98: Chapter 18 Advancing to Argon 98: Chapter 18 Advancing to Argon “`

“A science fiction writer?”

Yawgmoth’s words plunged the soldier who had just handed the communication device to Xiang Shan into confusion.

He checked the registration form on his tablet again and then compared the photo on the form with Xiang Shan.

Meanwhile, in the headset of the communication device Xiang Shan was wearing, an exclamation followed, “Hey, buddy, a science fiction writer?

What the heck?

You’re a science fiction writer?”

It was the former NASA expert who had arrived with Xiang Shan.

It was apparent that his worldview was also being challenged.

“Ah, yes, I am indeed a science fiction writer…” As Xiang Shan was explaining, Yawgmoth took over the conversation, “The newly established database includes all the papers that might be needed, as well as some science fiction novels related to aliens.

I checked his name and found it to be true.”

As Yawgmoth spoke, he extended his hand to Xiang Shan, “Buddy, I don’t know how you did it, but I think you must be one of the greatest science fiction writers in human history.

You’ve only published three short stories, and you were sent here—although I don’t approve of non-professionals entering this kind of situation, your novels must be very persuasive.

I plan to learn Chinese.

I will definitely read them when I get the chance.”

Xiang Shan felt somewhat embarrassed.

He had not expected this brother to be so earnest and said, “Hahaha…

I think if you learn Chinese just to read those stories I wrote, it would really be a bit of a waste.

Really, those things are quite boring…”

“Oh, are they of the kind of explanatory style from the former Red Alliance?

I actually quite like that…”

Laughter was already coming through the headset.

Xiang Shan waved his hands repeatedly, “Hold on…

Hold on, friend.

This was actually a little joke, I didn’t expect it to cause such a big misunderstanding.

In fact…

I am indeed a science fiction writer, but that’s a hobby, a hobby!

Understand?

My main job is an engineering researcher.

Let me introduce myself, I am Xiang Shan, an assistant researcher in the Department of Electronic Engineering at Tsinghua University.”

Yawgmoth had realized the situation.

But he was not angry, he offered his hand in friendship, “It seems I can indeed have higher expectations for the scientific literacy of the bureaucrats.

Nice to meet you formally, I am Yawgmoth Voigt, an associate researcher of genetics at Harvard University Medical School.”

The two sat down on the bench set up in the rest area.

Another person extended his hand in friendship, “Associate researcher of SIL, Kanhara Tsun, I’m glad to meet you.”

This person’s height and build were nothing like the Japanese friends that Xiang Shan had in mind.

His height must have been one ninety-five, and even under loose clothing, the outlines of his muscles were visible.

Xiang Shan cautiously shook hands with this friend, “Are you a citizen of the Federation?”

“No, a Japanese citizen, residing in the Federation…

Oh, well, it’s not exactly residing,” said Mr.

Kanhara Tsun happily, “I actually spend most of my time doing fieldwork in Africa, chasing languages that are on the verge of extinction.”

Xiang Shan looked at his muscles, “You’re quite different from the language scholars I have in mind…”

“Are you talking about me, Xiang?” a familiar voice came through the headset.

Xiang Shan could almost picture Ingrid’s grin.

The first exploration of Argon actually involved more than just these nine people.

Apart from them, there was a Commander, as well as a considerable number of Staff Group and Expert Group.

The former NASA member and Ingrid were part of the reserve Expert Group.

They would maintain a connection with Xiang Shan’s exploration team through the wired communications carried by the soldiers.

However, since Xiang Shan, Yawgmoth, and Kanhara Tsun were on the front line, their judgments would be prioritized.

“The world needs linguists like Ms.

Granat, and it also needs linguists like me,” Kanhara Tsun laughed, “She is responsible for staying in the library; I am responsible for being in the field.

To do fieldwork in places like Africa, you can’t get by without a bit of martial power.”

Xiang Shan nodded, “I can understand.”

According to Kanhara Tsun’s own introduction, fieldwork in Africa was not an easy task.

Simple contact with those naive natives was fine, but to engage in comprehensive communication with them and to have them wholeheartedly accept you as a friend was challenging.

Some tribes might even require you to become a warrior capable of hunting fierce beasts on your own.

Kanhara Tsun, in order to record the lives of those natives, would occasionally join in their intense hunting activities.

Linguists as dedicated as him were truly rare.

Of course, the results of Kanhara Tsun’s research were also exceptionally rich.

The remaining six soldiers came from the European Union and the Russian Federation.

After a brief self-introduction, everyone put on the extremely heavy protective suits and stepped onto an electric flatbed cart.

