Once We Lived in Nanjing

"Is this the prototype you planned?" Wang Ning asked.

"Yes, I immediately went to seek ways to fly seventy million kilometers away, so the first stop was the eighth institution." Zhao Bowen nodded, "During this period, the information Yangyang provided was very useful, allowing us to have a vague understanding and estimate of the impact of Black Moon. After a long discussion internally, no one could confirm what kind of impact Black Moon would have on spacecraft in Earth's orbit. We had to prepare for the worst, fearing that the arrival of Black Moon would destroy all spacecraft in near-Earth orbit, synchronous orbit, and even Moon orbit... So we made a crazy plan."

Zhao Bowen "slap!" slapped the pen onto the coffee table.

"Let it fly to four hundred million kilometers away." At this moment, Old Zhao was bold and resolute, "To Mars!"

Old Bai, Old Wang, and Bai Yang were all stunned.

"Awesome...awesome." Wang Ning said.

"But time is of the essence, we didn't have enough time to prepare another Long March 5, so we had to make do with what was available. We targeted a rocket that was about to perform a commercial launch, a Long March 6, to launch a telemetry satellite for a domestic enterprise. The satellite's name was Ningxia One." Zhao Bowen said, "We hijacked it."

"Hijacked... hijacked it?"

"We urgently commandeered this rocket and replaced it with our own payload, which nearly drove Institute Five mad." Zhao Bowen said, "The payload design was very simple, even rudimentary. It didn't undertake any scientific observation tasks. Its only mission was a spectacular demise. It would spend twenty years visiting Mars, then re-enter Earth's atmosphere precisely at midnight on November 15, 2040, and spectacularly crash over the sky of Nanjing City."

"The thrust of the Long March 6 is too weak, so we equipped it with the currently strongest electric propulsion. It can slowly change its trajectory to Mars on its own, after all, we're not in a rush. It had ten years' time to reach Mars, and another ten years to fly back, equipped with a very precise clock that started timing from its launch, until it precisely enters the atmosphere twenty years later, on November 15 at midnight." Zhao Bowen continued, "To give that girl an unprecedented fireworks display."

"How did you manage the multicolored meteors?" Bai Yang asked.

"Simple, just like fireworks, flame color reaction." Zhao Bowen chuckled, "Speaking of this, we really racked our brains on how to make it look the most beautiful when it bursts. After a long study, we decided to use hollow metal spheres of different materials. The satellite disintegrates when entering the atmosphere, releasing the metal spheres which burn due to high-speed friction with the atmosphere, producing a flame color reaction, creating meteors. The spheres are sealed with inert combustion agents, which decompose under high temperatures leading to a rapid increase in internal gas pressure. When the outer shell of the sphere is burnt through, it would burst into fireworks."

"So, you mean to say that you spent so much time and resources, involving so many people, just for fireworks?" Wang Ning asked.

"Yes, am I awesome?" Zhao Bowen asked.

"Awesome!" The three chorused.

"Fortunately, satellite modular design is very mature these days, so our idea was quickly realized. The satellite was launched yesterday afternoon from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. To the public, it's still called Ningxia One, after all, this matter is confidential." Zhao Bowen said, "To prevent human interference, once it enters the orbit, all external communication channels will be shut down. As we speak, it should be on its way to Mars."

After he finished, he sighed.

"For the next twenty years, spanning hundreds of millions of kilometers, it can only rely on itself."

This is truly a massive project.

In Zhao Bowen's words, he really did move the Earth.

Bai Yang could hardly imagine how such complex work described above could be completed by Zhao Bowen in just half a month, what a mad-dog-like speed it was.

Zhao Bowen humbly said that people are driven to their potential; you wouldn't know how fast they could move unless pushed. He just did a little bit of work, playing a tiny role, such as transforming into a fierce dog chasing behind them, not to mention that a major leader in the Institute was his distant cousin.

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The next day.

Bai Yang was finally about to start testing the image transmission system; he had carefully selected a dozen photos, covering all major scenic spots in Nanjing City, and even took a group photo with He Leqin and Yan Zhihan, with He looked clearly displeased.

Excited, Bai Yang returned home with his phone only to find that there were more people at his home today than yesterday. If this was the "thousands of troops and horses" Uncle Zhao had talked about, then he indeed accomplished it.

Zhao Bowen stood in the living room with people coming and going around him, some wearing black coats, some in camouflage, and others in white protective gear with goggles and masks. Bai Yang was stunned; at first glance, he thought a crime had happened in his home.

He saw people packing all documents, instruments, and even his old Icom725 amateur radio like moving house, but way more efficient than any moving company. The people in white protective gear methodically unplugged all cables from the radio, tied them up, carefully placed the radio into a foam box, then shut and locked the box.

Old Dad and Uncle Wang stood aside with their arms crossed, watching these people bustling about, their expressions a bit complex.

"Uncle... Uncle Zhao?"

Bai Yang stood at the door, calling out.

"Huh? Yangyang?" Zhao Bowen turned his head, "You're back?"

"What... what is this?" Bai Yang asked.

"Taking everything away." A middle-aged man in black next to Zhao Bowen answered, "Your work here is done, more professional people will take over."

Bai Yang opened his mouth but didn't know what to say. He could only tighten his grip on his cell phone while a man in black holding a cardboard box stood in front of him. The two confronted each other for a while. Bai Yang stepped aside to let them leave one by one.

They almost dug three feet into the ground, packaging every possibly useful thing, not sparing even a small piece of paper.

"Uncle Zhao, I..." Bai Yang gathered his courage to speak, wanting to mention the promise he hadn't fulfilled.

"What's wrong, Yangyang?" Zhao Bowen turned his head.

Along with him, others turned their heads too, their cold and stern gazes falling on Bai Yang, making his scalp tense.

"... Nothing... it's nothing."

My work here is done.

More professional people will take over next.

This is right, Bai Yang told himself inside, it should be this way, isn't this what I've always been praying for?

The strangers left quickly, and Zhao Bowen was the last to leave. As he walked out the door, he turned around and firmly patted Bai Yang's shoulder.

"Yangyang, you did well."

Bai Yang silently nodded his head.

Zhao Bowen left, taking everything with him.

Bai Yang stared blankly at the bright and spacious living room. The messy draft papers, materials, cables, and radio had all disappeared; even the floor was cleaned and shiny, as the people helped clean the house before they left.

Old Dad and Uncle Wang stood opposite, Uncle Wang somewhat helplessly spread his hands.

This is right.

Bai Yang told himself.

This is right.

But you'll never see her again.

You didn't even get to say goodbye to her.

He gritted his teeth, turned around, and chased after them, running down the stairs.

"Uncle Zhao—! Uncle Zhao—!"

Zhao Bowen hadn't gone far; he was just opening the car door, one foot on the car sill, "What is it, Yangyang?"

Out of breath, Bai Yang who had chased out of the building stopped, "Uncle Zhao... could you do me a favor?"

"Tell me."

"I promised her that I would show her the world," Bai Yang said, "So... could you please send her the photos? I'll send them to you, could you forward them to her?"

Zhao Bowen paused, then smiled, "Sure, consider it done."

He got into the car, closed the door, and the car drove away.

Bai Yang was left standing alone downstairs. He had run out without a jacket; a cold wind blew, chilling him to the bone. November 15, 2019, the shadow of the world's end seemed suddenly to be blown away by the wind, along with a certain girl disappearing forever from his life, the goodbye coming so abruptly, not even giving him the chance to say farewell.