In fact, as soon as the Olympus Mons appeared over New York, MOSS had considered directly invading and seizing the data within the spaceship.
However, the Olympus Mons's firewall was incredibly robust, blocking MOSS's intrusion.
Therefore, the intrusion lasted less than a second before MOSS gave up.
After countless thoughts in a short period, MOSS decided to appear directly before the Universal Union.
If it didn't appear soon, humanity would truly abandon the Moving Mountain Project and instead board the Universal Union's spaceships to leave the solar system.
After a brief exchange, the Universal Union officially reached a certain level of cooperation with MOSS.
The Universal Union would outwardly continue to push for solutions to the Nitrogen Flash Crisis on both fronts.
MOSS, on the other hand, would act as a hidden force, allowing humanity on Earth to continue the Moving Mountain Project.
Gabon, a small country on the west coast of Africa.
It could be said that if it weren't for the Nitrogen Flash Crisis, which led to this location being chosen for the construction of a space elevator and planetary engines due to its unique geographical position, very few people in the world would have heard of this country.
"Get out of Gabon!"
"It's because of the UEG that our homes have been invaded by rebels!"
"The Nitrogen Flash Crisis is a hoax!"
"Overthrow the UEG tyranny!"
Outside the UEG Gabon base, a large group of local residents and a small number of outsiders were gathered, jointly protesting the UEG.
"Boom! Boom!!!"
In the urban area a dozen kilometers outside the Gabon base, intense firefights were still constantly erupting.
UEG forces were engaged in fierce combat with rebels opposing the Moving Mountain Project.
Most of these rebels were followers of the Digital Life faction and had long since digitally backed up their data, making them fearless of death.
In addition, they had received covert funding from MOSS, acquiring power comparable to national-level armed forces.
"Damn it! We can't hold on much longer! Notify the warships for naval gunfire bombardment!"
Amidst the smoke of battle, UEG soldiers were being suppressed by the rebels.
"Boom!"
The UEG fleet located in the river outside the base began its naval gunfire bombardment.
In an instant, large numbers of rebels were torn to shreds.
But this did not stop the remaining rebels from continuing their attack.
"Digital Immortality!"
"The Digital Life faction is humanity's only way out!"
"Embrace the beautiful life after digital transformation!"
Shouting various slogans, the rebels continued to charge towards the UEG soldiers.
"These guys are like monsters."
Although they had been fighting the rebels for some time, the UEG soldiers were still somewhat unnerved.
"Buzz—"
Just as both sides were in the thick of battle, a shadow suddenly enveloped everyone's heads.
"What is that!?"
Everyone looked up in unison.
They saw the massive Olympus Mons had descended above them.
Because they had been fighting, the people here hadn't even had time to go online, and thus had no way of knowing about the Universal Union's appearance.
"This is the Universal Union battleship, Olympus Mons. All rebels immediately lay down your arms and cease resistance!"
A loud broadcast echoed throughout the entire urban area.
At the same time, large numbers of troops were air-dropped to the ground in Warden transport planes.
Tyrants, Pursuers, tactical robots.
There were even some biological weapons over ten meters tall!
Upon landing, these Alliance forces immediately began to clear out the surrounding rebel units.
Initially, most rebels still chose to resist stubbornly, firing various weapons at the Universal Union forces.
But soon, they discovered that their attacks could barely harm the Tyrants and Pursuers, which were protected by super-heavy armor.
As for the tactical robots, they could also withstand a large number of small-caliber weapon attacks.
What the rebels feared most were those terrifying, monstrous "beasts" over ten meters tall, whose appearance was utterly unlike any Earth creature.
"Ahhh! Help!"
"Kill me!"
Facing these rebels, the biological weapons only needed one charge to trample dozens of people into a bloody pulp.
Some rebels who were fortunate enough not to be directly trampled to death, but had lost their lower bodies, screamed in agony, hoping that others nearby would put them out of their misery.
"Who exactly are these guys?"
The UEG Commander frowned, looking at the suddenly appearing Alliance forces.
"UEG emergency communication!"
Just then, a communications soldier rushed in.
"Connect it."
The communication connected, and instructions from UEG high command came through on the other end of the line.
A few minutes later, the Commander finally roughly understood everything that was happening and received a new order.
"Cooperate with Alliance forces to completely eliminate all rebel forces outside the Gabon base!"
"Received!"
Hanging up the communication, the Commander immediately gave orders.
"Have everyone cooperate with Alliance forces and push outwards!"
Because the UEG soldiers had always been on defensive missions, preventing any rebels from rushing into the Gabon base, they had consistently been on the receiving end of attacks.
