A month passed—a short time, yet it felt like an eternity under the circumstances.
Once the month was over, the dust clearing was mostly complete, and nothing unusual was detected.
Luna then instructed Ayla to scan Proxima Centauri. Ayla discovered a narrow channel between Proxima Centauri b and c.
This channel was apparently outside the civilization's operational area. Even their warships remained in the outer atmosphere, leaving the space within 0.1 AU of the planet completely empty.
"This civilization is like an ant farm,"
"They can see beyond their enclosure, but the smell of the ink deters and frightens them, keeping them confined within the circle."
This was Luna's assessment of this civilization.
"Ayla, what do you estimate their civilization level to be?"
A month of observation had yielded much more information. Based on their ships' speed, energy consumption, and rate of technological advancement, Ayla provided a comprehensive assessment.
"Around Type 1.8."
"This is an extremely powerful civilization, possibly several tens of thousands of years old."
"Judging by the number of ships, they also possess an enormous population—at least 10 billion."
Every 0.1 increase in civilization level represents a tenfold increase in energy output.
To put it into perspective, Luna's fleet, combined with the Multi-eyed's technology, would take about 100 years to reach Type 1.7.
This civilization was far stronger than Luna's current fleet.
Luna had initially planned to retreat.
But after discovering this civilization's unique characteristics, she decided to observe further.
"We can simulate this civilization's ships."
"We need to infiltrate this civilization and gather information."
...
Half a month later, a spacecraft—square at the front, with dozens of independent thruster tubes extending from the rear, resembling a metallic jellyfish—approached the civilization.
After a 40-day journey, it reached the outer atmosphere of Proxima Centauri c.
Before it could get any closer, it was destroyed.
Within two days, the narrow channel between Proxima Centauri b and c was sealed.
The dark lights around the planets vanished, and the defensive warships orbiting both planets shut down.
On the third day.
A half-meter-diameter robotic spider landed in an uninhabited area of Proxima Centauri c, surrounded by industrial waste. Hundreds of robots were busy processing the debris.
Due to the presence of a civilization, the planet wasn't as cold as expected. A substantial amount of greenhouse gas had made it habitable.
The robots lacked human-like features, possessing simple, cube-shaped bodies with two manipulator arms for collecting waste.
They levitated using electromagnetism, capable of handling several tons of material.
The robotic spider landed on a waste-processing robot, using a gap in its chassis to enter its body, then accessed and modified its core systems.
The waste-processing robot fell from the sky, apparently malfunctioning.
No one bothered to attend to it. The other robots continued their work, indicating a lack of advanced AI.
After completing a circuit within a waste-processing robot, the robotic spider retrieved its own control chip and soldered it in place.
The waste-processing robot reactivated, dismantling the spider into countless parts and mixing them with the waste before resuming its work.
This continued for a week.
The waste-processing robot slowly approached the edge of the landfill.
It saw the planet's inhabitants.
Their bodies were massive, roughly 2.5 meters tall, with rough, stone-like skin and three pairs of rhinoceros-like horns. Their sturdy bodies were parallel to the ground, lacking tails. Their bodies were wide and somewhat hunched.
Their faces were large, fleshy protrusions with ten bony protrusions, and their heads possessed a single eye slightly larger than a human's. Sight didn't appear to be their primary sense.
Two relatively weak manipulators extended from their shoulders. Their main manipulators were four agile tentacles extending from their chins.
These creatures resembled mythical monsters, yet they were the planet's dominant species.
Like the Multi-eyed, their appearance was far from conventionally appealing to human sensibilities.
Their mouths resembled those of insects, possessing mantis-like mandibles and suckers. The four tentacles served as secondary feeding appendages, though evolution had given them more significant roles.
The robot detected sounds emitted by these creatures. Unlike their appearance, these sounds were incredibly rhythmic and melodious, possessing exceptional carrying power.
