"Interstellar navigation route confirmed, destination reached."
"Interstellar navigation route confirmed, destination reached."
"Initiating awakening procedure."
"Initiating awakening procedure."
Inside the "Genesis" spacecraft, cold, mechanical system broadcasts echoed through every cabin. Accompanied by low-frequency hums, silver-gray mechanical arms extended from the cabin walls, precisely docking with each hibernation pod, beginning to awaken everyone one by one.
...
Several hours later, the ship's meeting hall was bustling with people. Hundreds of "Genesis" crew members, just awakened, gathered here. They were of various races, all wearing unified black space uniforms.
These crew members included experts from various fields such as science, military, literature, linguistics, weaponry, and combat, as well as a group of well-trained top professional soldiers.
Some conversed in low voices in groups of two or three, while others sat quietly in serious contemplation. At the very front of the crowd, a young man was whispering to someone. It wasn't until another fair-skinned, beautiful blonde woman, exuding mature charm, approached that the man stopped talking to others.
"Captain, all 408 crew members are assembled. We can begin."
"Alright, Jane."
The man was Mu Yun, serving as both captain and chief scientist of the "Genesis" spacecraft.
Although, by Earth's reckoning, Mu Yun was nearing 150 years old, his appearance and physique had not changed much compared to years ago. His handsome face bore a few more traces of time's refinement, but his eyes remained gentle and profound.
He made a gesture, and the surroundings gradually quieted. All eyes were fixed on him.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at our destination," Mu Yun's warm voice resonated in everyone's ears.
"Even with wormhole jumps and faster-than-light travel, it took us over 50 years to get here, 20 years more than estimated."
"According to Academician McWeedy's lifetime prediction, Earth has at most 60 years left."
A hint of worry flashed in Mu Yun's deep eyes.
—Earth's life system has entered a countdown.
"Alright, I won't waste any more words. Everyone, as planned, take your positions and enter combat readiness!!"
As Mu Yun issued his commands one by one, the ship's life tracking system, defense system, weapon system, and other functional systems activated, and the "Genesis" flew deeper into the Pillars of Creation.
This place, known as the "stellar cradle," seemed to welcome its first visitors in billions of years.
...
Months later, inside the "Genesis" spacecraft. Mu Yun and a group of scientists were analyzing and discussing 3D images of several nearby star systems.
Suddenly, an urgent alarm sounded. The crew member responsible for abnormal signal monitoring excitedly walked towards Mu Yun and the others, hastily approaching Mu Yun.
"Captain!"
"Abnormal signal detected! After verification, it's very likely... another cosmic civilization!"
"Another cosmic civilization!!?"
Immediately, almost everyone simultaneously looked at Mu Yun.
Earthlings had never stopped exploring other cosmic civilizations. But now that this moment had truly arrived, it brought both anticipation and fear. It was like "Schrödinger's Cat"—until the very last moment of approach, one could not be sure if it was good or bad.
"What level is the cosmic scale identification?" Even Mu Yun took a deep breath before asking.
"Unknown level!" the crew member replied, his voice slightly trembling.
"Unknown level..." Mu Yun's brows furrowed slightly, his voice carrying a hint of suppression. At the same time, the crew member had synchronized the information onto the holographic image.
The atmosphere in the meeting hall instantly solidified. Scientists and crew members who had just been whispering stopped talking, and all eyes focused on the holographic image.
The previously ordinary and familiar shimmering light suddenly became unsettling at this moment.
...
"This is an opportunity, and it could also be a threat."
After a brief silence, finally, the elderly physicist was the first to stand up. His brows were tightly furrowed, and his eyes revealed deep concern, "If this is a signal from a higher-dimensional lifeform, our rash contact might lead to uncontrollable consequences."
"Not making contact is a waste of time." Another young, radical scientist retorted dismissively. "One of our missions here is to explore cosmic life. If we don't even dare to approach a signal, what good is talking about saving Earth and advancing human civilization?"
A low murmur of debate instantly arose in the meeting hall.
"Rashness is ill-advised," said the biosecurity scientist in a deep voice. "From current technology and theory, advanced civilizations may not be benevolent. We need more time to analyze and prepare."
"Everyone knows the 'Dark Forest Theory,' right?"
"Hehe... 'Dark Forest Theory,' are you muddled? That's just a novelist's conjecture. Furthermore, I believe no amount of analysis can prevent the threat an unknown signal might pose to us."
The military expert interjected directly, his expression stern, "If this is a hostile signal, the sooner we get closer, the sooner we'll know their hand. Evasion is meaningless. We must strike first!"
The discussion gradually intensified. Conservatives and radicals argued, almost reaching a stalemate. Mu Yun remained silent, his gaze deep as he watched the fluctuating signal data on the projection.
After a while, he raised his hand and made a gentle downward gesture, and the meeting hall gradually quieted.
"Everyone," Mu Yun's voice was steady yet full of authority, "I understand your concerns, and I commend your vigilance and exploratory spirit towards the unknown. But the purpose of our journey is not merely for our own survival. If we falter due to fear, then we lose the meaning of this expedition. After all, our time is running out!"
He paused, then continued, "We can formulate a meticulous plan to approach the signal while maintaining the highest level of defense, and always be ready to disengage."
"But approaching is necessary."
...
"Initiating signal lock program."
"Activating quantum counter-scale weapon attack system, entering standby for immediate attack."
"Initiating wormhole jump program, entering standby for immediate disengagement."
Mu Yun issued a series of commands, his tone filled with undeniable resolve.
"We... approach the target!"
