403: The Curse of Wisdom

Star Calendar Year 116, New Eden.

The furnace of war had reached its white-hot Peak.

The territories of the six major powers interlocked like a dog's teeth on the star map, and border lines were redrawn every day amidst the shelling.

Within the Star Sea, vast fleets maneuvered rapidly along the star track network like hungry shark packs, searching for opportunities to deliver a fatal blow to their opponents.

The "Eggman" technology pushed both the efficiency and cruelty of war to the extreme.

Top-tier clone pilots commanded warships with superior performance, enacting stunning hunts and counter-hunts across the vast battlefields.

Every jump, every engagement, could determine the ownership of a star System, or even the rise and fall of a power.

The technological race had entered a state of frenzy.

In the core laboratories of the major powers, lights burned brightly day and night.

Genius scientists were granted status and resources almost like deities; a single inspiration or a Breakthrough by them could create a superweapon or epoch-making vessel that determined the fate of a nation.

However, precisely at this Peak moment of seemingly endless prosperity, just before the final decisive battle, a silent plague quietly descended.

It did not target soldiers on the battlefield, nor did it attack workers on the production lines; its objective was the minds of the Geniuses who stood at the apex of the technological pyramid, sustaining the entire war machine and the direction of civilizational progress.

The first signs appeared in Dr. Alva, the chief Materials scientist of the Gallente Federation, known as "the Father of the Throne-Class Battleship."

That day, he was presiding over the final test of the armor Materials for the new generation "Moro-Class" dreadnought.

In the holographic projection, the molecular structure of a new composite Material was slowly deforming under simulated extreme energy impact.

Suddenly, Dr. Alva's body trembled violently, and the data pad in his hand clattered to the floor.

He clutched his head tightly with both hands, letting out inhuman shrieks of pain, his eyes unfocused, and saliva uncontrollably dripping from the corner of his mouth.

"Doctor! What is wrong?" his assistant rushed forward in panic.

"The code... it's wrong... all wrong... the structure is collapsing... my brain..." Dr. Alva spoke incoherently, and deep within his pupils, countless distorted symbols seemed to flicker wildly.

He was rushed to the hospital, but the top medical team declared they were helpless.

His brain activity showed an incomprehensible chaotic waveform; neurons were abnormally discharging and dying at an alarming rate.

Strange symptoms began to appear on his body; blood vessels beneath his skin gradually surfaced and started to slowly and irreversibly fester, as if an invisible force were dissolving him from within.

Just seventy-two hours later, Dr. Alva died in extreme pain and mental confusion.

The autopsy report showed that his genome exhibited a massive, catastrophic collapse, like a living organism utterly destroyed by super-high doses of radiation.

"The Curse of Wisdom."

This ominous phrase began to circulate secretly among the highest echelons of the major powers.

Panic, like a deadly virus, silently spread among the few who were aware.

Immediately following, bad news arrived in quick succession.

The top weapons expert of the Earth Federation suddenly went mad in his laboratory, detonating a small fusion core and reducing himself and half the research institute to ashes.

Survivors recalled that before the explosion, he had frantically scratched his skin, shouting, "There are bugs crawling in my head!"

The team of Genius programmers leading the development of the intelligent fire control System for the latest generation "Phoenix-Class" dreadnought in the Caldari State successively exhibited severe cognitive impairment and hallucinations within a week, finally suffering mental breakdowns in a fratricidal code war.

Their skin also showed similar signs of festering.

The leading authority on engine technology, vital to the Minmatar Republic, caused a computational error due to sudden mental disorientation while testing a new Warp Engine, triggering a spatial collapse that made the entire experimental platform vanish without a trace.

Beforehand, he had confided to a close friend that he constantly felt his memories slipping away, like sand in an hourglass.

Biological modification experts in the Human Union fell in batches, exhibiting symptoms identical to those of Dr. Alva.

These sages, standing at the Peak of civilization, fell one after another like toppling dominoes.

