In Charles’s subconscious, Charlie wade and his group were military personnel involved in national security matters, so he was very polite and enthusiastic, “The temperature is dropping sharply now. The four of you may not be fully adapted yet. Let’s go inside quickly.”
Charlie wade nodded. The three women beside him did not feel cold at all and were curiously looking around. After all, ordinary people rarely have the chance to come to a place like this, especially in winter.
Charlie wade said to Charles, “First, give us a detailed introduction to the entire research station’s facilities and operations, such as what hardware is available and the basic operating methods for essential equipment.”
Charles nodded and explained to the four, “The main building in front of us is where all living quarters and daily indoor work areas are located. All indoor spaces have electric underfloor heating, twenty-four-hour heat exchange fresh air systems, humidifiers, and molecular sieve oxygen generation systems. So basically, we can maintain constant temperature, humidity, and oxygen levels.”
He then pointed to the arched buildings on the left and said, “Our generator sets are in the first equipment bay on the left. There are five diesel generator units: three primary and two backup, plus an energy storage system to ensure uninterrupted power. The second equipment bay houses our ice-melting and water storage equipment. It uses heat and electricity from the generators to slowly melt stored glacial ice, purify it, and store it in tanks, then distribute it to rooms via underground pipes.”
Charlie wade asked, “Are all these systems automated?”
“Yes,” Charles said. “Once set to the appropriate mode, all equipment runs automatically. The diesel generators adjust power output based on load. The water equipment works similarly. We have a large store of glacial ice, at least a thousand cubic metres, plus an underground reservoir holding nearly a hundred cubic metres.”
Charlie wade nodded. More than a thousand cubic metres of water should be sufficient for the four of them through the winter.
Charles continued, “Our fuel storage tanks are all underground around the main building, with full fire and explosion prevention measures. They can hold up to five hundred tonnes of high-grade diesel. Besides the generators, all vehicles are diesel-powered.”
Charlie wade asked, “How do you refuel the vehicles?”
Charles led Charlie wade to the central parking area. In the middle were four refuelling stations specially designed for polar conditions. As he demonstrated how to refuel a vehicle, Charles explained, “The fuel here is ultra-low-freezing-point diesel mixed with aviation kerosene, which remains fluid even at minus seventy degrees. All vehicles have been modified for polar use. Apart from needing extra time for preheating, they operate much like vehicles inland.”
Charlie wade specifically asked for instruction on operating the enclosed snow vehicles. Once he understood everything, he had Charles show them inside the station.
Although outside it was over minus fifty degrees of extreme cold, the interior of the main building was a comfortable twenty-six degrees. The building covered more than four thousand square metres. Besides professional research and laboratory areas, there were up to twenty rooms. Like on the ship, these ranged from four-person to single rooms. Each had an integrated simple bathroom and shower. Wastewater was treated by an automated recycling system, with sediment and solids collected automatically and shipped back to the home country with supply vessels.
The kitchen and dining area had substantial food reserves. Though not enough for a full station through winter, only Lin Wan’er among the four needed to eat. The others could abstain from food entirely, so the supplies were more than ample.
Charles also explained that besides daily necessities, the station had television, telephone, and satellite internet. All communications were via satellite, with speeds comparable to inland. In any situation, Charlie wade could contact the outside world immediately, and others could reach him. However, this network was limited to the station area. For fieldwork outside, the vehicles were equipped with Musk’s Starlink system, providing coverage across nearly the entire Antarctic continent with speeds exceeding a hundred megabits.
Charlie wade was quite surprised by Starlink’s coverage and speed in the polar region. He had not used the product before and had not expected such comprehensive network service here. Even the satellite communications system he had Lang Hongjun build, once the first phase was complete, would only ensure basic global coverage excluding the polar regions. Achieving this level of seamless high-speed coverage would require a geometric increase in satellites.
By the time Charlie wade had mastered the operation of the station’s equipment and vehicles, the fuel transport vehicles were shuttling constantly between the station and the ship. It took a full thirty hours to replenish fuel and other essentials, after which large amounts of garbage were packed and loaded.
After the last vehicle was loaded and transport completed, three days had passed.
During those three days, Charlie wade saw two auroras, but since others were still working nonstop, he did not leave the station.
When the supply team and the three remaining personnel finished all preparations and were ready to return, Charlie wade saw them off outside the station as their vehicles departed.
After leaving, everyone completely forgot Charlie wade’s existence. In their subconscious, the station had entered unmanned operation mode. The next visitors would not arrive until summer in the second half of the year.
Once they left, within several hundred kilometres of Charlie wade’s station, only the four of them remained.
Charlie wade joked that this might be the loneliest place on Earth. Curiously, however, none of them felt lonely. On the contrary, all four felt this was a rare opportunity in life to completely escape worldly distractions.
Just as the four were settling into the research station, a Japanese scientific research ship set sail from Ushuaia port.
On the vast sea, a fishing boat rocked unsteadily. Wu Paulo sat cross-legged in the cabin, eyes closed in meditation.
At that moment, Wu Siyuan rushed in excitedly and said, “Great Elder, the research ship you have been waiting for has arrived!”
