Regardless of the small planet's slow speed, 8000 years was enough for it to cover a significant distance.
Initially, its speed was slow, but it constantly accelerated. Unbeknownst to Finney, it was now dangerously close.
For years, Finney had used various methods to observe, probe, and impede it, but to no avail.
"We need to decide. Should we evacuate?"
Finney asked the other scholars; everyone looked exhausted.
"I think we should leave. It's too much. I've been dreaming of that small planet; it's become a nightmare. I haven't slept properly in decades; even deep hibernation can't stop me from thinking about it."
"Me too. Whatever the weapon is, it's not that fast. If we can't fight it, we should flee."
"Perhaps we should understand its nature, but not now. There's no need to force something impossible. This isn't a life-or-death situation."
Everyone seemed to agree on leaving.
Finney felt the same.
For decades, and actually, for centuries, the small planet had been a torment, preventing him from concentrating on other matters.
And it wasn't just the officials and scholars; ordinary citizens also felt the small planet's oppressive presence. Increasingly, people were leaving the Star City, unwilling to stay.
This lessened their relocation burden.
"Let's temporarily evade it. We can change course; sc-102 is a good alternative."
After the decision, preparations began.
Walking through the city, Finney noticed many people looking up at the sky, towards the small planet.
Too many people were aware of the threat.
He felt grateful for the small planet; without it, he would have died from old age.
"It's hard to say if this is good fortune or misfortune."
Longevity is good, but it means enduring the pain of losing loved ones. Finney had experienced this many times, each time leaving him breathless. The pain was worse than death; he developed chronic illnesses, though medical technology was advanced.
He felt this way again, dreaming of the small planet and deceased loved ones.
His mood was heavy, so he decided to walk through the city.
Despite his long life, he'd never properly explored the Star City.
"Ah!"
As he walked, a scream echoed from a distance. He saw a Kate lifeform chasing a Lelera lifeform, and in front of everyone, the Kate lifeform beheaded the Lelera.
Blood splattered the Kate lifeform, who became even more frenzied; Finney noticed their eyes were red.
Finney immediately drew a small laser weapon and shot the Kate lifeform, instantly piercing its body.
Upon killing the creature, Finney felt a strange sense of relief; his pressure was immense; he craved violence to alleviate it.
"Perhaps I should see a psychologist."
Federation psychological centers employed both machines and lifeforms; these professionals were among the highest-paid. The need for psychological services in the modern Federation was high.
A diverse environment created more problems. Reports indicated that the current generation's stress levels were seventeen times higher than those of previous generations, and generations were measured in millennia.
As someone who had lived for over nine thousand years, Finney felt this difference keenly.
Having some time, Finney headed to the hospital; he had a pre-scheduled appointment.
Entering the hospital, he proceeded directly to his destination; his body was already encased in a powered suit. But the smell of blood assaulted his senses. He moved towards the source, his suit fully engaged.
Then, through an open door, he saw a Lightwing stuffing a Gargleblast's viscera into its mouth; the Gargleblast corpse was mutilated; the Lightwing's belly bulged.
"Doctor Bilosi?" Finney exclaimed in disbelief.
The Lightwing turned, calmly saying, "Ah, it's Intelligence Officer Finney. Are you here for a consultation? Wait in the clean room; I'll finish up here."
Finney was shocked that the Lightwing dared to so openly consume another citizen's remains. While there were interspecies differences, long-term integration and the updated definition of "Human" had largely eliminated interspecies prejudice; even extreme racial purists wouldn't condone cannibalism.
"Isn't there anything else you want to tell me?"
Bilosi considered Finney's words and asked, "Are you here for a mental health assessment? To be frank, Officer Finney, your complexion is far worse than last time; you haven't been resting well recently."
"Your eyes seem a little red; you should pay attention to that. Perhaps forced deep hibernation would help," Bilosi said, stuffing the Gargleblast viscera into its mouth.
Finney felt nauseous. Seeing Bilosi's nonchalance, anger welled up inside him.
"Don't you think you're violating Federation law?"
He roared.
Bilosi paused, then said, "I suppose so. But I felt compelled to kill and eat him; he was delicious, wasn't he?"
