era of great construction

This was truly an era of grand construction. Xiao Yu's modest spacecraft would ignite a wildfire, bringing the light of technology to this remote corner of the solar system, ultimately illuminating an entire planet.

The six robots commenced their diligent work.

With a clear plan in mind to accelerate the mining process, Xiao Yu recognized that the limited number of robots was a significant constraint. Therefore, the most pressing task was not to construct a base, but to manufacture more robots.

To better adapt to Titan's extreme conditions of minus 150 degrees Celsius, its unique terrain, and gravity only one-sixth that of Earth's, Xiao Yu redesigned new robot blueprints. After collecting sufficient raw materials through ore smelting equipment, he successfully built the first Titan-specific integrated mining and smelting robot.

Transforming iron ore into steel typically requires vast amounts of coal, which, as everyone knows, is formed from ancient tree fossils under special conditions on Earth. Xiao Yu doubted he could find coal on Titan.

Anticipating this challenge before departing Earth, Xiao Yu had devoted three months to developing an entirely new steelmaking technology. This innovative method required only ample fuel and specialized separation and reduction techniques to produce steel of exceptional quality, even surpassing Earth's special alloys.

These robots utilized this groundbreaking steelmaking technology and were designated as the Saturn I series. Unlike traditional humanoid robots, the Saturn I featured four wheels supporting a metal platform equipped with mechanical arms and detection devices on one side, resembling a peculiar-looking duck.

Despite their unconventional appearance, these robots operated several times more efficiently than their predecessors on Titan's unique terrain.

Most of Titan's surface was flat, requiring only minimal hardening, thus saving Xiao Yu the time needed to construct roads. This landscape was perfectly suited for the mobility of Saturn I robots.

After successful trials, Xiao Yu promptly produced hundreds more of these robots. He also developed a portion of Saturn II robots for various tasks and, as needs arose, expanded the lineup to include models III through VII. The original six robots were reassigned to duties within the spacecraft.

Thus, seven types of robots busied themselves across the mining site.

These robots were not truly intelligent in the conventional sense. Given his current technological capabilities, Xiao Yu was far from creating practical AI-driven robots.

Instead of installing central computers within them, each robot was equipped with transmission and reception devices alongside various functional modules. Data collected by their sensors was transmitted back to the spacecraft, where Xiao Yu processed the information and sent precise operational commands back for execution.

With his immense computational power, Xiao Yu could effortlessly control not just hundreds but tens of thousands of robots simultaneously. This approach allowed each robot to benefit from Xiao Yu's intellect, enabling seamless and perfectly coordinated collaboration among them.

It was a true extension of his will; commanding these hundreds of robots felt as natural and precise as moving his own limbs, devoid of any errors.

Scenes frequently unfolded where a Saturn VI robot would sift and collect a heap of hematite, tipping it out just as a Saturn I robot arrived precisely in time to catch the ore without spilling a single piece onto the ground.

Such was the advantage of formidable computational accuracy. The mining site buzzed with the fervent activity of hundreds of robots, all operating flawlessly.

Constructing these hundreds of robots consumed a month of Xiao Yu's time, including several days of interruption due to frequent methane rains on Titan.

Initially, Xiao Yu patiently waited for the accumulated liquid to evaporate naturally. However, realizing the inefficiency, he developed a specialized robot model equipped with massive flamethrowers. After each rainfall, these robots would deploy, instantly vaporizing large pools of liquid methane with flames exceeding a thousand degrees Celsius.

Within this month, Xiao Yu also established six robot component production lines and an assembly workshop. With adequate raw materials, these lines could collectively produce up to twenty robots per day. Minor modifications enabled the production of more diverse and functional robot models.

With a sufficient robot workforce, Xiao Yu proceeded to the next phase: constructing a steelmaking blast furnace.

Unlike traditional Earth furnaces that rely heavily on coke, Xiao Yu's design incorporated the latest steelmaking technologies, requiring only abundant energy sources.

His data banks contained comprehensive, modified blueprints for constructing such a furnace, eliminating the need for coal and relying solely on sufficient energy input.

To build the furnace, Xiao Yu even engineered crane-type robots—massive machines unlike the smaller Saturn I to VII models. Creating these giants demanded five days and consumed thousands of tons of high-quality steel over more than half a month.

After laying the foundation and installing various pipelines such as feed inlets, slag outlets, and air intakes, construction of the blast furnace began in earnest.

Encountering a shortage of suitable insulating materials on Titan, Xiao Yu opted to forego insulation altogether, implementing an advanced air-cooling system instead. Given Titan's dense atmosphere and frigid winds at minus 150 degrees Celsius, tests confirmed that this cooling method met all requirements, much to Xiao Yu's delight.

Steel plates were meticulously hoisted into place by the crane robots, adjusted by smaller robots, and welded seamlessly before proceeding to the next segment, repeating this process diligently.

Due to the incomplete furnace, Xiao Yu's current steel production relied on a few specialized, Earth-brought machines. Despite modifications allowing operation without coal, their output was limited, scarcely meeting the escalating steel demands and leaving Xiao Yu anxiously awaiting increased production.

After a full month's labor, the towering 60-meter blast furnace finally stood proudly on Titan's flat landscape. Xiao Yu gazed upon it with profound satisfaction.

This integrated furnace processed iron ore into pig iron, which then underwent further refinement into steel through various metallurgical procedures.

Estimations indicated that, with sufficient raw materials, the furnace could produce up to a thousand tons of standard steel daily or ten tons of Xiao Yu's highest-grade alloy steel.

For constructing the base framework, vast quantities of standard steel were required, with high-grade chrome-nickel alloy steel used sparingly on exteriors to withstand Titan's extreme cold.

With the blast furnace operational, the true commencement of base construction began.

Xiao Yu chose a site approximately five kilometers from the mining area, boasting superior terrain and geological conditions ideal for establishing a large-scale base.

He first directed the flamethrower robots to scour a square kilometer of land, eliminating all volatile substances. Engineering robots then excavated a network of trenches, laid robust foundations, and began producing and transporting large steel plates for welding and assembly.

Indeed, Xiao Yu planned to construct an entirely steel-based facility, given the absence of traditional building materials like cement and brick on Titan, contrasted by the abundance of steel.

With the first blast furnace boosting steel production, operations expanded on multiple fronts: robot production lines ran at full capacity, construction of a second blast furnace commenced, and base construction progressed steadily.

In the Upper Capital District, beside Azure Lake, a scene of vibrant and bustling activity unfolded.