174: The Path Back to the Source and a Preview of Choices

“Place of Origin of All Things.”

The name itself carried a heart-palpitating sense of destiny. When Dr. Einstein input the preliminary decrypted coordinate parameters into the star chart and the identified region was displayed before everyone, an indescribable sense of solemnity and gravity enveloped the bridge.

It was not a conventional galaxy or nebula. On a macroscopic scale, it resembled a colossal, slowly rotating spiral structure, but it was not composed of stars and nebulae. Instead, it consisted of countless intertwining, merging streams of rule-light that ultimately converged toward a single point at the center. Time, space, matter, energy, information... all the fundamental elements of the universe appeared there in a chaotic state of returning to their source and blending with one another. It was less like a “place” and more like a “process,” a singularity region where the birth and end of all things were interwoven.

“The background rule radiation here... presents a superposition of all known physical constants,” Dr. Einstein’s voice trembled with a near-pilgrim-like reverence. “Entropy increase and decrease exist simultaneously, causality is blurred, and there might not even be a ‘past’ or ‘future’ in the strict sense. This is simply... the tomb of theory, and the source of truth.”

“The Protocol Node... is right there?” Wu Yong stared at that bizarre region that seemed to contain all possibilities, his brow furrowed. Executing the final mission in such a place involved too much uncertainty.

“According to the decrypted data, the node is located at the ‘Relative Rest Point’ of the Place of Origin, a coordinate that temporarily maintains balance amidst the convergence of countless rule-flows.” Einstein pointed to an extremely tiny but exceptionally bright white dot at the center of the spiral structure. “But how to reach it and how to activate the protocol in that environment remain unknowns.”

Lin Mo’s gaze fell upon the isolation field. The five key fragments—the unknown core from the Echo Nexus, the seed of life from the Sprout Era, the recorded inscriptions from the Civilization Tombstone, the core of constancy from the Star Field of Time Traces, and the void whisper from the Throat of Nothingness—were slowly rotating around each other, forming a stable and harmonious pentagram structure. The resonance network they emitted was several times stronger than before; the “impurities” once contaminated by the Assimilators had been completely suppressed and digested, instead becoming part of the resonance network and adding a touch of resilience tempered by hardship. Light flowed between the fragments, as if they were a miniature, self-perfecting model of the universe.

“The fragments are guiding us.” Ling Shuang perceived the crystal-clear longing and confirmation transmitted through the resonance network. “They... want to go home. Back to the place where they were created, to complete their final mission.”

With the five fragments gathered and the resonance network preliminarily perfected, it seemed to unlock a deeper flow of information. A clearer but also more resolute guidance flowed into the consciousness of Lin Mo and the core members:

“Gather the six physical fragments; the resonance shall guide the final course.”

“At the core of the ‘Place of Origin of All Things,’ activate the resonance and summon the ‘Seventh Fragment—Lock of Causality.’”

“The ‘Ultimate Choice’ of the Executor shall be the final key.”

“The choice must be pure, must transcend the selfishness of civilization, and must face the essence of ‘Observation’ directly.”

“Upon success, the ‘final protocol’ shall activate, securing the foundation of existence for diverse life.”

“Upon failure, all efforts shall be in vain; the ‘Observer’ shall execute the final purge, and the ‘Assimilators’ shall devour the remains.”

“There is no third chance.”

The information was explicit, and the price was clear. They only had one last physical fragment to find, and the final destination and conditions were now laid out before them.

“Where is the location of the sixth fragment?” Wu Yong asked.

A wave of consciousness came from the concerto keystone, carrying a strange gravity: “Based on the reverse deduction of the existing five-fragment resonance network, and combining information obtained from the Civilization Tombstone and the Reverse Time Vortex... the coordinates of the sixth fragment, the ‘Spark of Civilization,’ point to a region we already know... but never thought to associate with it.”

The star chart changed again, and a coordinate that surprised everyone was highlighted—it was the very location of the tide of delusion’s main body, that vast and boundless ocean composed of pure information and possibility!

“The tide of delusion?” Dr. Einstein was stunned. “That ‘system Observer’ of the universe? It has a key fragment hidden there?”

“It is not hidden,” the concerto keystone explained. “The ‘tide of delusion’ itself, or rather part of its core mechanism, was constructed by the Weavers and an even more ancient alliance of civilizations using the power of the ‘Spark of Civilization’ fragment! It was one of the early ‘test platforms’ and ‘overseers’ of the ‘final protocol’! The fragment has long since integrated with it!”

This truth was difficult for everyone to digest for a moment. The tide of delusion, which they had been collaborating with and even relying on to some extent, was actually closely linked to their ultimate goal!

“So, we have to go and... demand a part of its core from the ‘tide of delusion’?” Ling Shuang felt the situation had become extremely complicated. This was tantamount to “asking” an unfathomable existence that represented a fundamental function of the universe for its vital organs.

