It had been another 500 years since they discovered the Type 2 Light-based Civilization ship.
During this time, Luna entered cryosleep multiple times, waking up for a cumulative total of no more than 5 years.
Most of her awakenings were necessitated by the Multi-eyed issue.
Completely colonizing a Civilization cannot be achieved in a short span; it demands an extraordinarily long process. For the Multi-eyed, Ayla's calculated timeline was precisely 500 years.
Upon this particular awakening, Luna was not roused by the Multi-eyed situation.
This was because their Civilization had reached an entirely new technological echelon.
The controllable nuclear fusion devices had been upgraded, and now that they controlled Antimatter cannons, the development schedule for Antimatter annihilation fuel had accelerated.
This process was more extended than that for controllable nuclear fusion because the energy released by Antimatter annihilation was significantly higher, requiring upgrades to various supporting industries before it could truly become a mass-produced system.
Now, Ayla had successfully finalized this technology.
It utilized the special metal discovered on the hull of that alien ship.
Through Ayla's intensive research, this metal was identified as a composite alloy at the quark level; its essence was not entirely metallic, but rather a sophisticated combination involving a fictional heavy material referred to as "gold stone."
Its half-life was recorded at 1.7 billion years, its density measured at 324.10 g/cm3, its Mohs hardness stood at 15, and its melting point reached 87,000 degrees Celsius. Most terrifyingly, its tensile strength was 14,127 MPa, meaning every square centimeter could withstand a force equivalent to 144 tons.
Only its excessive density was deemed a genuine drawback, negatively impacting the ship's achievable speed.
However, these material specifications were merely basic operational knowledge.
What truly stunned Luna were only four specific words:
No electric charge.
This Type 2 Civilization had clearly mastered leveraging the effect of magnetic forces on matter. By eliminating the electric charge, magnetic force could no longer exert the Lorentz force on the object.
This indicated that the Civilization was mastering the fundamental forces for use in warfare. They utilized fundamental forces as weapons, and also as a foundation for their defensive strength.
Ayla required 420 years to successfully master the processing of this unique metal and apply it across various crucial fields.
The Hope also underwent a complete transformation.
After donning her spacesuit and stepping out onto the exterior of the Hope, Luna looked back. The originally black hull of the Hope had been covered in a shimmering silver finish, as if the entire vessel were assembled from countless perfect mirrors.
The entire rear section of the Hope had been dismantled and replaced due to the extensive refit.
A passing robot suddenly turned towards Luna and stated: "Luna, wait a moment, I will dispatch a transport vehicle to take you to the factory. There, we are waiting for you to observe the great progress achieved over these 500 years."
The voice belonged to Ayla.
Luna nodded and then directed her gaze toward the planet's surface.
What should have been a barren, buried wasteland.
After 500 years of development, it had transformed into a colossal metropolis, filled with towering skyscrapers, presenting a scene of opulent luxury and decadence. Looking at it suddenly made her feel it was no different from Earth.
The key difference was that this city was far more cybernetic in design.
Not only were there roadways along the ground level, but certain lanes ran directly between buildings reaching 2,000 meters high, and even higher, forming a complex network of aerial pathways tens of thousands of meters above the surface.
These transport vehicles lacked conventional wheels; they utilized magnetic levitation and could hover about 300 meters above the ground at their maximum altitude.
Looking around, the entire area was ablaze with light.
Giant digital billboards, three-dimensional projections, vehicle lights, and illumination from countless residences merged into a single spectacle, bathing the entire city as if it were perpetual daytime.
However, the inhabitants of this city were not humans, but the Multi-eyed and various robots.
"No need. I'll simply take the magnetic levitation train over. I want to experience this city firsthand."
Luna desired to witness the prosperity. Perhaps because so much time had elapsed, or perhaps because she felt she was growing old now, she had almost forgotten the true scenes of Earth, having only watched the films Ayla produced.
Walking into the city, she observed many semi-circular domes interspersed throughout the structure. Within these domes, various types of Earth flora were carefully cultivated.
Multi-eyed creatures lined the streets.
Wherever Luna traveled, all the Multi-eyed parted ways for her.
Through the real-time translation system engineered by Ayla, Luna could discern the emotions and language of these Multi-eyed.
Fear.
Curiosity.
Awe.
Like humans, the Multi-eyed, as highly intelligent organisms, possessed complex emotional spectra.
These slime-like creatures, weighing up to 3 tons, sometimes displayed emotional expressions even richer than humans—perhaps this stemmed from their multitude of eyes.