Immediately afterwards, the spacecraft's core control system began operating at high speed, and the "Genesis" gradually shifted its course towards the signal source—that unknown "civilization entity."
Time passed. The fluctuations of the unknown signal on the holographic screen gradually amplified. It emitted a suffocating radiance, deeply reflecting in everyone's pupils.
Several days later.
The "Genesis" was less than 12,000 kilometers from the signal source. On Earth, this distance would be vast, but in the boundless universe, it was extremely close.
Inside the spacecraft, everyone was already fully armed and ready.
"Captain, we're less than 3,000 kilometers from the target. We've passed the wormhole disengagement critical point. Should we continue to approach?"
In the control room, the operator's voice trembled slightly from tension.
"Approach." Mu Yun responded without hesitation, his tone firm.
Almost at the same moment Mu Yun said "approach," an abnormal information stream suddenly enveloped the "Genesis" hull. All instruments failed almost simultaneously, but only a second later, the system returned to normal.
"What's going on?!" Jane abruptly stood up. As the primary construction supervisor of the "Genesis," she had overseen its construction throughout. This kind of event, where all operating systems were cut off and then restored within a second, was beyond her comprehension.
"We... were watched," the biologist murmured.
"It is He."
"What do you mean?" The military expert beside them scoffed, appearing unimpressed. "Watched by whom? Is it God?"
"I don't know if it's God, but... it's definitely a higher-dimensional being." The biologist ignored his sarcasm, his expression complex.
"Look quickly!" Jane suddenly exclaimed.
Everyone instinctively looked at the information screen.
"Not the screen, outside the cabin!"
The next second, everyone gasped. Mu Yun also quickly walked to the transparent window.
The area before them was pitch black. Even the light emitted by the "Genesis" hull seemed to be swallowed by the endless void, let alone the dazzling starlight that was visible to the naked eye just a second ago.
As everyone was still in shock, the data analyst on the other side reported rapidly, his voice barely concealing his tension.
"Report!! Scan data shows an extremely large gravitational anomaly ahead... No, it's a super-conventional gravitational field!"
"Gravitational anomaly?" Jane quickly pulled up the real-time image on the screen. As the image gradually cleared, her hands began to tremble uncontrollably.
The real-time image showed that ahead—this unknown cosmic region—was filled with tens of millions of collapsing stars, and countless black holes formed after stellar annihilation. This vast black hole region, like an abyss, devoured everything around it. The surrounding space was twisted into irregular ripples, and the light from some weakening stars was stretched into curved ribbons, forming dark and bright accretion disks at the boundaries of the black holes.
Mu Yun instantly understood. The universe they had seen moments ago was pitch black because the Genesis spacecraft had, for some unknown reason, suddenly entered a black hole region. The powerful gravitational field prevented light from escaping, so from their perspective, the entire universe appeared completely dark. The immense gravity made them lose all sense of time and space.
"We... the 'Genesis' is at the edge of a black hole," Mu Yun suddenly warned loudly. "Quick! Initiate wormhole jump immediately! Disengage from the black hole's gravity!"
From the moment everyone detected the cosmic anomaly until Mu Yun discovered the Genesis spacecraft was in the black hole region, the entire process took only tens of seconds.
Almost simultaneously, Jane had already issued the command. But after another tens of seconds, her face was abnormally pale, and she said bitterly:
"Mu, we've been caught by the black hole's gravity, exceeding the critical value. We can't disengage."
"However, the Genesis spacecraft can withstand stellar-level energy attacks, so even though we can't disengage, we are currently safe."
"Look quickly!" The military expert suddenly urged everyone to look at the real-time image. An even more astonishing scene appeared before everyone's eyes.
The residual light emitted by those weakening stars was slowly converging along a regular path towards a certain unknown domain.
"They have a purpose," Jane's voice trembled slightly from unease. "These annihilated stars seem to be charging something."
"How is this possible?!"
"Is it God?!"
Everyone exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with incredible horror and questioning. The biologist stared intently at the screen, a faint smile playing on his lips, as if he had discovered some shocking secret. He murmured softly, "Perhaps... they are supplying nutrients to some creature."
His insane remarks instantly froze the atmosphere in the cabin. Everyone was stunned, even their breathing seemed abrupt. For a moment, a deathly silence filled the cabin.
Suddenly, the main screen imager began to flicker violently, and then all instruments on the "Genesis" spacecraft sequentially went dark, plunging the cabin into complete darkness.
The next second, sharp, piercing white noise entered everyone's ears, like an invisible sharp blade tearing at their nerves.
"Defense system failed!" Someone shrieked out the news.
Panic spread through the cabin, many people began to frantically look around. Fear, like a tide, engulfed everyone.
"There's no depressurization in the cabin! Everyone calm down!"
Mu Yun's voice rang through the hall like a clear bell. Seeing the situation gradually stabilize, he turned and quietly said to Jane beside him, "Old comrade, you can let go now. You've never been afraid, have you?"
Jane was startled, only then realizing that her hands were clutching Mu Yun's right arm tightly. When the piercing white noise sounded just now, she thought the spacecraft had suffered a fatal attack, and in that moment of life and death, she had unconsciously lost her composure.
Jane took a deep breath, released her grip, and calmly said, "That was just a reflex."
Mu Yun's lips curved slightly, not exposing her. At this moment, the white noise that had lasted for several breaths slowly began to diminish, finally disappearing completely.
The cabin gradually returned to a brief calm.
"We passed through the black hole and came to the other side!"
Mu Yun's low voice echoed in the cabin. His eyes shimmered with barely concealed excitement, just like the soaring spirit he had when he first proposed the "antimatter civilization" theory years ago.