Deep Space Wandering Fleet

Chapter 134: Chapter 135: Mars Iron Curtain

Zhang Yuan let out a long sigh and opened the last and most recent report.

“…Greetings, residents of Earth Era, friends aboard ‘The Golden Sun,'”

“I must admit, Earth Civilization has entered an unprecedented bottleneck period.”

The tone of this report was no longer as calm and proud as it was centuries ago, but had become deeply concerned.

“Various crises have already seized us by the throat!”

“I regret to inform you that last month, there was an unprecedented massive strike that extended across four planets!”

“The workers’ rage has spread throughout the Solar System, resulting in two vicious air leak incidents, with 3,439 people suffocated to death. Two Space Cities were paralyzed, and 17 interstellar ports ceased operations!”

“We anticipate that due to this terrorist activity, the GDP of our entire civilization will decrease by 1.1%!”

“There have also been huge protests on Earth, with the lower classes demanding higher wages, better healthcare, and reduced housing prices…”

“Are they wrong? No, they aren’t wrong… But clearly, this can’t be done. The highest-end services are destined to be available only to a small number of wealthy people.”

“The price of skyscrapers on Earth has long been tied to the entire financial system, and with robust market demand, it’s impossible to reduce prices arbitrarily. All economic activities are market-driven and do not shift due to government will. Moreover, redistributing benefits would implicate those with vested interests, including the elite who have contributed more to civilization.”

“They are not going to sacrifice their own interests to help others. The silent obstacles are more powerful than those that erupt with force.”

“Greetings once again, residents of Earth Era, friends aboard ‘The Golden Sun.’ I must admit, this crisis is different from those in the past.”

“The tsunami didn’t come out of the blue; it brewed for centuries.”

“…The governments of Saturn’s moon Titan and Jupiter’s moon have already reached an agreement to limit energy production, attempting to raise the price of raw materials for nuclear fusion to ease their economic contradictions.”

“Naturally, Earth’s economic sphere cannot tolerate such pivotal energy supplies being controlled…”

“Military orders worldwide are increasing at an annual rate of 20%…”

“We struggle to predict what this data will ultimately lead to…”

“The most remote base on Saturn’s moon Titan is 6-8 astronomical units away from Earth, and it takes a spacecraft one or two months to get there. Such vast spatial intervals also lead to a series of management difficulties. Earth’s economic influence has been greatly weakened there.”

“We do not know what the future holds; we only hope that our civilization can safely navigate this crisis…”

“War will not break out easily, but it will not be impossible forever.”

This was the latest report, which was followed by a large volume of political news.

There were reciprocal visits, probing, confrontations, mediation, and condemnations among the high ranks of various planets.

An iron curtain is descending, with Mars as its border.

Zhang Yuan let out another long sigh; the worst had happened. Earth Civilization had fallen into a trough.

What caused the outbreak of the Second World War? It was because of the economy!

The Third War, the Fourth War? They were still because of economic problems due to the energy crisis.

He didn’t believe that war would solve the issues. The development of interstellar weapons has become so powerful that destruction is much easier than defense. But he also didn’t believe that war would never break out, for it has always been the best way to shift class conflicts.

If every politician had supreme wisdom, a balance would soon be reached through mutual compromise. However, unfortunately, such phenomena only occur when both parties have high political savvy and operate under transparent information.

The angry lower classes do not know what “rationality” is. They would elect more extremist leaders due to incendiary language.

A state is a machine of violence. When it exhibits enough strength in external conflicts, internal dissent becomes insignificant. In this context, extremism means votes. Populism means you have to lead your underlings to hammer others; if you don’t break them, you risk being overthrown internally.

War has not occurred for a very long time, and many have forgotten its brutality. They only think they can get what they want through violent means.

Historical development has its internal laws. According to the perspective of New Civilization History, an Ordinary Civilization without sufficient Inner Strength cannot escape this rule. No matter how advanced the technology, it makes no difference.

Human wisdom and the profit-seeking nature in their genes are not enough to steer the course of an entire civilization. This means that after prolonged development, the civilization’s end state will stabilize within a local solution, either entering an endless loop or leading to a stable state surrounded by worse options, unable to break free.

That was the latest report; there was nothing more.

To know what happens next, we must continue to wait.

Zhang Yuan closed his eyes, unsure of how to describe his current mood.

He dimly remembered the words of the civilization leader when Earth Era set sail.

“…I hope that you can use your wisdom to solve the problem of mediocrity that plagues human civilization and even the entire Universe…”

“We will use our history to illuminate the path ahead of you.”

Now, that piece of history had arrived.

Back then, Zhang Yuan hadn’t paid much attention to the civilization leader’s speech; he thought it was just a formal discourse. But now, he understood. The pessimists had long anticipated today’s outcome.

Humans have overcome one difficulty after another through technology, from interstellar immigration, to aging issues, to infant care, and to human-machine relations…

People have painstakingly overcome countless challenges to reach today.

But history has always repeated itself. During good times, everyone was happy and harmonious; during bad times, they were divided and self-absorbed. People who are used to comfortable lives can’t endure hardships anymore. So, to return to better days, they began to raise the flag of selfishness to devour others.

That is human nature.

Marx explained long ago that humans couldn’t sustain a technological revolution indefinitely. So, this crisis is now difficult to resolve with technology.

Unless humanity invents a Curvature Spaceship overnight that can instantly reach an Outer Planet, find another Earth, and establish larger colonies to solve the current crisis.

But current humanity cannot…

Zhang Yuan sighed again, quietly sitting on the chair, closing his eyes.

Hoping that Earth Civilization can safely make it through this challenge.

Hopefully.

…