Chapter 58: A Paper
Chapter 58: A Paper
Beyond all else, came the construction of shelters.
Huaxia Nation, North Bear Nation, and Moon Nation all announced plans to build fully enclosed shelters.
Since the main threat came from atmospheric changes,
these sealed shelters didn’t need to be underground.
But they did need to meet strong airtightness requirements.
Besides making sure people inside got breathable air,
this also blocked toxic gases common during the global wildfires.
And it stopped new super-bacteria or super-viruses born from the changing world.
Especially as air filled with extra oxygen, the ozone layer might get much thicker.
With less sunlight getting through, bacteria could grow wild,
making the 236 Algae Spread Crisis even worse.
The shelter structures also had to resist heat and fire.
On that part, the builders planned a “scorched-earth” move:
once shelters were done, they’d burn everything around them to waste—no plants, no buildings—
making a wide firebreak. This kept the global fires away.
As for mutant insects, grown huge because of richer oxygen,
these weren’t a big worry.
If they had carbon in their bodies, guns still worked well against them.
Of course,
everyone knew building shelters took time.
And shelters finished before chaos broke couldn’t hold many people for long.
So while working on shelters,
Huaxia Nation had a backup plan.
They’d upgrade existing big structures quickly and simply.
For example, they’d rework apartment buildings, stadiums, and malls—
sealing entryways, windows, vents—
so each building had decent airtightness.
They’d add gear to keep good oxygen levels inside.
Not as safe as shelters, but this would shield more people from the choking air,
and buy extra time for keeping factories running.
Truth was, most of these plans were ready long before
the 236 Algae Spread Crisis went public.
Huaxia Nation had quietly prepared for months.
The other two HCC powers probably did too.
Only now, every citizen was told to pitch in.
That’s actually why the algae crisis couldn’t stay secret.
To get ready before doomsday came,
they needed everyone working hard.
Even unannounced, people would notice their own jobs changing anyway.
Better to share the truth now,
so all could work together with one heart.
Still, everyone knew
these efforts were just to buy more time.
Time for Human Civilization to beat the 236 Algae threat completely.
Otherwise, our technology just isn’t good enough
for humans to live forever in an air that poisons us.
We aren’t ready to leave Earth behind for good, either.
…
After HCC’s three main powers spilled the 236 Algae news,
the whole world shook hard.
From Afrika Continent to Amerika Continent,
smaller HCC nations got facts from Huaxia, North Bear, and Moon;
then they confirmed it locally, announced plans to their people.
Every website flooded with the same headlines.
Details about “236 Algae Spread Crisis” filled everyone’s eyes,
each one stabbing into frightened minds.
Sadly, panic broke loose in some places right away.
While some bit their nails with worry, others threw wild parties like it was the end.
Folks who refused the truth screamed,
“The algae threat isn’t that bad!”
Others, half-crazed, yelled,
“It’s nature punishing humans! Just surrender! Don’t fight back!”
Of course, others gathered sensibly:
chatting plans for survival, prepping supplies.
And some power-hungry saw the chaos
as their perfect chance to grab control.
Two tiny nations previously fighting over
“Collective Social Rearing” versus old family ways—
even they called a truce.
When Human Civilization itself stood threatened,
they just couldn’t keep fighting.
Whether scared, furious, or broken inside,
one thing united them all now:
almost every soul on Earth
could think only of the 236 Algae Spread Crisis.
…
Here in Huaxia Nation, things remained calmer.
Better organized than its HCC partners,
Huaxia didn’t just announce the algae crisis on live TV—
they’d secretly prepped rules for each job and industry for two whole months.
Before most folks recovered from the “doomsday is real” shock,
they found alerts and orders:
lists of duties under the Doomsday Crisis emergency.
Many factories stopped normal work, shifting to crisis gear instead.
Entertainment and service jobs paused completely.
In exchange, the whole nation must help these efforts.
Seeing the plans, messages, and schedules laid out firm and clear,
most people in Huaxia Nation felt relieved finally.
Though unavoidably, the coming period might be difficult and tiring.
Yet in this Doomsday Crisis, knowing what to do was far better than being lost in panic.
The former meant that humanity still had measures it could take against this looming catastrophe.
People’s worries, fears and tensions finally found an outlet.
Meanwhile,
the benefits of a highly implemented Collective Social Rearing system also became evident.
A relatively fairer social environment meant few doubted the equality of survival chances offered by the official measures against the Doomsday Crisis.
Though some conspiracy theories did arise, they were confined to a small scale and had minimal impact.
For instance, regarding the usage of the completed shelters,
Huaxia Nation explicitly stated that,
besides the essential personnel responsible for maintaining civilization and shelter operations,
Human Reproduction Devices would be placed within the shelters upon activation.
The primary survival opportunity would be granted to the next generation born from these devices.
Combined together,
although the announcement of the Doomsday Crisis did cause some reaction within Huaxia Nation –
some brief, localized chaos – it quickly settled down.
Sufficient production order remained intact.
Soon, the entire nation began operating intensely for the imminent Doomsday Crisis.
However, outside Huaxia Nation,
The situations in North Bear Nation and Moon Nation were completely different.
Firstly, there was a gap in organized capability.
Secondly, conspiracy theories surrounding the Doomsday Crisis ran rampant.
Given that Collective Social Rearing was far less widespread in these nations,
their own social structures were already severely rigid,
with deep-seated conflicts between the upper and lower classes.
