Chapter 102: Returning to the Surface

However,

at this moment, for the people, the enormous consumption of productivity and energy was all worth it.

In Year 295,

under the use of such huge productivity and energy,

within the water bodies on Earth’s surface, as life gradually became richer,

on the land, there finally appeared some vitality and greenery.

Even though all the plants and life that appeared on the land came from human civilization, raised in half-closed environments growing to fully closed systems,

making these spots full of life seem, on a big scale, like tiny, lonely little dots scattered on the vast land.

Even after breeding and growing, when the man-made ecological environments were taken away, they still looked very strange on what had once been dull and lifeless land.

Looking from a wider view, it seemed that even a little trouble could cover up and destroy these small dots showing life.

But in the end, it really brought back life to the land that had turned dead and dead.

And after the first bunch, like a forest or grassland that could live on without human-made environments,

it was sure to slowly spread to the empty, dry land around it.

One day, these scattered, tiny, unnoticeable little dots full of life would go from being just “dots” to making “circles,” and then become whole.

And Human Civilization would keep watching this as best as they could.

…

That year,

Human Civilization got two pieces of good news.

The first good news was that 236 Algae was very strong at fixing and raising the oxygen level in the air.

That year, the average oxygen level in the air had returned to 18%,

which was just enough for humans to live briefly without trouble.

Other bad gases in the air, through Human Civilization’s many ways and actions, were also mostly cleaned up.

Except in some special places, the toxic gases left in the air did not hurt people much anymore.

This was also

the basic thing Human Civilization needed to push on, for the surface sea and land to get better.

The second good news came from the Geological Research Institute of the Negentropy Research Institute.

The Huaxin News Agency got permission to share this with everyone right away.

“… According to news from the Geological Research Institute at the Negentropy Research Institute.”

“From watching data on global ground movements in recent years,”

“the big ground movements on Earth’s surface have now calmed into a slow, steady phase after the Doomsday Crisis.”

“In this slow phase, ground moves will still happen worldwide, but they will be a lot less strong and less frequent than before.”

“The Geological Research Institute judged that… for ground movement disasters, we now have the base to move out of the Underground Shelter Cities back to the surface!”

This was what Human Civilization had been waiting for all along.

For the ground moves caused by the asteroid hit, like earth shakes and shifts,

Human Civilization didn’t have any good answers now; before technology got better,

their ways could only make such moves worse, not settle them.

At this moment,

this news from the Geological Research Institute, that people had long hoped for,

made everyone feel very excited.

“Does this mean we’ll head back to the surface soon?”

“Soon, soon! Well, I really can’t wait any longer!”

“Everything’s ready… all problems are fixed! Back to the surface, back to the surface!”

Now, on the network in each city, almost everyone talked about those three words: “Back to the surface.”

People had been waiting too long; they were getting too eager.

The ground movement trouble was the last big block stopping Human Civilization from returning to live on the surface.

And now, that last block was also overcome.

…

During this time when ground movements slowly calmed,

Human Civilization started building structures on the surface above each city.

But, the first things they built

were not cities for people to live in,

but Stellar Ports for the Underground Shelter Cities.

The Stellar Ports connected to the Underground Refuge City below and served as a place for Electric Propulsion Spaceships to land.

It was clear that soon, Human Civilization’s Era Electric Propulsion Spaceships, and better ones, would become more and more.

Even later, when other ways to move on land returned, the Electric Propulsion Spaceships would keep going in the air or on paths, not going away.

While linking cities together, the Electric Propulsion Spaceships would also travel between surface cities and Lunar Surface Cities, or even cities on other planets.

Before long in the future, Stellar Ports for launching such spaceships would be must-haves for every big surface city.

Of course, starting to build them now was mostly to make it smoother for the city clusters to work together with the Intelligent Industrial Cluster.

Also that year,

Stellar Ports on the surface above each city got built, one after another, and started busy work under Strong Artificial Intelligence’s handling.

