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Sebastian glanced at the Greater Terra panel; the numbers had changed considerably.
[ Planet Name: Greater Terra ]
[ Planet Level: Level 1 ]
[ Planet Diameter: 901.5 km ]
[ Planet Species: 1,435 ]
[ Route: None ]
The diameter of Greater Terra had reached 900 kilometers. From 800 kilometers to 900 kilometers, it took just under ten years. At the time of the exams, the diameter was in the 700-kilometer range, but now it had increased by nearly 200 kilometers.
The reason for this is the surge in population within the Imperium. Thanks to the second technological revolution, the Imperium's productivity increased rapidly, and, in turn, people's lives improved significantly. With almost no wars, the population began to grow on a large scale.
"It's very similar to Earth." Sebastian wasn't surprised; Earth's population change had also followed the same trend.
Before the industrial era, although the population had a high birth rate, the death rate was also very high, resulting in an extremely low growth rate.
In 1 AD, there were about 200 million people in the world.
In 1600 AD, the world's total population was about 500 million.
In 1800 AD, it reached about 1 billion.
It took more than a hundred years for the population to increase from 1 billion to 2 billion. But into the twentieth century, especially after World War II, the population began to skyrocket.
At the time of Sebastian's rebirth, the total population of Earth had exceeded 7 billion. The time it took to go from 2 billion to 7 billion was less than a century. The same goes for Greater Terra; the population was in a stage of rapid development, and the diameter of the planet was increasing. This also gave Sebastian some relief.
"It seems that Greater Terra doesn't have supernatural energy, so it won't be restricted," Sebastian muttered to himself.
On supernatural planets, due to the restricted supernatural energy, development is slow, making it difficult to increase in diameter. But Greater Terra was still accompanied by an increase in life force, continuing to grow at a high speed.
"Mr. Prokopy said that the largest diameter in the history of Level 1 planets, one of the largest is 946 kilometers; Greater Terra should be able to reach and surpass it soon," Sebastian estimated based on the current speed of Greater Terra's development. The only issue was that the increase in species was a bit slower.
But Sebastian wasn't in a hurry; Level 1 planets were still too small. The terrain and landscape were limited, so they couldn't support too many species. For example, presently, there are no tropical rainforests, and the area is pathetically small.
On Earth, the species growing inside the tropical rainforests exceeded those in all other regions. High mountains, deserts, and tundras were few in comparison. The ocean area was also insufficient, as life within the ocean was an important resource. Only on Level 2 planets would there be a qualitative leap, potentially surpassing Earth.
After reviewing the planet panel, Sebastian refocused his attention on the "Atomic Project" led by Elizabeth. He had been closely monitoring this plan, and therefore, time didn't seem to flow too quickly.
The atomic plan appeared simpler than gunpowder. The raw material was just one kind: Uranium-235. However, extracting this material was very difficult. There were two isotopes of uranium: Uranium-238 and Uranium-235.
Uranium-238 was more stable and neutron bombardment was ineffective; only Uranium-235 could be split by neutrons. Therefore, it was necessary to eliminate Uranium-238 so that only Uranium-235 remained. This was challenging, as Uranium-238 accounts for more than 99%, while less than 1% is Uranium-235.
The first challenge facing the teams was how to separate Uranium-235. After some trials and research, they eventually decided to use a cyclotron. However, creating a cyclotron was another hassle; it required massive magnetic field coils, and the quantity needed was daunting.
Elizabeth collected almost all the copper and silver currently in stock in the Imperium, which amounted to over tens of thousands of tons, and produced nearly 10,000 large electromagnets.
Unexpectedly, instead of extracting Uranium-235, they ended up extracting another element: Plutonium-239. Many scientists were surprised to find that Plutonium-239 resembled Uranium-235. It could also undergo fission after absorbing neutrons, releasing three neutrons, thereby initiating a chain reaction.
Having reached this point, the scientists breathed a long sigh of relief, finally sensing victory for the "Atomic Project." Every scientist and staff member became increasingly energized. They stayed late every day, working extra hours, and now there was a glimmer of expectation in their eyes.
For many ordinary staff members and scientists, they did not know the true nature of the so-called "Atomic Project." They only understood that it seemed to be a very dangerous weapon. How dangerous? A doctor once described it as "devastating."
At this point, ten years had passed since the beginning of the atomic program, which was longer than the period on Earth. But this was understandable; the Imperium's industrial base and technological level weren't that advanced.
By the time Elizabeth turned 60, wrinkles were increasingly visible, and strands of white hair had begun to appear on her head.
Cross was over 80 years old; his body had become a bit frail, but every day he still rose early and energetically led the team in patrolling the area.
