Chapter 217: No More the United States on Blue Star

Ning Shuangshuang did not throw herself excitedly into Du Qiu’s embrace as a typical girl might. Instead, she began to circle around Du Qiu.

“Could you… are you a synthetic robot?”

Du Qiu, who was holding out his arms expecting an embrace from Ning Shuangshuang, suddenly stiffened, “Shuangshuang, can you not recognize me after more than two years?”

As soon as he finished speaking, a pair of gentle hands hugged him from behind.

“Du Qiu, we’re finally together.”

A warmth filled Du Qiu’s heart as he responded, “Yes, we won’t have to be apart anymore.”

As he spoke, he tried to turn around.

But Ning Shuangshuang held him tight, “Don’t move, I just want to feel what it’s like to hug you!”

Du Qiu couldn’t help but smile bitterly, “Wouldn’t it be better if I turn around and we hug face to face?”

“I’m a little… shy, let me just hold you like this,” Ning Shuangshuang’s voice suddenly dropped to a whisper.

“Alright, you can hug me as long as you want.” Du Qiu knew his girlfriend was actually quite bashful; they had been dating for three years but had spent over two apart.

Even now, their relationship had only progressed to second base, which was quite unusual in an era where whirlwind marriages are the norm.

Listening to Du Qiu’s heartbeat, Ning Shuangshuang slowly felt more settled.

“I couldn’t convince my dad; he wants to stand his last watch for the country.”

Du Qiu gently patted Ning Shuangshuang’s hand and said, “It’s okay, wherever the old man wants to work is fine. With me here, no one can make him unhappy.”

“Humph, that’s a big claim. If you’re so capable, why did I have to change appearances and hide when coming out?”

Du Qiu smiled and said, “Despite everything, we are citizens of the Tang Country. We can’t let our country lose face, right? If we break laws and regulations at will, their seriousness can’t be upheld. By acting this way, the fault lies with us individuals, not with the country.”

“You really think for the country, huh? Even not returning home can somehow be justified by national interests. I’m amazed at your reasoning,” Ning Shuangshuang teased with a light laugh.

Du Qiu, caressing Ning Shuangshuang’s hand, said, “You’re teasing me again. My actions do indeed transcend national borders. If I were to return, it might indeed trigger a major war. Besides, since there are disagreements above, my return would just stir up conflicts. I would prefer not to become a sacrificial pawn for someone else’s gain.”

“Let’s not talk about these bothersome matters.”

Ning Shuangshuang said this and suddenly let go of Du Qiu, “Isn’t this aircraft another remarkable invention? Won’t you show me around?”

Du Qiu turned to face her, looking at Ning Shuangshuang’s beautiful visage, filled with joy, he said, “Yes, this is a newly completed anti-gravity aircraft.”

“Anti-gravity?”

“Yes. Look, the reason why the inner cabin is so spacious and empty is that it just finished construction. The interior hasn’t been completed yet. It’s good timing though, since you were coming out, I used it to pick you up.”

Now with time to spare, Ning Shuangshuang took a closer look around. Indeed, as Du Qiu said, the entire inner cabin was very spacious with no facilities to be seen.

The metal walls all around appeared silver, with many exposed pipes and lines.

“It just completed construction, and you dared to take it to pick me up? Without any test flights, aren’t you worried about problems?”

Du Qiu smiled confidently, “I’ve simulated and tested this aircraft countless times on supercomputers, and the manufacturing process was precise. There’s no need for repeated test flights like existing aircraft manufacturing requires.

Hmm, I wanted to have a test flight with you; it feels better. Don’t you like it?”

Ning Shuangshuang looked at Du Qiu, “In these two years, developing military technologies, were you planning some kind of revenge against the United States?”

With her insight, Ning Shuangshuang could tell that a colossal aircraft appearing silently in the international waters of the East Sea without alarming the surrounding Japan, the Tang Country, and the stationed U.S. Military in Japan was an indication of incredibly advanced technology.

If such an aircraft wasn’t a weapon, Ning Shuangshuang certainly wouldn’t believe it.

“The retaliation against the United States has already taken place, don’t you know that Dream Technology and Wisdom Technology allied to overturn the U.S. IT industry?” Du Qiu said with a smile.

Ning Shuangshuang rolled her eyes at Du Qiu, “That counts?”

“Of course it counts. Isn’t the United States imposing sanctions here and there because it relies on its strong national power and technological lead?

Hmm, speaking of formal retaliation, it started even earlier. The stock market crash they had a couple of years ago was also instigated by me. I wanted to crush their economy first, then overtake them with advanced technology.

