Chapter 1324: Interstellar Grand Stage (31)_1

Stark stood in the Shuttle boarding center, bewildered for a full two minutes before glancing at the New York City skyline and realizing that this universe he had entered might be a high-tech universe of the future.

Stark took a couple of steps back and looked at the date displayed on the electronic screen in the middle of the boarding center's door. It was even earlier than the year he had come from.

He conjectured that the history of the human race on this Earth must differ from what he was used to. Stark's mind was filled with scenarios of Earth being unified in a war and evil robots invading Earth.

But Stark was puzzled. Unlike Xu Shang-Chi, an ordinary college student who would simply interpret these events as advances in human technology, Stark, as a top scientist, knew well that if there weren't qualitative advancements in materials science, it would be impossible to construct such aircraft. But if there were, why were the residences he'd landed near still constructed from ordinary steel and concrete?

Even if the development of mechanics and construction were not balanced, the cars on the road should still have evolved, rather than resembling those from Stark's own universe. If a certain material could be used to build so many aircraft, why hadn't traditional road vehicles been eliminated? Why were there still trucks and freight vehicles on the road?

Suppressing his doubts, Stark reminded himself that he had a mission here. He had to accomplish his main objective before he could ponder these mysteries.

Having been Iron Man for so long, he understood how dangerous it was to be distracted during the execution of a plan. His thought process was clear, staying steadfast until he boarded the shuttle.

There were now various models of shuttles. One model was more similar to a regular bus with fixed routes and large interior spaces spread over two levels, accommodating many people at reasonable prices and offering route discounts and limited-time deals.

These shuttles routes extend across practically all of New York, more so than public buses and subway lines. Hence, they are the average person's choice — economical, practical, and convenient.

There was also a smaller kind of shuttle, similar to a taxi, whereby passengers can designate their destination. These are intelligent calculating routes to avoid conflicts, sometimes requiring waiting and costing more. These shuttles intentionally charge high prices to protect traditional taxi drivers' business, generally chosen by busy workers and middle-class individuals who can afford it.

The most exclusive shuttles are the dedicated ones, closed to the public and only available to police, the military, agents, and emergency medical personnel. Their route priority is the highest, facilitating these public servants' rapid arrival at crisis spots.

These shuttles are currently the most advanced technologically. Not only are they fast and stable in flight, but they are also equipped with emergency firefighting and medical equipment serving as airborne platforms for various kinds of equipment or as shields and energy supply stations in combat situations once landed.

In each shuttle boarding center, there is an intelligent terminal where passengers can input their destination. A powerful AI will compute the most suitable way to travel, including combinations of shuttle types.

For instance, you might start with a bus-style shuttle on an unblocked route, then switch to a taxi-style shuttle when the route to your destination becomes free. The computer will calculate the quickest way and provide passengers with an intelligent card upon confirmation. All passengers have to do is follow the navigational voice instructions.

So far, there hasn't been any traffic congestion in the New York Skyway. The main reason is the versatility of the 3D transport system. So long as the vehicles can fly high enough, every incremental two meters in height offers another layer of traffic, potentially yielding thousands, even millions more routes.

Since it's still in the testing phase, the flight altitudes of the shuttles have been locked. But it's clear that once they become the mainstream means of transportation, the skies up to thirty thousand feet will be sufficient for the population of even the largest city to travel without congestion.

Standing before the intelligent route calculation core of the shuttle boarding center, Stark foresaw this scenario. He reached out a hand to press the only button on the screen. A smiling face appeared, and after a few seconds of loading, the terminal spat out a thin card.

Stark was a bit confused as he took the card. But soon he noticed that an arrow had appeared at his feet, and his card gave a slight tremor. A voice sounded: "Welcome to Arkham Sanatorium Shuttle Boarding Center's audio-guided navigation. You can open the metal clip on the back of your card and secure it near your ear."

Stark was somewhat at a loss with the card and looked around him. He noted that people around him treated their cards in two ways.

The upscale ones in suits and neckties typically fastened their cards to their collars or tie knots. In contrast, the younger, more rebellious ones in athleisure or hoodies simply hung their cards over their ears.

After some hesitation, Stark decided to fasten his card to the collar of his suit. Then, following the arrow that had lit up at his feet, he walked to the boarding platform for the small shuttles.