Yang Shiyun whispered, "Really? Look, they can launch flying saucers on their own. Doesn't that prove high technology?"
Zhao Qiang said, "But what kind of high technology is it if their flying saucers crash?"
Yang Shiyun said, "But what we just saw underground was real high technology, as was the UFO that crashed outside and the equipment inside. It can't be faked, can it?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Then it makes sense that the aliens lost their civilization. That's why the team of robots suspected that someone had been to the crashed UFO but couldn't go in to check. And the aliens themselves can't operate those high-tech gadgets down there, so they just let them gather dust. They even had to redesign their most commonly used spaceships."
Yang Shiyun said, "Your reasoning is not unreasonable, but we didn't see any aliens at all. Could it be that there are no aliens at all, or maybe they are the natives of this underground world who inherited the aliens' robots but not their advanced technology. They built a flying saucer with only a rudimentary understanding of the aliens, or perhaps they repaired a flying saucer left behind by aliens and launched it just as we arrived."
Zhao Qiang said, "No matter what, there should be a launch command base here. Let's look carefully."
Volume 2 [754] Departure
The robots were circling around the crashed UFO like headless flies. There was no point in watching any longer, so Zhao Qiang and Yang Shiyun left. The two wanted to search for the launch command base again, but after searching through the underground world, they found nothing unusual.
Realizing that the so-called control room had been destroyed and there was nothing else of value to be found here, and considering that Zhao Qiang needed to recharge the drilling rig's super-powered battery, the two secretly returned to the cracked ground. Although they were full of doubts, this was not the time to find answers, and they could only speculate in secret.
Back in Xiao Wei's UFO, Yang Shiqi and Tang Na couldn't wait any longer. Before they could even stand properly, they asked, "What's going on? Have we discovered aliens?"
Zhao Qiang shook his head: "Only a batch of robots were experimenting with launching the spacecraft, but the result we saw was a failure."
Donna exclaimed in disbelief, "What? Launch a spaceship? No way, alien technology still needs to be tested and it even failed?"
Zhao Qiang said, "We can't believe it either, but it's true. Apart from the surface facilities still operating, everything inside that represents the high technology of aliens has stopped working. The dust on it is at least half a finger thick."
Yang Shiqi said, "Let's ignore them for now and talk about whether we can get back to the ground."
Yang Shiyun said, "Who knows? Let's do our best. It's a pity we couldn't find the source of the interference signal, otherwise we would have had a chance to leave this place."
Zhao Qiang habitually glanced at his watch: "It's getting late. Let's take the super battery back to the lakeside, prepare food there, and recharge the super battery. We'll have to deal with the rest after we're ready to leave... Huh." Zhao Qiang exclaimed in surprise.
Yang Shiyun asked, "What's wrong?"
Zhao Qiang held out his wrist to Yang Shiyun: "Look what this is."
Yang Shiqi leaned closer curiously, "You have flowers on your arm?"
Yang Shiyun's face also showed surprise: "Your watch?"
Zhao Qiang asked, "Is it working?" Sure enough, it displayed the time. Yang Shiyun immediately took out the X-ray glasses to check, and it really was working. It wasn't a gray, blurry thing that blocked her vision before.
Yang Shiyun couldn't believe it: "No way, the control panel we destroyed underground before was real?"
Zhao Qiang said, "How would I know? Many things here are too strange, and the results are often unexpected."
Yang Shiqi said, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's hurry up and get ready to leave. Has the anti-gravity device been restored? We can even skip the charging process and go straight back to the ground. I've had enough of being here."
Zhao Qiang opened the hatch of the flying saucer, and everyone left the flying saucer. They tested it outside, and sure enough, the anti-gravity device was restored, and the interference signal in this underground world had disappeared.
Donna was also impatient. Although this place was novel and full of amazing discoveries, it was not a tourist destination. There was danger at any time, and knowing that they were surrounded by thick rocks, the sense of oppression was particularly heavy. No one wanted to stay here any longer, and everyone was eagerly waiting for Zhao Qiang to give the order to leave.
Zhao Qiang calmly said, "We can't rush it; we still need to charge the super battery."
Yang Shiqi asked, "Why? The anti-gravity device has been restored, and you have successfully shut down their interference signals. We can just fly away from here."
Zhao Qiang said, "The problem is, if there's a layer of rock several kilometers thick above us, how do you think we're going to drill through it?"
Yang Shiyun said, "Yes, who knows if the crack we came down from is still there? Even if it is, can we find it? The tunnel that was originally dug above the crack has collapsed, so how are we supposed to get up?"
Yang Shiqi said, "Let's give it a try and see. There's no harm in trying, and if it works, it'll save us a lot of trouble."
Zhao Qiang said, "If that doesn't work, we'll lose the drilling rig. What other options do you have? It's always better to be safe than sorry."
