120: Chapter 120 The Outpost and Fortress of Civilization
The cold reality confirmed by the "Thousand-Mile Eye Plan" array—the 'reaper' is a warship accelerating as it approaches, its spearhead pointed directly at the core of the "Solar System"—was like a basin of ice water, instantly tempering the enthusiasm across the Dragon Country, stirred by the completion of "Guanghan Palace" and the maiden flight of the "Moon Shuttle," into steel-like determination and gravity.
Inside the "Supreme Command Headquarters," the atmosphere was unprecedentedly solemn.
Elder Li stared at the trajectory on the star map that kept extending, biting in like a venomous snake, his voice low but carrying unquestionable power:
"Comrades, 'Guanghan Palace' can no longer be just an outpost for us to explore deep space.
From this moment on, it must become the first line of defense protecting our civilization, an impregnable interstellar fortress!
It must be able to stand firm in the storms that may come in the future and deal a head-on blow to the invading enemy!"
Orders, accompanied by an unprecedented allocation of resources, arrived at the moon once again.
This time, the carrier rockets did not unload scientific instruments or daily supplies, but rather full-scale defensive system modules, core components for large energy weapons, and special armor plating for reinforcing the base structure.
The construction focus of "Guanghan Palace" shifted instantly.
In the port area, the shipyards originally used for civilian spacecraft maintenance began undergoing reinforcement and renovation to accommodate the aerospace warships that might be stationed here in the future.
The "Nuwa" platform ceased production of non-essential structures and operated at full capacity, beginning to print semi-buried foundations on key high points and potential attack axes around the base perimeter; these were the bases reserved for large plasma turrets and vertical missile launch units.
The base's existing structures were also undergoing an "armor-plating" upgrade.
Heavy composite armor plates were installed on the outer walls of the core modules, and the quantum communication array and energy core were prioritized for protection.
A patrol team composed of engineering robots and intelligent defensive drones was organized, patrolling the area around the base twenty-four hours a day without interruption.
The entire "Guanghan Palace" base was like a prehistoric beast donning armor and sharpening its weapons, silently baring its fangs and claws on the silent far side of the moon.
Just in this tense atmosphere of war readiness, Elder Chen's quantum communication request connected to the "Zhulong" safe house.
His holographic image appeared before Lin Mo, his face showing the exhaustion of a long journey, but his eyes were more determined than ever before.
"Lin Mo," Elder Chen said, getting straight to the point with a grave tone, "You are already clear on the situation.
The sinews and bones of 'Guanghan Palace' are being polished, but it still needs a 'spear' and a 'shield' capable of defending against enemies from billions of miles away.
We need a planetary defense weapon system in the true sense, one that can be deployed on the moon or even in Earth's orbit.
This system must be capable of forming an effective deterrent or even interception against threats at the level of the 'reaper'."
He looked at Lin Mo with burning eyes: "This mission concerns the survival of our civilization; the technical span is immense, and the difficulty is beyond imagination.
But apart from you, we cannot think of anyone else who can take on this heavy responsibility.
We need your wisdom to light the way forward for us once again."
Almost as soon as Elder Chen's voice fell, the system interface in Lin Mo's mind arrived as scheduled, emitting a deep, mysterious light:
【Civilization defense requirements upgrade detected. Main quest updated!】
【Quest Name: Casting Stars into a Shield.】
【Quest Requirements: Design a prototype of a "Guanghan Palace" base planetary defense weapon system with combat capability. The system must include at least one long-range interception/attack weapon and supporting energy, detection, and fire control units.】
【Quest Rewards: Points × 80000, unlock 【Planetary-level Directed Energy Weapon Theory】 and 【Large Energy Shield Technology Foundation】.】
【Failure Penalty: Civilization defense capability severely insufficient, survival probability significantly reduced.】
【Time Limit: Based on the worst-case scenario of the "reaper" reaching the threat range, remaining time: 3 years.】
Three years to design a defense system capable of countering an interstellar warship!
The pressure was like a mountain, but Lin Mo's eyes did not waver in the slightest.
He met Elder Chen's expectant gaze and nodded slowly, his voice calm yet carrying the weight of ten thousand tons:
"I understand. This outpost must become a fortress that no enemy dares to cross. Leave this 'shield' and 'spear' to me."
The communication ended.
Lin Mo stood alone in the safe house, the holographic workbench lighting up before him; countless knowledge modules regarding energy weapons, particle beams, gravity manipulation, ultra-long-distance sensing, and material limits swirled and collided in his consciousness.
He cast his gaze once again toward the approaching shadow on the star map, but this time, his eyes were not just grave; they burned with the scorching flame of a creator and a guardian.