26: Guanghan Palace

When the bizarre details of the "Cleaning Operation," which read like a scene from a surrealist film, landed on the desks of world leaders through various channels, their initial reaction was not anger or fear, but a silence bordering on cognitive dissonance.

Washington, The White House, the Oval Office.

US President Donald read the report marked "Top Secret" handed to him by the Secretary of Defense three times.

The report contained a few blurry thermal imaging frames captured by military reconnaissance satellites on the night of the incident, as well as a technical analysis derived from a secret on-site investigation conducted by Navy SEALs afterward.

"...So your conclusion is," the President said, looking up in a tone as if confirming whether he was dreaming, "that a commercial company, without using any conventional firepower, without causing any massive explosions, and without even being detected by any of our early warning systems, used a technology we cannot comprehend to annihilate an elite, well-equipped paramilitary force composed of hundreds of battle-hardened retired special forces soldiers overnight?"

The Secretary of Defense, a four-star general known as a hawk, currently wore the expression of an elementary school student who had just been lectured by a university professor.

"Yes, Mr. President." He nodded with difficulty. "Our experts analyze that the opposing side likely utilized a robot legion based on AI-coordinated combat. They possess absolute battlefield information superiority, perfect tactical execution, and a level of restraint that makes us feel uneasy."

"Restraint?"

"Yes, Mr. President," the CIA Director added from the side. "According to our simulation analysis of the scene, if those robots had wanted to, they could have turned every living thing on the island into a pulp within minutes. But they didn't. It was more like they were performing a precise surgical operation, excising only the cancer cells, and even deliberately sparing the life of the 'mastermind,' Marcus, and parading him in a highly humiliating manner."

"This is not war," the Secretary of Defense finally offered a conclusion that sent shivers down everyone's spine. "This is a warning—a meticulously planned and perfectly executed warning intended to demonstrate their absolute technological dominance. They are telling us in an unquestionable way: 'I can make anyone I find unpleasant disappear from this planet, anytime and anywhere, using methods you cannot understand and cannot defend against.'"

The President fell silent.

He leaned back in his chair, feeling for the first time that the power in his hands had become so illusory and fragile.

In the past, he could use aircraft carrier strike groups, economic sanctions, or overwhelming public opinion campaigns to deter any opponent.

But now, he was facing a "ghost" whose physical entity he couldn't even locate.

A ghost that might possess alien technology yet conducted itself with the style of a classic gangster.

"What does Dr. Thorne say?" he finally asked.

"Dr. Thorne's opinion is that we must immediately and unconditionally push forward with the dome project with all our might. She says we are currently like a group of Native Americans holding bows and arrows, and we at least need to ensure that before the real colonizers arrive, we learn how to use the 'musket' sent by the mysterious the guide," the CIA Director replied.

"...Fine, that's all she can say." President Donald's tone was filled with helplessness.

Beijing, a certain underground command center.

Academician Chen Haikang stared at the equally detailed report submitted by the Ministry of State Security on the screen, remaining silent for a long time.

"Old Liu, what do you think?" He finally turned to Professor Liu Zhaodong beside him.

A complex light of both excitement and concern flickered in Professor Liu Zhaodong's eyes.

"I see a signal, Old Chen," he said slowly. "A very clear signal. The modus operandi of Paradox Technology, or rather the the guide behind it, is completely different from the detached, high-level civilization I imagined."

"Oh?"

"Look," Professor Liu Zhaodong pointed to the details in the report. "It didn't use those energy weapons or space weapons that we can't understand. It used robots, electromagnetic suppression, orbital sniper rifles... These technologies exceed our own, but their underlying logic remains within the scope of physics that we can understand."

"And its behavioral pattern," Professor Liu Zhaodong's gaze deepened. "It didn't directly intervene in national politics; it didn't assassinate that jumping-jack Senator McConnell. It only cleaned up the thugs who directly took action. This shows that it abides by Earth's 'rules of the game.' It is powerful but does not abuse its power. It is more like a strict teacher who only wants to see results and doesn't care about the process."

"A teacher who would tie disobedient students to a flagpole to make an example of them?" Academician Chen Haikang made a rare, grim joke.

"Exactly." Professor Liu Zhaodong nodded. "And it seems very dissatisfied now with the fact that some of us students are delaying handing in our homework due to infighting."

Academician Chen Haikang fell into deep thought.

"You mean..."

"We must speed up, Old Chen." Professor Liu Zhaodong's voice became incredibly grave. "The teacher has already cleaned the classroom for us; we students cannot let him down again."

...

If the reaction of the high-level officials in China and the US was one of shock mixed with awe, then the reaction of various political entities among the public was one of fear mixed with farce.

The Earth Purity Faction, an organization that was once arrogant and unbridled, collapsed overnight.

When they saw their trump card—their armed forces—collectively "sent away" like a packaged takeout delivery, those politicians and celebrities who had once cheered for the organization scrambled to distance themselves from it as quickly as possible.

