"Come this way."
Xuan Ziwen was called over by a middle-aged man in a white lab coat and glasses as soon as he stepped into the research center.
The man's hair was sparse, barely visible, a testament to his strength.
He was the leader of the satellite research and development team.
Although called a team, it actually involved hundreds of people.
They were very enthusiastic about satellite technology, providing virtually unlimited resources and giving the green light to all kinds of technologies.
"Team leader, are we about to start the experiment?"
Xuan Ziwen spoke quickly, revealing his excitement.
Previously, his high-altitude probe soul guides were only designed for altitudes of ten thousand meters; now, they were going to send an artificial soul guide to Douluo Star's orbit in one go—naturally, he was thrilled.
Seeing Xuan Ziwen's trembling, excited expression, the team leader sighed and said,
"You should know the situation. This satellite launch will most likely fail."
"When you first came in, everyone should have told you that the beings above us might not allow us to venture into the universe."
The team leader pointed to the ceiling, his words like a bucket of cold water. Xuan Ziwen calmed himself, clenching his fists, and said,
"I understand."
This satellite launch experiment was more like probing the limits of the divine realm, eager to know exactly where the divine realm's tolerance threshold for the development of the lower realm lay.
The team leader, seeing Xuan Ziwen's unwilling expression, didn't say much.
Everyone in the satellite team felt similarly, even the team leader himself was somewhat panicked.
It wasn't the fear of the divine realm's wrath arising from the satellite launch, but the fear that if the divine realm didn't allow life to leave its home, what would become of civilization's future?
Knowledge is like a circle; the more you know, the larger the circle becomes, and similarly, the more unknowns its boundaries touch.
All the researchers at the research center, including some Mingde Hall Soul Masters who had been completely assimilated, knew that if Soul Guidance Devices wanted to advance further, they had to venture into deep space.
Being trapped on the continent offers no future for soul tools; it's better to dedicate oneself fully to the realm of soul masters.
At least soul masters can become gods, while soul tools, as long as they remain bound to the land, can never achieve a true qualitative leap, no matter how cleverly they are exploited.
Kong Deming's level ten soul tools, and even the so-called level twelve god-slaying fixed-position soul-guided cannons ten thousand years later, didn't fundamentally achieve a qualitative leap in technology.
The level twelve god-slaying fixed-position soul-guided cannons were purely made from materials; soul tool technology was stagnated for a thousand years just to create them.
Their power was barely enough to kill a high-ranking official, posing little threat to Tang Hao.
Only during the Ultimate Douluo era of the interstellar age did soul tool technology undergo a qualitative change.
The team leader patted Xuan Ziwen on the shoulder, signaling him to follow. The two arrived at the launch center one after the other.
Everyone in the satellite team was waiting at their respective workstations, their eyes fixed intently on the screens in front of them.
The large screen at the front of the launch center displayed a rocket, and several Beast Soul Masters unfolded their Martial Soul True Forms, carefully beginning the installation of the satellite.
This rocket, though called a rocket, wasn't really related to forward propulsion.
Huo Yuhao didn't understand chemistry and didn't know the structure of a chemical rocket. This rocket's engine utilized a soul guidance array.
The soul guidance array contained an anti-gravity array; wasn't that much better than chemical propulsion?
The reason this array was rarely seen in flying soul guides was because it consumed far too much soul power.
Using an anti-gravity array as its core, combined with energy arrays and various acceleration arrays, along with rigorous mathematical derivation and precise mechanical design, a rocket engine consuming Dream Coins was completed.
The engine's power was sufficient for exploring deep space.
In the past, the majority of the payload of chemical rockets was on the fuel, but Dream Coins didn't have this problem; as an energy currency, it had no mass.
With the support of various soul-guided black technologies, the sheer absurdity of this soul-guided rocket would have been enough to shock all aerospace experts even in the past.
Because the rocket's structure wasn't complex, and with the help of the powerful Beast Soul Masters, assembly was completed in a short time.
Ground logistics and the launch center immediately began carefully checking every aspect of the rocket and satellite to ensure normal operation.
After several hours of inspection, the launch center repeatedly confirmed that the rocket was in good condition and ready for launch at any time.
The meteorological department also confirmed that today's weather was exceptionally good: stable, dry, windless, and clear.
The high-altitude detection soul guide also showed that the high-altitude wind changes were very gentle, and the rocket would not experience severe shearing forces during flight.
Today was an excellent launch window.
Of course, this was mainly because Huo Yuhao had informed the Little Planet Spirit in advance, and the Little Planet Spirit actively cooperated, making the high-altitude weather in Xilu City extremely stable.
With all preparations complete, there was no need for hesitation.
The team leader immediately ordered the launch countdown to begin.
"Attention everyone!"
"Rocket launch in one minute. All personnel, please move to the safety line."
"60, 59, 58…"
Ground maintenance personnel in the launch area evacuated in an orderly fashion. The soul-guided barrier rose, firmly protecting all researchers.
Three level-eight soul-guided disintegration cannons aimed at the sky, locking onto the rocket under the influence of high-altitude detection soul-guided devices.
