Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: The Quantum Project

守夜人总部的会议室里,气氛凝重.全息屏幕显示来自世界各地的异常数据,红色警报点不断闪烁."根据最新的统计数据,23 个主要城市都经历了量子风暴现象."情报部门负责人孙伟站在投影前报告说:"这些风暴可以在局部地区引起量子场紊乱,影响所有具有遗传能力的个体.他拿出了一些现场的镜头.街头,许多醒来的人痛苦地倒下,他们体内的基因序列被强行激活,释放出无法控制的能量."死亡人数仍在上升,"Sun 继续说道,"更糟糕的是,这些风暴似乎彼此产生共鸣,形成了某种网络结构."屏幕切换到卫星图像.数十个量子风暴中心通过能量脉冲连接在一起,逐渐编织成一张覆盖半个地球的巨大网络."正如他们计划的那样,"林月低声说道,"量子共振网络..."陈权转向在场的其他人:"根据我们掌握的信息,蓝光组织已经计划了很长时间.他们不仅在世界各地培养了大量的实验对象,而且还建立了多个量子信标站.现在这些信标同时被激活,引发了连锁反应.""可是,为了什么呢?"一位高年级学生问道:"为什么这么混乱?"进化论革命,"罗林说,"至少在吴教授看来是这样.他想利用这个网络来控制所有觉醒的人,重塑人类的基因结构."会议室里响起了惊呼声.如此疯狂的计划简直难以想象."问题是,"林月突然说道,"这个计划本来就存在于星火计划中.而且..."她停顿了一下,"我父母参与了设计."所有的目光都集中在她身上."据我所知,"她继续说道,"量子计划的最初目标是创建一个稳定觉醒者能力的网络.量子共振帮助他们控制基因序列,避免失控.但现在看来,蓝光组织扭曲了这个设计."陈权点点头:"是真的.他们将用于稳定共振网络的东西转化为强制觉醒的触发器."就在这时,会议室的门突然打开了.一个技术员急忙跑进来:"先生,我们从实验室偷来的数据,我们解析了!找到了一些关键信息!"他将文件传输到主屏幕.在密集的代码中,一个关键词脱颖而出:Omega Protocol."这是..."林月瞪大了眼睛,"普罗米修斯留下的后门程序?""根据分析,这是一种潜伏在量子网络深处的控制协议,"该技术解释说.一旦网络覆盖达到临界点,它就会自动激活.但我们不知道具体会有什么影响."

"临界点有多长?"陈泉问道.

"按照目前的风暴蔓延速度,大约48小时."

会议室里一片寂静.大家都意识到,情况比他们想象的要危急.

"我们得分头行动,"陈权终于打破了沉默,"首先,立即派出特别特遣队,摧毁已知的量子信标站.其次,组织了医疗队营救受影响的平民.第三..."他看着林月和罗林,"你们两个负责最重要的任务.

"找出最终协议的真相."林月接过了谈话的话题.

"没错."陈泉道:"你的量子共振能力是唯一的突破.也许它可以帮助我们理解普罗米修斯的真实意图."

"但是我们从哪里开始呢?"罗林问道,"线索太少了."

林月想了想:"也许吧...我们应该回到一切开始的地方."

"你是说..."

"Spark Labs.""这不是被毁的地方,而是最初的实验基地,"她说.在那里,必须仍然保留了一些重要信息."

陈权调出一张地图:"原来的基地在喜马拉雅山深处.地形很复杂,可能已经被 Blue Light Tissue 控制了."

"But this is the only chance," Lin Yue insisted, "if you want to stop the quantum project, you have to understand its essence." And ...," she paused, "I think my parents might be there too." "

Rollin glanced at her, understanding what the decision meant for her.

"Okay," Chen Quan agreed, "I'll arrange for a helicopter to take you there." But hurry, we don't have much time. "

"Are you okay?" Rollin asked as he checked his gear.

"To be honest, I don't know." Lin Yue smiled bitterly, "Over the years, I have always thought that my parents were forced to leave. Now suddenly it turns out that they may have been involved in all this..."

