Until someone exclaimed.
"The temperature in the thermosphere can reach over a thousand degrees Celsius, and our clothes..."
Trish’s face showed another sign of shock.
Until Song Yao, also a woman, said, "Don’t worry, the space suit not only covers the skin, it also provides a certain degree of protection to the clothes."
Only then did Trish breathe a sigh of relief.
But before she could regain her composure, she saw in the distance, within this strange space, a red light seemed to streak rapidly across the sky.
They initially seemed to think so, but then they found that there were quite a few such lights.
"Is this meteorites or space debris?" someone said with some panic, "How can there be so many?"
"Space debris is not exactly rare." Tao De seemed to have knowledge on the topic, his voice relatively calm, "Since the first artificial satellite was launched, humans have left nearly ten thousand tons of space debris in space. Those light dots must be sizable enough to be noticeable in the thermosphere, but the number of micro space debris below one centimeter exceeds several hundred million... With our relative speed, we wouldn’t even see them even if they passed right by."
Ten thousand tons of debris!
This number, which seemed insignificant in the past, now felt alarming as they found themselves so isolated in space.
Trish looked around extremely nervously, fearing that tiny debris might hit them.
At such speed, even the smallest impact would be no less powerful than a bullet!
The thin space suit on her body, almost invisible to the naked eye, could not bring her any sense of security!
The others also began to realize the issue.
Someone couldn’t help but say, "Our launched spacecraft all fly along the orbit, and their relative speed with this space debris is not high, plus the spacecraft’s outer shell has been specially treated for collision resistance whereas we now..."
Now they’re flying straight up!
Some even couldn’t help but look at Wen Hezhi.
Hoping he could provide a safer explanation.
Perhaps saying the space suit can fully withstand such impacts.
However, after a moment of silence, Wen Hezhi slowly spoke:
"The boss hasn’t mentioned this issue."
Everyone fell silent.
Even relative to the vastness of space, this space debris is still just a small part, but the thought that some unseen, undetectable debris could be right next to you, streaking by at speeds far exceeding bullets, still gives everyone a sense of impending crisis.
Already extremely tense, Trish became somewhat overwhelmed.
"Can I, can I go back?" Her voice carried a sob.
They were still continuously flying upwards.
Including Curtis, who did not comfort his sister.
Compared to the young, spoiled from an early age Trish, Curtis could faintly understand that at this moment, they no longer had the option to choose whether to go back or continue upwards.
The crowd could only remain silent.
When a seemingly large piece of space debris, glowing red-hot, streaked closely by, leaving a white trail, Trish couldn’t help but sob.
The novelty had long disappeared, and in this vast, boundless space, a sense of isolation and helplessness surged continuously.
They began to feel a certain mood shared by astronauts.
No matter how safe it seemed, each trip to space was still a gamble with one’s life.
Because humans here are simply too small, too helpless.
Faced with any crisis, they seemed to be unable to do anything.
As gravity gradually disappeared, they could no longer distinguish up from down, as if they were falling into a bottomless abyss.
Under such circumstances, everyone could only pray they would safely and quickly reach their destination.
They gradually left the faintly glowing atmosphere, arriving in the predominantly dark space, dotted with countless stars; they could even feel themselves slowing down!
"We should be almost there." Wen Hezhi’s voice, somewhat relieved, also caused everyone to breathe a sigh of relief.
This trip to space lasted just over an hour, but the closer they got to the end, the more unbearable they felt.
Silent, vast, helpless, as if disconnected from the entire world.
If it lasted a little longer, they didn’t know whether they could bear it.
At this moment, everyone vigorously craned their necks, eager to search for the end point of this journey.
It was a small bright spot, like a lighthouse under the sea, providing guidance for every ship navigating the dark night, and reassurance for the heart.
As the distance closed, they could already vaguely see what the light spot was.
A dark ball, about two to three meters in diameter, with one side facing them emitting an orange glow, the bright spot they just saw, quietly floating at the end of the space elevator.
But at this moment, everyone’s attention focused on Shen Shi.
Yes, Shen Shi was silently floating beside the right-hand side of the sphere.
Dressed simply, hovering.
Unlike each of them, pale-faced and disoriented, unable to control their posture in this weightless environment, Shen Shi was as relaxed as an immortal god hovering in the void.
"How’s the trip feeling?" Shen Shi’s voice transmitted through the space suit into their ears, already synchronized with translation.
The crowd looked at each other.
Curtis wanted to smile and say something, but his feelings weren’t great at the moment, not to mention his sister was still crying.
"Not feeling well?" Shen Shi spoke for them, "You’re likely thinking if you were inside a protected space capsule, coming up through the space elevator, you wouldn’t feel ; you’re lacking adequate safety protection."
Actually, quite a few indeed thought this way.
This ascent felt like being pulled upward by a rope inside an elevator shaft.
But if there was an elevator cabin, it would be completely different.
A safe cabin, with small windows, where one could sit, eat, even listen to music, watch movies.
"Elevator cabins are indeed useful." Shen Shi shook his head, "But actually, the space elevator itself possesses a certain degree of protection, small space debris approaching at high speed will be automatically repelled by the force field, but the scale becomes significant, like the satellite debris you saw earlier, even with an elevator cabin, it’s not much use."
Some couldn’t help but swallow.
So, they were still at a risk of disaster just now?
As long as that piece of satellite debris hit the target?
"Mr. Shen, we will rapidly launch a space debris cleanup plan." A representative spoke wisely, "No matter the cost, we will never let space debris hinder the project’s advancement."
They all knew now that Shen Shi had a massive project aimed at defending against alien invaders.
Wen Hezhi informed them.
So, to this person, Shen Shi seemed to express displeasure towards space debris in this manner.
However, Shen Shi’s expression remained unmoved.
To Tao De, Mr. Shen appeared as he did during their first meeting on the spaceship—serious, detached, with an intimidatingly cold aura.
So Tao De didn’t speak.
He felt this condition wasn’t merely a "work state."
Shen Shi did not respond to the speaker nor discuss "space debris."
"I know." His voice brimmed with a certain pressure, "Some of you, or those you represent, hope to find shelter on my spacecraft, wishing to secure a ticket to escape, a post-defeat guarantee, believing they qualify for this—such thinking is simply too naive."