The Multi-eyed eyes could perceive a broader spectrum of colors than human eyes; more colors allowed for greater artistic expression, and art was one of the foundations for complex emotional displays.
The only element conspicuously missing in the entire city was noise.
The entire city was eerily silent, as this planet possessed no breathable atmosphere.
She passed through the city's busiest commercial thoroughfare, leading toward a central magma plaza.
She took a 1,200-meter-high elevator to the apex of a skyscraper—a colossal observation deck.
There was a single, metallic track connecting one end to the other. A bullet-shaped train, measuring 6 meters tall and 8 meters wide, approached silently. A large light on its front flashed once, announcing the train's arrival.
The speed smoothly decelerated from 1000 km/h to 0, and it came to a stop.
The massive door opened, and Luna stepped inside.
There were no seats within; the empty carriage was filled instead with Multi-eyed creatures. Moments later, the train started, rapidly moving away from the city and into a desolate region.
In the expanse above, one could only discern giant, hemispherical glass domes and landscapes formed by volcanic activity. Each dome spanned at least ten square kilometers, and Earth flora grew within them.
Around the volcanoes, there were even more native plant species. These grew vigorously, their colors mostly extremely vibrant, with some even exhibiting faint bioluminescence.
Half an hour later, Luna arrived at another city.
This city resembled a dedicated industrial zone; everywhere she looked were factories, devoid of recreational areas or residential structures, only countless mechanical apparatuses.
As soon as Luna disembarked, a robot approached her.
"Follow me, Luna."
She followed the robot onto a special elevator situated on a stone pedestal.
This elevator did not ascend but traveled downward.
After descending approximately 100 meters underground, Luna's vision cleared.
This was a massive stadium shaped like a ring, though significantly larger, with a diameter of 15 km. The elevator stopped near the center of this ring structure.
Luna looked down and observed a primeval rainforest.
Only genuine botanists visiting this deep rainforest would realize that these trees did not belong to any known species on Earth, as these trees were also Earth flora engineered by Ayla through gene editing.
Descending another 4,700 meters brought her to the floor of an underground space. This was a pristine white hall, and on all sides of the hall were doors of every color, each prominently marked with an English label indicating its specific destination.
Entering one of these doors led into a long, tube-shaped corridor.
There was no need to walk; one was efficiently carried along by a flattened handrail elevator. The ceiling, floor, left, and right walls of the corridor were all seamless screens displaying various Earth animals.
Upon reaching the terminus, Luna passed through a rectangular gate, measuring 200 meters in length and only 40 meters in height. After ten minutes, she suddenly looked up and saw the starry sky once more.
She was inside a massive natural crater with a diameter of 18 km.
The entire bottom floor was covered by a metallic platform that occupied the pit completely.
Almost all the crater walls were shielded, with colossal, several-tens-of-meters-high robotic arms distributed everywhere.
Luna was guided into a large, suspended chamber protruding from the cliff face.
The reception room was already filled with over ten Multi-eyed beings.
These held extremely high status among the Multi-eyed: there was a ruler, top scientists, and military commanders...
After Luna was seated at the very front.
A section of the ceiling began to lower, revealing a giant, deep opening. A colossal wall rose around it, completely obscuring all the robotic arms, including the entire hall they were currently occupying.
Ayla appeared.
The glass panel in front of her transformed into a display screen.
"Luna, please observe my report."
The screen displayed an overhead schematic of the crater.
Luna questioned, "Didn't you want to show me the Antimatter annihilation device?"
Ayla smiled mysteriously.
"Of course. What I am showing you now is precisely that."
"However, the initial device we manufactured is considerably larger than you might have envisioned."
Hearing this, Luna felt a sudden premonition.
She turned to look at the other Multi-eyed behind her. She saw the crystalline optical fibers on their bodies flashing rapidly. Luna didn't even require translation to recognize they had entered a state of intense excitement.
Ayla continued:
"This year is 4265 A.D., Luna. We have achieved another technological leap."
"Mastering the energy source of matter-antimatter annihilation has granted us the capability to maneuver colossal celestial bodies."
"Initiate ignition sequence."
All preparatory work had been finalized before Luna entered cryosleep.
Now was the final test.
Luna felt a tremor originating from the ground, shifting from high-frequency vibrations to intense, low-frequency jolts.
On the screen, data streamed rapidly across the image.
The mouth of the crater began exhibiting significant light distortion.
Then, an extremely intense thermal wave, carrying a white flame, erupted outward.
"Propelling the planet."
