"Martian dust storm?"

The old man frowned, a hint of worry flashing across his face: "A sandstorm?"

Seeing the worry on Councilor Li's face, Lü Yongchang quickly smiled and took over the conversation.

"Speaker, don't worry."

"Unlike dust storms on Earth, Martian dust storms are an extremely common phenomenon on Mars."

"Every Martian year, hundreds of regional dust storms occur on Mars, and these regional dust storms can combine to form global dust storms by chance."

"According to observational data, a global dust storm occurred on the Martian surface in 1971, which was the largest Martian dust storm ever observed by humans."

"It is conservatively estimated that the wind speed on the Martian surface reached 270 kilometers per hour at the time, and the entire dust storm lasted for several months."

Representative Li stared blankly at Lü Yongchang, clearly taken aback by the string of numbers he had just uttered: "Then..."

"Zero, what's the wind speed outside right now?" Lü Yongchang asked Zero with a smile.

"Professor, the wind speed is not high at present, with a surface wind speed of 124 kilometers per hour."

Upon hearing Zero's words, the old man's gaze became somewhat fixed.

"Yong, Yongchang?"

"You call this wind speed not high?"

The old man racked his brains, trying to recall: "I remember, this wind speed is already considered a Category 12 typhoon, right?!"

Lu Yongchang smiled and gently patted the old man's thin, bony shoulder: "Speaker, don't worry."

"This is Mars, not Earth."

"Mars has a thin atmosphere, with a density of only one percent of Earth's atmosphere. Although the wind speed looks impressive, it is not actually very powerful."

Martian dust storm

Lü Yongchang's explanation dispelled the old man's worries.

“According to model calculations, Mars City can withstand Martian dust storms with speeds exceeding 1,000 km/h.” Zero’s voice rang out at just the right moment. “Such dust storms are virtually impossible to occur on Mars.”

Time slips away, bit by bit.

The space elevator, operating at a reduced speed, was clearly much more stable.

Unbeknownst to them, the crimson scene outside the porthole quietly changed.

"Professor, we've arrived!"

A zero-point alert sounded.

[Seeking Wood] The hatch of the space elevator slowly opened, and a thin layer of crimson Martian dust fell on the ground in front of everyone.

Lu Yongchang was the first to unbuckle his seatbelt, stand up, and walk towards Mars City.

As he helped the old man through the hatch and stepped into Martian city through the Martian dust, several familiar figures appeared before him.

"Professor, it's been a long time."

Bai Yixuan stood there ramrod straight, grinned, and gave the councilor and Lü Yongchang a standard military salute.

"Report! The Mars City construction project has been successfully completed. Please provide further instructions, Commander!"

As Bai Yixuan finished speaking, dozens of starship pilots behind him raised their right hands in unison and saluted the group of researchers who were walking down the elevator.

Looking at the slightly thin figures of the people in front of him, the councilor's eyes reddened slightly.

He silently released Lü Yongchang's hand that was supporting him, stood up as straight as possible, raised his wrinkled right hand, and returned the greeting to everyone, saying, "Thank you for your hard work!"

...

"Professor, do we still have a mission?"

Perhaps because it was the first time in several months that Bai Yixuan and the others had seen their "new" compatriots, their spirits were noticeably higher.

Seeing Hong Fan's excited expression, Lü Yongchang's eyes flickered slightly, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips.

"There is indeed something very important."

"And you are the most suitable candidates for this task!"

Bai Yixuan's expression hardened: "Professor, we are willing to accept the mission!"

"..."

...

Two Xuan Nu II ships, their tails trailing eerie blue flames, soared into the sky amidst a sky full of crimson sparks and dust.

In the first ship, Xuan Nu II, Hong Fan sat blankly in his seat.

"Brother Fan."

Xia Wanyi's voice rang out: "From now on, when you see Professor Lü, you'd better not say anything."

Upon hearing this, Hong Fan's lips twitched, and the light in his eyes dimmed further.

"Sigh..." Bai Yixuan sighed deeply, "I was so stupid, really."

"I should have asked about the mission before I spoke."

Andrew's voice came over the team radio: "Guys, where's our first stop?"

"I can't wait to start prospecting for minerals on Mars!"

Hearing the voice on the radio, Hong Fan's eyes grew even more dejected.

His lips moved slightly as he muttered to himself, "Why, after all this time, do we still have to dig a hole on Mars?!"

...

Mount Sharp, officially known as Mount Aeolia.

Located in Gale Crater on Mars.

The mountain is 5,500 meters high, which would be considered a small mountain on Mars.

The two Xuan Nu II starships slowly landed at the foot of Mount Sharp.

The hatch slowly opened, and six astronauts in lightweight spacesuits stepped lightly out of the starship.

"Captain White, why did you choose this small mound?" Andrew's question came through the radio. "There are many mountains taller than this at the target location."

Bai Yixuan looked up at the "small mound" lying on the Martian surface and replied softly, "Because the Curiosity rover once explored this area."

"Curiosity?!" Andrew and his two companions exclaimed over the radio. "Captain White, you mean the Curiosity Mars rover that NASA launched more than twenty years ago?"

As Bai Yixuan drove the Mars rover out of the cargo hold of Xuan Nu II, he nodded and explained.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!