Chapter 271 - Chapter 271: Feng Yuanxing, I Didn’t Do Anything
Chapter 271: Feng Yuanxing, I Didn’t Do Anything
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Tang Rui had looked at the holographic projection of the model of this small asteroid and felt… nothing much.
Because this thing had posed no significant threat to the moon.
The impact was just another impact.
After all, the moon had been hit before; in fact, it got hit quite often.
The side facing Earth was still relatively okay.
But the far side of the moon was a different story, pockmarked with craters, leaving hardly any space to even set foot.
These were all attacks that the moon had shielded Earth from.
With the penetrating power of neutrinos, the structure of this small asteroid wasn’t a secret to Tang Rui at all, especially after being analyzed through the Red Lotus’ calculations.
This small asteroid’s collision with the moon was akin to the force of a 12 million-ton TNT equivalent mushroom bomb explosion.
For the moon, that was all trivial stuff.
It had endured harsher beatings; what was a mere 12 million tons?
“Red Lotus, simulate the trajectory of this small asteroid and see where it came from.”
“Okay, master, simulating… Simulation complete. There is an 82% probability that this small asteroid came from the asteroid belt, a 17% probability that it is the remnant of a disintegrated comet and a 1% probability that it is an unknown asteroid.”
Tang Rui, looking at the simulation results from Red Lotus, felt there was no issue.
The reason this small asteroid had deviated from its orbit in the asteroid belt was that it had suddenly gained an ’engine’.
This small asteroid was a composite of iron, rock, and ice crystals.
It had a certain amount of ice inside.
Normally, under the sunlight, the internal ice would turn into water vapor and be ejected through pores.
This was akin to installing an engine on it.
The thrust of this engine was not significant; it would even extinguish without sunlight.
But with this extra force, the small asteroid could easily exit the asteroid belt.
It hadn’t exited before, perhaps because it hadn’t been hit before, and its internal structure had not been damaged, keeping the water vapor trapped by its iron and stone shell, unable to be ejected.
But due to a collision, or some other reason, the outer iron and stone structure was damaged, creating cavities and cracks, allowing the internal water vapor to be violently ejected, pushing it off its original orbit.
Of course, Tang Rui didn’t care about these details.
He was neither an astronomer nor a researcher of asteroids.
He had already discovered this small asteroid.
So, what to do with it?
Just let it hit the moon?
That was meaningless.
Discovering it before it was set to hit the moon, and finding out it would still hit the moon after discovery, that would be a pointless discovery.
It needed to be used for something.
Thoughts about Nagasaki?
No.
That’d be too powerful.
If the Pacific submarine volcanic belt erupted, it would be a disaster for everyone.
An asteroid in New York?
It didn’t seem impossible.
But given the strength of Uncle Sam, not to mention destroying the asteroid, changing its trajectory wouldn’t be too much of a problem.
Then, if the landing site changed, and it fell on one’s own head, that wouldn’t be fun.
It was an idea best forgotten.
Tang Rui thought for a long time and realized that this small asteroid, apart from hitting somewhere and creating a loud noise and fireworks, was useless.
The iron ore on it wasn’t even worth mining.
“Red Lotus, keep an eye on it and inform me of any changes.”
“Okay, master.”
Actually, there were many small asteroids around the Earth.
But these asteroids were neither going to hit the Earth nor the moon, so Red Lotus didn’t issue a warning.
In the afternoon, more trailers entered the company, transporting various precious animals.
Tang Rui didn’t bother with them.
He just picked a white tiger cub and held it in his arms to play with.
This one had been bought from Russia.
Just this one, a pure white-haired Northeast tiger with black stripes.
The little guy was fun—adorably fierce.
Originally, he had other things to do in the afternoon, but after seeing this little guy, he postponed his plans, as there was no hurry.
“I’m very satisfied with these animals; you can go back now. At 12 o’clock tonight, the official website will open a webpage for technology licensing and material supply. You know the specifics, so I won’t go into details.”
Tang Rui, stroking the little cub’s head, said to James.
“Thank you, Mr. Tang. If there’s anything you need in the future, feel free to contact us. As long as we can do it, there will be no problem,” James said excitedly.
His mission this time was considered complete.
As for the cost… What would this small expense cost him?
“Alright, you can go now.”
Tang Rui didn’t take it seriously; if he couldn’t handle it, they wouldn’t be able to either.
Besides, one should never take capitalists’ words seriously.
After James left, Tang Rui walked around the company with the little guy. Everyone who saw the little cub’s eyes lit up.
How cute.
Unfortunately, in the boss’s hands, they could only watch.
Before leaving work, Gao Yang and the others came back.
“Old Feng, come to my office.”
“Okay, boss, I’ll change my clothes and come over.”
Ten minutes later.
In Tang Rui’s office, the two sat on the sofa drinking tea.
“How does it feel to be on the moon?”
“Amazing, I never thought I’d be able to go to the moon in my lifetime. Thank you, Mr. Tang.”
“Don’t thank me, actually your trip this time…”
Tang Rui was in the middle of speaking when his expression suddenly changed.
Because at that moment, Red Lotus suddenly alerted him that the small asteroid that was going to hit the moon had unexpectedly changed its trajectory.
Even the reason for the change in trajectory was recorded by Red Lotus.
The specific situation was like this—this year was the year of solar sunspot eruptions, and X-level solar storms could erupt at any time.
Just now, a solar storm erupted.
The direction was precisely where the small asteroid was located.
The high-energy particle stream carried by the solar wind directly increased the surface temperature of the small asteroid by 200 degrees.
Such a temperature, under the conduction of steel, transferred to the internal ice crystals, accelerating the melting of the ice crystals that had not melted yet.
Melting into water vapor, the internal pressure surged, causing cracks in the shell.
The water vapor, through the cracks, violently erupted.
This was equivalent to installing a steering engine on the small asteroid, directly deviating it from its original orbit.
“Red Lotus, where is the small asteroid’s impact site now?”
Tang Rui asked Red Lotus in his mind.
“Master, the current trajectory of the small asteroid is set to hit Earth, specifically in Xichang.”
Tang Rui pursed his lips, looking at Feng Yuanxing opposite him.
“Mr. Tang, is there a problem with me?”
Feng Yuanxing was clueless; he didn’t know why Tang Rui was looking at him with such a strange expression.
‘You’re fine, someone else is in trouble,” Tang Rui shook his head and said. “Someone else is in trouble? Could Mr. Tang elaborate?” Feng Yuanxing was completely confused, not understanding what was going on.
“Tell me briefly what you did on the moon today,” Tang Rui didn’t answer but asked instead.
“Mr. Tang, I really didn’t do much on the moon, just helped the astronauts at the Space Command Center assemble equipment and helped them collect rock samples.”
“Wait… You were helping them?”
“Yes.”
“Who asked you to help?”
“The captain of the astronaut training center.”
“I see..”