Chapter 623 - 610: Monetization

"The patient had a slight cold before taking the flight, and irregular rest coupled with diarrhea magnified the effects, so an emotional outburst could have led to a sudden fainting episode. He needs to rest more, while also reducing the number of late nights and avoiding stimulating foods.

If there are still issues afterward, then consider treatment. As of now, his body seems to be quite healthy."

The doctor explained at length, finally convincing Zhong Cheng that there really wasn’t much wrong with Lin Ju—no medication was even necessary.

Actually, Lin Ju had already woken up before being carried onto the helicopter, but Zhong Cheng insisted on taking him to the military hospital for a thorough check-up. Fortunately, it was a scare with no harm done.

According to the doctor, the main issue was physical weakness combined with emotional overreaction. Zhong Cheng understood the physical part, but emotions... it wasn’t likely that excitement alone could have caused him to faint, right?

"I’ve been neglecting exercise. I don’t know how I ended up like this when I got a fever. I really caused you all a lot of trouble."

Lin Ju appeared to be perfectly normal, bouncing around and demonstrating his good health.

"Could it be that you’re taking flights too often? The constantly changing climates... It’s troublesome running back and forth. You should fly less from now on."

"..."

Asking someone with a jet pilot’s license to fly less often... Lin Ju ultimately nodded, not declining Zhong Cheng’s kind intention.

"Then don’t come over for the next month. After all, you’re also letting go at the company, and with us at United Mining, no chaos will ensue. You must rest well during this period."

Zhong Cheng was not lulled by appearances; his tone was firm and left no room for negotiation.

"That... Alright, I’ll go back to Rong City. It might be that I’m really not suited to the climate in the north."

Seeing Lin Ju wasn’t being stubborn, Zhong Cheng was satisfied and advised him further:

"If you can’t stay idle, you might as well visit the International Astronomical Union. I’ve heard about what they’re planning, and you can start with a chat."

The International Astronomical Union had previously made inquiries, and the base offered two proposals for small nuclear engines with 1 to 5 tons of thrust, but with enhanced power generation capabilities and stability, for continuous operation for 40 or 60 years, priced at 2.8 and 3.8 billion US dollars, respectively.

These proposals were delivered through the Capital City Branch, and although the 15th and 16th Committees in charge did not give a clear response, they stated they had begun assembling a team to discuss the details of the pricing. This indicated that there was a good chance of success.

The project was viewed optimistically within the country; after all, research organizations around the world would pool their money. Contributing a small portion wouldn’t be much, as there was an encouraging attitude.

However, Lin Ju’s attitude towards deep space exploration had completely changed. Previously it was optional, but now it was imperative to launch as soon as possible.

Humanity’s exploration data on Titan is scant. Despite old probes like Pioneer 6 and Cassini passing by, their detection capabilities were very limited, providing only the most basic external information about Titan.

To date, it is known that Titan’s gravity is similar to the Moon’s, and it possesses a thick atmosphere 1.5 times that of Earth, composed of over 99.84% nitrogen, but very little is known about its surface geography and other details.

Manned landings are not about recklessly sending people over; a number of unmanned missions are needed to gather sufficient data before planning a landing operation.

Of course, the more troublesome part should be the reason—landing on Mars is somewhat defendable. But for Titan, with difficulties an order of magnitude greater, justifying the effort of landing there is more bothersome, especially since its environment seems worse than Mars’s.

Eight years, with at most only six years truly left to him. In six years’ time, landing on a moon of Saturn, while also squeezing in a Mars mission, would have to result in a very rushed schedule.

...

The B-level base.

When C810 touched down on the runway, all the available executives were already waiting on the tarmac, knowing what the boss’s return implied.

However, Ye Changsi already had an ominous feeling. He knew about Lin Ju’s sudden fainting. Regular physicals were organized by the base, so external factors had to be the cause.

But the December landing mission was supposed to be about awarding bonuses, wasn’t it?

This strong doubt solidified as Lin Ju deplaned, showing no attempt to hide the gravity on his face in the safest place possible.

"What, a space elevator?"

Contrary to expectations, what everyone heard in the meeting room was actually good news. Lin Ju had printed out the explanatory material about "Chi Ren", causing most people to be extremely excited.

This was material that the System explicitly indicated could serve as the foundation for a space elevator and even possessed the properties of high-temperature superconductivity, practically ready to be used as the main body of the space elevator itself.

A completed space elevator would bring about a truly disruptive change, instantly relegating all chemical rockets and aero-space planes to the trash heap, and it was impossible to imagine the dramatic impact it would have.

While "Chi Ren" explicitly required a breakthrough in gravity technology, the synchronous communication project also needed microgravity technology, thus saving on research resources. Considering the mass of technical data brought by the former, the road ahead suddenly became clear.

Not to mention the huge potential of "Chi Ren’s" other uses, which could signify a revolutionary shift in the field of materials science, with an unimaginable future ahead.

Most people were so overwhelmed with joy that they forgot about the somber expression that had just been on Lin Ju’s face, except Ye Changsi, who, although shocked, still managed to suppress his excitement and carefully inquire with Lin Ju.