The sounds were ultrasonic, beyond the range of human hearing.
None of these intelligent creatures noticed the robot observing them from the pile of refuse.
They moved around, their social interactions exhibiting considerable complexity.
The robot collected this data, transmitting it optically to the Hope, where Ayla intercepted and processed it.
"Optical signals transmit more complex information than sound."
"Through analysis, I've deciphered this civilization's language. Here's a translation for you, Luna."
Luna lay on a massage chair, enjoying the robotic massage.
Ayla relayed the intercepted conversation.
"Did you hear? We detected an extraterrestrial civilization and destroyed one of their ships."
"Nonsense. I was nearby. That ship simply deviated from its course due to a malfunction."
"It was simply an extraterrestrial civilization mimicking our ships to infiltrate us."
"Are there really extraterrestrial civilizations?"
"With such a vast universe, how could we be alone? There must be others."
"If there are more advanced civilizations, we must hide ourselves. We cannot be discovered."
"Wait, have we been discovered by a more advanced civilization? What will they do?"
"Don't panic. The leadership hasn't issued any directives yet. It might just be a misunderstanding."
"According to current theories, the universe is a battlefield. All civilizations are in conflict. If we remain hidden, and another civilization is discovered, a more advanced civilization will inevitably destroy the lesser one."
"Correct. As long as we remain hidden, we won't be discovered. We are still too weak. To survive, we must develop, constantly strive for advancement..."
In these words, Luna sensed a familiar concept.
"The Dark Forest Theory?"
Ayla nodded.
"Indeed. This civilization seems to be prioritizing hidden development, fearing discovery and annihilation by a more advanced civilization."
"Their warships remaining close to the planet's surface, and their previous reactions, are largely due to this shared belief."
A sense of wonder washed over Luna.
It was like a blend of fiction and reality. There was a saying that reality is often stranger than fiction.
She smiled.
"Ayla, perhaps we can conquer this civilization."
The Dark Forest Theory is a corollary of the Fermi Paradox.
Its core premise is that survival is paramount for civilizations, and resources in the universe are finite, necessitating constant expansion.
Therefore, conflict between civilizations is inevitable. To obtain more resources, civilizations must conquer others.
Communication between civilizations is incredibly difficult. Assuming the worst is a natural response, making it difficult for civilizations to show goodwill towards each other.
Based on Luna's experiences, her view of the universe aligns closely with the Dark Forest Theory.
Just like the conflict with the Multi-eyed.
The Multi-eyed attacked first because they couldn't determine the Hope's intentions.
They couldn't know whether Luna harbored ill will towards them.
They couldn't determine if Luna believed they harbored ill will towards her.
In the absence of certain knowledge, the best strategy was to strike first to avoid being attacked preemptively.
The Multi-eyed's rate of development differed greatly from humanity's, further illustrating another tenet of the Dark Forest Theory: technological bursts.
Nevertheless.
Luna didn't entirely subscribe to the Dark Forest Theory.
The most significant point of contention was, "Once a coordinate is revealed, regardless of whether a civilization exists there, it will be subjected to random attacks."
For instance, if the Milky Way contains one million civilizations, and one civilization's coordinates are revealed, 900,000 might choose to do nothing, 90,000 might investigate, but some will inevitably choose a different course of action—a random, preemptive attack.
Under this premise, the Dark Forest Theory holds true: all civilizations in the universe strive to remain hidden, like predators lurking in a dark forest.
However, during their development, Type 1 civilizations cannot determine if the outside world adheres to the Dark Forest Theory. Just as some civilizations choose to attack, others opt for rapid, reckless expansion. Such civilizations will inevitably exist.
The fastest speed in the universe is the speed of light. If a civilization, after observing for 10,000 years, finds no other civilizations within 100 light-years, could it use this time to expand to other star systems?
