Chapter 534: Zero-Light-Speed Dead Zone! The Fundamental Struggle Between the Singer and the Fringe!
If humanity's united fleet were facing such an opponent, there would be no way to do anything about them.
Fortunately, the Universal Megacorp's technological level was in no way inferior to that of the Singer Civilization. It only appeared more roundabout because some technological weapons were too destructive to use, while certain "ability" technologies could not be applied.
The low-light-speed black hole was not entirely invulnerable—at the very least, the Singer's ships could pass through it, while only the droplets were trapped within.
Thus, the key question became: how could the Singer's ships cloak themselves in the low-light-speed black hole without falling victim to it themselves?
That immense black line was the only clear clue.
Even against the pitch-black backdrop of space, that line, dark to the point of extremity, remained distinctly visible.
The Science Hub Department immediately conducted a detailed analysis, and in the end, Chisaji fox presented the results to V.
"That is the wake left behind by an ultra–high-powered curvature drive. Within that wake, the speed of light has already been reduced to a limit approaching zero—a miracle of three-dimensional space."
Chisaji clicked his tongue in awe.
"If the speed of light dropped all the way to zero, what would that mean?" V pressed.
"If light speed goes to zero, that becomes a dead line—a nation of true death. In there, every fundamental particle ceases to vibrate."
"You could also call it a black hole without a gravitational source. Anything that enters will never come back out."
Chisaji explained, but admitted that the chance of a purely perfect dead line appearing was very low—just like absolute zero, which could only be reached when the vibration of molecules and atoms completely vanished.
"As long as light speed is reduced to even just a few dozen kilometers per second, that's enough to form a low-light-speed domain. But such a domain can still be forced through by a curvature drive of even greater power.
"The dead line, however, is precisely the result of such a stronger curvature drive. You could say these ships are like oxen plowing a field—the harder they plow, the deeper the furrow left behind, and if you fall into that furrow, climbing back out becomes nearly impossible."
In short, the creation of a black domain was already the upper limit of what the Trisolaran Civilization could achieve. But for a higher-tier power like the Singer Civilization, the "dead line" was the true limit of their curvature drives.
Although the Singers had not yet reached the absolute state of a zero-light-speed dead zone, traversing freely within their own created black domains was trivial for them.
"So with our current level of technology, could we also shuttle through a dead zone like they do, just leaping right across?"
V asked.
"Almost impossible. Our curvature-drive technology is nowhere near as advanced as the Singers'."
Chisaji fox shook his head helplessly. Within the Universal Megacorp, the most commonly used technology for superluminal travel was hyperspace navigation, and most of their research points had been invested in that field.
Only rarely had they ever used curvature drives—so when the need arose now, they found themselves stretched thin.
In the Three-Body universe, curvature-drive technology was practically a mandatory subject for low-level civilizations. The higher one's mastery, the closer one could climb to the ranks of advanced civilizations.
That the Trisolarans had reached their current level was already an impressive feat.
"Still, we could consider folding space through dark-matter wormholes, directly skipping past that low-light-speed zone—provided we can lock onto the Singer Civilization's ships."
Chisaji fox offered his own plan. In the domain of spatial folding and jumps, the Universal Megacorp was fairly advanced. Dimensional leaps were beyond them, but spatial transits they could certainly manage.
V sighed in relief and then asked Chisaji fox why the Singer Civilization had never bothered researching wormhole technology.
Wasn't that an even more convenient method of travel?
Chisaji fox smiled and replied:
"That's easy to understand. Both dimensional strikes and reducing light speed share one consequence: they continually decrease the amount of three-dimensional space in the Three-Body universe."
"One day, the universe will inevitably collapse into a two-dimensional world. In that brand-new, flattened cosmos, slow light speed will gradually become the new speed-of-light constant."
"For example, a velocity of just a few dozen kilometers per second could serve as light speed in a two-dimensional universe, but in a three-dimensional universe, light speed remains 300,000 kilometers per second."
"It's said that in the pastoral era, the eleven-dimensional speed of light was so great that one could traverse the entire cosmos in an instant. Alas, such a grand sight we shall never witness again."
With Chisaji fox 's reminder, V suddenly understood.
It all came down to cost.
