After flying over the turbid sea surface for a few minutes, the water finally turned blue.
It looked like a normal sea, but the salinity of the spiral star's seawater was too high and needed to be diluted with fresh water.
The troops had placed water production tanks in over a hundred locations globally.
The so-called water production tank was a behemoth, roughly the size of a five-story building. Inside, it was filled with catalysts and porous structures, and the surface had rotating blades to collect wind.
After nearby plants produced oxygen, the oxygen entered the water production tank, combined with hydrogen, and the catalyst turned it into clear water, which then flowed out through the tank's pipes like a babbling brook. Some of the produced water was poured onto arid land, while some flowed into lakes and seas through waterways.
These water production tanks required almost no manual maintenance; they could continuously produce water by absorbing hydrogen and oxygen from the environment. These over a hundred water production tanks would be placed for a long time until the water volume of the spiral star reached a suitable level.
At this moment, Jiang Ye, looking out through the window, could see a giant water production tank standing tall on the distant sea surface.
It was entirely black, so black it looked like a piece of the world was missing, revealing the vast universe. The Falcon continued to advance, and as the angle changed slightly, a reflection could be faintly seen on the surface of the water production tank; it was the cascading water flow.
Without Jiang Ye giving any orders, the Falcon began to change course, approaching the location of the water production tank.
Upon reaching a distance of one hundred meters from the water production tank, Jiang Ye saw a large amount of seaweed in the water.
The seaweed was slender like snakes, entangled in the dark seawater, numbering at least in the hundreds of thousands. It felt like a lush forest had grown in this location, but a great flood had occurred, raising the sea level by dozens of meters, submerging the forest. The seaweed was like the treetops of that forest.
These seaweeds were primitive organisms cultivated early by the intelligent bacteria, not electronic organisms, so they did not emit light, at most reflecting a little sunlight that penetrated the sea surface.
Besides the seaweed, large patches of a greasy, dark green substance occasionally floated on the sea surface; they were likely colonies of algae. They looked quite disgusting but were actually very clean.
These green algae drifted on the sea, with large clumps every few hundred meters, looking like some kind of flat, giant organism.
"I remember the intelligent bacteria's report said the seaweed underneath is edible," Jiang Ye said.
"From a compositional standpoint, humans can eat it, but it's best not to. The texture is very poor; it feels like chewing hair or chewing a leather shoe, and the taste is very similar to a sneaker," Hua Qing replied. "However, the intelligent bacteria's intention is that this seaweed can be used as feed."
"Pigs are also picky eaters," Jiang Ye said.
"You only know half the story. Current pig farms can dry this seaweed, process it simply, and sprinkle a layer of seasoning on it. The aroma emitted by the special ingredients in the seasoning will make the pigs rush for it," Hua Qing said. "Building poultry and livestock farms in coastal areas, relying on seaweed seasoning as feed, can be very economically profitable. Because this seaweed grows very quickly, as you can see, it's everywhere nearby, so abundant it can't be all harvested.
"It's like water hyacinth," Jiang Ye said with a worried expression. "If this seaweed grows all over the sea, will it be very expensive to clean up in the future?"
"It grows everywhere because it has no natural predators!" Hua Qing shook her head. "Once we release a few batches of shrimp soldiers, crab generals, and fish marshals to eat them voraciously in the sea, these seaweeds might not even be enough. We'll definitely need to design other types of marine plants."
"I just suddenly thought of something. Hua Qing, please make a note of it and discuss it with the intelligent bacteria later," Jiang Ye paused. "When designing species for the spiral star, create a few species with commemorative value, preferably linked to time, that can reflect rarity."
Hua Qing held her phone and took notes, her expression somewhat bewildered.
"For example, coral. Coral polyps live and die generation after generation, and their accumulated remains can form coral trees. Due to different components in the environment, the colors of coral trees also differ. For instance, 1% iron oxide in seawater can create red coral," Jiang Ye said. "They only grow a few centimeters each year, making them exceptionally precious. The spiral star should also have similar species. In the future, when I visit aliens or alien leaders visit, they can be given as gifts."
"Understood!" Hua Qing nodded. "Since they are gifts, they should also be as beautiful as possible, right?"
"Of course, but beauty is defined broadly. We can create several species with different aesthetic approaches," Jiang Ye nodded. "Later, when designing plants, we can create some with incredibly long lifespans, like trees that can live for thousands of years. Such species can be imbued with the historical culture of different regions and will be very valuable. Nowadays, gold and gems are not as valuable as old trees in the interstellar market. The Galactic Empire is expanding too quickly, and everything is new, so things with a stronger temporal element appreciate more sharply."
"Understood! I've noted it all down," Hua Qing said.
"My requirements shouldn't be excessive, right? They won't interfere with your normal work?"
"No, no, Commander, you worry too much. A planet is supposed to have at least hundreds of millions of species designed for it. What you've mentioned is completely within the scope of normal work; we just need to pay attention. It won't affect our work at all," Hua Qing explained.
"After coming down and seeing all this, what are your feelings?" Jiang Ye looked at Liu Jizi. "Or rather, do you have any plans for the future of this planet?"
"Before, I only saw data. Now, seeing it in person, the visual impression is more intuitive," Liu Jizi smiled. "I feel that the spiral star is a very flat planet. The seas are flat, and the land is also flat. This flatness is very suitable for developing large cities, and also for the expansion of agriculture and animal husbandry. Ground transportation is also very convenient; ordinary roads and four-wheeled vehicles can handle transportation tasks, unlike mountainous areas where only hovercars are used."
"It's just that the places we passed through are flat, right?" Jiang Ye chuckled. "The spiral star has a considerable proportion of mountains and hills, and there are still sinkholes that haven't been resolved. As for the sea level you mentioned, when the Pacific Ocean was named, sailors crossing it felt the winds were calm, but in reality, it was just a coincidence. Later, ships crossing the Pacific discovered storms and tidal waves everywhere."
"Which planet is the Pacific from?" Liu Jizi was startled.
"Never mind," Jiang Ye said awkwardly.
After staying on the surface of the spiral star for five hours, the Falcon took off and returned to planetary orbit to dock with the fleet.
This on-site inspection didn't yield significant results, but seeing it with their own eyes provided some reassurance. Both the land and the oceans of the spiral star were no longer barren and desolate; large-scale vegetation had grown, surviving stubbornly and tenaciously in the harsh environment of the spiral star, striving to release oxygen bit by bit. Jiang Ye, having been a commander for so many years, knew the importance of maintaining the frequency of on-site inspections to see the real situation, rather than relying solely on the data submitted by his subordinates.
Jiang Ye worked with the fleet for another week.
When the weekend arrived, Jiang Ye suddenly received a call from Tian Rao.
"I'll come to see you. I've made some progress on the intelligence about Wheeler Star regarding the matters you assigned me. It's of great importance, and I think it's best to report it to you in person," Tian Rao said.
"When will you come?"
"Around this time tomorrow, is that okay?"
Jiang Ye checked his watch. "Yes, it is."