The eighth year started off very busy.

A large influx of new immigrants arrived in Sand Port at the end of last year and the beginning of this year, coupled with Guangna Species and enhancers coming from various regions and organizations for exchange and learning, which made the two ports and four helipads here bustling with people every day.

Vehicles and Guangna Species crowded Jade Avenue, and even the Wuhu Elevated Bridge, which was previously relatively unoccupied, unprecedentedly experienced traffic congestion.

At this time, Sai Nuojie from the Program Department demonstrated his professional capabilities.

The traffic monitoring network, which was completed in the Sand Port Region a few years ago, immediately adjusted and diverted the traffic, concentrating heavy-loaded freight vehicles on the elevated bridge to enhance efficiency and reduce congestion.

On this basis, the Program Department also implemented a license plate restriction, giving priority to vehicles with Sand Port Region and company license plates to ensure local transport stability first.

On the other hand, the Civil Aviation Department also added 10 public airships, increasing the flights from Sand Port to Jade City to reduce ground transportation pressure.

Zhou Yi was initially puzzled: "I don't quite understand. According to the monitoring data, just 2,000 vehicles can cause severe congestion? Is our traffic infrastructure so weak?"

Sai Nuojie explained: "Chairman, congestion is determined by the weakest road segment or node, not by the overall average traffic flow."

"According to database records, the Second Ring Road of the former mega-city Beijing was 32.7 kilometers long, close to the direct distance from Jade City to Sand Port's elevated bridge. And with 2,000-3,000 vehicles concentrated on a local segment, it can cause regional paralysis. If 3,000-4,000 vehicles (including duplicate counts) were to travel simultaneously, local segments would show red congestion."

"Transportation roads are a more fragile structure than they appear."

"The elevated bridge already represents an optimal result, with only four exits at Chicken Head Town, Mushroom Forest, Green Onion Town, and Oasis Town in the middle. However, this still results in vehicles queuing down the ramps, causing certain congestion segments. This is even with the guidance of traffic lights; elsewhere, the blockage would be even more severe."

When it comes to professional fields, this usually meek intelligent traffic light is much more confident: "Chairman, thanks to your early approval for continuous investment in road infrastructure."

"Otherwise, relying solely on the old Jade Avenue wouldn't be able to support the massive vehicular flow; after all, it was just a very rudimentary temporary road."

"Through multiple rounds of renovation and widening, under the professional road paving by Mechanical Life, the new Jade Avenue has now been put to great use. The concept of separating pedestrian and vehicular flow has also ingrained deeply."

It was something that actually happened two years ago.

At that time, Sai Nuojie found Zhou Yi, requesting funds to rebuild Jade Avenue.

Over several years, the old Jade Avenue got continuously worn out by vehicles. It was a temporary road made up of lined-up houses, which got potholes and collapses everywhere, needing more repairs with an increasing risk of collapse.

Sai Nuojie suggested using the old avenue as a sidewalk to avoid collapse. Using the existing giant mushrooms as street trees could separate the vehicular and pedestrian lanes, then building a new dedicated vehicular road inland.

Zhou Yi approved it directly.

Anyway, the company had money, not lacking this amount.

Jade Avenue was paved according to the highest current engineering specifications, using granular drainage asphalt pavement, six lanes wide, constructed by Mirror City's specialized electromechanical engineering team, taking a total of 6 months.

During construction, employees and residents had quite a few complaints because the construction caused dust to fly and noise to persist, making ears buzz when walking nearby.

However, after the new road was completed, everyone immediately changed their tune, each liking the granular soft road surface a lot.

The drainage asphalt pavement had high skid resistance, low noise, and could suppress fog, plus it looked good in texture, and those who drove over it enjoyed the premium surface immediately.

No need for sign guidance, experienced drivers all instinctively drove on the new road, speeding with vigor.

This road significantly alleviated traffic pressure.

However, previously, many vehicles still competed to go to the elevated bridge, to save energy, as the elevated bridge kept vehicles at high speed. Comfort and freedom-wise, it was not as good as the new Jade Avenue.

"Chairman, there's another major reason for this congestion."

Sai Nuojie said: "That is the Wuhu Elevated Bridge itself is too large. It connects the entire Development Alliance through a sea road, including Sand Port, Steel Refining City, Shell City, Shuanghe, and Tree Monster Territory, forming five regions with a combined population of over 1 million and an enhanced car ownership of 12,000."

"Moreover, car prices have been decreasing over the years, with urban ownership continuously increasing. Many cars come our way to pick up and drop off personnel, and for trading transactions... the Jade City area is now the transportation hub of the entire Development Alliance and the center for economy and technology, with traffic concentrated in our area."

"Fortunately, the elevated bridge is a Light Core Body, capable of handling complex traffic situations, or it would still be a challenge."

Zhou Yi asked: "In the analysis report you provided, those external vehicles have a high proportion of large freight vehicles. Are they here to deliver goods or buy things?"

"Mainly shopping; for delivery, there are dedicated channels, and it's actually cheaper to ship in bulk via airship. The greatest advantage of vehicles is their flexibility and timeliness."