Since the three-dimensional universe would eventually collapse, the optimal path for present-day three-dimensional civilizations was to voluntarily descend dimensions and invest their technological resources into the two-dimensional world.
Unless a civilization had from the very start specialized in wormhole research, they would not suddenly invest points in that field now.
Because there was simply no need.
"So then… completing self-induced dimensional descent is the only way out for civilizations in the Three-Body universe?"
V found it hard to believe that every civilization would willingly follow the Singer Civilization's path, transforming themselves into two-dimensional life forms.
"Of course not."
Chisaji fox shook his head in denial. In his view, the reason the Singer and Fringe civilizations had fought each other to the death was likely because they represented two fundamentally different survival philosophies.
The Singer Civilization emphasized self-modification, completing dimensional descent, and taking up residence in the new two-dimensional universe.
But the Fringe Civilization advocated transforming the three-dimensional universe itself through cosmic laws and mathematical principles, shaping an entirely new cosmos by those rules.
For instance, using an entropy-reversal membrane to invert the thermodynamic arrow of time—such that a red giant could regress back into a blue giant, or a black hole could spit out all the matter it had devoured.
Or else, altering geometric formulas to reshape the very fabric of space.
For example, changing the Pythagorean theorem so that A + B = C instead of A² + B² = C². This would directly distort right triangles—GPS positioning would shift by 324 kilometers, buildings would all tilt but never collapse.
And that was just the most basic, elementary-level alteration of mathematical laws. Given more time, the Fringe Civilization might even develop technology to alter the axis of time itself, restoring the Three-Body universe to the eleven-dimensional pastoral age.
Unfortunately, time was running out—their remaining window was short.
"If the Fringe Civilization really developed to that level, wouldn't that make them a godlike civilization?"
V felt his head buzzing. A civilization that could manipulate mathematical laws at will—just thinking of it was terrifying.
"Not necessarily. But they would very likely qualify to make contact with the Zeroers Civilization. It's not out of the question that the Fringe might even be recruited by the Zeroers."
For some time now, Chisaji fox had been reasoning through and analyzing the intentions behind the actions of the various civilizations in the Three-Body cosmos.
If the Zeroers Civilization truly sought to reclaim all matter, then the fastest, most convenient approach would be to establish a high-tier alliance of civilizations—using them to conquer and absorb the weaker, solitary ones.
The grand promise made by the Zeroers Civilization, of course, was the technology of pocket universes.
But how many civilizations truly believed the Zeroers Civilization's words was hard to say. Each civilization had its own doctrines and survival strategies.
To unify the thinking of hundreds of thousands of civilizations in a short time was not something easily done.
V shook his head. Now was not the time to consider such matters. First, he needed to find a way to seize the Singer Civilization's ship.
Through several earlier probes and observations, the Universal Megacorp had basically confirmed that the Singer's ship relied primarily on dimensional-reduction strikes as its means of attack, and on low-light-speed dead zones as its defense.
They might also use photon strikes, but photon strikes were mainly for targeting stars. It was highly unlikely they would be deployed directly against warships.
Even if the Singers truly did resort to photons, the Universal Megacorp's battleships' energy shields could withstand such strikes.
Once enough information had been collected, V immediately convened an internal operations meeting—the next phase would be the formal assault!
"I think all of you have already seen the Singer Civilization's offensive and defensive methods. An ordinary approach of simply closing in is impossible through that low-light-speed dead zone."
"That leaves only one option—use a dark-matter wormhole jump to force a boarding battle with the Singer's ship. Only this way can we capture it."
V, solemn-faced, addressed Jim Raynor, the Preacher, Abaddon, Goro Takemura, and other high-ranking commanders. Each of them was a veteran with rich combat experience.
The coming action would be led personally by these men and their forces. The Megacorp's goal was not to destroy the Singer's ship—
—but to capture it intact, taking everything from crew to technological creations.
"This is not easy. If we want to open a wormhole close to the Singer's ship, we'll have to dispatch another force to pin it down."
"Otherwise, if we alert them, that ship will have long escaped, and we'll never catch up."
Jim Raynor was the first to raise the issue. V nodded approvingly, acknowledging that of course this had to be considered—hence why someone needed to take on this role.
