Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

—This city will soon be operating at full capacity. War is destined to turn this city, which seems to have no problems except for being a little overcrowded and having a few buildings, into a true haunt, much like the mother world of Alice. Energy may be limitless, but once the military industry gets involved, this limitlessness will gradually turn into finite, scarce, and even rare. And before that happens, the seemingly perfect cycle system will slowly lose its function.

This city is destined to become a city of evil. Even if the surface remains intact, the interior will inevitably burn like an overcooked pancake. Chaos and darkness will inevitably arise from this. And even if the reincarnators have the ability to correct all of this, they will not easily interfere using their supernatural powers so that mortals can forge their own paths.

"To lose humanity is to lose so much. To lose animality is to lose everything." The Overlord murmured this famous line from the original work, and for some reason, the image of the voodoo doll suddenly flashed through his mind. However, he instantly dismissed it. "Our actions gave this civilization the right to survive, the right to develop, but we did not give them the right to choose—we gave civilization animality, but we took humanity away from them."

"Is it worth it? I think it should be. But..." He slightly moved his fingers, one hand unconsciously pressing on the storage item on the other. "Do you think that when a civilization is forced to choose between two options... humanity is truly a worthless and unnecessary relic?"

He didn't receive a reply from Chelsea, because Chelsea was probably only thinking about punching him hard on the head. Perhaps because he had anticipated this outcome, he ended the conversation. Soon after, the aircraft arrived at its destination.

Section Twenty-Four: Departure

Luo Ji pressed hard against his chest, breathing in and out repeatedly before he could barely calm his pounding heart and chaotic mind. He shook his head vigorously; his usually prized logical thinking was completely useless at this moment. But even if it was useless, he had to put it to use; after all, thinking about something was much better than doing nothing.

Calm down, calm down, keep thinking.

First, count some prime numbers: two, three, five, seven, eleven, thirteen, seventeen, nineteen, twenty-three... Take a deep breath and understand your situation.

First, I was in a car accident in front of the hotel. I was injured, and the woman was injured too.

He pressed his hand to his chest, as if a cacophony of sounds were crashing down on him. No, not just as if, he was undoubtedly in the main conference room of the World Government's central office. Not far ahead was the enormous circular table where high-ranking officials were speaking. And his own seat was on a high platform about seven hundred meters away from that table.

It's truly unbelievable that the World Joint Conference, which I could only see on television not long ago, is now right in front of me. And I've even become a participant.

[I received top-tier medical care after the car accident; it was a nano-repair pod, I recognize that stuff… It couldn't be a coincidence, because they arrived so quickly. They healed my injuries in fifteen minutes, and then, as soon as I was fully recovered, they got me off the transport plane.]

I was escorted into the venue, and an East Asian military officer named Cheng Xiao was assigned to protect me—why was I being protected?

A somewhat cheerful male voice came from beside him. It was the officer named Cheng Xiao, probably a lieutenant colonel? From a secret unit? And one with real power. According to military regulations, he could probably command a thousand men. In the past, Luo Ji would never have had any dealings with someone like this, because they were from completely different worlds.

He slightly raised his head and glanced at the young man beside him. His mind was still in turmoil, and even looking at that handsome face up close, he had no intention of punching him on the head—the other man seemed to be saying something, but Luo Ji couldn't hear anything. He only saw that the other man seemed to be pushing a thick document over, pointing to the blank space at the end of the last page along with his signature pen. And the implication was that he wanted Luo Ji to sign it.

A signature? Why would I need to sign?

Luo Ji didn't quite understand; he still couldn't figure out what situation he was in. However, his arm and fingers acted on their own—he took the document, then naturally wrote what was probably the best cursive signature he had ever made in his life, and then returned the document.

Ah… I remember why I was being protected. That car accident wasn't an accident, it definitely wasn't. The fact that I received timely treatment and was brought to this venue must be because the World Government had something to discuss with me. So why did the accident happen just as I was leaving the hotel, and why did it immediately attract the intervention of secret agents? There are only two possibilities.

[First, the government orchestrated this whole thing. Second, someone who isn't from the World Government wants to kill me.]

As his thoughts raced, his chaotic mind gradually cleared. First, he could rule out the possibility of the World Government intervening, since he was just an ordinary university professor with no distinguished lineage and unpopular among his friends and acquaintances. The kind who just coasted along, the kind of person the government wouldn't need to target. Therefore, it must be the work of a force hostile to the World Government.

[A force that opposes the World Government... Does such a force truly exist in this world?]

No, it doesn't exist.

Luo Ji's mind gradually became active, and some details that he had previously overlooked or temporarily forgotten due to his shock or other reasons reappeared in his mind. Those documents, those messages, those materials marked as top secret, and the strange phenomena described in those materials.

What was the purpose of this meeting?

[…I remember now, the theme of this conference is 'Research and Development of Spaceplanet Technology and Response to Extraterrestrial Life,' or 'Spaceplanet Research' for short. The World Government's probes have discovered traces of extraterrestrial life in the outer regions of Pluto, far more distant than our solar system…a different kind of extraterrestrial life than the winged beings! And the purpose of this conference is to gather the world's best scholars to devise contingency plans!]

That car accident wasn't an accident; it was a setup by an adversary of the World Government. But there's no way an armed force on this planet could possibly oppose the World Government—so the only explanation for this was aliens!

[Aliens are trying to kill me! They must have brainwashed a group of traitors through remote communication and then ordered them to kill me!]

Logic returned to normal, the logical chain was completed, but Luo Ji felt a chill run down his spine. He knew very well that he was just an ordinary person, without a distinguished family background or powerful friends. Therefore, his only potential point of interest was his academic work, and the unique thing he had created—that 'cosmic sociology'!

