Chapter 80: From Ordinary to Doomsday

Year 280, Autumn.

It was an ordinary day.

Some were on a university campus, deep in thought over a problem left by an AI Teaching Robot.

Others were in the endless wilderness, accompanied by cargo haulers, chasing distant clouds.

One had just dismissed their family service bot’s plan to cook lunch, deciding to make it themselves.

Another was in a research lab, pursuing answers to a years-long project.

But some were sensing something odd.

The first to notice were astronomers.

Without warning, many found their long-booked telescope times spent on observation projects had been squeezed out by a suddenly appearing task.

When they shared notes, they realized this happened simultaneously at all major observatories.

This new, sudden astronomical project was using every telescope in Huaxia Nation, indeed worldwide, connected to any intelligent program.

So, what was this project observing?

As scientific researchers, astronomers tend to have rich imaginations.

But, they didn’t have long to guess.

That afternoon,

At no special hour,

Mainstream media led by Huaxin News Agency suddenly broadcast the same notice to all of Huaxia Nation, indeed the entire Human Civilization.

It wasn’t just published online;

It was sent as pop-ups and texts to everyone using smart devices at that moment.

“Huaxin News Agency authorized release.”

“Due to emergency circumstances, a live television broadcast will begin in fifteen minutes… addressed to all members of Human Civilization.”

Those seeing this knew—it meant trouble.

Something big had clearly happened.

Its non-specific timing confirmed it was sudden.

It wasn’t likely good news, like achieving General Artificial Intelligence or Controlled Nuclear Fusion.

Survivors of the 236 Algae Crisis sensed a tightness in the air,

struggling to recall those past fears,

trying to gauge just how bad this was.

…

This abrupt notice shattered the world’s peace.

Routines paused.

For these fifteen minutes, almost everyone stopped what they were doing,

waiting for this live broadcast.

Just as anxiety deepened,

the quarter hour vanished.

The familiar faces appeared: first the Senior Leader, then Qin Yu.

Unlike Qin Yu’s last broadcast,

this backdrop was a small meeting room—

as if discussions had just concluded.

Seeing the Senior Leader and Qin Yu’s expressions,

most instantly knew it was grim.

Then the Senior Leader spoke his opening lines,

and every heart sank.

“Ladies, gentlemen. Friends of Humanity.

I regret to announce… very serious tidings.”

Thanks to Strong Artificial Intelligence’s integration across Human Civilization,

this broadcast reached cities everywhere.

Even those without smart devices in hand

heard and saw it through screens lining streets and parks.

The Senior Leader’s voice echoed through cities, roads, all human spaces.

Hearts heavy, people focused on his message.

“Two days ago… Lunar Base’s Crater Deep-Space Observation Project detected an asteroid’s course.”

He paused.

The broadcast switched to a “synthesized image” of the asteroid—

pulled from various telescope datastreams tracking it these past days.

Shown was only a blurry silhouette.

“We tentatively name this Asteroid 2801. Diameter: roughly two kilometres. Speed: zero-point-eight percent of lightspeed. Primary composition: metal.”

Already, dark dread stirred among listeners.

“It currently approaches Earth. In nineteen months… it will make contact.

Calculations show over ninety-nine percent probability of direct collision between Asteroid 2801 and Earth.

Based on known facts… humanity’s long-term survival faces grave threat.”

The whole watching world went silent.

A fifteen-minute warning beforehand hadn’t prepared them.

Even the Senior Leader’s preamble hadn’t softened the blow.

This news moved too fast for minds to absorb.

At first, most didn’t feel fear, panic, despair—

just confusion,

as if thoughts froze,

till slowly, the meaning sank in.

So… an asteroid was going to strike Earth?

Humanity… doomed?

The end is coming?

Is it really ending?

Those who had experienced the previous Doomsday Crisis caused by the 236 Algae bloom,

seemed to react a bit faster at this moment,

after all, they had already lived through one apocalypse in their lifetimes.

Even though decades of ordinary life had blurred the memories of that crisis for most people,

right now, this was enough to drag their sealed memories back to the surface.

However, these individuals, while realizing what was happening, couldn’t help but hold a bit more hope than the younger generation.

After all, the previous algae crisis had also started fiercely, only to end as a false alarm.

Although it caused significant losses, it was eventually resolved smoothly.

So, wasn’t it possible that this Doomsday Crisis brought by the asteroid impact could also be resolved?

And seemingly aware that people might harbor such unrealistic hopes,

the Senior Leader spoke even more plainly in his next words.

“Regarding the situation of Asteroid 2801, Academician Qin Yu, leading relevant researchers at the Negentropy Research Institute, has conducted an analysis and assessment.” In this era, the opinion of the Negentropy Research Institute basically represented the mainstream consensus in academia.

After all, even setting aside Qin Yu, the Negentropy Research Institute housed the most outstanding scientists.

“Concerning the current direct approach of Asteroid 2801 towards Earth, with current technologies, we cannot take any direct countermeasures.”

“This means, friends of all humanity, the collision of Asteroid 2801 with Earth is unavoidable. We must accept the sudden arrival of this colossal catastrophe.”

“Based on the mass and velocity of Asteroid 2801, a simple analogy shows that the destruction and energy release caused by its impact on Earth will far exceed that of the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs.”

“Earth’s entire ecosystem and atmospheric system could be completely destroyed upon Asteroid 2801’s impact. Most things familiar to us on the surface will vanish. Ninety-nine percent, nearly all plants and animals, cannot survive this immense disaster.”

