158: Chapter 158 The Invisible Shield: The Combined Force Field Shield System
With the final combat logic for "Nuwa" finalized, another crucial piece of the puzzle for Lin Mo's "plan" fell into place. Faced with an enemy of mysterious technology like "the piercer," the sharpness of North Heaven Gate's blade was important, but the ability to survive the enemy's first wave—or even an unexpected strike—was the keystone upon which all tactics were built.
Just as he was preparing to further review the details of the defensive deployment for "soaring heavens" in the proposal, the laboratory's communication alert sounded again. This time it was sent by Old Chen himself, his tone carrying a hint of irrepressible excitement and urgency.
"Lin Mo, come to the 'Taiji' test site immediately! The full-scale prototype of the Joint Force Field Shield System is about to begin its first real-world simulation test! The results could directly affect the final configuration of the 'plan'!"
The Joint Force Field Shield System!
Lin Mo's eyes sharpened. This was another core technology within the "North Heaven Gate Project," standing alongside the "zhurong engine" as one of the two major keystones. Its theory originated from reverse-engineering the energy deflection characteristics of the "reaper" probe wreckage, combined with the basic principles of the [Electromagnetic-Graviton Composite Force Field] that Lin Mo had redeemed from the system. It was designed to provide a dual "energy-space" shield for future aerospace warships and even fixed bases, capable of simultaneously resisting kinetic impacts and high-energy particle radiation.
In theory, it was beautiful, but the engineering difficulty was extremely high. Especially the task of miniaturizing it and integrating it onto active ships like "soaring heavens" was a massive challenge under such tight time constraints. He hadn't expected the prototype to be ready for real-world testing so soon.
Without hesitation, Lin Mo set off immediately.
The "Taiji" test site was located within an independent crater far from the core area of the "Guanghan Palace" base. It had been transformed into an ultra-large vacuum environment laboratory, filled with various energy generation devices, high-speed camera arrays, and precision field-effect detectors.
When Lin Mo arrived at the observation console, Old Chen and over a dozen lead scientists and engineers from the project were already gathered behind the thick, multi-layered transparent observation windows. Everyone's eyes were focused on the center of the test site.
There, a silver-gray cylinder about fifty meters long and fifteen meters in diameter was suspended—this was the full-scale prototype of the "Joint Force Field Shield System." Its external design already considered compatibility for future integration with the dorsal or ventral sections of "soaring heavens" class carriers. Several kilometers in front of it, several devices simulating enemy attacks were deployed: a modified, reduced-power experimental "Thunder Department" particle cannon, and a set of electromagnetic railguns capable of firing ultra-high-speed metal slugs.
"Consultant Lin, you're here!" The project lead was a senior physicist surnamed Zhao. He reported to Lin Mo at a rapid-fire pace, "The prototype integrates the 'Graviton Field Generation Matrix' you provided and the 'Non-linear Energy Deflection Layer' technology we decoded from the wreckage. After over three million iterative simulations by 'system,' we found a theoretical parameter range where the composite field can remain stable for at least thirty seconds. This test is to verify its performance against real energy and kinetic attacks, especially its instantaneous overload capacity and field self-stabilization characteristics."
"Test procedure?" Lin Mo asked succinctly.
"Three steps. First, a 30% power particle beam irradiation to test energy deflection and absorption efficiency. Second, full-power kinetic slug impact to test the spatial distortion buffering effect. Third, and most critical," Dr. Zhao paused, his voice tightening slightly, "simulating the 'Spatial Shear' effect attack that 'the piercer' might possess based on principles unknown to us. We'll use highly unstable high-frequency spatial field disturbances derived from the 'beacon' signal harmonics to strike it, testing the shield's 'structural resilience' and collapse threshold."
"Spatial Shear" simulation... Lin Mo's heart sank slightly. This was indeed a consideration based on the worst-case scenario. If "the piercer" truly mastered a technology that directly distorted or tore the structure of space as a means of attack, then traditional energy or physical shields would be rendered useless.
"Begin," Lin Mo ordered.
