Chapter 249 Cable Laying

January 28, 2039.

6:00 AM, Equatorial Pacific, 157 degrees East longitude.

Chen Xueming stood on the edge of the platform, watching the smear of orange-red spreading across the eastern horizon. The sea breeze was very light, almost imperceptible, but his palms were sweating.

Today was the day for cable laying.

Over three hundred days of waiting, three months of construction, one month of emergency repairs, and countless technical breakthroughs—all for this day.

"Chief Chen," Liu Jianguo walked up to his side, his voice sounding a bit tight, "everything is ready."

Chen Xueming nodded without speaking.

His gaze fell on the special vessel on the east side of the platform. It was a 50,000-ton giant ship, with its hull modified into a massive working platform, and a giant reel with a diameter of twenty meters placed on the deck. On the reel, silver-white Carbon Nanotubes cables were neatly wound, casting a soft luster in the morning light.

That was the longest "fishing line" in human history.

With a total length of 36,000 kilometers, it was enough to wrap around the Earth's equator and then extend from the Earth to a geostationary orbit. Its tensile strength was one hundred times that of steel, and its density was only one-sixth that of steel. Within the next ten years, it would become the first bridge connecting Earth to space.

"Xueming."

A familiar voice came from behind.

Chen Xueming turned around and saw Lin Mo walking towards him. Lin Mo had arrived at the platform late last night and hadn't slept all night; there were bloodshot eyes, but his spirit was excellent.

"Old Lin." Chen Xueming went up to meet him, "Why didn't you sleep a little longer?"

Lin Mo smiled: "Couldn't sleep."

The two stood side by side at the edge of the platform, looking at the special vessel, the giant reel, and the technicians making final checks.

"Nervous?" Lin Mo asked.

Chen Xueming thought for a moment: "Nervous. But more of a... feeling I can't describe."

Lin Mo looked at him: "What feeling?"

Chen Xueming was silent for a few seconds, then said: "It's like waiting for over twenty years to finally see your first love."

Lin Mo was stunned for a moment, then laughed.

"Li Xiao would laugh to death if she heard this analogy of yours."

Chen Xueming also laughed: "Let her laugh. She's not here anyway."

As soon as the words fell, a familiar voice came from behind:

"Senior Brother Chen, who said I wasn't here?"

Chen Xueming turned his head abruptly and saw Li Xiao standing three meters away, looking at him with a grin. Beside her stood Zhao Gang, wearing casual clothes, also smiling.

"You... why are you all here?" Chen Xueming's eyes widened.

Li Xiao walked over and patted his shoulder: "On such an important day, how could we not come? Master Liu even entrusted me to bring braised pork to celebrate tonight."

Chen Xueming looked at her, then at Lin Mo, then at Zhao Gang, suddenly not knowing what to say.

Lin Mo patted his shoulder: "Let's go, it's time to start."

At 8:00 AM, the cable laying ceremony officially began.

No flowers, no red carpet, no speeches from leaders. Only over three hundred builders stood on the platform, watching the special vessel slowly start up.

Chen Xueming stood in front of the command console, holding a walkie-talkie. His voice spread across the entire platform through the broadcast:

"All stations pay attention, cable laying begins now."

"Reel number one, unlock."

"Tugboat number two, in position."

"Tension monitoring system, initiate."

With each instruction given, the special vessel began to move slowly. The giant reel started to rotate, and the silver-white cable was slowly released from the reel, dragged by several small tugboats, and gradually extended toward the sea surface.

The whole process was very slow, as slow as a snail crawling.

But everyone held their breath, staring at the silver thread that was growing longer.

Li Xiao stood next to Lin Mo and whispered: "Senior Apprentice Brother, do you think this rope can really reach space?"

Lin Mo looked at the extending cable: "Theoretically, it can."

"And in reality?"

Lin Mo was silent for a few seconds, then said: "In reality, it requires everyone's joint effort."

Li Xiao nodded and didn't ask again.

In the distance, the silver-white cable had extended to the sea surface, supported by buoys, like a long snake winding forward on the azure sea. Under the sunlight, it cast a soft luster, beautiful to the point of unreality.

At 10:00 AM, the first cable was laid—the part from the platform to the sea surface.

Next was the real challenge.

"Begin underwater laying." Chen Xueming ordered.

Several special submersibles slowly entered the water, carrying one end of the cable, and dived into the deep sea. There, at the top of the twenty-eight main piles, precision connection devices had already been installed. The cable needed to pass through these devices and finally be fixed to the anchor base on the seabed.

This process would take three days.

