Annihilation of the solar system

The next day, everyone got up very early. After breakfast in the cafeteria of the Space Flight Control Center, while clearing away the plates, they saw Director Yin leading a man wearing a jacket and jeans with a stubble on his face.

A man came towards them. Liu Chaowen was startled. That man was Cao Rui, whom he had met at his teacher Zhou Cheng's home.

Walking up to him, Director Yin had a stiff smile on his face:

"These three are the people you are looking for."

Cao Rui had a sophisticated smile on his face:

"Thank you, Director Yin. Then I won't waste your time. I'll pick them up right away. They're still waiting over there."

Director Yin looked like he was hesitating to speak. He didn't say what he wanted to say. He just nodded and turned to leave. Cao Rui looked at the three people with question marks written on their faces:

"I'm Cao Rui from the National Security Department. I'm here to pick you up to attend a very important meeting. The car is outside and time is running out. Let's leave quickly."

After that, he led the three of them out of the canteen and jumped into a black business car at the door.

Cao Rui, who was sitting in the front row, turned around and looked at the three of them, and his eyes fell on Liu Chaowen:

"Chaowen, do you still remember me?"

Liu Chaowen nodded lightly:

"Yes, I remember. I met you, Uncle Cao, at Teacher Zhou's house."

Cao Rui laughed out loud, waved his hands and said:

"Don't call me uncle, kid. You call Zhou Cheng teacher. That's your teacher-student rank. Don't worry about it here. You can either call me by my name or Brother Rui. But don't call me uncle. I

Not that old."

The nervousness of the three people was dispelled by Cao Rui's words.

Cao Rui continued:

"Do you know why the director of the Space Flight Control Center looked so ugly just now?"

Xia Lan and Wei Xu looked at each other and shook their heads.

Cao Rui chuckled:

"Originally, the Space Flight Control Center was originally planned to participate in this meeting. After all, they were responsible for the observation of yesterday's discovery."

Xia Lan was shocked when she heard this. It seemed that Cao Rui also knew about yesterday's observation results and the whole thing.

"However, Vice President Xia Jigang insisted on letting all three of you attend the meeting. This meeting was of a very high level and the number of participants was limited. In the end, Director Cheng of the Space Administration could not win over Vice President Xia's eloquence and canceled it.

I have obtained the Space Flight Control Center’s qualifications to attend the meeting and let you go.”

Xia Lan and Wei Xu were a little surprised, and Liu Chaowen seemed to have a rare sense of pride on his face. Xia Lan asked:

"The meeting we're going to is related to last night's discovery, right?"

Cao Rui nodded and said:

"That's all I can tell you. It must be related to the discovery last night. I don't know the rest. You will find out when you arrive at the venue in a while. It is estimated that you will be there in about ten minutes. Hurry up.

Get ready."

The car drove all the way towards the most prosperous center of the city. Xia Lan and Wei Xu had both lived in Beijing for many years, and they were familiar with the places the car drove through. But as the car entered the central business district, they were a little confused. Since this was the case,

Why are important meetings held in downtown areas?

The car drove into the underground garage of a shopping mall. The driver had no intention of finding a parking space. Instead, he drove straight to the third floor. The maze-like underground garage made Xia Lan and the others lose their way, but the driver seemed to be familiar with the road.

.The car drove to the corner of the garage and entered through a passage that was only one parking space wide. It was pitch black inside.

Soon the car stopped in front of a heavy iron gate of a civil air defense project. After a while, a rumbling sound echoed in the garage, and the heavy iron door slowly opened. After the car drove into the iron gate, it was a long downhill road.

Cao Rui said:

"This used to be an underground shelter built during the Cold War. It is more than a hundred meters underground. After the end of the Cold War, it was converted into an emergency command center. It is rarely used. We will be there soon."

The car was driving fast in the long and narrow tunnel, and the airflow rolled up in the confined space made a roaring sound like a train. The rumbling noise made the people in the car feel uncomfortable.

