Chapter 276: Toward the Sky

This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation

Lin Xian nodded thoughtfully, his mind processing the implications. “The conclusion isn’t hard to deduce. I came to the same realization just moments ago.”

Liu Feng leaned forward, his expression grave. “It’s the only explanation for why space-time particles, which don’t interact with physical or energetic matter, consistently alter their trajectory toward Earth.”

“Maybe there’s something on Earth that attracts them, or perhaps there’s a mutual attraction, like gravity, unique to these entities!” Lin Xian suggested, eyes narrowing as he pondered the possibilities.

“Could there be another space-time particle on Earth? Are they attracting each other?” Lin Xian wondered aloud.

Liu Feng shook his head. “Unlikely. If that were the case, I should have detected it by now. But we must keep an open mind—we haven’t seen or found anything definitive, so we shouldn’t jump to conclusions just yet, right?”

Lin Xian sighed and stood, walking over to a model of the Earth. “We need to figure this out. It seems that in about two months, this space-time particle will reach Earth. We need to capture it to further study it—this includes calibrating the space-time clock, detecting space-time curvature, and researching the Universal Constant, among other things.”

“Can we pin down the timing more precisely? And the exact location of the space-time particle’s arrival on Earth? Is it in the 380,000 km Earth-moon orbit, the altitude of thousands of kilometers where satellites orbit, or is it 100 km above the surface at the Kármán line? Or might it actually land on the surface, and we just scoop it up with a long pole and a net?” Lin Xian questioned, his brain buzzing with potential scenarios.

Liu Feng shook his head again, raising a finger. “Currently, the exact time, location, and altitude of its arrival are all uncertain. I can only confirm it’s heading toward Earth. From its trajectory, it seems it will pass through the atmosphere... Assuming it doesn’t change course dramatically. I can’t be precise just yet.”

“But uncertainty now doesn’t mean uncertainty forever. About a week or ten days before the particle’s arrival, I should be able to accurately pinpoint where it will pass Earth. For now, I suggest our capture plan should focus on the near-Earth space region, from 10 km to 500 km,” Liu Feng continued, now raising a second finger.

“Secondly, since this space-time particle has no mass or physical form, conventional means won’t capture it. It needs a special kind of ‘field’ to trap it. That’s not a problem for me. If I can find it, I can trap it!”

“Give me a month, and I’ll create a ‘Space-Time Particle Capturer.’ Once trapped, the particle will be immobilized within the capturer... Wherever we take the capturer, the particle will follow.”

“Then, we can study the space-time particle up close. For instance, it could serve as a reference point in space-time to calibrate our clocks and help us study space-time curvature and the Universal Constant. Everything will fall into place. Therefore! Our most critical and immediate task now is—”

“How to approach and capture this elusive space-time particle in the atmosphere or even outer space,” Lin Xian finished his thought.

...

Lin Xian and Liu Feng exchanged a glance. The solution was evident.

Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center

Yellow Finch, that astute woman, had known everything all along! She was aware of the space-time particle, its passage through Earth’s atmosphere, and that only rockets and spacecraft could capture it!

The maximum flight altitude of civilian airplanes is about 15,000 meters. Manned fighter jets can reach about 25,000 meters. Unmanned drones and high-altitude aircraft hold the record for the highest flight altitude, just over 30,000 meters.

30,000 meters... That’s merely the stratosphere, far below the 100 km Kármán line, and even further from outer space.

Just as Yellow Finch had noted in her message left at the lab. Only rockets, spacecraft, satellites, or even... the space shuttle recently launched by X Country, can undertake this “Space-Time Particle Capture Mission.”

“Lin Xian,” Liu Feng declared, striking the table, “I’m heading to Gansu, to Jiuquan!”

The roar of engines filled the air as jets beneath the airplane wings expelled hot gas, lifting the heavy airliner into the clouds.

Gansu, situated in the northwest of X Country, is known for its diverse climatic features due to its position at the convergence of several climatic zones. Jiuquan City, where the famous Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center is located, features a flat terrain and a dry, rainless climate for most of the year, making it an ideal spot for spacecraft launches.

As the plane descended, Lin Xian peered out the window at the starkly different landscape of the southern lands—vast expanses of yellow were the most direct impression of the Loess Plateau.

After landing, they got into a prearranged car and headed to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Despite not having exchanged contact details with Yellow Finch or knowing how to get past the guards at the center, they took the situation one step at a time.

Approaching the launch center, the endless yellow of the ground merged into the distance, under a clear, cloudless blue sky. The seemingly sandy terrain was actually stabilized by a moisture-retaining grass, though this too was sparse and yellow.

From afar, the signage for the X Country Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center was visible, along with tall launch towers and a massive, walled compound. They reached the launch center’s gate without any obstacles, the dust kicked up by their lone car marking their approach.

Just as Lin Xian stood before the gate, pondering their smooth journey—

Whoosh!

The gates burst open, and a tall, curvy woman emerged, wearing a thick coat and large sunglasses that covered half her face. She smiled slightly, removing her sunglasses to reveal crystal blue eyes that shone with clarity, looking directly at Lin Xian and Liu Feng.

“You’re too slow!” she teased, her voice echoing lightly in the crisp air.

...

