278: Chapter 278 The Hidden Guardian

Inside the main control hall, three hundred researchers stared intently at the giant central electronic screen.

The geometric outline at the edge of the shadow gradually became clear. This was not a camera malfunction.

Chen Haoyu walked quickly toward the main control console. He placed his hands on the military terminal keyboard. His ten fingers tapped rapidly. Lines of command code flashed across the screen one by one.

"Pangu Computing Center, full power engagement," Chen Haoyu reported. "Spectrum analysis initiated."

Ten seconds passed.

Charts generated from basic physical data covered the original monitoring screen.

"It is not an alien artifact," Chen Haoyu said, watching the data stream. "This is a giant asteroid. It is rich in high-density unknown metals. Large areas of metal compounds on the surface have caused abnormal optical reflection phenomena."

Chen Muyang stood in front of the main control console, his fingers pressed against the desktop.

"Calculate its orbital trajectory," Chen Fan ordered.

Pangu Computing Power directly generated a three-dimensional model. The solar system star map unfolded fully on the screen. The red trajectory line representing the asteroid extended forward. The blue orbital trajectory line representing Earth moved in synchronization.

The red and blue lines intersected at a certain spatial coordinate point on the star map, forming an absolute death cross.

The probability of impact was one hundred percent.

In the upper right corner of the electronic screen, a red countdown pop-up window froze: five years, one hundred and twenty-seven days, and four hours.

Inside the hall, all three hundred researchers stopped what they were doing. Their breathing stalled. The sound of keyboard tapping ceased.

Chen Fan stood motionless. He reached out his right hand and grasped Su Wanqing's palm.

Su Wanqing gripped him back. Her palm was dry and warm. Facing the countdown, she did not make a sound.

Chen Haoyu turned his head to look at Chen Fan.

"Release the calculation data," Chen Fan said.

Chen Haoyu pressed the enter key. The calculation data was synchronized directly to major observatories and space research institutions around the world via an unencrypted channel.

Five minutes later, North America and the European Space Agency fell into total chaos. Internal alarms blared.

The side screen of the main control console cut to an international news emergency broadcast.

Order on the streets of the West collapsed completely. On Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, crowds used iron bars to smash the bulletproof glass of large supermarkets, looting purified water and survival supplies. Vehicles collided at intersections, with no one paying any attention.

The Wall Street stock market opened. There was no need for a circuit breaker mechanism. All technology stocks, heavy industry stocks, and consumer stocks were wiped out. The market index turned into waste paper. Paper currency lost its meaning. Gold lost its value.

Doomsday panic swept through all overseas cities.

In the main control console area, the red secure line flashed incessantly. A piercing buzzing sound broke the silence of the hall.

Chen Haoyu connected the line. The audio cut into the main speakers.

The heads of overseas consortia who had previously tried to block the launch of the "Nüwa," as well as the leaders of many countries, called one after another to ask for help. Various languages were intertwined.

Facing a catastrophic disaster, the existing human technological system had no room for resistance. A few high-level officials saw the reality clearly. Chemical fuel rockets were simply unable to send enough mass into deep space to change the asteroid's orbit.

They could only pin their hopes on the Huihuang Group, which had just lit up the nuclear fusion technology tree.

Chen Fan stepped forward and directly cut off the external communication audio.

The hall returned to silence.

"Prepare for an internal meeting," Chen Fan said, turning and walking toward the highest-level conference room inside the base.

Chen Muyang and Chen Haoyu quickly followed.

The conference room door closed, sealing off the clamor of the outside world.

Chen Fan walked to the head of the conference table. He pulled up a holographic projection of the global industrial distribution and placed his hands on the table.

"The celestial crisis is not the end of the world," Chen Fan said in a steady tone. "This is the ultimate opportunity to completely eliminate global border barriers and unify human resources."

Chen Fan picked up an infrared pen and pointed it at the center of the holographic projection.

"Launch the 'Sky-Mending Plan'," Chen Fan threw out the first draft. "Relying on the Pangu System No. 3 nuclear fusion engine technology, we will build a giant planetary traction array within five years. We will send a sufficient number of fusion thrusters to the asteroid to forcibly change its orbit."