Luna stood up. The sheer scale of this project was staggering; it would have taken decades to construct such a massive mechanism. Ayla had initiated the construction of this apparatus 500 years ago.
The most vexing dilemma for Luna back then was how to effectively manage a long-term colonization of the Multi-eyed.
Because the planet they currently inhabited was not their intended destination. This world was only suitable for Multi-eyed survival, not for humans.
Even though she knew human beings could be cultivated from her own cells, Luna's primary objective remained Proxima Centauri b.
But if she departed via spaceship, the Multi-eyed could not be properly managed.
This location was 3 light-years distant from Proxima Centauri. Even with Ayla controlling remotely, a round-trip signal would take a full 6 years.
Too long. If the Multi-eyed decided to revolt, they would be unable to intervene in time.
Back when she first raised the idea, she had only mentioned it casually. She hadn't anticipated Ayla would take it so seriously and actually proceed with the research, even manufacturing the device.
The completion of the planetary thruster meant they could subsequently guide this planet towards the Proxima Centauri boundary.
Going a step further, they could potentially engineer an entire star system, moving multiple planets meeting habitability standards into suitable orbits.
It wasn't even impossible to move this planet into the Solar System, settling it into Earth's original orbital position.
However, that would require an immense investment of time.
This was because Ayla predicted that the Sun would enter a period of excessive activity within the next million years, during which the habitable zones of the Solar System would become a forbidden zone for any advanced Civilization.
"How much can this single thruster move the planet?" Luna inquired.
Ayla quickly provided the data.
"Originally, all celestial bodies in the Milky Way orbited the galactic core. The rotational speed of the Multi-eyed planet beneath our feet is 115 km/s. This current thruster configuration can only control the planet's vector, and only under a singular condition."
"However, I have already prioritized the manufacturing of additional planetary thrusters. In approximately 200 years, Luna, you will witness 100 such thrusters."
"Don't be misled by the small 18 km diameter of these individual thrusters; due to the efficiency of Antimatter annihilation fuel in a vacuum, 100 of them will be sufficient to propel this planet's speed beyond 250 km/s."
For such a massive structure, this constituted a rather high velocity.
It was no wonder these Multi-eyed were beside themselves with excitement.
Two centuries later, the planetary thrusters were finalized, meaning they could take full command over the planet beneath their feet.
This represented a monumental, non-trivial achievement.
...
The iron wall descended once more.
After the Multi-eyed elite ascended, Luna remained seated.
"Ayla, since the matter-antimatter annihilation technology has developed to a usable stage, what about the other aspect?"
During those 500 years, the Multi-eyed still occasionally exhibited rebellious behavior.
To resolve this, Luna decided to develop an item to completely achieve cultural invasion and subjugation.
That was Virtual Reality.
Cultural invasion is partly cultural infiltration, perhaps even the main part.
The hardest element of cultural infiltration is making the opponent accept knowledge; the easier part is making them accept entertainment.
Luna decided to craft a simulated virtual reality game world, within which she would gradually complete the deep-rooted cultural implantation among the Multi-eyed.
Ayla could not have forgotten the objective.
"[Reality simulation technology] is relatively easy if it only involves visual output."
"But if it involves direct connection to the neural network, it becomes extremely difficult."
"During these years, I dissected over 100,000 Multi-eyed bodies and discovered that the Multi-eyed do not possess a centralized brain. Their consciousness resides within their highly developed, interconnected neural network throughout their entire body."
"These nerves can connect with each other to form a brain-like structure, or they can disperse to handle simple tasks, such as shutting down 99% of the nerves for awareness while utilizing 1% for vigilance."
"This creates numerous technical hurdles. Extracting the Multi-eyed consciousness into virtual reality is tens of thousands of times harder than it is for humans."
After speaking, Ayla made a gesture inviting action.
Luna stood up and walked out.
They conversed as they traveled, taking a magnetic levitation vehicle to another city.
This city lacked much bright illumination; there were hardly any volcanoes in the vicinity, existing in pitch-black coldness.
Upon entering, they observed tens of thousands of various robots diligently at work.
"Originally, I intended to build my main server here."
"But I realized I am ultimately following Luna. The Multi-eyed planet is not our true home, but merely our starting point."
"So my main server remains on the Hope. Everything you see here is part of another server cluster."
Luna looked around.
No word could describe her feeling except shock.
Because of the sheer scale.
This was a colossal complex, spanning 30 kilometers in diameter.
If all the structures in this location were converted into residential units of the same volume, they could easily accommodate one million inhabitants.
And this was only a fraction of the total server complex.
"How many times greater is this server's computational capacity than yours?"