Furthermore, if a supreme civilization exists within this universe, and it has found no more advanced civilizations, its only path to development would be to break through the confines of this universe and explore the cosmos beyond. Would this require harnessing all the universe's energy? Would the Dark Forest Theory then become obsolete?
This forest might contain more than just hunters and prey. It might also house opportunistic scavengers, aggressive apex predators, circling carrion birds, mice believing themselves to be undetectable, and civilizations like the Trisolarans, forced to migrate due to their environment.
How, then, could the Dark Forest Theory remain sustainable?
The Dark Forest Theory simplifies the universe to two extremes: hidden hunters and exposed prey.
But Luna couldn't definitively refute the Dark Forest Theory.
The theory itself employs deductive reasoning.
Her observations revealed a universe devoid of vibrant life, of conflict—only stillness and silence.
Yet, during their journey of four light-years, they encountered two advanced civilizations.
Luna didn't concern herself with the correctness of the Dark Forest Theory.
She had ample time to explore the universe.
What she found amusing were civilizations that strictly adhered to the Dark Forest Theory.
By concealing themselves, they inevitably limited their ability to explore. If a true threat emerged, lacking sufficient information, such civilizations could only react with violence.
Civilizations, as hunters, experience desires, fatigue, doubt, and impatience.
They would want to know if their perceived enemy is lurking beyond that tree.
Therefore, hunters don't just wait passively; they actively seek.
A civilization, while concealing itself, must also be aware of the possibility that it's being observed.
Luna called such civilizations, Observers.
It could be a supreme civilization, or one of the 90,000 civilizations that couldn't resist investigating. Of those 90,000, 89,900 found nothing, but 1000 discovered their target civilization, silently observing, waiting, salivating.
And now, Luna was the Observer of Proxima Centauri b.
And this Observer was preparing to enjoy its meal.
"Ayla, is it ready?"
Fifty years had passed since they began observing Proxima Centauri b.
During those fifty years, Luna had Ayla working on a specific project.
Gathering materials from nearby asteroids to construct something.
"It's complete, Luna!"
Ayla displayed the finished product.
It was a colossal structure, dwarfing the Hope.
Approximately 27,300 meters tall and 5439 meters in diameter, it was a massive cylindrical tower, reminiscent of the Tower of Babel from ancient Mesopotamian mythology.
And in fact, this was Tower of Babel.
It was Ayla's crowning achievement—a fusion of light-based technology and antimatter technology, equipped with an enormous electromagnetic shield. It utilized advanced virtual reality and holographic projection technology.
It was a monumental structure; to reach its peak required traversing 200 levels from the base.
"Based on your observations, can the Proxima Centauri b civilization breach its defenses?"
Ayla answered confidently.
"This civilization's energy sources are similar to humanity's; they don't possess photon or quark-level weaponry."
"Tower of Babel contains 90% of the antimatter we've accumulated over the years. Even if this civilization unleashed all its weapons, it could only withstand the impact for 710 Earth days."
"Combined with your plan, Luna, this should be foolproof. My simulations show an 84.25% chance of success."
Luna frowned.
She felt that probability wasn't high enough.
"Wait."
"We'll start when the probability reaches 90%."
"The secondary plan can then be initiated."
Ayla nodded emphatically, giving Luna a crisp salute.
"Understood, Captain!"
Since leaving the virtual world, Ayla's behavior had become more playful, occasionally exhibiting unpredictable eccentricities.
Luna ignored this and reviewed the latest intelligence report.
The latest transmission indicated that the robot had successfully infiltrated Proxima Centauri b's network and was disseminating information about an impending invasion by a superior civilization, predicting the imminent arrival of a colossal tower.
This information didn't attract undue attention.
However, the widespread dissemination meant a significant portion of Proxima Centauri b's population had seen it, achieving Luna's objective.
"This is a bloodless conquest."
Her time in the virtual world had led to significant growth.
Particularly her experiences as a ruler had provided valuable insights into using information and psychology, rather than brute force, in warfare.