Lin Mo stood in front of the command console, watching the underwater footage transmitted in real-time on the screen. The submersible's searchlights illuminated the dark seabed, and the silver-white cable moved slowly under the light, like a silver snake looking for its home.

"Tension normal."

"Depth normal."

"Connection point one, passed."

"Connection point two, passed."

"..."

Every report made the people in the command room heave a sigh of relief.

At 3:00 PM, Li Xiao walked to Lin Mo's side with a cup of coffee: "Senior Apprentice Brother, have some."

Lin Mo took the coffee, but his eyes didn't leave the screen.

Li Xiao stood beside him, also staring at the screen. After watching for a while, she suddenly said: "Senior Apprentice Brother, do you think people will really be able to ride this rope in the future?"

Lin Mo took a sip of coffee: "Yes."

"Then when can we go up?"

Lin Mo turned his head to look at her: "You want to go up?"

Li Xiao nodded: "I want to."

Lin Mo smiled: "That day will come."

At 8:00 PM, the first day of laying work ended.

The cable had passed through twelve main piles, and the progress was two hours ahead of schedule.

Chen Xueming walked down from the command console, drenched in sweat. He walked to Lin Mo's side, sat down on a chair, and let out a long breath.

"Old Lin, the first day, not bad."

Lin Mo handed him a bottle of water: "Tomorrow will be harder."

Chen Xueming took the water and took a big gulp: "I know. When it reaches the last few piles, the tension will get higher and higher, and the control difficulty will become higher and higher."

Lin Mo nodded and didn't speak.

Li Xiao leaned over: "Senior Brother Chen, Master Liu's braised pork has arrived, are you going to eat?"

Chen Xueming's eyes lit up: "It's here? Where?"

"Canteen. Master Liu delivered it himself."

Chen Xueming jumped up: "Let's go!"

In the Canteen, it was lively.

Over three hundred workers crowded together, each bowl piled high with bright red braised pork. Master Liu stood behind the serving window, looking at this group of people devouring their food with a smile.

Chen Xueming held his bowl and squeezed in front of Master Liu: "Master Liu, why did you come yourself?"

Master Liu pointed to the big pot of braised pork: "I had to. That girl Li Xiao said today is a big day for you all, and I had to make it myself."

Chen Xueming turned to look at Li Xiao, who was burying her head in eating meat, pretending not to hear.

Lin Mo smiled and said from the side: "Master Liu, thank you for your hard work."

Master Liu waved his hand: "Not hard at all. Being able to cook for you all is my blessing."

Chen Xueming lowered his head and ate in big mouthfuls. The meat was very fragrant, very soft, and melted in his mouth. He ate a whole bowl and went to add half a bowl more.

Halfway through eating, he suddenly raised his head and looked at Lin Mo: "Old Lin, do you think this rope, over 30,000 kilometers long, can really be successfully laid in one go?"

Lin Mo looked at him and said earnestly: "Yes."

"Why are you so sure?"

Lin Mo pointed to the people around: "Because they are here."

Chen Xueming was stunned for a moment, then smiled.

Yes.

Because they are here.

Over three hundred people, carried through typhoons, protected from spies, and survived countless days and nights.

With them here, there is nothing that cannot be done.

At 11:00 PM, Lin Mo stood alone at the edge of the platform.

On the sea, the special vessel was parked quietly, its lights reflecting in the water, swaying gently with the ripples. One end of the cable had already penetrated the seabed, and the other end was still wound on the giant reel, waiting for tomorrow's continuation.

Zhao Gang walked over and stood beside him.

"Can't sleep?" Zhao Gang asked.

Lin Mo nodded: "Thinking about things."

"Thinking about what?"

Lin Mo was silent for a few seconds, then said: "Thinking about what this rope will look like after it's really laid."

Zhao Gang looked at the distant sea: "It should be spectacular."

"Mm."

The two stood silently, letting the sea breeze blow.

After a long time, Zhao Gang suddenly said: "Chief Designer Lin, regarding those two divers, Director Fang has made progress."

Lin Mo turned his head: "What do you mean?"

"Following that lead, three more people were caught. They were all sent by George, infiltrating through different routes. One had already mixed into the supply transport team, but was found out."

Lin Mo was silent for a few seconds, then said: "George still won't give up."

Zhao Gang nodded: "He won't give up. But if one comes, we catch one. If two come, we catch a pair."

Lin Mo looked at him and smiled.

"Zhao Gang, with you here, I can rest easy."

Zhao Gang also smiled: "Rest easy. Not even a fly will get in."

On the distant sea, the lights of the special vessel flickered, as if responding to their words.

A new day was about to begin.