"Maybe it's not as simple as it seems," Rollin said, "and like you said, the original purpose of the Quantum Project was good." "

"I hope so." She whispered.

After the equipment was completed, the two went to the tarmac. A transport plane painted with stealth paint is already waiting.

Before taking off, Chen Quan came to see him off. He handed Lin Yue a small box: "This is a video recovered from the laboratory data. Maybe it will help you. "

Lin Yue opened the box, and inside was a small memory.

"I'll look at it when the time is right," Mr. Chen said, "and focus on the task now." Remember, you only have 48 hours. "

After the transport plane took off, Lin Yue looked at the city below through the porthole. The quantum storm that erupted a few hours ago has subsided, but strange energy fluctuations still fill the air.

She took out the memory, hesitated, and plugged into the portable terminal. A blurry picture appears in the holographic projection.

It shows a laboratory, and the time shows that it was twenty years ago. A man and a woman stand in front of a complex instrument, arguing fiercely about something.

"It's too dangerous!" The woman said, "We can't take this risk!" "

"But this is the only chance," said the man, "Prometheus was right in his calculations." Perfect results can only be achieved by genetically modifying them at an infancy. "

"But that's our daughter!" The woman was almost shouting, "Are you going to turn her into an experiment?" "

"No, a pioneer in evolution!" The man said excitedly, "Think about it, if she succeeds, she will become the first true awakened person in the history of mankind." She's going to start a new era..."

"Enough!" The woman interrupted him, "I won't agree. Tomorrow I will leave with Yueyue. "

"It's too late," the man whispered, "the experiment has begun." Just last night..."

"But why ...," she choked up, "why did they all turn to the Blu-ray organization again?" "

"We'll find out," Rollin said, "in that base." "

Six hours later, the transport plane landed in a hidden valley. About a two-kilometer walk from here is the original base of the Spark Project.

The cold wind howled, and snow covered the entire valley. The two advance cautiously, always on the lookout for possible enemies.

"Something is wrong," Rollin opened his genetic field to scan the surroundings, "the quantum field around is very active, but there are no guards in sight. "

"They're waiting for us," Lin Yue said, "or rather, waiting for me." "

Sure enough, when they came to the base entrance, the gate opened automatically. Pale lights peek through from within, as if issuing a silent invitation.

"Too obvious a trap." Rollin said.

"But we don't have a choice," Lin Yue stepped forward, "time is running out." "

The interior of the base is surprisingly neat, and there are no signs of twenty years of desertion. The equipment on both sides of the corridor is functioning normally, as if there is always someone maintaining it.

"Over here," Lin Yue pointed in one direction, "I feel strong quantum fluctuations. "

They followed the induction to a rotunda. In the center is a huge spherical device with complex circuits on its surface. The device is running, emitting a slight hum.

"Quantum Core," a familiar voice sounded, "the most important facility of the Spark Project. "

Professor Wu stepped out of the shadows. This time it's not a projection, it's a real person. Behind him, there stood two figures of Lin Yuechao's thoughts.

"Dad... Mom..." Her voice trembled.

Mother Lin wanted to step forward, but was stopped by Professor Wu: "Don't worry, let's explain some things clearly." "

He turned to Lin Yue: "Do you know what this device does?" It is the hub that connects quantum networks. Twenty years ago, your parents conducted their first experiments here. "

"Experiments?" Lin Yue looked at her parents, "What experiment?" "

"But it failed," Ms. Lin said, "and we underestimated the risk of consciousness transfer." The first batch of volunteers... Their consciousness is lost in the network. "

"That's why you're turning to genetic modification?" Lin Yue asked.

"Yes," said Father Lin, "we realized that we had to first engineer human genes so that the brain could adapt to quantum states. And you are the most successful test subject. "

Lin Yue staggered back: "So I've been an experiment from the beginning?" Even if you know the risks..."

"We have no choice!" Father Lin said excitedly, "Mankind is heading for extinction. Environmental pollution, resource depletion, war... Only evolution can save our species. "

"Enough!" Rollin roared, "That's how you treat your daughter? "

"You don't understand," Professor Wu shook his head, "it's far more important than personal feelings. Now, the quantum network is nearing completion. The Ultimateum Protocol will transfer the consciousness of all awakened into the network. This is a new era for humanity..."