The participating Huihuang Group executives, as well as the domestic high-level officials connected online, looked at the massive engineering parameters on the holographic projection.

The calculated consumption of steel, titanium alloys, and superconducting materials was enough to hollow out all of Earth's existing inventory.

No one spoke. Chen Fan was attempting to confront a celestial disaster with the power of a single enterprise. This spirit brought extreme shock.

Half an hour later.

An emergency expanded United Nations meeting was held in the conference room via the holographic projection system.

Representatives from one hundred and ninety countries were all connected. Holographic images filled the long table.

"We are willing to establish a global joint fund and pool all foreign exchange reserves," the North America representative stood up, their voice hoarse. "But the Huihuang Group must hand over all core technical code for the 'Nüwa.' This includes the basic data for the Pangu System No. 3 engine. It must be handed over to global scientists to jointly develop a response plan."

The Europe representative echoed: "This is a crisis for all mankind; technology should be shared."

Chen Fan sat at the head of the table, watching these holographic images.

"Denied," Chen Fan cut off their proposal directly.

He revealed his final trump card.

"The Huihuang Group will fully fund all the massive expenses required for the construction of the traction array. This includes all operational funds from raw material extraction to launch into space. You do not need to pay a single cent," Chen Fan explained.

The whole room fell silent.

"As a condition of exchange," Chen Fan scanned the representatives of various countries, "all countries in the world must unconditionally open their basic industrial systems to Pangu Computing Power. Eliminate all trade barriers, tariff barriers, and technical barriers. The heavy industrial bases, mineral resources, and aerospace launch sites of all countries will be fully subject to the unified deployment of the Huihuang Group."

The North America representative opened their mouth wide.

"You want to take away the industrial command of all countries?" the Europe representative questioned.

"Survival or destruction, you choose," Chen Fan said in a steady tone. "The money in your hands is now waste paper. Only the technology of the Huihuang Group can save this planet."

The heads of state participating in the meeting looked at Chen Fan. No one refuted him.

With absolute financial power and monopolistic technology, Chen Fan bought the command of Earth's future. His methods were tough to the end.

Su Wanqing sat in the back row of the conference room. She picked up a kettle and poured two cups of warm water. She carried the cups to the table and pushed one to Chen Fan's hand.

Facing the countdown, she had no fear.

The pressure of survival loomed over them. The Western representatives lowered their heads one after another.

"We agree to connect," the North America representative sat back down.

"Europe agrees to open its industrial system," the Europe representative followed closely behind.

On the holographic terminal, representatives from one hundred and ninety countries recorded their fingerprints and irises one by one. They signed the "Sky-Mending Plan."

Electronic green lights lit up one after another.

The history of human civilization reached a turning point. Global resources achieved absolute unified allocation at this moment. The Huihuang Group officially became the supreme command center for human destiny. The shock spread through the top levels of all countries.

The final iris verification passed. The agreement went into full effect.

The large screen on the main control console displayed that the global industrial network had been taken over by Pangu Computing Power.

Chen Fan took a black key disk from his suit pocket. This key disk was directly connected to the main control authority of the Pangu Computing Center.

He turned around and looked at Chen Muyang standing behind him to the side.

Chen Fan handed the key disk over.

"From now on, you will serve as the General Commander of the Global Joint Project," Chen Fan gave his final order. "The matters in the sky are in your hands."

Chen Muyang took the key disk with both hands. He stood up straight.

"I will not fail the mission," Chen Muyang replied.

The handover was complete. The transfer of power between the two generations of the Chen family was completed at the highest meeting to save Earth.

Chen Fan picked up the warm water on the table and took a sip. He put down the cup.

He took Su Wanqing's hand and turned to walk toward the conference room door. The access control system opened automatically.

The two walked out of the base side by side. They walked toward the Gobi Desert outside.

The strong wind whipped up coarse sand, blowing their clothes.

In the western sky, a red sun was setting. The afterglow dyed the Gobi Desert golden. The starry sky was about to emerge in the night curtain.