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However… He turned his gaze to Wang Xiaoyue. “Aunt, with such incredible information left behind by Grandmother, haven’t you managed to develop anything new?”
Wang Xiaoyue didn’t mince her words: “You brat, do you think your grandmother’s inventions were easy to grasp? Before she came to Blue Star, her technological advancements in that place were ahead of Blue Star by who knows how many centuries. Your grandmother was the most outstanding scientist there. Do you think someone like me, born and raised on Blue Star, can compare?”
“So, if push comes to shove, can we use the time-space jump machine to escape?” Wang Qingyi asked hopefully, looking at the elders.
Wang Ge nodded solemnly, “This is our last resort, and it’s why I came forward. Qingsong, if there’s no other way, we’ll release the technical data of our Wang family’s time-space jump machine to the public, expedite construction, and save as many people as possible. Whether the time-space jump machine is safe or not, and whether we can find another habitable place, will depend on everyone’s luck.”
Wang Qingsong nodded, his brow still furrowed, “Father, the construction cost of these time-space jump machines will be substantial. According to what you’ve said, even with Grandma’s improvements, each machine can only accommodate up to a hundred people. Just in our country alone, there are 1.5 billion people. That would require constructing 15 million machines. Raw materials will definitely be insufficient. Although our country’s small galaxy ships can bring back some materials from within the Milky Way, to build so many time-space jump machines, we’ll need even more galaxy ships. This is an immensely colossal project, and I fear that even half of it won’t be completed within two years, despite our government’s high efficiency and ability to mobilize all departments once a resolution is drafted.”
“So, it’s up to you leaders to figure out a solution. Why should the people pay so much tax to support so many government officials? Remember, your grandmother’s technology has never just served the privileged. You must ensure that everyone has a fair and equal chance to board these time-space jump machines.”
Wang Qingsong hurriedly agreed. Building the time-space jump machines was a massive challenge, but ensuring fair access for the nation’s citizens was an even bigger issue.
Since they had the time-space jump machines as a reliance, even if doomsday truly arrived, everyone had a good chance to escape and might even meet the legendary ancestors like Xiao Xiao and Wang Wei. This eased everyone’s minds considerably.
As they were discussing, Butler Li lightly knocked on the study’s door. “Master, Young Master Shi is back with Miss Mu. They are waiting for you in the hall.”
Young Master Shi, Wang Lan, was Wang Qingnan’s eldest grandson, and his first visit with his girlfriend was naturally taken seriously by his grandfather. In the Wang family’s tradition of selecting partners, personality was paramount. As long as the person’s character passed the Wang family’s scrutiny, they would be welcomed into the family.
The Wang family did not underestimate people from the entertainment industry. After all, Wang Ke was one of the finest directors in Huaguo, and several members of the family were involved in the entertainment industry. While Huashang also had entertainment ventures, they were aware of the pitfalls and temptations prevalent in the industry. Therefore, the elders in the Wang family would surely have conducted a private investigation into the person Young Master Ten brought home, ensuring there were no issues before feeling at ease.
Wang Ge stood up and said, “Don’t disclose what we discussed earlier to the younger generation for now. Wait until the government announces it first, to prevent them from panicking and making things worse.”
“Don’t worry, Father,” Wang Qingsong stood up and personally assisted Wang Ge out. Wang Ke and Wang Xiaoyue also had their respective juniors helping them. Wang Ke, feeling impatient, waved them off, saying, “Go go go, I’m not so old that I can’t walk yet!”
Wang Qingnian and Wang Qingyi exchanged a helpless glance. “We’re just concerned about you.”
“If I really decided to race with you, I bet I’d run faster than you,” Wang Ke grumbled, clearly unhappy about being called old, glaring at Wang Qingnian.
“Alright, alright, Dad. Later, take a good look at Xiao Shi’s girlfriend. You’re the best at judging people, aren’t you?”
Wang Ke chuckled, “That’s true. Young man, let me tell you, those folks in the entertainment industry with all their tricks and turns, as long as your dad takes one good look, nothing can escape his sight.”
“Oh, come on, you. At your age, shouldn’t you watch your mouth?” Wang Ge couldn’t resist teasing Wang Ke.
“Brother, Qingnian and Qingyi are here. Give me a little face,” Wang Ke replied.
Wang Qingyi and Wang Qingnian exchanged smiles, knowing that the only one who could rein in Wang Ke was Wang Ge.