After announcing his resignation, John McConnell immediately flew to a small island in the South Pacific under the pretext of recuperation. It is said that his daily hobbies now are sea fishing and praying.

As for the energy giants and military-industrial complexes that had once funded the Earth Purity Faction, they immediately issued sincere public apologies, claiming they had been "deceived by ulterior political groups," and announced they would donate a massive sum to "space exploration efforts aimed at protecting the future of Earth" to make amends for their oversight.

The entire process was filled with black humor.

They perfectly demonstrated to the whole world what it meant to kneel faster than anyone else.

Meanwhile, on the internet, those netizens who used to mock Paradox Technology fell into a collective, fanatical movement of deification.

"I declare that from today on, I am a die-hard fan of Paradox Technology! This is just too cool!"

"What kind of commercial company is this? This is basically the real-life version of S.H.I.E.L.D.—no, it's way cooler than S.H.I.E.L.D.!"

"Did you see that photo of Marcus tied to the flagpole? I'm dying of laughter! I would call it the greatest performance art of 2027!"

"I used to think it was a waste for the government to spend so much money on space programs, but now I just want to say: Do it! Go for it hard! Our goal is the sea of stars!"

Overnight, Paradox Technology leaped from a mysterious commercial giant to become a totem bordering on a "god" in global internet culture.

It cleared the biggest obstacle in public opinion for the dome project in the most primitive, direct, and even slightly brutal way.

After all, when the gods have already made their stance clear through action, the opposition of mortals seems so insignificant.

...

In this global storm triggered by the "Cleaning Operation," perhaps the only place that remained calm and efficient was that base on the Moon.

In January 2028, after clearing all political and public opinion obstacles, the second phase of the dome project—manned lunar landing—officially commenced.

Wenchang, Hainan, Aerospace Launch Center.

A newly designed manned spacecraft named Queqiao stood quietly on the launch pad.

Beneath it was the Tiansuo heavy-lift launch vehicle, which had already executed dozens of launch missions and was technologically mature and reliable.

Inside the spacecraft, three astronauts from China and three astronauts from the United States were sitting side-by-side in the narrow cabin, performing final equipment checks.

This was the first time since the end of the Cold War, or perhaps in history, that the two countries were conducting a joint manned space mission.

Their mission was to become the first permanent residents of the lunar base, "Guanghan Palace Base."

They would be responsible for starting and managing the fully automated industrial equipment provided by Paradox Technology that had already been transported to the Moon in advance, laying the final cornerstone for the construction of the voyager starship.

"...All units, attention. T-minus one minute to launch!"

In the command hall, Academician Chen Haikang and Dr. Thorne, who had flown to Hainan specifically for this, stood side-by-side, watching the thrilling scene on the main screen together.

"... 10, 9, 8..."

"... 3, 2, 1, ignition!"

Accompanied by a deafening roar, the massive rocket trailed a long plume of fire, like a dragon from mythology.

It carried the hopes of Human Civilization and raced once again toward the Moon, which had been silent for over half a century.

Three days later, in the Sea of Tranquility region on the Moon, Guanghan Palace Base.

As the Queqiao spacecraft landed smoothly on the landing pad automatically leveled by construction robots, the entire command hall was once again engulfed in applause and cheers.

The six astronauts, wearing heavy spacesuits, descended the gangway one by one.

The ground they stepped onto was no longer the desolate, primitive land covered in lunar dust.

Before them, a silver-white base, filled with a futuristic sci-fi aesthetic, shone brilliantly under the light of Earth's azure glow.

The massive dome-style living quarters, the solar panel arrays resembling a forest of steel, and the spider-like Paradox Technology construction robots working in the distance...

All of this seemed to be declaring: Human Civilization has returned! And this time, we are no longer just visitors!

We will take root here and establish our first forward base as we head toward the sea of stars.

The six astronauts stood side by side in front of the base, facing their beautiful home planet, which looked like a blue gem in the distance, and slowly raised their right hands in a standard military salute.

Behind them, above the main entrance of the base, three flags hung side by side, unfolding silently in the Moon's microgravity environment.

They were the Stars and Stripes, the Five-Starred Red Flag, and the United Nations flag.

This moment was faithfully recorded by every television camera on Earth.

It became the most inspiring and significant snapshot of the turbulent year 2027.

The six astronauts entered the interior of the base, passing through the airlock one by one to remove their heavy, cumbersome spacesuits.

When they took their first breath of the precisely formulated air inside the base, which carried a faint scent of ozone, an indescribable sense of belonging welled up within them.

"Welcome home, everyone." The calm yet slightly emotional voice of Academician Chen Haikang came through the base's internal communication system.

"Even though we are 380,000 kilometers away from our true home."

The commander of the joint mission, a veteran Chinese astronaut named Li Zhenhua, looked at the futuristic interior space before him and transmitted this historic first-person footage back to Earth via the camera on his helmet.

The interior design of the base was simple, efficient, and filled with a modular industrial aesthetic.

