Chapter 338: Cheng Xin Wakes Up_1

Excerpts from Number Three's "Work Memo":

In the 41st year of the Intimidation Era, a huge breakthrough in the study of the "Black Square" was achieved. (Top Secret)

The breakthrough was mainly reflected in two aspects, the first was the successful dissection of No. 1 Cube, whose internal structure was like a Rubik's Cube, with many smaller cubic or rectangular components that could continuously change positions.

The scientific team believed that through internal changes, No. 1 Cube might have different functions.

There were indications that the entire internal structure of the "Black Square" was not fixed, and could change into different shapes according to different needs.

The "Black Square" we see now is just one of the modes of the "Black Square".

This discovery provided critical reference for future spacecraft.

The second breakthrough was the discovery of several bodies of Black Cuboid People in a violently dismantled room.

Each was in a grey-black monolith that resembled a rectangular cube, which must have been the hibernation pods of the Black Cuboid People.

Just like the previously discovered grey-black cover, the surface of the monoliths allowed a clear view of their interiors with just a glance through sunglasses.

After analysis by biologists, it was preliminarily determined that the Black Cuboid People were also carbon-based life forms.

Although the hibernation pods had not been replenished with energy for a long time and should have stopped working, their air-tightness remained good, with the bodies showing no signs of shriveling or dehydration.

The Black Cuboid People did not look as majestic as those in the Tianshan Murals; they were round all over and appeared very thin.

They did not possess the large heads and eyes imagined in typical aliens, with no concept of facial features, it wasn't even clear which part was their head.

Their overall appearance was like a slightly rough radish with six radish stems of varying lengths, with a large number of uneven tentacles and a compound eye-like structure found only on their abdomen (based on human anatomy).

This was the first time humanity obtained the bodies of extraterrestrial intelligent life forms; the research team immediately focused their efforts and violently dismantled the Black Cuboid People's hibernation pods.

After opening the first hibernation pod, it was confirmed that the Black Cuboid Person inside had no vital signs, and dissection was immediately carried out.

The biologists hypothesized from the dissection that those tentacles were the Black Cuboid People's sensory organs and that the compound eyes would be their visual organs.

Additionally, two brains were found in the torso, but the workings of other organs were completely unknown.

However, it was certain that the Black Cuboid People did not have a digestive system; their method of energy replenishment seemed to depend entirely on a tubular organ, the thickness of a straw, located on their upper left arm.

Upon reviewing the communication records between Jiang Yu and the Black Cuboid People, biologists reasoned that the Black Cuboid People's method of energy replenishment was completely different from that of humankind.

They should be able to directly utilize external energy interfaces—like charging—in a few seconds, replenishing all the energy their bodies needed, hence their lack of an energy-consuming digestive system.

This also explained why the Black Cuboid People, despite holding many high-tech products, suffered deaths and even became prey during natural disasters.

The Black Cuboid People's more straightforward and efficient method of directly replenishing energy suggested that for a long time, they had not adapted to the human way of energy intake.

Therefore, during a disaster, they neglected to store food and eventually faced a survival crisis. They had no choice but to step out from the protection of high-tech products to seek help from their kin or attempt to find food.

Their inability to adapt to human bodies was a major reason the Black Cuboid People suffered heavy blows.

It is currently unclear whether the Black Cuboid People's method of energy intake was a result of natural evolution or a consequence of altering themselves.

…

In the 43rd year of the Intimidation Era, Jiang Yu's complications worsened, and he had to hibernate, waiting for a technological breakthrough and a subsequent opportunity for treatment.

From the 45th to the 52nd year of the Intimidation Era, the Genetic Technologies of the Solar System State achieved multiple huge breakthroughs, with the primary basis coming from the "Black Square Ancient Corpses".

In June of the 53rd year of the Intimidation Era, Jiang Yu was woken up and received new treatment, which completely resolved his complications.

He then began his second tour; at this time, the Saturn Civilization Circle was already very prosperous, contributing a huge amount of tax revenue to the Governing Council every year.

At the same time, the living environment of the residents had expanded more than tenfold compared to the time of Jiang Yu's last tour.

The civilization circles of Uranus and Neptune had long since become the peripheral energy and industrial bases of the Solar System, ceaselessly transporting vast amounts of energy and industrial products to the Kuiper Belt.

The strength of the Solar System State in the Kuiper Belt was already very formidable, with more than twenty space cities and bases.

These bases were all camouflaged; from the outside, they looked like space cities, but in reality, they were all military fortresses.

After completing this inspection, Jiang Yu ordered the armed forces of the Solar System State to assemble on a grand scale in the Kuiper Belt and, at the same time, expanded the First Legion tasked with defending the Earth Civilization Circle.

The Solar System State currently had six legions, with four now assembling in the Kuiper Belt.

The series of military maneuvers by the Solar System State greatly unnerved the PDC and Fleet International. However, after the Solar System State publicly declared that they were conducting military drills, the PDC and Fleet International soon lost interest in their actions.

It wasn't that they were careless; it was that the main strength of the Solar System State was assembling at the outer edges of the star system, and their forces in the Jupiter Civilization Circle had in fact significantly weakened.

If anyone said that the Solar System State was targeting Fleet International or the PDC, they themselves wouldn't believe it.

Moreover, there was no appearance of forces or weapons outside of the intelligence reports, which made them lower their guard, thinking that the Solar System State was merely fussing about aimlessly.

...

In the 58th year of the Intimidation Era, Yang Dong gave birth to a daughter for Jiang Yu, who he named Jiang Que, and she was viewed as the apple of his eye from the moment she was born.

Yang Dong had undergone adult Genetic Modification and her somatic cells had undergone dramatic changes; at this point, her physical condition was equivalent to just having entered middle age.

...

In the 60th year of the Intimidation Era, Jiang Yu announced in a limited scope: Prepare for a second war with the Trisolarans! (Top Secret)

In March of the same year, Jiang Yu continued his second inspection, traveling from Ceres City, Zao Shen City, Yinghuo City, Guanghan City, all the way to Desert North Farm.

This is where Number Three's "Work Memo" ends.

...

In the 61st year of the Intimidation Era, on Earth.

Cheng Xin was awakened because of the star Yun Tianming gave her, which had acquired tremendous value.

The world had changed drastically by now; the once mortal enemies, the Trisolarans, had become interstellar partners, and humanity's civilization had escalated to an entirely new height.

No one remembered the Staircase Program anymore, and no one remembered that, more than two centuries ago, a brain courageously dashed into the universe.

Cheng Xin thought he must be very lonely! Soaring through space all by himself.

She also wondered, if I were to die, who would remember him then?

Cheng Xin suddenly recalled a sentence Ai AA had just said, "In this age, conscience and responsibility are not commendatory terms; too much display of these things is considered a psychological disorder called Social Personality Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, which requires treatment."

What kind of era was this, really?

Now that Cheng Xin could go out, Ai AA, who had become her subordinate, accompanied her to take a stroll outside.

Cheng Xin saw the people on the street: a girl, two girls, a group of girls... all girls, all beautiful, wearing sparkling clothes, like fairies in this dreamy city.

She couldn't help asking, "Where are the men?"

"They are everywhere!" Ai AA was about to point out a few men nearby when she suddenly noticed a man standing out from the crowd.

He wasn't wearing the sparkling attire, but a very comfortable but sternly classical cotton outfit.

He sported a little mustache, but most importantly, he walked with such presence that many pedestrians gave way to him voluntarily.

This man Ai AA had just seen online, was none other than Jiang Yu, the Wallfacer from the Solar System State who had just visited! Everyone knew that he was truly the master of that behemoth, the Solar System State.