“This is a true Doomsday Crisis, a devastating disaster for all life on the Earth’s surface.”

These words

extinguished the last spark of hope for people.

There really was no other option.

The situation with Asteroid 2801 was clear.

With even a basic understanding of humankind’s current technological level, one would know it’s almost impossible for our civilization to affect Asteroid 2801 right now.

Even if people couldn’t fully grasp the impact’s consequences in their initial shock, they would soon figure out the scale of the devastation themselves once their minds cleared.

It was better just to state it plainly.

That’s also why they chose to announce the Asteroid 2801 Impact Crisis outright at this time.

With plans and arrangements for the crisis beginning, keeping it secret was impossible.

Only 19 months remained before the impact.

The time left was indeed very short.

People needed to accept this reality in the shortest time possible.

So that the productivity of this Intelligent Era could be maximized before the Asteroid 2801 Impact Crisis arrived.

Furthermore, regardless of whether people, upon hearing the news, chose to unite in solidarity or panic and disrupt order,

it wouldn’t significantly affect the advancement of production activities in this Intelligent Era.

The main need was for people to accept it quickly.

“…However, friends, do not be disheartened! Do not become discouraged! And certainly, do not despair!”

“Even under immense disaster, we, Human Civilization, possess the capability to endure.”

“Even if the impact of Asteroid 2801 makes our environment incredibly harsh, compared to the past, we, Human Civilization, are far stronger.”

“We have sufficient technology, productivity, enough to sustain survival and even continued development within such adversity.”

“Today, Human Civilization is not that frail! We are not delicate flowers in a greenhouse, nor merely infants in swaddling clothes.”

“Facing doomsday, we possess a capability powerful enough to resist it.”

The brutal facts had been laid out; now it was crucial to rekindle and maintain more realistic hope.

“Controlled Nuclear Fusion Reactors, enough to ensure we have long-term energy even within sealed environments.”

“Our intelligent production factories will continue to maintain social production.”

“The Computing Power Tower, Strong Artificial Intelligence, will preserve all our industrial technology and data gathered thus far.”

“The crisis we need to endure exists only for the instant Asteroid 2801 strikes Earth! That instant will pass, and we will continue advancing our civilization!”

“Our civilization will not decline. We will restore Earth’s ecology. We will transform the harsh atmosphere.”

“In the Intelligent Era, in the Controlled Nuclear Fusion Era, we possess ample ability, sufficient energy, and enough productivity to achieve all this!”

The Senior Leader’s words did indeed help countless people, flustered and lost, find their anchor again.

Because these words were the truth. Human Civilization truly couldn’t directly avert the collision with Asteroid 2801.

But Human Civilization was also fundamentally different from what it had been.

In the Intelligent Era, in the Controlled Nuclear Fusion Era, as long as a glimmer of hope remained for Human Civilization,

it could recover from a ‘critical state’ in a very short time.

“So, we need not fear, need not dread. What we must do now is ensure that more of us can witness that day!”

“The day our Human Civilization completes the restoration of Earth, our home planet!”

“Therefore, friends, we must act, starting this very moment! I hope everyone, for your own sake, and for more people to see that day, will cooperate with the arrangements we will make to face the Asteroid 2801 Impact Crisis.”

“Now, I declare, from this moment, we enter a Doomsday Emergency State! All societal production activities will primarily focus on Doomsday preparedness!”

“With the support and coordination of Strong Artificial Intelligence, we will expand our current industrial scale unconstrained and limitlessly! We will maximize our industrial productivity in the shortest possible time, achieving the peak capacity and the optimal state for the Doomsday Emergency!”

“I declare, we will commence the construction of Underground Shelter Cities beneath existing cities! The vast majority of societal productivity from Intelligent Industrial Clusters will be dedicated to this!”

“The Underground Shelter Cities, striving for basic survival, will protect the maximum number of people for survival within their confines!”

“I declare, the majority of societal computing power and transport capacity will also be directed towards Doomsday preparedness… Consequently, the basic functioning of society will face certain limitations and will likewise primarily support Doomsday efforts… Strong Artificial Intelligence will assist in executing this plan.”

“I declare, we will…”

Taking full advantage of this live television broadcast,

the Senior Leader directly announced several key plans designed to ensure the survival of as many people as possible through the impending Doomsday Crisis.

Of course, more detailed plans and subsequent arrangements would be announced separately.

This announcement served to give everyone an initial understanding, helping them gradually adapt to the transformation Human Civilization would undergo under the Doomsday Emergency State.

Throughout this live broadcast,

Qin Yu remained silent.

His presence here wasn’t to speak; it was to help people accept the undeniable reality of the impending Asteroid 2801 Impact Crisis more quickly.

After announcing the forthcoming arrangements,

the Senior Leader looked into the camera. He paused, then addressed everyone one last time.

“…Friends, we truly may lack the capacity to stop the arrival of Asteroid 2801 right now, but we can cope with the disaster it brings.”

“Throughout the history of Human Civilization, we have faced many disasters and crises. I believe this crisis will ultimately become just another part of that history.”

“My friends, I will see you all after doomsday!”

The live broadcast

concluded there.

But the waves stirred by the Asteroid 2801 Impact Crisis,

the changes it would bring to Human Civilization, had only just begun.

To minimize the impact of the Asteroid 2801 Impact Crisis,

the next 19 months would be incredibly tense and critical for everyone.