Their deaths were tragic, and without exception, accompanied by that slow, terrifying festering beginning at the genetic level.

Initially, the first reaction of the high-level officials across all factions was conspiracy theories.

They accused each other, believing that rivals had launched extremely malicious genetic weapon attacks or neuro-viral assassinations targeting their top scientists.

Confrontations on the secret front immediately escalated into a frenzy, with assassinations, counter-assassinations, intelligence wars, and counter-intelligence wars raging fiercely in the shadows.

However, as the investigation deepened and their own scientists continued to fall, a despairing truth gradually surfaced.

It was not an attack, but a backlash.

It was the consequence of their unrestrained genetic and biological modifications upon themselves.

To gain longer lifespans, smarter brains, and stronger neural tolerance to adapt to high-intensity scientific research, these Genius scientists used the most cutting-edge, and most dangerous, bio-enhancement technologies on themselves almost recklessly.

They modified gene sequences, implanted artificial neurons, and reinforced metabolic Systems... every "optimization" was a gamble on the edge of a cliff.

They thought they had mastered the direction of life's evolution, yet they were unaware that every modification carved tiny, irreversible damage and potential conflicts into the originally stable genetic blueprint.

This damage was suppressed or masked by powerful technology in the short term, even manifesting as "evolution."

But when accumulated to a certain critical point, or triggered by some unknown factor, it led to a chain reaction of total genetic collapse.

Perhaps it was a form of deep space radiation, or maybe the overload from excessive use of neural links.

The possible factors were simply too numerous.

It was like a skyscraper built with shoddy workmanship but continuously adding floors; once it reached its maximum height, a minor storm was enough to trigger a complete collapse and festering.

They understood the cause, but it was too late.

This genetic-level collapse could not be reversed or even effectively slowed down with the technology available at the time.

It was like a precise "curse," specifically targeting the "wisdom" vessels that were the most heavily modified and intellectually superior.

Star Calendar Year 130, fourteen years after the first outbreak of "The Curse of Wisdom."

These fourteen years represented an undeniable great regression for the technological development of New Eden.

Except for the Amarr Empire, whose core technology team suffered relatively minor losses due to the presence of Empress Catiz, and could barely maintain the understanding and application of most advanced technologies, the situation of the other five major powers—Gallente, Gadary, Mima'Tar, Earth Federation, and Human Union—could be described as nothing short of "ghastly."

Emma should be thankful for the Company's serum, she should also be thankful for her own greed and ambition at the time, and even more thankful that the insurmountable image of the Company in her heart made her subconsciously reject those low-end genetic modification techniques.

She just didn't know it.

The gap in top talent was devastating.

The most critical technologies often existed only in the minds of a few Geniuses, or were recorded in an encrypted manner that only they could comprehend.

As these brains "necrotized," vast amounts of research data turned into incomprehensible texts, high-end production lines gradually stalled because no one could perform core maintenance and upgrades, and half-finished weapon projects were permanently shelved on blueprints.

The Gallente "Throne of Kings" class battleships could still be produced, but the ability to improve and upgrade them was lost.

The Earth Federation's weapon technology stagnated, even showing regression in certain Domains.

The intelligent System and precision industry that the Caldari State relied on for survival lost the momentum for continuous innovation.

The Minmatar Republic's high-speed spacecraft technology regressed to a level where only maintenance could be performed.

Their technological research and development capability almost collectively regressed back to the Elementary level of the Space Age.

They possessed the vast industrial facilities left behind by "predecessors," capable of mechanically producing existing, relatively mature ships and weapons to maintain a seemingly powerful military force, but they lost the ability to continue climbing the technology tree.

Like a nouveau riche sitting on a mountain of gold, yet losing the ability to earn new wealth.

Following this man-made disaster, a strange balance emerged under the stars of New Eden.

The major powers still possessed massive fleets capable of destroying each other, but no one dared to easily launch a final decisive battle, because everyone had become a "bull in a china shop"—if something was broken, it could never be fixed.

War shifted from the pursuit of victory to the fear of loss.

