It took almost five days for the Fifth Fleet to reach the anchorage on the periphery of Saturn's orbit, where they would rendezvous with the rest of the Solar System Fleet.

Then form a large formation and go to the vicinity of Uranus's orbit to intercept the Trisomy probe

Halfway through, Pang Xuelin had already received news that the Fields Ellinger Telescope, the most powerful deep-space telescope under the Solar System Fleet, had found traces left by water droplets passing through the oil film dust cloud.

At present, almost everyone in the solar system fleet is gearing up, wanting to witness the historical moment when human beings first came into contact with the three-body civilization.

Even inside the "Natural Selection", everyone looked jubilant.

This is true for the army, not to mention the general population.

Whether it is Fleet International or Earth International, all important news media are broadcasting live this first head-to-head contact between human civilization and the three-body civilization 24 hours a day.

There are even media outlets that have designed a countdown to the fleet's contact with the probe based on the latest information.

On the Internet, various discussions about the three-body detector are also endless.

Everyone is looking forward to the arrival of the Three-Body Civilization Probe.

"Commander, there's an order from the Solar System Fleet General Command asking us to join the fleet cluster."

Dongfang continued to salute Xu Shaomin.

Xu Shaomin turned his gaze to Pang Xuelin.

Pang Xuelin didn't seem to be paying attention, his eyes were looking through the porthole, and he was observing a rectangular super fleet built by more than 2,000 dazzling small suns on the periphery of Saturn's rings 100,000 kilometers away.

Pang Xuelin knew that in such a rectangular formation, the interval between the warships was about 20 kilometers, and although the average volume of each warship was three to four times that of a naval aircraft carrier, it was almost just a point at this distance, so what the battleship could show its existence in space was the light emitted by the fusion engine.

Pang Xuelin seemed to be shocked by this magnificent scene, and did not notice Xu Shaomin's gaze.

Xu Shaomin had to repeat Dongfang's continuation again.

Pang Xuelin was slightly stunned and asked, "This kind of dense formation is not a normal cruising formation, right?" ”

Xu Shaomin nodded and said: "This is formed according to the review formation, in fact, the fleet adopts this rectangular and horizontal formation formation, not just to show majesty and momentum, if the traditional column is used, even if it is a staggered column, the strong radiation generated by the engines of each warship will have an impact on the ships in the rear." Many of the generals in several detachments had raised objections to this super-dense formation, but the use of conventional formations encountered difficult problems. The first is the principle of fairness of the opportunity to participate in the war, if the probe is approached in a conventional formation, even if it is approached to the smallest distance, the battleship at the edge of the formation is still tens of thousands of kilometers away from the target, if there is a battle in the capture of the probe, then a considerable number of warships can not be counted as participating ships, which will leave an eternal regret in history. ”

"So compress the formation into a super-dense parade formation, so that all the ships are within combat distance. Another reason for adopting the parade formation is that both the Fleet International and the United Nations hope that the formation can produce a strong visual shock, which is not so much a display of the strength of the three-body world, but rather for the human public to see, and this unprecedented visual impact is of great political significance to both worlds. At the moment, the enemy's main forces are still two light years away, and under normal conditions the dense formation of the fleet will not be in any danger. ”

Pang Xuelin smiled faintly and said, "Tell the command that the Fifth Fleet is on guard outside the main fleet to prevent the three-body detector from escaping accidentally." Let's just say, I made this suggestion. ”

Xu Shaomin was slightly stunned, and saluted Pang Xuelin and said, "Yes!" ”

"But, Professor Pang ......"

Dongfang on the side frowned.

You must know that the reason why the solar system fleet adopted this super-dense formation formation this time is because the enthusiasm of each detachment to participate in the battle is too high, and no one wants to miss such a historic moment.

Who would have thought that Pang Xuelin not only asked the Fifth Fleet to refuse to join the main fleet, but instead let the Fifth Fleet be on guard on the periphery, so that the Fifth Fleet would almost become a soy sauce role!

Xu Shaomin's eyes froze, and he said, "Dongfang, you can just follow the commander's order." ”

"Yes!"

Dongfang continued to open his mouth, saluted Pang Xuelin and Xu Shaomin a little bitterly, and went down to reply.

After a while, Dongfang Continuation came back and said, "Professor Pang, Admiral Steven Eddy, the commander-in-chief of the fleet, wants to speak to you!" ”

Pang Xuelin was slightly stunned, and motioned for Dongfang to continue to answer the signal.

