Chapter 107: The Astonishment Brought by the Azure Blue Base

Upon exiting the passage, the group was met with an immense plaza. Everyone, including General Xu Dezheng, was struck speechless at the sight of this vast expanse.

The plaza was extraordinarily large, and under the present circumstances, it lay entirely underground. To construct such a colossal structure in a hidden subterranean location without detection was nearly impossible.

"Zhulan, oh Zhulan, you..." Li Hongjin was at a loss for words.

To have built such an enormous underground space right beneath his nose without his knowledge was astonishing beyond belief.

"My young friend, you never cease to amaze me!" Xu Dezheng expressed his surprise. As a general of China, he had visited many secret bases, some no smaller than the one before them, yet it was truly astounding that a private enterprise like Zhulan’s had managed to create such a facility.

"This is the Azure Base, completed after five months of construction," Zhulan explained.

"Five months? Wait, Zhulan, are you saying construction began right after you confirmed with us?" Li Hongjin quickly grasped the situation.

Zhulan nodded. "Once the state granted me this land, I immediately began building the base."

"Zhulan, how did you manage that?"

A mysterious smile crossed Zhulan’s lips. "Model robots."

"Model robots?" Li Hongjin and Luo Guoqiang were momentarily taken aback.

Weren’t those just household helper robots?

But they soon realized that if Zhulan could develop them, modifying them for engineering purposes was no great feat.

"My young friend, there’s more about this base that astonishes me, isn’t there?"

Zhulan smiled faintly. "General Xu understands well."

Those nearby were puzzled by the exchange between Zhulan and General Xu.

"Red Queen, please come out and greet our guests!" Zhulan called out.

Suddenly, beams of light converged, and a virtual image of a classical beauty appeared before them.

Everyone was stunned, staring dumbfounded at this virtual figure.

"Greetings, generals, from the Azure Base intelligent system, Red Queen," the hologram announced.

"An... intelligent computer?" Li Hongjin looked at the Red Queen as if seeing a ghost.

Xu Dezheng had only noticed strange devices on the ceiling and posed the question, but the revelation that this was an intelligent computer exceeded even his imagination.

"Red Queen is the first-generation intelligent learning computer, the result of my years of refinement and a tool for my auxiliary research," Zhulan explained.

"Zhulan, I must admit, you have truly impressed me!" Xu Dezheng addressed him by name for the first time instead of calling him "young friend," indicating Zhulan’s elevated status in his esteem.

"General Xu, you flatter me," Zhulan replied modestly.

Several generals who had accompanied General Xu wanted to ask questions, but recalling General Xu’s earlier instructions, they held back their words.

Zhulan noticed their expressions and merely smiled without comment.

"This is the Virtual Research Center, currently engaged in virtual implantation studies." Through the large glass, the group saw several people lying on beds, their bodies connected to a myriad of instruments.

A dozen researchers in white coats were recording data diligently.

"Are these vegetative patients?" Li Hongjin quickly realized these were the patients Zhulan had previously applied for — a detail Li Hongjin remembered vividly.

Zhulan nodded. "Virtual implantation requires brainwaves several times stronger than normal. A healthy person’s brainwaves fluctuate due to various thoughts and are not stable. Vegetative patients are different; their brainwaves are locked deep within the brain, highly concentrated, making them ideal for virtual implantation."

The group didn’t fully grasp how vegetative patients aided virtual research but accepted Zhulan’s explanation without objection.

"Is this dangerous for them?" General Xu asked.

Zhulan shook his head. "No danger. At worst, some brainwave damage might occur. For a healthy person, such damage could cause coma or even trigger the brain’s self-protection mechanism, resulting in a vegetative state. But since these patients are already vegetative, brainwave damage doesn’t matter. Moreover, if the experiment succeeds, we might awaken them from their vegetative state and restore them to normal."

"Awakening vegetative patients?" Xu Dezheng’s interest was piqued—this was significant research.

Zhulan nodded.

"The reason vegetative patients are in that state is that, due to external influences, they have locked their consciousness deep within their brains, maintaining the bare minimum to keep themselves alive—a living dead."

The generals nodded, familiar with this concept.

"Virtual technology creates a virtual world where consciousness can be immersed to accomplish tasks impossible in reality."