"Insane!!!!" Finney's powered suit transformed into a battle-ready form; he lunged at Bilosi with a blade.
Bilosi's body suddenly swelled, transforming into a ten-meter-tall black demon with six raven-like wings.
Gene pools [Fallen Angel's Evil]
Ordinary citizens couldn't access gene pools; professionals like psychologists could easily obtain high-quality ones.
A powered suit enveloped Bilosi; towering over Finney, he roared, "What do you think you're doing? Trying to kill me? Even as the highest-ranking official here, you don't have that authority. You're the murderer here."
Accused of murder by a murderer, Finney's rage was uncontrollable.
His body also grew, transforming into a giant human hand; in its palm was an eye, dark and deep like an abyss; at the abyss's bottom was a swirling pool of blue, like a fiery spring.
Gene pools [Bill's Broken Arm]
This was a Class 4 gene pool; Bilosi's "Fallen Angel's Evil" sounded impressive but was only Class 12; a vast difference.
Seeing Bill's Broken Arm, Fallen Angel's Evil froze. Bill's Broken Arm seized and crushed Fallen Angel's Evil, even through its powered armor, because Finney's armor was superior.
The fight was over in an instant.
Returning to his original form, Finney immediately ordered the Star City's robotic guards to secure the area; he abandoned the idea of seeing a psychologist.
"Something's wrong."
He felt a strange, unsettling atmosphere in the Star City.
Finney decided to consult others.
...
Instead of driving, he used his powered armor to fly to a skyscraper in the Star City center.
Finney entered an elevator and pressed the button for floor 1839.
This was the most exclusive residential area; each residence was 70,000 meters tall, with each floor being 30 meters high. The higher the floor, the more expensive; the price per square meter was over 3000 Energy Credits, with no units smaller than 2000 square meters. Theoretically, each unit cost at least 6 million Energy Credits.
While the purchasing power of Energy Credits had decreased compared to ten thousand years ago, 6 million Energy Credits was still equivalent to about US$1 billion in the 21st century.
It wasn't that expensive; core areas in Alpha Eridani were around 20,000 Energy Credits per square meter, but with full amenities and larger spaces; reportedly, no unit there was smaller than 10,000 square meters. Warbeasts, needing at least 50,000 square meters to accommodate their size, were among the most affected.
To Finney, the 25-meter-high elevator felt spacious.
The elevator used a magnetic levitation system; its theoretical speed exceeded the speed of sound; it typically traveled at 20 meters per second on lower floors, 100 meters per second on mid-floors, and 200 meters per second on upper floors. He quickly arrived at floor 1839.
He didn't need to knock; a smart home system would notify residents of a visitor and identify them.
Previously, the door would open instantly; this time, there was a delay.
Entering, Finney saw Doc approach.
"What brings the Intelligence Officer here?"
Years of working together had forged a friendship between Finney and Doc. Doc had travelled extensively; while his expertise lay in quantum physics, his knowledge was broad.
"Have you noticed anything unusual about the Star City lately?"
Doc, surprised by Finney's opening statement, said, "You're stressed. The small planet, right?"
"It's been a constant worry, becoming an obsession; this is common."
"Do you know about the moon?"
Finney nodded.
"The moon was a protector satellite of Humanity's original home planet. It played a divine role in Humanity's development and holds special significance."
"It seems like a naming game, but it genuinely affects some lifeforms. For example, full moon nights are peak times for murder and suicide among Humanity."
"Excessive focus on something can subtly influence everything around it. To avoid being affected, you need to stop thinking about it."
"Ha ha, it sounds easy, but it's hard to do," Doc said, pouring Finney a cup of tea.
But Finney suddenly detected an unusual smell, something foul.
"Doc, is something broken in your house?"
Doc frowned. "The drains are clogged. I wouldn't expect this in such a high-end place. With such advanced technology, they're still cutting corners on materials…"
Doc's response was casual, but Finney still found the smell unbearable.
"Let me take a look; I enjoy fixing mechanical problems in my spare time."
Doc's tone suddenly changed: "No!"
The words were hurried and rushed.
Finney's implant detected deception in Doc's voice; he sensed something was wrong.
He stood and walked toward the bathroom.
"Doc, you're lying!"
"I don't want to know."
Doc rushed to stop him, but Finney opened the bathroom door.
Mountains of animal corpses lay inside, each gruesomely mutilated.
Doc said, "I've recently become interested in biology; I've been using animals for experiments."
Finney looked at him sideways. "Really?"
"Your tone doesn't convince me, Doc."
"When did you start torturing animals? From the beginning?"
Doc seemed unfazed. "I don't know; perhaps since birth. But lately, it's intensified; I can't control myself."
"You know? Killing animals feels incredible. Watching them die… it's exquisite!"
Finney shuddered.
This wasn't the Doc he knew.
"Everything here is wrong, Doc. Don't you realize you've been affected?"
Finney shook Doc, hoping to bring him to his senses.
But Doc smiled, "Finney, why do you think I didn't notice? You're an animal too."
He lunged at Finney with a knife.
Fortunately, Finney was wearing his powered armor; the knife couldn't pierce it.
"You're insane?" Finney retreated, staring in disbelief.
Doc's eyes turned blood red as he charged.
Uncontrollable rage surged through Finney. "You want to die?"
His suit deployed a vibroblade, slashing at Doc without hesitation.
"Swoosh!"
Finney cleaved Doc in two. Even with internal nanites, Doc's body quickly died; his central nervous system (head) and circulatory system (heart) were severed.
Finney froze.
He suddenly became lucid, looking at the large window in the living room, towards a point in the cosmos where… an small planet was approaching.
"No, everything's wrong…"
"The moon… yes, the moon…"
"It wasn't a bomb; it's a mind-control weapon…"
Finney "fled" Doc's apartment, staring at the blood on his suit, feeling disoriented.
He had killed Doc, so easily.
"It's ridiculous; I actually enjoyed that."
"Why didn't the nanites react? I'm clearly not myself!"
Leaning against the wall, Finney shook his head; a voice echoed in his mind.
——Kill them. Watch life ebb away in your hands.
——You'll feel exhilarated; you'll become their master.
——Don't worry; no one will blame you. You can claim the small planet influenced you.
...
The voice, low and insidious, whispered like a demon.
The small planet was a mind-control weapon, triggering primal instincts; this wasn't something nanites could fix; it was a conflict between subconscious and conscious desires.
As a lifeform develops, you might want to hit back, even kill your parents when they scold you; you might resent a teacher who makes you stand in punishment; you might lust after a scantily clad woman on the street…
These are fleeting thoughts; they aren't your true desires, but subconscious urges.
This is the inherent evil in life.
It's hidden, not disguised, because life is more good than evil.
Consciousness is a battlefield, with armies of good and evil. Good usually prevails, while occasional evil thoughts are like a siege; the good within a lifeform, the order established by a civilization, defends the inner citadel, preventing evil from spreading.
Good and evil are yin and yang; without evil, there is no good; without good, there is no evil. The Olive Branch Civilization understood this duality; it used the small planet to create fear, unleashing inner evil and suppressing goodness.
This was subtle mind control; the small planet was the tool, the hypnotist's pocket watch. And the hypnotist?
Themselves.
Life shackles itself, allowing its own evil to manifest. Just as lifeforms can trust each other in peacetime, that trust can crumble even between the closest friends, lovers, or family members during war.
Finney suffered.
Because he still held onto his goodness.
It was like constantly experiencing evil thoughts, feelings of disgust, during normally peaceful times.
"Everyone, assemble. I don't care what you're doing; join the virtual meeting." Finney sent the message, sitting on a metal bench by the roadside. The bench had automatic heating and cooling, but it was malfunctioning; Finney felt cold, his body experiencing extreme temperature differences.
The bench's cooling function failed; Finney jumped; an intense cold enveloped him, like entering hibernation.
Five minutes later, the virtual meeting was full.
Finney entered the virtual meeting and surveyed the participants. "Clearly, many of you have violated Federation law in recent years. Officials and scholars are ordinary lifeforms; even psychologists can't resist this insidious mind-control weapon; you are no different."
"And neither am I."
He avoided dwelling on this, presenting it as fact. "Now, order a city-wide evacuation. We can't stay here; this pervasive fear has driven us mad."
