Chapter 209: Gravitational Extraction and Refinement! The Decompressor Station
Chapter 209: Gravitational Extraction and Refinement! The Decompressor Station!
"The rest is up to your department, but report to headquarters immediately if there are any emergencies."
"Yes, sir!"
After ending the communication with Nicolo, Li Ang instructed the pilot to direct the shuttle to the skies over Yellowstone National Park in North America.
Looking down at the scene below, Li Ang couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion.
What was once a natural scenic area was now covered in lakes of molten lava and charred coal. The clear waters had long since evaporated.
Scalding, steaming lava slowly coursed over the ground. Though the sight was bleak and desolate, it also hinted at a certain vitality.
Earth as a planet possessed a life force far more resilient than humans imagined.
As long as there was no continuous destruction, the Earth could heal itself and return to its once-thriving state.
What's more, with the technological assistance of the Universal LA corp, the restoration of Earth's natural environment would progress at a significantly accelerated pace.
"Looks like our team has their work cut out for them again!"
---
One year and two months later.
Standing in the top-floor hall of the LA corp headquarters, Li Ang gazed out at the holographic giant screen over Times Square.
The massive, crystal-clear screen was currently broadcasting the latest updates on Universe 002's Pacific Rim Earth.
#UniversalDaily: The ecological environment of Earth 002 has improved significantly. 95% of the erupting volcanoes have been controlled.
The carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in the atmosphere have returned to normal ranges. Within the next ten years, this Earth is expected to fully restore its ecological balance.
---
#IntelInsight: The Arasaka Division soldiers have identified the number and coordinates of the Pioneer Civilization's colonies.
Preliminary investigations reveal an additional 96 colonies, 69 of which are medium-resource planets, and 2 with terrain and environment similar to Earth.
---
#ParadoxDr: The A1 Universe Wanderers' "Antimatter Engine" technology has been intercepted by LA corp's research division.
The latest breakthrough from the Science Hub is the much-anticipated Antimatter Shield!
This technology will significantly enhance the defensive capabilities of our LA corp fleet.
---
Watching these streams of triumphant news flash across the giant screen, Li Ang felt an ever-deepening sense of accomplishment. These were the fruits of Universal LA corp's labor—a miracle forged by human civilization.
"To think the Precursor Civilization had nearly a hundred colony planets."
Li Ang chuckled inwardly.
Through meticulous searches of the Precursor Civilization's database, LA corp's reconnaissance team had unearthed the coordinates of these colonies, along with details about their planetary features and resource distributions.
Most of these colonies showed little signs of development; only a few had been exploited. The majority were merely marked by the Precursor as reserve resource planets.
The untapped mineral resources on these planets were practically untouched.
The Precursor had poured most of their efforts into colonizing Earth.
"With so many resource-rich planets at their disposal, why did the Precursor target Earth? They must have had ulterior motives," Li Ang speculated.
From the information uncovered by Megacorp's investigators and his own deductions, Li Ang surmised that the Precursor likely had their eyes not just on Earth, but also on humanity's technological advancements.
Perhaps the Precursor Civilization sought to utilize humanity's technological innovations to compensate for their own deficiencies.
If the Precursor could acquire humanity's technologies—such as aircraft, long-range weaponry, and precision experimental equipment—they could potentially build a fleet of their own.
After all, the planetary consciousness "Eywa" on Pandora shared a similar philosophy of leveraging external advancements to spur its own development.
In the grand scheme of things, civilizations across the universe seemed to share a common principle: it's far more efficient to "borrow" existing technologies than to develop them from scratch.
The Precursor themselves were no strangers to this approach. Their wormhole technology had been developed thanks to stable wormholes near their home star system.
Without such a "gift from the heavens," the Precursor Civilization would never have achieved interstellar colonization.
For a civilization to transcend its limitations and reach higher dimensions, it could not afford to have glaring technological deficiencies.
While individuals could specialize to achieve greater heights in specific fields, large-scale organizations like civilizations had to be all-rounded technological powerhouses to ensure their survival and prosperity.
Civilizations that ignored this principle risked being outmaneuvered by those that specialized in unexpected areas.
Li Ang believed the Precursor Civilization recognized the stark differences between their technological development and humanity's approach. They understood that unless they acted first, humanity's continued growth would eventually surpass them.
If the Precursor didn't extinguish humanity while it was still in its infancy, humanity's inevitable rise would spell their doom within a few centuries.
But just as the Precursor were on the verge of eradicating humanity—driving them to the corners of Antarctica and Australia—Universal LA corp emerged out of nowhere.