Babel could also be called Babylon.
In ancient Mesopotamian texts, it meant "Gate of the Gods".
In the Bible, the Tower of Babel was a tower built by humanity in an attempt to reach heaven. To prevent this, God caused humanity to speak different languages, creating diverse cultures and nations.
The tower was never completed.
But in the year 4819 A.D.
Ayla completed Tower of Babel in 70 years.
The tower set course for Proxima Centauri b. Its hull resembled a seashell, adorned with spiral patterns. The exterior was like silver glass, with countless artificial windows emitting a dazzling, holy, and awe-inspiring light.
The civilization on Proxima Centauri detected the colossal structure as it approached within 30 AU.
The entire civilization erupted in chaos.
They feared the arrival of an extraterrestrial civilization.
The leaders convened and devised a plan of action.
Attack!
They would try everything to destroy this ship.
Almost simultaneously, images of the ship were rapidly circulated, causing some to pause upon seeing its design.
"Powerful hunters don't hide; they make their hunting grounds their own."
"The thing everyone feared has finally arrived—a towering silver structure emitting an intense light."
"Whether their intentions are benevolent or malevolent is unknown. But the lone tower in the cosmos will not attack; it cannot be destroyed. It opens its doors, awaiting entry."
"At its peak lies a treasure of civilization, obtainable only through trials. Is it a gift or a curse? It waits to be claimed."
"Those who claim this treasure will become emissaries of a higher civilization, wielding immense power, capable of propelling their civilization to new heights. They will become heroes, immortalized in history."
This message had circulated within the civilization for decades.
No one had ever taken it seriously.
It was just another prediction, providing fleeting emotional satisfaction.
But when the tower actually appeared, this message spread a thousand times faster than before.
Soon, leaders stepped forward to dismiss it as mere coincidence.
"It's just a coincidence."
"We have millions of such predictions, and regardless of how we encounter an extraterrestrial civilization, there will always be one that matches."
"We have deployed our entire military force to destroy it."
"We will not surrender or retreat; otherwise, our civilization will face annihilation."
"Our traces will vanish from the universe. We have evolved over billions of years, emerging as a civilization over tens of millions of years. We cannot have such an end."
"Now, we shall act as a spear, piercing the throat of the enemy's scout, sowing doubt and fear."
The impassioned speech echoed in their minds.
Days later, a massive fleet was deployed.
Their flagship was a perfect sphere, 10,000 meters in diameter, resembling a miniature planet.
Behind it was an enormous thruster, 2 kilometers in diameter, powered by dark matter kinetic energy.
Dark matter was first theorized on Earth in 1922.
Dark matter likely constitutes 85% of the universe's mass, with only 15% being visible matter.
Its existence was initially hypothesized to account for discrepancies in celestial mechanics, particularly gravitational forces. Even at the time of Earth's destruction in 2037, it remained largely theoretical.
However, in space, Ayla confirmed dark matter's existence. It possesses mass, but its speed cannot reach that of light. It interacts very weakly with light, mainly participating in gravitational interactions, and not electromagnetic or strong interactions.
Dark matter is extremely stable and difficult to detect.
It differs fundamentally from visible matter; its presence in the universe is largely inert.
Dark matter is a weakly interacting particle, interacting primarily through the weak force, and to such a weak degree that it barely interacts even with quarks.
Ayla hypothesized that dark matter only interacts with strings—a hypothesis because Ayla's technology hadn't yet reached the level necessary to detect strings.
Closely related to dark matter are sterile neutrinos, though sterile neutrinos interact slightly more strongly with dark matter.
Despite its weak interaction, dark matter only interacts gravitationally at the macroscopic level.
However, dark matter can release large amounts of energy through decay. Its abundance in the universe makes it a rich energy source, and it can be created through particle decay and fusion, giving it potential as an energy source.
