A live stream of someone hand-making a giant white robot attracted the attention of the government,

The cheers in the S1 control room finally subsided in the early hours of the morning, but the almost tangible heat and excitement in the air lingered for a long time.

That bluish halo, like a tireless eye, silently watched over the human beings who made history.

The energy grid connection for the Kunlun base has been completed.

Data shows that the load on the entire Northwest Power Grid became incredibly light in an instant, and those coal-fired power plants that were originally struggling to survive were now waiting for shutdown orders.

Bai Che sat on the edge of the control panel, the cup of soy milk in his hand that had long since gone cold was quietly taken away and replaced with a cup of lukewarm water at a suitable temperature.

"Chief Engineer Bai, have a good drink to clear your throat."

The person who handed over the water was not Su Wanqing, but Qin Bing.

"Old Qin, don't do this." Bai Che took the water glass, his tone helpless.

"No, no, that won't do." Qin Bing waved her hands repeatedly.

In this hardcore circle where strength speaks for itself, Bai Che's "hand-rubbing the sun" move just now has completely welded their knees to the floor.

Not far away, Li Jianguo was on the phone, his voice low, but his straight back and the occasional utterances of "guarantee to complete the mission" and "at all costs" indicated that from this day forward, Bai Che's name was no longer just a "talent" in the eyes of the military, but a "strategic deterrent force."

As long as Bai Che is here, Kunlun is the center of the world.

Are you tired?

A clear, gentle voice came from behind. Su Wanqing took a thick coat and gently draped it over Bai Che's shoulders. The night in Kunlun Mountain, even in summer, was bone-chillingly cold, but the control room was bustling with activity. This kind of alternation between hot and cold was most likely to cause a cold.

Bai Che tightened his coat, smelling her faint fragrance at the collar, and his tense nerves relaxed a little: "I'm fine, my head is a bit throbbing."

Su Wanqing didn't speak, she just looked at him quietly.

Her gaze traced Bai Che's profile, a familiar outline that seemed somewhat unfamiliar at this moment.

Bai Che used to be a lazy junior in the library who refused all social interaction because he found it troublesome.

Later, he became that tech geek who wanted to expand and strengthen the company with cutting-edge technology, and who occasionally needed her to clean up his messes.

And now...

Bathed in that deep blue light, his eyes were as deep as the sea, as if they were no longer confined to the joys and sorrows before him, but were gazing at something more distant and grander than ordinary people could comprehend.

This feeling filled Su Wanqing with pride, as if her chest was filled with cotton candy, soft and sweet. But deep within this sweetness, a faint, indescribable panic arose.

He is "becoming a god".

When a person's wisdom is enough to easily overturn the existing physical rules, when he can create the sun with a wave of his hand, will the gap between him and ordinary people grow wider and wider until they become two different species?

"What are you thinking about?" Bai Che suddenly turned his head and met her somewhat absent-minded gaze.

"I'm thinking..." Su Wanqing snapped out of her reverie, casually tidying up a stray hair behind her ear as if to cover up her thoughts. "I'm thinking about how much the stock price will rise tomorrow, and how many extra hours I'll have to work to process all those documents requesting cooperation."

"Thank you for your hard work, President Su." Bai Che smiled, his smile still carrying a hint of his familiar roguish charm. "Once we're done with this, I'll take you to the top floor of the space elevator to see the stars."

"You're just making empty promises again." Su Wanqing glared at him reproachfully, but the unease in her heart dissipated considerably because of this absurd joke.

No matter how high she flew, the string seemed to still be firmly in her hand.

"I'm going to take a short nap," Bai Che said, pointing to the lounge chair next to him.

"Okay, I won't let anyone bother you." Su Wanqing nodded, then turned around and, like a lioness guarding her food, blocked all those who wanted to get close to her from three meters away.

Bai Che closed his eyes, and his consciousness instantly sank.

The hustle and bustle of the real world is cut off, replaced by the system's cold and precise operating interface.

The main quest "Heart of the Ark" has been completed.

