313: Three-body planet, Three-body people

Deep beneath Three-Body Star, a vast and intricate network of underground cities operated with perfect order.

This was the new home of the Trisolaran Civilization, a modern underground metropolis assisted by the Interstellar Peace Corporation, buried deep within the planet's crust, completely isolated from the harsh environmental changes on the surface.

Although the Trisolarans were stripped of their right to enter space by the Corporation, and even the manufacturing of atmospheric flight vehicles was strictly prohibited, in exchange, they received underground city technology far beyond their own technological level.

This massive underground metropolis possessed a complete life support system, energy supply network, and ecological circulation system, allowing the Trisolarans to completely escape the doomsday threat brought by the three suns, which had plagued their civilization for thousands of years.

Because of this, their political system underwent some changes. Especially after being easily crushed by the Interstellar Peace Corporation, all the former governors were incinerated.

For the Trisolarans, who now had hope for survival, those warmongers were already enemies.

After reviewing some common knowledge about human civilization provided by the Corporation, the Trisolarans also began reforms, starting with names.

In the central control room of the underground city, Trisolaran Elder Alwen was intently watching the fluctuating data.

The city had been running smoothly for twenty years, and the Trisolarans were truly experiencing for the first time what it meant to live “without worrying about tomorrow.”

“Energy supply is stable, and the life support system is running well,” Alwen nodded with satisfaction, his tentacles gently quivering. “Air circulation, water circulation, waste treatment… all systems are operating at optimal status.”

“Another beautiful day.”

It was unclear when the Trisolarans started to prefer using portable brainwave converters for vocal communication. Perhaps it was due to admiration for strength.

Lina, the young Engineer beside him, added, “Elder, the population growth rate for the past three months has been controlled at 0.8%, which is within expectations. The newborn survival rate remains 100%, with no cases of infant mortality due to environmental factors.”

A hint of relief flickered in Alwen’s compound eyes. “Twenty years, and it still feels like a dream. We actually escaped that cursed three-star system.”

“No longer do we have to worry about waking up one day to find three suns in the sky, no longer do we have to experience the despair of collective dehydration and being chosen by fate.”

He walked towards the observation window, looking down at the busy yet orderly underground city below.

Suspension trains silently traversed the crisscrossing transportation pipelines. An artificial sky projection system simulated natural day and night cycles. In parks and plazas, Trisolarans strolled leisurely.

“Look,” Alwen sighed with emotion, “our children can finally study and grow up in peace, instead of worrying about survival all day long.”

“I truly hope such days can last forever.”

However, beneath this facade of peace and tranquility, subtle changes were occurring.

In the living quarters of the underground city, a group of young Trisolarans were discussing an increasingly popular topic.

“Don’t you think our current form is very inconvenient?” Young Scholar Kane waved his segmented limbs. “When operating those high-end instruments purchased from the Corporation in the lab, these appendages are really too clumsy.”

Sola, a medical worker, nodded in agreement. “Indeed. Especially when performing delicate surgeries, our tentacles find it difficult to achieve the dexterity of human doctors.”

They looked up at the holographic projection of a human form in mid-air.

“Look how exquisitely designed the human body is!” Kane excitedly pointed at the model. “The five-fingered structure is both flexible and powerful, bipedal locomotion frees the hands, giving them extreme adaptability, and the brain’s structure brings extremely high efficiency and low energy consumption…”

“It’s perfect!”

Engineer Nina nodded in agreement. “More importantly, the human form is more suitable for our current living environment. There’s no need to evolve dehydration capabilities for extreme environments by sacrificing organ performance, and it can also have better stability.”

These discussions were not idle talk. In the underground city’s research center, a secret project had been underway for five years, named “Form Reshaping Research.”

The goal was to seek to shape new bodies. And humanity, who had utterly defeated them with overwhelming force, became the best model for shaping their new bodies.

At this moment, in the central control room, Lina divulged a piece of gossip: “Oh, Elder, recently quite a few of our people have started to put forward new demands. They want to change their forms.”

Alwen frowned. “Change forms? What do you mean?”

Lina thought for a moment, and besides telepathic communication, she also offered a verbal explanation: “Some of our people believe that our current form is the result of evolution to adapt to a harsh environment. Now that the environment is stable, they want to shape a form more suitable for their new life.”

“Especially those Scholars who have studied human data, they believe the human form is more flexible and better suited for life in the underground city.”

Alwen pondered for a moment. “Do you know how many people hold this idea?”

Lina shook her head, “I only roughly sensed it from a Scholar. I don’t have more specific information.”

Alwen fell silent, then shook his head after a long pause, “Never mind, let them be.”

In the underground city’s most advanced life science laboratory, Kane and his team had successfully cultivated the first batch of perfect human forms.

These bodies lay silently in biological culture tanks, every detail precisely replicating the optimal proportions and structure of humans.

Sola checked the vital sign monitoring data. “All physiological indicators are within the normal range. The nervous system is fully developed, and brain activity patterns are as expected. These bodies are ready for consciousness transfer.”

The team immediately began preparations for consciousness transfer.

After being prohibited from researching aerospace-related technologies, Trisolaran technology began to shift. In addition to technologies related to people’s livelihoods, research into their racial talents was also a key focus.

Although there were no major breakthroughs, during the research, a method for consciousness transfer was accidentally discovered. And the one who discovered this method was none other than Kane.

The consciousness transfer device they used was originally intended by the Trisolarans to be sold to the Corporation as a medical instrument for profit. It could transfer the consciousness of severely ill or injured patients to healthy clones, which was the most convenient and fastest treatment plan.

At least, that’s what they thought.

But clearly, they hadn’t anticipated that the Corporation’s medical technology had made the situations they envisioned almost non-existent. Therefore, this matter was no longer brought up.

“The first consciousness transfer experiment begins,” Kane solemnly announced. “Volunteer number 001, prepare.”

In the laboratory, everyone held their breath.

When the consciousness transfer program started, the device emitted a soft hum. However, just as the transfer progress reached 15%, the monitor suddenly emitted a piercing alarm.

“Consciousness fluctuation anomaly! Transfer interrupted!” Sola reported in a panic. “The volunteer’s consciousness shows signs of collapse!”

Emergency rescue procedures were immediately initiated, but it was too late.

The first consciousness transfer experiment ended in failure.

Over the next few months, the team conducted thousands of attempts, but the results were, without exception, failures.

The success rate of consciousness transfer remained zero; forced transfer would only lead to consciousness collapse.