180: Chapter 180: A peaceful end? No, a storm is brewing!
After the signal for the emergency video conference was cut, only the low hum of instrument cooling fans remained in that top-secret conference room at the "Bright Dawn" base.
Lin Mo still stood before the massive star map, motionless, like a solidified sculpture. The scarlet harvest coordinates burned repeatedly in his eyes.
Elder Chen did not leave; the old man sat in his chair, his hands gripping the dragon head of his cane tightly, his knuckles turning white. He gazed at Lin Mo's youthful back, opened his mouth, wanting to say something comforting or encouraging, but found his throat dry. Any language seemed pale and powerless in the face of such a cold and cruel reality.
"Elder Chen," Lin Mo suddenly spoke, his voice surprisingly calm, "Does the 'system' have a more precise result for the conversion of that 'standard cycle'?"
"It is still ongoing." Elder Chen took a deep breath, struggling to keep his voice steady, "It involves the time benchmarks and cosmic constant cognition of different civilizations, making the conversion extremely complex. But the preliminary confidence interval shows... the lower limit might be less than two hundred years, the upper limit... not exceeding five hundred years. As for the vanguard of the 'Purifiers', the 'system' has performed deductions based on the space jump energy characteristics and possible maximum endurance of the 'Ripper', and in the worst-case scenario..."
"A few years. Perhaps even shorter." Lin Mo took over the conversation, turning around with no expression on his face, only cold flames dancing deep in his eyes, "We thought we won a battle, but in reality, we only received an ultimatum. And the buffer period for the ultimatum is pitifully short."
Elder Chen was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Lin Mo, the pressure is too great. The burden of the entire civilization..."
"The burden has always been there." Lin Mo walked to the console and pulled up the global real-time data monitoring interface. It displayed energy consumption indices of factories worldwide, the progress of newly built shipyards, the flow of material transport, the number of registrations for recruit training camps... All the curves began to climb at an almost steep angle after that meeting just now.
Fear is the best mobilization order. When survival becomes the only option, the efficiency and obedience that humanity erupts with are beyond imagination.
"They are afraid, but they are acting." Lin Mo pointed at the screen, "That is the key. What we need right now is not comfort, but a clear goal that everyone can understand and strive for, and an execution system that is efficient to the extreme."
He operated quickly, and a framework for a plan that had been brewing in his mind for a long time was projected out.
"First, the authority of the GDC (Global Defense Command Network) must be upgraded. It cannot just be a coordinating body; it must be the supreme wartime power center, possessing absolute command over all global strategic resources, industrial capacity, scientific research forces, and armed forces. We need a real 'Human Civilization Guardian Alliance' (GDA) entity government, even if it is only temporary."
Elder Chen frowned tightly, "This involves the transfer of sovereignty... Even in the face of life and death, the resistance will be enormous. The Pretty Country has just been reborn, its internal affairs are not yet fully integrated, and some other countries..."
"There is no time to bargain." Lin Mo's voice was resolute, "Either accept unified command and concentrate our strength to accomplish big things, or wait to be crushed one by one by the 'Purifiers'. We can set up a representative council and distribute speaking rights based on contribution, but the chain of command must be singular, vertical, and efficient! You and the top leadership must push this matter forward. When necessary... you can disclose some non-core content of the 'beacon' information, letting the public's panic force the politicians' decisions."
Elder Chen looked at the unquestionable light in Lin Mo's eyes and finally nodded heavily. In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures are necessary.
"Second, the technological explosion must enter 'frenzied' mode." Lin Mo switched the screen, displaying several key technical directions derived from reverse engineering the wreckage of "the piercer": field-induced phase-change materials, energy frequency precision control, distributed computing for quantum networks, and the suspected principle of hyperspace jumping. "Establish special task force 'suicide squads', spare no cost, disregard casualties, and use the most radical methods to verify theories. All results must be converted into industrial standards and weapon blueprints immediately. We don't want perfect papers; we want gun barrels and shields that can be installed on warships!"
