Cataclysmic Era: I can unlock the tech tree

Under Zero's control, the detector, which had just withdrawn from the cavitation bubble, moved forward again and re-entered the four-dimensional cavitation bubble.

In the holographic projection, the familiar red signal indicator flashed again.

According to the plan, these detectors will conduct a month-long data collection and exploration mission in a four-dimensional cavitation.

Although the Chinese Academy of Sciences has obtained some data about four-dimensional space, however...

Without a doubt, the next month will be the most difficult time in every respect.

On the one hand, the academicians need to be concerned about the operational status of the probe.

In four-dimensional space without any remote support, any accident could lead to the complete destruction of the probe.

On the other hand, the academicians are filled with curiosity and anticipation for the data that the detector will soon acquire.

What is inside a four-dimensional star system?

What is the difference between it and a three-dimensional galaxy?

Could a natural and stable four-dimensional space allow human civilization to master dimensional advancement technologies?

……

And so, amidst the academicians' complex emotions, a month quietly passed.

Today is the day the probe "returns" to our own universe!

Inside the Dimension Research Center.

All the academicians stared longingly at the giant holographic projection in front of them.

In the projection, under the assimilation effect of this universe, a four-dimensional bubble, like a soap bubble, is slowly undulating.

The red indicator signifying a signal interruption flashes slowly at the same frequency.

In the upper right corner of the projection, there is a continuously jumping countdown.

【00:06:13】

Six minutes and thirteen seconds later, it will be the exact time for the probe to return to our own universe as planned!

As the countdown dwindled, the atmosphere inside the research center grew increasingly tense.

Even Lü Yongchang could not maintain his usual composure at this moment—he stood up from his chair, walked to the porthole, and gazed at the giant soap bubble that was constantly fluctuating.

"Time is up……"

Lin Yongnian's murmur came from the side.

The countdown has reached zero.

After waiting for another ten seconds or so, the red signal indicator quietly turned green.

"Detector signal has been restored."

"Number of remaining detectors: 319."

"Data transmission in progress..."

As Zero's synthesized electronic voice rang out in the research center, Lü Yongchang breathed a sigh of relief, but his expression turned slightly grim.

A month ago, the fleet deployed more than 4000 probes; now, only 319 remain…

This terrifying rate of loss indirectly confirms the high danger of four-dimensional space!

"Data transmission complete," the synthesized voice continued. "Preliminary screening and analysis are underway..."

"warn!"

"Level I warning alert detected!"

The moment the announcement was broadcast, a visible chaos erupted within the research center.

Level I warning information – this is a warning level specifically for technological creations of unknown civilizations!

If there are no errors, this means that the probe has discovered the creations of other civilizations in the four-dimensional galaxy!

This will be a technological creation from another universe!

Even for human civilization today, this would be a landmark discovery!

"Quiet down, everyone!"

Lu Yongchang's expression tightened, and he quickly returned to his seat from the porthole: "Zero, immediately filter out the relevant information."

……

A bizarre and fantastical scene appeared again in the holographic projection.

Following the answers derived by the computing unit, the probe slowly travels through the bizarre and fantastical four-dimensional space.

The distant planets appear to change size, making it difficult to determine their true distance.

Suddenly, a small meteorite wandering in the four-dimensional galaxy jumped into the camera's field of view and then crashed straight into the probe!

Upon witnessing this horrifying scene, several gasps of surprise rippled through the research center.

Swish!

The meteorite passed straight through the probe without stopping, and the probe did not issue any warning.

"The two are quite far apart in the fourth direction."

Lü Yongchang muttered to himself softly.

Just like forced perspective photography in three-dimensional space, two objects are actually hundreds of meters apart, but from a specific angle, they appear to overlap.

Of course, the reverse is also true.

From a three-dimensional perspective, the two objects are clearly quite far apart, but in a fourth direction, they have already collided!

This is precisely the greatest danger during four-dimensional space travel!

The root cause of all detector damage lies in this: the internal computing unit's computing power is too weak, and its intelligence level is relatively low, making it difficult to take timely and effective countermeasures in the face of emergencies.

As the probe continues to move forward, the distance between it and the star at the center of the four-dimensional star system is constantly decreasing—because the probe cannot move in the fourth direction, it has to take a long detour to get closer to the star.

It may never even reach the surface of this star!

Like a chess piece on a chessboard, no matter how you move it, it can never jump off the board and fly into the sky!

Finally, with continuous corrections from the computing unit, the probe successfully reached its closest point to the four-dimensional star.

The star appeared very dim on the camera, as if it had reached the end of its life.

suddenly.

The internal computing unit of the detector seemed to have detected something unusual.

As warning signs flashed by, the camera quickly changed its viewing angle.

Finally, it successfully observed the anomaly.

A technological creation rests quietly on the edge of a star!

Since the detector cannot change its coordinates in the fourth direction, it can only continuously change its coordinates in the other three directions in an attempt to find a more suitable angle for observation.

With the combined efforts of dozens of detectors, the full picture of this technological creation has finally been clearly depicted.

It was a massive multi-ring structure—dozens of huge rings intersected in four mutually perpendicular directions, forming a shape that was aesthetically pleasing yet beyond the conventional understanding of three-dimensional living beings.

Lü Yongchang's eyes widened slightly as he tried to observe more details of the multi-ring structure.

next second.

According to the Academy's previous settings, a message with a self-decoding program was sent to the multi-ring structure in two different forms: electromagnetic waves and tachyon signals.

I waited for a long time.

A tachyon signal was transmitted from the direction of the multi-ring structure.

[Troy Civilization Transformation Center, please show your identification.]

Damn it!

When he designed the email sending program, he never imagined that it would come in handy!

He never imagined that a star system would exist within this four-dimensional bubble, and that this star system would contain technological creations of an advanced civilization!

To his even greater surprise, the other party actually responded to the information sent by the detector!