Chapter 244: Swap Muskets for Cannons_1

Logically speaking, Bernard Star shouldn't be "too far" from Earth, yet it's so dim that humanity's optical telescopes can't clearly observe this planetary system.

Therefore, the information from the shop seemed extremely valuable, and Jiang Yu estimated that if Zhang Beihai had a system like his, he would definitely set his escape route towards Bernard Star.

Because according to the system's data, Bernard Star is very similar to the Solar System, with two gas giant planets, which are essentially floating nuclear engine fuel in space.

Moreover, as long as there are Earth-like planets and asteroid belts, there will certainly be metal ore deposits, which are the foundation of industrial development.

The only slight disappointment is that it's a bit too close to the Solar System, and if a colony were established here, it's unpredictable whether the Trisolarans would send Sophon over.

Furthermore, this place could only serve as a stepping stone for interstellar colonization, because the main star of this planetary system is a red dwarf, surely very cold, so there wouldn't be Earth-like planets suitable for human habitation, making it not a very good colonial star system.

In addition to the overview of each star and planet in the Bernard planetary system, there was an overview of the entire system: 1. While Bernard Star was turning into a red dwarf, it almost ignited a gas giant planet. Therefore, one gas giant has a very high temperature, and if not for the mass limitation, it would have become a new star.

2. As Bernard Star's mass decreases, its planets are gradually straying from their original orbits, and now their orbits are very unstable.

3. Between two and three billion years ago, there appeared to have been a civilization in the star system.

As Jiang Yu continued to read, there was nothing more!

Big brother! Is there any civilization existing there now?

Jiang Yu pondered for a moment, probably not, right?

The process of Bernard Star turning into a red dwarf would be a relentless natural disaster for human civilization, and if the Trisolarans faced such a situation, only a small portion of them would be able to escape.

Even if the civilization in the Bernard planetary system had not been wiped out, the intelligent life within the star system would have likely fled long ago.

Even if they didn't flee, living in a space city around the gas giant, billions of years on, they probably would have long "suffocated themselves."

Jiang Yu looked again at the shelf, where the original red fireball had turned into a brown fireball, underneath which was a line of small text: "Overview of the Luhman 16 star."

Jiang Yu used the computer to check, finding it to be a rare binary brown dwarf star system about 6.5 light-years from Earth, the third-farthest planetary system from Earth.

Since both primary stars of this planetary system are brown dwarfs, and don't reach the level of stars, this system is even dimmer than the Bernard planetary system.

To get an overview of this planetary system, twenty million Deception Points are needed.

Jiang Yu sighed; the shop was beginning to show its unscrupulous nature, with Deception Points growing exponentially.

Jiang Yu didn't buy it right away, because if he kept buying like this, two hundred million Deception Points would be nowhere near enough.

He contacted Number Three and had Number Three get in touch with astronomers from the Science Academy to compile a report on the planetary systems within thirty light-years around Earth.

Then Jiang Yu went back into the shop and used ten million Deception Points to unlock a newly appeared second item: Intelligent Q&A.

Once he unlocked this item, a voice immediately appeared in his mind:

"Hello, I am JK15, pleased to serve you.

"You may pose your queries to me, and I will price the answers according to their value. If you agree to pay the Deception Points I quote, I'll answer your questions.

"The rules are as follows:

"1. No technical questions are answered.

"2. No questions regarding future fates are answered."

After thinking it over, Jiang Yu asked, "Who created this intelligent entity?"

JK15 replied, "The answer to that question costs thirty million Deception Points; are you willing to pay?"

Jiang Yu hastily replied, "I'll pay."

JK15 said, "Now deducting 30 million Deception Points from your account, your balance is 147,888,325 Deception Points.

"Your question is: Who created me..."

Jiang Yu sighed, "How can an artificial intelligence be so long-winded?"

JK15 said, "The answer to that question will cost 100 Deception Points, may I inquire..."

Jiang Yu hurriedly said, "Don't pay, just tell me the answer to the previous question."

"The answer is: Jiang Shiliu."

Fuck!

Upon hearing that answer, Jiang Yu suddenly felt a cold sweat on the back of his neck: "Jiang Shiliu, which Jiang Shiliu?"

JK15 still spoke in its impassive voice, "That question pertains to future fates and cannot be answered."

Even without its answer, Jiang Yu understood: how many Jiang Shilius could there be in the world?

Thinking about it now, the name JK15 really seemed like Jiang Shiliu's handiwork, didn't it? When he named his own research results, the model always started with a "J"!

So, "Wallfacer's Shop" was very likely Jiang Shiliu's masterpiece!

But how did the kid send "Wallfacer's Shop" back over two hundred years?

Regrettably, as this kind of question was both a technical and future fate matter, JK15 would surely not answer it.

Jiang Yu pondered for a while and decided to try a roundabout question, he asked, "Why can't you answer technical or future-related questions?"

The voice said, "The answer to this question will cost 30 million Deception Points. Would you like to pay?"

Jiang Yu was somewhat pained by the rapidly declining Deception Points; just yesterday, these points seemed superfluous, but now they had become precious.

However, to unravel the doubts in his heart, he reluctantly said, "Pay!"

JK15 began its verbose explanation, "Now deducting 30 million Deception Points from your account, your balance is 117,888,326 Deception Points.

"Your question is: Why can't the question and answer rules be violated?

"The answer is: If you possess technology that does not align with the current era, humanity's overall technological progress will be greatly influenced, veering completely off the trajectory it should follow.

"As a result, technological development could become severely distorted, and the entire species might face extinction.

"The reason we can't tell you about future fates: first, to prevent you from knowing the answers and damaging the universe's timeline.

"The specific meaning of the timeline cannot be explained, but it is already very fragile, and any significant damage to it could plunge the universe into a 'temporal chaos.'

"Second, knowing your future fate would violate the most fundamental physical rules of the three-dimensional world; these rules cannot be explained.

"Free answer: This is the solution to the 'grandfather paradox'. Even if time travel is possible, it is impossible to change the predetermined history of the three-dimensional universe."

The answer was loaded with information, and Jiang Yu took a while to digest it.

Firstly, it meant that Jiang Shiliu, well, he could no longer be referred to as a kid, so this scientist, or whatever he created, could time travel.

Secondly, time travel cannot change history.

Lastly, possessing a certain level of technology at any point, and having it ahead of time, isn't necessarily a good thing.

These 30 million Deception Points were well spent!

Jiang Yu excitedly thought to himself: The upgrade of the shop this time, was a complete game-changer!