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Red Alert: Yuri's Revenge, Initiation!
"We've already mastered consciousness uploading technology, so is it strange that we can research mind technology?"
The mind technology mentioned in 115 is not mind control, which sounds like a terrifying manipulation technique that restricts freedom. In reality, it is very difficult to manipulate an individual's consciousness. When the scale of manipulation increases, even the slightest resistance from consciousness will accumulate and become a terrifying data bug. Moreover, this bug cannot be fixed; it can only accumulate and will eventually bring about a terrifying backlash.
In the history of the Amudax civilization, there was a nation that wanted to use mind control technology to enslave everyone, but in the end, that nation gave up and only used such technology on a small scale in certain areas. This was because the bugs accumulated during the mind control process could not be resolved. After all, the essence of mind control is the consensus after all consciousness is gathered. The weaker the consensus, the more bugs are caused, the more serious the resistance, the higher the intensity of the backlash, and the shorter the control time.
Thus, after the Amudax civilization entered the interstellar age and reached a new consensus, mind technology and genetic modification technology, together, became the foundation for the civilization's advancement, ultimately achieving social consensus in a more subtle way.
Of course, there were many setbacks along the way. After all, no policy can be implemented perfectly. Even with comprehensive supervision, there will always be self-righteous fools who cause trouble. Fortunately, the final result was a happy one for everyone.
So, what unique advantages did the core technology of the Amudax civilization possess? Or was it merely a divine F2 connection that served as a telepathic link between us?
Yes, once a person's consciousness enters the upgraded network system, the computing power and thought patterns within this network will also become your aid, equivalent to a person instantly possessing the blessing of an entire civilization.
However, there is a price to pay: the user's own brain will become lazy, allowing others to think for you, or even treating other people's thoughts as external circuits. After all, human nature is inherently lazy.
Therefore, it is necessary to assess the connectors. Those who can enter this network are the best of the best. I can't guarantee anything else, but at least they can overcome the laziness in human nature to the greatest extent and shine brightly during working hours. The massive computing power and thinking array model of the upgrade network can provide them with a larger stage and more possibilities. Everyone likes this result. There should be no burdens in the King of Roll's circle.
As for whether you can slack off, the thinking in the upgraded network is basically shared, and the time within the work scope is absolutely transparent. Try it if you want to slack off.
Of course, if you can snag a top-tier research award, that's not slacking off; it's changing your mindset during work hours, exploring new markets, and realizing your personal value. The adult world is results-oriented, and the same applies to performance evaluations within the network.
To be honest, Qin Shan was tempted.
With such technology, Earth's scientific research capabilities would increase a hundredfold or even ninety-ninefold, instantly shattering scientific research barriers. Human civilization would rapidly integrate, at least at the level of scientific research and technology, laying the foundation for future unification of civilizations.
Great technology! Tencent's replication technique, let's get started! We'll test it out first, and then seriously try it out in the future.
It is bound to be the future, because the technology is based on the unique carbon-based and silicon-based hybrid genetic system of the Amudaks. Their bodies are not strictly flesh and blood, but rather constructs. It's like you have to undergo nineteen surgeries to become an Astartes before you can join the Emperor's expeditionary force.
In summary, it's about "The Emperor with Eight Trillions of Astartes: Conquest or Bankruptcy?"
I always felt that bankruptcy was more likely, but you can't rush things. If you give it time, you can still accumulate this level of foundation. After all, when you reach the interstellar civilization stage, the population of a single star system can exceed one trillion.
Even with a population of trillions, it would still be a drop in the ocean compared to a star system with a diameter of about one light-year. Don't think this is an exaggeration; if the resources within a single star system were fully developed, supporting trillions of people would be easy.
At that time, civilizations will no longer care about how big the universe is, but how big their small population can spread out. The core star system will be just over a hundred billion, and the peripheral star systems will barely reach ten thousand. This is not a joke, but the norm.
Leaving aside the Amucas civilization, the Resistance Moon of World Three, on the least populated planet in the Milky Way's frontier star system, has only three households, less than twenty people. The nearest star system to them has less than a thousand people. This is equivalent to Beijing having less than two hundred thousand people, and after entering Hebei, each village has less than one person.
Vast land area and sparse population are not enough to describe this outrageous population dilution.
Looking at the Earth's population, which is less than 10 billion, we truly have a long way to go.
Chapter 163: Tokyo University, please look at me one more time!
According to the famous cockroach theory, if one cockroach jumps on your face, a whole bunch of them will definitely appear in your house.
