hotmtlnovel Chapter 82 076 Xiang Fei's Thoughts
Chapter 82 076 Xiang Fei's Thoughts
In the streets of the Imperial Capital, curiosity and excitement filled the air as people gazed at the ships and flying vehicles that occasionally passed overhead. By this time, the black snow that had been falling from the sky had lessened. Some shopkeepers and street cleaners swiftly swept away these dark dusty clumps, restoring cleanliness to the roadways once again.
A black sedan sped along the road, carrying Xiang Fei, who had been busy these days, in the back seat. Although it was the cold winter season, he still kept the car window down, letting in the cold yet exceptionally fresh air. Many other vehicles did the same, as encountering such clear air in the Imperial Capital was truly rare!
This year, people had suffered greatly from the smog. Some even joked that smog control depended solely on the wind. Mask manufacturers had made a fortune, but the people were suffering under the smog-laden city, not only suffering from frequent flight delays and cancellations but also seeing their health deteriorate.
Most sensible people understood that controlling smog was not about shouting slogans or the government issuing orders; it was not so simple. Many Western countries had experienced this firsthand; take London, for example, which went from the "Foggy City" of the fifties to having clean air and water in the eighties, a feat that took the British decades of effort.
For China, smog control would be a long battle.
Understanding is one thing, but inevitably, people were still paying for air pollution with their quality of life and health. In this process, many were quick to criticize the government's inaction and ineffectiveness, failing to see deeper systemic causes.
Firstly, China's main energy structure was coal-fired power, being a major coal-producing country with a long industrial tradition of using coal. Not to mention that behind this were massive coal-related interest groups. Completely cutting coal use wasn't just a matter of difficulty; it was practically impossible.
Furthermore, a significant number of businesses had expanded their production capacity blindly years ago while deliberately ignoring their environmental responsibilities. The situation of covert and improper emissions was getting worse.Nôv(el)B\\jnn
Business owners, concerned with their profits, would avoid taking action on industrial emissions unless absolutely necessary, deeming every penny spent on such measures as wasted. This was also a natural reflection of capitalism's pursuit of profits.
The current generation must inevitably pay the difficult price of industrial upgrade and health while enjoying the fruits left by their forebears.
Overall, each generation is better off than the previous one, and through these small sacrifices and costs, a weak nation continuously grows into a globally revered power.
This is a resilient and admirable nation.
Xiang Fei's complex thoughts gradually receded as the vehicle stopped at the hotel where Bai Zhongqi, the Iridium Star Chancellor, was staying.
Earlier in the morning, Xiang Fei had received a notification that the Iridium Star side was dissatisfied with the air quality in the Imperial Capital and would take measures to address it. This made the Imperial Capital feel somewhat embarrassed, but also curious.
Unexpectedly, within half a morning, the skies of the Imperial Capital were full of Iridium Star's flying vehicles and ships. Wherever they went, the smog cleared, and after a fall of black snow, the warm winter sun touched the earth and people's faces like a gentle mother's hand.
The people of China couldn't help but marvel at the grand gesture of the Iridium Star. Some in the military were also apprehensive, realizing that those helicopter-sized flying vehicles could easily carry weapons, potentially devastating a city.
If Bai Zhongqi knew such thoughts, he could only scoff. These were merely industrial-grade drones, much more expensive than comparable-sized war machines. Bai Zhongqi could produce thousands of drones equipped with 2WM-level firepower daily, along with their powerful maneuverability, capable of sweeping any army on Earth.
Xiang Fei's visit to meet Bai Zhongqi, the Iridium Star Chancellor, was naturally aimed at reaching an agreement on smog control. The scourge of smog affected the lives of hundreds of millions in North China and indeed the entire country. Seeing an immediate solution now, China was naturally not going to give up.