumbled upon Beacon Gamma, but this time we are actively searching. If the 'Web' is indeed monitoring these beacons..."

"Then we might walk straight into a trap," Su Mu interjected, her voice devoid of fear, only calm analysis.

Evelyn brought up a set of computational data: "According to the analysis of the 'Web's' monitoring patterns in the Beacon Gamma data, if our operation time is controlled within seventy-two hours, the probability of being discovered can be reduced to below thirty percent. The key lies in the method of entering and exiting the target area—conventional warp jumps cannot be used, as they would produce obvious energy signatures."

The meeting lasted late into the night. The plan gradually took shape: a specially designed reconnaissance vessel, with a minimal crew, using a new "dimensional glide" technology for covert navigation, staying in the target area for no more than forty-eight hours, and having to withdraw whether the beacon was found or not.

When the meeting ended, Zhuo Yue remained alone in the conference room, looking at the blinking target point on the star map. It was located in an area known as the "Shadow Nebula," fifteen light-years from the "Homeland." It was known for its intense electromagnetic interference and distorted spacetime structure, making it almost impossible for conventional spacecraft to navigate.

But it was precisely this kind of environment that might hide the beacon, and might also hide deadly danger.

The Eve of a New Beginning

Two weeks later, the "Homeland's" technological explosion entered a plateau phase—not stagnation, but a shift from explosive breakthroughs to systematic integration and application. New shield systems began to be installed on major facilities, engine upgrade plans entered the mass modification stage, and the deep space monitoring network now covered a three-light-year radius around the "Homeland."

Zhuo Yue's life rhythm remained intense, but a new balance had been struck. Mornings were usually spent collaborating with research teams, afternoons on independent research, and evenings participating in various interdepartmental collaborations. Evelyn meticulously monitored his physiological indicators to ensure he wouldn't suffer from overexertion again.

Su Mu's "experimental field" had expanded to three areas, yielding seven new plant variants. The most successful of these was named "Dust-Cleansing Grass," capable of effectively adsorbing fine dust and harmful particles from the air, and it had been widely planted in the newly expanded living quarters.

That afternoon, after finishing a meeting with the Weapons Research Department, Zhuo Yue didn't go directly back to the lab but instead went to the central observation deck. This was a transparent dome structure at the highest point of the "Homeland," offering views of the asteroid belt outside and the more distant starry sky.

He stood there, looking at the twinkling stars, contemplating the upcoming expedition. This proactive offensive was entirely different from the accidental discovery last time; they knew the target, the risks, and the possible costs.

"Thinking about the mission again?" Su Mu's voice came from behind him. She handed him a hot drink—a special beverage made with luminous mushroom extract, which had a calming effect.

"I was wondering if we're moving too fast," Zhuo Yue took the cup, feeling the warmth from its wall. "It's only been a few months since we discovered Beacon Gamma, but the 'Homeland' has been turned upside down. Sometimes I worry... if we're truly ready to wield these powers."

Su Mu leaned on the railing beside him: "I remember my grandfather saying that people are never 'fully ready'. What's important is to learn in action and grow from mistakes." She paused. "And, we're not alone. You have Evelyn's scientific rigor, Commander Wang's strategic vision, and the support of the entire 'Homeland'."

"And you," Zhuo Yue looked at her.

Su Mu smiled: "Of course, and me. I'm your schedule manager, stress buffer, and when necessary, a taste-tester and wig rescue expert."

Both of them laughed, recalling Engineer Zhang's scorched wig—it later became a small legend in the "Homeland," and Engineer Zhang himself often joked about it, calling it "a glorious medal from the front lines of technological breakthrough."

After the laughter subsided, Zhuo Yue said seriously, "For this mission, I hope both you and Evelyn will come. We need the most streamlined yet complete team."

Su Mu didn't answer immediately, just looked at the starry sky. After a while, she said, "Evelyn has already volunteered. She said that without her scientific analysis, you might not be able to correctly interpret the data from the new beacon. As for me..." She turned to Zhuo Yue, her eyes firm. "Do you think I'd let you go on an adventure alone?"

No more words were needed. They stood on the observation deck, gazing at the boundless starry sky beyond the "Homeland." Below, this place that was once merely a refuge was now brightly lit, the faint glow of starlight moss intertwined with artificial lighting, like a river of stars on the earth.

The technological explosion transformed the "Homeland," but more importantly, it transformed the people within it. They were no longer merely struggling refugees but had become explorers, creators, and guardians. They had gained power that could influence the future of the universe and had taken on the corresponding responsibility.

A new expedition was about to begin; this time, it was not a passive escape, but an active advance. Ahead lay possibly new hope, or perhaps deeper darkness. But the "Homeland" and its people were ready, no longer afraid.

Zhuo Yue finished the drink in his cup, feeling the warmth spread from his throat throughout his body. He still had so much to learn, so much to create, so much to protect. But at this moment, standing here, looking at this place they had built and protected together, he felt not only responsibility but also a deep sense of belonging and determination.

Whatever lay ahead, they would face it together. And this, perhaps, was the true strength of the "Homeland."