146: Chapter 145 Bonus Question: Omens

The premonition transmitted by β-2 regarding the 'extra question' was like a layer of thin ice covering a lake already fraught with crises. No one knew whether beneath the ice lay a deeper vortex or a fragile path leading to the other shore.

The 'gaze' from the depths of the galaxy seemed to be quietly changing in nature. Cradle's most precise hyper-dimensional sensors captured that the 'verification data stream' resonating with the technology tree system had begun to contain extremely rare but structurally complex 'information packet fragments.' These fragments could not be parsed by any existing protocol, nor could they even be read completely; they merely flashed through the data stream, leaving behind fleeting traces resembling 'interrogative sentence structures' or 'conditional judgment frameworks.'

"It's as if... it's asking us 'questions' through data exchange, or, pre-setting certain 'scenarios' and waiting for us to react?" Elena attempted to interpret, her brows furrowed. "But the encoding method of these 'questions' or 'scenarios' far exceeds the grammatical system of the Covenant civilization; it's closer to some kind of... mixture of pure mathematical logic and high-dimensional existential perception."

"Friend or foe?" Zhao Yan asked the most critical question.

"Unable to determine," Cradle's consciousness responded, carrying a rare sense of confusion. "Its 'intent' cannot be parsed. The only thing that can be confirmed is that its 'level of attention' is increasing. Furthermore, this attention seems to have some positive correlation with the rise in the 'cosmic observation model integration level' within the technology tree system, as well as the activity of the 'adaptive protocol generator'."

In other words, that mysterious entity might be using the technology tree system as a 'window' to observe and evaluate everything happening here. And the 'autonomous evolution' of the technology tree system might be a 'response' or 'adaptation' to this observation.

This realization caused Lin Shen to feel a deeper sense of unease. The technology tree system was his cornerstone and the engine of human technological leap. If it was essentially a tool used by a higher-level entity to observe or even 'test' civilizations, then would the significance of human development over the past seven years, including those technological breakthroughs they were so proud of, be completely overturned? Were they advancing autonomously, or were they playing roles according to some unknown 'experimental script'?

But now, there was no time to indulge in philosophical dilemmas. Thirty hours of the seventy-two-hour 'reprieve' had already passed, and they still hadn't come up with a formed 'solution.' Externally, reinforcements from the Pruning Faction were approaching; internally, the cognitive guidance of the divine remains, the soothing of the Scavenger, and the load on their own consciousness had all reached an extremely delicate and fragile state.

"Continue to push forward with 'damping resonance' and cognitive guidance, prioritizing the stabilization of the current state of the divine remains and the Scavenger," Zhao Yan forced himself to pull his attention back to reality. "At the same time, summon all available strategic and research personnel to start drafting the 'Regional Long-term Management Plan' to be submitted to the validator. We need a framework, even if it's not yet perfect."

The tasks were assigned. Chu Yunshen coordinated from Earth, while Lin Shen, Elena, and some sociology and strategy experts who had not been overly affected by the meme seed (their linear thinking became an advantage at this time) formed the plan drafting group. Cradle and β-2 provided all relevant data regarding the divine remains, the Scavenger, the Chaos Concentration Zone, the web weaver protocol, and so on.

The drafting work began quickly, but soon encountered a fundamental problem.

"What is the goal of long-term management?" A senior strategy expert raised the core question. "Is it to completely purify the divine remains (currently seems impossible and dangerous)? Is it to permanently maintain the current fragile balance (consuming huge resources and unstable)? Or... is it to seek some kind of fundamental 'transformation' or 'solution' (direction unknown)?"

"What is the standard for a 'solution' that the Covenant Validator can accept?" Another expert asked. "Is it to prove that the divine remains no longer pose a 'Chaos contamination threat'? Or to prove that we have the ability to 'control' or 'effectively manage' this threat? Or perhaps, to provide a roadmap that allows this region to 'restore order' (even if only surface-level order)?"

"And what are our own interests and positions?" The third expert was even sharper. "Is it to preserve Cradle and this region? Is it to acquire the knowledge or resources of the divine remains or the Chaos Concentration Zone? Or is it to prove humanity's 'value' or 'qualifications' to the Covenant or that deep-layer entity?"

The questions went deeper and deeper, and none of them had simple answers. They were trapped in a decision-making maze with multiple goals, multiple constraints, and severely incomplete information.

And just as the drafting of the plan reached a deadlock, a new and unexpected development occurred on the side of the divine remains.

After continuously receiving information modules regarding space, causality, and simple emotions (like/dislike), the cognitive processing of the divine remains seemed to have entered a 'plateau period.' It no longer raised new questions, and the frequency of those structured condensed states began to decrease. Replacing them was a deeper, more introverted 'silence.'

