251: Chapter 251 The Ascension Star is Devoured

As more and more people inside the venue gradually began to agree with the new order proposed by Jiang Chen, Tie Zhu, who was outside the venue, had already sorted out its thoughts.

It was just about to return to the venue when it suddenly received a top-secret, highest-priority message from the Lunar Base.

"View!" It opened the message in its mind.

It turned out to be from the Lunar Base's celestial observatory, 'Zhan Tian'.

This celestial observatory at the Lunar Base was established over thirty years ago and was located in a crater on the moon. Its main function was to observe the trajectories of various celestial bodies in the Solar System, the Milky Way Galaxy, and even the entire visible universe.

Many years ago, humanity had observed gravitational waves. The whole world was in an uproar.

Later, after Zhan Tian was established, it observed many celestial phenomena, such as gravitational waves, stellar explosions, and galactic mergers, making significant contributions to human research.

The only problem was that the distances were too great; some things could only serve as auxiliary data and could not be truly experimented upon.

[Lunar East Eighth District time, 11:13:40, the Zhan Tian observatory observed a planet suddenly disappear, suspected to have been devoured by a black hole.] The message was very brief.

At first, Tie Zhu didn't see the underlying mystery.

Because there are many invisible black holes in the Milky Way Galaxy, and they often devour planets. They had observed this before, but the distances were always very far, often hundreds of light-years away, having nothing to do with the entire Solar System.

However!

After Tie Zhu opened the information about this planet, it immediately initiated an emergency analysis.

Because this planet was called Ascension Star, and it was only four light-years away from Earth.

In other words, it would only take light four years to get there.

Although the fastest Matter-Antimatter Annihilation Engine of humanity could only reach one percent of the speed of light at full acceleration, if it really went full throttle, four hundred years would be enough.

"Four hundred years!"

"With the current lifespans of many humans, this long wait is really going to be a stretch."

Tie Zhu just did a quick calculation, and its entire CPU suddenly started to heat up.

Ascension Star, as an extrasolar planet very close to Earth, was, to date, the planet that humanity had discovered that was most likely to have extraterrestrial life.

Although the Lighthouse had disappeared fifty years ago, many researchers were still worried about the other side, wondering if they would kill their way back one day.

Tie Zhu hurried to the venue and signaled to Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen let the others continue discussing the details of the new order, then walked outside the venue and chuckled.

"What's wrong, Tie Zhu? Is the maintenance finished?"

Tie Zhu said, "One piece of good news, one piece of bad news."

"Let's hear the good news first," Jiang Chen said with a smile. This Tie Zhu had actually learned how to keep people in suspense; its learning of human experience was quite good.

Tie Zhu replied with a serious face, "Ascension Star is gone. Humanity doesn't need to worry about the Lizard Queen bringing Ascension Star back to attack us anymore."

"Ascension Star?" This long-forgotten planet suddenly surfaced in Jiang Chen's mind.

Fifty years ago, according to the fragmented information left behind by the alien base in the Arctic Circle's Zone 51, this Ascension Star was the planet the Lizard Queen had fled to.

At the time, Jiang Chen had calculated that this distance of four light-years was indeed quite close.

If the technological level of Ascension Star was truly far beyond Earth's, it probably wouldn't take fifty years for them to come back and attack.

However, fifty years had passed, and there had been no movement from Ascension Star. Until now.

Tie Zhu suddenly told Jiang Chen that Ascension Star had truly ascended.

Jiang Chen didn't quite react in time; he looked at Tie Zhu suspiciously, "Tie Zhu, the bad news isn't that you've malfunctioned, is it?"

"No. Take a look at this video. It was just sent over from the Zhan Tian observatory. Since many of the personnel at these observatories are mechs, I am mainly responsible for them. This is first-hand information; Zhao Yinhu doesn't know yet."

As one of the twelve elders of the Dragon Emblem, in theory, it should have reported to the Dragon Emblem first and told Zhao Yinhu. But at this moment, it still chose to tell Jiang Chen first.

Jiang Chen looked toward the screen emerging from Tie Zhu's chest, which displayed a scene of the starry sky.

In this stretch of the starry sky, there was a planet marked by visible light. In just a few seconds, that cinnabar-red planet was suddenly stretched into an oblate sphere, then turned into a stream of red fluid, and disappeared into the black void.

And in that black void, although nothing could be seen, the data showed that the mass at that location was terrifyingly abnormal, enough to tear the entire Solar System apart.

After watching those few seconds of footage, Jiang Chen also furrowed his brows.

This was indeed the data video sent over by the Lunar Base's Zhan Tian observatory a few minutes ago.

If Ascension Star had truly ascended, it was indeed good news for humanity at the moment.

