Chapter 186 Important Discovery, a Great Contribution

Ninghai then collected some plant, insect, and soil samples before returning to the teleportation station before the portal closed.

Currently, opening the time portal using the black ball requires a large amount of electrical energy.

This is also why, decades ago, the scientists who created the black sphere placed their research base beneath the Kutcherberg Nuclear Power Plant.

At the time, the Kutcherberg Nuclear Power Plant was the world's largest power plant.

Even so, it could only barely hold on, and even caused a disaster due to overload.

Even now, with the capabilities of the world's leading superpower, the United States, and the use of all kinds of top-notch energy supply technologies, it is not possible to keep the black sphere running for an extended period of time.

But this operation has brought a further breakthrough to the project of exploring time travel.

When Ning Hai returned to the teleportation station with the collected materials, all the researchers present applauded and cheered.

Professor Bruce ran quickly to the teleportation platform, stepped forward, and gave Ning Hai a tight hug.

“Professor, please contact the relevant experts immediately to study these things,” Ning Hai handed several plastic bags and a camera to Bruce. “I also filmed a video of what appears to be tribal indigenous people, and I’ll have the language experts and anthropology experts take a look at it too.”

Of course, Ning Hai didn't mention a word about silencing the native, and also told Lu Xingfeng not to say anything.

Because he knew Professor Bruce wouldn't allow him to do something so cruel.

"No problem! I'll arrange it right away!" Professor Bruce was so excited that he waved his arms and his bright blue eyes sparkled.

"Come on, let's go get some late-night snacks." Ning Hai patted Lu Xingfeng on the shoulder.

After leaving the laboratory base, the two passed through layers of guarded checkpoints and walked out of the last heavily guarded gate, where they found themselves in the boundless desert under the cover of night.

There is only one straight road that stretches to the horizon.

This area was a secret region specially allocated to Professor Bruce by the high-ranking officials of Country M for his research after they learned that he had found the black sphere.

Even this only main road leading in and out of the desert was built later.

The laboratory base was protected by special forces from the United States, with layers upon layers of protection.

Ninghai drove an SUV, carrying Lu Xingfeng, and sped along the road, seeing a checkpoint every few miles.

It wasn't until they had driven for almost two hours that a small town came into view.

This small town has no name; it was temporarily built by Professor Bruce after applying to the higher-ups in Country M, considering the harsh conditions at the laboratory site.

Researchers in the lab can come over and relax a bit when they have free time; staying cooped up in the basement all day will cause mental problems.

Of course, all the residents of the town were strictly selected by the M country's government, and the town was also the last checkpoint for entering and leaving this desert. Without special approval, neither the people inside nor the people outside could enter or leave without permission, otherwise they would be shot dead by the stationed soldiers.

Although the town is small and the facilities are rudimentary, with only one entertainment venue that mainly serves as a restaurant and also includes a cinema and bar, it only has the most basic amenities, but it's better than nothing.

"Two beers first, then two fried chicken and burger combos," Ning Hai ordered as soon as he entered the restaurant.

As the two sat down, the waiter brought out the food.

Lu Xingfeng grabbed a large beer mug and gulped it down in one go, then grabbed a fried chicken with one hand and wolfed it down.

Ning Hai sipped his beer, ate a few fries slowly, and pushed his fried chicken and hamburger in front of Lu Xingfeng.

These things are even worse than the fast food sold in regular stores; he's almost sick of them.

In contrast, he preferred the nutritious meals provided in the laboratory base canteen—though bland, at least they were nutritionally balanced and healthier.

But Lu Xingfeng, an ancient person from more than two thousand years ago, ate this kind of fast food with great enthusiasm.

The high levels of oil and sugar, along with various flavor enhancers, were things that Lu Xingfeng could hardly afford or even have access to in that era.

In less than ten minutes, Lu Xingfeng finished off both set meals.

They also ordered two more beers and four pieces of grilled steak to continue their feast.

“Brother Feng,” Ning Hai said slowly, watching him eat with one hand, “I recently had a prosthetic leg custom-made for you, and it’s almost finished. Then you’ll be able to use both hands at the same time.”

Lu Xingfeng asked, "Can a prosthetic limb still be used?"

Ning Hai smiled and said, "Although it's not as good as your original arm, it won't affect your normal life much. If needed, we can also upgrade and modify your prosthesis accordingly."