Then,

the following year, a very important moment for Human Civilization now finally came.

…

In Year 296, June,

on that day,

the sky above Lingchuan Underground Shelter City was bright and sunny,

with not a cloud, just a gentle breeze.

On that day,

in all cities, including Lingchuan Underground Shelter City, many people woke up very early; some barely slept at all the night before.

One was the head of the Geological Research Institute at the Negentropy Research Institute, living in Area 01, Section 01 of Lingchuan Underground Shelter City.

The night before, because of tangled, restless feelings, he stayed up very late, only falling asleep after midnight.

Then in the morning, he woke up without his alarm ringing.

Maybe it was the strong excitement and joy,

he didn’t feel too tired after sleeping such a short time; instead, he felt very awake.

He washed up in a hurry, but after thinking a moment, cleaned himself more carefully. He shaved the beard that hadn’t been touched in days.

He put on a brand-new set of clothes he’d just received from the research institute a couple of days prior.

Only then did the person in charge of the Geological Research Institute rush off to another location within the Negentropy Research Institute.

“…Director Qin.”

“Hmm, Professor Wu.”

Qin Yu turned his gaze back after looking at Professor Wu, in charge of the Geological Research Institute, who had arrived flustered even though it was still quite early.

Not long after, well ahead of the scheduled time,

all the selected researchers from the relevant project teams had arrived.

Qin Yu looked around. On nearly every face, he could see expressions mixed with tension and excitement.

The reason the researchers gathered here were so excited at this moment

was that today, Human Civilization was preparing to return to the surface from its underground shelters for the very first time.

And the group of researchers gathered around Qin Yu at this moment were chosen to accompany him as the first group returning to the surface.

Without a doubt, for Human Civilization, which had endured the Doomsday Crisis and lived in Underground Refuge Cities for over a decade,

this was an important, historic moment.

…

That day, many people temporarily paused their research work.

Some stayed in their rooms, watching the live TV broadcast of this first group returning to the surface from Underground Refuge Cities.

Others gathered early in cafeterias, parks, or other public places with groups of familiar friends, also watching the live stream of this return to the surface.

“Friends, this operation to return to the surface from an Underground Refuge City is being led personally by Academician Qin Yu.”

“They will depart from Lingchuan Underground Shelter City, taking the train connecting to the surface – just like the train we took coming down here – back above ground.”

“This is the first time our civilization has physically set foot on the surface since the Doomsday Crisis. It will mark the beginning of our collective return.”

The TV broadcast was handled by Huaxin News Agency.

People, already knowing what would happen today, stared intently at their screens.

They seemed unwilling to look away for even a second, not wanting to miss anything from humanity’s first return to the surface.

Now,

dressed in gear similar to spacesuits but lighter and without needing to manage atmospheric pressure – though still fully enclosed protective suits –

Qin Yu,

along with over twenty fellow researchers from various teams within the Negentropy Research Institute, was seated together on a train.

Just as mentioned on the live TV broadcast, this train would travel back above ground along the broad passage connecting the Underground Refuge City to the surface.

“Train preparing for departure. All passengers remain seated. Do not stand up.”

With the train’s announcement, giving people little time to mentally brace themselves,

the train slowly started moving and began to accelerate.

The researchers seated in the same car had been talking, joking, discussing, their faces flushed with excitement moments before the train moved, trying to ease their nerves.

But now, once the train was truly in motion,

they all quieted down – many visibly middle-aged or leaning towards old age.

Qin Yu turned his head, looking at the other researchers.

Silent, staring forward towards the front of the car, with many having distant, unfocused looks in their eyes.

More than a decade ago, they had boarded a train like this to enter the Underground Refuge City and had lived there ever since, over ten years passing.

They were fortunate, having weathered the Doomsday Crisis within the shelter cities.

And now, they were riding a train much like that one back to the surface.