As everyone was heading towards the hall, Wang Xiao Shi had already brought Mu Ting into the main hall of the Wang Estate. Wang Xiaoshi and his younger brother Wang Xiao Shiyi were the children of Wang Zhi, the eldest son of Wang Qingnian. Upon seeing his brother bringing his future sister-in-law into the house, Wang Xiaoyi quickly realized the situation. He stopped joking with his cousins, stepped forward, and linked arms with Wang Xiaoshi, warmly greeting Mu Ting, “Brother, is this Sister Mu? She’s so beautiful!”
Mu Ting entered the hall and glanced around. At a quick glance, she was overwhelmed once again. More than half of the people sitting in the hall were prominent figures in China: there was the CEO of Huashang Group, frequently seen on television; the mayor of Beijing; the CEO of Ding Shang Entertainment; and even a national treasure-level scientist who had just received the highest global technology award last month…
Each person present was a renowned figure in their own right, and now they had all gathered at the Wang family’s residence.
As Wang Xiao Shi led her in, Mu Ting realized that today was a family gathering for the Wangs, so all these people… they were truly part of the Wang family!
There were still some faces she hadn’t seen before, but judging by everyone’s demeanor, she knew they were not ordinary individuals.
The identities of these individuals weren’t important. What mattered was the Huashang Group. Huashang truly encompassed various industries. If she remembered correctly, the person sitting in the middle of the hall was the CEO of Huashang Motors, which sold globally and garnered immense wealth with every new car launch. Since a member of the Wang family was involved with Huashang Motors, what was the relationship between the Wangs and Huashang?
Mu Ting had a faint suspicion in her heart. She had heard that Huashang was a family-owned enterprise. Just thinking about it made her heart race. In her circle, she knew Wang Xiao Shi had a deep background, but she hadn’t realized it was this profound.
She had initially thought she had found a good springboard, but unexpectedly, she had truly grasped a towering tree. Mu Ting was so excited that she almost fainted, but she managed to keep herself composed with all her strength. Luckily, her years of acting experience had trained her well, and she was confident that no one would notice her momentary lapse just now.
She thought her acting was flawless, but every member of the Wang family was astute. Even the youngest among them could see through her eyes the greed and calculation she harbored.
Wang Zhi and his wife, Zhang Shi, were the parents of Wang Xiaoshi and Xiaoyi. When Mu Ting entered, her momentary lapse did not escape their notice. The couple exchanged a glance that spoke volumes of their disapproval.
They didn’t mind their future daughter-in-law’s appearance, but they wouldn’t accept a girl who clearly had ambitious and cunning intentions.
Just as Wang Xiao Shi was about to introduce Mu Ting, the older generation had already entered the hall.
Wang Xiao Shi hurried forward, “Great-grandfather, grandfather, grandmother, father…” His rapid succession of greetings made it dizzying for anyone watching.
Mu Ting had just managed to calm herself down, but her heart skipped a beat when she saw Wang Ke, Wang Qingsong, and Wang Qingnian.
If she wasn’t mistaken, the person leading the way while supporting the elderly was one of the national leaders frequently seen on television. Behind him were officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and even directors from Huashang…
She needed to stay calm, composed. Mu Ting had climbed from being an unknown extra to her current position using new tactics. Since Wang Lan had brought her to the Wang family, it meant they didn’t prioritize background. Therefore, she herself was particularly significant.
She knew that facing such a prominent family, the best approach was to be confident yet respectful, knowing when to advance and when to retreat.
Mu Ting greeted the members of the Wang family with what she considered a very composed demeanor.
The Wang family members seemed to have no dissatisfaction with her. They were all polite, and after dinner, they even arranged for a car to take her back home.
Thinking that she had secured her position, Mu Ting no longer cared about her job when she returned. Previously, she had to rely on her contacts, her company, and various relationships. But now that she was about to become Mrs. Wang, she no longer cared for these small fry in the entertainment industry.
Mu Ting waited anxiously for two days but didn’t receive any calls from Wang Lan. Feeling a bit uneasy, she couldn’t resist contacting him. When Wang Lan finally answered the phone, his tone was no longer as gentle and warm as before; instead, it carried a slight coldness.
“I just finished dealing with some matters. I was about to ask you to meet me,” he said.
Mu Ting’s heart sank. This time, it wasn’t a good sign.
Mu Ting bit her finger as she reflected on her past experiences. In her journey to climb up the ladder, she hadn’t hesitated to leverage connections but had always maintained her integrity. She navigated between various men, yet none had truly won her heart.
