Chapter Nine: Igniting Jupiter

A cargo ship carrying a nuclear bomb detached from the Navigator Space Station and sped toward Jupiter. That small nuclear bomb aboard the ship bore the hopes of all humanity, and every person on the station watched as the cargo vessel departed.

Accelerating at full power, the ship approached the ribbon of air and hydrogen stretching between Jupiter and Earth, still thirty thousand kilometers away. At that moment, the pilot pressed the disengage button. The explosive bolts securing the rocket booster detonated with sharp bangs, severing the connections. Instantly, the rocket booster carrying the nuclear bomb ignited, continuing its acceleration toward Jupiter, while the cargo ship, its payload released, veered sharply to the right, heading back toward Earth.

Twenty minutes later, those in the Navigator Space Station witnessed an awe-inspiring spectacle: at first, a tiny point of light, then that speck rapidly grew, spreading swiftly across Jupiter, culminating in a colossal explosion. A fiery plume rose, and the shockwave generated by Jupiter surged toward Earth.

As everyone gaped, stunned by the grandeur of the scene, the voice of Moss suddenly reported, "Earth is moving away from Jupiter's Roche limit. All planetary engines are operating at full power! Predicted to leave Jupiter's orbit in thirty-six hours!"

Hearing Moss's announcement, not only did all of humanity on the Wandering Earth cheer, but even those in the main universe celebrated the planet's escape from destruction.

"We did it, we really did it!" Wang Jing, overwhelmed with excitement, embraced Zhang Beihai beside him.

Even the always serious Zhang Beihai grinned broadly as he hugged Wang Jing, expressing his gratitude, "Thank you for your help. The United Government will never forget you!"

With the crisis at Jupiter resolved, people of the Wandering Earth universe immediately began rescue operations for the trapped and set to repairing the planetary engines.

Wang Jing, meanwhile, returned to the main universe amid the farewells of everyone at the Navigator Space Station.

"Well done!" As soon as Wang Jing appeared, Song Guohua greeted him with joy, "You’re humanity’s savior now!"

"Ha, it was nothing, really nothing." Wang Jing replied modestly, waving his hand.

Just then, a group of more than a dozen people, men and women in suits from various nations, approached. "Who are they?" Wang Jing asked.

Song Guohua glanced back, "Oh! I forgot to tell you, they’re the negotiation team from different countries, here to negotiate with the United Government of that world."

"Negotiation? What are they negotiating?" Wang Jing inquired.

"About trading technology and supplying goods, all sorts of things—I don’t know the specifics," Song Guohua replied.

"So, I’m supposed to take all of them over?"

"Exactly. This is also a test—to see how many people you can bring at once," Song Guohua explained.

---

The leading man walked up and shook Wang Jing’s hand. "We’re counting on you," he said warmly.

Wang Jing nodded, grasped his hand, and initiated the crossing. He instructed everyone to hold hands for the transition, though he could only take five people at a time.

After transferring everyone, Wang Jing brought Li Xen and the engineers back with him.

Intending to sit and rest for a bit, Wang Jing drifted off to sleep.

When he awoke, he found himself lying in bed. Checking the time, he saw it was 6:50 in the morning—he’d slept straight through until daylight.

Stretching and dressing, he prepared to wash up and eat. Just then, Autumn Ruoxue entered, wearing a pale blue dress instead of her usual protective suit.

Seeing Wang Jing dressing, she was startled and immediately stepped outside.

Wang Jing, too, was startled. He hurried to finish dressing, and when he opened his door, Autumn Ruoxue waited outside, her cheeks flushed. "Who put me in bed? I remember falling asleep in the chair outside," Wang Jing asked.

"Captain Li carried you," Autumn Ruoxue replied, glancing at Wang Jing.

"Heh, I must have been out cold," Wang Jing answered, embarrassed, scratching the back of his head.

The thought of being carried to bed by another man conjured a vivid, awkward image in Wang Jing’s mind: a man cradling another like a princess, placing him on the bed, then undressing him. Just imagining it made Wang Jing cringe.

As his thoughts wandered, Autumn Ruoxue said, "Mr. Hua wants to see you—something good!"

"Oh, right, I’ll go find him," Wang Jing replied, coming to his senses.

Exiting the tent area, Wang Jing spotted Song Guohua directing the engineer corps. "Mr. Hua, you wanted to see me?"

"Ah, you’re here! How was your sleep?" Song Guohua turned, smiling.

"It was fine," Wang Jing replied, awkwardly nodding before quickly changing the subject, pointing to the large group of engineers and heavy machinery, "What’s all this?"

"They’re here to build a military camp—actually, they’re constructing a base," Song Guohua explained.

"A base?"

---

"Exactly! If the negotiations succeed, you’ll be busy—there’ll be plenty for you to deliver," Song Guohua said.

"And, calling you over was to ask you to bring those negotiators back. As agreed, their talks should finish today," Song Guohua added.

"So soon? Such a major matter finished in a day?" Wang Jing exclaimed.

"It’s not that big a deal. The initial transactions are simple; more important deals will come once both sides get used to working together," Song Guohua replied.

"Then I’ll head over now!"

"Wait, it’s still early. Eat breakfast first; you can go after," Song Guohua stopped him.

An hour later, after breakfast and a quick wash, Wang Jing traveled to the Wandering Earth universe.

Arriving at the space station, he found the negotiators waiting, all smiling. Wang Jing knew everything must have gone well. "I’m here to bring you back!"

After transferring everyone, Wang Jing asked Song Guohua, "So, what did they negotiate?"

Song Guohua glanced at his list, speaking casually, "Nothing much—just trading the complete exoskeleton technology for a hundred million tons of rice, thirty thousand tons of pork, and all kinds of urgently needed medicines."

"A hundred million tons of rice! How long will it take me to deliver all that?" Wang Jing exclaimed.

"Don’t get so worked up—it’s a long-term contract. You just need to touch the piles of rice with the electric wire to transfer them; it’s very easy," Song Guohua reassured him.

"But even so, it would take decades. And this won’t be a one-time deal—a hundred million tons of rice would barely give thirty-five hundred million people a few bites!" The thought of becoming an unfeeling cargo machine made Wang Jing uneasy.

"It’s not as bad as you think. We don’t fully understand your abilities yet—maybe in the future, we’ll find a way to enhance the weight you can carry," Song Guohua replied.

Watching Song Guohua’s earnest effort to comfort him, Wang Jing wordlessly took a seat on the bench nearby.