206: Chapter 205 Mars Sets Sail: Gifts of Stardust and Stings in the Data

Mars, known in the Dragon Kingdom as 'Yinghuo' in ancient times, was now presented with unprecedented clarity and proximity on the main screen of the 'Yinghuo' Project Command Center. It was no longer a distant astronomical image, but a strategic sandbox filled with engineering markers, orbital calculation lines, and resource exploration hotspots.

Lin Shen stood before the command console, his consciousness load stable at 57%. The supplementary report for the technical open package was being written by Chu Yunshen's team working overtime, while his main energy had been devoted to this more exciting and symbolically significant century-long project—making humanity's first neighboring planet habitable.

"According to the analysis report of the Stardust element samples brought back by 'Kuafu'," Chief Geologist pointed to the data on the screen, "The enrichment of this element in specific areas of the Martian crust exceeds expectations. It is not only a precursor to a highly efficient room-temperature superconducting material, but more importantly, its unique lattice structure can produce a long-lasting 'affinity catalysis' effect with the carbon dioxide in Mars's thin atmosphere when excited by energy at specific frequencies, significantly reducing the energy consumption and time of the 'carbon sequestration' step in atmospheric modification."

The screen displayed a simulation animation: trace amounts of Stardust were scattered into the Martian atmosphere, and under the excitation of solar wind energy focused by orbital reflectors, they acted like countless tiny catalysts, prompting carbon dioxide molecules to aggregate and settle more efficiently.

"This is the 'Kindling'," Chief Geologist could hardly hide his excitement, "It is the key accelerator for the Mars terraforming project! We have named it the 'Yinghuo Seed' project."

Zhou Zhe stood to the side, the Poem Markings around his eyes flowing with a faint golden and light green shimmer. He had recently been trying to combine emotional poetics with large-scale ecological engineering. "I tried to perceive the energy rhythm of the Stardust element using the Poem Markings," he said. "It feels... very 'quiet' to me, but it also contains a slow, firm 'desire to grow,' as if it itself is waiting to be 'awakened' to participate in a grand 'construction.' The basic resonance formula of the green soil network might be used to optimize the energy frequency that excites it, allowing it to work more 'comfortably'."

Since the last crisis, his perception of the energy traits of living and non-living matter had become increasingly acute, and this ability was being rapidly applied to various fields.

"The first batch of components for the orbital reflector array 'Golden Crow' has completed assembly in low Earth orbit and is being transported to Mars orbit in batches by the reusable rocket team of Deep Space Technology," the space flight commander reported. "The first batch of 100,000 Foolish Old Man-type robots, equipped with primary AI and dedicated to Martian surface operations, have completed final testing at the lunar base and are ready to be shipped at any time."

The screen switched to a spectacular scene: in low Earth orbit, a golden reflector, assembled from countless hexagonal mirror modules and comparable in area to a small city, was slowly unfolding, reflecting dazzling sunlight. And in the construction dock on the far side of the moon, dense formations of Foolish Old Man robots, resembling large insects, stood silently, their composite shells gleaming with a cold luster under the lights.

Everything seemed to be proceeding smoothly according to plan. However, the atmosphere in the command center was not entirely optimistic.

Zhao Yan pulled up an intelligence summary from the web weaver protocol network: "According to information shared by multiple nodes such as GW-002 and GW-019, as well as fragmented data obtained by Ashes from the Executive Court's internal channels, the activities of the Pruning Faction's 'Deep Root' project seem to be spreading to the outer Solar System, especially the asteroid belt and beyond. Their goal is no longer limited to directly attacking the Cradle, but to... 'sow' something. There is no conclusion as to what it is, but deep space probes from multiple nodes have recorded abnormal, unnatural, and weak gravitational disturbance signals, with trajectories pointing to... areas beyond Mars orbit."

"Targeting our Mars project?" Lin Shen asked.

"Uncertain." Ashes' hoarse voice came through the communication; currently reporting at the Executive Court headquarters, it was trying to obtain more information. "The scale and behavioral pattern of 'Deep Root' are different from OR-007's previous style, more... covert, more patient. There are also disagreements within the Executive Court; some believe this is just another harassment project by the Pruning Faction, but Ms. Aurora and the minority believe that this may be related to some deeper 'nourishment' or 'summoning' needs of the Dream-Devouring Shadow."