Some strained to recall what that train ride down into the refuge city had been like over ten years ago,

but the memory was simply too faded by time.

Qin Yu saw nervous expressions on almost all the researchers – an apprehension, perhaps, about returning home.

Though they had surely experienced many things, their movements now seemed stiff, restrained even while just sitting.

Perhaps they were still thinking about how to face the homeland they were returning to after an absence of more than ten years.

The train journey wasn’t long.

Less than twenty minutes total before reaching the destination.

While the group was still immersed in these complex feelings,

the train announced that it was starting to slow down.

…

Unlike the inaugural voyage of the New Era spacecraft, during this first return to the surface,

no one at the Negentropy Research Institute had tried to dissuade Academician Qin Yu from participating.

The situation on the surface was different from that in space – it was comparatively clear, and the risks were controllable.

That’s why Qin Yu was also among this first group returning to the surface now.

With the others quieted by that nervous apprehension about returning home,

Qin Yu didn’t say anything to them either.

Handling the work for the Huaxin News Agency broadcast, the Intelligent Machinery faithfully recorded the scene through its own cameras.

People watching the live stream also remained silent, captivated by the broadcast images.

Their hearts likely filled with surging emotions, just needing the final outlet.

And that outlet came soon enough.

The train, carrying Qin Yu and the others back from the Underground Refuge City to the surface, had arrived.

…

“Train doors opening.”

After stopping and opening the doors, the train gave its final announcement and fell silent again.

Those on the train could already see the situation of the surface station outside through the car’s windows.

It looked similar to an Underground Rail Station from before – primarily a hub connecting the entrance/exit of the Underground Refuge City and nearby Stellar Port facilities.

Seeing the view of the Underground Rail Station through the windows on the TV broadcast, many viewers began to stir restlessly.

However, as the Underground Rail Station itself was a relatively enclosed space,

and they hadn’t yet seen the sight they longed for most, the majority tried to hold their emotions in for a little longer.

“Director Qin… you should go first.”

All eyes on the train turned to Qin Yu.

No one felt there was a person more fitting than Academician Qin Yu to take that first step, to be the first person back onto the surface.

Qin Yu didn’t decline.

He stood up. The others accompanying him rose to follow behind him.

Stepping off the train, Qin Yu didn’t stop. He walked straight toward the exit of the Underground Rail Station.

The closer they got to the station’s outer doors, the clearer the scene and sunlight outside became.

Though the group stayed behind him, Qin Yu could feel their steps becoming more hurried, almost frantic.

Qin Yu responded to their unspoken wish and expectation,

striding quicker toward the station exit.

Finally,

after crossing that threshold,

Sunlight from the square outside the station shone onto Qin Yu, and then successively illuminated the others behind him as they stepped out one by one.

Some looked up to the sky; others seemed dazed for a moment.

Qin Yu also lifted his head, gazing at the sun in the clear blue sky above, bathing the earth in light.

The indicator light on his closed visor showed green.

Qin Yu took off his gloves. He removed the faceplate that resembled a spacesuit helmet.

The sunlight fell directly onto Qin Yu’s face and onto his raised hand.

This wasn’t Qin Yu’s first time returning to the surface after the Doomsday Crisis.

But it was profoundly different from all his previous times returning using Intangibility.

Now, stepping onto this land, setting foot on the surface soil as the leader of the Negentropy Research Institute, held a completely different weight.

The sunlight remained harsh, like the scorching light on a midsummer beach, burning the skin, making it sting sharply.

But likely, not many paid it much mind at that particular moment.

“Friends. Compatriots.”

Qin Yu spoke his first words since returning to the surface, addressing those watching the live broadcast.

“We are back on the surface.”

Qin Yu’s announcement-like words were simple.

Yet the complex emotions people had long held back could no longer be contained, pouring out.

Some wept. Others cheered.

But those cheering and those crying, their hearts likely felt the same.