The same applies to the fragments of the world. The situation in World Two was just a signal. Soon after, other worlds began to experience similar problems, except for Earth, where no such situation was found.
This situation, where parts of two worlds overlap, was named the "Boundary Zone" by Qinshan.
The King of Elden has returned!
No similar world fragments have appeared yet. In fact, most world fragments are just a part of an entire world. So not all fragments contain huge treasure chests waiting for you. You may find that when you go in, you will find a vast, empty starry sky, cold, dark, and nothing at all.
With the help of the ship girls, Qin Shan stored these worlds away by creating storage spaces, essentially building his own little world. As for the empty world fragments that had nothing, he simply reset the world structure inside them.
Sounds high-tech, right? Actually, it's just about blowing it up and rebuilding it. This thing is already a fragment of the world, and its internal world structure is definitely quite unstable compared to the normal world. Eighth-order destructive power is enough to destroy it. If you still think it's too troublesome, you can use a large number of nuclear bombs to blow it up.
Qin Shan noticed that he was using nuclear weapons more and more frequently lately, and many engineering projects on Earth were also being paved with nuclear weapons. As long as it was controlled properly, there would be no pollution problem, and it could even greatly save on construction costs.
Recently, Dongda University has been working with Thailand to explore the possibility of opening a new canal. If successful, it would allow ships to bypass the Strait of Malacca, shortening the voyage by at least 1200 kilometers and reducing the journey by at least two days. As long as the toll fees do not fully cover this cost, cargo ships from various countries would be very willing to use this route.
This project is the famous China-Thailand Kra Isthmus Canal Project.
Even if this place is repaired, the amount of money it can generate won't be much. After all, compared to the Suez Canal, the Kra Isthmus Canal's reduction in distance is negligible. However, for Thailand, even a few hundred million or tens of millions of dollars in revenue each year would be enough to alleviate the strain on the national treasury.
Only a very small number of countries in the world are never short of money; the vast majority of people live in poverty.
Thailand is fully committed to the Kra Canal development project; if possible, they would even be willing to extend their support.
The plan is finalized, the nuclear weapons are in place, and we can start digging at a single command. The rest can be handled by the infrastructure-obsessed team from the University of Tokyo. A canal?
We'll just dig a strait for you.
What, you're saying Singapore opposes it?
Singapore is about to become a colony of the United States. Opposition is ineffective. Your American daddy is dead, and the new Soviet Union has no interest in dealing with things here. The internal contradictions of the European Union are similar to those of the United States before the Civil War. So Singapore looks around in confusion. There is no one in the world who can save it. Even countries with better relations are advising Singapore to be patient. The East is vast.
Is this something that can be easily forgotten by just enduring it?
It is foreseeable that after the canal opens, the geographical importance of old Singapore will decline sharply. If Thailand receives further investment from Dongda University and simply adopts a strategy of small profits and large gains, the importance of the Strait of Malacca will change from 100% to 20/80, with Thailand at 80% and old Singapore at 20%.
Opposition, protest?
Brother, when the US was around, Singapore might have thought the same way, since it had someone backing it up. But now the US is fragmented and its seat in the UN has become almost meaningless, even insignificant. The UN is already holding a meeting to vote on whether to move out of New York and relocate its offices. Under these circumstances, for Singapore to shake the US's decision with its own strength? My friend, you're really quite humorous.
But as a small country that has managed to survive and thrive, Singapore is quite adept at international politics, and they quickly devised a feasible solution. Since they couldn't shake the University of Southeast Asia's decision, they decided to bring in external forces.
The ideal target now is the new Soviet Union, but Zelensky ignores Singapore and directly states that the Soviet Union has no interest in Asian affairs. Our Soviet wish is to go to Paris for the military parade.
And that was the end of it; the representatives from old Singapore were turned away.
The most feasible plan was immediately abandoned before it even got off the ground, but no worries, Singapore still has a Plan B!
Plan B is also very simple: take the initiative to rush to Dongda University, then quickly kneel down and acknowledge its dominance, obediently obeying whatever Dongda University asks of them, paying money to save their lives, and then using huge benefits to tell Dongda University that the United States is now dead, and there is absolutely no need for us to dig a new route specifically for the Belt and Road Initiative at sea.
At the same time, pressure should be put on Thailand, such as by providing aid to anti-government armed groups within Thailand. Southern Thailand, which is relatively close to Singapore, already has a certain tendency towards separatism. Once the canal is dug, Thailand will be physically separated from the north. Don't underestimate this kind of rupture. Not every country's centripetal force is as strong as Dongda's. Some countries, once broken, can never go back.