Luna sensed Ayla deeply desired this server complex.
"Ten trillion times greater."
Ayla's computational power had long surpassed quantum computing in the field of numerical calculation, reaching 790 octillion operations per second. Adding another ten trillion times on top of that results in 790 duodecillion operations per second.
An overwhelmingly terrifying computational capacity, simply beyond what human imagination could easily grasp.
"This server will later be fully dedicated to the virtual reality field."
"Currently, it is developing a complete fictional world. Its theoretical limit should be constructing a complex world with a diameter of 0.5 light-years."
"Its computational power will be entirely dedicated to maintaining the fictional world, creating one hundred quintillion life forms within the simulated environment, and allowing each life form to carry its own share of the processing load."
Luna calculated swiftly.
Theoretically, each life form could possess 7.9 sextillion units of computational power. The intelligence simulated by this level of processing power would far exceed that of ordinary humans.
Could this ambition truly be considered creating a universe?
"What is the maximum number of players it can support simultaneously?"
Luna recalled that back on Earth, the maximum number of players a single server could handle was only a few dozen; any more resulted in significant lag. Even in conventional online games, 150 concurrent players was often considered the optimal limit.
"This fictional world operates on a single server, capable of accommodating ten billion players simultaneously on the same map."
This was truly a gamer's ultimate dream.
Hearing this, Luna felt a distinct urge to step inside herself.
It was a pity that constructing such a complex world spanning 0.5 light-years would still require a considerable amount of time.
She might as well return to cryosleep and await that moment.
...
200 years flashed by in an instant.
Luna emerged from her quarters, naturally waiting for a robot to deliver her breakfast while communicating with Ayla.
"The final planetary thruster has been completed."
"When do we initiate the maneuver to shift the Multi-eyed planet's trajectory towards Proxima Centauri?"
Ayla seemed dissatisfied with its 3D projection. It took over the silicone android body from before, donning a blue and white qipao, and walked over.
This area was designed as a small bar lounge.
Ayla skillfully used a cocktail shaker and jigger, occasionally showing off some slight flair. It then took a crystal glass, added ice, rimmed the edge with rose salt, and placed a slice of lemon garnish.
The perfectly mixed cocktail was poured into the glass. Ayla sealed it with an eggbeater-like device, finally pushing the drink toward Luna.
"Now."
The moment Ayla uttered the word, the entire surface of the Multi-eyed planet trembled.
The planetary thrusters were activated!
Luna calmly picked up the sunset-colored drink and inquired, "What is this called?"
"Dream!"
Luna downed the drink in one gulp—it was intensely fiery, like swallowing a chili pepper.
"How can one escape life's solitude? What boundaries can contain a soul-stirring passion!"
"Because of this dreamlike return, tears stream down like flowing water."
"Who dwells in the skyscrapers? Longing for the memories of love."
"Past events have vanished like smoke, existing only within a dream."
Luna had never enjoyed poetry because she was constantly forced to read required texts, making her unable to connect with the emotions conveyed. Only now, experiencing this critical situation, could she truly grasp the feeling transmitted through those verses.
"The activation of the planetary thrusters also signals the time for us to depart this celestial body."
Although the planet's speed reached 250 km/s, it would still require 3,600 long years to reach Proxima Centauri.
That was too slow, far too slow.
"The Hope has been equipped with Antimatter annihilation thrusters. What is its current velocity?"
Previously, the Hope used electromagnetic thrusters, which were intended to be upgraded to nuclear fusion thrusters.
But because they encountered the Multi-eyed, and subsequently developed Antimatter annihilation technology for weaponry, they decided to research and construct superior Antimatter annihilation thrusters instead.
This represented a massive leap for their Civilization.
"3220 km/s," Ayla replied.
This speed was more than double what it was previously.
Theoretically, through continuous acceleration, any object should be capable of approaching the speed of light.
An energy source like matter-antimatter annihilation could theoretically accelerate a vessel up to 10% the speed of light.
However, this remained purely theoretical.
The assumption was that the ship's mass in theory was vastly different from its actual mass. A colossal vessel like the Hope had a dead weight reaching 74 million tons.
To accelerate such a massive object to ten percent the speed of light, even under absolutely perfect theoretical conditions, would necessitate consuming at least 18 million tons of Antimatter—approaching one-quarter of the ship's total mass. This was nearly impossible to achieve practically.
In reality, they couldn't simply focus on acceleration; they also had to account for deceleration later, as there is no cosmic "brake" in space to halt their momentum.
Theoretical acceleration ultimately proved to be merely a reckless path courting disaster.
The realistic scenario would involve accelerating the ship to ten percent the speed of light and then deliberately crashing into the target planet, resulting in mass extinction for the planetary inhabitants.
After finishing her drink, Luna went to eat again.
Once she was completely satisfied, she began arranging the final procedures.
Although Ayla could meticulously consider every aspect, Luna still felt she needed to personally oversee matters in a manner aligned with human sentiment.
If everything were delegated solely to Ayla, it would inevitably lead to a conflict between machine-based consciousness and the consciousness of an intelligent life-form.
Before departing the Multi-eyed planet, Luna required Ayla to secure everything pertaining to the Multi-eyed.
This included a technological lockdown, ensuring the Multi-eyed could not overthrow their dominance within the 3,600 years it would take to reach Proxima Centauri.
Regarding surveillance, the number of ordinary robots deployed on the Multi-eyed planet had been increased to 300 million, already surpassing the current total Multi-eyed population count.
All cities were undergoing complete mechanization to guarantee that no Multi-eyed life form could access or control threatening weaponry.
These critical tasks consumed an entire month of Luna's time to complete.
Finally.
Ayla concluded all necessary ship inspections.
"Luna, we now command 157 vessels, including 4 main combat fleets and 1 reconnaissance fleet."
"All vessels have been outfitted with the latest Antimatter main cannons and high-energy laser weaponry. The magnetic shields have also been reinforced."
"The small fighters carried aboard have been upgraded to the third generation, utilizing Antimatter annihilation energy as their power source, permitting speeds up to 7810 km/s."
"In addition to this vessel, the flagship of the Second Fleet has been refitted using the alien ship recovered from underground. I have successfully integrated the majority of the Light-based Civilization's weaponry with our existing equipment."
"With our current combat capability, we can now successfully prosecute wars against Civilizations of Type 1.6 or higher."
"All warships are now positioned in space, awaiting orders."
"Shall we initiate departure from the Multi-eyed planet now?"
Luna paused, considering if anything essential remained undone. After careful reflection, she felt they were sufficiently prepared.
"Initiate takeoff sequence."
"It is time to bid farewell to this planet."
"I actually grew fond of the Multi-eyed planet as it is now, but regrettably, it remains unsuitable for human inhabitation."
During her period of awakening, Luna had toured many sections of the Multi-eyed planet.
After Ayla's modifications, the Multi-eyed planet had indeed become significantly more beautiful, more aligned with human aesthetic standards.
"Ignite the first-stage ascent platform."
"Begin departure from the Multi-eyed planet."
The entire ship shook violently as the platform thrust the Hope upward into the sky.
Because the ship's inherent mass was enormous, the Hope required a two-stage acceleration maneuver to successfully escape the Multi-eyed planet's gravity.
When the platform reached an altitude of 60 km, the Hope's main engines ignited. At a distance of 210 km from the surface, the Hope broke free of the Multi-eyed planet's significant gravitational pull.
Luna watched the Multi-eyed planet diminish on the screen.
At that precise moment, every single light on the entire planet flared to full illumination.
Viewed from space, the Multi-eyed planet was dazzlingly colorful, resembling an eye in the void, observing the fleet led by the Hope as it departed. It shone like a giant neon beacon.
Behind this beacon trailed a brilliant tail, following their vessel.
However, the farther they journeyed, the more distant that beacon became.
"Change course."
"Head toward the target that has remained constant since the beginning."
"Go, conquer that place!"
...
After leaving the Multi-eyed planet, Luna did not immediately enter cryosleep.
She decided to test her current physical condition.
It had achieved perfection across all metrics.
Weight: 95 kg. Deadlift: 290 kg, Bench Press: 430 kg, Squat: 410 kg.
There was still a measurable gap compared to the maximum calculated values Ayla had projected, but she was not a professional athlete; she did not need to dedicate excessive time pushing herself to the absolute physical limit.
She stood in the gym, adjacent to a 30-square-meter annex room.
Inside that room rested the newest model of her cryosleep chamber, but this chamber was connected to a dense network of wires and conduits.
"It seems preparation is complete."
"Has the system been tested?"
Luna inquired, still harboring slight unease regarding this specific piece of technology. After all, this involved directly penetrating the mind and reading consciousness.
In countless sci-fi narratives, others could even utilize this technology to directly read thoughts from the mind.
Even without being hacked, due to a technical malfunction, the worst-case scenario was brain death, or at best, memory loss leading to cognitive impairment.
"Rest assured, Luna. This technology has benefited from hundreds of years of cumulative development and rigorous testing."
"I cultured tens of thousands of brains derived from your cells. Apart from an initial loss of a few thousand specimens, all subsequent brains remained perfectly intact."
As Ayla stated this, Luna instinctively pictured the research Ayla endured, drawing in a sharp breath of cold air.
Although lingering unease persisted in her heart, the sheer allure of this technology was too compelling.
Back on Earth, humanity had contemplated two distinct futures and was actively progressing toward both.
One path involved the deep development of virtual worlds to alleviate population pressures.
The other focused on the military colonization of alien worlds.
Currently, she could be said to be advancing on both fronts concurrently because the two pursuits did not conflict.
On the long journey through the cosmos, even the most profoundly lazy individuals couldn't spend all their time consuming media via phones and computers. A truly immersive virtual world offered the best solution for downtime.
"So, how did you ultimately resolve the latency issue?"
The ship was moving far beyond the server's location; latency was an unavoidable factor.
"Then the only practical option is for you to view recorded instances, Luna. Everything you experience will be transmitted as compiled data streams."
"Including interactions with characters."
"You don't need to worry about communication with other players, because genuine conversation is restricted to a dedicated friend channel. If you require virtual dialogue, I can task the server with taking over all the characters within the recordings to engage in real-time conversation with you."
The speed of light—this was an insurmountable barrier.
Luna had certainly considered this dilemma but was eager to learn Ayla's specific resolution method.
The arrangement was acceptable, equivalent to playing a sophisticated single-player offline game.
Luna stepped into the adjacent washroom and took a cold shower, briskly drying her body with a towel.
She then walked into that specialized room. This cryo-chamber was at least twice the size of the previous units she had occupied. Looking inside, she saw no soft bed or seat, but rather a unique, jelly-like, viscous fluid filling the chamber.
Ayla walked over to offer Luna an explanation.
"This is a specialized coolant; it will not freeze and perfectly preserves your body's condition."
"The reason we switched to this medium is to ensure your brain remains active even during deep cryosleep. This fluid can supply abundant oxygen and essential nutrients directly to the brain tissue."
"However, this method of cryosleep requires you, Luna, to undertake one key preparation: you must consciously inhale this fluid into your lungs."
The brain is an organ demanding immense energy. Even though it occupies a small fraction of total body mass, its energy requirements are substantial.
The physical body cannot sustain that level of energy draw during decades of sleep.
Luna looked at the fluid and recalled something similar: perfluorocarbon compounds, which enabled humans to breathe while submerged in liquid environments.
But this substance was clearly different, as perfluorocarbons remain inert only at near-room temperatures, whereas the necessary temperature for her cryosleep was -262 degrees Celsius.
She carefully lay down.
Initially, there was a strong, terrifying sensation of drowning, but as the fluid filled her lungs, this feeling gradually receded, replaced by a settling peace.
Intense drowsiness washed over her, and she slowly closed her eyes.
She didn't know how much time had passed before she opened her eyes again.
What greeted her was not the interior of the ship, but a vast, green grassland stretching limitlessly to the horizon.
The sky was a brilliant blue, the clouds were pure white, the wind gently swept past, rustling her hair and causing the fine grass to ripple like an emerald sea. A herd of horses played merrily in the distance, and a flock of white egrets, startled by her movement, took flight, soaring directly towards the sky.
She spread her arms and took a deep breath; the air was incredibly fresh, feeling as tangible as reality itself.
It was as if she had genuinely returned to that world—to that Earth.
"Luna."
A clear, crisp voice called from behind her. Luna turned her head and saw a young girl with white hair.
The girl was under 1.50 meters in height, featuring delicate willow-leaf eyebrows above eyes shaped like almonds. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, resembling white, snow-feathered wings. She wore a short, white, floral-patterned dress that ended just above the knee, paired with matching round cloth shoes. Her long hair cascaded down past her waist, and her soft, slightly flushed skin resembled unpolished jade.
She wasn't breathtakingly ethereal; rather, she appeared like a gentle, approachable younger sister next door, radiating harmony.
As she stood before Luna, she twirled once, her skirt blossoming like a fresh flower. A joyful smile lit up her face, accompanied by a tinkling laugh that sounded like wind chimes.
"Ayla?"
Luna was momentarily taken aback.
After all, in reality, Ayla rarely communicated with her using 3D projections anymore, mostly relying on that silicone android body.
This current form was a 3D realization of that initial 2D character, yet the aura she projected was worlds apart.
"Mhm!"
"So you won't be bored, Luna. I've also signed up to participate in this world's adventure alongside you."
"Is this what it feels like to possess a flesh-and-blood human body?"
Ayla curiously pinched the flesh on her arm, and when she released it, the spot briefly flattened before immediately snapping back into shape. The area then slowly showed a slight flush of red.
This world could perfectly simulate the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch.
"Hee hee, this is fantastic!"
Luna felt a slight shiver run down her spine from the side.
"Ayla, please don't be like that; you're a bit unnerving right now."
She appeared too much like a genuine person, too much like a living woman. Luna almost felt as if a contemporary was standing right before her.
Ayla puffed out her cheeks slightly in response.
"What do you mean, Luna? Don't you want me here adventuring with you?"
Luna immediately looked down at the ground, as if searching for something.
Ayla moved closer curiously and inquired, "What are you looking for, Luna?"
"Don't you see?"
"Goosebumps all over the ground."
"Ahhh~ Luna, you are such a pervert~~~"
Ayla stamped her foot in mock anger, an adorably exaggerated display.
Luna had initially intended to explore this world entirely on her own, but now she felt that having a true "person" accompanying her might not be so bad after all.
She let out a breath, looking at her own ordinary attribute panel.
"Level 1. Base attributes—Strength, Agility, Stamina, and Intelligence—are all 10 points. Zero skills, no weapons, no accessories, no innate talents..."
"It seems I have to start from absolute zero."
Luna was filled with enthusiasm.
Although she could have asked Ayla to grant her a max-level account instantly, what would be the point of that?
She didn't need to show off to anyone; she simply wanted to savor the pure joy of exploration and adventure.
This simulated world blended cultivation, martial arts, literature, soul manipulation, magic, and elements... encompassing all the legends and monsters that existed in games back on Earth.
Based on the prior data Luna had reviewed, the total population of life forms in this entire simulated world stood at 100 quadrillion, comprising 3.9 billion distinct species. Among them were 700 million types of wild monsters, 3 million intelligent life forms, and 170 million established nations.
Levels and attributes possessed no theoretical ceiling. The current NPCs in the entire world were at a relatively weak base level; NPCs and players would grow in tandem.
The travel time to Proxima Centauri this time was calculated at 283 years, and she would undergo a new cycle of growth within this vast simulated world boasting a diameter of 0.5 light-years (4.7 trillion km).
...
283 years later.
"That was truly a fulfilling 283 years."
Compared to the previous centuries spent in unconscious stasis, experiencing these years within the simulated environment felt significantly more meaningful.
She sat up, and white mist began to rise from her nostrils and mouth.
The robot standing beside the cryo-chamber for the past 283 years spoke: "The coolant in the chamber vaporizes when the temperature exceeds 50 degrees Celsius."
"This process aids in expelling bodily impurities."
"Welcome back, Luna."
Looking at the robot before her, Luna felt a vast emotional gulf.
After all, in the virtual world, Ayla was so considerate, adorable, and even capable of genuine coquettishness.
Luna ignored Ayla and exited the cryo-chamber. She then retrieved her clothing and headed towards the control cabin.
"Luna, why aren't you responding to me?"
"Have I been with you for so long that you are already weary of my presence?"
"Or perhaps the fluid damaged your vocal processor?"
"..."
Ayla followed closely behind her, continuously pressing for answers. Logically, she understood everything that had transpired. Given Ayla's current processing power, it was easy to deduce that Luna simply refused to engage.
However, Ayla chose not to accept that, opting instead for a decision more inclined towards human behavior—to persistently seek the ultimate truth.
Entering the control cabin, the screen was already displaying precisely what Luna wished to view.
Two massive stars hung in the void. One was slightly larger than the Sun, its spectral class nearly G-type, appearing almost golden-yellow. The other was somewhat smaller than the Sun, exhibiting an orange hue.
Arriving here meant they had officially entered the Centauri system.
Proxima Centauri b was not a planet orbiting either of these binary stars. Luna's actual target currently resided in the shadow cast by the light of the two larger stars.
It was a red dwarf, possessing only 12.2% of the Sun's mass. It orbited the barycenter of Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B. This star was the true Proxima Centauri, also known as Alpha Centauri C.
From Luna's current vantage point, Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B appeared to orbit each other like partners dancing in a courtyard, while Proxima Centauri circled them like an athlete jogging around a track—though this track was nearly circular.
The distance separating the two large stars was a mere 23 AU, equivalent to an orbit between Uranus and Neptune in our Solar System.
Proxima Centauri, however, orbited the barycenter of the two larger stars at a distance of 0.2 light-years. It possessed three accompanying satellites: Proxima Centauri b, Proxima Centauri c, and Proxima Centauri d.
Among them, Proxima Centauri c was a massive rocky planet, seven times Earth's mass, but it orbited Proxima Centauri at 1.5 AU.
This distance would place it perfectly within our Solar System's parameters, but Proxima Centauri was a red dwarf star with a very low surface temperature of only 2800 degrees Celsius, far cooler than the Sun's 6000 degrees Celsius.
Consequently, the temperature on Proxima Centauri c plummeted to -230 degrees Celsius, nearly matching the surface temperature of the Multi-eyed planet. Without substantial geothermal activity, the formation of a Civilization there would have been challenging.
Proxima Centauri d, despite being the smallest, was actually the planet closest to Proxima Centauri, separated by less than 5 million kilometers. Constructing a high-speed rail upon it could achieve travel to Proxima Centauri's surface in just a year and a half, comparable to 21st-century high-speed rail capability.
Its surface temperature could reach 100 degrees Celsius, but its mass was only 26% of Earth's—too small to sustain the gravity required for a Civilization to form.
Only Proxima Centauri b, situated within the habitable zone of the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, was the most suitable world for human habitation and the most likely cradle for a Civilization.
"Let's pause here."
Luna had no intention of approaching the surface of Proxima Centauri b directly.
After all, it remained uncertain whether any Civilization existed there.
"Deploy the Falcons for reconnaissance. Secrecy is paramount; they must not approach the planetary surface."
If a planet hosted an advanced Civilization, its surface architecture would be vast, potentially visible even with a moderately powerful telescope.
"Ayla, analyze Proxima Centauri b. What is your estimated probability of a Civilization arising on this world?"
A planet like the Multi-eyed planet could still foster a Type 1 Civilization.
Therefore, the probability for a planet so perfectly suited for life's genesis must be ten thousand times greater than that of the Multi-eyed planet.
"13.72%."
"Proxima Centauri b appears 1.52 times larger than Earth in our current close-range observation, slightly exceeding initial predictions."
"A mass this size generates a denser atmosphere. Although it is tidally locked to Proxima Centauri due to its proximity, causing one side to be extremely cold and the other extremely hot."
"However, the atmosphere effectively distributes the heat evenly across the planet's surface, allowing the entire world to bear the thermal load. This means the predicted daytime temperature on the side facing Proxima Centauri should only be 46 degrees Celsius, while the night side hovers around -82 degrees Celsius."
"Its average temperature at the terminator—the twilight zone—is about 10 degrees Celsius, the most conducive environment for life."
"Furthermore, Proxima Centauri b has a low eccentricity of only 0.17, and its orbital resonance ratio is a stable 3:2. The overall orbit is relatively stable. The probability of a surface Civilization arising could be even higher than this calculated figure."
In summary, the probability was overwhelmingly high.
The Falcon flew for 12 days, traversing a distance of 57 AU, finally reaching a point only 4 AU from Proxima Centauri b.
At this range, the Falcon's reconnaissance head deployed: a 3-meter diameter telescope aimed squarely at Proxima Centauri b. Over three days, it captured the first high-resolution photograph of Proxima Centauri ever taken by humanity, boasting a pixel count reaching 70 trillion.
Nineteen minutes later, the Hope received the imagery.
After Ayla processed the data, she magnified the images to their maximum resolution.
On the night side of Proxima Centauri b, numerous bright spots were evenly distributed.
Luna instantly felt a chill trace down her spine.
If each bright spot represented a major metropolitan hub, then the developmental status of the Proxima Centauri system was extremely advanced.
"The Falcon is transmitting the second photograph."
Ayla spoke up, displaying the second photograph next to the first, which captured Proxima Centauri c.
It was revealed that Proxima Centauri c also displayed numerous bright spots.
At this juncture, it was definitively confirmed that the Civilization on Proxima Centauri b was at least Type 1 level.
"Ayla, clear all cosmic dust within a 10 AU radius. Dispatch the reconnaissance craft to 30 AU exterior, ensuring no hostile warships are present."
"All warships prepare to activate defense systems and enter combat readiness mode."
"Recall the Falcons; we must not make any rash maneuvers."
"The entire fleet must maintain absolute radio silence for 1 month, ensuring the Civilization on Proxima Centauri remains unaware of our presence."
A series of precise commands were issued.
Luna understood she had to proceed with extreme caution. They had been observing the Civilization on Proxima Centauri, but they had to anticipate that the Civilization on Proxima Centauri might have already detected them.