But now it was different; with the support of Alliance forces, the rebels were being swiftly swept away like fallen leaves.
Large numbers of rebels quickly chose to surrender.
Although they had digital backups, no one could maintain their fighting spirit when facing the fearless and emotionless Tyrants, Pursuers, and tactical robots of the Universal Union.
Soon, in just half an hour, all rebel forces in the urban area outside the Gabon base were completely pacified.
The city welcomed a long-lost peace.
"Evacuate."
The Universal Union forces, having received their orders, began to re-board the Olympus Mons, flying towards the magnificent planetary engines and the truly sky-high space elevator not far away.
"Indeed, humanity can only unleash unprecedented potential when facing a great crisis."
Looking at the magnificent planetary engines outside the viewport, everyone on the Olympus Mons couldn't help but be lost in thought.
Wandering Earth was merely a civilization that hadn't even developed space travel technology, so being able to build such colossal structures could be considered a miracle.
Unlike the UEG forces outside who hadn't been able to get online, the people inside the Gabon base had long known about the sudden arrival of the Olympus Mons through the internet.
And they also knew that the UEG had joined the Universal Union, and the Universal Union would help humanity solve the Nitrogen Flash Crisis.
"Oh my god, it's so big, I really want to go up and take a good look."
On the ground, Liu Peiqiang and his master were looking at the Olympus Mons, which obscured the sky.
"Oh, Master, look at those fighter jets! They're definitely much more advanced than ours!"
A portion of Typhoon Fighters swept over the surface, causing gasps of astonishment.
Once again, the hangar bay doors of the Olympus Mons opened.
Large numbers of troops were air-dropped down.
The composition was slightly different from the previous rebel suppression.
This time, the transport planes were loaded with large amounts of advanced engineering equipment and Hex automatic construction robots.
"Our side will continue to advance the Moving Mountain Project with the help of the Universal Union."
Inside the UEG conference room, Zhou Zhezhi, who had already received orders from his superiors, spoke with a firm tone.
The other UEG representatives looked at Zhou Zhezhi and the others with expressions like they were looking at idiots.
Mike even spoke directly.
"Are you crazy!? The UEG doesn't have any money left!"
The Moving Mountain Project itself was barely pushed through under pressure from almost the entire society.
Now, with the appearance of the Universal Union, this savior, almost no one would support the Moving Mountain Project anymore.
"Without Earth, can we truly still be called a civilization?"
Zhou Zhezhi asked back in a deep voice.
"There's also another fact: without all the industrial capacity on Earth, humans who migrate to a new planet will only become a half-crippled civilization reliant on the Universal Union for survival.
Do you think that we, in such a state, can truly gain a firm foothold in the universe?
Are the billions of people on Earth to rely on the Universal Union for survival from now on?"
Due to special historical reasons, Zhou Zhezhi and the government behind him clearly knew that only independence and self-reliance were the correct path a civilization should take.
Even if this path was full of thorns and dangers.
But only in this way could a truly strong civilization be forged.
Looking at the other UEG representatives who still didn't understand, Zhou Zhezhi stated bluntly.
"We are informing you, not soliciting your opinions."
Regardless of whether the other UEG members would cooperate, they would continue to build the Moving Mountain Project.
Moreover, as time progressed, Zhou Zhezhi increasingly felt that the Universal Union was inclined towards the Moving Mountain Project.
Otherwise, they would only need to propose a plan for people to leave Earth by spaceship; why would they bother to propose helping the UEG advance the time-consuming and labor-intensive Moving Mountain Project?
The meeting eventually ended unhappily.
Due to the appearance of the Universal Union, people finally saw hope for salvation.
The Moving Mountain Project was too distant, and the Digital Life Project was banned by the UEG.
Most civilians had placed their hope for survival on the Universal Union.
They hoped that this high-level extraterrestrial civilization could save humanity from its plight.
The good news that came from this was that the riots and panic that had swept most regions of the globe had finally largely subsided.
"Qiangzi, you must do well in this selection. If you get chosen, you'll be among the first Earthlings to board a spaceship."
"Don't worry, Master, I still have to represent humanity and explore space."
At the UEG Gabon base, a special selection was underway.
The Universal Union would select a portion of the already highly-vetted astronaut candidates, dividing them into two groups.
One team would go ahead to the destination of the Moving Mountain Project, Alpha Centauri, for an early reconnaissance.
The other part would pass through the World Teleportation Gate and go to two planets behind the wormhole in the Pacific Rim World for reconnaissance.
"Number 31, Liu Peiqiang, please enter the facility and begin the testing procedure."
"Oh, Master, they called me. I'm going now."