Zhao Qiang spoke, and Yang Shiqi could only listen. So the matter was settled. The four of them rushed back to the lake to prepare food. Since the anti-gravity device had been restored, the running shoes were also working. The time to get back to the lake was shortened from four hours to less than half an hour. This surprised Donna. She said, "God, are they aliens, or are you aliens? Your technology is also very advanced."
Yang Shiqi said smugly, "There are many things you don't know. The first requirement for me to tell you is that you must keep it a secret, otherwise I will kill you right now to silence you."
Donna wasn't afraid of Yang Shiqi at all, and said, "Then I'll slowly find out."
Zhao Qiang personally went fishing in the lake. This time, he didn't even bother making a harpoon. He simply used the transforming device on his wrist. When he spotted a fish, he would shoot it out from his wrist, catching it directly through the water. Then he would throw it onto the lake shore, where three girls would gut the fish and clean its internal organs. They would then wrap the fish in large leaves to take back to the cave to roast.
About an hour later, Zhao Qiang had caught a mountain of fish and brought them back to the cave in several trips. Then the four of them grilled them together. Although there was still no salt, everyone was still in high spirits because they thought this might be the last time they ate grilled fish. Yang Shiqi kept promising Tang Na that when they returned to the surface and went to Beijing, she would treat her to a meal of all kinds of delicacies.
While eating grilled fish, Zhao Qiang charged the super battery, while Yang Shiyun would occasionally go outside to scan the surroundings with her X-ray glasses. At this crucial moment in the final step, both of them were worried about accidents, especially those unknown and incomprehensible aliens. What was wrong with them? They were clearly living in a high-tech civilization, yet they behaved so poorly. But if they were poorly behaved, they also had super-advanced robots. It was a contradiction.
The fish bones piled up in the cave. Grilled fish and grilled meat are not in the same league in terms of energy, and they are more troublesome to eat. Unlike grilled meat, which can be chewed randomly without any problem, you might accidentally hurt your throat with a fish bone. However, Zhao Qiang was not bold enough to take the initiative to hunt a wild beast. Although that beast had a lot of meat and fat, it would be troublesome if it were discovered by aliens.
Finally, after a day and a half, the super battery was fully charged. It took Zhao Qiang most of the day to replenish his energy. After a long sleep, he got up with a sore mouth and aching teeth. Yang Shiyun and the other two women had been waiting for him for ages. Donna wanted to wake Zhao Qiang up several times to set off early, but Yang Shiyun stopped her. If Zhao Qiang didn't get enough rest, there was a risk of problems on the way.
"You're finally awake," Yang Shiqi and Tang Na said to Zhao Qiang at the same time.
Zhao Qiang waved his hand: "Let's go back to the flying saucer and see if we can get the drilling rig running."
Yang Shiyun and Yang Shiqi each pulled Tang Na along, and the four of them rushed towards the crashed UFO like a gust of wind. Zhao Qiang also carried a large bag of roasted fish on his back. This was for food. Of course, the drilling time on the ground would not be too long, but in case of an accident, Zhao Qiang would need to replenish his energy, so it was necessary to prepare this food.
The modified drilling rig remained quietly suspended in the air in zero gravity. Zhao Qiang carried it out of the flying saucer himself. The modified drilling rig looked like a large ear of corn, with the big end facing forward and the small end facing backward.
Zhao Qiang installed the super-energy battery into the drilling rig, turned it on for a test, and it succeeded on the first try. Given the precision of the super biochip in Zhao Qiang's brain, it would have been illogical if it hadn't succeeded.
Zhao Qiang opened the hatch: "Come on in, we should get going."
Yang Shiqi asked, "What about those aliens?"
Zhao Qiang said, "I'd like to know all about them, but that's obviously impossible and dangerous. My idea is to leave here first."
Yang Shiyun said, "Yes, especially with the two of you with me, what if something unexpected happens?"
Yang Shiqi said unhappily, "Second sister, are you saying we're a burden?"
Donna pulled Yang Shiqi aside and said, "Shiqi, your sister is only doing this for our own good. We really can't help her."
Yang Shiqi said, "Okay, you should help them too."
Donna said, "I'm on the side of reason, not people."
Yang Shiqi said, "Since you all say so, then I will go with the majority."
Yang Shiyun sat in the passenger seat and said to Zhao Qiang, "We can use the drilling rig's detection system to check the situation here. At the very least, we can find out how big this underground cavity is and how much metal is inside. Maybe we can get a general understanding of the aliens here."
Zhao Qiang said, "Yes, I had the same idea. Let's go."
This was Zhao Qiang's first time driving this thing, but as a modder, he had to understand its structure to convert it to electric drive. If he understood its structure, how could he not drive it? The drill rig vibrated and slid into the ground at an angle. Gravel kept coming up and covering the hole that had just been drilled. If you didn't look for it carefully, you wouldn't be able to see anything unusual.