The other members of the Astra Militarum were mostly aged as well. Among the numerous generals, the youngest, Fleming, was in his 50s. Still, the group was competing fiercely for the ever-vacant position of Lord Commander Militant of the Imperial Guard.
When Elizabeth reached 60 years, the atomic project had finally acquired 5 kilograms of Plutonium-239. The plutonium was very dense, only the size of a grapefruit. After over ten years of the atomic project, they had achieved only this small amount. Nevertheless, the researchers remained excited, as this 5-kilogram sample signified the initial success of the "Atomic Project."
However, there was one critical problem: where to conduct the test. Greater Terra wasn't large enough to accommodate excessive experimentation.
The air shook slightly, and Sebastian reappeared.
"Prepare for the planetary upgrade," Sebastian prompted.
If Greater Terra wouldn't work, they could move to other planets. There were plenty of worthless planets out there anyway. The Astra Militarum assembled again, and a new round of preparations for the upgrade was required.
[ ===== ]
Overworld.
During these three months, all the students were silently developing their planets. After the hustle and bustle of admission, a calm atmosphere settled over the place.
Sebastian spent each day, aside from meals, mostly indoors. Prokopy would often send him important information and make efforts to provide resources.
Of course, Sebastian couldn't use most of these materials. The other freshmen, unlike him, still had to stay close to their respective instructors and let them pass on their experience. Depending on the type of civilization they built, they chose instructors who understood their needs. The instructors' expertise would provide the Planet Master with substantial assistance.
Not far from Sebastian, in Bailey's villa.
Bailey emerged from the awakening space and responded to her instructor's communication.
"Bailey, how is your planet faring now?" the middle-aged woman asked.
At this point, the primary concern was the planet's diameter. Once it reached the upper limit, they could start preparing for its advancement.
"It has exceeded 650 kilometers, and the rate of increase has slowed considerably, but it can still last for a while," Bailey replied.
"Not bad." The middle-aged woman nodded and added, "Your teacher provided you with the effect of the Heart of the Stars. You built three supernatural species, so your initial stage is not very strong, but development in the latter stage will be advantageous. At this rate, I estimate you can continue for another month or two, so reaching over 700 kilometers is not a problem. You should develop comfortably, as you won't be ranked in this batch of promotions."
"How many people in our school have reached the point of advancement now?" Bailey inquired.
"As far as I know, about 10 have," the middle-aged woman replied. "There are 3 or 4 more than in previous years, consistent with what was previously estimated. They are all those freshmen who are at the top of the rankings: Clifford, Otwin, Terrell, etc., whose planets have exceeded 750 kilometers. But they have reached their limits; barring any surprises, they will soon receive an upgrade prompt from Awakening Space. They are already making final preparations, and it is estimated they will advance next month."
"What about Yeattine?" Bailey asked.
"Well, Yeattine..." The corners of the middle-aged woman's mouth turned up in a smile. "He has also reached the upper limit of his planet's diameter; however, this limit is a bit concerning. It not only meets the expectations of the school's administrators and teachers but also exceeds them."
After listening to the middle-aged woman, Bailey was slightly taken aback. Then, suddenly, she thought of something and asked, "What about Sebastian? He is in the same area as I am, so he should have the same diameter for his planet, right?"
"Sebastian?" The middle-aged woman frowned slightly and shook her head. "I'm not sure about that; Prokopy's side keeps everything under tight wraps. We do not know what Sebastian's current situation is!"
[ ===== ]
In a lakeside villa area, in one of the elegant villas.
In a large room, several people were conversing, with Leonard Harald at the head. This room differed from the others, having several layers of security developed with similar properties to the star space that Sebastian possessed. Upon closer inspection, it wasn't a star space; rather, it utilized a magic diagram.
Yeattine entered, brimming with spirit.
"Teacher," Yeattine respectfully spoke to Leonard.
Leonard nodded and asked, "How is it going?"
"Almost at the upper limit," Yeattine replied. "In ten more days at most, the awakening space should indicate a signal!"
[ ===== ]
In Sebastian's estate.
Disconnected from the awakening space, Sebastian linked to the communication with Prokopy. Prokopy's projection then appeared before Sebastian.
"Sebastian, how much has your planet's diameter developed now?" Prokopy inquired, his tone sounding slightly anxious.
"It's still developing; it hasn't reached its limit," Sebastian replied.
"It hasn't reached the upper limit yet." Hearing this, Prokopy seemed to perk up.
"It's already over 800 kilometers," Sebastian smiled and said.
"Great!" Prokopy smiled in return and remarked, "Now there are rumors circulating outside that Yeattine's planet has reached an alarming size, beyond what was originally anticipated."