Start with a photographic memory and build a memory palace

Chapter 328 The Shackles of Civilization
……

As a series of events unfolded.

A series of chain reactions were then triggered.

At the southernmost point of the Earth.

Beneath the Antarctic glaciers.

This is the abyss of the earth, bitterly cold, dark and silent as if time itself has stood still; it is a true forbidden zone for life.

however.

It is in this seemingly desolate place that the miracle of life exists.

In this cold abyss.

It harbors a large number of colossal life forms that seem to have no reason to exist on Earth.

Examples include giant squid, giant ribbonfish, jellyfish, giant ground squid, and narwhal...

In the deepest part of the abyss, in this paradise inhabited by these giant monsters, lives a colossal octopus king with a body length of over 300 meters.

usually.

An octopus's lifespan is only 1-2 years.

After hastily fulfilling their mission of reproduction in their short lives, they head towards the end of their lives.

But this octopus king, which lives deep beneath the Antarctic glacier, has survived for eight hundred years.

Octopuses, with their extremely short lifespans, can have such a long lifespan.

This is not merely a miracle that transcends the norm of its life, but a successful breakthrough of the limits and constraints of its own life.

Unfortunately, the shackles of life that octopuses bear remain firmly bound to them like heavy chains.

Eight hundred years is the ultimate limit of its life.

But today.

The octopus king suddenly sensed something; the stubborn shackles on its body seemed to have been gently loosened by an invisible hand.

Its enormous body, which had remained silent in the deep sea for more than a decade without making a sound, suddenly began to sway slowly.

When those eight flexible and extra-long tentacles are stretched to their limit, their diameter on both sides is almost a kilometer.

Overall, it looks like a huge and terrifying net in the deep sea, as if it wants to devour all the creatures within its range.

At this moment, the Octopus King's consciousness suddenly became unusually active.

One main brain, eight secondary brains, and two sophisticated nervous systems.

Combined with the powerful life energy field contained within his enormous body, he was able to generate mental fluctuations that could be directed outwards.

"I...saw...hope!"

This sentence, conveyed through mental fluctuations, echoed in the silent deep sea.

Let's go back eight hundred years.

This octopus king is just an ordinary octopus.

Originally, its fate should have been no different from other octopuses; after fulfilling its mission of reproduction as quickly as possible, it would have quietly died within its limited lifespan.

But I don't know why.

The two-year lifespan did not lead to its eventual demise as expected.

Miraculously, it survived.

Octopuses are a very special and mysterious species.

They possess amazing and exceptionally high intelligence, learning ability, and adaptability.

Octopus eyes are remarkably similar to human eyes, seemingly possessing intelligence and the ability to quickly perceive everything around them.

For octopuses, various skills can be easily mastered with just a little learning.

Furthermore, the octopus's learning process is entirely spontaneous.

By observing the behavior of other creatures, one can quickly learn and master new skills.

Whether it's stealthily navigating the seabed and cleverly evading predators, or using shells and other objects to defend themselves and protect their safety...

They can learn quickly and even apply what they've learned to other situations, demonstrating exceptional learning abilities.

Logically speaking.

Given such favorable conditions, octopuses could easily form highly developed civilizations, just like humans.

However, they face a huge obstacle that is difficult to overcome: lifespan!

Once mating is complete, they begin their life countdown.

This means that the wisdom accumulated by octopuses cannot be successfully passed on to the next generation. Each generation of octopuses can only start from scratch and repeatedly fall into a cycle of simple learning.

but.

This octopus king, however, has broken through the limits of lifespan.

He lived for another hundred years.

Over this long period of time, its rich experiences transformed it from a highly intelligent octopus into a wise creature capable of contemplating "life".

It once followed the ocean currents, traveled through four oceans, and landed on seven continents.

It has also communicated with humans who possess wisdom like itself, and has even been worshipped by some humans, who have revered it as a god of the ocean!

But it was this experience that made the "wise" octopus king realize the limits of his life.

And this limit actually comes from the "shackles of heaven and earth" of this world.

I've tried countless methods.

In the end, in order to prolong its life, it stayed in the depths of this glacial abyss for more than five hundred years.

I originally thought I would slowly walk towards the end of my life.

But I never expected that today, I would sense that the shackles of heaven and earth were slowly weakening.

This gave it hope that it could continue to live.

……

The changes in the world.

Wu Wen naturally sensed it as well.

After all, Chang'an's "underworld" virtual space was built upon the foundation of four dragon veins.

When the energy of heaven and earth shifts abnormally, the dragon vein will naturally be affected.

"What happened?"

Sensing the change, Wu Wen immediately began to investigate.

"tidal!
"How could the moon's gravitational pull on Earth have changed?" Upon noticing the change, Wu Wen immediately put aside everything else and devoted himself to analyzing the problem.

The Earth-Moon system absolutely cannot have any problems!

Otherwise, this would be a devastating blow to the entire Earth's ecological environment.

Wu Wen was confident in his own safety, but the same could be said for others.

……

The scientific expedition has ended.

Those candidates who had waited several more days, but had not been summoned by His Majesty, gave up completely, knowing that they had failed the exam.

"Sigh, I didn't pass the exam. I really missed a huge opportunity!"

"Not only did I fail the exam, but I also inexplicably fell ill and had to take it."

"Let's go, let's go back!"

As candidates from all over the Tang Dynasty left, they also spread the "gene seeder" virus.

The first month.

Everything within the Tang Dynasty was relatively peaceful.

The most important thing is that altars and temples have been built in various places.

Then came the full-scale outbreak of the genetic evolution wave.

However, due to the low level of gene activation, people only became stronger, so it did not cause much of a stir.

But the emergence of "The Land of Illusion".

But it instantly ignited the desire of many people to "seek immortality and enlightenment".

Because of the "gene seeder" virus spread by Wu Wen.

It's not just about stimulating the genes in their bodies.

He also implanted a "gene expression".

It enables genetically evolved individuals to possess the biological ability to modulate mental fluctuations and connect with "virtual space".

Therefore, the Tang Dynasty instantly entered "networked" mode.

Anyone can enter the "virtual space".

This place is like a "fairyland".

There is no pain, no hunger, no inequality... everyone is the same.

Furthermore, you can do whatever you want here, and your dreams will come true!
But this has also created a huge problem: too many people are becoming addicted to it.

Originally, many people in the Tang Dynasty were barely surviving on the poverty line.

The emergence of the Land of Illusion has led many to abandon the real world of the physical body and indulge in this spiritual illusion.

Li Shimin naturally noticed the problem immediately.

Secondly, there were the ministers in the imperial court.

Therefore, they jointly submitted a memorial to Li Shimin at the court assembly: "Your Majesty, this 'Land of Illusion' is truly a scourge to the country and its people. If it continues to exist for any longer, it will surely lead to the demise of the Tang Dynasty!"

Li Shimin frowned as he listened to the courtiers' vehement memorial.

How could he not see these problems?
However, he couldn't get in touch with the person who could solve the problem at the moment.

For some reason, Wu Wen had lost contact with him, and Li Shimin tried every means to communicate with him, but he was still unable to do so.

If there was really no other way, he would have to resort to his last resort: to destroy all the altars and temples across the country.

Although Wu Wen never mentioned it, Li Shimin could guess that the "Illusory Realm of the Great Void" was formed based on these altars and temples that were scattered throughout the Tang Dynasty.

However, Li Shimin found it difficult to decide whether to order the destruction of these altars and temples.

After much deliberation, he decided to wait a few more days. If he still couldn't contact Wu Wen, he would then order the operation.

……

But at this time.

Wu Wen remains immersed in exploring the "Earth-Moon system" problem.

By collecting data on changes in the Earth's energy field, he discovered a problem.
The moon's influence on Earth is gradually weakening.

Wu Wen is not yet clear about the reasons behind this, but judging from the current situation, the consequences do not seem to be all bad.

Because of this change in the macro-environment, the evolutionary process of life on Earth can be subtly promoted.

However, this conclusion made Wu Wen realize a more serious problem.

By reasoning backwards from this conclusion, we can discover...

In fact, the Earth-Moon system not only creates a stable and comfortable living environment for Earth, but also...

It is also a shackle.

The tidal energy field that the moon brings to Earth has been subtly regulating the gene expression of all life forms on Earth by influencing the living environment.

In a sense, this is a lock.

Wu Wen conducted simulation analysis using big data.

Discovery, in a sense.

This lock is like a defense mechanism set up by a higher-level civilization against a lower-level civilization.

Similar to using mathematical encryption techniques to lock down the evolutionary path of key genes, forming a security barrier at the gene level.

This mechanism limits the ability of lower civilizations to break through the boundaries of biological evolution by controlling the accessibility of genetic information.

After in-depth analysis and deduction, Wu Wen made another discovery.

This lock is not a single-level restriction.

From genes to cognition, this lock has blocked three aspects.

First, logical locks.

Implanting a "self-destruct program" into the genes of a species gives the species a "lifespan" limit.

Secondly, evolution limiters.

Forced upper limits on the physiological and intellectual abilities of species.

Third, cognitive barriers.

Modify the collective consciousness neural network to make specific technologies an incomprehensible "black box".

……

(End of this chapter)