Seeing that he had been called, Liu Peiqiang quickly rushed into a large room built by Hex automated robots in front of him.
The room was filled with various complex instruments and equipment.
Several Alliance staff members sat to one side, separated from the room by a soundproof glass, monitoring various complex data on screens.
"UEG Space Joint Camp Reserve Astronaut, Liu Peiqiang, step onto the platform in front."
A mechanical voice emerged.
After walking onto a circular platform as instructed, beams of light scanned Liu Peiqiang's entire body from top to bottom.
At the same time, a mechanical arm extended, drawing a tube of blood for analysis.
"Blood type: A Weight: 63 kg Height: 175 cm Date of Birth: January 22, 2023 Probability of Solar Radiation Sickness: Extremely Low 1:
Some basic information that Liu Peiqiang could understand was displayed on the screen, along with many complex professional details that he didn't understand at all.
"He doesn't look special. Why did the higher-ups mark this guy as a 'special observation target'?"
"Who knows?"
Behind the glass window, the Universal Union staff members conversed in low voices.
They clearly knew what "special observation target" meant.
If the individual passed the assessment during the observation period, he would receive a direct invitation from the Universal Union to become a true member of the Universal Union, similar to General Stacker of the Pacific Rim World and the various Jaeger pilots.
Although puzzled, the Universal Union staff continued to give instructions, guiding Liu Peiqiang through the subsequent complex tests.
Strength test, vision test, G-force tolerance test, lung capacity test, shooting test—
And at the end of the test, a mechanical arm handed a pulse rifle to Liu Peiqiang.
"Next is the combat simulation test. You need to defeat all targets in front of you as much as possible and survive for as long as possible."
After the staff member finished speaking, the ground suddenly cracked open, and three tactical robots using non-lethal weapons slowly ascended from a lift.
In addition, the room, which had been filled with testing equipment, was rapidly changing its form.
A large number of Hex automated robots moved the testing equipment away and quickly constructed some temporary shelters.
"Hey, hey, hey, is this really necessary!?"
As soon as Liu Peiqiang finished speaking, the three robots raised their weapons and fired fiercely.
Rubber bullets hit Liu Peiqiang's body; although not fatal, they were incredibly painful.
"Beep."
A red light flashed, and each hit meant a reduction in his score.
"Damn it."
After cursing under his breath, Liu Peiqiang, once known as "Space War Wolf" by his fellow alumni, immediately grabbed the pulse rifle and hid behind the nearby cover, entering combat mode.
"How long do you think he can last?"
Behind the soundproof glass, several Alliance staff members were making bets.
"Hunter."
"Tyrant."
Just as the group was conversing, Liu Peiqiang had already used the advantage of cover to eliminate the three tactical robots one by one.
"Hoo hoo hoo—"
While Liu Peiqiang was still catching his breath, subsequent test targets continued to appear. This time, it was a Hunter with restraint devices on its terrifying claws.
The purpose of this combat simulation test was to push all test subjects to their limits.
Ten minutes later, Liu Peiqiang, having exhausted his pulse rifle ammunition and completely worn out, had lost all ability to resist and was lifted by a Tyrant with its bare hands.
Just as the feeling of suffocation gradually set in, the Tyrant suddenly let go, then turned and walked away with heavy steps.
The Universal Union staff walked out from behind the soundproof glass and injected Liu Peiqiang with a medical stimulant.
"Congratulations, Mr. Liu Peiqiang, you have the highest score in the combat simulation test so far."
After receiving the injection, Liu Peiqiang, who had been utterly exhausted, immediately became full of vigor, feeling an inexhaustible surge of strength throughout his body. This agent was a product developed by the Universal Union through research into Precursor Civilization biological technology, capable of healing most minor physical injuries in an extremely short time.
"Does this mean I've passed?"
Liu Peiqiang asked tentatively.
The Universal Union staff member, however, only gave an ambiguous reply.
"Go back and wait for the results."
Stepping out of the testing grounds, Liu Peiqiang quickly found his mentor, Zhang Peng.
"You brat, why were you in there for so long?"
Zhang Peng asked, his expression suspicious.
"Don't tell me you were hooking up with some girl?"
"What are you thinking, Master?"
Liu Peiqiang briefly explained to Zhang Peng what had happened in the testing grounds, including the thrilling and intense live combat test at the end.
"Those Alliance people said your apprentice here got the highest score in the live combat test."
"Oh, please."
Zhang Peng clearly didn't believe him.
However, he was quite interested in the live combat test Liu Peiqiang mentioned.
"Is the Universal Union selecting astronauts or soldiers? How did a live combat test even get included?"
If he weren't so old, Zhang Peng would have truly wanted to experience it himself.