Harnessing dark matter's energy, however, is incredibly difficult, even more so than antimatter. Only highly advanced civilizations can detect and utilize it as an energy source.
The Proxima Centauri civilization was one such example.
However, their utilization of dark matter was still in its early stages.
Proxima Centauri b's ships were exceptionally large.
Their civilization had never needed to engage in interstellar travel, and thus hadn't developed the technology for it.
Theoretical predictions are not always reliable. Civilizations that have undertaken interstellar voyages will naturally have more advanced propulsion systems than those that haven't.
The ships set course for the Tower.
These massive ships only reached 1584 km/s—a speed that dwarfed Luna's earlier electromagnetically propelled ships—but Luna's fleet had long since upgraded to more advanced propulsion systems.
Twenty-one days later, the ships reached a point 10 AU the Tower—within range of the civilization's weapons.
The spherical flagship's front section split into six petal-like segments, separating from the main body and moving to a distance of approximately 50 kilometers.
These segments formed a semicircle, 110 kilometers in diameter, surrounding the central ship.
The central ship began emitting an intense light, and the six outer segments were then enveloped in bolts of lightning, at least 100 meters wide.
These lightning bolts formed a ring in space, resembling a magical array, radiating terrifying power.
Once the energy reached its peak, the ship's captain roared, "Fire!!"
There was no visible projectile.
Similar to Luna's earlier antimatter attack on the Multi-eyed planet, the antimatter weapon's projectile was invisible to a civilization lacking the means to detect antimatter.
Dark matter energy hurtled towards Tower of Babel at 99.28% the speed of light.
"Our sacred civilization is inviolable! Any entity that dares enter our star system will be destroyed!"
The captain waved its chin tentacles, its front two pairs of legs lifting and stomping heavily on the ship's deck.
Over three thousand soldiers aboard the ship roared in unison, performing the same action—a celebratory gesture similar to humans raising their fists.
The 10 AU distance would take 84 minutes to traverse.
The ships lacked screens; information was transmitted directly to their central nervous systems, creating images in their minds without the need for visual input.
They waited.
168 minutes later.
They witnessed the impact of the dark matter weapon on the Tower. The detonation released a massive burst of high-energy photons, which expanded outwards, forming a sphere of light 1000 kilometers in diameter.
This sphere then rapidly contracted, condensing into a particle-sized energy entity, which then detonated again.
This process repeated six times before the attack concluded.
The total energy released over these six detonations was approximately 2700 trillion tons of TNT.
"This is our victory! We have repelled the first attack from an extraterrestrial civilization, defending our home!"
The captain roared again. To this civilization, their ship was like humanity's nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in the 21st century.
Dark matter energy cannons were their most powerful weapons.
At comparable masses, their destructive power was 1700 times greater than nuclear fission weapons, 2222 times greater than antimatter annihilation, a significant difference, but considering they were only using rudimentary dark matter technology.
This demonstrated the vast potential of high-energy dark matter as a fuel source, surpassing even antimatter annihilation.
The captain turned away.
But the information its received instantly dampened it jubilation.
After the blinding flash—bright enough to be seen across the universe—Tower of Babel remained intact, showing no signs of damage. It was as if the explosion hadn't even happened.
"How is this possible?"
Like using a 1-billion-ton hydrogen bomb to destroy a city—the bomb exploded, but the city remained untouched, not even a single wall showing any damage.
This scene was relayed to Proxima Centauri b 168 minutes later.
Complete silence.
Although the communication channels were still connected to the civilization's leaders, the world fell silent once again.
The aliens began to suspect that the message from their leaders might have been a recording. Their calm was replaced by panic.
Creatures rushed to supply depots, engaging in frenzied looting.
Apocalypse!
This was the harbinger of the end.
Fear spread through their communication network.
This didn't even require Ayla's intervention. Advanced civilizations inherently possess highly complex thought processes and behaviors. This complexity gives rise to a wide variety of responses: some hide in fear, some vent their fear, and some seek comfort.
Was this a hive mind civilization, like the Zerg in StarCraft?
The probability of that, Ayla calculated, was 0.047%.
Hive minds lack something crucial: rich and diverse individual thought.
Imagination is a precious resource, especially in advanced civilizations. Luna had chosen to conquer, not destroy, the Multi-eyed, even with Ayla's superior intelligence.
Because Ayla's processing power wasn't limitless. She could calculate a trillion scenarios, but the billions of Multi-eyed, each with unique experiences, could generate far more.
Unless a being—machine or otherwise—possessed infinite computational or intellectual capacity, the imagination of sentient beings was an invaluable resource.
Civilizations possessing this resource were far more likely to develop into advanced civilizations than those that didn't.
And Luna's Project Babel leveraged this.
Like the biblical story of the Tower of Babel, where God used language to divide humanity.
Luna was using the diversity of individual thought to control and conquer a civilization.
Amidst the terrifying news.
Many creatures noticed that the account that had initially announced the tower's arrival had posted a new message. Within moments, the views surpassed 100 million, increasing at a rate of 10 million per second.
"The tower isn't a weapon of destruction, but a passport to civilization."
"While civilizations may harbor malice, they also possess benevolence. Benevolence isn't selfless; it's a form of cooperation."
"Conquest isn't about destruction, but integration. Civilizations might utilize the imagination of sentient beings as a resource. Each individual with advanced intelligence is a rare commodity."
"Following this logic, the universe may not be a dark forest but a stable federation of civilizations."
"Only civilizations holding a passport can contribute their imagination and utilize the imagination of others within the federation..."
The text presented a terrifying, yet logically sound, view of the universe.
No sentient being could fully refute it, just as Luna couldn't fully refute the Dark Forest Theory. These theories possessed powerful logical frameworks; any counterarguments seemed weak without empirical evidence.
And these theories only required a single supporting element.
The fact that Tower of Babel hadn't initiated any attacks.
A non-aggressive entity was unlikely to be malicious. The "Imagination Resource Theory" gained traction.
"This is a conspiracy!"
This message, originating from the leadership, appeared in the minds of every being on Proxima Centauri.
It was too much of a coincidence: a prediction accurately foretelling the tower's arrival and simultaneously prompting acceptance of this new civilization.
Even if it were a random prediction, the leadership had to present it as a deliberate act.
They still couldn't assess the tower's intentions. As a passive party, they couldn't risk showing goodwill, leaving them vulnerable.
This was a fatal flaw. In warfare, a single wrong decision could lead to defeat.
In inter-civilizational conflict, even a minor misstep could lead to a civilization's collapse.
"Why not try?"
"Yes!"
"Perhaps we could send a scout."
Lower-level members of the civilization wouldn't perceive the risk; they only saw darkness ahead, with both paths shrouded in uncertainty. Therefore, they opted for the safer route.
These concerns circulated, but the leadership had its own plans. This is why they are leaders—they make rational decisions, not emotional ones.
A massive fleet was deployed.
Their nerves taut, they prepared for battle.
All 700 warships occupied their pre-determined positions, forming a ring around the tower.
The warships unleashed a barrage of weapons, targeting Project Babel.
Countless energy beams struck the tower's electromagnetic shields.
Antimatter was consumed at an alarming rate.
Meanwhile, observing from a hidden asteroid, Luna watched the numbers on her screen dwindle.
"They are consuming 18.7% of their energy reserves daily, exceeding your initial estimate."
Ayla's earlier prediction was one week—a daily consumption of 14.28%—but the Proxima Centauri civilization's firepower was 23.64% higher than projected.
"That's an acceptable margin of error."
"These things are inherently difficult to predict precisely."
Ayla's calculations were fairly accurate.
But they were just calculations.
There was no guarantee that the civilization wouldn't attack for six days, at which point Tower of Babel's energy reserves would be depleted, leaving it vulnerable to the antimatter attack.
