Chapter 239

The most amazing part was when one mech suddenly extended its mechanical arm and pulled a person directly out of the window—it was an elderly person trapped in the bathroom.

The mechanical arm moved gently, steadily transferring the elderly person to the safety net below.

By this time, the live stream screen was completely covered by comments.

"This rescue efficiency!!"

"Mech: I just casually pulled someone out."

"Firefighters used to have to risk their lives to rush in; now..."

"Technology changing lives, it's really not just talk."

Fifteen minutes later, the fire was under control.

The mechs began checking house by house, using thermal imaging sensors to find any potentially trapped residents.

In the end, there were zero casualties, and property damage was minimized.

The fire captain, when interviewed, had slightly red eyes: "I've been a firefighter for twenty years and have personally carried out seventeen victims."

"Every time I saw my brothers rush into a fire, my heart would ache. Now... now it's better."

He patted the firefighting mech beside him: "This guy isn't afraid of fire, isn't afraid of collapses, can carry a thousand-pound load, and can rescue people precisely. It's the best comrade-in-arms."

This interview went viral on social media.

The captions varied, but the core message was the same: some technologies really can save lives.

In the afternoon, at the Dragon Chant Research Institute's data center.

Chen Guang stared at the large screen, which displayed real-time updated socio-economic data.

National GDP monthly growth rate: 15.3%.

Unemployment rate: 1.2%—a record low, and still falling.

"Where did the unemployed population go?" Wang Hao asked, leaning in to look.

"They've all transferred to training. Former construction workers are learning mech operation, miners are learning remote control, delivery drivers are learning logistics dispatch... Dragon Chant and local governments have co-founded over four hundred training centers; it's a three-month crash course, and they guarantee employment," Chen said, marking the flow chart.

"How much does that cost?"

"It costs a lot, but it earns even more," Zhao Kaiyuan said, pulling up another set of data.

"The civilian mech industry chain has directly contributed 8% to GDP and driven 15% of related industries. More importantly, it's social stability."

He zoomed in on a chart: "Crime rate is down 40% year-on-year. Well, now that everyone has money to earn and something to look forward to, who would still commit crimes?"

Feng Yan walked into the data center, glanced at the data, and nodded: "Still not enough."

"Still not enough?" Wang Hao stared, "Brother Feng, this data is already heaven-defying, isn't it?"

"I'm talking about production capacity. Civilian mech orders are already backed up for two years, but even with production lines running at full capacity, the monthly output is only one hundred thousand units. We need to increase it to three hundred thousand," Feng Yan said, pulling up the production report.

"That would require building twenty more production lines! And the military production lines are still rushing."

"I'll apply for funding and mobilize personnel. Also, open up more production to qualified military factories to accelerate output," Feng Yan said.

Everyone laughed, but after laughing, they realized Feng Yan was actually serious.

Chen Guang suddenly switched the screen: "Deep space monitoring has the latest news. A large-scale mass deficit has been detected. A red dwarf star... has suddenly gone out."

"Suddenly gone out?" Li Yang frowned, "That's a star. How could a star suddenly..."

Chen marked the observatory data: "Within seventy-two hours, this star's brightness dropped from normal to zero. Its own energy output... stopped."

"Like a candle being blown out," Zhao Kaiyuan whispered.

"The degree of alignment with the Harvester characteristics described in the deep space signal," Chen paused, "is 94%."

The data center fell into a deathly silence.

All previous optimism, all achievements, seemed... insignificant in the face of this news.

Civilian mech popularization? GDP growth? Social reform?

In the face of an enemy that could extinguish stars, what did these count for?

Feng Yan was silent for a long time, then said: "Encrypt the news and send it to the highest level. The civilian mech production plan... must also continue to accelerate."

"Continue?" Li Yang asked, "If the enemy is really that terrifying..."

"Precisely because it is terrifying, we must continue," Feng Yan said, looking at the afterimage of the extinguished star on the screen.

"Mech popularization, social stability, productivity improvement—these are not the goals, but the foundation."

"We need to unite the strength of the entire human civilization into a single rope in the shortest possible time."

He pulled up the latest plan for the Solar System Defense Network:

"Near-Earth orbit laser platforms, Moon Base, Mars outposts... these require resources, manpower, and the efficient operation of the entire society. Civilian mech popularization is laying the foundation."

Everyone understood.

This wasn't wasting time; it was racing against time.

Using technological dividends to unite people's hearts, using economic development to accumulate strength, and using social stability to guarantee output.

And then, converting all of this output into... weapons.

"Also," Chen Guang switched the screen, "the last stronghold of the Convergence organization was wiped out early this morning."

Photos appeared on the screen: an underground laboratory in a small European city, equipment seized, personnel controlled.

"The leader, the Professor, committed suicide before being captured," Chen said, marking a photo of the suicide note.

"But he left a message before he died."

The last line of the suicide note was written in a scrawl:

"We thought technological monopoly was tyranny, so we wanted to liberate knowledge. Now we understand: technological impotence is the true tyranny."

"What does that mean?" Wang Hao asked.

"It means he finally realized before he died that instead of stealing technology to let more people have it, it's better to let those with the capability turn technology into a force that protects everyone," Chen said, adjusting his glasses.

"A belated realization," Li Yang said.

"But at least it counts as a realization," Feng Yan said, closing the screen. "That's the end of the Convergence matter. Next, prepare with all our might."

"The Houyi Project launch meeting is tomorrow," Feng Yan turned.

"Lao Li, prepare the final plan for the Heaven's Punishment laser cannon. Haozi, the thruster array needs further optimization. Guangzi, the Torch Dragon-3 deep space monitoring network must be foolproof."

"Understood."