Amarr Empire, Dam-Turzum, Imperial Palace.

Empress Catiz stood alone before the gigantic star map, her posture still erect.

The holographic report in front of her listed the number of scientists the Empire had lost over the past decade due to "The Curse of Wisdom."

Although far fewer than other powers, every single name sent a chilling shiver down her spine.

She stroked her still smooth and firm skin, feeling the surging yet stable vitality within her body.

She was lucky; the gift from "The Company" had spared her from this disaster.

However, even though there was nothing abnormal, she was still afraid.

She knew the source of her wisdom was the Company's serum, and she trusted the Company's strength, but she dared not gamble.

She feared that continuing to analyze the technological heritage that had become her personal wealth would trigger a deeper, more terrifying backlash.

She feared the Empire would follow in the footsteps of the other powers, heading toward the abyss of self-destruction amidst the technological frenzy.

"Issue the decree," her voice echoed through the empty hall.

"Effective immediately, all Imperial research projects involving deep genetic editing and extreme neural enhancement are suspended indefinitely."

"Existing technology shall prioritize maintenance and stability, and any radical application attempts are strictly forbidden."

She turned around, her gaze sweeping over the cardinals standing respectfully with bowed heads: "At the same time, increase support for the state religion and convey my will to all Star Domains."

"The stability and prosperity of the Empire rely not only on technological progress but also on faith and loyalty to Me.

Any rhetoric questioning the faith or advocating modification shall be treated as treason."

She chose conservatism and control.

Rather than rushing headlong into unknown dangers, it was better to consolidate existing achievements.

She needed a force to counterbalance technology and unite the Empire, and that was religion.

Theocratic rule was further strengthened, and technology was shackled, becoming a tool to serve the rule rather than a sharp sword for exploring the unknown.

Star Calendar Year 145, after fifteen years of turmoil, contraction, and adjustment, the spheres of influence of the major powers within New Eden gradually stabilized, forming a delicate balance and a slow-developing stalemate.

Relying on its relatively complete technological reserves and the iron rule of Empress Catiz, the Amarr Empire occupied the most fertile Central Star Domain and Southwest Star Domain, including the original "New Continent" star System.

Its strength was the most robust, and its actions were the most conservative and assertive.

The launch of the Revelation-Class dreadnought, in particular, cemented the Amarr Empire's position as the sole hegemon within New Eden.

The Gallente Federation suffered severe technological regression, but its foundation remained.

It controlled the Northwest Star Domain, maintained tense relations with the Amarr Empire, and faced escalating conflicts between democratic ideology and wartime centralization internally.

The Earth Federation lost its top talent, but its diverse and inclusive society showed resilience.

It occupied the Eastern Star Domain, maintained cautious cooperation with the Caldari State and the Minmatar Republic, and survived and developed in the cracks.

The Minmatar Republic, relying on its industrial and agricultural foundation, avoided major upheaval.

However, its technological R&D capability was greatly reduced, its sphere of influence shrank, and it controlled the Southeast Star Domain.

It also ceded some fringe star Systems to the Human Union and the Earth Federation to serve as buffers against the Amarr Empire and the Caldari State.

Caldari State: Its economic strength was damaged, but its financial and trade network remained.

It controlled the Northeast Star Domain, maintained extremely tense relations with the Gallente Federation due to historical grievances, and navigated among the various parties using business acumen.

The shadow of war had not lifted, but large-scale warfare significantly decreased.

The six major powers entered a relatively stable, slow "Cold War" style phase of development.

They licked their wounds, consolidated their territories, and maintained vast military power relying on the "inheritance" left by their predecessors, yet they all simultaneously hit the brakes on the Dao of technological development, even shifting into reverse.

The starscape of New Eden temporarily regained its calm.

But beneath this calm lay a deep sense of powerlessness and confusion about the future.

The Golden Age of frenzied advancement and heroic emergence was gone forever.

In its place was an Age of Silence... one that relied on living off past gains and moving cautiously forward in fear.