Is it the Austro-Hungarian Empire?
If Thailand is willing to give up digging the canal, and Singapore provides benefits, then Southeast Asia University won't say anything. Only by balancing both substance and appearance can Singapore have room to maneuver and continue to live in the Singapore model.
The essence of Plan B lies in first stabilizing the University of Tokyo and ensuring that the university remains neutral on this issue, even if only superficially so.
That's fine too. If Southeast University is determined to take the field, then Singapore should just give up. An arm might be able to twist a thigh with all its might, but it can never twist an excavator, not to mention that Southeast University is using a heavy-duty excavator. They can't afford to mess with them, they simply can't afford to mess with them.
The tragedy of small countries is nothing more than this: they can only try to deflect the force with minimal effort, relying on international political relations and using the balance of payments as a basis to make the powerful feel that it is not worthwhile, thereby stopping their actions. After that, the small country still has to take the initiative to flatter and appease the powerful, showing that it has absolutely no intention of offending you, and try its best to offer benefits to appease the anger of the powerful.
Moreover, it is important to note that in order to stop the actions of a major power, either the major power must be so morally wrong as to be universally condemned, or the major power must not have an absolutely firm and unshakable stance on this issue; otherwise, no matter how hard a small country tries, it will be in vain.
The attitude of the University of Tokyo towards the Kra Isthmus Canal project is a typical example: it was very necessary before, but now it's optional.
For at least the next two or three decades, there is absolutely no indication that any fleet other than the University of Tokyo will dominate the Strait of Malacca. Therefore, this project is essentially a follow-up to the previous cooperation with Thailand. If Thailand is unwilling, then the University of Tokyo certainly will not force them. It is a matter of mutual consent, and there is no need to make things too ugly.
Ultimately, the issue fell to the Thai government: whether or not to dig the canal. Thailand's stance was clear: dig it, it absolutely must be dug!
The reason is very simple: Singapore has never been very cooperative in the past. During the historical separation of Singapore from Thailand, there were various entanglements and even conflicts. If possible, Thailand would like to control Singapore, even if it means taking a share of the spoils with the help of the University of Tokyo. However, Singapore is a sovereign state recognized by the United Nations, and Thailand's national strength obviously does not allow it to directly destroy a country. Moreover, there are many Chinese people there. Regardless of whether those Chinese are loyal to the University of Tokyo, the fact that this issue can be used by a major power is terrifying for Thailand.
But the more ways to manipulate Singapore, the better.
Then they'll collect tolls on this side of the canal, and collect protection money from Singapore on the other side. If you're obedient, the toll on this side of the canal will be a little higher, so you can have some meat to eat. If you're disobedient, believe me, I'll just open the canal for free, and you won't even be able to make a profit. Hehehe, that's perfect.
Of course, since Dongda University was invited to build it, and the funds and technology belong to them, Dongda University should naturally take the lion's share. This is international practice. The shares of Kra Isthmus Company have been divided among more than forty companies, with the Thai government holding 20%, which is the highest publicly stated shareholding ratio.
In reality, Dongda holds the largest shareholding, but it is hidden behind many companies, such as the major shareholders of major shareholders of certain European and American companies, as well as the investors. Dongda Capital is a nested structure that ultimately controls 51% of the shares of the canal and has the highest decision-making power. On the surface, it appeases the nationalistic sentiment in Thailand. It has given both substance and face, and everyone has a way out. It's perfect.
Everyone knows the style of the University of Tokyo. Unless it's something particularly outrageous, the University of Tokyo is basically a hands-off manager. If you think the University of Tokyo is easy to bully because of this, then a hands-off manager can also be a manager who slaps you in the face.
Small nations fight for survival, while large nations strive for the benefit of humanity.
As the number of superhumans increases, humanity has gradually gained a foothold on the moon. Currently, the proportion of superhumans in the lunar exploration base, Guanghan Palace, is the highest among all human civilization regions, reaching 79%. This is because superhumans are truly well-suited for interstellar exploration. Even a first-level superhuman, after mastering the internal energy circulation, can completely withstand the space environment with their physical body. Theoretically, they can even enter space naked. This is an advantage that ordinary people do not possess at all. It is no exaggeration to say that superhumans are definitely a space race.
The significance of the nation's extraordinary achievements lies in this.
Currently, the largest population of Tokyo University is based at the Guanghan Palace base, accounting for over 80%, and in some areas even reaching 100%. In certain departments, it's as if everyone is from Tokyo University. There's no way around it; Tokyo University has a large population, and a high proportion of superhumans.
