To keep up with Block B's construction pace, which seemed to change by the day, every functional team had set up a branch here.
In the communications room of the Industrial Park Command Center.
Danny wore a headset, fully focused as he adjusted a professional radio with shortwave reception capability.
Amid the crackling hiss of static, he patiently turned the tuning knob, filtering through all kinds of messy signals.
Suddenly, a faint transmission reached Danny's ears.
"CQ, CQ, this is UTK… calling any survivors receiving this signal… repeat, this is the University of Tennessee, Knoxville…
We urgently need… outside information… and possible assistance… if received, please respond… frequency…"
The signal came in broken bursts, mixed with interference, but the key words were clear enough: University of Tennessee, Knoxville, UTK, asking for help.
Danny immediately perked up and pressed the recording button while adjusting the transmission parameters.
He did not respond right away. Instead, he carefully recorded the frequency and signal strength.
A few minutes later, the signal repeated once, with roughly the same content, then disappeared. It seemed to be a timed, cautious broadcast.
Danny did not dare delay. He grabbed his notebook and recording device, rushed out of the communications room, and headed straight for command.
"Calista, we received an external signal. It repeated twice, about five minutes apart. The source claims to be the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
The signal is weak, and the direction is roughly southwest of the city, matching the university's location. They seem to be making timed, low-power test broadcasts, mainly asking for contact and outside information."
In the command center, the members who had just returned from the hangar immediately gathered around.
"UTK!" Allen Miller's eyes lit up. "That's one of Tennessee's largest public research universities. Their engineering, medical, and agricultural schools are all strong.
If there really is a survivor group there, they may have preserved a large number of specialized books, research equipment, and maybe even professors and students from those fields!"
Calista glanced at him. "Assuming the signal is real. A signal claiming to be from a university could be genuine, or it could be a trap."
Maybe just like the broadcasts from Terminus.
No one spoke. Allen Miller also fell into thought. That possibility did exist.
Calista's gaze swept over everyone, and an idea came to her.
"Professor Howard, Elena and her students, and Anna, before they joined us, they all either worked or studied at UTK, right?"
Rickson nodded hard, his eyes lighting up. "Yes! We can have them verify it. If the people on the other end really are UTK survivors, then they might know Howard and the others, or at least have heard of them."
Calista turned to Danny. "Danny."
"Yes!"
"After their next call, establish voice contact. But don't reveal any specific information about us. Just say we're a 'mountain survivor community.' Ask them a few verification questions."
"Okay!"
...
Inside the communications room, Danny wore his headset, brow furrowed as he slowly adjusted the fine-tuning knob on the shortwave receiver.
He had been watching all night, tracking that faint but regular signal.
Based on the broadcast pattern they had picked up earlier, the next active call should come around this time.
Amid the crackling background static, the familiar signal suddenly emerged again, a little clearer than before.
"CQ, CQ, this is UTK… University of Tennessee, Knoxville…
Calling any survivors receiving this signal… we offer knowledge exchange… requesting contact… frequency…"
Danny's spirits lifted. He quickly finished recording, then before the signal disappeared, followed the cautious contact procedure they had prepared and sent a short coded reply:
"Received. Maintain channel. Await verification."
In command, Calista, Leah, Rickson, Elena, and Howard, who had been temporarily brought to the industrial park to help verify the signal, were discussing the park's water and power systems when Danny rushed in and interrupted them.
Danny spoke quickly. "The target signal appeared again. The content has been updated. They mentioned 'knowledge exchange.' I've already sent a short encrypted reply according to the plan, telling them to maintain contact."
"Knowledge exchange," Leah murmured. "They're lowering their posture even further. They may be close to running out of options."
Calista said to everyone, "Let's go listen."
The group entered the communications room. Danny pressed the transmit button.
"This is a mountain survivor community. We received your call. To confirm both sides' safety, we will ask a few verification questions. Which professors or students do you have from the water resources and agronomy programs?"
After a brief silence, the other side was clearly surprised.
"Wow, we actually have several water resources and agriculture students here!"
After discussing with the people around him, the speaker rattled off dozens of names.
"…Elena, teaching assistant in the water resources program…"
"Wow. Do you remember Elena's course code?"
The other side froze. They had clearly not expected the question to be this specific, nor had they expected the other party to know their university so well. This time, a younger voice took over.
"CE 455… or was it 454? We can't quite remember the course code. But, uh, Professor Elena's practical projects were usually about ecological and drainage optimization design. God, how do you know that much? Is the professor… is she still alive?"
The person's voice suddenly grew emotional.
Beside Danny, Elena clapped a hand over her mouth. Her eyes reddened instantly, and she nodded hard at him, indicating that the answer was completely correct.
Danny followed the plan and prepared to ask the second question.
Professor Howard, who had been listening quietly from the side, his hands trembling slightly, could not help leaning closer to the backup microphone.
He desperately wanted news of his alma mater, and just as badly wanted to confirm whether the person on the other end was truly one of his peers.
Before he realized it, Professor Howard blurted out, "Is anyone from the College of Agriculture there?"
On the other end of the radio, there was four or five seconds of absolute silence.
Only the faint hiss of static remained.
Then a voice, so emotional it cracked, suddenly burst through.
"Howard?! My God! Howard James!
Is that you, old friend?! It's Martin! Martin Sorensen! You're alive! Oh my God!"
Everyone in the communications room froze.
Howard looked as if he had been struck by lightning. He shot to his feet, eyes wide, lips trembling, unable to form a complete sentence for a moment.
Calista quickly gestured to Danny.
Danny immediately took over and steadied the situation. "Please remain calm, UTK survivors. We heard you. Please confirm your identity and your relationship with Professor Howard."
...
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