The Precursor, who thought they were the ultimate antagonists in this dimension, were blindsided by an unexpected wildcard: an alien demon of sorts. Their overwhelming advantage Evaporated in the blink of an eye.
Li Ang reveled in his windfall. The newly acquired resource planets would serve as industrial zones, significantly boosting his company's income.
Additionally, the Pioneer Civilization's biological genome database, which contained data on extraterrestrial lifeforms from other planets, was a treasure trove for LA corp's biotech division.
Not only could LA corp clone and replicate these alien lifeforms, but it could also enrich its genetic database, potentially enhancing the Scorpion-Tail Virus's lethality.
---
The real headline news, however, wasn't the resource planets or the genome database. It was the completion and operational launch of the Matter Decompressor—Megacorp's third megastructure.
---
Onboard the ship heading to the Matter Decompressor facility:
"Gillian, why isn't N54 News covering the reconstruction in North America on Earth 002? Why travel all the way out here?" Stanley teased.
Stanley, a star journalist for Universal Daily, was one of the most prominent media personalities in Ideal City.
"Why? Is this site exclusive to your Universal Daily reporters? Are smaller outlets like ours not allowed to cover different angles?" Gillian Jordan retorted sharply.
She was the lead anchor for N54 News, a media organization that, like many others, had been integrated into LA corp's ecosystem. Despite the consolidation, the original structure of these organizations—and even criminal elements—remained largely intact.
---
Soon, the ship arrived at its destination: the Matter Decompressor Station.
Standing in the observation deck, the employees and reporters marveled at the stark contrast of the dark, lightless region surrounding the black hole.
Despite the ominous presence of the black hole, the reporters began their work, eager to broadcast their coverage of humanity's next leap forward in technological marvels.
Stanley cleared his throat, meticulously adjusted his attire and hairstyle, and gripped the microphone firmly in his hand.
When the countdown ended, he smiled confidently at the camera and delivered his customary opening line:
"Hello, dear viewers! I'm your host, Stanley!"
"Welcome to the exclusive interview segment of Universal Daily. Today, I have something big to introduce to you."
As his words trailed off, Stanley shifted slightly to make room in the frame for the matter decompressor and the black hole excavation site.
He continued to explain to the audience:
"Today, we've traveled thousands of miles to the third miracle construction site of Universal LA corp Enterprises. See that colossal machine over there? That's the matter decompressor."
"At first glance, it might not seem very large, but in reality…"
"It spans a total area of 2,400 square kilometers—about the size of two Los Angeles cities combined!"
The topic of Stanley's broadcast was none other than the hotly debated project in Ideal City: the massive, awe-inspiring matter decompressor that LA Megacorps claimed to have constructed near the edge of a black hole just two months ago.
"Many of you must already know the significance of this decompressor for LA Megacorps and humanity as a whole."
"It will greatly reduce the need for manual labor, allowing more clones and replicants to focus on rebuilding Earth-01 and Earth-02 while providing us with vast quantities of minerals."
"However," Stanley continued, "I believe many of us, including myself and the team at Universal Daily, are curious about how this miracle machine operates and what its various production environments are like."
"Which is why we've invited Ms. Qiwei, the supervisor of the matter decompressor, to answer these questions for us!"
With that, Stanley handed the microphone to the poised woman beside him.
"Ms. Qiwei, is the construction of the matter decompressor at the black hole an attempt by LA Megacorps to showcase humanity's technological prowess, or is there another reason?"
Dressed in a sharp and immaculate corporate uniform, Qiwei exuded an aura of professionalism and decisiveness. She calmly responded to Stanley's question:
"The reason is simple—resources, and lots of them."
Qiwei's icy demeanor remained unwavering as she addressed the camera.
"I understand the public's curiosity and their confusion about why the decompressor was installed near a black hole instead of on another planet."
"The truth is that the resources contained within a black hole far exceed anything we can imagine. Compared to mining on regular, unchallenging planets…"
"Extracting resources from the devouring maw of a black hole is the ultimate testament to humanity's strength and ambition."
Under Qiwei's impassioned explanation, viewers tuning into the live broadcast couldn't help but feel a surge of pride and excitement for human civilization.
This wasn't about ideology; it was a pure, unadulterated celebration of humanity's progress and vitality.
After all, the strength of LA Megacorps was deeply intertwined with human civilization and the well-being of every individual.
While LA corp Megacorps created products and boosted resource production, it also placed great emphasis on the value of its workers.
