Project Equator

"The government's actions are very fast." Alex said, "What is the name they use? What is the name of the equatorial project being publicized?"

"Space elevators, and the construction of giant space cities," said Virat, "because the Earth's rotation is the fastest near the equator, it is the most convenient and fuel-efficient to launch spacecraft from there."

"There are many loopholes in this reason, and it is far from enough to explain the vastness of this project." Alex said thoughtfully, "Human civilization is developing step by step, people have become accustomed to the current life, but now, they want to develop Aerospace science and technology, the reason for marching to the stars to change all this and change the living habits of all mankind... Isn't this reason too weak? How long can it last? How long can the truth be concealed?"

Virat glanced at Alex, still maintaining a light tone: "Do we need this reason to support it for too long? Do we need to hide it for a long time? Don't forget, according to the current rate of decrease in solar radiation levels, only two After a month, the areas above 50 degrees north and south latitude will no longer be suitable for human existence."

"And... the construction is real. We do need to build countless residential communities, energy plants, power plants, steel plants, food plants, etc. We still have countless infrastructure to build, such an unprecedented huge construction project, It is impossible to rely on the power of the government alone. Only by mobilizing the power of the whole society and the whole civilization can there be a glimmer of hope."

"So, it doesn't matter what reason you use to trick people into the Equator Project, the most important thing is to get them here. The government is just an organizer not an executor, the government will be responsible for organizing people to build here for themselves to live in. buildings for their own use, power plants for their own use, infrastructure for their own use … everything people build is for themselves."

The government doesn't care how many loopholes there are in the "equator project" reason, nor does it care that someone will expose it. As long as this reason allows enough population to converge towards the equator. This is the truth.

"Our human civilization has more than seven billion people, and no more than one billion people live in the equatorial region. That is to say, our government needs to relocate six billion people..." Alex suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness in his heart. Six billion is an intimidating number.

Alex can almost imagine that kind of picture. Trains full of supplies traveled on the railway day and night, cargo planes shuttled in the sky, and huge sea ships went back and forth on the sea... All of this is for the sake of Move as much wealth and population of human society as possible near the equator. Because the chances of surviving here are the greatest.

The time is too tight, the task is too heavy, there is no other way to do this except to unleash the power of all mankind.

"What's wrong with this world? It seems that suddenly everything is different." The old man beside him muttered, "This is crazy."

"Old man...Aren't you going to the equator?" Alex asked, "People have all gone to the Equator Project, and your restaurant doesn't have many customers anymore."

"I'm not going, I'm too old, I can't walk anymore, just stay here." The old man shook his head and said, "Even if there are no customers, we plan to close the restaurant and go back to our hometown to retire."

"Old man, you'd better go. The government provides all the phone bills on the road for free. With your craftsmanship, when you get there and reopen a restaurant, the business will be very prosperous."

"No, no," the old man said, "I won't have a good few years to live anyway, so let's stay here."

Alex felt a little stuck in his heart. Alex wanted to tell him the truth of the matter, but he couldn't. .

Alex knows that no matter how many loopholes there are, there are also reasons. As long as there are reasons, human society can maintain basic order and rules. If there are no excuses, and the truth is really exposed, then we still don't know how many riots and turmoil there will be, how much impact it will have on the equatorial project… I don't know how many more people will die.

"Let's go." Alex put down the tableware and walked out of the small restaurant with Virat.

"What about those who refuse to go to the equator?" Alex asked.

Virat was silent for a moment and said: "The government can only consider the overall level, and can only choose to save more people... The government has done its best. Perhaps... After the overall situation has been settled and most of the population has successfully migrated to the equator, the government will Choose to reveal the truth and make a last-ditch effort to save them."

Alex said in despair, "It's true, it should be true, the government has really done its best..."

it's getting dark. Alex raised his head and looked at the night sky. In that night sky, the moon is dim, and Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars are dim.

The luminosity of the sun has decreased, and the brightness of the stars that rely on reflected sunlight to be seen by humans on Earth will naturally decrease.

"That's right," said Virat, "I just received news from the scientific research department of the Crisis Coordination and Processing Center, just now... the brightness of Mars has also weakened. The magnitude of the decline in brightness is consistent with the reduction in the level of solar radiation."