The apocalypse arrives. Earth’s civilization is judged to have exhausted its potential and sentenced to “formatting.” A one-year countdown hangs in the sky. Lin Fan, an ordinary young man, is the only savior chosen by the “Civilization Climber” System. His ultimate mission is to develop “controlled nuclear fusion” before time runs out and give civilization a chance to survive.
Faced with utter desperation, Lin Fan chooses to trust his country. Taking on the anonymous identity “Zhulong,” he submits the System’s era-defying key theories to the nation’s highest scientific research institution. Their unprecedented nature shocks the academic world and prompts the government to launch the top-secret “Ark Project.” The entire nation’s resources are marshaled to build an experimental facility, “Xihe One,” in the desert.
As the project’s chief consultant behind the scenes, Lin Fan guides it through crucial stages. After overcoming countless obstacles, from technical bottlenecks to international espionage, the project finally reaches its moment of ignition as the countdown nears its end. Though crises arise both inside and out, Lin Fan turns the tide with the System’s final assistance.
In the end, Xihe One successfully achieves sustained net energy gain. The countdown to the apocalypse disappears, and humanity passes the test, ensuring civilization’s survival. Lin Fan steps out from the shadows as an anonymous hero, but he knows that controlled nuclear fusion is only the first step in the grand journey of leading humanity toward the stars and beyond.