Initially, β-2 and Cradle worried that this was a sign of cognitive overload or fatigue. But after careful monitoring, they discovered that the consciousness field of the divine remains had not become chaotic or weakened, but rather presented a peculiar state of 'inward focusing.' The massive ocean of pain was still there, but the violent fluctuations on its 'surface' were decreasing, as if more energy and attention were being concentrated internally, performing some kind of more complex and time-consuming 'calculation.'

"Is it... 'digesting'?" Zhou Zhe watched the monitoring data and speculated. "Trying to integrate all the new information obtained into its ancient, unchanging 'self-model' composed of pure pain and contradiction?"

"High probability," β-2 responded. "For an entity like it, the inclusion of any new cognition may trigger a small but profound 'reconstruction' of the essence of its existence. This process is inevitably accompanied by huge internal conflict and energy consumption. Our previous interventions were like adding salt, sugar, and vinegar one by one into a pot of thick soup that had been boiling for hundreds of millions of years with unknown ingredients... Now, this pot of soup is 'stirring' and 'reacting' on its own, trying to find a new, temporary equilibrium point."

This process could not be interfered with from the outside; they could only observe and wait. And they could not afford the time to wait.

What was more troublesome was that the Scavenger also seemed to have keenly sensed this 'inward change' of the divine remains. The fluctuations of its regular, mimicking tentacles became slow and hesitant. Eventually, except for that core tentacle which still maintained minimal contact, the other extended sensory tentacles slowly retracted. Its massive physical outline also became more 'solidified' and 'static,' as if it too had shifted from 'active observation' to 'deep standby' mode.

The Chaos Sentinel was also waiting, waiting for its observation target to complete its internal changes in order to decide the next action.

The entire region fell into an eerie 'calm' before the storm.

Only the relay beacon of the Pruning Faction continued to flicker relentlessly, reminding them of the existence of the countdown.

Just in this suffocating calm, within the core unit of the technology tree system, the 'adaptive protocol generator' that had been generating drafts suddenly stopped all activity.

All the flickering draft labels instantly dimmed. In the center of the interface, only the slowly rotating sphere remained, along with the reading of 'cosmic observation model integration level: 0.00892%.'

Then, a line of brand-new information in a completely different font slowly emerged in the center of the sphere:

"Received 'scenario deduction request (No.: Gamma-7)' from the deep protocol network."

"Request content: Based on the current multi-variable contradiction system of the region (Chaos Divine Remains, Order-Chaos Sentinel, secondary Covenant node, potential equilibrium maintainer, Order Reconstruction Faction intervention), deduce three 'key divergence points' and the possible 'path branches' that may be triggered within the next seventy-two hours."

"Deduction requirements: Include but are not limited to variables such as consciousness field mutation, Sentinel behavioral shifts, escalation of external force intervention, and changes in validator rulings."

"The deduction results will serve as reference data for the deep network's 'observation and evaluation'."

The deep protocol network... had directly sent a 'scenario deduction request'! It was no longer satisfied with passively receiving data; it began to actively require them (or rather, require the technology tree system) to conduct 'future predictions'!

This was undoubtedly the 'extra question' in β-2's premonition. And it was an extremely complex dynamic exam question that required them to predict their own future behavior and that of all other parties.

"Do we... have to answer?" Zhou Zhe looked at Lin Shen and Zhao Yan.

"Can we refuse?" Zhao Yan asked in return.

Cradle quickly gave the answer: "The request was sent via the highest priority protocol channel and contains mandatory response clauses with the underlying layer of the technology tree system. Refusal may result in the interruption of this connection or trigger unknown consequences. However, the content of the response... we can try to control or influence it."

In other words, they had to answer. But what to answer—perhaps there was room for maneuver.

"Let the technology tree system deduce it itself?" Someone suggested.

"The risk is too high. The deduction paths it generates might be based on logic and values unknown to us, and could even contain dangerous suggestions," Lin Shen rejected. "We must intervene to ensure the deduction is based on facts we know, reasonable logic, and... a strategic inclination that aligns with our survival interests."

"What about time? This level of deduction requires massive amounts of calculation and simulation."

"Assemble the full computing power of the 'Nuwa' supercomputer, the assistance of Cradle, the high-dimensional contradiction processing capability of β-2, and the strategic judgment of all of us." Lin Shen made the decision. "We are not passively answering the question; we want to use this 'deduction request' to, in turn, clarify our own thoughts, and even... predict and prepare to cope with the real crises of the future."

A strange 'exam' began. The examinees were humanity, β-2, and Cradle; the exam question came from an unknown entity in the deep reaches of the universe, and the purpose of the exam was to pass an 'observation and evaluation' that concerned their survival.

