205: Chapter 204 Audit Report, Fallen Leaves and Unnamed Starlight
The Cradle, after the crisis, entered a rhythm of post-tension restoration.
The damaged Seventh Observation Platform was undergoing isolation maintenance. The smoking demonstration device was carefully transported back and placed in the analysis workshop as a "precious sample for practical anti-interference technology testing"—in a sense, it held more research value than any perfectly functioning prototype.
Zhou Zhe woke up after lying in the medical center for a full day.
Aside from the weakness caused by mental exhaustion, he was otherwise fine, even gaining a blessing in disguise—the "knowledge grafting" from the Tranquil Garden had completed a deeper level of fusion while he was unconscious.
The Poem Markings around his eyes had completely stabilized. Usually, it appeared pale gold, but when he focused on perceiving emotions or plant consciousness, tender green veins would flow through it, like the texture of a leaf.
He discovered that without conscious effort, he could vaguely perceive the "emotional" state of nearby plants (such as the potted plants in the medical center being "satisfied" with the constant temperature and humidity, or having "complaints" about being occasionally forgotten during watering).
This ability was a bit novel, and also a bit... noisy.
"One of the side effects of the Poem Pattern Gardener," Stardust's light cluster explained while visiting him, "is that your 'receiving channel' for life consciousness has widened. Learn to filter and focus, just like listening only to the conversations you want to hear in a noisy market. This will be a great help to your future deepening of Emotional Poetics and green soil research, though... it might also cause you to be choked by the 'excitement' of hot pot when you walk past the cafeteria."
Zhou Zhe gave a wry smile; the cost sounded a bit comical, but it was real.
Lin Shen's consciousness load had once climbed to 65% after the incident, but it was now slowly falling back to 58%.
He spent a large amount of time reviewing the entire event with Chu Yunshen and Zhao Yan, and began preparing to respond to potential inquiries from the Arbitration Tribunal after the abacus submitted its report.
"The report will objectively record that we suffered an illegal attack and demonstrate our composite defense capabilities," Chu Yunshen analyzed the various clauses. "This is very likely a double-edged sword. On one hand, we have proven the effectiveness of our technology and its resilience under pressure; on the other hand, we have exposed our non-standard interaction with the Ancient Sages (Tranquil Garden), as well as the depth of our undeclared consciousness guidance technology. Internal divisions within the Arbitration Tribunal may intensify as a result."
"The Pruning Faction will not let this rest," Zhao Yan added. "Their activities in the Silent Graveyard were only temporarily thwarted. Ashes recovered some data from the wreckage of the damaged transport, pointing to a larger project codenamed 'Deep Root'. 'ember' might just be one branch of it."
"We'll face whatever comes," Lin Shen said, looking at the potential threat points marked on the star map. "Our path was always one we had to carve out ourselves. The abacus's report can also be considered a kind of... alternative 'strength certification'."
Just then, the terminals of all high-level personnel simultaneously received an encrypted notice from The Council, the sender being none other than—the abacus.
[Subject: Summary of Observation Report and Preliminary Ruling on the Unauthorized Conceptual Attack Incident During the Cradle Node Technology Demonstration]
[Content Summary: 1. Incident Characterization: Confirmed that the Cradle Node suffered a targeted "conceptual contamination weapon" (ember variant) attack jointly executed by the Pruning Faction (OR-007) and the Dream-Devouring Shadow at the standard time point.]
2. Response Assessment: The Cradle Node utilized its declared and partially undeclared technologies (advanced applications of Emotional Poetics, composite consciousness guidance network), combined with the one-time protection of an Ancient Sages (Tranquil Garden) mark, to successfully resist this attack. The minimum goals of the technology demonstration were achieved in an extreme environment.
3. Observation Conclusion: The Cradle Node demonstrated strong technological adaptability, crisis management capabilities, and the potential for benign interaction with specific Ancient Sages civilizations. Its practice of "countering macro-conceptual contamination with micro-meaning anchors" has observation and research value.
4. Preliminary Ruling by the Arbitration Tribunal (led by the Seventh Seat, Aurora): Recognizes the Cradle Node's right to self-defense and the results of the technology demonstration. Regarding the insufficiently declared technical aspects, it requires the submission of a "Technical Safety and Ethical Boundary Assessment Report" within 90 days. Regarding the interaction with the Ancient Sages, given its passive defensive nature and the consistently neutral stance of the Tranquil Garden, no accountability will be pursued, but future similar interactions must be reported in advance.
5. Regarding the Attacking Party: The actions of the Pruning Faction (OR-007) seriously violate the "Basic Agreement on Non-Conflict Between Civilizations," and have been recorded by the Executive Court, with monitoring to be strengthened. The activities of the Dream-Devouring Shadow have been marked as a potential threat.
6. Appendix: Environmental data records of the platform's potted plants (pothos) and the moonlight orchid during the event are available for life science reference.]
The report was calm and objective, even carrying the abacus's unique obsession with details (including the potted plants). The conclusion was generally favorable, transforming the crisis into a "stress test" certification of sorts, although it came with the addition of new reporting tasks.
"Aurora..." Lin Shen mused. That absolutely rational Third Seat of the Arbitration Tribunal seemed to have played a key role in this ruling; her attitude might be subtly shifting.
