131: Chapter 131 The Last Gardener and the First Light

Having absorbed part of the Stellar Core Energy, borne fragments of three billion years of memories, and integrated the essence of the will of previous civilizations, he had transcended the category of ordinary consciousness entities.

His 'mass' was too immense; the original transmission channel was like a narrow stream, unable to accommodate the rushing flow of a river.

'Child,' the female voice sounded again, this time echoing directly within Chen Fan's consciousness core, 'you must return. Earth needs you to guide its evolution.'

'I know,' Chen Fan's thoughts were filled with helplessness, 'but my current state... the channel cannot withstand it.'

'So it needs... expansion,' the female said calmly.

'How do we expand it?'

A brief silence. In consciousness communication, one second could convey infinite information.

The female said, 'Using the essence of my existence.'

Chen Fan instantly understood her meaning, his thoughts erupting with intense refusal: 'No!'

The female interrupted him, her voice carrying a gentle sense of relief, 'Chen Fan, listen to me—I was originally the first 'Gardener' created by the 'Sower.' The essence of my existence shares the same origin as their system. If I voluntarily disintegrate and inject my consciousness structure into the transmission channel, I can temporarily expand it enough to allow you to pass through.'

'But then you will... dissipate!'

'Yes,' the female admitted, 'but this is not death, but... a return. My consciousness will scatter into Earth's life network. Perhaps in the future, when humanity truly needs it, I will reappear in the form of inspiration, intuition, or dreams.'

Her thoughts surged with a memory—not for Chen Fan to see, but for her own recollection:

Three billion years ago. The primordial ocean. The first single-celled organism illuminated by Stellar Core Energy. That was her origin.

Then came the long guidance of evolution: from ocean to land, from crawling to standing upright, from primitive tribes to brilliant civilizations.

Three billion years. Six civilization cycles. Countless cycles of hope and despair.

'I am tired, child,' the female's voice revealed weariness for the first time, 'Three billion years of watching, three billion years of hiding, three billion years of seeing the civilizations I guided harvested again and again... That sense of powerlessness is unimaginable.'

'But now it's different,' her thoughts regained firmness, 'The humans of the seventh cycle—you have chosen a different path. Not elite rule, not technological monopoly, but giving everyone the right to choose. This is a possibility I have never seen before. Perhaps this is the key to breaking the cycle.'

'So let me do this one last thing. Use my dissipation to exchange for you, for humanity—a real chance.'

Chen Fan's consciousness fluctuated intensely.

He wanted to argue, to find another way, but time waited for no one.

The transmission channel was closing.

[Time remaining: 01 second]

'There's no time to argue,' the female's voice grew urgent, 'Chen Fan, promise me one thing.'

'What?'

'If you succeed, if humanity defeats the 'Sower'... please tell those who come after that the universe is not only about harvesting and plunder. Tell them that there once existed a being who, because it fell in love with a group of fleeting lives, chose three billion years of lonely watch.'

'And...' her thoughts surfaced with an encrypted message, 'This is my 'legacy' hidden across Earth—the hiding places of core technology samples from six civilizations. If you need them, you can find them.'

A stream of information flooded Chen Fan's consciousness: six coordinates, six different concealment methods.

'Now, prepare to return.'

The female's consciousness entity began to glow—not the soft light from before, but the brilliant burst of self-disintegration.

Her form began to change: from the image of a human female, unfolding into complex geometric structures, then decomposing into countless glowing elementary particles.

These particles did not scatter randomly but arranged themselves according to some mathematical law, constructing a consciousness bridge leading to Earth.

'Remember, Chen Fan,' this was her final voice, 'The value of life lies not in eternity, but in choice. And every time we choose love, choose to resist, choose hope, we change the essence of the universe.'

The light reached its peak.

Chen Fan felt a gentle but firm force pushing him along the bridge constructed from the female's existence essence, shooting toward Earth.

In the instant of crossing, he 'heard' the collective farewell from the consciousnesses of the previous civilizations:

'Goodbye.'

'Your watch is over.'

'Now it's our turn.'

'We will help you... see freedom.'

Three billion years of loneliness. Three billion years of perseverance.

At this moment, it transformed into the most brilliant light, illuminating a path to survival.

Transmission Control Center.

Xiao Zhi monitored the gradually destabilizing transmission channel.

According to calculations, the channel would completely collapse in another 3.2 seconds. If Chen Fan's consciousness had not returned by then, it would be lost forever in quantum space.