Sai Nuojie's electronic eyes flashed: "According to our monitoring scans and the data comparison with the Foreign Trade Department, external freight vehicles mainly come to purchase wasteland armor, the five major system components accompanying the armor, and industrial-grade Floating Hearts."

"A considerable segment of the group is here to line up and pick up goods."

Zhou Yi called for Red Kestrel, inquiring this foreign trade minister: "How are the wasteland armor sales?"

"The company's headquarters sold 241 units of [Moon-3 Modified] wasteland armor, with 711 component sets. The Mirror City factory in the Legal Front already sold 2,779 units, with 6,801 component sets."

Red Kestrel's words made Zhou Yi feel puzzled: "Since the Legal Front's contract manufacturing is faster and quality more stable, why don't our customers pick up goods in Mechanical City? Why make a long journey to come to us?"

"Because over here we have professional operators providing hands-on guidance, a complete procedure for collecting consciousness fragments, and even coaching for battle mode exercises. This is something the Mechanical City does not offer; they only manage production and sales with incomplete services."

The drone explained, "In fact, winning the S17 Master Tournament in the C-level group had a tremendous promotional effect across the whole Wasteland Armor sector. Many buyers are drawn by this achievement, wishing to purchase the company's armor, participate in next year's tournament, or use it for combat gear and wilderness missions."

Zhou Yi nodded as he listened.

The tournament was still popular, and the human surprisingly winning the first championship also generated significant news impact.

"The Heavenly Kingdom is an exception."

Red Kestrel added, "Over there, the Wasteland Armor is directly shipped from Mirror City after production, and then the operators from the Heavenly Kingdom's Department of Agriculture and Department of Labor teach how to use the armor collectively."

"Zhou, a large number of customers are flocking to Jade City, partly because of the Artificial Sun."

"Because the company's sun is undergoing repeated testing in the Dead Sea, assessing and changing the rapids in the local Dead Sea region. Many customers are very curious about this, and even some sea lords have inquired about pricing... I have politely declined."

Zhou Yi found his face twitching.

These people truly dare to ask.

The cost of the Artificial Sun, as it looks currently, is only supportable by the company; no other organization possibly has such an abundance of gemstones, let alone maintenance.

Actually, there are still new challenges with this technology.

Taking the strong rapids north of Sand Port as an example, under the influence of the Artificial Sun, the rapids indeed disappeared. But once the Artificial Sun leaves, the Death Light there would gradually form rapids again.

The conclusion from the Legal Front is that this is the inertia of the natural environment.

The rapids have created a unique sea floor environment locally, and even if technology is used to eliminate them, the sea floor environment may gradually drive the Death Light in the Dead Sea to form special currents, leading to rapids regeneration.

Therefore, there is a need for the long-term suspension of the Artificial Sun, to transform that regional environment at the level of the Death Light, achieving thorough modification.

Transforming the Dead Sea is more difficult and complicated than anticipated.

Fortunately, without the obstruction of the Dead Sea Master, it mainly requires consuming time to optimize the entire process.

...

Approximately a week later.

The delegation from the Heavenly Kingdom arrived at Jade City 3101.

Leading the team was a Panda Man, dressed in a gray collared gown, leaning on a bamboo staff, wearing high-prescription black-framed glasses.

"Welcome, welcome."

Zhou Yi said with a smile, "You must be Professor Wei Ming from the Heavenly Country Military Academy. I heard from His Majesty the Black Emperor that you have researched bone fish for over a century and are undoubtedly a top expert in this field."

"You are too kind."

The old scholar spoke in a somewhat slow tone, but appeared amicable, "His Majesty mentioned that you are focusing on researching and developing the bone fish group, so he invited me to come for some academic exchanges with your company."

"I've long heard of your company's bone fish. It's similar to the early attempts at providing productive labor to the Bone Fish deliverymen in the courier center."

"To date, this special branch, the Rocket Bone Fish, through entering satellite orbits, assists in transporting materials and equipment between satellites. Their intelligence must have made great strides; otherwise, performing such clearly defined social behaviors would be very difficult for them."

Zhou Yi nodded, "You're right; the Rocket Bone Fish working in satellite orbits now have the intelligence of a 10-year-old child, requiring mainly the accumulation of experience and memory to compare closely with humans."

"Your company is truly remarkable."

Wei Ming adjusted his glasses and said seriously, "I believe that as the most numerous Guangna Species in the Dead Sea, bone fish have been seriously underestimated."

"Their intelligence and strength are not high, and combined with their non-social nature, they have been long overlooked. But they are crucial for researching the entire Dead Sea, as the foundational Guangna Species there. They are one of the earliest born Guangna Species, witnessing the transition from the divine age to the contemporary era, showing extraordinary survival capability."

Zhou Yi also wholeheartedly agreed.

"I boldly request, if it is possible to have a talk with the Rocket Bone Fish."

"Of course."

Zhou Yi immediately asked the Cat God to make contact.

The Cat God replied, "Chairman, this might be a bit difficult... There's an unexpected situation. Bone Fish Fast Feet and Big Mouth have disappeared from the orbit, and the electric cats are still investigating their whereabouts further."

Zhou Yi listened with a puzzled expression.

What is happening now?