Liu Feng raised his hand. “I still need to manufacture the space-time particle capturer; I’ll be a bit late. Once I’ve completed it here, I’ll bring the space-time particle capturer with me to the secret training base in the capital to find you.”

“That’s fine,” Yellow Finch nodded, smiling at the two. “Then, let’s each set off! From now on, we’re a team!”

...

Donghai, a small pub. Gao Yang downed a drink, sighed, and shook his head. “Ah... it’s no good, Lin Xian, they didn’t give me leave.”

He smacked his lips. “I told the store manager, said I want two months off, no salary needed, no need for social security I’ll pay it myself, even said they could waive my position... I just wanted to ask for a long vacation to help my brother with a very important task.”

“Then just quit,” Lin Xian picked up a peanut with his chopsticks, chewing thoughtfully. “I’ve always said you should quit, come to Rhine Company, do whatever job. Or what project do you want to do? Got any dreams? I’ll invest in you, stop selling cars.”

“Hey, you can’t say that, Lin Xian,” Gao Yang poured himself another drink. “It’s not about loving what you do, I’ve always felt that there’s no high or low, no noble or humble in work, and I actually seem to have a talent for sales, just like you said... I’m a natural sales saint, born for sales!”

“My personal value is just this, my vision is just this, and I’m quite happy mixing in this circle. If you really let me be a department head or go start my own business as a boss, I know I don’t have the capability... It’s not that I don’t want to break out or leave this comfort zone.”

“I’m very clear about my own position, I can talk a bit, have some glibness. But hey, in the end, the world is vast! But brothers are greatest!” Gao Yang raised his glass to Lin Xian. “I quit! I quit, damn it! I’m done!”

“Worst case, after we come back from Jiuquan, I’ll just find another place to sell cars! Anyway, the oil car market isn’t doing well now, maybe I’ll switch to a new energy 4S shop and sell there!”

Lin Xian grinned at his friend’s antics.

It was clear that Gao Yang was quite reluctant to leave this job. After all, having worked there for so many years, he probably had some emotional attachment, some social interactions, and some sense of achievement and value. Really making him quit for his own sake, Lin Xian felt somewhat remorseful. He downed the drink in his glass and set the cup on the table. “Don’t panic, don’t rush to quit, wait for me at your 4S shop tomorrow.”

That night, he called Yellow Finch.

...

The next day, at the 4S shop. Lin Xian came in and handed Gao Yang a thin, ordinary-looking, folded piece of A4 paper that even seemed transparent and blank like a blank piece of paper. “Give this to your boss.”

“What is this?” Gao Yang was puzzled.

“Don’t worry about it, just give it to the boss, go directly to him, don’t go through the manager.”

30 seconds later, Gao Yang entered the CEO’s office. 38 seconds later, the CEO scrambled to rub Gao Yang’s shoulders, respectfully and fearfully, sending him out. “It’s okay! Go! Just go! We’ll keep paying your salary! Position reserved! No, no, no... when you come back, you’ll be promoted! This manager position will be yours!”

“You tell me... hey, Gao Yang! My brother Gao! Was it necessary to alert the state over such a trivial matter?! You, you, you... you really scared me to death!”

“Out, out there, don’t talk nonsense! When you come back, you’ll be the manager of this shop! I’ll promote the current manager to the general company, and this shop will be yours to run! From now on, you call the shots in this shop!!”

Gao Yang was dumbfounded, looking at the silently smiling Lin Xian, taking the A4 paper handed over by the CEO himself. He opened it... And discovered the paper was very blank, with just a red seal in the bottom right corner! From the top governmental department in all of X Country!

The red seal’s unit name was very short, but it made Gao Yang’s legs go weak, almost collapsing to the ground. At the top of the paper, the simplest three characters were written—

[Let him go]

...

This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation

The next day.

Capital city, astronaut secret training base. In the hall. Space shuttle pilot and coach Wei Cheng, Lin Xian, Gao Yang, lined up. Yellow Finch stood three to four meters in front of them, like a leader giving a speech.

“No way!” Gao Yang shouted. “Just the four of us!?” He pointed at himself, looked left at Lin Xian, looked at Wei Cheng in his national space uniform, and then at the beautiful woman across from him, Yellow Finch. “Just the four of us to pilot a spaceship!?”

“Have you seen that childhood cartoon? The one with the two mice flying a plane and a tank, Shuke and Beta?!” Wei Cheng, ten years their senior, smiled gently, correcting. “A space shuttle is not a spaceship. If the flight altitude isn’t too high, it’s actually not that complicated.”

Yellow Finch looked at Gao Yang, already knowing what to expect, and chuckled. “Besides... it’s not four people, it’s five.” She turned her head, looking towards the corridor. “Are you dressed yet? Come on out! Everyone’s here, just waiting for you!”

“Here I come~!” A voice as pleasant as a lark rang out. Along with the voice, appearing around the corner was also a bouncy, deep brown, fluffy ponytail. The girl hopped out in a snug-fitting astronaut training suit, a tear mole by her eye just right, her charming eyes curving into cute crescents.

“Senior Lin Xian! Senior Gao Yang!” With her dimples faintly visible and a charming giggle, she mockingly saluted the two. “Chu An Qing! Reporting for duty!”

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation