The Dark Forest: Pages 239-260 Summary & Analysis

Four more years pass. Dr. Ringier and General Fitzroy look at images from the Hubble II telescope of the Trisolaran fleet passing through the second field of interstellar dust and try to interpret those images. They ultimately determine that the Trisolaran fleet has sent 10 probes ahead that are traveling at a faster speed than the other ships in the fleet. Those probes will most likely reach Earth 50 years before the rest of the Trisolaran fleet. They try and figure out why that has happened, and General Fitzroy says it must be related to Luo Ji’s presentation in the Wallfacer Hearing four years ago, as it coincided exactly with when the Trisolarans sent the probes ahead. General Fitzroy then asks Dr. Ringier if he believes in God, and they discuss the possibility that there could be a transcendent force of justice in the universe.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yuanchao, Yang Jinwen, and Miao Fuquan watch the trial run of the Tianti III on TV. The Tianti III is the third space elevator that has been constructed. It takes 68 hours to reach space using the elevator, but it’s much cheaper to get to space using the elevators than by using spacecraft. Zhang Yuanchao, Yang Jinwen, and Miao Fuquan discuss the elevator and their future plans. Yang Jinwen’s son was involved in the construction of the elevator and made a fortune. Yang Jinwen says that when he dies, he wants his coffin shot into space in what has become known as a cosmic burial. He sees no point in letting his body remain on an Earth that will soon be overrun by aliens.

Zhang Beihai goes to the Third Nuclear Fusion Test Base, where he meets with Dr. Ding Yi. Ding Yi explains the current state of space exploration and the innovation of technology. He says right now, there is a conflict between the aerospace industry and the space force. The aerospace industry wants to continue developing “media-propelled spacecraft,” which is a variation of chemical rocket technology, while the space force wants to pursue the riskier path of “radiation-drive spacecraft.” Zhang Beihai says that in the imminent space war, nothing will be safe, so they must take risks. He feels that he needs to ensure that innovation in radiation-powered spacecraft advances.

Zhang Beihai then goes to see a meteorite collector. He pays the man a large sum of money for three meteorite fragments, each about the size of an apple. He takes those fragments back to a space force workshop and whittles them down to small rods that he affixes to bullets. He runs a test and fires at a pile of meat that he has put into a space suit. He’s pleased when he digs out what remains of the bullet to see that the meteorite fragments have crumbled to dust.

The space force has also recently approved Zhang Beihai’s plan to put the most promising members of the space force into hibernation and send them into the future. Because he came up with the plan, Zhang Beihai has been named the commander of the Special Contingent of Future Reinforcements. Zhang Beihai’s first dictum as commander is to send everyone in that program into space for a year before they enter into hibernation. His idea is quickly approved, and Zhang Beihai goes into space with the first 30 people chosen for the reinforcement program.

While he is in space one day, Zhang Beihai uses his thrusters to navigate close to the Yellow River Space Station, the largest structure humans have built in space. It has the capacity for more than a thousand residents. As Zhang Beihai approaches, he takes out his pistol. There is a conference for members of the aerospace faction happening on the space station. Zhang Beihai has decided that he must kill three of the most prominent advocates for “media-propelled spacecraft” to try and ensure that radiation-powered spacecraft becomes more mainstream.

After the meeting is over, the participants come out of the space station to take a group photo. Zhang Beihai aims and fires 10 bullets at each of his targets. Because he is so far away, it will take roughly 10 seconds for his bullets to reach them. He hopes that he only kills his targets, but he’s not opposed to striking a few other people, as it will make what happens look like more of an accident. As Zhang Beihai watches, he sees people react in terror as the bullets reach the group. Someone cries out, “Meteor shower,” just as Zhang Beihai had expected they would. Five people are ultimately hit, including his three targets. The deaths of his three targets won’t guarantee a shift toward radiation-powered spacecraft, but he feels like he has done all he can to push things in that direction.

After Zhang Beihai’s attack on the aerospace contingent, members of the ETO meet in the Three Body virtual world. They say that a sophon told them everything that Zhang Beihai had done, and they then discuss what they should do about it. Ultimately, they decide that it would be wise to avoid intervening, even though they are troubled by Zhang Beihai’s ruthless commitment to his cause. Besides, the story in itself would most likely be too outlandish for the public to believe. In addition, the bullets shattered on impact, and the autopsy only revealed fragments of meteorite, causing everyone to believe that the people died in a meteor shower. 

Later, as Zhang Beihai prepares to enter into hibernation, Chang Weisi hands him a letter. He says that it is a letter to Chang Weisi’s successor that strongly recommends Zhang Beihai. He says that Zhang Beihai will awaken in 50 years at the earliest, and he will perhaps stay in hibernation for longer. After Chang Weisi says goodbye to Zhang Beihai, he thinks about Zhang Beihai’s unshakeable faith in humanity’s ultimate success over the Trisolarans. He’s duly impressed by that faith, but in all of these years, Chang Weisi has never understood where that faith comes from.