"If successful, we can implant vegetative patients’ consciousness into the virtual world, allowing computers to communicate directly with their minds. Coupled with medical treatment, this can awaken them naturally."

"Many vegetative patients want to wake but lack the means. Virtual technology enables communication with their consciousness, helping them emerge from the depths of their minds. This way, ninety percent of vegetative patients could return to normal."

Applause erupted. Xu Dezheng led the clapping, and the others followed.

"This research is excellent. If successful, does it mean vegetative states would no longer exist?"

Zhulan shook his head. "General Xu, that’s not quite right. Virtual technology helps us confront the consciousness of vegetative patients. But if someone has no attachment to this world and chooses to remain lost in their inner world, there’s no way to awaken them."

Xu Dezheng nodded thoughtfully. "Still, that’s a tremendous achievement."

Zhulan nodded. "Unfortunately, no successful implantation has occurred yet. I’ve already prepared a second batch of vegetative patients."

Xu Dezheng said nothing further.

Though such experiments were prohibited, Zhulan’s research was exceptionally promising. The value of virtual technology was undeniable, and using vegetative patients for study was acceptable since success would greatly benefit humanity. The birth of this technology in China would further elevate its global standing.

Xu Dezheng was no narrow-minded bureaucrat; he was deeply invested in advancing future technologies.

Had Zhulan been using forbidden substances for genetic drug trials, Xu would have immediately intervened and sealed everything here. But virtual research did not harm the human body—it only prolonged their sleep slightly. Since they were already vegetative, sleep duration was irrelevant.

The breakthroughs in virtual technology deeply impressed Xu and his entourage, particularly the advanced equipment, clearly far from ordinary.

"This is the Quantum Communication Satellite Research Center!" Zhulan pointed to the scene behind the glass, where numerous robotic arms, under the direction of several people, were assembling components piece by piece.

Xu Dezheng frowned. "Why is progress so slow?"

Zhulan smiled wryly. "We’re severely understaffed here. I fear the quantum communication satellite won’t be ready until the second half of next year."

Xu Dezheng merely nodded in acknowledgment.

"Now, what you are about to see is the pinnacle of visionary technology."

The thick steel doors, several meters thick, opened as Zhulan led the group inside.

When robots appeared before them, everyone was surprised, and the bodyguards immediately became alert.

"Relax, there’s no danger here," Xu Dezheng said, eyeing his guards with mild exasperation.

Zhulan glanced briefly without comment.

He waved toward a distant figure—a robot carrying a pair of enormous shoes approached.

"Zhulan, what is that?" Luo Guoqiang asked, eyeing the massive footwear.

"Anti-gravity devices," Zhulan replied.

"Anti-gravity devices?" Everyone was moved by the revelation.

Anti-gravity was cutting-edge technology.

Zhulan said no more.

He nodded to the Red Queen.

"Ladies and gentlemen, watch closely!"

Following Zhulan’s gesture, they saw a robot donning the giant shoes.

When activated, the shoes emitted no flames or exhaust, yet the robot began to float gently.

All could see clearly that the robot was not using any mechanical aids or propulsion devices—it simply hovered.

"This..." Luo Guoqiang was stunned.

Suddenly, the robot plummeted with a loud crash, the impact scattering sparks as it struggled briefly before its lights dimmed.

Zhulan shook his head resignedly. "Drag it away!" Several robots came forward to remove the damaged unit.

"Sorry, as you’ve seen, the experiment failed again."

Xu Dezheng was silent, lost in thought.

"Zhulan, tell me, if conditions were sufficient, how long before this technology could be successfully applied?"

Zhulan frowned, instantly understanding the general’s meaning.

With a grim expression, he said, "General Xu, as you see, I only have a preliminary grasp of this technology. To truly succeed, it will take at least three to five years. Even with increased manpower, we might only shorten it by one or two years. This is unprecedented technology, requiring enormous investment."

Xu Dezheng smiled knowingly at Zhulan, shaking his head. "Still upset?"

Zhulan shook his head firmly. "No, I’m just stating facts."

Xu Dezheng said no more, just smiled. "I understand. Later, I’ll give you an answer that satisfies you. You’ll be happy then, won’t you?"

(To be continued.)