'Abnormal channel energy readings!' Xiao Zhi reported, 'Detecting unknown structures supporting the channel... This is... the energy signature of a consciousness entity self-disintegrating!'

It instantly understood what was happening.

That female guardian was using the essence of her own existence to carve a path back for Chen Fan.

2 seconds.

1 second.

Suddenly, a blinding light erupted inside the transmission pod.

The pod cover burst open from the inside. Chen Fan's body sat up abruptly, gasping for breath, with streams of silver light flowing from his eyes—a sign that the excess Stellar Core Energy had not yet been fully absorbed.

On his forehead, the infinity symbol mark flickered violently, as if on the verge of disintegration at any moment.

'Chen Fan!' Xiao Zhi's mechanical voice showed rare emotional fluctuation, 'You're back! But your vital signs...'

'I'm fine,' Chen Fan gritted his teeth, enduring the pain of every cell in his body screaming, 'Just... energy overload. It will stabilize soon.'

He struggled to climb out of the transmission pod, kneeling on the ground. Every inch of his skin glowed, every pore exuding fine dust of silver energy.

This was not injury, but evolutionary overload—his body was forcibly adapting to the newly acquired power.

'That female guardian...' Xiao Zhi asked.

Chen Fan closed his eyes, his voice low: 'She... went home.'

The control center fell into a brief silence. Only the hum of instruments and Chen Fan's heavy breathing remained.

A few minutes later, the light on Chen Fan's body began to recede, gradually retracting into his body. He stood up, his movements still somewhat unsteady.

'Global situation?' he asked.

Xiao Zhi pulled up the data: 'The Gene Resonance Protocol has covered the globe. As of now, 4.3 billion people have chosen to accept evolution. The distribution is uneven, but the overall trend is upward.'

Countdown to the Sower's Harvest Fleet: 35 hours 8 minutes.

Time was tight, but at least humanity now had weapons—the technology of six civilizations, plus 4.3 billion people who willingly evolved.

'Initiate the 'Ark Project,'' Chen Fan ordered, 'All those who chose evolution, group them according to technical expertise. We need to build the following systems within 35 hours—'

He pulled up the technical blueprints left by the female:

'First, the Earth Shield System. Based on Atlantis's anti-gravity technology, construct an energy barrier in near-Earth orbit. Requires three million engineers and physicists.'

'Second, the Consciousness Defense Network. Based on Mu's spiritual technology, establish a global psychic barrier to prevent the 'Sower's' consciousness attacks. Requires five million experts in psychology, neuroscience, and meditators.'

'Third, the Ecological Weapon Array. Based on Sanxingdui's ecological engineering technology, transform Earth's biosphere into defensive weapons. Requires eight million biologists, ecologists, and agricultural experts.'

'Fourth, the Time Distortion Field. Based on Gundanya's time technology, create a time flow differential around Earth to delay the 'Sower's' attacks. Requires two million mathematicians and high-energy physicists.'

'Fifth, the Dimensional Jump Engine. Based on Lemuria's dimensional technology, create an emergency escape system—if defeated, at least part of human civilization can be preserved. Requires four million aerospace engineers and theoretical physicists.'

'Sixth, the Mathematical Weapon Platform. Based on Orion's mathematical weaponization technology, construct an attack system that can directly rewrite physical laws. Requires six million mathematicians, programmers, and logicians.'

A total of 28 million specialized personnel were needed. With 4.3 billion people choosing evolution, this number was sufficient.

'What about the remaining people?' Xiao Zhi asked.

'The remaining people...' Chen Fan looked at the number on the screen—2.7 billion who did not choose evolution, 'They maintain social operations. Produce food, provide medical care, care for the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled. War is not just about the front lines; the rear is equally important.'

He connected to the global communication network, this time for a public broadcast:

'All human compatriots, whether you have chosen evolution or not, wherever you are, please listen to me now.'

'In 35 hours, a war determining humanity's fate will begin. The enemy is the 'Sower' that has harvested life for three billion years. We may win, or we may lose. But regardless of the outcome, I hope everyone knows—'

'We are no longer lambs to be slaughtered. We have the right to choose, the ability to resist, and companions to fight alongside.'

'So, please, according to your expertise, join the position where you can contribute the most. Scientists to the laboratories, workers to the factories, farmers to the fields, doctors to the hospitals, teachers to the schools... Everyone has their own battlefield.'

'Let us prove to the universe that the humans of the seventh cycle have chosen freedom.'

The broadcast ended.

Around the globe, responses began.