“It’s not demanding,” Lin Mo shook his head slowly, understanding the key. “It’s ‘proving.’ Proving that we are qualified to execute the ‘final protocol,’ proving that we understand the true meaning of the ‘Spark of Civilization’—that it is not the flame of any single civilization, but the light of hope that all intelligent civilizations use to shine upon one another and pass down endlessly through the darkness. We need the ‘tide of delusion’ to recognize us and voluntarily allow the ‘Spark of Civilization’ fragment to return.”

This was undoubtedly a different and even more difficult “trial.”

There wasn't much time to hesitate. The threat of the Assimilators was like a thorn in their backs, and the gaze of the observer might have already fallen upon them. After a brief rest to repair the damage from their escape from the Star Field of Time Traces, the fleet set sail once again, heading toward that familiar yet unknown sea of information—the tide of delusion.

This time, it was no longer a small-scale contact. Lin Mo led the main fleet of the Star Language Alliance, arriving at the ever-changing boundary of the tide of delusion in the most solemn yet honest manner. Countless streams of information-light, like living tentacles, perceived the fleet's arrival, revealing curiosity, scrutiny, and a... deeply hidden expectation.

Lin Mo did not send an envoy; he stood personally at the bow of the watcher, connecting to the resonance network of the five key fragments through his Genesis Blueprint authority. He laid bare his consciousness, along with the entire history, choices, sacrifices, achievements, and ideals of the Star Language Alliance from the era of the “Behind-the-Scenes Creator” to the present, before the vast consciousness of the tide of delusion.

He showed the struggle and hope of the Seventh Shelter, the peril of confronting the tide of delusion’s avatar, the original intention of establishing the Star Language Network, the breadth of heart in accepting different civilizations, the wisdom in facing the Shadow of Origin and the Architect, the responsibility of being a Cooperative Observer, the compassion in saving “Qi,” the courage in fighting the Assimilators, and all the trials and insights experienced in the memory ark, the Sprout Era, the Civilization Tombstone, the Star Field of Time Traces, and the Throat of Nothingness.

He showed the debates and unity within the Alliance, the sacrifices of individuals and the growth of the collective, the caution regarding power, and the thirst for knowledge. He showed that they were not a perfect civilization; they had made mistakes and felt lost, but they had never given up on the pursuit of diversity, free will, and the value of life itself.

This was a civilization submitting its entire “resume” and “soul” to the “notary” of the universe.

The entire exchange process was silent yet magnificent, lasting for several standard days. The vast ocean of information of the tide of delusion was sometimes as calm as a mirror and sometimes as turbulent as if boiling, as if carefully reviewing every detail.

Finally, after a long wait, from the core of the tide of delusion—that deepest vortex of information—a warm, bright, yet brilliant light containing the epics of the rise and fall of countless civilizations separated itself.

That light, like a spark that had traversed the eternal night, slowly flew toward the watcher and merged into the resonance network of the key fragments.

The sixth key fragment—“Spark of Civilization”—was in place!

The moment the six fragments gathered, the resonance network underwent a qualitative leap! A complete, perfect, three-dimensional structure emitting a rule-light that was all-encompassing yet orderly suddenly formed! This light was not dazzling, yet it seemed to shine into every corner of the universe, smoothing the folds of rules and affirming the meaning of existence.

The tide of delusion transmitted one final stream of information, filled with relief and a solemn entrustment:

“The path is laid, the door is open.”

“The Place of Origin awaits you.”

“The weight of the choice concerns survival.”

“May the spark... shine forever.”

Carrying the six gathered key fragments and the blessings and warnings of the tide of delusion, the Star Language Alliance fleet turned around and sailed resolutely toward the final stage—the “Place of Origin of All Things.”

Traversing the bizarre and rule-chaotic region on the outskirts of the Place of Origin was a test of the limits for the fleet and all its members. If not for the protection of the complete key fragment resonance network, any ship would have been instantly decomposed and assimilated by the turbulent flow of rules returning to their source. They seemed to be passing through the birth and destruction of the universe, at times in the scorching singularity of creation and at others at the icy end of heat death.

Finally, they arrived at that “Relative Rest Point.”

It was a pure white space that could not be measured by size. There was no up, down, left, or right, and no sense of the passage of time—only absolute “existence” itself. And in the center of the space floated a simple platform composed of pure light.

“Protocol Node...” Ling Shuang said softly.

Holding the six key fragments that were now in perfect resonance, Lin Mo walked toward the platform step by step. He knew that when he placed the fragments upon it and activated the final resonance, the “Ultimate Choice” concerning the survival of countless civilizations would descend.

He stopped and looked back. Ling Shuang, Wu Yong, Einstein, the concerto keystone... all the companions who had traveled this far with him were looking at him steadfastly. In their eyes, there was trust, encouragement, and a calm acceptance of their unknown fate.

“No matter what we are about to face,” Lin Mo’s voice echoed clearly in this pure space, “we will face it together.”

He turned and slowly pushed the light in his hand, which carried all hope and weight, toward the center of the platform.

The final countdown had begun.