"I plan to launch attacks from multiple directions, forcing the Singer's ship into one of the low-light-speed regions. As long as we keep it there for a while, that's enough." V responded.
The Singer's ship could indeed shuttle through low-light-speed zones, but it was unrealistic to expect them to hide for long.
After all, the effects of low-light-speed zones on three-dimensional technological constructs were severe.
Once inside, whether electrons or quantum devices, their operating speeds would drop to a staggering degree, because every signal through every component slowed drastically.
Naturally, the main computer's functioning would be almost paralyzed. Only by quickly escaping the low-light-speed zone could it recover.
Captain Goro Takemura of the White Whale nodded, clearly understanding his assigned mission. He would need to keep his ship firing continuously at the Singer's vessel, to force it to keep dodging longer.
Whether the shots hit or not was secondary—as long as they bought the boarding squad the opportunity.
"Of course, this task is extremely dangerous, because the Singer's ship will certainly retaliate."
V looked around at them and said gravely, "Photon strikes we can handle, but the Singer's ship is highly likely to deploy two-dimensional foils to drive you back. Since they dare to use the foils so recklessly, they must also have their own countermeasures."
Even without V's warning, everyone understood that the Singer Civilization surely possessed some technology that allowed them to temporarily evade the foil's effects.
Otherwise, they risked striking themselves.
Thus, the difficulty of this containment mission was extremely high—a moment's carelessness and one might be crushed flat by a two-dimensional foil.
"I need the Endless-class carrier, the White Whale, and the Long Night to perform the outer containment. Jim Raynor will personally lead the Hyperion through the dark-matter wormhole and strike into the Singer's ship."
Jim Raynor and his Hyperion were the Megacorp's sharpest edge in boarding combat. To assign him this mission, V had even awakened him early from cryo-sleep.
He was to serve as the key figure in this action.
"Isn't this too dangerous? What if Raynor goes in only to be hit by a dimensional-reduction strike? Then what?"
Takemura stepped forward to object. Such an operation could easily be carried out by AI sentinel robots or K-agent replicants instead.
But before he could finish, Jim Raynor cut him off: "This mission is mine. Besides, at close range, a dimensional-reduction strike is very likely to backfire on themselves as well."
"Even if the worst happens, then it's just my misfortune. For the Megacorp's unification campaign, this is a risk that must be taken."
Jim Raynor knew well—they had only one chance to seize the Singer's ship. To wait for another opportunity would mean exponentially greater difficulty and far lower success rates.
Since sacrifice was inevitable, then they would go all in—now!
"Then it's settled. All units, move out!" V ordered with thunderous decisiveness.
"Yes, sir!"
…
The Singer's ship continued to drift leisurely through space. The earlier harassment by the Water Drop hadn't dampened its mood at all. In the long routine of its work, this was a trivial incident.
As a professional cleaner, the Singer had long since grown numb to the annihilation of civilizations. It cared nothing for revenge or karmic retribution.
Once, an entire super-fleet civilization that filled a whole star system had encircled it, sealing off every avenue. Yet with a single two-dimensional foil, a civilization that had developed for tens of millions of years was reduced to nothing.
That star-faring civilization had roamed half the galaxy, starting from humble hundred-meter ships, building step by step into a colossal giant—only to perish at the hands of a paper sheet not even one meter wide.
What a dramatic story—but the Singer witnessed such spectacles daily, repeating again and again.
It had seen antimatter bombs, dense laser barrages, super railguns—all hurling destruction at it. Yet every one of these fell dim before the defensive wall of the low-light-speed dead zone.
On this long journey, the Singer had seen too many mighty civilizations vanish in an instant. Species with infinite potential extinguished early, never getting the chance to fulfill the creator's gift of intelligence.
The resistance and struggle of low-level civilizations seemed utterly meaningless in its eyes—and brought it no amusement.
There was no helping it. Civilizations that had yet to master the ultimate weapons of universal law—no matter how deeply they carved hatred into their very genes—could pose no real threat to the Singer.
The conventional weapons they wielded looked, to the Singer, no different than crude firesticks or stone spears.
Inefficient, backward—and pathetically foolish.
(Show your support and read more chapters on my Patreon: [email protected]/psychopet. Thank you for your support!)