This meant that the Lighthouse was homeless, and Ascension Star would not be coming to attack. This was good news.

The only problem was: what could directly devour Ascension Star?

If that thing could devour Ascension Star, it could naturally devour the Solar System as well.

Tie Zhu continued to answer, "According to the data from the Zhan Tian observatory, there is a 99% probability that it was devoured by a black hole. Because its disappearance was very brief and caused no ripples, it could only have been pulled apart into information fragments by an invisible black hole."

"Therefore, the Solar System might also be facing the end of the world."

The end of the world?

Jiang Chen pondered for a moment. The Solar System was currently rotating at high speed on the left spiral arm of the Milky Way Galaxy, and the direction of its rotation was exactly toward that part of the starry sky where Ascension Star was. Once the Solar System entered that part of the starry sky, its fate would naturally be the same as Ascension Star's.

"Calculating at one percent of the speed of light, it would still take us four hundred years to reach that star system where Ascension Star was. We should have enough time," Jiang Chen calculated simply.

Currently, the fastest thing humanity has is the Matter-Antimatter Annihilation Engine, which is about one percent of the speed of light, and it would also take four hundred years to reach that position.

However! Fortunately, the orbital speed of the entire Solar System is not one percent of the speed of light, but 220 kilometers per second. This speed is still very slow compared to the speed of light, and it would take over a thousand years to reach that starry region. In a thousand years, humanity can make full preparations.

"It is far from a thousand years," Tie Zhu was obviously better at mental calculation.

It shook its head and said, "This was observed today, at a distance of four light-years. That means the light from the other side traveled for four years before reaching us. Ascension Star has already been devoured for four years."

"Additionally, although the orbital speed of the entire Solar System is only 220 kilometers per second, it is moving clockwise around the Milky Way Galaxy, while the trajectory of Ascension Star was counter-clockwise!"

"The two are rushing toward each other head-on."

"In other words, the four-light-year distance between Earth and Ascension Star was just a rough estimate from over fifty years ago. Now that fifty years have passed, given the movement speeds of Ascension Star and the Solar System itself, the distance is no longer four light-years."

"Moreover, the black hole is not stationary either. What if the black hole's direction of movement happens to be rushing toward us as well..."

"Finally, the black hole's size is not small; it might destroy the entire Solar System before it even gets close."

"In short, according to the current trajectory, there is definitely not a thousand years left."

"Roughly estimated, it's only five or six hundred years."

"Before that, either humanity leaves the Solar System, or someone goes and moves this black hole away."

Tie Zhu analyzed, predicted, and gave an answer.

Move the black hole away?

Jiang Chen's mouth twitched.

For humanity right now, it's a relationship of a mouse and a cat when it comes to black holes. Moving a black hole away is no different than a mouse tying a hundred bells to a cat.

"You go and move it then?" Jiang Chen said irritably.

Move a black hole, indeed. It's hard enough to move the Lunar Base, let alone a black hole.

Even Kuafu only forged the divine hairpin near neutron stars and black holes; I've never heard of a lifeform of his mythical level being able to move a black hole.

I am currently just an ordinary Level 4 Lifeform. How could I possibly move a black hole?

Tie Zhu laughed, "Isn't there still five or six hundred years? I predict that in five or six hundred years, you will become a Black Hole Warrior."

"Thanks for that, I really appreciate it."

Jiang Chen paced back and forth for a while.

Should this matter be made public, or should it be researched in secret?

After a while, he still hadn't figured it out.

If made public, it might cause panic, and humanity would collectively fall into a dejected atmosphere.

If researched in secret, although feasible, he had just proposed the ten core principles of the new order, one of which was to discuss the reasonable allocation of resources. If he researched it in secret, without resources, how could he do the research?

Just as Jiang Chen was struggling with his decision, Xia Zhongxun walked out.

He said happily, "Jiang Chen, everyone has started signing their names, and Xu Qingxue has also notified the Xu Family Faction. It looks like they intend to join this new order."

Looking at Dean Xia's happy appearance, Jiang Chen couldn't bear to dampen his spirits. But he still truthfully said, "Dean Xia, one piece of good news, one piece of good news."

"What?"

"Ascension Star is gone."

Jiang Chen said. Upon hearing this, Xia Zhongxun was naturally full of joy. He asked, "This is wonderful news. I had always been worried about whether that Lighthouse would bring Ascension Star back to attack... By the way, what is the bad news?"

"The bad news is that Ascension Star is suspected to have been devoured by a black hole. This black hole might be very close to us. It is estimated that in about five or six hundred years, the Solar System will disintegrate."

