On the day of the press conference.

The No. 1 conference hall of the Jinling Space Launch Center was crowded.

Reporters of all colors stood here, almost filling the otherwise spacious conference hall.

In order to leave enough space for the interviewer, all the cameras, whether automatic or manual, were arranged on both sides of the conference hall, leaving a place in the middle of the conference hall.

"Such a big scene, do you think Academician Lu can handle it?"

Standing next to Director Li, the young man in a formal suit looked around with a slightly surprised expression and muttered to himself.

As the secretary of the office of the director of the Bureau of Science and Industry, he was originally the spokesman for this press conference. But since Lu Zhou agreed to attend by himself, he became a substitute.

Hearing his secretary's words, Director Li smiled.

"Can you cope with it? You're kidding. That guy has seen more big scenes than me, and I've seen a lot of more lively scenes, so let's not worry about him for this small scene. ”

The hour hand of the wall clock on the wall has reached the right time.

Under everyone's expectations, Lu Zhou, who was dressed in formal clothes, walked to the stage.

Facing the eyes of the audience staring at him, Lu Zhou cleared his throat as usual and said in a steady voice.

"Good afternoon, everyone, I'm Lu Zhou, the chief designer of the manned fire boarding office."

"Originally, in our arrangement, the second group of scientific researchers going to the Mars scientific research base will set off at the end of the year with the supplies to Mars, but because we found traces of suspected extraterrestrial civilizations near the coordinates of 15 degrees south latitude and 128.1 degrees west longitude, the original launch plan was revised and the personnel and equipment of the second batch of landing plans were reconfigured."

"Below is the adjusted roadmap of the manned launch plan, as well as the specific work arrangements for the 'second contact'...... Let's take a look at the big screen. ”

In concise and concise terms, he gave a general introduction to the entire manned landing plan, and Lu Zhou gave these reporters enough time to take pictures when he screened the PPT.

Soon, the PPT screening ended.

Lu Zhou nodded to the staff next to him, signaling that the first round of questions and answers could begin.

In view of the content that needs to be announced, the press conference was divided into two parts, the first half of which focused on the specific details of the plan, and the second half of which was the announcement of the list of "human delegations" who had made second contact with extraterrestrial civilizations, as well as a brief introduction to the identities of the delegates.

In order to facilitate the reporters to focus on asking questions, the question session was also divided into two parts.

"Hello, Academician Lu Zhou, I am a reporter from Renren Daily, and I would like to ask what are the highlights of this manned landing plan."

was the first to get the opportunity to ask questions, and the reporter of "Renren Daily" stretched out the microphone in her hand.

Smiling at her and nodding, Lu Zhou spoke.

"I think it's worth paying attention to in two ways."

"One is the transportation aspect, and the other is the life aspect."

"In terms of transportation, the all-terrain rover we deployed on Mars this time has strengthened the communication module and made many special designs for the sandstorm environment on Mars. In terms of life, this time it is not only the scientific expedition personnel who go to Mars, but also the functional colonization module that is additionally carried. ”

"Through these independent colony modules, as well as the pipelines connecting the core colony module and the functional colony module, we will expand the scientific research base on the surface of Mars, and in the future we will be able to accommodate more scholars to carry out scientific research activities on Mars."

After the reporter of Renren Daily finished asking questions, another foreign reporter stood up again.

"Hello, I'm a reporter for The Washington Post. We note that you use the word 'suspected' when referring to traces of extraterrestrial civilizations. I would like to ask if that means there is an uncleared controversy about the extraterrestrial civilization...... What other new discoveries have been made in the Manned Fireboarding Office? ”

Lu Zhou: "The use of the word suspected is just out of my personal caution, please do not interpret it otherwise." ”

As the question session continued, reporters from all sides asked questions one after another, and Lu Zhou also answered them one by one.

Overall, the atmosphere of the press conference was quite good.

Although some of the questions were a little tricky, they were all within a reasonable range, like questions that a normal person would ask, but when it came to the New York Times reporter, the atmosphere at the press conference suddenly became weird.

The person who asked the question was a white man.

I saw him hand over the microphone in his hand and threw out a question that had little to do with the manned landing plan itself: "Have you heard of Xu Jing?" ”

Xu Jing?

frowned, thinking that he had heard of this name somewhere, but Lu Zhou couldn't remember it for a while, so he looked at him and answered.

"No, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, it's just a little surprise, you don't know it," Lu Zhou looked at with some surprise, and the reporter continued, "Then let me briefly introduce that she is a reporter who used to write a column for our newspaper, and is now active in the press as a freelance journalist, and is still relatively famous on the Internet." ”

Hearing this, Lu Zhou finally remembered who that person was, and it turned out to be the author of the popular article in the circle of friends.