The drilling rig is completely sealed. The only way to see the outside is through the monitoring system. However, the monitoring system can only see the rock walls. To see further ahead, you have to activate the drilling rig's remote detection system. This is part of the preparation work before drilling. Drilling without knowing the terrain ahead could be dangerous, so this detection equipment is essential for the drilling rig. And it is perfect for observing the geological structure of this underground world.
After less than an hour of progress, they reached the rock face that Zhao Qiang and Tang Na had been following. At this moment, the drill emitted a red warning sound. Yang Shiyun said, "Isn't that rock ahead?" Because this drill can drill through any rock layer formed on Earth, but now the drill control panel indicated that there was an undrillable material layer ahead.
Zhao Qiang recalled the appearance of the rock face he had seen before, which was indeed quite different from rocks on Earth. He said, "It might be a meteorite that fell. Let's find another place." The drilling rig headed in another direction, and because it was moving very fast, there was no need to worry about the journey.
Zhao Qiang drove the drill rig around randomly underground, but most of the rock walls he found that he could drill upwards were impenetrable. This annoyed Zhao Qiang and Yang Shiyun. If they couldn't find a way up, they would really be trapped here. You know, a drill rig can't fly; it can only drill through rock layers and is propelled forward by the force generated when the drill bit rotates.
Finally, they found a rock that they could drill upwards from, which relieved Zhao Qiang and Yang Shiyun. As they traveled, they scanned and created a geological map of the area. The higher they drilled, the better they could see the terrain from above. Before long, a fairly complete geological map appeared in front of them.
(Thanks to D**ID问天 for the 100 coins reward)
Volume Two [755] The Great Secret
The drilling rig is running at high speed. Although the driving force of the super-energy battery is much weaker than the original power system of the drilling rig, it can still reach a speed of thirty kilometers per hour. One kilometer is one thousand meters. When Zhao Qiang fell, he was only two to three thousand meters away. At this time, looking down, the underground cavity should be fully visible. Of course, the premise is that the human eye can see through the rock. The geological exploration system on the drilling rig can do this.
"What...what is this?" Yang Shiyun was shocked. Even though she had a control chip from a flying saucer inside her, her core consciousness was still human, and her level of understanding wasn't terrifyingly high. She was still surprised when she saw something unbelievable. Looking at Zhao Qiang, he was even more incredulous, thinking he was seeing things.
"Is this the spot where the UFO crashed?" Zhao Qiang pointed to a spot the size of a grain of rice.
Yang Shiyun operated the screen to zoom in on that point. Sure enough, as the detection system stretched forward, the rice-grain-sized image became clearer and clearer. It was a disc-shaped object inserted diagonally into the strata. Judging from its angle of inclination, it must be the UFO from which Xiao Wei came from. If it were just this UFO, it would not have surprised the two of them so much. What the two of them could not believe was that this UFO was inserted into a much larger object. This object looked like three thick cigars, with the one in the middle being the longest and thickest, while the two on the sides were a bit smaller. There was a connecting platform in the middle of the three cigars.
Yang Shiyun breathed a sigh of relief: "I understand now. The cavity we are in is very likely inside the body of this giant spacecraft. Didn't you say you saw light-like devices on the ceiling? It must be the main spacecraft's lighting system, which provides light for all life in the underground cavity we see."
When Zhao Qiang looked at the scene from the sidelines again, he suddenly realized, "That's right, there used to be a forest of stone pillars not far from where I landed. It must be some facilities inside this giant spaceship. As for cutting the cable that was lowered down before, it must be its remaining defense system, just like the attack you encountered inside your flying saucer. But I still can't believe that they could build such a huge spacecraft. This is the size of a medium or large reservoir, isn't it?"
Yang Shiyun said, "In interstellar travel, even a spacecraft the size of the moon can be built. All that's needed is time and money. Moreover, the larger the spacecraft, the safer it is during interstellar travel. I just can't believe that such a spacecraft would land inside the Earth. Of course, it's also possible that it originally landed on the Earth's surface, but sank due to its own weight or the movement of the Earth's crust. Unless we find its travel log, this story will only be lost in the torrent of history."
Hearing the conversation between the two people in the driver's seat, Yang Shiqi and Donna also came in to check. No explanation was needed, and when they saw the image on the screen, they were both so surprised that they couldn't close their mouths. In particular, Donna's recent experiences were like a dream.
"My God, my eyes must be playing tricks on me." Donna still couldn't believe her eyes.
Yang Shiqi said, "If I had such a spacecraft, I would dare to conquer the moon."
Yang Shiyun asked Zhao Qiang, "Now that we suddenly know so many big secrets, what do you plan to do? Especially since there are intelligent life forms below."