"No," Lin Yue said suddenly, "you are the ones who don't understand." "

Her energy field expanded dramatically, and Rollin's genetic vision resonated. The abilities of the two fused perfectly, forming a quantum state that had never been seen before.

"That's real evolution," she said, "not about abandoning humanity, it's about gaining strength while maintaining it." Not a forced change, but a natural awakening. "

Professor Wu's expression became hideous: "That's because you don't know the truth yet." Tell her," he turned to Father Lin, "to tell her who Prometheus really is." "

Father Lin hesitated for a moment, and finally told the last secret: "Prometheus... It's the future you. "

This truth is like a bolt from the blue.

"What?"

"The first experiment of the Quantum Project was not a complete failure," Lin explained, "and there was a consciousness that successfully crossed the river of time. That consciousness comes from you thirty years later. She... You tell us that the future of humanity is headed for destruction. That's why I started this project and tried to change history. "

Lin Yue felt that the world was spinning. Everything seemed to make sense—what Prometheus knew about her, those point-in-point words, and... The power that keeps awakening within her.

But just then, Rollin took her hand.

"Don't listen to them," he said, "the future is not predestined." It is precisely because you have the right to choose that it is precious. "

This simple contact made Lin Yue sober up. Yes, no matter what the past may be, no matter what the future may be, the choice in this moment is what matters.

"You're right," she said, looking directly at Professor Wu, "I reject this so-called fate. "

Her energy field expanded violently, resonating with Rollin's abilities. A brilliant light illuminated the entire hall.

"Stop!" Professor Wu shouted, "You're going to ruin everything!" "

But Lin Yue didn't stop. She finally understood the true meaning of her abilities—not destruction, but purification. Not control, but awakening.

A violent quantum storm erupts in the center of the hall. The spherical device emitted a screeching alarm, and the circuits on the surface began to crumble.

"Get out of here!" Mother Lin suddenly pushed Professor Wu away and ran to the console, "I'll disconnect the core!" "

"No!" Professor Wu tried to stop him, but Father Lin stopped him.

"It's over," said Father Lin, "it's time to admit that we were wrong." "

The sirens are getting louder and faster. The entire base began to shake violently.

"The energy is out of control!" Lin Mu shouted, "The core is about to ..."

Before the words fell, a dazzling pillar of light rose into the sky. The entire base is flooded with quantum energy.

By the time the light had dissipated, the spherical device had completely disintegrated. And in the ruins, an illusory figure slowly emerged.

It was an older version of Lin Yue, or rather, the real Prometheus.

"You made a different choice," she ... It said, "That's good. "

"So it's a test?"

"Yes and no," Prometheus smiled, "it's an option. And you have chosen to remain human, and you have chosen to believe in the power of the heart. That's exactly what evolution really needs. "

Its figure began to dissipate: "My mission is accomplished. The next path is up to you. Remember, the future is not predestined, but co-created by everyone's choices. "

The last words echoed through the empty hall. Lin Yue looked at her parents, and there was both remorse and relief in their eyes.

"I'm sorry," said Father Lin, "we are so obsessed with changing the future that we forget the most important thing." "

Mother Lin hugged her daughter in tears: "Forgive us for ..."

Professor Wu knelt on the ground and muttered, "So many years of hard work... It's all over ...."

"No," Lin Yue said, "this is a new beginning." "

She turned to Rollin: "Thank you for always being there for me. "

"I will always be," he replied, "because it is my choice." "

Outside the base, the quantum storm began to subside. The Awakened across the globe are gradually regaining control. There is no forced evolution, no consciousness uploading, everything is back to normal.

But the world is no longer the same. People have witnessed the awakening of power, but also the power of human nature. Perhaps this is the real evolution – embracing change while remaining human.

Chen Quan quickly sent someone to answer him. On the way back to the headquarters, Lin Yue looked at the sunset outside the window, and his heart was unprecedentedly calm.

The future may still be full of unknowns, but she is no longer afraid. Because she knows that as long as she sticks to her heart and is with important people, she can find her own path.