With a faint smile, Lu Zhou continued with a somewhat playful expression.

"Is there anything you'd like to ask on behalf of your former employee?"

"Of course! However, I asked such questions not because of her status as a former employee, but because of the questions she asked, which we all thought about. ”

The white reporter stared at Lu Zhou and continued at a brisk pace.

“…… As we all know, China has achieved quite excellent results in the field of space, and intends to expand the existing achievements to the distant Mars. However, apart from the waste of resources and empty honors, this space race does not seem to have precipitated much. ”

In her article, Ms. Xu pointed out that there are still many people in your country who live below the subsistence line, and many people who have not even made a plane. Do you think there is really practical significance in developing aerospace technology in China?

Interrupting the reporter's speech, Lu Zhou answered his question in a rhetorical tone.

"Have you ever been to Los Angeles?"

Reporter: "...... Of course, that's one of the biggest cities on the West Coast, and of course I've been, what's wrong? ”

Lu Zhou: "I've been there too, and I've had the pleasure of taking the subway there once. When you sent astronauts into space, did you think that there are still many homeless people, let alone flying, and even living is an ordeal. ”

A look of embarrassment appeared on the reporter's face.

Realizing what Lu Zhou might say next, he quickly diverted the topic and said.

"Of course...... Our country also has its own problems, and as a journalist I will honestly reveal them, but now we are not talking about China? ”

"There is no doubt that you are the most influential scholar in China and the world, and you have also made remarkable achievements in your field! But just like Ms. Xu's soul-tormenting question, have you considered the social problems that your research may bring, such as poverty and unemployment? ”

"Or do the three examples mentioned in her article not deserve happiness or even the right to live in your eyes?"

Facing the sharp eyes of the white reporter in the audience, Lu Zhou could almost predict in his heart that this guy was probably premeditated.

However, even knowing this, Lu Zhou did not have any surprises or nervousness.

It is also a tradition of American journalists to ask ridiculous questions at press conferences.

Looking at him with a smile, Lu Zhou gave his answer in an understated tone.

"To be honest, I didn't think about it and didn't care much."

There was a commotion at the press conference.

Even the white reporter's eyes widened, as if he didn't expect Lu Zhou to be so direct and walk directly into the trap he set in the question.

Looking at the scene of the press conference that spread the commotion, he even had already thought about the headline of tomorrow's New York Times.

Seeing that the scene was a little uncontrollable, Director Li was anxious, and while looking at Lu Zhou on the stage frantically, he pulled the secretary next to him, wanting him to go up to the rescue and get Academician Lu down.

However, Lu Zhou seemed to have no sight at all, ignoring Director Li's eyes.

After a moment's pause, he continued.

"Like now, you expect me to be like a great man."

"Solve all your worries, prepare steamed buns and bread for you when you feel hungry, cut it into slices and bake it when you are too lazy to do it, preferably put it in your mouth, and watch you eat it......"

Looking at the approving expression on the reporter's face, Lu Zhou continued unceremoniously.

"But it's impossible."

"Technology is just a tool for creating wealth, and it's just a tool for creating wealth."

"Someone else has to study new sociological theories, to delve into new relations of production and new ways of distributing resources, and to lay the theoretical foundations for new institutions. Because our social scientists know that how to distribute this wealth is the best way to solve the problem of inequality. ”

"However, no matter how much you divide the cake, if you want everyone to be fed, productivity is the premise of everything."

"The development of science and technology will inevitably eliminate backward production capacity, and jobs will change, but the opportunity to work will never disappear, but will reappear in another, more decent and creative form. And our society will protect those who have lost their jobs due to industrial transformation, provide them with free training and unemployment benefits, and guide them to find their own place in this society again. ”

If you can't understand what a more decent job is, you might as well flip through your history textbooks and compare 18th-century North America with post-millennial North America, and I'm sure you'll find the answers you want in history. And if you think that lithium-sulfur batteries, controlled fusion, or the birth of quantum computers and space shuttles have merely robbed people of their jobs and made no sense in building your utopia, then I can only deplore your stupidity. ”

"So, why do I say that I don't care about the issues you mentioned."

"One, that's not what I'm studying."

"The second is that I have a lot of confidence that people in the future will solve these problems."

"As for whether I'm brave or not, it's not your or her's turn to question this."

After a pause, Lu Zhou continued.

"This trip to Mars."

"I'll lead the team myself."

The moment the words fell, it wasn't just the reporter who asked the question earlier with shock written on his face.

The entire No. 1 conference hall was blown up by the noise......

(End of chapter)