119: Chapter 119 Climax: On the far side of the moon, gazing up at the deep sky
The excitement from the successful maiden voyage of the "Yue Suo - 001" had not yet dissipated. Inside the "Guanghan Palace" base, another larger and even more critical system—the "Thousand-Mile Eye Plan" planetary-level quantum deep space detection array—had finally been fully integrated into the "Fuxi" computing network after months of intense construction and debugging, entering a state of full-power operation.
The core of the array was the enhanced version of the "Quantum Long-Distance Sensor" that Lin Mo had designed himself, located on the towering observation tower at the edge of the base. At this moment, it was no longer fighting alone; it was working in synergy with several auxiliary nodes deployed at other key locations on the moon, and even on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and in the depths of the South China Sea on Earth, forming an invisible, massive detection network whose perception range covered the entire "Solar System".
Inside the array control center, the atmosphere was solemn and grave. Zhao Xiaopeng, Dr. Liu Xin, and the team of scientists responsible for the "Thousand-Mile Eye Plan" project were gathered here. Everyone's eyes were focused on the massive stream of raw data from the various nodes of the array that was constantly refreshing on the main control screen.
"Initiate full-band scanning, focusing on monitoring the 'Oort Cloud' 'beacon' signal source area and the surrounding airspace." Zhao Xiaopeng ordered in a deep voice.
The order was instantly transmitted via the "network". The invisible web of quantum perception, with unprecedented precision and sensitivity, spread toward the edge of the "Solar System", like countless bright lamps cast into the dark deep sea.
The "Fuxi" computing power was pushed to the limit, processing this torrent of data that far exceeded any previous period in real-time. On the screen, the chaotic ripples representing background noise were quickly filtered out, and the extremely weak information hidden beneath the cosmic microwave background radiation began to be extracted, amplified, and analyzed one by one.
Time passed minute by minute. Suddenly, the analyst responsible for monitoring a specific frequency band raised their voice sharply:
"Report! Detected regular pulse enhancement in the intensity of the target signal source! The pattern... is completely different from when it was passively received before!"
"Confirming signal source coordinates... They coincide with the location of the huge outline first detected by the 'Quantum Long-Distance Sensor'!"
"Wait! The 'fuxi' is comparing historical data... An anomaly has been discovered! The signal source... the signal source is moving! It is breaking away from its original orbit!"
This news was like a thunderclap, exploding in the control center!
"What? Moving?!" Zhao Xiaopeng strode to the main console, staring fixedly at the screen.
On the screen, the light spot representing the "beacon" signal source was moving along a clear trajectory highlighted by the "Fuxi"—slowly but with abnormal determination, and continuously accelerating—straight toward the interior of the "Solar System"!
Its course was not aimless; it was precisely aimed at the inner side of the "Kuiper Belt" and was following an optimized path that utilized the gravity of multiple massive celestial bodies to accelerate. Its final calculated intersection point... pointed directly at the inner "Solar System", pointing directly at that region that included Earth, the region that nurtured life!
"The 'reaper'... it has accelerated! It is coming!" Dr. Liu Xin's voice trembled slightly, but it was more of a cold determination after verifying her guess.
The "Fuxi", based on the latest orbital data, quickly updated the estimated time:
[Based on current acceleration and orbital models, the time window for the target to reach the inner side of the "Kuiper Belt" is revised to: two to six years. The time window for reaching the threat range of near-Earth space is revised to: four to eight years.]
Time had been drastically compressed once again!
The control center was silent, save for the faint hum of equipment and the heavy breathing of the people. That distant threat, which had once been just a concept and a signal, had now transformed into a moving shadow in the starry sky, constantly approaching with clear malice.
Zhao Xiaopeng slowly raised his head, looking through the huge observation window of the control room at the deep, boundless starry sky. The stars were dotted, quiet and eternal, but at this moment in his eyes, it seemed as if a giant beast was waking up in that deep darkness, ready to choose someone to devour.
He connected to the quantum communication with Earth and the "Zhulong" safe house, his voice hoarse and heavy:
"Command Center, Engineer Lin... 'Thousand-Mile Eye Plan' confirmed. The 'reaper'... is not a stationary lighthouse. It is a... warship that has already set sail. Its course... is us."
As the news spread, the Earth Command Center was instantly enveloped in a huge sense of crisis. Old Chen looked at the approaching trajectory, speechless for a long time.
Inside the "Zhulong" safe house, Lin Mo watched the synchronized data and that glaring trajectory, while the blood-red warnings on the system interface flashed continuously.
[Warning! Confirmed that the "reaper" is an entity unit with maneuvering capabilities, threat level increased! Main mission "Deep Space Eye" phase completed. New phase mission "Civilization Barrier" activation in preparation...]
Lin Mo took a deep breath, withdrew his gaze from the star map, and let it fall on the "Guanghan Palace" base and the port that was accelerating its expansion.
On the far side of the moon, they had built a home and lit a lighthouse.
And now, the light of the lighthouse had illuminated the approaching fangs in the darkness.