Age of Cataclysm: I can light up the technology tree

The office door opened again.

Ren Feng and Zhang Zhengqing walked out of the office one after another.

"Academician Zhang!"

A shout came from the side.

Zhang Zhengqing and Ren Feng stopped their hurried steps at the same time and turned their heads to look in the direction of the voice.

The person who spoke was a researcher with a slightly immature face and a white coat.

Perhaps because of Ren Feng, the young researcher seemed extremely nervous.

"Zhang, Academician Zhang."

He stammered, "The target, the target star field has been compared for the third time."

"Hmm?" Zhang Zhengqing raised his eyebrows and asked softly, "Did you find anything?"

"No." The young researcher's voice became fluent, "We compared the data in the database in detail."

"Except for Ross 154, we did not find any abnormal conditions."

Although he had expected this result, Zhang Zhengqing still felt his heart sink.

He nodded, waved his hand gently and said, "Okay, I know."

As he said that, he turned around and walked towards the elevator.

The long-distance communication device is placed on the fourth floor of the Academy of Sciences.

"Academician Zhang, then, should we continue the search?" The voice of the young researcher sounded again, "The radio telescope has just been repaired halfway, and it is easy to make misjudgments if we rely solely on optical telescopes to search."

Zhang Zhengqing took a deep breath and nodded vigorously.

"Continue searching!"

"Always pay attention to the direction of Ross 154. Report any abnormality immediately!"

...

Looking at the back of the young researcher leaving, Ren Feng nodded thoughtfully: "Is this a newcomer who just entered the Academy of Sciences?"

Zhang Zhengqing was stunned for a moment, then nodded with a smile: "Yes! Did you see it?"

Ren Feng shrugged: "Of course."

"He almost carved the word novice on his forehead."

As he spoke, Ren Feng walked forward: "By the way, there seem to be a lot of new faces in the Academy of Sciences recently."

Zhang Zhengqing hurriedly caught up with Ren Feng, with a hint of excitement in his expression, and said: "There are indeed a lot of newcomers."

"Although the professional qualities are uneven, it is always a good thing."

"In the past 25 years, our scientific research work has become smoother and smoother."

"The progress of analyzing the original scientific and technological system has also increased significantly."

"Perhaps it won't be long before we can build our first starship."

These words fell into Ren Feng's ears, but did not bring him any joy.

He sighed softly, stretched out his hand and pressed the button of the elevator in front of him: "What a pity..."

"Ding!"

A crisp sound rang out, and the elevator door opened.

The two stepped together and walked into the elevator.

"What a pity?"

Watching the elevator door slowly close, the smile on Zhang Zhengqing's face gradually disappeared.

He frowned and asked in a low voice: "What a pity?"

"Huh..."

Ren Feng exhaled a breath of turbid air and said in a deep voice: "Compared with 25 years ago, the birth rate is declining."

"According to the latest statistics, the birth rate within the civilization has fallen by 25% in the past 25 years."

"This is extremely bad news for our fragile civilization."

Zhang Zhengqing's face changed slightly, and he said in a hurried tone: "Why didn't you say this earlier?"

"Didn't the parliament take any measures?!"

Ren Feng shook his head bitterly.

"All possible measures have been taken."

"But they are basically ineffective."

"Family values ​​are gradually fading, and fertility rates are declining..."

"These conditions have become increasingly serious over the past 25 years."

"Perhaps this is the last glory of human civilization on Proxima Centauri."

"Ding!"

A crisp sound came.

The elevator door opened.

The spacious venue on the fourth floor of the Academy of Sciences appeared in front of the two.

"Let's go." Ren Feng took a deep breath and said, "Let's solve the Ross 154 issue first."

As he said this, he took the lead in walking out of the elevator.

He didn't see that Zhang Zhengqing in the elevator looked gloomy, as if he was thinking about some major problem.

...

More than ten minutes later.

Zhang Zhengqing skillfully operated the long-distance communication device in front of him.

Suddenly, the movement of his hand suddenly stopped.

"Okay?" Ren Feng's eyes lit up and he asked quickly.

"Not yet." Zhang Zhengqing shook his head, "I just thought of one thing."

"It's difficult to increase the fertility rate. Have you thought of other ways to solve it?"

Ren Feng frowned: "For example?"

"Programs to stimulate young people to have children have been passed one after another, but they are of little use."

"Don't talk about the fertility rate. In the past two years, the number of people getting married has dropped a lot!"

"I can't force these young people to get married and have children, right?"

Speaking of this, Ren Feng's face became more and more anxious.

He remembered the document he read this morning.

That was a newly drafted plan to stimulate fertility.

Although it has not been implemented yet, Ren Feng knows in his heart that this stimulus plan may not have any effect.

Even so, he still chose to pass this plan.

The reason is simple.

Proxima human civilization has no better choice!

"No, no, no." Zhang Zhengqing shook his head slowly, his mouth corners raised, revealing a somewhat mysterious smile.

"What I want to say is not these stimulus plans that only treat the symptoms but not the root cause."

"...What do you mean?" Ren Feng's eyes flashed with surprise, and he subconsciously lowered his voice and asked.

"Social public support system."

Zhang Zhengqing responded briefly and forcefully.

...

The moment the voice fell, Ren Feng subconsciously held his breath.

"Public support, public education, you should be clear about this theory."

"At present, we have mastered the relevant technology."

"As long as the parliament passes the bill, the population problem that has troubled us for so long will be solved immediately!"

Zhang Zhengqing's voice kept coming from the side.

"You are crazy!"

Ren Feng looked straight at Zhang Zhengqing who was talking endlessly: "Public support system, do you know how many ethical issues are involved?!"

"This will destroy our entire civilization!"

Zhang Zhengqing looked at Ren Feng in front of him with a smile: "Is there any difference?"

Ren Feng suddenly woke up!

Yes.

If the fertility rate continues to decline, it seems that there is no difference between the two for the human civilization of Proxima Centauri!

He took a few deep breaths and rubbed his cheeks vigorously.

After calming down a little, he said in a deep voice: "I will hold a meeting to discuss this matter."

"Wait until Ross 154 is resolved, and give me a detailed feasibility plan."

"Remember, try to avoid ethical problems."

Zhang Zhengqing smiled.

"For the continuation of human civilization, I believe that any problems that arise are just minor pains."