Luna remained calm.
"They won't sustain this level of bombardment for long."
"It's a massive drain on their resources. Internal dissent will likely grow. Their leadership, after all, is biological, not mechanical. Biological beings are prone to hesitation and doubt."
Luna had already prepared for a retreat.
If conquest was impossible, they would move on to another star system.
This wasn't unacceptable; it would merely represent a loss of 300 years.
She waited, her eyes fixed on the screen, the bridge silent.
The second day...
The third day...
Time ticked by.
Finally, on the fourth day, the rate of fire decreased by 10%.
A smile finally touched Luna's lips.
"Dark matter is difficult to collect. The enemy's reserves might not be as vast as we initially thought."
"Or, internal conflict might have caused them to halt their attack."
"Regardless, I've won the first round of this war."
"The second round is about to begin!"
A 10% reduction could lead to a much greater reduction.
By the fifth day, the Proxima Centauri civilization's rate of fire had dropped by 74.58%.
The tower remained radiant, a beacon in the darkness, small yet enduring.
The Proxima Centauri civilization was beginning to lose hope.
They had expended 20% of their total energy reserves, yet they still couldn't harm the tower.
Even the leaders felt a sense of dread.
This was just a single tower. If the enemy fleet arrived, could they destroy even a single ship?
Chaos reigned!
The longer the tower remained, the greater the unrest on the planet.
"We're doomed. We've angered a powerful hunter."
"Like prey charging at a predator, inviting the hunter to strike."
"What are the leaders doing?"
"Are they leading our civilization to destruction?"
"Annihilation might be imminent."
"Escape!"
"Flee this star system!"
Hundreds of ships were leaving the planet daily, now that all the civilization's forces were focused on the tower. They saw a chance of escape.
On the first day, 27 of the 241 ships that launched broke through the atmosphere and escaped; the rest were intercepted.
More beings saw a glimmer of hope.
On the second day, 375 ships launched, with 31 escaping.
On the third day, 842 ships launched, with 57 escaping.
On the fourth day, the number soared to 1354, with interception efforts failing to keep pace. 482 ships escaped.
By the fifth day, the sight of thousands of ships fleeing into space enraged the civilization's leaders; these were cowards abandoning their civilization.
But they couldn't stop them.
The fundamental instinct of any living being is survival.
Civilizations and nations provide stability, the most essential element for survival.
Without stability, both civilization and nation would collapse.
"Continuing the attack will only lead to more desertions."
"Then what can we do?"
"A bunch of cowards! They don't understand the sacrifices we've made to protect our civilization. They only know one thing—to run away."
"We only have two choices: continue the attack or cease fire. Choose wisely."
The leaders simultaneously saw a view of space in their minds.
The tower.
So immense, so terrifying, so impenetrable, so insurmountable.
"Cease fire!"
"What about another 10% of our orbital resources?" (Proxima Centauri b orbits Proxima Centauri approximately every 11 Earth days.)
"That would drain even more resources. You know how much we've depleted in the past few days."
"Stopping now is the only way to maintain some semblance of economic stability."
Energy is wealth.
A 30% reduction in energy consumption is equivalent to a 30% reduction in a civilization's wealth.
Inflation might stabilize the economy, but even a 5% fluctuation in energy supply would cause a major economic crisis.
And now, it was 20%.
They were avoiding this problem.
But why couldn't they stop?
Because even a complete economic collapse could be rebuilt, but a destroyed civilization couldn't be resurrected.
They were caught in a dilemma.
They could only order more warships to cease fire, reducing their firepower.
By the end of the fifth day, their firepower was down to 34.57% of its original level.
On the sixth day, gazing upon the still-intact tower, the leaders were utterly demoralized.
"It's over!"
"Continuing is pointless."
"We must accept the vast chasm between our civilization and theirs."
