The internet was in upheaval.
The Marching Ant Company's decision to open its holographic software development platform had ignited a storm, sending shockwaves through every corner of the tech world.
As the focal point of this global sensation, Marching Ant itself was busier than ever.
Holographic applications were exploding in popularity. Demand for holographic projectors and holographic smartphones was surging with no signs of slowing down.
At the same time, the adoption of the Termite computer system—Marching Ant's proprietary OS—was accelerating rapidly, threatening Microsoft Windows' long-held dominance. Combined with the native strength of the Chinese character programming language in holographic applications, the company's soft power was rising like a tidal wave.
Under Zhao Min's direction, the company was in full throttle—expanding production lines to meet soaring demand. The benefits were flowing in, and Marching Ant was capitalizing swiftly.
With the business side handled, Chen Mo remained focused on his research. While the outside world buzzed, Building One was as calm and focused as ever.
In the spacious holographic lab, a massive disc-shaped device—three meters wide and one meter high—sat in quiet anticipation. It bore a strong resemblance to the company's medium-sized holographic projectors.
The doors opened. Chen Mo stepped inside, accompanied by a robotic assistant, stopping before the giant disc.
This was his latest achievement: a large-scale holographic projector, the culmination of his recent research. With breakthroughs in medium-sized projection and micro-holographic tech, scaling up had become viable.
A closer inspection revealed the disc's slightly domed shape—designed to maximize projection surface. The disc was dotted with pinhole-sized microlasers, each finely calibrated by the system to enhance projection resolution and clarity.
"Ink Girl, let's test the projector," Chen Mo said.
"Got it, Brother Mo."
The robot nodded, and the disc powered on. A beam of dazzling light shot toward the lab ceiling, illuminating the room. A giant Loli-like figure materialized in the air—Ink Girl's avatar.
"All systems nominal," Ink Girl reported as her projection gently descended and hovered beside Chen Mo.
The entire system was backed by a superconducting computer array, capable of simulating, error-checking, and rerunning projection calibrations in real time. The final design had passed numerous simulations and iterations before this working prototype was produced.
Its projected range reached 30 meters, with high-resolution clarity extending past 20 meters. When used in tandem with another projector, the visuals became breathtakingly realistic.
Chen Mo's face lit up with relief. It was done.
The final phase of holographic technology had been completed. He'd kept his promise to Xiao Yu—once large-scale holography was finished, they could begin preparing for their wedding.
But more importantly, this marked a milestone: unlocking this tech meant the Science and Technology Library would soon reveal the next technology tier.
"Ink Girl, the large holographic projector tech is complete. Should we begin mass production?" she asked.
"No need. Not for now," Chen Mo replied. "The medium-sized projectors are enough to meet current market needs. Demand for the large-scale ones will be limited. Prepare a batch of 100 units, though—I have a specific use for them."
"Understood, Brother Mo." Ink Girl nodded, her expression humanlike.
"Also, archive the complete technical specifications into the Tech Library database," Chen Mo added, exiting the lab with the robot in tow.
"Already done. What's the next research focus?"
"I'll take a short break and think about it. I'll let you know after I wake up."
There was still plenty to explore. While Ink Girl continued enhancing the lab's infrastructure, Chen Mo's attention had to remain focused on core technologies. Only by unlocking deeper levels within the Science and Technology Library could true innovation continue.
Back in his private lounge, Chen Mo laid on the sofa and closed his eyes.
He entered the Science and Technology Library.
The familiar endless shelves of knowledge appeared. Suspended around him were the glowing projections of his current progress—eight technology directions, each representing a distinct field.
So far, he had completed:
Chemical Materials
Computer Technology
Room Temperature Superconductors
Supercomputers
As he watched, the category of Applied Physics also turned grey—completed.
Only five areas remained for the [Technology Apprentice] tier:
Biomedicine
Ecological Environment
Mechanical Engineering
Military Weapons
Energy Systems
Chen Mo stared at the options, deep in thought.
Each path represented a different future.
Military technology was tempting, but far too sensitive. Without proper groundwork, it would bring more problems than breakthroughs. For now, he'd avoid it.
Biomedicine and ecology were also off the table—too far removed from his current track. Jumping from holography into medicine or environmental engineering would create unnecessary turbulence.
That left two choices: mechanical engineering or energy.
With his current industrial capabilities, mechanical systems were manageable—especially since his robots were already advancing steadily.
But energy—that piqued his curiosity.
The second-generation Demon Girl robot still relied on carbon-based batteries. Though superconducting circuits had reduced energy consumption, power duration remained a bottleneck.
Independent carbon crystal batteries couldn't sustain high-speed processing for long. And the plan to build a fully autonomous physical body for Ink Girl had been delayed repeatedly because of this.
A new energy solution could change everything. It could be the key to creating the third-generation robot—and so much more.
After a moment of reflection, Chen Mo finally stepped into the energy sector's projection beam.
He reached out, hand hovering toward the book that would shape his next path.
The next chapter of the Science and Technology Library was about to begin.