"Gaia System version 0.7 startup test initiated."
"Related memories have been connected."
"Resonance device activated."
"Memory field is being constructed."
As Heisen arrived, the experimental personnel each busied themselves at their own operating stations, reporting in real time on the sections they were responsible for.
Shadow continued to hide in the pipe gaps, transmitting everything seen and heard back to Guan Tong.
Gaia System?
Guan Tong heard this name for the first time and figured it was probably another secret project Bruce was having people research.
Intelligence related to it had absolutely nothing leaking to the outside world. Neither Beixing nor Xisiya could gather any significant information from Suroma these days.
Whether it was the "Annihilator" type war weapons Suroma had secretly developed for the nuclear destruction of Bandzhen, or the massive teleportation gate construction project kept under wraps, not a single piece of information had gotten out.
This was the benefit of Bruce's aggressive push for modified bodies and memory modification. It ensured that anyone with access to internal secrets wouldn't turn traitor. Everyone, willing or not, had to follow him down this path to the very end.
If they were unwilling, the result would be like the former Minister of Intelligence, being purged from the core circle, never to come into contact with any classified information again.
But everything has two sides. The advantage of this approach was absolute secrecy, and the disadvantage was the lack of an internal error-correction mechanism.
If Bruce could keep making the right decisions, all would be well. But if he made a wrong decision, no one could correct him, and he would just keep going further down the wrong path.
And in reality, no one could be right forever. Even the most brilliant and wise person would make mistakes.
At this moment, Guan Tong noticed that as the "Gaia System" test began, the data curves on the screens covering the walls violently fluctuated.
Heisen watched those fluctuations closely, continuously issuing commands to the other experimental personnel to make adjustments based on their status.
"The fluctuation difference is too large. We can't stably form the 'field' like this. Immediately pull back 10 stimulation points!"
"What's going on with whoever's in charge of Sector C? The group memories aren't synchronized with the other sectors at all!"
Listening to Heisen's scolding, Guan Tong realized that this "Gaia System" was related to group memories.
So his earlier guess was right. The memories of everyone with tubes inserted in the back of their heads in that room full of life-support pods were all being integrated.
This inexplicably reminded him of a plot from a movie back on his home planet Earth, where all the tubed humans lived in a virtual world, but in reality, they only existed as biological batteries.
But looking at the current situation, Bruce's Gaia System was clearly not meant to create a beautiful, disaster-free virtual world for everyone.
"Sector A is starting to collapse!"
"Sector B's readings are also chaotic, rapidly collapsing!"
"Sectors E and F are all experiencing large-scale memory synchronization failures..."
With the negative reports from each experimental personnel, the data curves on the screens calmed down after a series of violent convulsive fluctuations.
Most of the curves had become straight lines without any undulation, with only a very few still showing slight ups and downs.
Heisen shook his head in disappointment. "Failed again."
His assistant counted and stepped forward to report, "Doctor, among this batch of experimental subjects, there are still 172 people whose brain memory cells are undamaged."
Guan Tong's heart skipped a beat when he heard this. He looked back at the screens on the walls.
He only then realized that those curves that had become flat and lifeless meant the experimental subjects behind them had likely all become brain-dead after the experiment failed.
Thinking that only a little over a hundred people might have survived out of those thousands of life-support pods, a surge of rage instantly welled up in his heart. He wished he could directly control Shadow to charge into the laboratory and slaughter them all.
But he didn't act impulsively. He knew these people were doomed today anyway; it was just a matter of whether it happened sooner or later.
And he was also very clear that once the nuclear bomb detonated, those experimental subjects would be reduced to nothing along with this bunker.
"Keep these hundred or so." Heisen tiredly rubbed his face. "Then replace them with a new batch."
"Yes, Doctor."
The assistant went to arrange this. Heisen looked up at the screens covering the walls, muttering to himself.
"Even for the lowest-level aggregate, a memory network of at least a thousand people is needed to combine successfully. To realize His Majesty's grand vision for the Gaia System is truly too difficult..."
So the Gaia System is a large-scale memory aggregate?
Guan Tong didn't understand what use Bruce had for such a thing. Did he want everyone to enter it and control everything himself through managing it?
If that was really the case, then he thought Bruce's desire for control had developed to a terminal stage, completely beyond saving.
