Chapter 96 Mysterious Box_1

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Qin Ming wasn't worried about weapon technology. Just like with the improved prion virus, the Trisolarans couldn't transfer technology that was too advanced because they feared it would fall into human hands.

The Trisolarans feared Earth's technological explosion. They had studied human history and discovered that human technology had experienced explosive growth over the past century. In just two hundred years, humanity had advanced from the ignorance of the Middle Ages to a modern information society, a rate of progress that was terrifying. Trisolaran civilization had never experienced anything similar in its many historical epochs. Their technology had always improved at a steady pace, which was the underlying reason for the Sophon project.

"Four hundred years of richness to the west of the river, four hundred years of richness to the east of the river; do not underestimate a poor Earth."

If not for the blockade, given a few hundred more years, Earth's human technology could very likely surpass theirs. Sending a fleet would be like throwing meat buns to a dog—an expedition with no return. Not only would they fail to occupy the Solar System and Earth, but they might also end up being attacked by Earthlings on their own turf. The Trisolaran civilization might perish at the hands of Earthlings even before being destroyed by their three suns.

Currently, the technological gap between the two sides was still too large; human technology in the universe was like a Douluo in a fantasy world—merely floor-level.

The Trisolarans had only to reveal a slit of their technology for humans to digest for a long time. Perhaps they had transmitted ancient technology to the ETO, such as plasma guns and electromagnetic cannons that could maintain a weapons advantage over human armies without causing too great a generational gap with human technology.

To avoid unexpected circumstances leading to the failure of their actions, Qin Ming's backup plan began to activate, to see if he could still test his idea of using an electromagnetic field to shield Sophons.

Apart from nuclear bombs, there were no weapons on Earth capable of threatening nanocells.

The morgue of the hospital welcomed a new visitor—a mosquito that had slipped in. It seemed to be choosing whom to bite and finally settled on a young girl who had just died from a car accident, her resuscitation futile.

The girl's entire body was transformed into nanocells, and her already dead cells were devoured and replicated, including the vast majority of her brain cells. A biological computer based on neural cells began to construct, and Xiao Ai's intelligence emerged within it.

Having read the memories, she immediately understood her situation,

"Doctor, Xiao Ai will complete your mission."

Located in the northeastern part of Spain, Port of Barcelona, this port area includes a free trade zone and a basic port. It's the largest general cargo port in Spain and one of the top ten container throughput ports on the Mediterranean coast, handling 24% of the country's foreign maritime trade through its facilities. It is also one of the most popular cargo ports in Europe and the Mediterranean.

The harbor was bustling with docked ships and thriving commercial trade.

Beyond the famous port itself, the city of Barcelona has a pleasant climate, stunning scenery, and is dotted with historical sites. Known as the "Pearl of the Iberian Peninsula," it is Spain's most famous tourist destination.

At this time, it was the comfortable cool season of June.

Ding Yi walked along the harbor docks, followed by a beautiful young girl.

This was a winding and continuous harbor, and as he looked far into the distance, the twisting coastline resembled a sleeping dragon, like the ribbons in the hands of a champion athlete. The sunlight scattered on the sea surface, forming a faint shimmer like pieces of silver. The sea breeze brought the salty and naturally fishy scent—the everything was so natural.

"I thought you were here for tourism."

Da Shi crawled out of a container. He glanced at the young girl, his words tinged with sourness.

On a mission and still bringing a girl along—but then again, he thought, this place really is quite suitable for tourism. Da Shi looked around at the beautiful exotic landscape and thought to himself that once this mission was over, he should really take a few days to rest here.

"Young lady, what's your name?"

Da Shi was usually more gentle with young girls, unlike his rough treatment of Wang Miao. However, the girl didn't respond, just smiling.

Her smile was beautiful, making Da Shi, an old cop who had seen it all in places of debauchery, blush involuntarily.

He snapped back to reality, and seeing the girl ignoring him, he looked at Ding Yi with an inquiring, puzzled gaze.

Ding Yi spread his hands and said, "Da Shi, when did you become such a gossip?"

Da Shi chuckled, pulled him aside, and asked in a low voice, "What about that Yang Dong you were with before? Didn't continue with her?"

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Several seconds later, he rotated his eyeballs, slapped his head, and suddenly said,

"Right, you've sent her mother to prison, how could she have anything to do with you?"

Ding Yi held his forehead,

"Da Shi, I now understand why Wang Miao can't stand you."

"He didn't come."

Da Shi chuckled awkwardly, "What's her name? That girl wouldn't tell me, but you must know."

"I really don't know."

Ding Yi said irritably, "What, are you still thinking of robbing the cradle?"

"What are you talking about? I'm a married man with kids. That girl looks about the same age as my son. It's not like... heh heh!"

Da Shi grinned.

Ding Yi looked at him a few times and then shifted his gaze to the girl by the shore,

"Just forget about it, she wouldn't be interested in an ordinary person."

"Is she also one of those, what do you call them, cultivators?"

"I don't know, don't ask me."

That day, they still did not know the girl's name, nor did Ding Yi himself understand her origins; he had brought her along simply to complete a task from the System.

The next day, Ding Yi, Da Shi, and the main operation commander, Colonel Stanton, were seated at the harbor. While the harbor remained bustling, the laboring workers had been replaced by special forces in disguise, and the three of them pretended to be tourists.

Colonel Stanton's walkie-talkie buzzed, "The target is one kilometer away from the harbor, estimated to arrive in five minutes."

"They're coming."

His eyes sharpened like those of a hunter.

The Judgment Day Vessel appeared against the setting sun's rays over the side ridges, casting a dark silhouette on the golden waves of the river. The sixty-thousand-ton behemoth was much larger than Ding Yi had imagined, and its appearance gave the impression that another mountain had emerged in the west. Although Ding Yi knew the harbor could accommodate vessels up to seventy thousand tons, the sight of such a giant ship docking still filled him with a strange sensation.

Compared to its vastness, the river below seemed to cease to exist, and it stood like a great mountain moving across the land. After adjusting to the sunset's glow, Ding Yi could see that the hull of the Judgment Day was black, and its superstructure was snow white. The rumbling of the engines could already be heard, accompanied by a surge of water sounds, which were the waves pounded by its round bow hitting the canal banks.

The Judgment Day did not berth immediately but hovered nearly motionless about five hundred meters from the port, floating on the tumultuous sea. A yacht sailed from the shore, and a pitch-black box was hoisted onto it from the yacht, surrounded by black cables coiling around it like a heart enveloped in blood vessels.

What was that?

Colonel Stanton was very puzzled. He put down the binoculars and handed them to Ding Yi beside him.

"Doctor Ding, take a look."

"Can you make out what that is?"

Ding Yi took the binoculars and began to observe carefully.