In May 1968, Lin Youde once again convened the senior scientists and chief engineers of the entire Babel project.

"We think it's best to choose a location for a ground base station in Singapore." Von Kármán pointed to the map, "It looks like this is the safest, and it has been run by the British, the infrastructure is the best, the cost of building a base station is the lowest, and more importantly, it is almost just below the counterweight in orbit, although after our research over the years, the base station does not have to be built directly below, but I think choosing a place where the ladder is as vertical as possible will make it easier." ”

"The preliminary validation and design work for the elevator train is almost complete," says Dr. Porsche, the successor of Dr. Porsche, "We have found a way to solve the problem of shell temperature, and the new shell can withstand very drastic temperature changes without problems." However, we have not yet been able to solve the problem of excessive power connected from the elevator cables, and based on the current intensity we have calculated, we have not yet managed to ensure the safety of the equipment on the train. ”

"Can't you use alchemy materials?" Lin Youde couldn't help asking.

Dr. Porsche shook his head: "It's not a matter of material capacity, if we want the equipment to operate safely, we may have to install a very large transformer equipment on the tram, which will seriously affect the load capacity of the tram." ”

"Why don't you just insulate the tram from the elevator cables and then send electricity into the tram through other lines?" Viola, who was present at the meeting, asked puzzled.

Everyone turned their heads to look at Viola, and everyone's eyes made Viola a little embarrassed: "I, I also know that there must be a reason for this, but I don't understand if you don't explain it." ”

"Ms. Viola, the wires used to deliver electricity to the tram also cut the magnetic inductance lines of the geomagnetic field, so it also generates a very strong current, which makes no sense." Bohr, who attended the meeting on behalf of the Institute of Theoretical Physics, was busy explaining.

Viola was stunned for a moment, and said embarrassedly: "Yes, that's the case, I see." Well, there's really no need to do it alone. ”

"It seems that we have to sacrifice the load capacity to install the transformer equipment." Lin Youde shook his head, "As long as the single delivery mass of this system can be larger than that of our largest rocket, then it has value." ”

"You don't have to worry about this, we have made calculations, and after adding enough safety equipment, the capacity of a single trip is still equivalent to about 15 times the capacity of our largest rocket at present."

Lin Youde nodded.

"Then there's nothing to hesitate about, let's start building."

Many people breathed a sigh of relief when they heard Lin Youde make a decision, while Ysera, who was in attendance, frowned and began to write and draw in his notebook, probably calculating how much the construction of this thing would affect the budget of the entire Lin family.

Lin Youde glanced at Isera, and then signaled to the great scientists that the meeting could be dismissed.

After a while, Lin Youde and his family were left in the entire conference room.

Lin Youde asked Ysera: "Can we afford to build this thing now?" ”

"Can be can, but in order to avoid the deterioration of the economic and financial situation, I build yì dad you propose to the allies to jointly invest in the construction of the building. At least the Mesopotamian Chinese Republic should bear the cost as much as possible. If possible, let Vale do the same. ”

Lin Youde couldn't help but stroke his chin, although Sophie solved the problem of mass production of new inorganic polymer materials that meet the requirements, but the construction of such a large project is really very expensive.

Lin Youde leaned back, leaning on the back of his chair and looking up at the ceiling.

At that moment, a man dressed as a secretary entered the conference room, went straight to Ysera's side and whispered a few words.

"What's going on?" Lin Youde asked loudly.

"It's a liaison from the new president of the United States, and they seem to be ......"

"Seems to be wrong?" Lin Youde saw that Isera was about to speak, so he asked, "The current president of the United States is Mary Belle, what is she going to do?" ”

"She hopes to be part of our Babylon Project as well."

"Oh?" Lin Youde responded with great interest, "Could it be that Mary Belle and Howard Stark tinkered with the rail elevator for so long, and finally realized that they couldn't figure it out, so they came to me to cooperate?" ”

"Probably." Isera paused and asked in a low voice, "Do you need to give them an affirmative answer first, and then see what kind of conditions they can come up with to participate in this project?" ”

"That's it! Find out what kind of help they intend to provide and what benefits they are prepared to get from us. ”

"Understood." Ysera nodded, then closed her laptop and stood up, "Then I'll go about my business." ”

Lin Youde raised his hand and waved at his eldest daughter, and then Ysera left the conference room.

Now there are only two people left in the conference room, Lin Youde and Viola.

"You're really not going to let Ysera run for the next president?" Viola turned her head to look at Lin Youde and asked softly.

"What, do you want your daughter to be?"

"That's one of Ysera's dreams, after all," Viola's expression looked very gentle, "and although I know that you are trying to keep her out of the coming depression, and she probably knows this herself, it is still emotionally difficult to accept." ”

Lin Youde sighed: "It's not that I don't understand your feelings, my daughter's ideals or something, as a father, I also want to help her realize them." But if she becomes president next term, and then the depression begins, all the problems will be counted on her, even if it is not something that she can fight alone. ”

Viola was silent for a few seconds, then spoke again: "Actually, it's not sure if the Great Depression will happen, is it?" After all, the history of this plane has changed so much, maybe ......"

"It's going to happen, we've already seen some signs, and soon the second most famous depression in human history will come, and it will give birth to a large number of literary and artistic works with the characteristics of the times, and I'm too familiar with this era."

"You've said that before." Viola interrupted Lin Youde's words, and she sighed again, "Forget it, I'll do the work on my daughter's side, you're busy." Also, pay attention to your body, you will be a real old man in two years. ”

Lin Youde smiled: "I will pay attention, you see how regular my life is now, I go to bed early and get up early, and I carry the bird cage to walk the birds every morning, I have already lived out of the style of an old man." ”

Viola smiled.

Lin Youde also laughed, smiling and laughing, but with a sense of vicissitudes.

In the past, I always felt that those old men who could go to bed early and get up early, and walk birds and do tai chi every day were quite alienated from me, but it seemed that in an instant, he became a member of the old men.

It's really time flies, and the years are like a song.