Not long after, a row of cars appeared at the edge of the tunnel ahead and stopped. Cao Rui led them into a long walkway, the depth of which was the purpose of their trip.

The hall space deep in the passage is much wider than the corridor just now, but it is still very oppressive. The surrounding walls are made of the most ordinary plain concrete, and there are several fluorescent lamps nailed to the ceiling lattice. There are already people sitting on the long conference table.

There were more than 20 people, including two people in military uniforms. Judging from their military ranks, they were both major generals.

The four people came to the empty seats and sat down. Most people's eyes were on the three young men. Although they didn't know each other's details, judging from their age, except for them, the others were all over forty years old.

After Xia Lan sat down, he looked around and saw a few people he knew. Director Cheng Keli of the National Space Administration, Chief Engineer Song of the Space Center, Minister Zhong, his father Xia Jigang, Professor Zhou Cheng, and several other university professors

.

Just after they sat down, the staff handed each of them a piece of information. Xia Lan took a look at the data that should be the space telescope tracking the comet last night. Minister Zhong sat in the middle of the long conference table this time.

Looking at everyone, he cleared his throat:

"Now that everyone is here, let's stop talking and get straight to the point. Everyone knows what was discovered last night. The leader gave instructions to organize relevant experts to discuss the nature of the comet and countermeasures, as well as preliminary research on the premise of confidentiality.

Determine next steps of action.”

Minister Zhong’s eyes gradually swept towards everyone at the conference table:

“Today we have invited experts from the military on strategic issues, weapons and equipment, astrophysics, theoretical physics, aerospace, security, extraterrestrial life, and the discovery team of this abnormal event.

The existing information has been urgently sent to everyone last night. Now we will focus on discussing what this comet is and what it is going to do. We will form a preliminary unified opinion and then discuss what should be done next."

After speaking, Minister Zhong looked at Xia Jigang next to him and said:

"Vice President Xia, I think you should preside over the following meeting."

Xia Jigang nodded with satisfaction:

"I think I have fully studied the information. Now I will follow the instructions of Minister Zhong to focus on whether this comet is a naturally formed extraterrestrial object or it may be the creation of extraterrestrial intelligent life. Let's first ask the astrophysicist

Let Xia Lan, an expert in the field, express his professional opinions."

Xia Lan picked up the information in her hand:

"Based on the observation results, we have conducted a lot of simulations and calculations. Under our current theoretical framework, we cannot explain the comet's spontaneous stop of rotation. We have considered all possible scenarios such as comet breakage, capture of space matter, and collision.

The probability that it can reach the current orbital state is less than one in 10 to the 17th power, which means it is impossible in a broad sense. This is our opinion."

Xia Jigang nodded and looked at Zhou Cheng:

"Professor Zhou, do you have anything to say in your field?"

When Liu Chaowen heard his mentor's name, he looked up sharply. Sure enough, he saw Zhou Cheng on the other side of the conference table. The two's eyes met briefly, Liu Chaowen lowered his head again, and took out a stack of words already written in it from his backpack.

Papers with data and formulas were being calculated on them. This scene caught the attention of Wei Xu, who was sitting next to him.

After Zhou Cheng glanced at Liu Chaowen, he looked at Xia Jigang and shook his head:

"We are not good at theoretical physics in orbit and astronomical observation. I just checked the mathematical derivation of the observation plan. The mathematical part is completely correct. As for other aspects, it may be difficult for me to provide professional advice."

Xia Jigang's face gradually became heavy:

"Well, that's right. You are indeed not good at theoretical physics in this area. So based on the experts' opinions just now, can we draw a preliminary conclusion? The comet 'Oumuamua may not be a comet as we traditionally recognize it.

. He is most likely man-made, regardless of whether this person is a human on Earth or another civilization. I say this to see if anyone has any opinions."

As soon as Xia Jigang finished speaking, there were noisy whispers in the small venue. However, no one raised any objection because they were unable to falsify that Oumuamua was not a natural celestial body based on the existing scientific system.

proposition.

At this time, Xia Jigang also noticed Liu Chaowen, who had been immersed in calculations.