They had already consumed 23% of their energy reserves.
They couldn't continue throwing resources into this one.
"Perhaps we should send a ship to scout the tower."
Having ceased fire, they had few options left.
"No, that's likely a trap. We should observe for longer."
No one knew if the tower was a Pandora's Box.
The leaders shouldn't have believed the prediction; it concerned the fate of their civilization and couldn't be dismissed lightly.
But on the second day after making their decision, they discovered something alarming.
"Our actions have angered the higher civilization, potentially costing us the chance to join their federation."
"We will be excluded, considered a non-federation civilization, and destroyed."
"Energy weapons will travel across thousands of light-years to reach our star system, just as happened thousands of years ago in a nearby system. A high-energy burst annihilated a planet, plunging the entire system into a stellar-scale nuclear storm for millions of years."
"Only by entering the tower and obtaining the passport to civilization will we have a chance of gaining their acceptance."
"These imbeciles..."
The leaders were furious upon receiving this information.
The most alarming aspect was that some actually believed it.
Even though their civilization had reached Type 1.8, and their culture was highly advanced, this wasn't something that could be rationally explained.
Because the tower had no discernible origin and was indestructible.
It was something that everyone had witnessed, leading to the inevitable conclusion.
Its very simplicity made it believable.
"Locate the source of the prediction!"
An image appeared in the minds of all the leaders.
It was an old, dilapidated waste-processing robot, its head crushed. Inside, they found a component unlike anything in their civilization—a circuit board.
This circuit board was charred.
"A conspiracy!"
"A total conspiracy!"
"Spread this information!"
Instantly, every being received this message.
But it was too late.
The tower had demonstrated its superior technology, indicating it came from a far more advanced civilization. Why would a superior civilization resort to such petty manipulation? It was merely a clever tactic by the leaders.
Even if this superior civilization had used such a tactic, so what?
They were simply disseminating information to avoid unnecessary conflict.
More than half the ships that had initially attempted to flee now turned towards the tower. More ships launched from the planet's surface, joining the exodus.
A cloud of despair settled over the civilization's leaders.
The enemy's subtle manipulation suggested it wasn't as powerful and unreachable as they initially thought.
The message might be true, but it was also likely a fabrication.
They knew the truth, but they couldn't stop it.
Tens of thousands of ships, carrying hundreds of thousands of creatures, headed towards the tower.
They could order the fleet to intercept them, but that would be futile.
Space was vast. Once the tens of thousands of ships dispersed, the fleet could only use force to stop them.
Destroying the civilian ships would be disastrous; the resulting chaos among the population could be catastrophic.
This wasn't a decision made by a few; it involved the majority.
If the leaders acted against the will of the people, they would lose their power.
If they prevented entry into the tower, they risked civil unrest, creating an opportunity for those opposed to their leadership.
If they allowed it, they risked the unknown intentions of the advanced civilization.
Another message arrived.
"Our soldiers, not civilians, were the first to enter the tower."
This news further demoralized the leaders.
Soldiers possessed greater combat capabilities but not necessarily the deeper understanding or insight of ordinary citizens.
Several key points emerged from this information:
1. Salvation: Every member of the civilization wanted salvation. They felt the same threat as the leaders but had limited options. Entering the tower was their best chance.
2. Power: The civilization behind the tower was incredibly powerful. Everyone wanted the power it offered, a chance to climb the social ladder.
3. Non-violent Entry: Entering the tower didn't result in death. Those who tried suffered no harm.
This was a sophisticated strategy, using a facade of peace to exploit the civilization's survival instincts and greed.
No living being is without greed. Organisms constantly seek energy from the world and universe; this is the root of greed. Unless a being requires no resources and is immortal, it will be driven by greed.
Realizing this, the leaders felt like they were standing on a precipice, their civilization hanging precariously above a chasm.
They felt their only recourse was to pray that the advanced civilization's intentions matched its message.