On both sides of the main corridor were transparent observation windows, beyond which lay the Moon's desolate and magnificent gray plains, along with the eternally dark starry sky above.

Embedded in the walls of the corridor were various screens displaying critical data such as life support systems, energy reserves, and internal/external pressure differentials.

"This place is just like something pulled straight out of a sci-fi movie," exclaimed Jessica Ryan, a female astronaut from NASA, with genuine admiration.

She was an experienced engineer who had participated in multiple construction missions for the International Space Station.

Yet, everything before her still exceeded her imagination.

Throughout the interior of the base, one could hardly see any exposed piping or cluttered equipment.

All systems were perfectly integrated beneath the walls and floors.

On the floor, a few small cleaning robots glided silently by, clearing away every bit of tiny lunar dust that the astronauts had brought in on their spacesuits.

"Alright comrades, sightseeing time is over." Li Zhenhua clapped his hands to draw everyone's attention back. "According to protocol, we need to manually activate several key core modules to ensure we have the highest level of manual control over this intelligent base."

This was a mandatory regulation from the dome project command headquarters.

Although the automated robots and AI management system provided by Paradox Technology had demonstrated unparalleled reliability, no decision-maker could accept handing over the lifeline of humanity's only stronghold on an alien planet entirely to an AI that could not be fully understood.

Humanity must hold the final power-off button.

Their first target was the Ecological Cycle and Life Support Center located at the very bottom of the base—the "Endless Life" module.

When they arrived at the area by elevator, they were once again shocked by the scene before them.

This did not look like a cold industrial facility; it was more like a tropical botanical garden transported to the Moon.

Beneath a massive dome made of reinforced glass lay a vibrant world of green.

Spirulina, genetically edited with the "white flower" technology, bubbled finely in massive culture columns; they would be responsible for absorbing the carbon dioxide exhaled by the astronauts and producing the vast majority of the oxygen needed by the base.

Various vegetables and fruits grew on hydroponic racks—tomatoes, lettuce, rice, potatoes... and even a few dwarf apple trees laden with fruit.

"My God... is this really the Moon?" Jessica could hardly believe her eyes.

"It is said that these are products of the latest generation of targeted gene-editing technology provided by Paradox Technology," explained another astronaut who held the title of biology professor. "These plants not only have extremely short growth cycles and very low environmental requirements, but their photosynthetic efficiency is over five times that of similar plants on Earth. Together with the algae system and subsequent regeneration systems, they form a closed-loop ecosystem with nearly 100% material recycling."

Li Zhenhua walked to the main console of the Ecological Center, followed the instructions in the manual, inserted his physical key into the slot, and entered a long, complex password.

"Guanghan Palace Base, Commander Li Zhenhua, requesting to take over the highest manual control authority of the "Endless Life" module."

"Authority verification in progress... Commander identity verified... Highest authority transferred."

Accompanied by the emotionless electronic voice of the main AI, a row of physical switches on the console that were originally gray instantly lit up with green indicator lights.

This meant that from this moment on, the astronauts could bypass the AI and directly manually control every valve, every water pump, and every plant growth lamp in this ecosystem.

They had mastered the most basic guarantee for their survival on this planet—air, water, and food.

Next, they came to the Energy Center.

The heart of this place was two small cold nuclear fusion reactors serving as backup power.

The real workhorse, however, was the massive solar panel array outside the base, resembling a forest of steel, along with the supporting ultra-large-capacity energy storage system also provided by Paradox Technology.

"According to the data provided by Paradox Technology," Jessica said, looking at the display screen in the energy storage center, her face filled with disbelief, "the energy storage density of this system is over fifty times that of our most advanced lithium batteries, and it can withstand the Moon's extreme temperature difference of nearly 300 degrees without any performance degradation. A fully charged system is enough to support the entire base in full operation throughout the month-long lunar night."

They followed the same procedure to manually take over authority.

When the physical switches in the Energy Center also lit up green, an unprecedented sense of security welled up in everyone's hearts.

When the six astronauts had completed the takeover of all core modules and returned to the main control hall, they saw a scene they would never forget for the rest of their lives.

Through the massive floor-to-ceiling observation window, on the vast open ground in the distance that had been leveled by construction robots, hundreds of large Paradox Technology construction robots were beginning the initial construction work for the voyager starship dock in a manner filled with rhythm and collaborative aesthetics.

The massive mechanical arms waved as elegantly as ballet dancers, precisely piecing together giant alloy keels made of [el-3 composite target material].

In the airless environment of the lunar surface, there was no noisy clamor, only the lunar dust kicked up by the movement of mechanical feet and the collision of materials.

A group of silent and efficient steel giants was building the first step toward the sea of stars for Human Civilization in the eternal silence of the Moon.

"Everyone," Li Zhenhua's voice rang in the ears of every astronaut through the internal communication, his voice filled with irrepressible excitement and heroism.

"Sixty years ago, Armstrong took a giant leap for mankind on the Moon."

"And today, we will press the accelerator for the entire Human Civilization!"