Soon, a personal image of Steven Eddie appeared out of thin air in front of his eyes.

"Professor Pang, I just received your suggestion, will you be too careful with this arrangement?"

Steven Eddy Dao.

Pang Xuelin said lightly: "Be careful, don't underestimate the three-body civilization, since they have the confidence to send probes into the solar system, then they must be prepared to turn their faces." What's more, you should know the current state of the universe. ”

Pang Xuelin is talking about the theory of the law of the dark forest.

At present, this theory is known only to the nine standing members of the International Supreme Council of the Fleet.

Steven Eddy smiled and said, "Professor Pang, don't worry, the fleet international has been arranged, and while the fleet meets the enemy, we will have more than 20 high-power radio wave transmission systems aimed at the sun." Even if there is an accident, we have the confidence to turn the chess game upside down. ”

Pang Xuelin said: "What if the Three-Body Civilization interfers with the sun on a large scale through probes and locks us up our ability to threaten the other party through the law of the dark forest? ”

Steven Eddy was slightly stunned and said with a smile: "Professor Pang, don't worry, we still have neutrino communication, which can also do this." ”

Pang Xuelin said: "Not to mention the ability of neutrino communication to send information in one direction and weaken the threat effect of the law of the dark forest, are you sure that neutrinos can penetrate the two-dimensional membrane formed after the neutrino unfolds?" ”

Steven Eddie cried and laughed: "Professor Pang, this time the Three-Body Civilization came over, it was just a probe, and we dispatched a whole fleet, if in this case, we are still defeated by the Three-Body Civilization, then our development will have no meaning, even if it is another two hundred years, it is estimated that it will be a loss." ”

Pang Xuelin said lightly: "Since this is the case, you can go according to the normal arrangement." However, I still hope that the Fifth Fleet can break away from the large formation and carry out the task of alert interception! ”

Steven Eddie shrugged his shoulders and said, "Okay." Then I am not reluctant, but it is a pity that the boys of the Fifth Fleet lost such an opportunity to witness such a historic moment. ”

After that, Steven Eddie's figure disappeared in an instant in front of Pang Xuelin's eyes.

Pang Xuelin smiled, ignoring the discord between Steven Eddie's words, winked at Dongfang Continuous, who was a little disappointed on the side, and then said to Xu Shaomin: "Commander Xu, give a warning order!" ”

"Yes!"

……

The fleet continued to advance at a speed of 1,000 kilometers per second, until it was about twelve astronomical units from the Sun, and then began to slow down.

The latest news, Fleet International's reconnaissance spacecraft has spotted three of the ten probes, and these three are flying across the orbit of Uranus in the direction where Fleet International is located.

As for the remaining seven, Fleet International is still searching.

Pang Xuelin is not surprised by this.

Of the seven probes, Pang Xuelin estimated that three of them were on the mission of attacking the Zhizi jamming station.

Human beings have arranged a total of six Zhizi interference stations in the outer solar system, and as long as two or three of them fail, then the Zhizi blockade in the solar system will basically be lifted.

At that time, Tomoko, who was originally hidden in the solar system, can resume work at any time.

Moreover, these Zhizi jamming stations are about fifty astronomical units away from the sun, and the Three-Body Civilization can attack in advance, and it will be six or seven hours before the fleet receives the news.

These six or seven hours will be the best time for the Three-Body Civilization to use Zhizi to unilaterally communicate information to human beings.

As long as it is certain that human beings have not yet mastered the gravitational wave communication technology, even if Tomoko finds himself inside the fleet, the Three-Body Civilization will also attack.

Destroying the space military power of mankind, and then blockading the sun, then mankind will become a toothless tiger and no longer pose any threat to the three-body civilization.

This is the only chance for the Trisolaran.

And the only turning point for mankind is the gravitational wave communication antenna system deployed on the earth by itself, threatening the three-body civilization with a dark forest strike.

At present, the Zhizi jamming station on the earth is still operating normally, and the Trisolarans are not capable of destroying the gravitational wave communication antenna system in a short period of time.

It's just that the only thing Pang Xuelin hesitates about is whether to directly threaten the Three-Body Civilization with this point before the Water Drops launch an attack on the human fleet.

He believed that as long as the blockade of Tomoko in the solar system was lifted, once the Trisolarans discovered their existence, they would definitely pay close attention to themselves.

When the time comes, I will come up with a few words about the gravitational wave emission system, and I will be able to completely make this war disappear.