As the two waited for the final notification, a voice came from behind them.
"Sometimes, these two identities aren't so clearly separated, are they?"
The two turned around to see two unfamiliar men in engineer uniforms standing behind them.
However, through the name tags on their chests, Liu Peiqiang and Zhang Peng recognized that they were from the Universal Union.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Isaac Clarke, team leader of the Ishimura's Special Operations Unit."
Isaac pointed to the other person beside him and said, "This is Jacob Temple, chief engineer of the Ishimura."
Several days had passed since the Olympus Mons arrived at the Gabon base.
During this time, more and more Alliance starships had passed through the World Portal and arrived in Earth orbit.
These starships brought various supplies that Wandering Earth World currently lacked most.
From the most basic food and water to medical supplies, engineering equipment, and so on.
In addition to these supplies, a large number of Alliance engineering and scientific research personnel also arrived.
Their primary objective, naturally, was the planetary engine.
"I am Zhang Peng, a UEG fighter pilot. This is my apprentice, Liu Peiqiang, a reserve astronaut."
Zhang Peng extended his hand and shook Isaac's. Liu Peiqiang, standing by, asked curiously, "What did that last sentence mean?"
Isaac chuckled.
"Space is far more dangerous than you imagine. Dangerous situations can arise at any time, not just ordinary astronomical disasters, but also unexpected enemies."
"Enemies?"
Liu Peiqiang was about to continue asking with his usual familiarity but was stopped by his mentor, Zhang Peng. He was concerned that this might not be information people of their level were supposed to know.
Isaac waved his hand indifferently.
"It's fine, these aren't secrets, just casual conversation."
Just as Isaac was recounting his past exploits of fighting Slasherss, zombies, and giant monsters to Liu Peiqiang, Jacob, standing nearby, suddenly spoke up.
"I need to go check on the planetary engine and collect more data."
"Aren't you going to wait for those Adeptus Mechanicus people?"
"They've already arrived."
A large number of small and medium-sized aircraft, distinctly Adeptus Mechanicus in style, descended from the sky. One of them landed right next to Isaac and the others.
Many Tech-Priests emerged from it.
"Praise the Machine God!"
Looking at the planetary engine not far away, many Tech-Priests immediately began chanting prayers.
This drew frequent glances from the surrounding UEG personnel.
Jacob stepped forward and began conversing with the representatives of the Tech-Priests, then walked with them towards the planetary engine.
Seeing this, Isaac also stopped his idle chatter, said his goodbyes, and left.
"Strange fellow."
Watching Isaac leave, Zhang Peng offered his assessment. Liu Peiqiang, standing beside him, also watched Isaac's retreating figure and asked, "Master, do you think those monsters he spoke of truly exist in the world? Undying, moving corpses, and giant monsters dozens of meters tall?"
"Who knows? You'd better worry about your test results."
Zhang Peng lightly tapped Liu Peiqiang's forehead.
Sure enough, shortly after, Liu Peiqiang was called back into the testing grounds.
"Congratulations, Mr. Liu Peiqiang, your test results are satisfactory."
Hearing this news, Liu Peiqiang couldn't help but clench his fist, his heart filled with excitement.
"After the planetary engine at the Gabon base successfully ignites, you can board an Alliance starship and head to your destination. During this time, we will conduct centralized training for all those who passed the test."
"Alright!"
After quickly confirming his understanding, Liu Peiqiang immediately rushed out of the testing grounds to inform his mentor, Zhang Peng, of the good news.
"I didn't expect you to actually pass the test."
Zhang Peng looked at the son of his deceased comrade, feeling deeply gratified.
A month passed in a flash.
During this time, the Universal Union had transported a massive amount of supplies to Earth.
Furthermore, with the construction efforts of numerous robots, the planetary engine at the Gabon base was now completely finished.
UEG Headquarters Building.
A conference, gathering all UEG member states, was currently underway.
This conference was initiated by Zhou Zhezhi, its purpose being to prove the feasibility of the Moving Mountain Project to the entire world.
"Teacher Zhou, there are thirty minutes until the planetary engine ignites. What do you think?"
"Understood."
Zhou Zhezhi stood up and, with the aid of his leg exoskeletons, walked briskly towards the main conference hall.
Taking his seat, Zhou Zhezhi looked at Mike beside him.
"How is the voting proceeding on your end?"
"It's very tight."
Mike reported truthfully.
"Those supporting the Moving Mountain Project and those supporting the Universal Union starship plan each account for nearly half, consistently unable to create a significant gap."
After the words Zhou Zhezhi had spoken earlier, there were indeed some differing opinions within the various UEG member states.