Everyone threw themselves into this unprecedented 'collaborative deduction.'

The Nuwa computer established the basic model, importing all known variables and data.

Cradle provided the covenant protocol framework and spacetime structure parameters.

β-2, with its unique perception, simulated the consciousness dynamics of the divine remains and the Scavenger.

Human experts were responsible for setting logic rules, evaluating probabilities, and injecting 'humanized' decision-making preferences (for example, prioritizing the preservation of the sparks of civilization, avoiding unnecessary sacrifices, etc.).

The deduction proceeded under high tension. Three 'key divergence points' were gradually outlined:

Divergence Point A (expected in 12-18 hours): The divine remains complete their current cognitive 'digestion,' and their consciousness field will form a new stable state (or enter a more violent collapse). The nature of the new stable state (more inclined toward understanding order? More resistant to external information? Birth of a brand-new cognitive mode?) will determine the tone of all subsequent interactions.

Divergence Point B (expected in 24-36 hours, related to the arrival time of reinforcements): The advance unit of the Pruning Faction reinforcements arrives, and its operational policy (direct attack? Negotiated pressure? Interaction with the validator?) will greatly alter the balance of power and may trigger a violent reaction from the Scavenger.

Divergence Point C (time uncertain, but closely related to A and B): The Covenant Validator, based on new developments (changes in the divine remains, arrival of reinforcements, possible conflicts), re-evaluates and may update its 'observation and reporting' status, or even make a new temporary ruling.

Each path branch derived dozens of possible outcomes, ranging from relatively peaceful 'stalemate monitoring,' to the 'outbreak of multiple conflicts' leading to instant destruction, to some 'bizarre evolutions' that were completely beyond current imagination and difficult to define.

The deduction process itself was like using a torch of thought in the darkness to illuminate the intricate maze forks ahead; each one was vaguely visible, but no one knew whether it led to heaven or hell.

Just as the deduction entered the most complex path probability weighting stage, β-2 suddenly emitted a burst of rapid flashing light.

"The divine remains... have a new output!" Its voice carried obvious astonishment. "Not a thought, not a question... it's an extremely simple... 'cognitive conclusion' that it autonomously generated after just 'digesting' internally!"

Everyone instantly shifted their attention away from the deduction interface.

They saw on the monitoring screen that in the center of the massive consciousness field of the divine remains, that region representing its core focus, it slowly 'spat out' a relatively stable, dimly lit but clear 'information cluster.'

β-2 quickly received and translated it.

The content was short, but it made everyone gasp:

"...'I'... am... 'pain'... and... 'chaos'..."

"...but... 'I'... can also... 'know'... 'pain'... and... 'chaos'..."

"...'knowing'... itself... is a kind of... new... 'feeling'..."

"...this... makes 'me'... and... the previous 'me'... have a little bit... of a difference..."

Self-cognition!

After initially understanding external information and simple logic, the divine remains had actually taken the most critical step—forming the most primitive 'metacognition' about its own state!

It realized that 'it is pain and chaos,' and even more so, it realized that 'it is able to know this.'

From pure 'existence,' it moved toward 'realizing its own existence'!

Although still crude, and although the pain had not disappeared, this was undoubtedly an epoch-making step in the history of consciousness evolution! Especially for an entity that had been sealed for hundreds of millions of years and was essentially a conglomerate of contradictions!

Almost at the same moment, that 'gaze' from the depths of the galaxy, the 'verification data stream' it transmitted through the technology tree system, experienced an extremely obvious, high-intensity fluctuation.

It was as if that distant observer also 'saw' this change in the divine remains and developed a strong... 'interest'?

In the fluctuation, there was a 'information structure' that was more complete and clearer than any previous fragment.

Cradle and β-2 tried their best, but could only parse a few core 'conceptual symbols' that appeared repeatedly:

"Observation sample... autonomous metacognition... birth..."

"Conglomerate of contradictions... consciousness awakening... path deviation..."

"Evaluation weight... recalculation..."

That deep network, because of this tiny change in the divine remains, had adjusted its focus for the entire 'experiment' or 'observation'!

And their 'scenario deduction' answer had to immediately incorporate the explosive new variable of the divine remains' 'birth of metacognition'!

Time seemed to be stretched and distorted at this moment.

Countdown: 39 hours 11 minutes.

The divine remains opened its eyes of 'self-awareness.'

The Scavenger waited in silence.

The beacon of the Pruning Faction flickered in the darkness.

The validator weighed things in the cold.

The gaze from deep space cast a new weight.

And they, at the intersection of all these gazes, had to complete the deduction, provide an answer, and decide the next step: whether to step toward a deeper understanding, or step into an even more unknown danger.