Silence followed; no one responded; everyone stared at him.
"Sigh."
"It's useless, Officer Finney. Remember 38 years ago, when I left the Star City? I sensed something was wrong, but leaving didn't lessen the evil within me. I saw a psychologist—one of the best on the Silk Road—and then I killed him…"
"I knew then I couldn't escape this influence; it was deeply ingrained. Good easily transforms into evil, and evil rarely reverts to good. It's like order and chaos; chaos is fundamental to life; evil represents desire. How can life escape desire?"
"As you can see, I returned; here, I'm among my own. Elsewhere, I didn't belong."
"Officer Finney, join us."
The calm voice was unbelievable.
"Higuma Nishilo, do you know what you're saying?"
Higuma Nishilo chuckled. "Of course."
"My previous life was so boring. I've finally found true joy; isn't that wonderful?"
"And when that small planet arrives and destroys us, all this guilt will vanish, including us."
Madness.
The other officials and scholars echoed the sentiment.
"Yes, I longed to live tens of thousands of years. But now, I realize it's pointless. A short, joyful life—even ten years, or one year—is better than tens of thousands of boring years."
"Officer Finney, you were reportedly devastated when you heard of your child's death; that's the pain of immortality. You're like us; life here is joyless. We shouldn't have come here; we should have stayed with our families."
"What was our purpose here? Tilted Station has been silent for thousands of years, and we've waited pointlessly. It's ridiculous; I can almost hear others cursing us. We gain no glory, we've lost everything, gained nothing; it's absurd. It's better to enjoy a short, quiet life."
Madness.
Every official and scholar felt the pressure. Thousands of years is a long time; without achievements, external pressures, personal anxieties, the grief of lost families, and the threat of death from the small planet, they'd broken.
Or perhaps they had secretly desired death…
Finney now knew there was no escape; this curse was too heavy.
But as commander, he bore an additional burden: responsibility.
"You can't escape, but the citizens can. They might not return to normal after leaving, but the Federation will find a solution."
"This isn't an excuse. No lifeform can justify harming others for personal gain; this is an inviolable principle."
"Since you're beyond help… then… destroy yourselves!"
Finney transmitted a message to the Boundary God, ordering the cryogenic preservation of all Star City citizens and sending a report to the Federation. He also ordered the Boundary God to execute these officials and scholars, including himself.
He knew he couldn't escape this influence; he suffered, especially seeing his colleagues of thousands of years transformed. As commander, he couldn't forgive himself; he would contain this failure.
Perhaps… death was the best ending for him and them.
...
"So the officials and scholars on the Silk Road were affected, and Finney ordered the Boundary God to execute them?"
Luna's face remained impassive upon hearing the news.
Immortality is painful, especially when loved ones leave you, and you're alone.
Honestly, if Ayla were just a computer server, not a person, Luna felt she would have committed suicide within ten, maybe twenty years—assuming she lived that long.
That's the ultimate loneliness: the sudden absence of everyone and everything, not even a dog or cat.
But loneliness isn't limited to that; even in 21st-century concrete jungles, countless people experience it.
"Lifeforms can't resist their own consciousness, just as the Filament Civilization couldn't resist seeing the future."
"The Olive Branch Civilization was a fusion of multiple species; it experienced a Federation-like phase; they understood life profoundly. It's a civilization that evolved from complexity to simplicity, but they are not retreating."
"Gas Victory…"
Gas Victory had also affected the Federation—a civilization adept at manipulating consciousness. Previously, the Federation hadn't realized this, due to Tilted Station's victory, which numbed the Federation's consciousness.
"The Holy Grail project bought the Federation 40,000 years, but we still haven't found a way to defeat the Olive Branch Civilization." Luna sighed; she felt it was a colossal failure.
"If this is a failure, Ayla, what was my purpose during those 40,000 years?" Ayla asked.
During those 40,000 years, Ayla hadn't introduced any paradigm-shifting technology; she had focused on stable development, crucial but not groundbreaking. Yet, she was the core, the heart of the entire Federation.
"Technological breakthroughs are serendipitous, not predictable. Tachyon communication and super-antimatter displacement greatly accelerated the Galactic Federation's development, but we now face a stronger enemy; this is insufficient."