After Jiang Chen finished speaking, Xia Zhongxun was stunned for a moment. However, after reading the information provided by Tie Zhu, his expression immediately became grave. This was the Zhan Tian observatory, one of the highest-level technological departments of the Lunar Base.

"Five or six hundred years... In other words, in my lifetime, I might see the Solar System turn to ashes?" Xia Zhongxun muttered to himself.

Black holes are currently the most incredible type of celestial body in the entire universe. They are almost an unsolvable existence. Any galaxy that encounters this thing is doomed. He never expected that the Solar System, such a remote galaxy, could actually encounter such a black hole on its path of movement.

"Is heaven trying to destroy the Solar System?" Xia Zhongxun couldn't help but sigh deeply.

Since its birth, the Solar System has run many laps around the Milky Way Galaxy. But after so many laps, it had never encountered a black hole. To encounter one this time... It can only mean that this black hole ran over from another star region and just happened to land on the Solar System's current trajectory. It truly is a disaster from the heavens.

"If only we could change the Solar System's trajectory," Tie Zhu couldn't help but mutter.

"Change the Solar System's orbital trajectory? Very good, this plan is much better than moving the black hole away just now," Jiang Chen couldn't help but smile.

It is almost impossible to move a black hole, but it is possible to change the Solar System's trajectory. For example, Kuafu chasing the sun; didn't he once chase away the sun with a slap?

Xia Zhongxun's eyes lit up, and he chimed in, "If we can't change the Solar System's trajectory, we can change Earth's trajectory. As long as we work together and give Earth a push..."

"How about calling this plan, The Wandering Earth?" Tie Zhu asked.

"..."

Jiang Chen smiled bitterly. These two really have wild imaginations.

He said, "If Earth wanders, what about the Moon? What about Mars? Wander together? How much thrust would that take? Even if Tie Zhu took all the mechs to push, there wouldn't be enough power."

Jiang Chen shook his head.

The Solar System is an integrated structure, containing the eight major planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Between Mars and Jupiter, there is also a large asteroid belt that can block incoming debris and comets. Once Earth, the Moon, and Mars are pushed out of the Solar System, they might be torn into fragments or riddled with holes by other galaxies before they've gone very far. Just wandering with Earth is already dangerous enough. And to bring along two little babies, the Moon and Mars? That definitely won't go far.

"Then what do we do?" Xia Zhongxun and Tie Zhu looked at each other.

"I don't know, so I intend to make it public," Jiang Chen said.

He could neither move the black hole nor push the Solar System, and The Wandering Earth had an extremely high mortality rate. He could only let all of humanity decide together.

"You go and announce it," Tie Zhu and Xia Zhongxun both looked at Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen took a deep breath and looked at Tie Zhu, "Fine, I'll announce it, but you get everything ready... By the way, don't make a mistake this time. If your bikini appears again, I'm really sending you back to the repair shop."

"It was Cuihua's," Tie Zhu corrected.

"..."

Jiang Chen returned to the venue. The scene had quieted down. Although Xu Qingxue was still somewhat unwilling, most people had already signed the new order agreement. After notifying the people in her family, she had no choice but to sign.

Jiang Chen arrived at the podium. He looked around the audience. He picked up a printed copy of the new order agreement and said, "This new order agreement... might need to be redrafted."

As soon as these words were spoken, the audience was stunned. They had been discussing this for so long, why did it need to be redrafted again? Did Jiang Chen intend to add more layers of requirements? Thinking of this, everyone's expressions were not good. They had already conceded enough; why did it still need to be modified? Especially Xu Qingxue, who was the most unconvinced. She stood up and said loudly.

"Mr. Jiang, the new order was formulated by you, and so many people have already signed it. How can you propose a last-minute modification? Is this a joke!" She had already made huge concessions and could not concede anymore.

Jiang Chen shook his head, "It is not I who decided to modify it, but the black hole. To be precise, the Solar System might be about to collide with a black hole. This new order must be changed; otherwise, it is meaningless."

Human survival is the primary factor. Even allocation must take a back seat. After all, if there is no survival, even if allocation is fair, it is useless.

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was stunned and confused. Jiang Chen signaled to Tie Zhu. Tie Zhu nodded and directly projected into the void, playing the video information of Jiang Chen from back in the day, wearing large boxer shorts while lying on the deck of the pearl river 888, scrolling through TIK.

"Whoa!!!" The scene was once again in shock.

Jiang Chen looked at the strange-looking Dean Xia, "Dean Xia, how do I contact the repair shop at the Lunar Base?"

Soon, a communicator was handed over. Jiang Chen said into the communicator, "Hello, is this the Lunar Base repair shop? Send someone over quickly; you have a mech named Tie Zhu that is broken."