Lu Xingfeng only vaguely understood what he was hearing, but since it sounded very impressive, he didn't ask any further questions.

Ning Hai pondered for a moment, then casually asked, "Brother Feng, joining my portal to another time leads to your own era. What do you plan to do?"

Lu Xingfeng chewed on his steak and mumbled, "We'll see when the time comes."

"You don't want to see your family?" Ning Hai asked again. "You look about my age, you should have a wife and children, right? In your generation, didn't people get married and have children very early?"

Lu Xingfeng swallowed the steak, then gulped down a large mouthful of beer, and said the same thing again, "We'll see when the time comes."

Ning Hai frowned slightly, a gloomy look flashing across his eyes.

From the time he met Lu Xingfeng to the time he brought him to the M country, quite some time had passed, but even now, apart from knowing that Lu Xingfeng was a person from the Xuan Kingdom more than two thousand years ago and possessed the magical martial arts of the ancient Huaxia Kingdom, he knew nothing about Lu Xingfeng's specific identity or background.

Whenever he tried to probe or ask, the other party would always brush him off.

I don't know if it's because I don't want to talk about it, or because I don't trust him enough.

Before long, Lu Xingfeng ate everything on the table, and then enthusiastically expressed that he wanted to watch a movie.

"Okay, let's go."

Ning Hai smiled and got up to accompany him into the next screening room.

It's called a movie theater, but it's actually just a converted old warehouse, and you have to bring your own chairs from the restaurant.

A screen was hung on the wall, a projector was set up behind it, and a bunch of messy old films were placed in the corner.

Ning Hai casually grabbed a disc, put it in the projector, pressed the start button, and the movie began to play.

These movies were all boring and not the latest releases, but for Lu Xingfeng, they were all fresh and interesting, and he could watch anything with great interest.

Every time he comes here, besides having a big meal, he will watch TV for at least one night straight without even blinking.

"I'm going to take a nap over there," Ning Hai said, yawning. "If you want to eat anything, just go to the restaurant and ask. If you want to see another movie, then—"

“I know, I know, go to sleep,” Lu Xingfeng said, staring at the screen. “I’ve already learned how to use that projector.”

“OK.” Ning Hai decisively walked to the corner near the door, lay down on the sofa that he had asked the restaurant waiter to place there, and closed his eyes to rest.

One night passed.

Ninghai was woken up by his cell phone ringing.

He opened his eyes and answered the phone.

Professor Bruce's excited voice came from the other end: "Come back quickly! The experts I found have been analyzing the data overnight and will be reaching a conclusion soon!"

"Okay, I'll go back right now!"

Ninghai was suddenly jolted awake.

It's no wonder that this research project has received such high-level attention from the top leadership of Country M.

Progress is fast.

It seems we'll soon find out exactly where we traveled to and what era it was.

"Brother Feng, we have to go back now," Ning Hai called out.

Lu Xingfeng didn't even turn his head. "Wait a little longer, the movie is almost over."

Ning Hai glanced at the mountain of fast food plates and empty beer cans piled up next to his chair, and muttered with a mixture of helplessness and envy, "A man in his forties can still get so much novelty and fun from these trashy movies and junk food... That's probably one of the advantages of ancient people traveling to the modern world."

Ning Hai didn't urge him, and waited patiently.

Despite not being able to read the subtitles or understand the original audio of these American films, Lu Xingfeng still watched until the very last second before reluctantly getting up.

Before Ning Hai took him away from the restaurant, he grabbed a few fast food burger and fried chicken meals for him to eat on the way.

Two hours later, the two returned to the laboratory base.

Ninghai let Xingfeng go to rest and went to a conference room alone.

"Ninghai! The conclusion is in!" Professor Bruce, beaming, pushed his laptop in front of Ninghai. "Look, this is the research report of more than a dozen experts."

Ning Hai glanced at it; it was all detailed analysis of the samples he had brought back.

He didn't pay attention to these processes; he simply scrolled to the end of the document with his mouse.

When I saw the analysis results, I was stunned.

Regarding the geographical location, it has been confirmed, as he initially speculated, to be the North American continent.

As for the era in which it took place, it was approximately two thousand years ago.