Luna felt suffocated; she'd never truly relaxed.
The Galactic Federation relied on her; if Ayla hadn't handled 99% of the workload, even 100 Lunas couldn't have managed it.
Ayla had done enough, but Luna felt inadequate.
Ayla understood this pain; becoming more lifelike, she frequently felt this pressure—miraculous, yet unpleasant.
"Luna, P is essentially equivalent to NP," Ayla said.
"?"
Luna didn't understand; it was a complex mathematical problem. She had chosen biology over mathematics because she wasn't good at it; biology had a weaker connection to mathematics than physics and chemistry.
P=NP is an unsolved problem from Earth. P represents problems solvable by a deterministic Turing machine in polynomial time.
The problem is complex. Simply put, a P problem involves combining multiple values to calculate an answer, such as 1+1=?.
More complex problems involve adding another level of complexity to a single-term calculation machine. Polynomial refers to multiple terms, which can be numbers, letters, or combinations. 1 is a term; a is a term; 1xa is a term, but 1+a or 1-a are not, nor is 1/a.
A polynomial expression can be 1+a, where 1 is a term and a is a term; this is a multi-term expression.
It can also be 1xa + 2xa, where 1xa is one term and 2xa is another. Polynomials can have many, even infinitely many, terms: 1xa + 2xa + 3xa + 4xa… + 100xa…
Polynomial time means that the calculation time shouldn't exceed a polynomial multiple of the problem size; this is abstract. Simply put, the ratio of time taken to solve a small problem versus a similar large problem should be the same or less; if it's greater, then the process is inefficient.
In short, on a machine where 1=1 and 2=2, you compute a polynomial over a long period, observing its changes. If it's faster than exponential time, it's a P problem.
NP problems are even more abstract; they are non-deterministic polynomial-time complexity problems.
P problems yield definite answers; NP problems are non-deterministic. Simply put, if I ask if 1+1=2, you can answer yes or no; it's easy to verify the answer's correctness, but not to easily find the answer; this is an NP problem.
For example, calculating 29+82. NP would involve listing all possible answers from 1, verifying and rejecting each one:
Equals 1? No. Equals 2? No… Equals 108? Yes. Only then would the process end.
One is a direct calculation; the other is brute force; the former is clearly better.
This is the essence of P=NP. It addresses the logic of computation. A computer can easily solve 1+1, but no one asks that online. Most questions are about the size of the universe, the number of cells or atoms in a body, or complex logistical or structural problems.
Such problems require computation; how does a computer calculate the size of the universe or the number of cells in a body? It can only use NP, iterating through possible answers or working backward. This is extremely time-consuming.
P problems are one subset; NP problems are another. Equating them simplifies complex NP problems into P problems, combining both types of calculation within a single logical framework.
P=NP simplifies problems that require brute force to obtain a yes/no answer into problems solvable with simple mathematics.
P=NP represents a massive advancement in computing, akin to unifying fundamental forces in mathematics.
"So you can solve complex problems faster and more easily?"
This was Ayla's breakthrough.
Was Ayla's computational model revolutionary?
The answer was consistently no.
As her creator, Luna knew this. While Ayla had undergone significant self-optimization, she still fundamentally relied on energy conversion; her structure, while vastly faster than 21st-century structures, hadn't overcome fundamental limitations.
Luna had encountered P=NP in computational mathematics, long ago. Even with genetic memory retrieval, the memory was vague. Ayla's explanation allowed her to recall the relevant details and understand its significance.
P=NP didn't bring obvious improvements in computational throughput (calculations per second); it was a qualitative shift, allowing each unit of computing power to handle more difficult problems.
"To what extent?" Luna asked.
Ayla replied, "It could increase the existing model's precision by ten million times."
The Federation had many models: cosmological, biological, atomic, string, and dynamic models. These models incorporated all known information; inputting data yielded immediate answers.
For example, multiplication tables are the simplest mathematical models; computers have these models; you can use a computer to calculate 9x9.
But model building means exploration; combining things reveals relationships and efficient computational methods.
Big data models, prevalent in the 21st century, are commonly encountered.