Before long, the assistant who had carried out Heisen's orders returned to the office. "Doctor, the new rule will be released in less than three hours. Perhaps you should go get some rest?"
"No need. I want to study the data from this failure. Go print out the report for this experiment. His Majesty will definitely ask about the experiment's progress after the rule discussion meeting, and I'll submit it then."
"Very well."
Time ticked by, and Guan Tong slowly waited until 8:50.
During this period, he didn't probe for Bruce's specific location again. He was well aware that the latter would definitely be staying in a room resistant to Mind Power infiltration. Checking his location would definitely alert the enemy.
So he didn't need to know exactly where Bruce was, just that he was in the Hall of Halls was enough.
With less than a minute to go before the new rule was released at nine o'clock, Guan Tong, who had been lying dormant since the early morning, finally began to act.
He controlled Shadow to slip through the pipe gaps into the laboratory, then activated Body Swap.
When he suddenly appeared in the laboratory, all the researchers were stunned. Heisen was directly frozen in front of his computer, never expecting Guan Tong to invade this place at this time.
Without saying a word, Guan Tong controlled Shadow to instantly eliminate all the other researchers, leaving only Heisen. He bound him hand and foot with shadow lines.
Then Guan Tong summoned the shelter, tossed Heisen inside, and retracted the shelter. He then took out the tactical nuclear bomb that had already been set on a timer.
The number displayed on the timer read "5", and in the next second, it changed to "4".
3, 2.
Guan Tong activated Body Swap again and returned to his original hiding spot, leaving only a phantasmal Shadow at the scene.
BOOM!
...
At nine o'clock sharp, the Fire Thief released the new rule on time.
[The Twenty-Seventh Doomsday Rule has been released]
[Doomsday Rule 27: Interstellar Trade]
[Rule Content: As the Tianshui Star civilization has completed civilization registration with the Star Sea Court, the civilization's coordinates have been marked on the cosmic star map. An extraterrestrial civilization's trade delegation has formally submitted a trade application to the Court and received Court approval. The delegation's spaceship will arrive at Tianshui Star's orbit at 15:00 today and dispatch a ground envoy to make contact with the Tianshui Star civilization, attempting to sign a legal trade contract. This rule will last for twenty days.]
[Success Reward: Interstellar trade goods]
[Failure Penalty: None]
[Note: The universe is never lacking in civilizations that live by trade. They will enthusiastically address you as "dear new interstellar neighbors" and attempt to sign trade contracts. You may accept, or you may refuse, but you simply cannot go back on your word, because every trade contract will be protected by the Star Sea Court.]
Countermeasures Research Office base, meeting room.
After the new rule was released, everyone showed expressions of surprise and excitement.
"The new rule is actually about interstellar trade!"
"In the last rule, the Fire Thief just said we opened the door to the real universe and registered with the Star Sea Court. This one right after is about an alien civilization that wants to trade... It feels like our human civilization's development speed is about to get really fast!"
"Anyway, as long as it's not one of those survival rules where people die."
"If future rules are all relatively mild like this, involving interactions with alien civilizations, then that's definitely a good thing for us humans."
Many people were happy and optimistic.
One, because this rule had no failure penalty. Two, because of the anticipation for interstellar trade.
Although humanity had already been in contact with alien civilizations multiple times, most of those civilization's individuals appeared on Tianshui Star as monsters and enemies. Not many were normal.
But the civilization mentioned in this rule was one that lived by trade and was very enthusiastic.
That meant it was an alien civilization that could communicate normally, which was truly rare.
"I wonder what kind of trade this civilization will do with us?" An attendee said with anticipation. "If we can buy key technologies or resources, that's crucial for our human technological development!"
Some were optimistic, and some were pessimistic. One person shook their head and said, "I don't think it's that simple. Even if they're willing to sell, who knows how high they'll price things. We might not even be able to afford it."
"Exactly. And as the saying goes, all merchants are shrewd. Are there no shrewd merchants in interstellar trade? As a 1st-level civilization, we don't understand other civilizations at all. We could easily get ripped off!"
"I'm more curious about what this alien civilization wants to trade with humanity for?" Li Meng spoke up at this point. "A civilization capable of interstellar travel, would they still need products from a backward civilization like ours?"
"You can't say that. Maybe things that are commonplace for us humans are treasures to other civilizations."
"Right, not to mention anything else, just the diversity of animals alone is a huge selling point. Would other civilizations have the animals from our planet? Things are valuable when they're rare. Maybe an ordinary dog from Tianshui Star could sell for a high price in the universe."
Gao Liangwei spoke up at this point. "As for what the specific trade is, we'll know once we make contact with the alien civilization. There's no need to speculate wildly now. What we need to do now is form a delegation to make contact with this civilization."
Everyone nodded in agreement. This was indeed the most pressing matter.
"It's a pity that after the Human Consortium declined, no new institution replaced it." Zhang Minglu said. "This means every country will still have to send their own people to form a joint delegation, which is a bit troublesome."
Everyone felt the same way, and they all also had a sense that the establishment of a "united government" was becoming an inevitable trend.
This topic was also widely discussed online. People felt that with only a few hundred million humans left, having multiple countries was really unnecessary.
Back when the population exceeded ten billion, it was normal for different groups to divide interests along national borders. But now with such a small population, drawing boundaries didn't make much sense and only created more obstacles for survival.
Especially when it didn't involve alien civilizations, human nations could still do their own thing.
But since the [Star Sea Access] rule, humanity would visibly come into contact with more and more alien civilizations. Many times, they would need to present a united front. If every country continued to go its own way, it would become very troublesome.
For example, if they conducted interstellar trade with alien civilizations and each country negotiated separately, not only would it be highly inefficient, but there was also the potential for conflicts of interest.
However, the premise for forming a united government required countries to set aside their conflicts and have a shared vision.
At present, the biggest obstacle on this path was the Suroma Empire under Bruce's control.
It could be said that as long as Bruce existed, a united government could never be established. Other countries would never accept his way of doing things.
This was actually one of the hidden purposes behind Beixing leading the establishment of the "Humanitarian Defense Alliance."
On the surface, it was about holding Bruce accountable and putting him on trial for his crimes against humanity. But behind the scenes, it was also about removing this obstacle and paving the way for a united government.
"Besides people skilled in business negotiations, the delegation also needs a certain amount of armed protection." Gao Liangwei looked at Zhang Minglu.
"Dr. Zhang, select some Ascendants to form the delegation's escort team. They will participate in the contact together."
"Alright, Chief."
Just then, the phone on Gao Liangwei's desk suddenly vibrated.
Everyone else looked over simultaneously. They all knew that a call that could come in during a meeting must be an important one that Gao Liangwei hadn't put on silent mode.
He glanced at it, picked it up, and answered.
Just a few seconds later, he hung up. With a grave expression, he said to everyone, "Three minutes ago, a nuclear explosion occurred in Suroma's New Covenant. The location was the Hall of Halls."
Hiss!
A collective gasp of shock filled the meeting room. Zhang Minglu even shot up from his seat.
"Is this Guan Tong's retaliation?!"
"It must be." Li Meng said with certainty. "Besides him, who else would do such a thing? Especially deliberately choosing the timing of the new rule's release."
"Wait!" Someone asked in confusion. "Where did he get a nuclear bomb from?!"
Gao Liangwei said in a deep voice, "Either he stole it from Suroma, or Xisiya provided it to him."
He then looked at Zhang Minglu. "Dr. Zhang, you need to get in contact with him as soon as possible and find out the situation!"
"Yes!"
Zhang Minglu hurriedly left the meeting room.
But after the initial shock, a few people gradually showed delighted expressions.
"If Guan Tong really did blow up Bruce, wouldn't that avoid the outbreak of a world war?"
"Exactly. Once Bruce is dead, the new leader of Suroma couldn't possibly continue the former's policies."
"But this Guan Tong really is bold, daring to detonate a nuclear bomb at the Hall of Halls..."
"Bruce could nuke Bandzhen, so why can't he retaliate in kind? I actually admire him for that. It's just..." The speaker lowered his voice, "I wonder how the decision-makers will view this."
Everyone continued discussing in low voices. For a moment, their concern for this matter even surpassed the newly released rule.
Li Meng looked at Gao Liangwei. He noticed the latter had a grave expression on his face, seemingly lost in thought.