230: Chapter 230 The Magical Energy Ball

On the way back, Chu Ge kept observing the surrounding environment, which was largely the same as what he had observed before.

The space around them was vast; the beams of light from the searchlights above their heads disappeared after a certain distance.

Chu Ge had a plan in mind after seeing that Energy Ball.

At first, he hesitated about whether to implement it, but after confirming those Warp Engines just now, he solidified his determination.

The specifics would still need to be discussed with Commander Wang and reported to the superiors after returning to the aerospace carrier.

"Captain Gong, after we rendezvous with the team ahead in a moment, you and the engineers go do something."

"Alright, General Chu, please speak."

"Using the drone's flight path, I need a spatial model of this underground area. Get all the boundaries mapped out for me."

"Yes!"

This was Chu Ge's first step. He had to determine the size of this underground space first before he could plan for what came next.

After walking and stopping for over an hour, Chu Ge and his team returned to the location of the Energy Ball.

Chu Ge glanced at the Energy Ball; it was the same as before, with no changes.

Just like it was sleeping, the light alternating between bright and dim was as if it were breathing.

Chu Ge walked up to Academician Huang and found that they were collecting some broken parts, likely to take back to the aerospace carrier for research.

"Academician Huang, this alien spacecraft has a Warp Engine."

"Oh, a Warp Engine, huh? Doesn't our kunpeng also... What? Academician Chu, say that again."

Academician Huang stared at Chu Ge with eyes as wide as an ox's.

"A Warp Engine. It was originally planned to be equipped on the kunpeng, but we were short on materials, so we gave up on it."

Chu Ge said it nonchalantly, but Academician Huang was so excited that he nearly shook Chu Ge's arm off.

"Academician Chu, do you know what it would mean if we could replicate the Warp Engine?"

"It means our military flag could be planted all the way from the Solar System to the Milky Way."

Chu Ge answered without thinking, but Academician Huang began to mutter to himself as if he hadn't heard him.

"This means our Earth civilization would leap forward by at least several hundred years. From Earth to the Solar System, and from the Solar System to the Milky Way—this is a qualitative leap, and the most difficult one at that."

It was no wonder Academician Huang was so excited; his work at the Research Institute was precisely responsible for power engines.

His team had a hand in all kinds of engines in Huaxia, from the gas turbine engines of warships to the turbojet engines of drones.

The Nuclear Fusion Engine of the aerospace carrier "kunpeng" was also led by Academician Huang and his team; who knew how many sleepless nights they had endured.

Only then did they turn it from a blueprint into its current state.

Looking at the vigorous Academician Huang, Chu Ge felt emotional for a good while.

Recalling Academician Huang's words just now, he felt it was the same meaning as his own flag-planting theory...

"Academician Chu, did you have any other findings?"

Academician Huang seemed to want more.

"Not for the moment. The ship's hull has collapsed and is severely twisted; it's hard to enter by hand. We'd better wait for the equipment."

After saying this, Chu Ge checked the time; without realizing it, another day had passed.

But they couldn't go back yet, at least not until Captain Gong finished the data model of this underground cavity.

"Academician Chu, how should we handle this Energy Ball?"

Academician Huang was starting to obsess over this mysterious object again.

"To be honest, I don't know. Since it can still emit light so regularly, it at least proves that it retains some of its normal functions."

"And I suspect that the signal interference we kept encountering earlier is its handiwork."

Chu Ge analyzed it for Academician Huang.

"It's just that it seems to have some issues; the interference is intermittent."

"Academician Chu, we have already cleared out some obstacles—I mean the obstacles near it."

Academician Huang said, pointing at the Energy Ball.

"What do you mean?"

"Sooner or later, we have to figure out its form, right? This light is like a layer of camouflage; we don't even know its size right now."

After Academician Huang finished speaking, he looked at the Energy Ball, his eyes flickering with an unusual light.

That light looked like a reflection of the Energy Ball, but it actually represented Academician Huang's inner desire even more.

Chu Ge was moved.

"How about we explore it tentatively? Academician Huang is right; we have to deal with it sooner or later, so it's better to scout the path first."

Chu Ge was a man of action.

But before he could take that step, Captain Gong appeared before them at the right moment.

"General Chu, I believe this carries a certain level of danger, you cannot go."

"Aren't you right there? I don't think it's a big problem. If there were a problem, it wouldn't have waited until now."

"No!" Captain Gong shook his head like a rattle-drum.

The two deadlocked for a few minutes; Academician Huang, who was standing by, couldn't watch anymore.

"Academician Chu, I think Captain Gong makes sense. You are our Commander-in-Chief and cannot risk yourself, so you can just stand by and help me keep watch here."

Academician Huang finished speaking and was about to rush forward, but was grabbed and pulled back by Captain Gong.

"Academician Huang, you can't go either. One is the Commander-in-Chief of this operation, and the other is the Deputy Commander-in-Chief; neither can have any issues."

Chu Ge looked at Academician Huang and shook his head helplessly.

Well, this was the classic case of a scholar meeting a soldier.

Chu Ge didn't force it; he knew Captain Gong had his duties and was considering their safety, so there was nothing to complain about.

Chu Ge understood this logic, let alone Academician Huang, who had spent most of his life working in military industry.

Thus, the two of them were like deflated balls, neither having any temper left.

"If we must get close to it, it has to be us."

Captain Gong patted his chest imposingly and then looked at Chu Ge.

Chu Ge couldn't make up his mind for a moment. He looked at Academician Huang, and seeing him nod, he looked back at Captain Gong.

"Alright. We didn't intend to touch it anyway, just wanted to get a little closer."

"Close-range observation makes it easier for us to figure out its state, dimensions, and whether it's embedded in something or just floating."

"Hmm, what do you think, Academician Huang?"

Chu Ge had only thought of these things so far; he kicked the ball to Academician Huang to see if he had any additions.

"The state includes a few meanings: first is the form—is it solid, liquid, or gas?"

"Second is the nature of the light—electroluminescence, chemical reaction, or something else."

Academician Huang helped Chu Ge with a simple refinement, and Captain Gong nodded as he listened.

Seeing that Academician Huang stopped speaking, he confirmed what was said just now with him again. After ensuring there were no errors, he summoned two soldiers over.

Captain Gong stood in the middle, with the two soldiers on his left and right. They set up their formation and prepared to move toward the bottom of the Energy Ball.

"Wait a second, lower your helmet visors. Don't try to look up at it from such a close distance."

"Your priority is to see if there are any support structures or carrier-like devices underneath it."

"Alright."

After Captain Gong finished speaking, the three of them slowly walked toward the bottom of the Energy Ball...