Zhao Qiang was also having a headache. Although the interference signal had disappeared, who could be sure that the aliens would recover? If so, sending troops down to attack them would be extremely difficult. With their geographical advantage and advanced weaponry, they had a greater than 80% chance of defeating humans. Zhao Qiang said, "How about we try diplomacy first, like we said before, and then resort to force?"
Yang Shiyun said, "We humans on the surface are not so easily bullied. It is not an easy thing for them to attack us. Otherwise, would they have given us so many years to develop? So we don't need to panic or be confused. Even if we have to negotiate, we cannot make concessions because of fear or worry. Besides, aliens may not necessarily be malicious. It is right to be polite first and then use force, but necessary precautions must also be taken."
Zhao Qiang observed the depth data of the strata on the drilling rig and said, "We will reach the surface in five minutes. It is 11 p.m. on the surface now. When it is quiet at night, we won't scare anyone if we peek out. As for what is down there, I think we should take it slow. But the first thing to do is to send a large number of troops to monitor the surrounding 500 square kilometers."
Yang Shiqi said, "Leave it to me. After all, I have dealt with aliens before. Others know nothing about what's down there, and some things are not suitable for outsiders to know."
Zhao Qiang said, "Since you are so determined, then I will entrust the task to you."
With a boom, the drilling rig broke through the strata and came to a steady stop on the ground. Because Zhao Qiang had already selected the location before coming up, there was no need to worry about it rolling down the mountainside.
The loud noise attracted squads of soldiers who had been patrolling nearby. A monster had suddenly emerged from the ground, and the soldiers surrounded it with guns drawn. Zhao Qiang opened the hatch and stepped out. The officer leading the squad outside shouted, "Hands up! Don't move! Where did you come from?"
Yang Shiqi stepped out from behind Zhao Qiang, glanced at the group of soldiers, and coldly asked, "Which unit are you from?"
The leading officer was intimidated by Yang Shiqi's imposing presence and didn't dare to be presumptuous for a moment. He obediently replied, "We are from a special forces division. You... what is this...?"
Yang Shiqi said, "Call your superior officer over. I am Yang Shiqi."
The leading officer was of low rank, so he didn't recognize Yang Shiqi. Yang Shiqi was extremely busy and couldn't possibly know everyone in the special forces division. Although they didn't know each other, Yang Shiqi's military authority was genuine. The officer dared not be negligent and immediately turned on his communicator to report to the battalion commander.
"What?" The battalion commander couldn't believe his ears.
The leading officer said, "Yes, Battalion Commander, we've spotted Division Commander Yang. You should come and take a look. His location is..."
Only five minutes later, the sound of propellers whirring filled the air as six helicopters landed simultaneously. Arriving were not only the battalion commander of the special forces division, but also Xu Xiaoya, Hu Qian, Luo Xiaowei, and others. When Xu Xiaoya saw Zhao Qiang standing alive and well before them, she burst into tears of joy.
It was a dark night, but the place was brightly lit, with squads of soldiers patrolling incessantly. Finally, after everyone had finished expressing their pain of being separated by life and death, Xu Xiaoya said, "Zhao Qiang, you can't be so reckless in the future. Do you know that this incident almost ruined our entire group? These past few days, everyone has been so worried about you that they couldn't eat or sleep, and they've neglected all their work. We even considered..." Xu Xiaoya didn't finish her sentence, but Zhao Qiang understood that if he didn't return soon, the women might commit suicide out of love.
Yang Shiqi, being the most outspoken, couldn't stand the crying and wailing. She said, "Alright, Xiaoya, we've all suffered a lot. This down there..." Yang Shiqi almost let slip, but she coughed and swallowed her words back, "...it's been very tough down there. Now we need to take a shower, change our clothes, and have a good meal. Can you do that for us?"
Xu Xiaoya glared at Yang Shiqi: "This is your territory, you call the shots. We're just guests." Since the military had taken over, this area was indeed Yang Shiqi's territory.
Yang Shiqi called over the battalion commander and asked, "Who has the highest rank here?"
The battalion commander replied, "The division chief of staff is also here. He's digging behind the mountain. We just received the message, and he should be here soon." Sure enough, the special forces division chief of staff arrived about three minutes later. When he saw Yang Shiqi, he almost burst into tears. He was a middle-aged man in his early forties. Yang Shiqi was the special forces division's greatest asset. If Yang Shiqi disappeared and never returned, the survival of the special forces division would be in question.
"Commander Yang, it's so good to see you back safe and sound," the chief of staff said, his hands trembling as he grasped Yang Shiyun's hand.
Yang Shiyun said, "Officer Wang, don't do this. I'm perfectly fine. Listen carefully. I now order you to monitor the entire area within a 500-kilometer radius of Wulong Mountain and relocate the population within this area as far as possible. This area will be designated as a military zone and classified as a top-secret unit. No one may enter without orders."