If Wang Lan did have concerns about this, although it posed a challenge, it wasn’t insurmountable. She could present herself as someone who, despite lacking a background, sought opportunities earnestly and managed social interactions adeptly. She could portray herself as a resilient girl who emerged from challenges untainted, steadfastly holding onto her principles.
Mu Ting had prepared herself mentally the night before and met Wang Lan the next day as planned.
To her surprise, Wang Lan didn’t inquire about her need for social connections at all. Instead, he directly handed her a stack of documents.
As Mu Ting looked through them, her face gradually turned pale. The documents meticulously detailed every method she had employed over the years to climb the ladder, documenting how many people she had manipulated and harmed along the way.
Buying off ghostwriters and hiring water armies to spread rumors and blacken someone’s name is just the basics. For instance, in a competition over an endorsem*nt deal with a female celebrity, she bribed someone to make the female star accidentally take drugs. Once the star fell into moral decline, she quickly exposed her. In another instance , a dispute over interests, she once climbed to a powerful figure, persuading him to take action that caused a famous star to have a car accident, resulting in permanent lower body disability. In another case involving competition for the lead role in a drama, she fabricated stories about her having a sugar daddy…
All these things, some of which she had even forgotten herself, were meticulously documented without omission.
“Wang Lan, this… this isn’t true. Someone is framing me. You have to believe me. How could I be involved in these things!” She was extremely anxious. How could this be? She had already taken care of all these matters long ago. How could someone unearth them so clearly?
Wang Lan responded coldly, “I didn’t want to believe you could be involved in these things.” His father always vouched for him, precisely because his background was so impeccable in the entertainment industry, where he sailed smoothly without anyone daring to trip him up. This made him completely let down his guard, allowing someone as scheming as Mu Ting to take advantage of the opportunity.
Previously, out of respect for Mu Ting, he hadn’t even considered privately investigating her.
“No, the things listed here are all nonsense, completely fabricated. Wang Lan, you have to believe me. I love you, and you love me too, right? Don’t you have even a little trust in me?”
“Since you’ve been to my house, you should know what kind of family my Wang family is. Do you think my family would make a mistake when investigating someone?” Wang Lan said coldly.
Mu Ting’s thoughts raced as she contemplated the formidable power and wealth of the Wang family, feeling her strength drain away.
“I was blind before, but now we are done. What you’ve done, you’d better turn yourself in and face the consequences. Otherwise, if I have to reveal it, you’ll only suffer even more,” she said.
“No, please don’t do this…”
Mu Ting went frantic upon realizing that not only would she fail to marry into the Wang family, but she could also lose everything she currently had and even face imprisonment. She couldn’t bear it.
Unfortunately, Wang Lan had already lost interest in further entanglement with her.
They gave her a week’s time. When Mu Ting didn’t take any action, they directly handed over the investigation evidence to the police. When the police came to arrest her, Mu Ting was like a rag doll with all her spirit drained away.
She didn’t regret what she had done. She only regretted provoking Wang Lan. She thought she had climbed a towering tree, but instead, she had swallowed a poisonous pill.
After Mu Ting had been in prison for a week, she suddenly saw breaking news on TV, detailing the apocalypse that would occur two years later.
Mu Ting burst into laughter. “Apocalypse, huh? Well, I’m locked up in prison anyway. Those people outside won’t have a good time either. Especially the Wang family. I hate them so much now. No matter how high and mighty they are, when the apocalypse comes, they’ll be destroyed just like everyone else.”
Unfortunately, her wish was not fulfilled. A week later, the news reported that Xiao Xiao, the greatest scientist in the history of Blue Star for the past decades, had already developed the time-space jump machine fifty years ago. She had preserved the valuable technical data for humanity, and now the Wang family had selflessly contributed it. They hoped everyone would unite and respond to the government’s call to build one more time-space jump machine. This would save a hundred more lives before the apocalypse arrived.
Mu Ting lost her mind in an instant.
Staring at the news report, she quickly calculated the population of China and the number of time-space jump machines. She broke down and cried bitterly, realizing that there wouldn’t be enough time-space jump machines to evacuate all ordinary people. As a prisoner locked up in jail, she knew she would be completely abandoned from the start.
Her wish to drag the whole world into death shattered.
Most people would survive, but she would be left in the dark prison cell, awaiting the arrival of doomsday.
Mu Ting, locked away in prison, was unaware that chaos had already erupted outside.
Especially right after the announcement of the impending doomsday, everyone felt like the sky was falling.