"We... passed," Chu Yunshen let out a long sigh of relief. "90 days is enough for us to prepare a polished supplementary report."
Regarding internal ecology, restoration and construction proceeded in parallel. Energy self-sufficiency was steadily moving towards 60% after the potatoes resumed work and the Emotional Poetics array was optimized.
The design competition for the "Potato Culture Museum," under the strong promotion of the Potato Chief, entered the final selection stage.
The location was chosen under a semi-open dome at the junction of the living area and the green soil experimental area.
The three shortlisted proposals had vastly different styles: one was filled with a sense of technology, using holographic projections to display the history of potato photosynthetic efficiency; one took a rustic route, using real green soil and different varieties of potatoes to form an ecological art installation; and another... was actually the "Multi-Sensory Experience Hall" proposed by Great Strength in collaboration with β-2, claiming to allow visitors to "temporarily experience the pleasure of photosynthesis for potatoes" through specific spectrums, odors, and micro-current stimulation.
The judging scene was fiercely debated. In the end, with the joint judging panel where potato representatives held 45% of the vote, the "Multi-Sensory Experience Hall" proposal narrowly won with "most innovative and cross-species understanding spirit."
When the Potato Chief announced the results, its electronic voice carried a rare hint of a smile: "Perhaps allowing other life forms to truly 'feel' our world is the best way to eliminate barriers. Of course, the experience parameters must be finally audited by our union."
Great Strength happily accepted this strangest "exhibition hall" construction task in history and began to ponder how to translate "photosynthetic pleasure" into sensory signals that humans could also understand. β-2 excitedly began collecting research reports on the perception of "pleasure" from various civilizations in the universe, preparing to conduct a comparative analysis.
A few evenings later, Lin Shen came alone to the edge of the repaired Seventh Observation Platform. The starry sky was quiet, as if the fierce confrontation before was just a dream.
Stardust's light cluster appeared quietly.
"Regarding Iron Abacus, the research on the yangchun noodle data has reached a preliminary conclusion," Stardust said. "He believes that what is contained within that noodle is a kind of 'resource optimization wisdom' based on creating maximum satisfaction under limited conditions, which resonates with the deep logic of cosmic civilizations seeking development under limited resources. He... appreciates it very much. This might add a little leverage for us to win support from The Council in certain aspects in the future."
"And the cost?" Lin Shen asked directly.
"He might request more detailed data samples regarding the 'daily life philosophy' of the Dragon Country Civilization," Stardust's tone was somewhat subtle. "For example... 'explosive power before a deadline,' 'the art of maneuvering through reimbursement processes,' 'the demand screening model reflected by cafeteria menu iterations,' and so on."
Lin Shen: "..." What kind of research is this?
"Additionally," Stardust's tone became slightly serious, "the Gardener of the Tranquil Garden has sent a message through me regarding Zhou Zhe."
"Please speak."
"The Gardener says that the 'Poem Pattern Gardener' mark it left on Zhou Zhe is not just an identifier; under certain conditions, it could also become a... 'beacon.' When certain overly ancient or overly distant 'order seekers' or 'chaos haters' in the universe perceive this unique mark that fuses life poetics with emotional rhythm, they might develop an interest, or... covet it. It suggests that before Zhou Zhe is strong enough, try to avoid prolonged exposure in unshielded deep space, or certain known convergence points of 'ancient gazes'."
Another hidden risk. Power and attention always come hand in hand.
"We have noted it," Lin Shen nodded. "Thank you for the guidance you have always provided, seniors."
Stardust's light cluster fluctuated gently: "It is you who have walked this path yourselves. We old folks are, at most... just passersby who occasionally water the road or weed it. The road is still long, child."
The light cluster slowly dissipated.
Lin Shen looked toward the deep starry sky. The lights of the Cradle were shining warmly behind him, and ahead lay the endless unknown universe. The submission of the technical open package was entering a countdown, new reporting tasks were waiting to be completed, enemies in the shadows were still peeking, the debts and attention of the Ancient Sages coexisted, and the internal potatoes were about to have their own museum...
This was the path they had chosen: between the grand and the trivial, between crisis and daily life, between the known and the unknown, moving forward step by step.
He turned around to return, his gaze sweeping across the edge of the platform railing—there, where the abacus had once placed a temporary potted plant, a small pothos had appeared at some point, lush and green. Beside it was a simple sensor, with real-time data scrolling on its screen.
Lin Shen walked over and saw a note pressed under the flowerpot, in the standard printed Council common language:
[Based on preliminary observation data, the growth optimization model for this variety of pothos in the platform environment has been established. Placed here for long-term verification. Do not move or overwater. Data will be automatically synchronized every 24 hours. Thank you for your cooperation.]
Signed: abacus (Observer).
Lin Shen looked at the pothos that was growing lushly on its own, then looked at the meticulous note, and in the end, just shook his head slightly, though a faint, almost invisible curve hooked at the corner of his mouth.
He took one last look at the starry sky. In some distant, dark background that telescopes had not yet reached, it seemed that for a moment, a small cluster of starlight, extremely slightly and not conforming to any known celestial laws, flickered.
As if it were a distant, uninterpreted breath.