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Ever since Cheng Xin's date with Yun Tianming ended, the PDC had been interpreting Yun Tianming's story.

Soon, Ai AA and other staff members deciphered information such as the curvature engine, and it was from this time that the Solar System State's interpreters all withdrew from the interpretation group.

This withdrawal operation struck those in the know as very strange. Some believed that the Solar System State had retreated in the face of the difficulties posed by the curvature engine, while others thought the Solar System State already had a better plan.

Nobody had probably anticipated that the Solar System State's Curvature Spaceship was already in the design phase.

After the discussions on the Declaration of Cosmic Safety concluded, the citizens of the PDC also started to get practical and actively ponder over plans to break the stalemate.

In the end, the PDC proposed three plans based on the intelligence acquired from Yun Tianming and their own actual circumstances: the Shelter Plan; the Dark Domain Project; the Lightspeed Spaceship Project.

But then, a false alarm from the "Solar System Early Warning System" led the public to discover the escape spaceships hidden on the far side of the Moon by the wealthy.

As a result, "anti-escape" sentiment re-emerged, and at the same time, the PDC, heeding the reminder from Jiang Yu's intelligence trade with Sophon, located the Trisolarans' trail.

In the eyes of PDC's citizens, those traces were like a series of life-ending curses.

The Lightspeed Spaceship Project began to meet with resistance.

At the same time, the Dark Domain project came to a halt due to a lack of sufficient technical support.

In the end, it seemed the only viable option was the Shelter Plan.

Rotating Chairman Cheng Ping of the PDC had been continuously appealing to everyone not to lose the perfect opportunity to escape due to fears over "escape-ism."

He believed that the Lightspeed Spaceship Project should not be dismissed, and humanity should not confine itself within the Solar System.

Opposition to Cheng Ping rose to an unprecedented level.

In Broadcast Year 8 June, supporters of Cheng Ping and the Shelter Plan debated for five days at the Canberra Parliament House in Australia.

In the summary of the fifth day, Cheng Ping was the first to speak, "Ladies and gentlemen, the land beneath our feet is a symbol of human exploration.

"If humanity lacked the desire of exploration, this continent would have remained isolated overseas, and we would still be struggling with medieval and monarchical oppressions!

"But now, look at us, we have colonized the entire Solar System, and Earth itself is being marginalized!

"If we do not pursue the Lightspeed Spaceship, we are cutting off humanity's path of exploration!"

The opposition argued that it was an escape-ist ploy, "Mr. Chairman, may I ask who will be the first passengers once the Lightspeed Spaceship is built?

"The distinguished individuals present here? Those living in luxury in New Zealand?"

The wealthy of the PDC were almost all residing in New Zealand.

Another opponent said, "In any case, even if we had the Lightspeed Spaceship, there would inevitably be a sequence to the escape, right?

"Perhaps by the time the first group leaves, before we can organize a second wave of interstellar refugees, the Dark Forest Strike would have arrived.

"Who leaves first? Who leaves last? This is a contempt for the right to life!

"Therefore, we should focus our efforts on the Shelter Plan. Only after we have sufficiently prepared for the Dark Forest Strike should we consider researching the Lightspeed Spaceship!"

Cheng Ping stood up and said, "There won't be enough time!"

The opponent replied, "If we hide behind Jupiter, even the Dark Forest Strike won't be able to harm us!

"After the Sun has perished, the Solar System will become the safest place!

"Once the shelter is built, we will have all the time we need!"

Cheng Ping turned to his side and waved his arms toward the objector, "The Trisolarans have said that 60,000 light-years away from us, there is a vast two-dimensional space."

"Although it is unclear how this two-dimensional space came into existence, the universe is more dangerous than we imagined. What if an advanced civilization strikes us in some other way?"

A female objector said, "Mr. Chairman, all the Dark Forest Strikes we have observed were carried out using light particles! What other methods of attack are there, may I ask?"

"We have only observed two such instances!" Cheng Ping turned around and faced the female objector, "How can you be so sure that advanced civilizations have only this one method of attack?"

Objector, "Mr. Chairman, the Lightspeed Spaceship plan is too ambitious."

Objector, "Mr. Chairman, our work must be grounded in reality."

Objector, "Mr. Chairman, why are you so insistent on the Lightspeed Spaceship plan? Do you have some deal with the Solar System State?"

Objector, "Mr. Chairman, over 90% of the public supports the Shelter Plan, please do not go against the will of the majority."

Cheng Ping asked loudly, "Is what the majority believes always correct?"

Surprised murmurs rippled around the room, "Oh, heavens!"

"My God, the Chairman is questioning the public's decisions!"

"This is a challenge to democracy!"

Cheng Ping cursed, "Bullshit! What else can you do apart from nitpicking words and deceiving people with ideological false flags?"

The shock of those present grew, "Mr. Chairman, please mind your language!"

"Mr. Chairman, please don't be influenced by the extreme ideologies of the Solar System State!"

Cheng Ping laughed twice, then sat down somewhat feebly and looked around, "The true extremists are you people!"

He deeply regretted that he had not dissolved the committee through bloody means and established a parliament under his control when his popularity was at its peak.

It was too late for anything now.

Ultimately, the meeting decided through a vote that the PDC would fully implement the Shelter Plan.

Cheng Ping's approval rating plummeted, and a few days later, representatives of the committee began to lobby for his resignation.

Cheng Ping was well aware that his enemies were not the representatives who argued with him, but rather the consortiums behind them.

His concentration of power was highly feared by the consortiums, and in reality, no one in the upper echelons of the PDC truly cared about the future plight of humanity.

After all, the Trisolarans had said that it would be about a century before a Dark Forest Strike might occur. There was plenty of time for merriment and extravagance!

Cheng Ping was unwilling to resign. He still continued to push forward the Lightspeed Spaceship project.

As a result, the PDC's prosecution had plenty of evidence against Cheng Ping, and within a few days, he faced over a dozen charges from the PDC Supreme Court.

After new meetings and new votes, the representatives, using the ongoing investigation as a pretext, temporarily froze all of Cheng Ping's powers and assets.

At this time, the Solar System State stepped in to mediate, saying that Wallfacer Jiang Yu invited Cheng Ping to be a guest on Jupiter.

Whether Cheng Ping was willing or not, the PDC handed him over to the Solar System State and quickly elected a new rotating chairman.

After the new rotating chairman took office, it was announced that the PDC would focus all its energy on the Shelter Plan.

At that time, a delegation from the Solar System State arrived with a significant cooperation or rather a deal:

The Solar System State would finance the PDC to build Space Cities on the far side of Jupiter and other major planets, on the condition that the ownership of Oceania and the Moon would be completely transferred to the Solar System State.