Chapter 51: Four Missions
Hearing Professor Lu Zhaoming’s words, Jiang Yang instantly understood in his heart.
If after verification, it is confirmed that this high-energy neutrino radiation is indeed concentrated only in the direction of Earth, then the radiation source almost certainly belongs to an artificial facility, and people can almost be certain that the apocalypse is a conspiracy by some alien civilization.
If not, that is, if these high-energy neutrinos are centered on a certain area in Lunar Mare Tranquillitatis and radiate uniformly in all directions, with Earth merely one of the affected areas, then the probability drops greatly.
Professor Lu Zhaoming said: “However, this is technically very difficult. At our current stage, we probably have no way to verify it.
The reason, everyone should also be clear about.
To detect whether high-energy neutrinos pass through, a specialized neutrino detector is needed. The detection principle of the neutrino detector is to observe whether there is Cherenkov radiation excited by neutrino impacts in a large amount of ultrapure water or liquid scintillator.
Even a small one has too much mass and volume; we simply have no way to deploy it far from Earth.”
This is almost unsolvable technically.
It would take human civilization’s technology to advance another few decades, at least to the stage where manned landing on Mars can be accomplished, to have hope of deploying a neutrino telescope in space.
But…
Jiang Yang suddenly looked up, staring straight into Professor Lu Zhaoming’s eyes on the screen: “No, there is a way to verify it, and it’s very simple. We can do it now.”
Professor Lu Zhaoming frowned: “Oh?”
“Launch a manned spaceship carrying one astronaut far from Earth.”
Professor Lu Zhaoming was stunned for a moment, then his expression changed dramatically.
Based on the experience from these cycles, the apocalypse and the high-energy neutrinos arrive simultaneously. It can almost be assumed that wherever there are high-energy neutrinos, people will die.
Then, use the human body as a neutrino detector!
If that astronaut riding the spaceship far from Earth also dies in the apocalypse, it proves that Earth is merely one of the affected areas of the high-energy neutrinos, and the probability that the neutrino radiation source on the Moon belongs to an artificial object drops greatly.
If that astronaut survives and escapes the apocalypse, it proves that these high-energy neutrinos are concentrated only on Earth, and it is almost certainly an alien creation!
Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence that they are concentrated precisely in the direction of Earth?
At this moment, the look Lu Zhaoming gave Jiang Yang was as if he had seen a ghost.
Sun Changhe thought for just an instant and made his decision.
“This plan is feasible.”
Only after his proposal received Sun Changhe’s approval did Jiang Yang realize what kind of plan he had proposed.
He was personally sending an outstanding warrior with infinite loyalty to the nation, top-tier physical quality, knowledge reserve, reaction ability, and other comprehensive qualities to his death.
Anyone who can become an astronaut must possess these excellent qualities. But once this plan is executed, he will inevitably die.
What the final outcome of the doomsday plan will be, whether the apocalypse can be resolved—Jiang Yang still did not know at this moment. But he was clear that once this astronaut sets off, he is doomed to a fate of death, impossible to change.
Jiang Yang clearly knew that in such a short time, to launch the spaceship he is riding to a place far enough from Earth—at least twice the Earth-Moon distance?
That is 700,000 kilometers.
Such a great distance—launching there is easy, returning is hard.
It can even be said that this mission from the start cannot consider return flight. Because to return, more fuel must be carried, corresponding propulsion equipment added to the spaceship, and sufficient survival supplies stored inside, which would make it impossible to even launch at the beginning.
Technology level is insufficient; there is no way.
This astronaut’s duty is to provide a fallback for the doomsday plan: if the doomsday plan fails, his existence can at least verify some things and provide some intelligence for us.
Jiang Yang suddenly realized: “When did I start becoming so cold-blooded?
Casually deciding a person’s fate without the slightest disturbance in my heart, as if everything should be this way.”
At this moment, his heart wavered for an instant, and he doubted himself for an instant. But the next moment, he suppressed these thoughts.
Sacrifice is necessary, and the cost is necessary. He was doing the right thing, struggling to save the entire nation and the entire civilization.
I… am not wrong.
His mind became firm again, and he calmly met Lu Zhaoming’s gaze.
The look Sun Changhe gave Jiang Yang now carried a bit more appreciation.
Lu Zhaoming took a few deep breaths and finally came back to his senses: “In that case, I have one more thing to add.”
“Please speak.”
“According to Commander Jiang’s statement, in the previous cycle, we mobilized the strength of the entire nation and completed the construction of the Sen Mountain neutrino base within ten days.
In this life, we also need to complete its construction and put it into operation within ten days.
In the intelligence from the previous life, the specific coordinates of that area in Lunar Mare Tranquillitatis were not precise enough. In this life, if the doomsday plan ultimately still fails… we at least need to make the results more precise.”
“After building the Sen Mountain neutrino base, our country will only have two neutrino telescopes; is that enough?”
“If deployed targetedly, two are sufficient; no need to introduce observational forces from foreign countries.”
Lu Zhaoming paused, then said with some self-mockery: “In this life, let’s not use intercontinental ballistic missiles to intimidate them.”
“Anything else to add?”
Sun Changhe’s gaze did not turn to Lu Zhaoming but to all the participants.
Thirty seconds of silence, no sound.
He looked at Jiang Yang.
Jiang Yang said solemnly: “In that case, in this life our missions total four.
One, detect the Moon;
Two, prepare to bombard the Moon;
Three, launch a manned spaceship to at least 700,000 kilometers from Earth;
Four, complete the construction of the Sen Mountain neutrino base within ten days.
Begin execution now; meeting adjourned!”
The large screen in front went black, and Jiang Yang leaned back in his chair again, wearily rubbing his forehead.
Glancing at the time, he saw it was already four in the afternoon.
From ten in the morning, including the mid-meeting break, this meeting had lasted a full six hours.
Sighing, Jiang Yang stood up.
“Zhou Yu should have recovered by now, right?”
He came to the door of Zhou Yu’s room and knocked.
“Please come in.”
Pushing open the door, he saw Zhou Yu sitting tensely and bewildered on the bed. Seeing that it was him entering, she relaxed and calmed down.
“You know everything now? Recovered?”
“Sort of.”
Zhou Yu forced a smile: “The apocalypse… you say, sigh.”