But in this way, he has no chance to take advantage of this deadly battle of the end and regain the fleet international.

Even in the next era of deterrence, he will be directly pushed out by Fleet International, take over the Dark Forest strike system, and become a sword bearer.

Pang Xuelin showed a trace of bitterness on his face, he didn't expect that one day, he would also face such a choice.

On the one hand, the lives of millions of military personnel in the fleet international, and on the other hand, the future of mankind and the solar system.

After being silent for a long time, Pang Xuelin's eyes showed a look of determination.

The layout of 200 years must not be ruined by a momentary soft-heartedness.

Moreover, after observing the past six months, Pang Xuelin does not think that with the current level of governance of Earth International and Fleet International, he can lead mankind to survive safely in this dark universe.

……

I don't know when, Xu Shaomin's voice sounded in Pang Xuelin's ears.

"Professor Pang, at present, the quantum research spacecraft under the Star Ring Institute for Advanced Study is tracking the Trisolaraan probe in front of the fleet. At that time, as long as the probe does not show obvious hostility, it will be captured and examined by the Quantum spacecraft, and at the relative velocity between us and the probe, it is estimated that it will be another ten hours before the probe is actually seen. ”

Pang Xuelin was slightly stunned and asked:

"Who was the first scientist to touch the detector?"

Xu Shaomin said: "It's Professor Lynch Clark from Earth International. ”

Pang Xuelin nodded and did not speak.

In the original book, Ding Yi was the first scientist to come into contact with the three-body detector.

The plot of this world has changed greatly, Ding Yi, as a human in the Common Era, has served as the leader of the International Scientific Committee of the Fleet, and now he is still in a state of hibernation, and the Fleet International will naturally not wake up such a scientist with high political prestige to carry out such a dangerous mission.

If nothing else, this Professor Lynch Clark may be more than lucky.

It's just that Pang Xuelin himself has a little influence on the Fifth Fleet, and it is impossible to influence the decision-making of Fleet International and Earth International.

After a moment of silence, Pang Xuelin said: "Okay, since it still takes ten hours, then I'll go to sleep first, and I'll talk about the rest after I wake up." ”

"Okay, Professor Pang, then you can go and rest first."

Back in his living quarter, Pang Xuelin fell asleep.

This night, Pang Xuelin slept grogily.

Perhaps because his heart was too heavy, in a daze, Pang Xuelin seemed to see the destruction of the battleship in the endless sea of fire, and those wailing human beings, because of the high overload, the whole person was pressed into a pancake face, and constantly appeared in Pang Xuelin's sleep.

I don't know when, Pang Xuelin vaguely heard Zhuang Yan's voice.

"Brother Pang, Brother Pang, Brother Pang, Brother Pang......"

Pang Xuelin woke up from his dream suddenly, and saw Zhuang Yan's slightly worried face.

Pang Xuelin said: "Yan Yan, what time is it now?" ”

Zhuang Yan said: "At eight o'clock in the morning (fleet reference time), now the fleet is carrying out an interception mission on the probe. Brother Pang, what happened to you just now? You okay? ”

Pang Xuelin shook his head and said, "It's okay, I had a nightmare, let's go to the bridge." ”

"Oh, good!"

Zhuang Yan and Pang Xuelin walked out of the cabin together.

Coming to the bridge, Dongfang Xu and Xu Shaomin were watching the picture from the unmanned detector in front.

Seeing Pang Xuelin coming, Xu Shaomin said: "Professor Pang, our fleet is only 10,000 kilometers away from the probe, and the Quantum is already close to the probe, this is the picture of the three-body probe taken at close range by the Mantis unmanned spacecraft just now. ”

Xu Shaomin clicked a few times out of thin air, and another hologram appeared in front of Pang Xuelin's eyes.

"It's beautiful!"

Zhuang Yan covered his mouth lightly, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

Dongfang continued: "It's beautiful, just like ......"

"Like a tear of the Virgin!"

Pang Xuelin said lightly.

In the footage, the probe is about the same size as he expected, 3.5 meters long.

When I saw it, I made the same impression as everyone else: a drop of mercury.

The detector is in the shape of a perfect droplet, with a round head and a pointed tail, and the surface is an extremely smooth total reflective mirror, and the Milky Way reflects a smooth pattern of light on its surface, making the drop of mercury look pure and beautiful.

The shape of its droplet is so lifelike that observers sometimes think it is liquid, and there is no internal mechanical structure at all.