When they’re no longer the world’s leader, it will be my turn to sanction them! Then use the same tactics they use to destabilize other countries to make them fall apart. In this way, Blue Star will have no more United States, and my revenge will be completed.”

Ning Shuangshuang, watching Du Qiu talk eloquently, felt as if she was seeing him for the first time. Throughout their relationship, she always thought that Du Qiu was a decent, righteous man with a gentle demeanor.

It never occurred to her that Du Qiu’s desire for revenge could be so intense.

“What’s the matter? Do you think my revenge went a bit too far?” Du Qiu saw the doubt in Ning Shuangshuang eyes.

She nodded slightly.

Du Qiu raised two fingers and said, “Two reasons: first, I am quite fond of the feeling described in Jin Yong’s ‘Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils’ about using one’s own methods against them.

Second, I’ve always liked doing righteous deeds from a young age. If I had no ability, then let it be, but now that I have the capability, and the United States has provoked me, naturally I must act justly in retaliation.

The United States’ eventual downfall to such a state is a result of its arrogant and overbearing role in global governance. There’s an old saying in our culture; tyranny cannot last. So even without me, the decline of the U.S. is inevitable given the deep-seated racial conflicts within; downfall is historically inevitable upon national power weakening.”

Ning Shuangshuang looked seriously at Du Qiu, “I’m glad you know that tyranny cannot last, and I hope you always remember that.”

Du Qiu chuckled, “Are you worried about me being too overbearing? Don’t worry, I’m quite reasonable. Come, let me show you the distinct features of the anti-gravity aircraft.”

Du Qiu led Ning Shuangshuang on a tour through the various compartments of the aircraft. The more she saw, the more she realized how completely different this was from a plane.

The control room, the weapon bay, the navigation chamber, the power chamber…

“Du Qiu, this aircraft hardly resembles a plane.”

“Of course not, this is a Winged Dragon space fighter. We’re flying out of Earth right now!”

As Du Qiu spoke, a projection appeared before them—numerous views from 360 degrees around the exterior of the aircraft.

Among them, the view beneath the aircraft was a panorama of Blue Star, evidently, the aircraft was already flying out of the atmosphere.

“Oh my gosh, are we really flying out of the atmosphere? Shouldn’t we experience a ‘heat barrier’ at this speed? Aren’t we supposed to be weightless at this altitude?”

Ning Shuangshuang could hardly believe it; this all defied common sense. Why didn’t she feel anything?

Du Qiu explained, “This is all thanks to the anti-gravity engine, which not only negates the aircraft’s gravity but also provides a greater reverse force that keeps the aircraft floating away from Blue Star.

The lack of ‘heat barrier’ is because the aircraft’s hull has a heat absorption cooling mechanism. People inside the aircraft won’t experience weightlessness and float around because there’s a gravity simulation device within the aircraft.

All of this is made possible due to the aircraft’s powerful energy source. Without it, these gravitational field devices would be impossible to operate. The project I’ve been working on is exactly that, energy. I’ve succeeded in mass-producing metallic hydrogen, which in the future will make space travel affordable and easy.”

Ning Shuangshuang looked at Du Qiu with astonishment and then at the image of Blue Star in the 3D projection. At that moment, the aircraft was in space above the East Sea.

“You’ve actually developed metallic hydrogen. That truly has the potential to trigger a world war.”

Ning Shuangshuang knew what metallic hydrogen was and had even been involved in sharing related intelligence, nearly losing her life in the process.

She could hardly have imagined that her boyfriend had not just developed a method to mass-produce it but also applied it in an anti-gravity device.

Reflecting on the possible implications, anti-gravity devices might also be an astonishing invention.

In an instant, Ning Shuangshuang felt a colossal weight on her shoulders. Du Qiu must be using the anti-gravity device to construct Heaven in space.

These globally leading technologies would make the major nations covetous, with even allies trying to steal such technology.

In the future, she would need to help Du Qiu establish a system and means to vet all who enter Heaven, to ensure peace there.

After all, even the mightiest fortress could be breached from within.

“Du Qiu, my dad asked me to tell you that no matter where you build Heaven, Blue Star is your foundation.

You need to build a broad alliance with most countries on Blue Star to ensure the better development of Heaven.

The United States is bound to decline, and Europe is not united either—similar to what you just mentioned.”

Du Qiu immediately laughed, “My future father-in-law is indeed a diplomatic expert, hitting right at the key points of the Heaven project.

No, I must find a way to get my father-in-law to become Heaven’s Minister of Foreign Affairs! Moreover, I can’t stand my mother-in-law and father-in-law being separated like the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl.”

“Be serious, we’re discussing important matters!”