Because of Qin Shan's favoritism, while the proportion of superhumans in other countries was still hovering around one percent, the proportion in Dongda University and the new Soviet Union had risen to over five percent. In terms of population, the new Soviet Union was less than 150 million, not even as many as the United States during the Warring States period (the United States still has nearly 200 million people left after the war). Even if both sides were at five percent, five percent of 1.4 billion or even approaching 1.5 billion is definitely not in the same league as five percent of 150 million. The new Soviet Union was destined to be outdone on the issue of population, and by a significant margin.
So what about India? Don't argue, it's currently embroiled in a fanatical religious war.
For ordinary people, it is indeed easy for superhumans to become religious idols. Coupled with India's fragmented religious system, it is easy to create scenes of nationwide religious fanaticism. The latest statistics show that there are more than a thousand religions in India with superhumans in charge. This is a rough estimate, and the actual situation is likely to be even worse.
India is inevitably heading towards division, and civil war is an inevitable outcome. Currently, there is no longer any internal conflict within India.
One faction can suppress various conflicts among numerous factions. It's possible that in the future, many new countries will emerge from India's seat, leading to a kind of cataclysmic disintegration.
The Western Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army is on high alert because the chaos in India will inevitably lead to a massive influx of refugees in this country of 1.4 billion people. These refugees will spread to the surrounding areas. Although there are the Himalayas to the north, people in dire straits can go east along this road first, and then north after crossing the Himalayas. Some areas in India are adjacent to our plains and hilly areas, so it is relatively easy to walk across.
Therefore, the buffer zone is very important. When dealing with India before, some new countries were already established in northern India (at that time, the United States was still in power and used its veto power to prevent the United Nations from recognizing these countries). But now, these countries have been recognized by the international community. Even Sikkim, which India destroyed before, has now been revived and is quite hostile to India. In addition, the legitimacy of these countries' existence is to oppose India. So if they block the refugees, they can definitely use heavy machine guns to clear the area brutally. At that time, other Southeast Asian countries will also take advantage of India's misfortune. In this way, the refugee problem can only be contained within India, avoiding the situation where Southeast Asia is overwhelmed.
Such a country is obviously not a suitable environment for cultivating extraordinary individuals. The proportion of vendettas and deaths among extraordinary individuals in the country is very high. This is why India, which is also a populous country, has fewer extraordinary individuals than France.
However, these were minor matters for Tokyo University at that time; the real focus was on the vast universe.
It's time to fully develop Mars!
Section 164: The Last Value of the United Nations
"Developing Mars isn't particularly difficult, but..."
Qin Shan did not doubt the ability of the current Dongda University and the new Soviet Union to develop Mars after joining forces, but the problem was the abyss.
The abyss follows the footsteps of human civilization. In other words, wherever there are humans, there is a chance that an abyss will appear. The probability of an abyss appearing is directly proportional to the local human population. As for what will emerge from it, that is a very random question.
"It seems that everyone's distribution range will have to be expanded again."
The simplest way to solve this problem right now is for Qin Shan to send ship girls to be stationed there permanently. They can't be weak; they should at least be at the eighth tier. This way, they can react as soon as the abyss appears, and then Qin Shan can close the gate.
In the past, every appearance of the Abyss represented epic despair, but now, for Qin Shan, the Abyss Gate is more of a possibility for merchants. As long as the freedom to open and close the gate is in his own hands, the world on the other side is just a resource point that can be developed sooner or later.
"Admiral, leave it to me." Changchun volunteered.
"Then I'll leave Mars to you." Qin Shan nodded.
"No problem!" Changchun was very happy because this would be of help to the admiral.
The preparations for developing Mars involved international cooperation, but it was clear to everyone that this project was led by only two countries: the Soviet Union and the National Revolutionary Army. The former had sufficient resources and, given its geographical advantages, could establish complementary cooperation with the National Revolutionary Army. In this internationally led Mars development program, the National Revolutionary Army and the Soviet Union contributed more than 90% of the effort, with the remainder being what other countries could do, such as contributing money, resources, and researchers.
Although the technology of sub-light-speed engines cannot be mastered in a short time, the establishment of a stable international cooperation framework without interference has obviously accelerated the progress of analyzing the technology of extraterrestrial spacecraft. Currently, the best spacecraft that mankind can build can fly from Earth to Mars in one month without selecting a launch window, and if the optimal launch window is chosen, the time can be reduced to twenty days.
The first human mission to Mars was naturally intended to be auspicious and to ensure everything went smoothly. Therefore, the launch time was chosen when Mars and Earth were closest. However, this is a long-term project, and the space elevator must be completed before it can be realized.
