Chapter 263 Global Focus

January 5, 2040.

Early morning, Space Elevator Platform.

Chen Xueming was awakened by the vibration of his phone. He fumbled for the device and glanced at the screen—ninety-seven unread messages and over thirty missed calls. Most were from unknown numbers, along with several interview requests from media reporters.

He froze for a few seconds before remembering: yesterday, the sky ladder project official account had released the first video of the installation of a manned elevator cabin. Within twenty-four hours, the views surpassed one billion.

The whole world has gone crazy.

He climbed out of bed and walked out of the dormitory. The platform was much busier than usual—not with more workers, but with more things in the sky. A dozen drones circled the platform, with media logos from different countries painted on their fuselages. Further away, several interview ships were anchored on the sea, their telephoto lenses and cameras pointed at the platform.

"Chief Chen!" Wang Lei ran over, his face full of excitement. "Have you seen the news? The whole world is reporting on us!"

Chen Xueming nodded. "I saw it."

Wang Lei pulled out his phone and showed him the screen. "BBC, CNN, NHK, Al Jazeera... they're all headlines! Time Magazine called it 'a miracle of human engineering,' and The Economist said 'China is redefining space'!"

Chen Xueming took the phone and quickly scanned those headlines.

BBC: "space elevator: Science Fiction or Reality?"

CNN: "China's Sky Ladder: A Stairway to the Stars"

NHK: "Japanese Companies Seek Participation in the sky ladder project"

AFP: "36,000 Kilometers: Humanity's Longest Structure"

There were also those who questioned it—

The Wall Street Journal: "The Cost Mystery of the sky ladder project"

Der Spiegel: "A New Chapter in the Space Race?"

A certain think tank report: "The Militarization Risks of the Sky Ladder Are Worrying"

Chen Xueming handed the phone back to Wang Lei without saying a word.

Wang Lei looked at him. "Chief Chen, aren't you happy?"

Chen Xueming shook his head. "I am. But our work isn't finished yet."

He turned and walked toward the command center. Behind him, Wang Lei stared blankly at his back for a moment before chasing after him.

At 9:00 AM, Lin Mo called from the base.

"Xueming, have you seen the news?" Lin Mo's voice sounded a bit tired, but it carried a hint of a smile.

Chen Xueming smiled. "I saw it. My phone is ringing off the hook."

Lin Mo chuckled on the other end. "It's the same here. Xinhua News Agency wants an exclusive interview with you, CCTV wants to do a live broadcast on the platform, and dozens of international media outlets have sent in interview requests."

Chen Xueming was taken aback. "An exclusive interview with me?"

"Yes," Lin Mo said. "You are the on-site commander-in-chief of the sky ladder project; it's only right."

Chen Xueming was silent for a few seconds before saying, "Old Lin, I'm not very good at speaking."

Lin Mo laughed. "It's fine, just tell the truth."

Chen Xueming thought about it. "Then what should I say?"

"Just say what you want to say." Lin Mo paused. "For example, why you joined this project in the first place."

Chen Xueming was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Okay."

At the same time, London, England.

BBC TV studio.

Professor Smith sat in the guest seat, facing the sharp gaze of the host. This was a prime-time talk show with the theme "China's space elevator — Human Progress or Threat?"

Host: "Professor Smith, you are an authority in the field of Plasma Physics and have questioned China's scientific projects multiple times. What is your take on the preliminary completion of the sky ladder project?"

Smith remained silent for a few seconds.

The studio fell quiet as everyone stared at him.

Smith remembered the scene three years ago when he first led a team to China to verify Nuclear Fusion data. He remembered that young man named Lin Mo handing him a paper preprint and saying, "If you are interested, you are welcome to verify it." He remembered the sleepless night after he returned, and the words his father had said: "Son, remember, for some projects, it's not that the technology is unattainable, but that the country cannot afford to wait."

Now, that country that "could not afford to wait" had already laid its cable 36,000 kilometers away.

The host pressed again: "Professor Smith? What are your thoughts?"

Smith looked up at the camera.

"Wait until it's actually usable before saying anything else," he said.

The host was stunned for a moment. "What do you mean?"

Smith stood up and straightened his suit.

"I mean, the cable is laid and the elevator cabin is installed, but whether it can actually carry people up still needs to be verified." His voice was calm. "If they can do it, I will admit that I was wrong. If they can't, then all the current reports are just empty talk."

He turned and left the studio.