Since the concept of nation-states did not yet exist in North America at that time, we use the history of ancient China as a reference, which is roughly on the eve of the establishment of the Xuan Dynasty.

The basis for this judgment was the video footage Ninghai brought back, along with the clothing and ornaments of the indigenous tribe.

The period when the language and civilization of this indigenous tribe were most active coincided with the early period of the establishment of the first unified dynasty in ancient China.

However, according to historical records, this tribe disappeared more than a thousand years ago.

But this is a common occurrence in the long history of human development.

More than two thousand years ago, the North American continent was also home to various human groups and their own distinct civilizations, though they had not yet developed into nations.

"We've done a great job this time!" Professor Bruce was extremely excited, and then took out three sample objects and placed them on the table.

Ning Hai took a look and realized that this was the one he had taken from that native.

Two of them are metal pieces among the ornaments, irregularly oval in shape, about the size of a fingernail, with rough and simple patterns engraved on them.

The other was a piece of animal skin on the clothes.

"Is there a problem with these things?" Ning Hai asked.

Professor Bruce adjusted his glasses and pointed to two metal pieces. "These two, one is gold and the other is copper."

Ning Hai was somewhat surprised, "More than two thousand years ago, there were already indigenous tribes on the North American continent who had mastered smelting technology?"

"No, no, no!" Professor Bruce's blue eyes gleamed. "Neither of these were refined from ore; they are native gold and native copper!"

Ning Hai knew that the so-called natural gold and natural copper referred to naturally formed high-purity gold and copper.

The fact that the natives could easily polish these objects into ornaments clearly indicates the presence of extremely high-purity gold and copper mines in that area.

"What about this? Could it be some kind of animal that's already extinct in our time?" Ning Hai picked up the animal skin.

If Professor Bruce's eyes were sparkling just now, they're practically flashlights now.

“Look here.” He pointed to the dark brown area on the animal hide.

Ning Hai frowned. "Is this... the natural pattern of the animal hide, or... something painted on or dirt stuck to it?"

Professor Bruce's pupils dilated with excitement. "I'm not sure if it was painted on or glued on, but after testing, it's high-purity petroleum!"

Ning Hai now finally understood why Professor Bruce had been so excited.

Country M has an enormous demand for oil, and has therefore encroached on many oil-producing regions around the world, even resorting to force to obtain oil.

So much so that many people on the internet are making jokes about how places with oil are likely to breed US troops.

As the global situation becomes increasingly complex, country M is also facing many problems.

Ning Hai didn't need to ask in detail to know what it would mean for the United States if they could obtain a large amount of oil through the Time-Space Gate.

"Professor, have you informed the higher-ups about these findings?" Ning Hai asked.

Professor Bruce waved his hand repeatedly, "Not yet, I need to confirm further, and... consider it carefully."

"Consider? Consider what?"

Ning Hai was somewhat puzzled by Professor Bruce's sudden hesitation.

Even simply reporting this discovery would bring Bruce immense honor and a generous reward.

Just as Professor Bruce was about to answer, the conference room door was suddenly pushed open.

Several men dressed in M ​​country military officer uniforms strode in and announced to Professor Bruce that, from now on, the time travel project would be taken over by the military.

"No! I won't just hand this project over to you like this!" Professor Bruce exclaimed angrily. "This is the culmination of my life's work! I'm going to contact the President!"

The other party then produced an approval order personally signed by the president.

"What?!" Professor Bruce nearly fell over.

"Professor!" Ning Hai hurriedly helped him up, lowering his voice to ask, "Didn't you say you hadn't reported it?"

Bruce clutched his chest, a bitter smile on his face. "It seems... they had people here all along, monitoring everything about the experiment. I... should have known."

The officer in charge then told the professor not to be so upset, as the project was being taken over by the military, but he would not be excluded, and would be awarded the Medal of Honor and a multi-million dollar bonus.

"Professor, this is a good thing," Ning Hai reassured him.

Bruce sighed heavily. "Sigh... there's no such thing as a free lunch. I can almost guess what they're up to, but I... really don't want to do that. That's why I just told you we need to think this through carefully."

Ning Hai was even more puzzled. "Isn't the purpose simple? I can guess it. Isn't it just to bring over resources like minerals and crude oil from over there? Any country would do the same if they encountered such a great opportunity, right? Is there a problem?"