The atmosphere in the control room suddenly froze. Dr. Zhao took a deep breath and issued the command into the microphone: "'Taiji' test site, first real-world combat test of the Combined Force Field Shield prototype, step one, initiate! Particle cannon, 30% power, target: center of the shield's front face, irradiation time: 1.5 seconds!"
The silent command was transmitted through the vacuum.
The muzzle of the distant experimental particle cannon lit up with a faint blue glow. Immediately, a high-energy particle stream—weakened but still blinding—shot out, cutting through the darkness and slamming into the seemingly empty area in front of the prototype!
At the very instant the particle stream was about to hit—
Buzz!
A low, strange resonance sounded, appearing to act directly on the consciousness. It wasn't transmitted through the air, but was a direct perception triggered by some field effect. The complex and precise coils and nodes on the prototype's surface suddenly lit up with a pale golden flowing light. Then, about a hundred meters in front of it, space seemed to undergo a visual "lag" and "deflection."
The particle stream, powerful enough to instantly vaporize several meters of homogeneous steel plate, slowed down in a way visible to the naked eye after entering that "lag" zone. The bright beam was like it had crashed into a layer of extremely viscous invisible gel; it was forcibly "bent," splitting into dozens of thinner streams that slid away along distorted trajectories on both sides of the prototype, finally vanishing into the distant darkness. Only a tiny fraction of energy penetrated the deflection field and struck the prototype's thickened physical armor, leaving only a negligible scorch mark.
Observation data refreshed frantically.
"Deflection efficiency: 89.7%! Energy absorption/dissipation: 9.8%! Penetration rate: 0.5%! In-field distortion rate: below safety threshold! Step one of the test, passed perfectly!" The monitor's voice carried wild joy.
A wave of suppressed cheering broke out in the control room. The success of the first step proved the correctness of the energy deflection theory; this was already an effect that traditional energy shields could only dream of.
"Step two, kinetic slugs, launch at full speed!" Dr. Zhao's voice also rose in pitch.
A flash of fire erupted from the electromagnetic railgun (the propellant flare). A specially made alloy slug, traveling at over fifteen kilometers per second, shot toward the prototype on a nearly straight trajectory, carrying terrifying kinetic energy!
This time, the pale golden light of the force field became even more pronounced. That "lag" zone seemed to transform into an invisible, elastic "spatial airbag." The slug crashed into it at a horrifying speed—
A bizarre scene unfolded! The slug did not produce a loud bang or fragments as if hitting a solid shield (there is no sound in a vacuum anyway). Its velocity decreased exponentially upon entering the force field's range, as if gripped tightly by an invisible giant hand. Simultaneously, its forward trajectory underwent a violent, non-linear distortion, as if falling into an invisible vortex. Ultimately, this slug, capable of piercing a small asteroid, was forcibly "twisted" off course by that distorted spatial force, flying past the edge of the prototype into the endless deep space. Its remaining kinetic energy was less than five percent of the original!
"Kinetic buffering efficiency: 94.2%! Trajectory deflection angle: 47 degrees! Spatial curvature disturbance peak: within controllable range! No contact with physical armor! Step two of the test, success!" The monitor's reporting voice was already trembling slightly.
Two consecutive steps successful! This meant that this Joint Force Field Shield System could theoretically handle both the high-energy weapons and kinetic impacts that "the piercer" might possess simultaneously! The scientists and engineers in the control room excitedly slapped each other's shoulders, and Old Chen also showed a gratified smile.
But Lin Mo's brow did not fully relax. The first two steps North Heaven Gate tested were attack methods that humans already understood or could simulate. The true ordeal was in the third step.
"Initiate step three of the test: 'Spatial Shear' simulated attack." Lin Mo's voice rang out calmly, suppressing the excitement in the control room.
The atmosphere became heavy again. Dr. Zhao nodded solemnly and issued the command.
On the other side of the test site, a device with an even more complex structure, covered in strange coils and crystal arrays, was activated. It did not fire a visible energy beam or a physical slug, but on the monitoring screens, the readings representing background spatial gravitational perturbations and spacetime curvature began to jump violently and irregularly.