If the rocket went out of control, it would be immediately disintegrated by the soul-guided disintegration rays, preventing it from falling onto the Tiandou Plain and causing significant casualties.
"5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0."
"Engine energy array activated, Dream Coins injected."
The thrusters at the bottom emitted blue arcs of light—not flames, but the soul power glow generated by the core array's operation.
The rocket began to slowly ascend, accelerating faster and faster under the influence of the acceleration array.
A blue meteor flying backwards could be seen across the entire Tiandou Plain.
Dream coins are being consumed rapidly, but they are insignificant compared to the total amount. The rocket has enough Dream coins stored to make two round trips between the Earth and the Moon, provided that the rocket can reach the Moon.
Five minutes later, the rocket burst through the dense atmosphere.
Without air resistance, its speed increased further.
Thanks to its main structure made of rare metals, the rocket's resilience was beyond imagination, capable of withstanding even greater acceleration.
Another five minutes passed, and the rocket, still unimpeded, reached low Earth orbit with undiminished momentum.
The rocket's cameras could already see the blue arc of light emanating from Douluo Star under the sunlight.
Douluo Star, like a precious sapphire, floated silently in the dark universe. The satellite and rocket separated.
The satellite completed its orbital calibration using its own power and was expected to establish normal communication with the ground in a day.
"No obstruction?"
The team leader's eyes showed astonishment. The entire satellite team had actually prepared themselves for the rocket to be destroyed by the gods as soon as it reached space.
"Then proceed as planned, let the rocket continue towards the moon!"
Xuan Ziwen stared intently at the large screen in front of him, which constantly monitored the rocket's operational status.
The rocket's speed was still rapidly increasing, and it was expected to reach the moon in three days.
All systems were operating normally, Dream Coins were still plentiful, and the Soul Guidance Array had not experienced overload.
Because it was the first rocket, the data was relatively conservative; the actual situation was much better.
Xuan Ziwen and the entire satellite team stayed at the launch center for almost two hours.
The rocket's cameras captured many interesting images, images destined to become an important moment in history.
This was the first time Douluo Continent had explored deep space, the first time humanity had turned its gaze towards the universe.
"I wonder what my teacher would think if he saw this?"
Xuan Ziwen thought of his teacher, Kong Deming. He knew that Kong Deming shared his pure love for Soul Guidance Devices.
He had considered inviting Kong Deming to Xilu City, but later decided against it.
Kong Deming was the guardian of the Sun and Moon Royal Family; he was loyal to the Sun and Moon Royal Family and would not come here.
Xuan Ziwen wanted to share his joy with his mentor. He had personally witnessed and participated in humanity's journey into space, and the arc of light recorded by the cameras on Douluo Star was the best reward for these researchers.
"Boom!!!"
A roar interrupted Xuan Ziwen's thoughts, and numerous red alerts appeared on the large screen in front of him.
The alarm indicated that the rocket had been struck by an unknown external force and had completely disintegrated.
The camera captured the final moments before the rocket's collapse, as it crashed directly into a barrier radiating a seven-colored light.
The soul power sensor also transmitted the barrier's energy wavelength back to the launch center.
The researchers in charge of the detection immediately began comparing this energy wavelength.
The results were quickly displayed on the large screen, and everyone sighed, a sense of sorrow washing over them.
"The barrier's energy wavelength is similar to the divine power wavelength that appeared in Star Luo City some time ago."
"It can be confirmed as divine power."
Xuan Ziwen, his fingers trembling, removed his glasses and said,
"Gods are not friends."
"We are all prisoners."
He felt a bitter pang in his heart. Gods had always been the faith and pillar of the Douluo Continent, the ultimate goal of everyone's struggle, yet now they had personally thwarted humanity's future, locking humanity in the unknown.
After staring at the screen in silence for a moment, the team leader said, "This was an expected result, nothing surprising."
"Record all the data; this data is extremely valuable."
"What just happened is temporarily classified as top secret; do not disclose it."
"I'm going to report to the boss now."
Having finished handing over all the work, the team leader grabbed the documents and hurriedly left the research center, heading straight for the headquarters building in Xilu City.
"Knock knock knock."
"Come in."
The team leader approached Huo Yuhao and handed him the documents about the satellite launch experiment.
Huo Yuhao quickly glanced through them and said with a smile,
"Well done."
"Satellite technology is a crucial part of the future; they are not only eyes but also base stations."
"I will reward everyone in your team."
The team leader didn't seem to care about any reward; his throat trembled, and he hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.
Seeing this, Huo Yuhao waved his hand and said,
"Speak freely, don't be nervous."
The team leader organized his thoughts for a moment and then asked earnestly,
"Boss, does everyone in the team want to know if soul tools and humanity still have a future?"
Hearing this, Huo Yuhao smiled, seemingly satisfied with the question.
"Life can tolerate the unknown, but it absolutely cannot tolerate the unknowable."
"Some people think they can keep life forever unknown by sealing it off, but they forget one thing: life will always find a way."
"This has never changed throughout history."
"Rest assured, the future has never been interrupted, the path continues, and I can guarantee that to everyone."
Looking at Huo Yuhao's confident smile, the team leader felt a strange sense of security, as if he had found a powerful backer.
(End of Chapter)
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