Some supported Zhou Zhezhi's view, believing that humanity should continue the Moving Mountain Project. Rather than starting from scratch on an unfamiliar planet, it would be better to take everything on Earth to a new star system.
Moreover, with the Universal Union's help in construction, they could completely build more planetary engines and more underground cities, ensuring the preservation of everyone.
Others held opposing views.
After all, many people were unwilling to crowd into underground cities and not see the sky for the next thousand years.
Gabon Base.
It was nighttime.
UEG engineers, Alliance Tech-Priests, and other scientific researchers were conducting the final debugging of the planetary engine.
Some Tech-Priests, under the curious gazes of everyone from the UEG, began a prayer ritual: "Immortal Machine God, please heed our prayers.
May You grant this machine the primordial power for eternal operation, and may You protect this machine from the invasion of wicked heretics.
Ring the great bell once! Push the lever, activate the pistons and pumps!
Ring the great bell twice! Press the button, start the engine, ignite the turbine, inject life!
Ring the great bell thrice! Sing in unison, praise the Machine God!!!"
After a month of cohabitation, the UEG had come to understand these Tech-Priests somewhat.
According to Alliance staff at the base, these individuals came from an organization called the "Adeptus Mechanicus," which worshipped technology itself.
And the "Adeptus Mechanicus" originated from a very dangerous and terrifying world.
Regarding that world, the Universal Union people were reluctant to elaborate.
The UEG only knew that the Universal Union had fought an interstellar war against dangerous aliens in that world.
The prayer ritual concluded, and all diagnostic procedures for the planetary engine were complete, with no obstacles.
"Earth One Planetary Engine will ignite for a test burn in fifteen minutes. All personnel, please evacuate to a safe location immediately."
The broadcast echoed throughout the Gabon Base.
Everyone watched the planetary engine under the moonlight.
Accompanied by the countdown, the planetary engine slowly began to adjust its posture according to the pre-set program.
Tens of trillions of tons of steel structure slowly began to deform, and the gigantic nozzle at the very top of the planetary engine, located at a height of over ten kilometers, began to expand.
Seven colossal support arms were ready. They would disperse the immense thrust generated by the planetary engine's propulsion onto a support surface nearly eight thousand square kilometers in area at the bottom, constructed from the latest composite materials.
The ice that had condensed on the middle and upper layers of the engine due to the altitude began to fall in cascades as the engine moved.
It formed an extremely spectacular avalanche.
On the ground, a Tech-Priest exclaimed.
"I'm reminded of the Mountain Howitzer on Volcus. I was once fortunate enough to witness that super cannon roar."
In terms of sheer size, the largest planetary engine might not be much smaller than a Mountain Howitzer.
Meanwhile, in the grand assembly hall of the UEG Headquarters building.
Hao Xiaoxi had already stepped onto the podium.
On the screen behind her, a real-time feed of the Gabon Base planetary engine was displayed.
"Several days ago, with the Universal Union's assistance, the prematurely constructed Moon One engine successfully completed its test ignition. The Moon successfully produced an angular displacement of 0.4 nanoarcseconds, thereby proving that the Moon can be propelled to its target position within twenty years, thus releasing Earth from its gravitational bind."
Hao Xiaoxi first reported the successful ignition of the lunar engine a few days prior.
"Building on this, the Earth One engine will undergo its test ignition today. If Earth successfully displaces, both experiments will fully validate the feasibility of the Moving Mountain Project and bring new hope for humanity to truly resolve the solar helium flash crisis."
The entire speech was broadcast to every corner of Earth via video live stream and real-time radio.
At this very moment, whether it was refugees in various war-torn and chaotic African countries, or isolated villagers in small villages in remote European mountains, or citizens in New York, the most bustling metropolis.
Billions of people, all through various devices, were following this experiment.
Despite the existence of the Universal Union, many people still harbored a deep sense of self-preservation.
Perhaps humanity did not necessarily have to rely entirely on the Universal Union to continue; humanity itself could also accomplish this great feat.
"10, 9..."
As the final ten-second countdown began, everyone's hearts were in their throats.
"3, 2, 1!"
The countdown ended, and a tremendous thrust was first transmitted to the ground.
Countless plumes of dust rose, obscuring the lower half of the planetary engine, and spreading rapidly outwards.
Even from the Gabon Base, hundreds of kilometers away, the ground vibrations could be clearly felt.
Immediately thereafter, vast sheets of dust-laden wind swept through, engulfing the entire Gabon Base.
Its power was so great that even some small drones parked on the ground were blown away.
Fragile items like glass shattered in unison.
Television broadcasts and real-time radio signals were directly interrupted.
