Chapter 284: Volcanic Eruption

Beneath the Tanga Federation, an underground base lies by a man-made lake where a wedding ceremony is taking place.

The protagonists are Rein Leinar and Yuan Minhui, whose long-distance relationship of nearly two years finally culminates in marriage.

Following Du Qiu’s withdrawal from Dream Technology, state-owned capital now officially holds the majority share, and the original management has mostly chosen to follow Du Qiu to Wisdom Technology.

With the Japanese Archipelago on the brink of submersion and the onslaught of a super virus ravaging Japan, the United States, and South Korea, Tang Country has been compelled to sever ties with these closely linked nations amid the severe epidemic prevention situation.

Simultaneously, the United States is plunged into nationwide turmoil with civil unrest and a military coup, throwing the country into utter chaos.

In the wake of natural disasters and man-made miseries – on top of being allowed to know about Earth’s impending Ice Age – it’s natural for Dream Technology’s management to bring their families to the safety of the Tanga Federation.

Led by Ning Shuangshuang, the head of security, they sift through the incoming people and educate them before allowing them entry into the underground base.

Watching Rein Leinar exchange rings with his bride, Du Qiu turns to Ning Shuangshuang beside him, “Shuangshuang, shouldn’t we also be having our wedding soon?”

Ning Shuangshuang, reeling in her envy, replies, “With the recent influx of people into the base, I’m afraid I won’t have time to ponder that.”

“You just need to nod, and I’ll sort out the wedding preparations…”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. We’ll talk about it once we move to the Heavenly Realm. With the world growing increasingly chaotic and the fate of the fault zones hanging in the balance, focus on these pressing issues for now.”

Ning Shuangshuang cuts off Du Qiu, nipping his proposal in the bud.

“Boss, please come up and officiate the wedding,” calls out Liu, the makeshift wedding host, beckoning Du Qiu to the stage.

As their boss and friend, Du Qiu is well-suited to officiate the wedding of Leinar and Minhui. Without his establishment of Dream Technology, their paths may have never crossed.

Only three years have passed, but to Du Qiu’s narration, it feels like half a century – the couple has bridged the gaps of space and species to come together.

When the bride tosses her bouquet – and it fortuitously lands in Ning Shuangshuang’s arms – all seems complete.

Watching his girlfriend, Du Qiu teases, “Even the heavens want us married.”

“It simply means I’ll marry someone, but who said it would be you?” Ning Shuangshuang retorts with a glance.

“I doubt anyone on this Earth would dare compete with me,” Du Qiu quips, then taking Ning Shuangshuang’s hand, he asserts, “You can only marry me!”

“Boss, no time for sweet talk with sister-in-law. Come save me; I can’t keep up with Barti’s German compatriots’ drinking.”

Wu Xinghuo, one of the groomsmen and partly mentored by Leinar in software and hardware, is red-faced, reaching out for Du Qiu’s help having indulged too much.

“Drink less,” Ning Shuangshuang cautions.

The post-wedding banquet – an open-air affair in a buffet style – requires guests to order their dishes, which are then prepared by robotic chefs.

For the wedding, Du Qiu commissioned Star Ocean to upgrade the robots’ databases, ensuring a sufficient variety of classic dishes.

The new database is inherited from high-fidelity androids sent to notable eateries to learn, and once a robot learns a dish, all robotic chefs can replicate it by sharing the database.

However, dishes cooked by humans have the essence of culinary art; even slight variations from master to apprentice can result in unpredictable changes – a concept the robotic world lacks.

Human society thrives on these creative differences.

As Du Qiu grows tipsy, Star Ocean’s voice rings in his ear: “Sir, a submarine volcanic eruption occurred near the coast of Mexico in Central America, initiating a new fault line extension!”

Du Qiu snaps to attention, suddenly sober.

“Just a moment, I’ll be right back.”

After bidding farewell to Leinar and Ning Shuangshuang, Du Qiu rushes back to the command center for a video conference with geological experts.

“How are things, Director Han?” asks Du Qiu.

Han Guoqiang responds, “We’ve been monitoring the subterranean rock layers in Central America due to frequent earthquakes – dozens daily. Today’s eruption was overseen by Rukovsky, who can explain further.”

Rukovsky interjects, “The eruption, three hours ago near Ahome in Mexico, caused a collapse in the seabed 22 kilometers down, creating a fault line extending southward. It’s moving slowly at 15 kilometers per day, potentially reaching land within 24 days, but it will likely accelerate.”

“Why would it speed up?”

Rukovsky elaborates, “As fault lines form, tectonic movements quicken, causing faster collapses – like a cracking eggshell. Once a new fault is established, it widens rapidly.”

Du Qiu nods, “Understood. Prepare a warning article for Secretary Leng to publish on our website.”

“Certainly,” Han Guoqiang acknowledges.

Secretary Leng returns, becoming Du Qiu’s assistant once more, managing tasks with research institutes. Actually, Star Ocean is the capable aide, with the high-fidelity robot Leng as a convenience for synchronization, and a comfort to Ning Shuangshuang.

On September 5, 2122, Wisdom Technology publishes a warning article about the fault line. With the world’s eyes on the potential sinking of the Japanese Archipelago, the news still shocks globally.

Journalists swarm Wisdom Technology’s headquarters in Dar es Salaam for a statement from the new Vice President of Public Relations, Liu Sichen, a high-ranking official from Dream Technology eager to be part of the epoch-making move to the space city.

Liu Sichen, awestruck by the underground base and inspired by technology, takes his role seriously. But the moment he opens the floor to questions, a Western journalist confronts him:

“President Liu, your company’s last prediction was inaccurate – why issue such a disturbing ‘warning’ again?”