The host was left standing there in shock, the director was gesturing frantically, and the camera cut to commercials.

At 3:00 PM, the video of Chen Xueming's exclusive interview was released online.

In the video, he was wearing work clothes and standing at the edge of the platform, with the azure sea behind him and the sky above his head. The reporter asked him, "Chief Commander Chen, why did you join the sky ladder project in the first place?"

Chen Xueming thought for a moment and said, "Because of one person."

"Who?"

"Lin Mo, Chief Designer Lin." Chen Xueming looked into the distance. "Three years ago, I didn't know him. At that time, I was at another research institute, and I thought I was pretty great; I didn't respect anyone."

He chuckled.

"Later, when I met him and was 'schooled' by him, I was convinced."

The reporter laughed. "How were you 'schooled'?"

Chen Xueming shook his head. "I can't say that. Anyway, from then on, I followed him."

The reporter asked again, "What do you think is the greatest significance of the sky ladder project?"

Chen Xueming was silent for a few seconds before saying, "The greatest significance is to allow ordinary people to go up as well."

"Ordinary people?"

"Yes." He pointed to the platform behind him. "In the past, only astronauts could go to space. In the future, ordinary people will also be able to take the elevator up to see what the Earth looks like and what the stars look like."

His eyes lit up.

"I think it must be beautiful."

After the video was released, the comment section exploded.

"Chief Commander Chen is so real!"

"He was 'schooled' once and then convinced, Hahahaha!"

"I want to go up and see too!"

"Can ordinary people really go up? When?"

"Chief Commander Chen, count me in!"

At 7:00 PM, Lin Mo called again.

"Xueming, I watched the interview." His voice carried a hint of a smile. "You spoke very well."

Chen Xueming felt a bit embarrassed. "Old Lin, you won't be angry about the part where I said you 'schooled' me, will you?"

Lin Mo laughed. "Why would I be angry? That's the truth."

Chen Xueming laughed as well.

The two were silent for a few seconds, then Lin Mo said, "Smith said something on the BBC today."

Chen Xueming: "What?"

"He said, 'Wait until it's actually usable before saying anything else.'" Lin Mo paused. "Xueming, what do you think he meant?"

Chen Xueming thought for a moment. "Maybe... he still doesn't believe we can succeed."

Lin Mo shook his head. "I don't think so."

"Then what?"

Lin Mo was silent for a few seconds, then said, "He is waiting. Waiting for us to prove it to him."

Chen Xueming was taken aback.

"Old Lin, you mean..."

"I mean," Lin Mo's voice was calm, "he might hope for our success more than many others do."

Chen Xueming was silent for a long time.

Then he smiled.

"Then we'll just have to prove it to him."

Late at night, Chen Xueming stood at the edge of the platform again.

The sea breeze blew gently, and the waves lapped softly. The starry sky above was dense with stars, and that invisible cable pointed straight into space.

He pulled out his phone and looked at the overwhelming reports.

The praise, the doubt, the worry.

Smith's silence on television.

The enthusiastic comments from netizens.

The whole world was watching them.

He put away his phone, looked up, and gazed at the starry sky.

"Just wait," he said softly. "It won't be long.""],"new_glossary_terms":[{"zh":"《 era》 weekly","en":"Time Magazine","entity_type":"organization","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":"《 The Economist》","en":"The Economist","entity_type":"organization","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":"BBC","en":"BBC","entity_type":"organization","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":"CNN","en":"CNN","entity_type":"organization","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":"NHK","en":"NHK","entity_type":"organization","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":" Al Jazeera","en":"Al Jazeera","entity_type":"organization","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":" AFP","en":"AFP","entity_type":"organization","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":"《 Wall Street Journal》","en":"The Wall Street Journal","entity_type":"organization","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":"《明镜 weekly》","en":"Der Spiegel","entity_type":"organization","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":" Xinhua News Agency","en":"Xinhua News Agency","entity_type":"organization","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":" CCTV","en":"CCTV","entity_type":"organization","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":" London","en":"London","entity_type":"location","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":" Plasma Physics","en":"Plasma Physics","entity_type":"technique","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":" Heavenly Ladder","en":"Sky Ladder","entity_type":"item","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":" Commander-in-Chief Chen","en":"Chief Commander Chen","entity_type":"person","gender":"male"},{"zh":" Professor Smith","en":"Professor Smith","entity_type":"person","gender":"male"}]}