Silence and panic quickly spread.
Everyone watching the live broadcast had different emotions, with some directly believing that the planetary engine had failed to ignite.
In the grand assembly hall.
Hao Xiaoxi, on the podium, stared blankly at the black screen behind her, then looked at the liaison responsible for connecting to the Gabon Base's live feed.
But she only saw him shaking his head, indicating that the signal was temporarily interrupted.
The Danish representative was the first to rise and challenge.
"It failed, didn't it? So much manpower, material, and financial resources wasted. How do we explain this to the world now! A whole month wasted for nothing! With so much time, do you even know how many people the Universal Union could have transported by spaceship?!"
Following him, several other representatives rose to challenge, some even slamming their documents onto the table.
But immediately, a strong tremor occurred in the hall.
Not only the UEG Headquarters building, but the entire world felt the trembling of the ground beneath their feet at the same time.
Immediately, the signal was restored.
The screen clearly showed that the planetary engine had successfully ejected a super-gigantic propulsion flame that shot straight into the sky.
Scientists monitoring Earth's status in real-time immediately reported.
"Earth has successfully produced an angular displacement of 2 picoarcseconds!"
Seeing the incredibly shocking scene on the screen, Zhou Zhezhi, seated, revealed a long-lost smile.
And he was the first to rise and applaud.
After him, Mike, the American representative, also rose and applauded.
More and more representatives rose, and for a moment, applause reverberated throughout the entire hall.
Although not everyone agreed with the Moving Mountain Project, this was undoubtedly one of the most important moments in human history, and everyone felt a sense of pride from the bottom of their hearts.
Hao Xiaoxi, on the podium, was even more excited, jumping up without regard for her image.
Over the past month, those who vigorously pushed for the Moving Mountain Project had endured too much pressure.
Every moment, someone questioned the necessity of the Moving Mountain Project.
And now, this pressure finally dissipated.
Not only in this grand assembly hall, but news media outlets in various countries simultaneously broadcast reports on the successful ignition of the planetary engine.
Billions of people watching this scene cheered and rejoiced.
Human civilization no longer had to rely solely on the Universal Union to continue; human civilization could also continue in its own way.
"How much time until the estimated attack?"
"It will begin immediately after ignition, to minimize ground damage."
"Get ready."
On the ground, the UEG had already begun organizing personnel to clean up the base, which had become incredibly messy due to the ignition of the planetary engine.
Broken trees, green shrubs, and various debris were everywhere.
Although it was late at night, everyone was incredibly excited and worked at an extremely fast pace.
Liu Peiqiang was assigned the task of inspecting the drone hangar. He and several other UEG staff members were opening the hangar doors.
"Why aren't the lights working?"
"It might be a temporary power outage caused by the tremors just now. It should be restored soon."
With no other option, Liu Peiqiang and the others had to use flashlights to check the status of the drones one by one.
As they shone their lights around, Liu Peiqiang and the others noticed something was wrong.
"Why have the safeties on these weapons been removed? Who did this?"
"Shaken off?"
"Do you think that's possible?"
Just as they were about to report the unusual situation to their superiors, an unexpected change occurred.
All the drones in the hangar simultaneously lowered their four rotors, their engines began to roar, and then they flew out of the hangar.
"Something's wrong!"
Liu Peiqiang and the others immediately rushed out of the hangar and looked around.
Not only in their area, but all the drones in Gabon Base simultaneously hovered in the air.
"Drones are out of control! Our system has been compromised!"
A ground crew member was shouting.
Just as everyone looked up at the drones in the sky...
The next second, a missile shot towards an empty green belt.
"Boom!"
The explosion's flash instantly lit up the night sky.
Following the missile came a barrage of autocannon fire.
"Air raid! Air raid! Counterattack quickly!"
The UEG personnel, realizing what was happening, immediately grabbed various weapons at hand and began to return fire.
But the people on the ground soon discovered that these drones did not engage with them for too long; instead, they turned and flew towards the planetary engine in the distance.
Everyone's expressions changed drastically.
"All fighter jets take off, shoot down the out-of-control drones! The planetary engine must not suffer any damage!"
The entire Gabon Base sprang into action.
All fighter pilots quickly boarded their planes and took to the sky, piloting various fighter jets to pursue the drone swarm.
The remaining personnel on the ground began to check for casualties from the recent attack and worked to restore order.
A vast swarm of drones surged towards the planetary engine, colliding head-on with the numerous close-in weapon systems deployed on the engine's surface. In the sky, a large number of explosions occurred every moment, and hundreds of drones were destroyed every second, but even more drones immediately filled the void.
