I live in the Martian wilderness!

[Nutrient solution has been added. Circulation pump started.]

Gu Yu watched the clear liquid slowly flow through the glass tube.

Everything is ready!

He turned around again, this time targeting a silver metal box made of polished titanium alloy, no bigger than a shoebox.

On the surface of the box, a line of striking Song typeface characters and a vibrant sprout logo are laser-etched:

[Hope Seed Vault - No. HZ01]

[Highest Priority Biological Assets - Unauthorized Access Strictly Prohibited]

Gu Yu entered his password and passed both fingerprint and iris verification.

"laugh--"

With a slight hiss of pressure release, the lid slowly popped open.

There were no packets of seeds inside, only rows of precious "dormant spore sample tubes" locked at a low temperature of 4°C, each one securely held in shock-absorbing material.

Each sample tube was clearly labeled: [Spirulina platensis], [Haematococcus pluvialis], [Dwarf Wheat - Mars F7 Generation], [High Radiation Resistant Potato]...

This tiny box contains a miniature, genetically optimized Earth farm.

Gu Yu carefully took out the sample tube labeled "Spirulina platensis".

He walked to the injection valve of the photobioreactor and took a deep breath.

What I need to do next is not just pour in a little liquid.

On this red planet that symbolizes death, I will personally open this "box of hope" and ignite the first spark of life on this star.

Unscrew the cap of the sample tube and tilt it.

A small stream of dark green, extremely viscous liquid slowly dripped into the clear nutrient solution.

The dark green liquid did not disperse immediately, but slowly unfolded and deformed in the water, like drops of thick ink falling into clear water.

Gu Yu could clearly see that the dark green clouds contained hundreds of millions of tiny green spirals that were awakening from their dormancy!

"Mysterious! They're alive! Immediately activate the lighting and gas circulation."

"Understood, Captain. Activating the GZ-05 illumination module. Using the 'Space Breeding - Microalgae' spectral scheme."

As soon as the command was given, the black flat panel light array above the reactor was instantly activated.

Thousands of LED chips lit up at the same time, but the light emitted made Gu Yu pause for a moment.

It wasn't the dazzling, cyberpunk-like "magenta" he remembered. Instead, it was a "lotus root pink" glow with a slightly white texture.

"Mysterious," Gu Yu asked, "I remember that the standard plant growth spectrum should be magenta in order to achieve the highest photosynthetic efficiency."

"Excellent question, Captain. Your knowledge is truly remarkable," Xuanjian replied calmly, like a patient mentor.

"However, data from ten years of on-orbit biological experiments aboard the Chinese space station 'Tiangong' indicates..."

Xuanjian pulled up two sets of plant growth comparison pictures. "Although pure red and blue light has the highest photosynthetic efficiency in theory, long-term exposure will cause plants to suffer from 'light stress'."

"Simply put, the plant will suffer from malnutrition and grow abnormally."

"What we are using now is the 'Dynamic Full Spectrum Healthy Lighting' solution, which was jointly optimized by the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Sanan Optoelectronics since the late Tiangong era."

Xuanjian brought up a line of small print at the bottom of the screen, which was a reference to a technology patent:

[Technology Source: Chinese Invention Patent CN112889512A; LED Light Source Formula for Promoting Strong Leafy Vegetable Seedlings in Space Environment]

"This patent was applied for in 2021. Its core is to regulate the photomorphogenesis of plants by adding far-red light and a trace amount of green light to the base of red-blue light in a 5:1 ratio."

"The solution incorporates about 10% green light. Although chlorophyll has a low absorption rate for green light, green light has the strongest penetrability."

"It can penetrate the upper algal liquid and transfer energy to the algal cells that are hidden in the deep layers, ultimately increasing the overall biomass by 10-15%."

Looking at the comparison chart, with the weak and stunted magenta sample on one side and the robust and thriving lotus root starch sample on the other, Gu Yu suddenly realized what was going on.

At this moment, the soft "lotus root pink" light bathed the entire glass pipe and the emerald green algae liquid inside in a color that was both futuristic and warm.

The gas injection pump also started working, slowly and continuously blowing carbon dioxide-rich air from the command cabin into the culture medium, forming a series of tiny bubbles.

The liquid circulation pump was turned up to its maximum power, and those newly awakened green lives began their first journey on this new planet in the winding glass pipes.

As Gu Yu watched the green liquid continuously circulate and flow through the pipes, he could almost hear the pulse of life.

That was the first heartbeat of the Shennong Project!

He turned around and walked back to the hopeful silver metal box, preparing to take out the sample tube of Haematococcus pluvialis.

"Xuan, now that we've started, let's go all out and assemble the cultivation system for Haematococcus pluvialis as well."

"Captain, I strongly recommend that the cultivation of Haematococcus pluvialis be included in the second phase of the mission."

Gu Yu was taken aback: "Why? Wouldn't it be more efficient to plant them together?"

"On the contrary, starting them up at the same time will reduce overall efficiency and bring unnecessary risks."

"Spirulina and Haematococcus pluvialis have different optimal requirements for photoperiod, spectral ratio, and pH of nutrient solution."

"Operating two independent ecosystems simultaneously in the confined environment of the command cabin will cause 'environmental crosstalk,' such as light pollution, which can seriously affect your circadian rhythm."

"Your nutritional reserves are currently sufficient, and there is no need to disrupt your current protein production schedule in order to address a fat deficiency issue that will not occur for another 60 days."

"My suggestion is to first stabilize the spirulina production line completely. Once we have more space, then we can start cultivating Haematococcus pluvialis."

Gu Yu looked at the spirulina reactor emitting a soft glow, then at the dormant Haematococcus pluvialis sample tube in his hand.

Xuanjian was right.

He was too eager for quick success, and any rash action could lead to utter ruin.

"Okay, Xuan, you're right."

He put the precious Haematococcus pluvialis sample tube back into the "Box of Hope".

"Both the Rose Garden Project and the Oil-producing Algae Project are listed as Phase Two projects. Currently, our sole focus is Spirulina."

He clapped his hands in satisfaction, ready to enjoy a moment of rest. But when he returned to his sleeping bag, he discovered an embarrassing problem.

The entire command cabin was now illuminated by the light emitted from the photobioreactor, making it resemble a 24-hour disco.

"Xuan, what am I going to do about sleeping at night?"

"Retrieving solutions for you." Xuanjian immediately provided several options.

Option 1: Use a T-3 type nano-polymer material protective cover, unfold it, and use it as a physical blackout curtain to separate the agricultural area from your living area.

"No, that protective shield is five meters in diameter, it takes up the entire command module. And to fit it in, I'd have to make destructive modifications, which is too wasteful."

Option Two: You can return to the driver's cab of the Tissot engineering vehicle to rest. The cab there is designed for long-term duty and offers perfect physical shade.

Gu Yu shook his head again. "The Tissot's cockpit is too small; it's not suitable for long-term rest and sleep. Is there an easier way? Do I have to make my own blackout curtain?"

This half-joking remark seemed to illuminate a certain logical loop in AI.