[Given that the host has mastered the core energy technology of a Level 1 civilization and acquired the theoretical basis for the "Anti-Gravity Engine," the next stage of the technology tree branch selection is now open.]

[Please note: This choice will determine the focus of industrial development and tactical style for a long period of time to come.]

Two enormous holographic maps slowly unfolded in Bai Che's mind.

On the left is a spiral chain that shimmers with a silvery-white metallic luster.

Option A: Nanotechnology Applications

[Description: The architect of the microscopic world. Reconstructing matter at the atomic level to create ultra-high-strength materials, medical nanobots, self-healing armor, and the all-consuming "Gray Fog" army.]

Core Concept: The ultimate tool. Everything can be refactored.

On the right is a pulsating, scarlet double helix structure.

Option B: Fundamentals of Genetic Engineering

[Description: Decipherers of the forbidden zones of life. Unlocking God's chains, optimizing the human genome, creating super soldiers, extending lifespan, regenerating severed limbs, and even creating entirely new carbon-based life forms.]

Core Concept: The Ascension of Life. Everyone can become a god.

Bai Che's consciousness hovered between the two options, remaining motionless for a long time.

Both of these directions are avenues to the future.

If he chooses genetic engineering, he can enhance his own and those around him's physique in the shortest possible time. In this turbulent world, having a superhuman physique is undoubtedly the best guarantee for survival.

He could even mass-produce loyal and powerful "new human" guards, just like a creator.

The temptation is great.

That is the desire to control the essence of life, the yearning for immortality and power engraved in the bones of humankind.

But Bai Che's gaze lingered on the scarlet double helix for a moment before shifting away.

Life is complex.

Bai Che murmured to himself.

Directly modifying genes implies uncontrollable ethical risks and unknown mutations.

Once Pandora's box is opened, the definition of the human species will become blurred.

He was an engineer, accustomed to precise data and controllable variables, rather than a gambler in a biological system full of chaos and randomness.

more importantly……

He recalled the fleeting idea of ​​a "space elevator" and an "anti-gravity engine".

To create a cable that can reach an altitude of 36,000 kilometers, existing carbon fiber is barely adequate, but it lacks toughness and self-healing ability.

To build an interstellar warship capable of withstanding the terrifying overload of an anti-gravity engine, existing alloy materials on Earth would be as fragile as paper.

If the material problem isn't solved, even if you have the blueprints for an anti-gravity engine in your head, all you'll build will be a pile of scrap metal that will disintegrate the moment it takes off.

"I don't need to be God."

Bai Che's consciousness coalesced into a hand, which resolutely reached towards the silvery-white light on his left.

"All I need is the sharpest knife, the strongest shield, and the most obedient... tools."

[The host has confirmed their selection: Nanotechnology Applications.]

The system's mechanical sound seemed to carry a hint of pleasant electrical hum.

[Path Lock: Mechanical Ascension (Pseudo)]

Loading introductory nanomaterials physics... Loading microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) design diagrams... Loading swarm intelligence control algorithms...

With the choice finalized, the other reward was finally revealed.

[Technology path detected; reward item "Basic Artificial Intelligence Core" is being decompressed...]

[Code name: Fuxi]

[Status: Awakening]

In the real world, Bai Che, lying on a lounge chair, had a subtle, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips.

He could sense that deep within that vast ocean of data, a new consciousness was rapidly growing. It was no longer the voice assistant that could only execute rigid commands; it had begun to possess logic, deductive reasoning abilities, and even… its own "personality."

Deep within Bai Che's mind, countless tiny, silvery-white nanobot designs lit up like a sky full of stars.

The arc reactor is just the heart.

And now, he is finally about to begin forging flesh and bones for this giant called "Civilization".

Bai Che opened his eyes, a glint of silver light flashing deep within his pupils. He glanced at Su Wanqing, who was guarding him beside him, and said softly:

"woke up."

Su Wanqing immediately looked over: "Are you awake?"

"No," Bai Che stood up, looking sharply at the dark Kunlun night sky outside the window, "it has woken up."