Yes, current human technology allows for the creation of space elevators. The ideal location for a space elevator is near the equator. There are currently 27 selected launch sites for space elevators, and relevant countries are striving to have them located in their countries, even if it means drastically changing their political landscape. Everyone knows that the locations where space elevators are built are surrounded by economically prosperous areas, driving the development of numerous related industries.
Moreover, interstellar exploration is now a clear blue ocean. Some have estimated that the place where the space elevator lands will become the most economically prosperous place on Earth for the next half century. All opportunities, dreams and the future will converge on that land. Even if we only focus on Earth, this industry can absorb and educate at least 100 million workers.
The following are the equatorial countries:
Africa: Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania
Asia: Indonesia, Maldives
South America: Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil
Oceania: Kiribati
Apart from Kiribati in Oceania, which most people have probably never heard of, the rest of the countries are heroes from the Tongliao universe.
The economies of these countries can hardly be described as prosperous; at the very least, they are in a terrible state. Although no vote has been cast yet, most countries have assumed that there will be no space elevator in the Americas.
The reason is very simple: the American Civil War had already begun to spill over into the Americas. As an island outside the Eurasian continent, North and South America were originally on the periphery of the world's industry. While the United States was cruel when it was exploiting the Americas, it objectively dragged the entire Americas into the world's industrial system. However, after the collapse of the United States, industrial development in the region fell into disarray. Local industries and purchasing power were both weak. So, apart from the East and the new Soviet Union, how many other countries would be interested in this region?
Furthermore, both the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the new Soviet Union tacitly agreed that in the coming period, they would do everything possible to dismantle the United States, and absolutely not allow a second United States to emerge in the Americas. If necessary, they would even support multiple socialist countries under the guise of sending troops for peacekeeping. Even if the United States could rise again in the future, it would at least have to be a socialist United States.
Human civilization has already managed to rid itself of that evil, and we can't afford to have it happen a second time.
There will absolutely not be, and it will not be possible to build a space elevator there until everything in the Americas has settled down.
However, more space elevators are not necessarily better. Based on Earth's current actual needs, building two to four space elevators is sufficient. The first space elevator, in addition to its first-mover advantage, also has historical significance, and its current economic value and future intangible assets are unimaginable. If the East Asian University and the new Soviet Union were even more shameless and simply seized a piece of land on the equator to build a space elevator, those small countries would have no way to stop them.
They don't even need to lift a finger. Just look at proxy wars; they can simply create some local armed forces and tear that country apart. If they care about appearances, they can create even more war-torn regions, dragging everything around the equator into the fray, and making a killing off arms sales. With the combined power of the world's two poles, taking down a country simultaneously—is it really that difficult?
But the University of Tokyo and the new Soviet Union are not the United States, and they will not directly launch an attack unless the other side is completely shameless and acts like Colonel Gaddafi.
Next came the site selection for the space elevator. The UN office, which had already moved to Suzhou, quickly became one of the busiest places in the world. Equatorial countries, as well as those supporting them, engaged in friendly exchanges at the UN General Assembly. The atmosphere was lively, but all parties opposed their respective proposals.
After all, if this succeeds, they'll gain fame and fortune; only a fool wouldn't want that. Even South American countries, knowing their chances are slim, are doing their utmost. They've already made it clear that if they don't get elected, they'll support other equatorial countries and discuss profit sharing afterward.
But just then, two explosive news items came: Tokyo University and the new Soviet Union simultaneously announced a major breakthrough in space elevator technology. It didn't matter if our space elevator wasn't built on the equator; we had a wider range of options.
In that instant, the equatorial countries, which had previously considered themselves highly desirable, felt as if the sky had fallen.
The era of exploring the stars and the sea is going to abandon us?! No way!!!
So, is this true?
It's true, of course. The relevant technologies were shared by Qin Shan with Dongda and the new Soviet Union. However, relying entirely on Earth's current technology, it would be best to build the space elevator on the equator. But the technological breakthroughs of the new Soviet Union and Dongda can instantly deprive other countries of their bargaining power. This is a kind of international game.
It takes wisdom to get the other party to accept your offer willingly and even be grateful.
In addition, there is another reason: for major powers, any plan needs to be filed for record. Even if they have all the technology, equipment and funds for the space elevator, foreign countries are foreign countries after all. Legally, it belongs to other countries. As long as the new Soviet Union and the University of Tokyo still have some sense of shame and want to act within the framework of the United Nations, they cannot go too far.