The cart was about four square meters, and it was not particularly crowded with nine people standing on it.

There were railings all around the cart.

Xiang Shan rested his arms on the railing, trying to relieve some of the pressure on himself.

The flatbed cart moved forward slowly.

Soon, they entered the “tent” interior.

This was Xiang Shan’s first time seeing “Argon.” It looked like a toy rocket that had fallen to the ground and snapped in two, covered in dim rust spots—the result of who knows how many years of interstellar travel accumulating space matter.

There were also some particularly conspicuous fixtures.

All these fixtures had been installed for securing parachutes.

“`

Leaving the interior, the track continued to extend.

They had actually constructed this track about two meters above the ground.

Xiang Shan could even see the vast expanse of dead coral directly beneath him.

The bay originally had a depth of eight to twelve meters, which provided a certain degree of protection when “Argon” landed.

But now, the water had been drained.

With distance advancing, the broken rocket became increasingly large in Xiang Shan’s eyes.

It wasn’t until now that Xiang Shan had an intuitive understanding of Argon’s size.

It was simply like a mountain made of metal.

Additionally, there were several people working on the shell of Argon, though it was unclear what exactly they were busy with.

“Just collecting samples,” Yawgmoth explained.

“Even the shell of this thing could have been contaminated with some alien bacteria.

If those samples that could be collected contained such life forms, many of humanity’s questions about the origin and evolution of life could be answered.

Hence, they are sparing no effort in doing this—moreover, when Argon landed, it was reliant on parachutes, and the surface temperature did not spike sharply, so those alien bacteria might still exist.

They won’t be satisfied until its entire surface has been collected.”

Xiang Shan said, “I think they should have done the collection in outer space.

It’s been on Earth for so long, couldn’t it have been contaminated by air-borne microbes?”

“The collection was already done,” another voice came through the headset.

“After confirming that Argon is an artificial object, the Federation did everything possible to scrape together spacecraft and rockets.

Naturally, some samples were collected in the process.

The Republic and the Russian Federation were also involved.

Now those samples are stored at various organizations including NASA and CASC for analysis, but so far, nothing indicating signs of life has been discovered.”

“However, humanity’s current ability to conduct activities in space is extremely limited, so it is indeed possible that something was overlooked.

Therefore, while ‘Argon’ is on the ground, we need to thoroughly scour its surface.”

“Hmm, that makes sense,” Xiang Shan nodded and then fell silent.

The track began to descend.

It quickly reached the ground.

Several soldiers jumped off the flatcar first, followed by Xiang Shan.

Some seawater that hadn’t been completely drained covered the ground up to the knees, and below it was something like mud.

If not for the powered exoskeleton, Xiang Shan might not have been able to pull his foot out once he stepped in.

Xiang Shan walked forward a few steps.

Right in front of him was the massive breach.

“This thing’s structural integrity is hardly sufficient to support its own weight, making it very likely that it wasn’t forged on a planetary surface,” a former NASA expert commented.

“This is the first exploration of the interior.

Be careful.”

Members of the exploration team each checked their own equipment.

Afterward, the group cautiously moved toward the large breach, slowly entering the darkness.

…

In the darkness, Xiang Shan crouched down and released the drones.

This was the entrance to a natural cave.

The cave was less than a meter high and also quite narrow.

If this had been the Old Era, Xiang Shan might even have thought it was some sort of burrow excavated by a wild animal.

But in reality, this was a ventilation shaft for the Great Stockade of the Excavator Group.

The Excavator Group wasn’t as strong as the Z organization, and many of its members still retained a considerable amount of biological tissue, requiring a higher oxygen intake and unable to maintain closed systems like the Z organization.

Such ventilation shafts needed to be cleaned regularly.

The two members of the Green Forest, whom Xiang Shan had liquidated the day before yesterday, had once undertaken such tasks.

The drones descended slowly.

As they were about to leave the range of Xiang Shan’s wireless transmitter, one of the drones automatically stopped to act as a relay, extending Xiang Shan’s wireless signal.

Xiang Shan then slowly backed out of the cavity.

Yuki had the little girl on his shoulders, waiting for Xiang Shan to emerge.

The little girl was patting Yuki’s head while he shook his head, playing with the little one.

Seeing Xiang Shan come out, Yuki, brimming with joy, asked, “Master, don’t you think we should give the little one a name?

It’s inconvenient to keep referring to her like this…”

“Don’t just name a child you picked up; what if you get attached?” Xiang Shan said irritably.

“One day we’ll have to find a decent home to send her off to.”

Yuki hesitated as he looked at Xiang Shan, “Master, you don’t seem very happy right now, do you?”