Despite implementing plans similar to Huaxia Nation’s,
the execution yielded a far worse difference.
Chaos spread exponentially within them.
Those choosing “apocalyptic revelry” vastly outnumbered those in Huaxia Nation.
A significant portion in both nations believed
that “those damned rich people” had already found safe havens,
and that the shelters the common people built under the authorities’ orders
ultimately wouldn’t be accessible to them.
Simultaneously, many also felt this Doomsday Crisis came at the perfect time!
Humanity should be wiped out together.
In the face of doom, everything was equal.
Also within these nations, many saw the Doomsday Crisis as their prime opportunity
to exact revenge on those “wealthy bastards”!
Under these circumstances,
the territories of North Bear Nation and Moon Nation were, at this moment, in chaos.
Similar situations unfolded in many smaller nations within the HCC.
Even those small nations that normally prospered had inherently low risk resistance.
Their ability to maintain order under the Doomsday Crisis was similarly weak.
Across the entire world,
one could say that, at this moment, everything was in flux due to the 236 Algae Spread.
…
Amidst this turbulent chaos,
twenty more days passed.
People worldwide had accepted the reality of the approaching Doomsday.
Some ‘enjoyed’ the final moments, others prepared for the apocalypse,
while some continued to strive and attempt the impossible.
Negentropy Research Institute, Research Institute 011.
Driven by the urgent need to counter the 236 Algae Spread, Research Institute 011 underwent an unprecedented expansion.
Temporarily assigned Researchers from various relevant fields swelled its ranks to over 30,000,
exceeding the total number of Researchers previously within the entire Negentropy Research Institute.
Furthermore, it wasn’t just the Researchers within 011; virtually all relevant research teams across Huaxia Nation were effectively working as support for Research Institute 011.
Their singular goal was naturally to find a potential scientific solution to the 236 Algae Crisis.
“Professor Yue, I know this question doesn’t strictly follow scientific logic, but I must ask again: how much longer do you believe it will take to find a way to solve the problem of the 236 Algae Spread?”
“…To be frank, I do not know. If I had to give a timeframe, it could take over two years.”
This Senior Leader had visited Research Institute 011 several times recently.
While all other actions taken aimed to mitigate the damage of the 236 Algae Spread Crisis, the fundamental solution ultimately rested on the shoulders of 011 and the researchers it represented.
Answering the old leader’s question, Professor Yue, the current head of Research Institute 011, sighed.
Although the institute could mobilize vast resources, including personnel,
scientific research could be unpredictable. Throwing limitless resources and personnel at a problem didn’t guarantee results, nor did it mean they would come faster.
Just like the birth of the 2611 Longevity Injection.
Before Professor Qin Yu, no one succeeded. After Professor Qin Yu, even years later, the secrets of the 2611 Longevity Injection remained unfully deciphered.
Right now, everyone was anxious.
But compared to the initial stage, after more than two months,
they could only say they had gained a bit more understanding of the problem itself.
“We’ve found some inspiration in the research on Yu-type Bacteria conducted by the late Professor Qin Yu. But attempts and research require time.”
Hearing Professor Yue’s explanation,
the Senior Leader nodded, refraining from pressing further.
Professor Yue was silent for a moment, preparing to return to the Laboratory to oversee the institute’s ongoing research.
Just then,
his research assistant hurried towards him with several other core Researchers from Research Institute 011.
Professor Yue turned to look, and the Senior Leader followed his gaze.
“What is it? Progress in research? Or has something unexpected happened?”
“No, Old Yue, look at this?”
One of the core Researchers thrust a stack of printed paper and a laptop into Professor Yue’s hands.
“We started printing but couldn’t wait. The first few pages are printed; the rest is on the computer.”
Taking the items without further delay, Professor Yue’s gaze fell upon the stack of paper.
His attention was immediately captured.
It appeared to be a research paper.
The title read:
“Basic Principles of Algae Research.”
The author’s name was given as “Shen”.
Holding the stack, Professor Yue lingered longest on the first page.
He then quickly skimmed through the printed pages,
before taking the laptop and scrolled through the on-screen content, alternating between fast and slow speeds.
Content-wise,
the paper wasn’t excessively long, about 180 pages.
But like the fundamental bacterial theory established in the early days of Yu-type Bacteria research,
the author of this paper had also constructed a standard theoretical framework for algae research.
Within such a short time,
Professor Yue certainly hadn’t finished reading the entire paper.
But even skimming parts of it, his experience as the head of Research Institute 011
gave him firm ability to judge the quality of such work.
“Where did this paper come from…?”
“It was sent to our Negentropy Research Institute. No idea who sent it. There’s nothing else besides this signature and the paper itself.”
“It arrived about twenty minutes ago. I skimmed it quickly, Old Cheng did too, then we brought it straight to you,” the Researcher who delivered the paper explained rapidly.
That the paper drew such immediate and serious attention from the Researchers wasn’t just due to its inherent quality.
Research Institute 011 was a highly confidential agency.
Many might know of its existence because of Professor Qin Yu,
but very few knew its designated number “011”, its location, or its specific details.
Receiving such a distinctly relevant paper directly at this precise moment was highly unusual.
Typically, sending such a document required insider access.
Yet the signature “Shen” obviously wasn’t a real name.
“Most importantly, here, Old Yue, look here…”
The core Researcher pointed to a specific section within the paper.
He indicated the part that read:
“Taking the example of a specific algae modification and cultivation technology.”