Chapter 113: What a Pity_1

Qi Guanglu and the others looked at each other in bewilderment. Perhaps this was the mystique of the Wallfacer Project. After all, they had racked their brains but couldn't see any connection between farming and battling the Trisolarans.

Jiang Yu said with a smile, "I know there must be many questions in your minds. Now that you're all part of my team, I hope you will seriously and meticulously consider the Wallfacer Project.

"Humanity, when at an absolute disadvantage, can only find a way out by taking an unconventional approach!"

Everyone nodded in agreement; that much was true.

Since the Wallfacer was confident, Qi Guanglu and the others began to discuss the four directions given by Jiang Yu with enthusiasm.

Some suggested building another South-to-North Water Transfer Project to bring water resources to the desert through hydraulic facilities.

Jiang Yu rejected this idea: "Transporting water to the desert using hydraulic engineering would be too expensive and still keep the cost of water prohibitively high."

The key was that this set of hydraulic facilities would no longer be needed in a few decades!

Jiang Yu continued, "As kids, we all played with blowing bubbles that could float up into the sky, right? So, could we use bubbles to collect water from the sea and let them float to the desert on their own?"

Everyone was startled and stared blankly at Jiang Yu.

Jiang Yu said with a smile, "I'm just making an analogy; I don't actually expect you to start blowing bubbles."

Then he said seriously, "Let me repeat, taking an unconventional approach is the essence of the Wallfacer Project, understand?

"First, you must abandon some outdated notions and activate your imagination! Don't confine yourselves to old ways of thinking."

Everyone felt they could hardly keep up with Jiang Yu's train of thought, but upon hearing his description, they quickly nodded again.

A wary expert cautiously asked, "Then, what projects should the new agricultural team research?"

"That's for you to think about!" Jiang Yu said: "This is the group that requires the most imaginative thinking—whether it's soilless cultivation or synthetic food production and so on!

"As long as you dare to propose a project, I will dare to support it!

"But I didn't graduate from an agricultural university, so I can only give you a general outline. You'll have to research and figure out the specifics on your own!"

Seeing that everyone was a bit slow to catch on, Jiang Yu concluded, "You can go back and think about it, then decide which team to join.

"Of course, the second group might need people from other disciplines. If you want to join this group, please sign up early."

After the meeting, Jiang Yu encountered Shi Qiang on his way back to the office.

Shi Qiang said with a smile, "I heard you were back and I was worried I'd miss the chance to report to you, cough cough."

Hearing Shi Qiang's cough, Jiang Yu casually asked, "Leukemia?"

After he said it, he regretted it a bit.

Indeed, Shi Qiang was surprised, "Is a Wallfacer really so magical? You knew it was leukemia just from hearing me cough?"

Jiang Yu thought to himself, "I don't know if you'll believe me, but I've read your script."

But he said aloud, "You were previously exposed to close-range radioactive contamination, which made leukemia a likely outcome."

The two men entered Jiang Yu's office while talking.

Shi Qiang made himself comfortable on the sofa and continued, "It was diagnosed two months ago. The higher-ups are planning to put me in hibernation and look for a cure in the future."

Jiang Yu made Shi Qiang a cup of tea, "Has there been a breakthrough in the Hibernation System?"

He remembered that a critical breakthrough wasn't supposed to happen until four years into the crisis, during the program Cheng Xin was involved in, and he seemed to have inspected that project.

Shi Qiang said with a laugh, "There was a breakthrough just last week. However, I've heard that while the freezing technology now meets the standards, the thawing technology hasn't been fully perfected yet."

Jiang Yu shook his head with a smile, "What if after they freeze them, they don't use today's way of thawing in the future?"

Shi Qiang yawned, "That's beyond my control. For me, at least it's some hope, otherwise the doctor said I'd have to die in the second half of the year!"

Jiang Yu took out a cigarette, "Dare you smoke now?"

Shi Qiang took it over, "Since I'm going to be frozen anyway, smoking one won't hurt."

Both men lit their cigarettes; Shi Qiang sighed, "Ah, diagnosed with leukemia, and my son got arrested. I don't even know when I'll wake up; I can't stop worrying."

Jiang Yu said, "When he gets out, have him come to me. I'll take care of him for you."

Shi Qiang smiled knowingly, and the topic ended abruptly, "I just heard from your assistant that you haven't watched the news these past few days? Take a look now."

Jiang Yu immediately thought that Shi Qiang's actions had yielded results.

He took out his phone, found a news app, and sure enough, he saw the front-page headlines of the past few days were all about how the Star Defense Department had obtained important intelligence from some minor clues, and subsequently cracked a major ETO case.

People who Jiang Yu wanted to capture but couldn't during the first year of the crisis were being arrested one after another.

Seizing the opportunity, the Star Defense Department published an article titled "ETO Comes Roaring Back," which sparked vigilance among the public.

Jiang Yu pretended to be somewhat shocked, "Who would have thought our thoughtless action would involve so many people!"

I wonder if this could infuriate the upper echelons of ETO!

Shi Qiang said, "When we were building the space elevator, we hoped these people would contribute, but they only donated ten or twenty thousand and still pleaded poverty with us.

"It turns out that when they were helping ETO build secret research bases, each one was contributing millions or tens of millions, and they all became rich again!

"The court is already planning to confiscate all the assets of those arrested."

He then sighed, "It's hard to imagine that some members of foreign upper houses are die-hard supporters of ETO, especially since they have powerful legal teams.

"Foreigners have made a joke out of it because their legal systems didn't define ETO as illegal in time; now many governments are in disputes with ETO supporters."

How the foreigners create chaos is none of Jiang Yu's business. He finished the cigarette in his hand and pressed the butt into the ashtray, "Is there any way we could use this opportunity to strike a blow against ETO?"

Shi Qiang shook his head, "ETO has learned its lesson this time. Every meeting or gathering is conducted in secret, with the organizers always wearing masks and using voice changers. We cannot find them at all."

Jiang Yu sighed, "What a pity."

...

Newton, who had been monitoring Jiang Yu, said angrily, "What a pity my ass!"

This global crackdown has nullified the efforts of ETO for the past two years. The key is that governments around the world are leaning towards harsh sentencing for ETO's supporters, making many supporters too scared to continue their backing.

The recently revived "Poison Apple Project" was snuffed out by Jiang Yu once again.

The ETO leadership was ashamed before their leader, having botched the job.

All this, it turns out, was solely because of Jiang Yu's private vendetta!

Newton was furious at the thought. Dou Weiying, who had pulled strings to get out of prison after two years, that was one thing, but what did she mean by going to Jiang Yu and causing such trouble?

As a result, she not only secured twenty years of prison for herself but also implicated a whole bunch of people!

...

After the "Green Project" team's division work was essentially completed, Jiang Yu once again focused on his other plan.

To this day, the "Moon City Project" team still couldn't be assembled.

Nowadays, experts in space engineering have become national treasures, with various projects desperately needing professionals. Jiang Yu had been recruiting for over half a month and had managed to attract just two or three second-rate experts.