Chapter 259: Action in the United States

“Does Your Excellency Trust understand the significance of a major glacial period?” Despite the shock evident on Trust’s face, suggesting he grasped the implications of a glacial period, Du Qiu felt it necessary to ask.

“Is it similar to what happens in the movie ‘The Day After Tomorrow,’ where the entire Earth will enter an ice age?” Trust’s voice trembled as he inquired.

Du Qiu nodded and explained, “The ultimate result is as you described, but there’s more…”

“What else?” implored Trust, a sense of urgency creasing his brow.

“Before entering the glacial period, Earth will suffer through great earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and various other significant natural disasters. The Earth’s tectonic plates will move more violently, and many people may perish before the ice age even begins.”

Trust’s face betrayed a mix of panic and doubt.

After a long pause, he looked up and asked, “Doctor Du Qiu, is this really going to happen? After all, we’ve only witnessed a major earthquake in California so far.”

Du Qiu sighed, well aware that many often meet the prospect of severe disasters with disbelief. After all, the world still seemed at peace—who could imagine an impending doomsday?

“Do you know how many times California has experienced earthquakes above magnitude 7?”

Trust shook his head.

“To date, there have been 18,” Du Qiu continued. “The fault line has reached the Gulf of California. Seawater is now pouring into the fault, meeting the subterranean magma, leading to explosive steam blasts that could widen the fault.

The fault is still advancing under the sea, exacerbating the collision between two major plates, prompting new seismic events.

Places such as Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama are all going to experience earthquakes above magnitude 7.

All these quakes will influence other seismic belts around the globe, causing a resonance effect that could trigger mega-quakes in other regions.

Of course, there will also be a surge in volcanic eruptions. As volcanic ash fills the atmosphere, temperatures will plummet, and the planet will enter a deep freeze.”

The deeper Trust delved into the conversation, the colder his heart grew. The scenario Du Qiu was painting overlapped alarmingly with those he had seen in Hollywood disaster movies.

“Do you have any recommendations, Doctor Du?” Trust asked.

“The best course of action would be to convene a full Earth Union meeting as soon as possible to discuss contingency plans for the disaster.

To avoid widespread panic, I suggest inviting national leaders to attend confidentially.

When the time comes, I’ll arrange for Professor Rukovsky from our company’s Geological Research Institute to present the theoretical basis for the disaster, backed by some empirical evidence.

This may help the world leaders to discuss and formulate some response plans.”

Finding Du Qiu’s approach prudent, Trust believed it was all Earth Union could do for now, as it lacked any enforcement power.

“Doctor Du, won’t you attend the summit?”

With a faint smile, Du Qiu replied, “Excellency Secretary-General, I am merely a business owner, not a national leader. I’d best not get involved in the meeting.”

Trust realized the truth in this, considering Earth Union’s location within the United States and the government’s likely refusal to grant Du Qiu an entry visa.

Even if they did, it might be a ploy to arrest him once he attended.

“Doctor Du, does Dream Technology have any means to address such disasters?”

Originally intending to leave, Trust suddenly recalled Dream Technology’s early discovery of the issue. Could they already have some plan in place?

Du Qiu sighed, “There are solutions, but they can only accommodate tens of millions of people. Faced with global populations in the billions, these measures are but a drop in the ocean.”

Trust’s heart skipped a beat, the idea reminding him of the “Ark Project” from the movie “2012.” Gazing at Du Qiu’s somber expression, he probed, “Doctor Du, can’t your plan be extended to other countries?”

“The world is not a homogenous place; countries’ capabilities vary greatly. Our company’s plan would probably only be feasible for a select few major nations.”

Dream Technology had only just begun signing agreements with some major countries, such as Europe, allowing the company’s researchers to use the European particle collider, and China, focusing on controlled nuclear fusion and aerospace. There were also projects with Rus country in astrophysics, chemistry, and molecular biology.

All these collaborations would help Du Qiu’s scientific teams to build a strong foundation across various fields, enabling a faster acquisition of technology from extraterrestrial civilizations.

Du Qiu had established a Scientific Committee, under which operated an array of institutes. However, given the close scrutiny top scientists receive from their countries, Du Qiu often recruited less famous individuals. Additionally, he hired numerous doctoral students, resulting in a relatively young research team with an average age of 38. Their youth and unbounded thinking, guided by Du Qiu, spurred constant innovation.

In collaboration with these nations, such a research team would flourish. Du Qiu had already identified some individuals he believed would become great scientists of the future.

If not for his desire to build and refine his own research team, Du Qiu might not be willing to collaborate with other major countries.

Piecing together Du Qiu’s words, Trust guessed the solution might involve space technology, as Dream Technology’s space-based weapon had already taken the global lead.

Given the seriousness of the issue, Trust quickly took his leave to head back to Earth Union headquarters and issue a global meeting invitation and report, urging a discussion of countermeasures.

Unbeknownst to Trust, a significant event occurred in California upon his return to New City, United States.

In Fresno County, a flat terrain nearly barren of people, Professor David’s prediction of a collapse within 48 hours came true, causing the eastern region of Los Angeles to sink and resulting in significant casualties.

However, the seawater backflow happened six days after the collapse, as the fault line extended into the Gulf of California, drawing massive amounts of water.

Huge plumes of steam and dust masked the southern part of California and the northern part of Mexico, diverting attention from the ongoing extension of the undersea fault line.

Californians had finally faced the harsh reality; without police persuasion, they joined the exodus, though it came at the cost of over a million casualties.

After several days of extensive migration, California was nearly deserted, with even the U.S. Military retreating to the safety of the East.

That day, however, several Chinook helicopters landed on the plain.

Professor David and a group began to conduct measurements and preparations.

Out of two Chinooks emerged two enormous engineering robots, procured by the Americans through international market dealings from Dream Technology.

Once on the ground, the robots quickly deployed their functional parts and commenced excavating.

“Professor, it’ll take us about two hours to dig to the specified depth. Will that be enough time?”

A colonel leading the operation asked loudly.

“It’ll suffice; there’s no need to worry. Given the current speed of the fault’s northern progression, it won’t reach here for at least another five hours,” responded David, with a barely detectable sigh of relief from the colonel.

Instructing his soldiers to increase their pace, the colonel couldn’t resist reiterating his query to David, who was busy calibrating instruments. “Professor, do you really believe detonating this ‘device’ here will prevent the fault from extending north?”

David looked up, his eyes glinting with hesitation before shaking his head. “I’m not sure of its efficacy, but we must do something as California is being split into two.”

Dumbfounded, the colonel could only hope for the best.

“Yes, if it works, we might help Central American countries to use the same method to stop the fault’s progression southward.”

An hour after David’s team evacuated, the earth trembled, and dirt shot into the sky, reaching thousands of meters high, forming a massive crater with a diameter of several kilometers.

From a great distance, a vast gorge approached quickly, halting its northward extension at the edge of the enormous pit.

A special thanks to “≮Etheral Illusion≯” for the generous donation of 1000 coins!