Emotions ran high, leading some to slack off work and others to incite trouble in the streets. However, Huaguo government had already activated its preemptive warning plan. Police armed patrols were visible everywhere, swiftly arresting anyone causing unrest.
Government departments, companies, and universities also stepped in to calm the situation. Thus, what could have been a massive upheaval was swiftly quelled. People vented their despair and madness mostly online.
However, just as despair had settled in for a week, the government suddenly announced the existence of the space-time jump machines.
Initially, there was silence across the Huaguo internet, but soon after, activity surged everywhere.
[ I don’t know what to say. The records show that Mrs. Xiao Xiao passed away in 2045, over half a century ago. Yet, today, our quantum computers, holographic networks, and various advanced technologies have been profoundly influenced by Mrs. Xiao Xiao’s preserved data. She is truly a guiding light. Even though she’s been gone for over half a century, her legacy continues to benefit all of humanity. I really don’t know how we can express our respect to Mrs. Xiao Xiao adequately, just a fraction of what she deserves!” ]
This comment received the most likes:
“Mrs. Xiao Xiao’s birth in Huaguo is truly fortunate for us Huaguo people and for all humanity.”
Here, there are government-appointed individuals guiding the discourse, as well as many expressing genuine feelings. Just when everyone was plunged into utter despair, suddenly being informed that there is still a great chance of being saved evokes a newfound hope that is incredibly difficult not to appreciate and be moved by.
Certainly, there were also those who took the opportunity to propagate pessimism and sow discord:
[ Don’t celebrate too early. Even if this time-travel machine is real, can our country really make so many? Can it save all the Huaguo people? By the time it’s available, those with power and money will have already left, leaving us commoners here to die! Grateful? Grateful for what? If there were no time-space jump machine, we would all die together. Now that there is one, it just proves once again that us lower-class people have no rights. You blind followers are just a bunch of fools!!!” ]
[ I bet the OP either has a criminal record or a bad reputation, otherwise why would they jump out now when everyone is united to build the time-travel machine? Are they anxious because they saw the government will decide the order based on credit record levels?” ]
[ Don’t bother, he must have a bad credit score to be this anxious. Let’s ignore him and follow the government. Building another time-space jump machine now means saving over a hundred more people. Maybe among them could be you and me, our families.” ]
The efficient and transparent administrative order of the Huaguo government over the past century has given the people confidence. Alongside the announcement of the time-space jump machine, they also disclosed the criteria for determining the order of boarding the machine. Regardless of age, gender, or social status—whether powerful or ordinary citizens—all will be prioritized based on their credit rating recorded in the national credit network.
The Huaguo credit network is controlled by the national quantum computer mainframe, which is meticulous and never misses a detail. Except for authorized personnel, no one can arbitrarily alter it. It comprehensively records every detail of a Huaguo citizen’s life from birth, education, employment, retirement, to death, ensuring that there is no room for forgery.
This is the most equitable system. Those who have upheld the law and made outstanding contributions to society naturally have higher credit ratings. Conversely, those with questionable character naturally have lower credit ratings.
The rhythm wasn’t picked up.
Under the strong organization of the Huaguo government, the entire nation almost mobilized its efforts to race against time. Countless small starships brought back resources from the Milky Way galaxy, and then they orderly began constructing the time-space jump machines.
In the face of life and death, perhaps humanity unleashed tremendous potential. Within a year, social order surprisingly improved compared to previous times. Everyone was motivated not to be left behind: those with poor credit sought to contribute more to improve their credit ratings, while those with good credit feared being surpassed and pushed themselves beyond normal limits day and night.
Ultimately, within the year, Huaguo managed to construct enough time-space jump machines to accommodate ninety percent of its population.
It was an unbelievable miracle.
As for the remaining ten percent, only those with the lowest credit scores were left behind. These individuals either had criminal records or exhibited poor conduct in general. Overall, while not entirely fair, it was considered the best possible approach under the circ*mstances.
In the month leading up to the collision of Sun Star and Moon Star, the people of Blue Star boarded the time-travel machines in batches.
The machines carried the people of Blue Star into the vast universe, with an uncertain future ahead for all.
The members of the Wang family gathered on one of the time-space jump machines. Wang Ge and his siblings stood together, looking out into the starry sky beyond the machine. They exchanged a glance, knowing they were finally going to find their parents!
THE END everyone. Hope you all love this story.
Buy me coffee for extra energy!!
The novel’s original version is released on JJWXC. If you want to show support to the author, you can follow theseinstructions.
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