The domestic research team was greatly inspired by Jiang Ye's email, shaking off their dejected atmosphere and diving back into their work.
Soon, the first laboratory result was sent to Jiang Ye.
This laboratory result was essentially a series of control experiments.
First, a large number of identical electro-mechanical dual watches were prepared.
Dual watches, as they were called, had two dials, an upper and a lower, one electronic and one mechanical. The times on both watches were synchronized and cross-referenced. These watches were first used as backups in underground nuclear facilities, and later laboratories began to use them.
A blue toad and a dual watch were placed in a glass container for observation.
The watch showed no delay; whatever the outside time was, the watch displayed the same.
The researchers began to add more blue toads to the container.
When nine toads were added, the watch remained unaffected, and no time distortion occurred.
However, upon adding the tenth toad, the watch changed.
An hour passed in the outside world, the mechanical watch spun over three hundred times, and the year on the electronic watch advanced by one!
Jiang Ye was stunned while watching the experimental video. This was an exact replica of Pei Yongxin's experience: one hour outside equated to an entire year inside!
The researchers conducted over two hundred more experiments and confirmed one thing.
When blue toads completely enclosed a space, time distortion would occur within that space. However, if even a small gap existed, time distortion would not happen.
The chief research scientist wrote the following in the experimental log:
"It feels as if time has become water. When the toads enclose a space, the water spins at high speed within the confined area, like a washing machine. But as soon as a gap appears, the time-water flows out and merges with the vast ocean of time outside."
With the experiments progressing, everyone was elated.
However, the research soon entered a period of stagnation.
The researchers couldn't understand why these plump little toads could produce such an effect.
The only progress made was naming the toads "Ink Toads," because the venom within them resembled flowing ink. Under the cold white laboratory lights, the live toads looked like glass toys filled with blue ink. When picked up and shaken, their bodily fluids could be seen flowing back and forth.
According to the results sent by the researchers, these Ink Toads had no blood vessels or digestive systems. Their internal fluids were largely universal. This structure reduced energy conversion efficiency but increased immunity and survival rates after injury.
The Galactic Empire's military was transporting more large-scale experimental equipment, expected to arrive in a week, which would allow for more in-depth research.
The researchers were very confident. With the current technological level of the Galactic Empire, there was nothing they couldn't figure out. As long as the funding and equipment were in place, let alone Ink Toads, even Rainbow Toads would be manageable.
While the researchers were busy in the labs, the military generals held meetings and devised new combat plans.
A total of four new combat methods were developed.
The first was unmanned armed trains, remotely operated, with low technical difficulty. The only problem was that once surrounded by Ink Toads, the electronic signals would be interrupted, and the trains would still be paralyzed on the tracks. However, it was said that this method would spare the lives of the soldiers.
The second method was extended trains.
The Ink Toads could only distort spacetime if they completely enveloped a train.
By connecting several trains together to make them sufficiently long, it would be difficult for them to be completely enveloped.
This method was quite cost-effective, requiring only a few connectors to be added to the front and back of each car, costing less than two million in total.
The third method was elevated trains.
Instead of elevating the entire car, a super-high chimney would be erected with an opening left outside. The idea was the same as the second plan, costing slightly more but ensuring the maneuverability of each car.
The fourth method was air force support.
This plan was divided into two parts. The first part involved escorting ornithopters with the trains. If they encountered a large number of Ink Toads, the ornithopters would either provide fire support or directly rescue the soldiers from the cars. The second part involved using ornithopters to airdrop troops into key locations along the railway lines, securing these points first and then gradually occupying the railway lines.
This plan was the most expensive but would hone the air force's capabilities and break the stalemate of being confined to the capital city.
Jiang Ye waved his hand. There were many railway lines connecting the capital city to the outside world, like the mesh of a spiderweb. These plans could all be tested, and the best one would be used in the end. The specific combat deployment was entrusted to Huang Bingyan, the Minister of the Exile Star Military, and the division commanders stationed in the capital city of Meteor Star.
...
Outside the Meteor Star shipping lanes, aboard a Nebula-class starship, in the General's quarters.
Outside the window was Red Moon 2, appearing small in the distance and large up close, almost obscuring the entire Meteor Star.
Although the distance was vast, due to the scale of space and visual effects, it felt within reach. One could even discern the craters on Red Moon 2, a few sparse ice rivers, and shimmering man-made structures along the riverbanks. These structures were built by Xu Aoqing over a decade ago as helium-3 collection stations. Red Moon 2's subsurface contained tens of millions of tons of helium-3, which could be used for cheap nuclear fusion.
Jiang Ye sat by the window, sweating profusely, drinking warm tea to rest. He had just finished strenuous exercise, and his head was buzzing, even experiencing some tinnitus.
The sound of water from the bathroom stopped, and a moment later, Cen Yemeng emerged, wrapped in a towel.
"I'm done, hubby. You go wash," Cen Yemeng said, coming to sit by the windowsill. Her wet hair was spread out, and her fair legs, dotted with water droplets, resembled a mermaid emerging from the sea.
"Wait a moment, let me recover," Jiang Ye said, pressing his ear with his hand. "The tinnitus is getting worse, and I feel so weak."
Cen Yemeng smiled and said nothing.
"Is it beautiful?" Jiang Ye pointed to Red Moon 2 outside the window.
"Not beautiful, it's terrifying," Cen Yemeng shook her head.
"Terrifying?"
"It's too big," Cen Yemeng bit her lip slightly. "I have a slight fear of large objects. Seeing an entire planet up close makes me feel like it's going to crash down, or that I'll fall into it. With such a massive planet, I don't know where I'd land. I imagine myself falling smaller and smaller, becoming as tiny as a sesame seed, and then disappearing."
"You are a human of the space age, afraid of planets outside your spaceship," Jiang Ye mused. "I, a native of ancient times, am fascinated by such colossal sights. When I was young, I thought planets were vast, but now with technology and armies, planets and even the universe have shrunk in my eyes."
"Arrogant!" Cen Yemeng joked.
"It's true," Jiang Ye said. "For example, show a primitive person a map of the Eurasian continent, and they'll think, 'How the hell is this land so big? How many springs and autumns would it take to cross it on horseback?' They might be intimidated by such vastness. But by the time I was a child, with airplanes and railways spanning the globe, you could fly from the east to the west of Eurasia in a day, leading to the concept of a global village. Sometimes people felt the world was quite small."
"But the universe is truly vast," Cen Yemeng blinked. "It's larger than anyone's imagination, almost an infinite concept. It's like standing in the middle of the ocean and looking around; the blue expanse exceeds the limits of vision."
"The Galactic Empire's technology can reach the boundaries of the universe, right?" Jiang Ye asked.
"The boundaries of our dimension, yes," Cen Yemeng said. "The core members of the Galactic Empire are many high-dimensional civilizations. Their boundaries seem even more expansive, like dimensions that control time, or dimensions that control parallel worlds, the size of countless universes. I don't know if they can reach those boundaries."
Jiang Ye opened his mouth, about to say something, when his phone suddenly rang.
It was Shao Wan calling.
"Hello?" Jiang Ye answered.
"Commander, Senlin almost beat his classmate to death," Shao Wan said.