Within the "equivalent exchange" system established by the corporation, everyone received benefits proportional to their contributions—no more, no less.
Each colossal structure built by LA corp not only advanced productivity but also bolstered humanity's collective confidence, creating a ripple effect in Ideal City.
Throughout history, the value of laborers was often disregarded by those in power. But here, LA corp Megacorps provided a clear, unobstructed path for anyone aspiring to improve their standing.
In this system, individuals could either enjoy the prosperity brought by the corporation's advancements or work hard for honors, medals, and lucrative rewards—it all came down to personal choice.
The dignity of labor was respected, and the corporation's growth was tightly linked to humanity's shared interests.
Mutual respect was the cornerstone of this relationship, and LA corp Megacorps created diverse, prosperous, and stable societal environments that made people genuinely happy to see the corporation thrive.
"In addition," Qiwei added, "considering the unique working conditions of the matter decompressor, Megacorps will provide employees with top-tier accommodations."
"Staff here will earn five times the local average salary of Ideal City, paid weekly."
"However, the work intensity and requirements here are significantly higher than in other regions. That's why we have strict selection criteria for employees."
"Physical fitness, mental resilience, teamwork, and the ability to remain calm under pressure are the qualities we value most."
With that, Qiwei led Stanley to the observation deck on the ship, pointing to the nearby Crystal Palace, a newly constructed recreational facility for the staff.
"The orbital aerospace division of LA corp Megacorps built the Crystal Palace to serve as an entertainment venue for employees."
"Increased wages stimulate spending, creating a more dynamic market environment here. It also attracts more people to work and provide services to the workforce."
"This forms a virtuous economic cycle."
Qiwei then pointed to the fleet stationed near the matter decompressor—a naval defense force deployed by LA Corp Megacorps.
"Protecting this unique mega-structure is our top priority. We've stationed 10 Infinity -class starships and 25 RCS-class cruisers here for long-term defense."
"This decompressor is a critical asset, and we've established a comprehensive ecosystem around it, integrating production, consumption, and entertainment."
"Additionally, we've assigned our most elite naval units to ensure the safety of everyone here."
Through Stanley's live interview, Qiwei conveyed a clear message on behalf of Li Ang , the leader of LA Corp Megacorps: the corporation fully supports the decompressor project and encourages more people to join in its construction and operation.
Even mundane tasks like farming or selling vegetables in this region could yield substantial rewards for those willing to endure the challenges of working far from home.
"Well, folks, it looks like this place is poised to become a hub of human prosperity," Stanley remarked, cleverly capturing the underlying tone of Qiwei's words.
As the interview progressed, Stanley asked, "Ms. Qiwei, could we have a brief tour of the decompressor's operations?"
"Of course. Please wait a moment."
Shortly after, the ship followed its designated trajectory and arrived at the decompressor.
The team, accompanied by Qiwei and the local garrison, toured the production center, refinery, and dormitories. However, the core refining facility was strictly off-limits to unauthorized personnel.
The decompressor's centerpiece was the massive gravity emitter. It generated a force strong enough to overcome a black hole's gravitational pull, extracting matter as if siphoning water.
The extracted matter was then processed through orbital decompressor units, furnaces, and refineries to produce valuable minerals.
From the observation deck, the gravity beam resembled a laser cannon, though its power far surpassed any weapon in the corporation's arsenal. It was capable of obliterating planets within seconds if repurposed for such a task.
Meanwhile, back at Ideal City's headquarters, Li Ang took a rare moment of respite on the rooftop terrace, reflecting on the corporation's meteoric advancements over the past year.
LA Corp Megacorps had been firing on all cylinders, upgrading industries, expanding production, and setting ambitious goals across all departments, from military training to urban reconstruction and aerospace engineering.
The biggest investments, however, were funneled into the research hub led by Li Ang 's trusted associate, Alt Cunningham, and heavily supported by the high-knight scientists, particularly Zuma, who spearheaded many groundbreaking projects.
With breakthroughs in technologies sourced from their endeavors on planets like Netherrealm and Pacific Rim Earth, LA corp Megacorps was rapidly overcoming technological bottlenecks.
Li Ang envisioned a future where the corporation would achieve full automation, producing star gates, matrices, and other marvels at will. This would pave the way for infinite expansion, genetic engineering breakthroughs, and the rise of a perfect humanity.
The era of LA corp Megacorps had only just begun.
(Show your support and read more chapters on my Patreon: p@treon.com/psychopet. Thank you for your support!)