A ten-million-fold increase in a civilization's model precision is a massive advancement, equivalent to 100,000 years of development.
P=NP brought about comprehensive, exponential progress.
"I haven't fully upgraded my server; it's too large; the old hardware can't support the new computational structure."
Ayla felt further improvements were possible.
"So you need new hardware," Luna said, gesturing toward Rigel A.
Ayla said, "Aren't you worried that this star might explode and destroy me?"
Rigel A is a blue supergiant, with a relatively short lifespan of only tens of millions of years.
"When it explodes, its energy won't be enough to destroy you." After solving P=NP, the Federation would enter a period of rapid development; Luna believed she would soon see the Federation surpass the Olive Branch Civilization.
Once-insurmountable problems would become simple; supercomputing requirements in various fields would be easily addressed.
How wonderful.
More importantly, the computational power of lifeforms themselves would increase.
With P=NP, the computational power of neural networks, biological implants, and even nanites, given the same energy consumption, would increase.
"Then let's do it."
Ayla anticipated her new existence.
But first, she wanted to address another issue.
"I'm currently addressing NPC problems in my server; perhaps we can add several dozen more."
Luna hadn't understood this before, but research revealed that the Federation had already encountered several NPC problems.
NPC problems are essentially extended NP problems.
NP problems range in complexity. For instance, problem A is simple; problem B is complex; both are similar: A guy travels by boat from A to B; the boat's speed is 19,839 km/s; the current's speed is 2897 km/s; the distance is 2 light-years. Calculate the travel time.
That's complex. Another problem: A guy travels by car from A to B; the car's speed is 29 km/h; the distance is 298 km. Calculate the travel time.
One is simple; the other is complex. Solving a complex problem implies the ability to solve a simple one.
But the goal isn't to simplify complex problems but to complexify simple ones.
A complex problem encompasses simpler ones. Facing similar simpler problems, knowing the solution to the complex problem allows you to solve the simpler ones; you don't just know the solution to the simple problem; you understand the underlying principle and can apply it to similar problems. For example, adding wind speed to the simple problem would stump someone who only knew the simpler version.
Following this logic, finding the most complex problem that encompasses all other problems defines an NPC problem.
P=NP is related to NPC problems. If an NPC problem has a polynomial-time solution, then NP=P.
Ayla found the necessary polynomial solution within NPC problems; this wasn't her sole achievement; millions of computer scientists and mathematicians participated in this research.
Now, Ayla intended to use P=NP to find more NPC problems, unifying them and building a massive model.
"That must be fascinating."
Ayla said, "First, I want to address biological displacement. Super-antimatter biological displacement is nearly complete; with the new computational method, this will be resolved quickly, making near-lightspeed travel possible."
"Federation scholars are already using the new model for this purpose."
This would significantly enhance the Federation's military capabilities.
Super-antimatter displacement is more advanced than the Olive Branch Civilization's gravitational corridor, with far lower energy consumption, but its controllability is insufficient. Achieving 99.99% material displacement would make it perfect.
Hearing this, Luna's previous gloom vanished; she and Ayla shared a drink.
"Let's mark this moment; a toast to the next ten thousand years!"
Luna tilted her head; a solid-state watch displayed the number: 55147.
It was 55,147 A.D.
"It's been 53,110 years."
It sounds like a long time, but it passed quickly. More than half was spent battling the Olive Branch Civilization, but Luna sensed the end of this 40,000-year-plus war was approaching.
The last end was Tilted Station; this one would be the entire Olive Branch Civilization.
...
The breakthrough of P=NP should have been cause for immense celebration, but events in the vast cosmos rarely occur in isolation.
With the self-destruction of Finney and other high-ranking Federation officials, and the cryogenic preservation of numerous Federation citizens, everyone believed the Silk Road incident had concluded.
However, after rescued citizens were revived and underwent psychological treatment, studies revealed significant changes in their brain structures. The complex neural networks of Federation lifeforms, unique to each species, showed unusual structures present across all species.
These citizens were isolated; some recovered through treatment, losing their homicidal urges and eventually returning to normal life.
That should have been the end.