"Third, extreme industrial expansion." The screen turned into a Solar System star map, with key positions like the Moon, Mars orbit, and the asteroid belt highlighted. "Using 'Guanghan Palace' as a template, within one year, I want to see at least three space industrial bases of the same level go into production! Not enough raw materials? Dismantle asteroids! Not enough energy? Cover it with fusion arrays! Not enough manpower? Start automated robot production lines and remote operations! Our goal is not to defend, but to build a fleet that will make the 'Purifiers' feel a 'toothache' and a defense system that will make them bash their heads until they bleed before they arrive!"
Lin Mo's words were like war drums, beating one by one in Elder Chen's heart, and also seemingly passing through the walls, beating in the hearts of every core personnel in the base who was listening to this conversation.
"Fourth, and this is the most important point," Lin Mo's voice slowed down slightly, but became even heavier, "The 'Seed' plan must be launched immediately and elevated to the same priority as 'North Heaven Gate'."
Elder Chen looked up abruptly: "You mean... giving up a part of it?"
"No, it's a backup." Lin Mo pulled up a top-secret design, which was a strangely shaped spaceship resembling a giant seed. "Based on our existing fusion, ecological cycle, quantum communication, and gene bank technologies, we will design and build several 'Civilization Arks'. They will not participate in battle; they will only carry gene samples of human civilization, cultural databases, full-spectrum technology trees, and a small number of strictly screened crew members. Once the Solar System defense line collapses, they will use the space jump technology we might have mastered, even if it is immature, to escape to other regions in the Milky Way where habitable galaxies might exist. To leave... the last seed for humanity."
The conference room was terrifyingly quiet. This plan was so heavy, so heavy that it made people almost unable to breathe. It meant that the core decision-making level had already begun to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
But Elder Chen knew this was necessary coldness. Eggs cannot be put in one basket, especially when this basket is being placed under a guillotine.
"...Okay." The old man finally used all his strength to spit out one word.
Just at this moment, Lin Mo's personal terminal vibrated. It was a top-priority briefing sent by Su Xiaowan, containing only one line of text:
【GDC Emergency Notification: The Pretty Country Provisional Governing Committee, the European Union Parliament, the Polar Bear Country Supreme Duma, and 137 other major political entities have simultaneously submitted emergency authorization bills, agreeing in principle to establish the 'Human Civilization Guardian Alliance (GDA)' unified wartime command system. Detailed negotiations are expected to be completed within 48 hours.】
Below the message was a trending keyword chart scraped from global social media. Ranked first was #UniteToSurvive#. Second was #BelieveInGDA#. Third was #ForTheChildren#.
Fear is being converted into consensus and action at an astonishing speed.
Lin Mo looked at that line of text and the trend chart, remaining silent for a long time. He turned off the screen and walked to the window—although it was an underground base, the virtual exterior system simulated Earth's night sky, filled with stars, quiet and profound.
"Elder Chen, do you think that when we look up at the starry sky, how many civilizations on those stars have also struggled in despair like us after receiving the 'harvest notice'?" Lin Mo's voice was very soft, as if he were asking Elder Chen, or perhaps asking himself, asking this starry sky.
Elder Chen walked to his side, also looking at the virtual galaxy, his aged voice carrying a sense of vicissitudes and unyielding spirit that had seen through the world: "I don't know. But I think, at least some civilizations struggled to spark, and even... burned the scythe that reached out to them."
A faint, cold arc curled up on the corner of Lin Mo's mouth.
"Then let us be that spark that burns the scythe."
He pressed the communication key, and his calm and clear voice was transmitted to every neural center of the globe that was beginning to operate frantically:
"Notice to all GDC member states and institutions, the 'Firing Line' global mobilization order is now in effect."
"Repeat, 'Firing Line' order is in effect."
"From this moment on, human civilization enters—an absolute wartime state—fighting for survival."
"The storm is coming."
"And we will build high walls."
In the virtual starry sky, a meteor streaked across, trailing a brief and dazzling light, then disappeared into the boundless darkness.