Not only Gabon Base, but billions of people worldwide, who were watching the planetary engine ignition test live, all witnessed this sudden attack.
One second, everyone was still laughing and celebrating that humanity had found a way to save itself.
The next second, a blatant anti-human terrorist attack appeared before their eyes.
In the main hall of the UEG headquarters building, representatives from various countries who had been orderly departing all froze in their tracks, looking in disbelief at the fierce battle erupting on the screen.
A representative exclaimed in shock,
"Who did this? Are they crazy!?"
This was undoubtedly the most severe crime against humanity in history, trampling on the hope for the continuation of human civilization.
"It must be those madmen from the Digital Life Faction!"
Someone immediately realized.
"Only those people have the technology to massively infiltrate Gabon Base's drone swarm."
"Quickly notify nearby troops to provide support! The planetary engine must not suffer any damage!"
The conference hall erupted into unprecedented chaos.
However, this chaos was clearly incomparable to the perilous situation at Gabon Base.
Although most of the drone swarm rushed towards the planetary engine, a small portion of drones remained above the base, raining down fire on the ground.
Numerous ground facilities were damaged and engulfed in flames.
Gabon Base itself, while having some armament, was not a military base.
When faced with such a large-scale attack, it was difficult to organize a large-scale counterattack in a short time.
"Alliance, quickly notify the Universal Union personnel!"
Someone immediately thought of the Universal Union, which had always been stationed at the base, and also saw the Olympus Mons hovering in the wilderness not far outside Gabon Base.
Sure enough, the next second, the Olympus Mons started its engines and flew towards Gabon Base.
Numerous Typhoon Fighters surged out of the hangar and, along with the UEG's fighter jets, pursued the drone swarm.
In addition, large numbers of troops were also deployed to the battlefield, quickly clearing the few remaining drones that were still harassing the base.
Only a very small number of Alliance high-ranking officials knew the truth of this attack.
MOSS was the mastermind behind this attack, and its purpose was to pin the blame for the attack on the Digital Life Faction.
And to portray them as enemies of human civilization as a whole.
This would allow the remaining humans to temporarily unite as a single entity, while also completely eradicating the existence of the Digital Life Faction.
"Prioritize treating the wounded."
Although all the drones were under MOSS's control and caused no fatalities.
However, some unfortunate individuals suffered injuries of varying severity due to various indirect reasons.
In addition to the Typhoon Fighters and various conventional ground troops,
Several Titan Mechs also landed on the ground.
Although the giant weapons in the hands and on the backs of the Titan Mechs were not very useful against drone swarms and could easily accidentally damage the planetary engine itself.
However, each Titan Mech was equipped with a large number of small autocannons and anti-air missiles, capable of delivering terrifying firepower.
This further exacerbated the chaos of the battlefield.
In the Gabon Base command tower, the Commander of the UEG immediately ordered,
"Quickly take the 550C to the drone communication base station, connect to the network, and regain control of all drones!"
Before the UEG personnel could carry the 550C out of the tower, a team of Alliance tactical robots and Tyrants rushed in.
The leading Alliance soldier, after learning the mission objective, without a word, directly had a Tyrant carry the 550C and sprint towards the nearby drone communication base station.
In fact, these grassroots Alliance soldiers were also kept in the dark and were unaware of the truth behind the attack.
After quickly connecting the 550C to the drone network, a UEG technician wiped away cold sweat.
"The 550C is performing a scan and locate. The program overwrite will take a few minutes."
A few minutes sounded very short, but everyone knew that with the intense battle outside, every extra second would increase the possibility of damage to the planetary engine.
"After this attack, how likely do you think the UEG will choose the Moving Mountain Project?"
On the bridge of the Olympus Mons, Alex inquired.
Marcus, who had just arrived from the Ishimura on a transport plane to witness the spectacular sight of the planetary engine starting up, pondered briefly before giving his prediction.
"Fifty-fifty, I guess. This one attack isn't nearly enough to make the UEG commit to the Moving Mountain Project."
Although with the Universal Union's help, the UEG no longer needed to expend a huge amount of manpower, material resources, and financial resources to build ten thousand planetary engines and their Supporting facilities underground cities.
However, the cost of the Moving Mountain Project was still enormous.
As the two were conversing, a few minutes had already passed.
550C had already begun to access the control network of all drones and forcibly shut them all down, causing them to fall automatically. All of this, of course, was MOSS's self-directed show.
It was MOSS that controlled the drones to launch the attack, and it was also MOSS that eventually controlled the drones to crash via 550C.
Watching the swarms of drones fall from the sky, no longer rushing towards the planetary engine, billions of people in the Gabon Base and across Earth breathed a sigh of relief.