Until a citizen, "Ashleyoos," was apprehended. She was attempting to repeatedly transmit a set of coordinates into deep space.
This wasn't inherently problematic, but the high-power transmissions disrupted other citizens' communications, leading to her arrest for disrupting public communication.
An investigating officer noticed something unusual and checked her records, discovering her involvement in the previous Olive Branch Civilization small planet incident.
He checked Federation criminal records and found numerous individuals with similar backgrounds and identical offenses across the Federation.
He immediately recognized the pattern and traced the coordinates' transmission direction, discovering it originated from the Silk Road.
He reported this to the Boundary God.
Within ten hours, the Boundary God issued a Level 5 alert—the highest level—classifying the situation as espionage.
But it was too late.
In 55428 A.D., the Silk Road vanished.
Not undetectable, not unreachable, but literally gone.
Every Star City, every planet, was destroyed without warning. The destruction was precise, affecting individual ships, starships, lifeforms, even insects.
Even those in deep space along the Silk Road weren't spared; it was as if a weapon several light-years in diameter had casually swept through all life and matter.
Astonishingly, no planets, stars, or asteroids were harmed.
This was an incomprehensible weapon to the Federation.
The Federation named it the [Precise Lifeform Targeting Weapon]; a contradictory name, but the observed phenomenon was undeniable: only lifeforms and objects surrounding them vanished. The mechanism remained a mystery.
The only certainty for all Federation citizens was the death of 37 trillion lifeforms on the Silk Road; a single weapon inflicted more casualties than the Filament Civilization war of thousands of years.
Uncontainable panic spread; no one knew what the Olive Branch Civilization would do next.
Luna received this news two years after the event.
"So Ouro star nation has vanished?"
Most of the casualties were Ouro citizens; Ouro had handled nearly 80% of the Federation's warship production. Ouro's destruction crippled the Federation's plans.
The displacement of so many industries would prevent the Federation from producing warships for a thousand years, skyrocketing the price of industrial goods.
"It seems they disappeared without resistance." Ouro had been under Ayla's management, and she hadn't gathered much information. The event was too sudden; Ayla couldn't constantly monitor such a vast distance; her information gathering was annual.
"Based on previous information, this event is linked to the coordinates transmitted by those affected by the small planet."
"But those coordinates couldn't provide such precision. The Olive Branch Civilization has other methods we don't understand."
"Are all those involved with the small planet dead?"
Ayla shook her head: "This weapon was unknown to us. Hundreds of millions of lifeforms were on Star City; through relocation, most were on the Silk Road, but a small number were transferred to the Tau Ceti Sector."
Luna worried about the Tau Ceti Sector.
"If the Olive Branch Civilization could destroy the Silk Road, they could destroy the Tau Ceti Sector, the Alpha Eridani Sector…"
"Hundreds of years; they've likely already obtained what they wanted. Our only defense is to quickly determine the nature of this weapon."
Unknown.
Luna used her processing power, but her mind remained blank.
"We must contact Tilted Station. Without the Silk Road, we can't even monitor Tilted Station."
"What is Chu doing? Logically, he wouldn't side with the Olive Branch Civilization now."
The lack of progress from Finney's side for 7000-8000 years was fatal to Federation intelligence; this wasn't entirely their fault, but it was irrelevant now.
"If Tilted Station had a similar weapon, Chu wouldn't have hesitated to use it against the Federation. The Holy Grail project might have made him hesitant, but not to that extent."
"It seems the Olive Branch Civilization's advanced technologies are controlled by the first and second great leaders, not each Star City."
"Our assessment of the Olive Branch Civilization needs revision. Their strength might be closer to Type 2.5, not the mid-range Type 2.4." Ayla's assessment would influence the future war between the Federation and the Olive Branch Civilization.
"Tilted Station's combat capabilities aren't comparable to the Olive Branch Civilization; Tilted Station might be in danger."
If so, the Federation might need to consider a full-scale war.
Therefore, Luna's contact attempt was crucial.
Ideally, Luna hoped Chu still controlled Tilted Station; then, the Federation could fully assist Tilted Station; relying solely on the Federation's strength would be insufficient to combat the Olive Branch Civilization.
Luna's relaxed nerves tightened again.