The space in front of the prototype began to show "ripples" and "folds" that were hard to detect with the naked eye but clearly captured by the instruments, as if countless irregular stones had been thrown into a calm water surface. These "ripples" did not carry massive energy or momentum, but they contained an unsettling "information" or "rule" capable of destroying the uniform structure of space itself.
The pale golden light of the force field suddenly became unstable, beginning to flicker and shake violently. The monitoring data emitted a piercing alarm:
"High-order spatial field disturbance detected! Frequency is chaotic! The composite field structure of the shield is under direct interference!"
"Graviton Field Generation Matrix output is fluctuating! Localized failure signs appearing in the non-linear deflection layer!"
"In-field distortion rate rising rapidly! 3%... 7%... 15%... Warning! Approaching theoretical collapse threshold!"
Everyone's hearts were in their throats. Was this "invisible shield," upon which so much hope was placed, still so fragile in the face of a true "rule-level" attack?
Just as the in-field distortion rate broke 20%, and the shield's light flickered as if it would go out at any moment—
At the core of the prototype, a set of dark red coils that had previously been dormant suddenly lit up! A completely different, deeper, and heavier field effect spread out, quickly merging with the original pale golden force field.
It wasn't a confrontation, nor was it a deflection; it was more like a "smoothing" and "assimilation."
The violently fluctuating spatial ripples, upon contact with this newly born composite field of interwoven dark red and pale gold, were like a raging beast injected with a sedative. Their chaotic frequency was forcibly "incorporated" into some more macroscopic and stable field oscillation rhythm. Although it couldn't completely eliminate the disturbance, it successfully "tamed" it, causing its destructive power to be vastly diluted and dispersed across the entire shield field rather than being concentrated on a single point for a breakthrough.
"New 'Field Structure Stabilization Anchor' is in effect!" Dr. Zhao almost roared, "Fusion successful! In-field distortion rate beginning to fall! 18%... 12%... 8%... stabilized around 5%! Main shield structure maintained! Step three of the test... held firm!"
The control room was silent for a moment, then erupted into cheers even more enthusiastic and filled with the excitement of a narrow escape than before! Many people had tears in their eyes. They held! Facing the theoretically most difficult spatial structure attack, their shield had withstood it!
Lin Mo looked at the stabilized data on the screen and the prototype that was still shining with light, slowly exhaling a long breath. He looked at Dr. Zhao: "The 'Field Structure Stabilization Anchor'—is it a new result of reverse engineering?"
"Yes, and no," Dr. Zhao said excitedly, wiping sweat from his forehead. "We analyzed the spacetime disturbance principles that 'the piercer' might rely on, but the key technical path was found by 'system' under your initial framework, combined with the ultra-high-speed trial and error of the 'Mozi' quantum network—a path of 'using fields to control fields.' It can't completely immunize against high-order spatial attacks, but it can greatly improve the shield's 'structural resilience,' buying crucial reaction time for the ship!"
"That's enough." Lin Mo nodded, his eyes flashing with sharp light. "On the interstellar battlefield, sometimes holding on for one more second means the difference between life and death, the emergence of an opportunity to counterattack."
He turned to look at Old Chen, his tone decisive: "Old Chen, immediately send all the data from the 'Taiji' test site, especially the fusion parameter package for the 'Field Structure Stabilization Anchor,' via the highest priority quantum link to Captain Long Zhantian of 'soaring heavens' and the 'Nuwa' AI! Order the 'Guanghan Palace' industrial zone to use the 'Limit Burn' protocol standards at all costs to immediately install an emergency adaptation version of this Joint Force Field Shield System once 'soaring heavens' completes its existing modifications! Even if it can only cover 60% of the key parts of the hull, even if it can only run at full power for ten minutes, it must be installed!"
"Understood!" Old Chen nodded heavily and immediately set about making arrangements.
Lin Mo looked back at the prototype floating quietly in the test site, which had just withstood a severe test. The force field light of interwoven pale gold and dark red had not yet completely faded. Against the cold lunar background, it was like a tiny but stubbornly unquenchable flame.
"The shield is forged," he whispered to himself, as if speaking through the void to that cold entity that was approaching. "Now, it's time for your 'greetings' to bump into this 'wall' forged by human civilization itself."
The invisible shield was forged on the far side of the moon.