"Can we really land on Mars in three years?"
After turning off the live broadcast in the car, Zhang Beihai turned to David. David was currently holding a thick red book with a cover featuring somewhat chuunibyou-style slogans like "Blood for the Blood God! Skulls for the Skull Throne!" and "The Blood God cares not from whence the blood flows."
Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun, is the second smallest planet in the solar system after Mercury and one of the four terrestrial planets. In human history, Europe named it "Mars," signifying war and slaughter. In the East, it was called "Yinghuo" because it glowed like fire and its position and brightness shifted constantly.
With a diameter roughly half that of Earth, its surface is covered in a thick layer of iron oxide (hematite), giving it its red appearance. Current observations have confirmed vast ice caps at the poles and evidence of sub-surface water eruptions. Consequently, since entering civilized society, humanity has held beautiful fantasies about migrating to Mars.
"Do you think Mars is far from us?"
David, having just won a political victory, looked at his system panel as Warp points scrolled by rapidly.
[Name: David | Race: Human]
[Class: Psyker]
[Psionic Level: Manifest Grade 4 (1/40)]
[Skills: Psionic Precognition / Astral Projection / Electronic Demon (Scrap Code)]
[Equipment: Abominable Intelligence (Destroyed) / Polymorphine]
[Remaining Warp Salvage Attempts: 46]
David had discovered something: since his level increased, he could stack points for pulls. In short, there was now a "pity" system for ten-pulls and a "hard pity" for a hundred-pulls. It seemed he should show his face at the UN General Assembly more often to farm points.
"Two hundred million kilometers. On the scale of the solar system, it isn't that far," Zhang Beihai replied after a moment of reflection, speaking as a professional soldier trained in the Aerospace Force.
"Our country's recently launched 'Zhurong' Mars rover took off in July 2020 and completed its landing in May 2021. Exploring Mars is something entirely achievable within a human lifespan. My only concern is the technical aspect; three years is incredibly rushed for building an interstellar fleet capable of an expedition."
Zhang Beihai sighed. "Right now, the aerospace industry's leading figures are practically at each other's throats just debating whether to use propellant-based propulsion or propellant-less propulsion."
David's expression turned odd. He hadn't expected Zhang Beihai to be focusing on aerospace power systems this early. Your future assassination was indeed long-premeditated, David thought.
"Regardless of the method, getting a starship to Mars isn't difficult," David said, looking at the familiar Beijing streets passing by outside. Shi Qiang had helped him buy his first motorcycle at that shop back there. According to the news David found, Shi Qiang's son, Shi Xiaoming, had inevitably been imprisoned again in the Third Prison for violating the Anti-Escape Law and illegal fundraising.
Especially once the light-speed accelerators from the Singer civilization are installed, David added silently.
"Three years sounds short, but remember, we have technical support from the US and the EU, plus the procurement rights for domestic space components. All the UN needs to do is draw the ideal blueprints based on Western experts' advice, send them for domestic review and improvement to turn them into reality, and then complete the assembly themselves."
"True." Zhang Beihai let out a soft breath. "Looking at it that way—ignoring academic disputes and just using what works—three years is indeed more than enough."
However, Zhang Beihai couldn't help but feel the same doubt as everyone else. "I still don't understand what function such a hastily built fleet serves, other than consuming resources." Using this to fight Trisolaris—even a three-year-old knew it was impossible.
"It's part of the plan."
Zhang Beihai heard the Wallfacer repeat the phrase used at the UN. He blinked and shook his head helplessly. He truly couldn't fathom what David was trying to do. But if even he could understand it, it wouldn't be the Wallfacer Project—a project that gathered the wisdom of all humanity to counter the Sophons. It seemed their Wallfacer was working very hard on his mission.
In a basement, a faint ray of sunlight from the only vent illuminated posters pasted on the wall. They were all newspaper clippings about the five Wallfacers and printed web materials.
A Wallbreaker pulled out a pistol, examining it closely before shoving it into her mouth. But before she could pull the trigger, the subtitles displayed by a Sophon made her hesitate.
"We have not abandoned you. With our help, Evans has safely escaped the strike from the Earth's united forces."
A spark of light flashed in the Wallbreaker's eyes. "Is it you? My Lord!"
"It is I!" the Sophon displayed with a heavy exclamation mark.
"I thought it was a hallucination." The Wallbreaker took the pistol out of her mouth; the gunpowder residue tasted faintly sweet. "Why did you abandon us?"
"Who?" the Sophon asked, not quite understanding.
"The Redemptionists!"
The sunlight hit the Wallbreaker's face, revealing features that were seventy percent similar to the girl holding the nuclear bomb whom David had knocked unconscious.
The Sophon remained silent, reflecting the silence of the Trisolarans behind it.
"Ye Wenjie wavered. If we didn't cut ties immediately, the entire ETO—both Redemptionists and Adventists—would have been unable to escape."
This truth hit the woman like a thunderclap. she stood frozen for a long time, unsure whether to feel joy or sorrow. Finally, she calmed down and asked dejectedly, "Why have you contacted me? My sister has been arrested, which makes my flaw too great. Sooner or later, the government will find me."
"We will help you handle everything," the Sophon stated. "A new identity, a new beginning—none of this is a problem. We have already disposed of a group of FBI pursuers for you in Panama."
"That plane crash?" The woman pointed to a report on the wall stating that over 130 people died when a plane's engines suddenly stopped.
"And two chemical plant explosions that destroyed an American port and twenty ships. But that is not important. We need your talent to help us analyze a person."
"Who?" The woman had never heard the Sophon give such a direct order. In the past, the Trisolarans were wary of humans who could lie and were unwilling to share much.
"Wallfacer David—"
The woman looked at the poster on the wall. It showed a cold-faced young man gazing into the distance with deep, brooding eyes. The first Wallfacer to be questioned by the UN General Assembly!
The woman wasn't surprised that the Trisolarans were interested in him. In fact, Sophons watched every Wallfacer, every second of every day.
But the Sophon's next words made her recoil, a chill seeping into her very marrow.
"He is very wrong!"
"Completely wrong!"
The Sophon repeated it twice. The woman understood all too well what such blatant confusion meant for her normally cold and aloof Lord.