"Quickly, assess the casualties and confirm the status of the planetary engine!"
The UEG high-level officials immediately ordered the Gabon Base.
Fortunately, after an initial inspection, the planetary engine had not suffered any serious damage, only minor scratches on some surfaces from the drones' autocannons.
After confirming the accuracy of the information, the UEG high-level officials finally breathed a sigh of relief.
If the planetary engine had really encountered a major problem, the UEG would have been greatly embarrassed.
This was a global live broadcast watched in real-time by billions of people.
In the UEG Headquarters building, in the main assembly hall, representatives from various countries urgently returned to their seats.
With this incident, no one was thinking about going home.
"We must immediately put those Digital Life Faction madmen on trial! If we let those people continue to mess around, Earth will sooner or later fall into chaos again!"
A hot-tempered representative immediately said angrily.
This proposal quickly received approval from many.
The Digital Life Faction madmen now dared to directly attack the planetary engine; who knew if they would get a crazy idea to attack the Universal Union's spacecraft next time?
If they angered the Universal Union, the UEG could not afford the consequences.
More seriously, if the Universal Union no longer agreed to use spacecraft to send humans to new planets, then humanity would lose a path of continuation. This time, the Digital Life Faction had truly infuriated the UEG.
Without any country opposing it, all UEG member states unanimously passed the proposal to arrest all high-level personnel of the Digital Life Faction.
This time, the UEG was determined to make the Digital Life Faction a complete part of history with thunderous force.
Meanwhile, those members of the Digital Life Faction hiding in secret hideouts had no idea that disaster was already upon them.
On the Olympus Mons, Marcus checked the system's mission progress. Over the past month, the Universal Union had deeply participated in the construction of the planetary engine, and naturally, it had already obtained the technology of the planetary engine.
[Detected that the host has completed mission objective 1
Mission judgment is being performed. Judgment passed. Mission rewards are being issued. Received random lottery draw × 1
Received title "Megastructure Builder" Title Effect: Accelerates the Universal Union's speed in building megastructures and slightly enhances all aspects of all megastructures' performance]
The title effect was indeed very good, and it could also stack with the "Infrastructure Maniac" buff.
In addition, Marcus had accumulated a total of nine random lottery draws, which was unprecedented.
Marcus himself didn't have any obsessive-compulsive disorder, insisting on accumulating ten draws before being willing to draw.
Without much hesitation, Marcus immediately performed a nine-consecutive draw.
A flash of white light, and nine different cards appeared on the system screen.
Marcus quickly scanned them one by one.
A Viking fighter from the Terran Empire in starcraft, and a Goliath armed robot.
An Ion Titan mech from Titanfall.
A Valkyrie gunship from the Warhammer Imperium of Man.
And a T'au Empire XV8 Crisis Battlesuit.
The first five were still normal and could be given to the Universal Union's research department for reverse engineering to study their tech tree and then enrich the Universal Union's military armed forces.
Currently, the Universal Union's atmospheric military forces are divided into several types.
Those responsible for holding the line, in large numbers, include:
Ordinary soldiers wearing CMC300 armor and carrying rail rifles, numerous, cheap, and durable tactical robots, as well as Tyrants and Pursuers.
Elite special forces teams responsible for small-scale special missions include:
Elite special forces teams wearing full carapace armor and armed with kinetic cannons, Plasma Cutters, concentrated energy guns, and other elite weapons, as well as Na'vi special soldiers skilled in urban combat and hunting.
As for armored units:
Thanks to the technology contributed by the departed Halifax the Sage, the Universal Union had already deduced the production processes for Sentinel mechs and Lehman Russ tanks and could produce them independently.
As for larger combat units, the Universal Union could currently manufacture medium and small biological weapons, tens of meters tall, using technology left behind by the Precursor Civilization, which could serve as meat shields to absorb a large amount of enemy firepower.
Above that were the Titan mechs.
It could be seen that the Universal Union was actually relatively lacking in air superiority fighters and flexible combat units.
The Viking fighter could serve as an air superiority fighter, and the XV8 battlesuit could serve as a more advanced rapid support role than the Tyrant, similar to an Astartes.
"Indeed, with the system's authority upgraded, the draws are almost no longer yielding any junk."
Marcus nodded with satisfaction.
As for the last four, each was a heavyweight.
First and foremost was a KV128 Broadside Battlesuit, also from the T'au Empire.
This dozen-meter-tall battlesuit carried extremely terrifying firepower and was specifically developed by the T'au Empire to counter the Imperium of Man's Knight mechs and Titans.
"Did I just hit a T'au nest?"
Marcus muttered, looking at the last three items, or rather, characters, that were drawn.