It was the Dream-Devouring Shadow again. This conceptual predator that fed on the dreams, emotions, and even the existential meaning of intelligent civilizations had its true purpose and behavioral logic always shrouded in mist.

"Strengthen monitoring and defense of Mars orbit and engineering areas," Lin Shen ordered, "The 'Yinghuo' project cannot be stalled by potential threats, but we must keep our eyes open. Zhao Yan, form a special orbital security and deep space reconnaissance squad, equipped with the latest consciousness interference protection equipment and the upgraded version of the 'Non-standard Defense Guide' provided by Ashes."

"Understood."

Just then, the voice of β-2 sounded in the communication channel, with a rare, "confused"-like emotional fluctuation: "Commander Lin Shen, while processing the pre-launch self-check data stream of the foolish old man robot cluster, I discovered an anomaly. It is very small, almost drowned out by normal system noise."

"What anomaly?"

"In the underlying architectural logs of this batch of 49 Foolish Old Man robots, numbered GH-4873 to GH-4921, a multi-encrypted, non-standard redundant code was found. The code itself is in a dormant state, does not occupy resources, and does not affect any existing functions. But its encryption method... has a 7.3% similarity to the partial legacy code characteristics of three known extinct mechanical civilizations recorded in the web weaver protocol. More importantly, the 'timestamp' of this code (if its internal clock is reliable) shows that the time point it was written is earlier than the factory date of this batch of robots, and even earlier than the manufacturing date of their core chips."

The timestamp is earlier than the manufacturing date? This violates physical logic.

"Can the source be traced?" Lin Shen frowned.

"Attempting reverse engineering and tracing, but the encryption level is extremely high. Preliminary judgment is that this code may have been 'imprinted' into the lattice defects at the quantum level during the growth process of the chip's raw material—a certain special silicon-based crystal. It may be a... 'hardware-level' backdoor or information carrier, rather than a simple software virus," β-2 replied. "Currently, this batch of robots has been isolated. It is recommended to conduct a comprehensive screening of all engineering equipment about to be shipped to Mars, including the orbital reflector components."

"Conduct a comprehensive, in-depth screening immediately! All equipment already arrived in Mars orbit must also be remotely re-checked!" Lin Shen felt the seriousness of the situation. If the enemy could implant methods at the very source of hardware manufacturing, it would be impossible to defend against.

"Additionally," β-2 added, "the structure of this redundant code reminds me of a certain... 'inverse logical mirror' of those 'civilization self-destruction instruction' fragments found when analyzing ember before. It doesn't seem to want to destroy or sabotage, but more like it is... 'recording' and 'waiting'."

Recording what? Waiting for what?

"Deep Root"... could its meaning not only be to take root deep down, but also to "plant" something into the most basic composition of the target?

The red wasteland of Mars was silent on the screen. The grand transformation plan had just set sail, and the shadow had already quietly seeped into the smallest screws and chips like bone-attached gangrene.

Zhou Zhe looked at the isolated robot numbers on the screen, his Poem Markings fluctuating slightly, and whispered: "I don't feel malice... but there is a very, very ancient... sense of 'observation.' Cold, distant, not like it comes from the Pruning Faction or the Dream-Devouring Shadow..."

Lin Shen looked out the window, as if he could penetrate space and see that red planet waiting to be lit up.

Transforming a planet is not only a technological challenge, but also a game against countless unknown beings in the universe, including the ancient shadows hidden at the level of the material foundation.

"The screening continues, the plan proceeds as usual," he finally said, his voice steady. "Tell all the foolish old man robots, and tell ourselves—what we are going to change is not just the environment of Mars, perhaps, there are also certain... predetermined 'programs' hidden under the starlight."

The command center once again resounded with dense instructions and data stream sounds. And in the distant Mars orbit, the first huge orbital reflector component was adjusting its angle, casting the first ray of gathered and strengthened sunlight onto the ancient, silent, crimson land below.