[Aliens want to kill me because of my cosmic sociology!]

He grasped the complete concept in his mind, and immediately prepared to roar. However, before he could, a chilling coldness erupted from the depths of his heart, causing his limbs and spine to lose all strength. His open mouth ultimately only produced a hoarse inhalation sound.

The final piece of the memory puzzle emerged from the memory bank, accompanied by a reshaping of thought processes. How did I become so certain of all this? Ah, yes, the reason I could draw such a conclusion was because I was quickly entrusted with a significant responsibility after being brought to the meeting. Despite being just a down-on-his-luck university professor, I was personally selected by the highest authority and simultaneously tasked with leading a team independently in the 'Star Travel Research and Development' project!

Look at who those qualified to lead a group are: Pythagoras, Isaac Newton, Maxwell, Albert Einstein… Aren't these all influential figures in the field of scientific research, producing groundbreaking results that have shaped the world? And me? What qualifications do I possess?

I didn't know before, but after learning so much information, I do. The only reason I'm worthy of being compared to these brilliant individuals is undoubtedly my unique academic expertise. And the reason my expertise is valued must be because it has been practically validated!

[The aliens received a message from Earth and saw my published paper on cosmic sociology. This paper must contain elements that could threaten them. That's why they sent assassins to kill me—but the World Government discovered these traitors and tracked their movements, which led them to deduce my importance, and then they brought me here and entrusted me with this crucial mission!]

Everything was clear now, but Luo Ji knew exactly what kind of person he was. How could his weak mind possibly bear such a heavy burden and responsibility? Without a doubt, his first reaction when entrusted with this important task would be disbelief and inability to accept it; he would absolutely jump up and refuse the appointment!

That was wrong, but I'm the kind of person who's prone to making those kinds of mistakes. So—why didn't I do it?

Why am I still sitting here perfectly fine?

Why is my mind so confused and muddled, and only now am I barely able to figure out the cause and effect?

Ah… I remember now. The reason I became like this wasn't for any other reason, but because when I was about to jump up and loudly object, the man in charge of the entire 'Star Traveler' project, the man with glasses, cold and stern as iron, the man known as 'Chu Xuan', glanced at me!

What a terrifying gaze it was! Even just recalling it in his mind, Luo Ji felt like a frog being stared at by a snake. The bone-chilling cold, as if he'd been thrown naked into the Arctic in the dead of winter, instantly robbed him of all ability to think and react. Like a puppet on strings, he sat there dumbfounded in the meeting room for who knows how long!

He shivered violently, as if waking from a nightmare, and his consciousness returned to the real world. Everything in his eyes gradually took on a concrete shape, and the sounds he could hear gradually became clearer.

The conference has ended, and tens of thousands of scholars are orderly leaving the massive venue, which resembles an ancient arena with a radius of over two kilometers. It's too late to back out now; besides, having understood the full context, staying with the World Government is the best strategy.

Luo Ji sighed deeply, reaching into his pocket for a cigarette but finding nothing. He then realized that all his belongings had been removed by security personnel when he was led into the venue. However, just as he shook his head in melancholy, a perfectly sealed, simulated cigarette was handed to him.

"Dr. Luo Ji?"—He turned around and saw the young military officer named Cheng Xiao smiling as he placed the mimic cigarette in his hand. For some reason, he felt that this lieutenant colonel should have blond hair.

"We need to get to work. Next, we need to head to Meilan Air Force Base. General Kampavsky will be leading the fleet and the entire 'Star Research' research team to Saturn's outer rings. There are reconnaissance records of extraterrestrial life, technological entities, and a safe and well-equipped forward base. We should hurry."

"I think you should dye your hair blonde," Luo Ji said casually, taking the cigarette. The moment the words left his mouth, he immediately regretted them—[Damn it, what did I just say?! How could I tell an active-duty military officer to dye his hair?]

He didn't notice that Cheng Xiao's expression stiffened for a fleeting moment before returning to normal before he even realized it. A certain relaxed atmosphere vanished in an instant; perhaps it was just his imagination, but he sensed a subtle change in the young officer's attitude towards him.

"I'm sorry... I misspoke." Luo Ji quickly realized his mistake and hurriedly tried to make amends. "What happened just now... was too sudden. I just didn't react for a moment."

He cautiously observed Cheng Xiao, then breathed a slight sigh of relief when he realized the other hadn't expressed any displeasure. Little did he know, Cheng Xiao's mind was in turmoil—his black hair was dyed during the world's reconstruction; before that, he had always sported a head of blond hair that violated military discipline. And this disqualified protagonist from the original work had seen through a part of his secret at a glance!

This is not scientific! It's not even magical!

"Don't be nervous, Dr. Luo Ji." Cheng Xiao waved his hand, suppressing his inner turmoil and behaving like a normal person. He gently but firmly pulled Luo Ji out of his seat and led him towards a corridor marked with a green indicator light. "I understand how you feel right now, really, I understand completely. It's normal for someone without prior experience to feel uneasy for a while after being entrusted with a heavy responsibility."

"I'm glad you understand." Luo Ji breathed a sigh of relief—this time, a deep sigh of relief.

“No need for the formal ‘you,’ we’re on the same level, Dr. Luo Ji.” Cheng Xiao said, pulling Luo Ji into the passageway, which began to move automatically as soon as they stepped onto the ground. “However, since you have no prior experience, I’ll preface this by saying—you’re the researcher, and I’m in charge of security. I won’t get in your way when you’re doing research, but I hope you can cooperate a bit when I’m doing security. Do you understand?”

“I understand, that’s to be expected. But security… is it just me who has extra security? I see that the others don’t seem to have anyone with them like you.”

"Yes, you are special, Dr. Luo Ji. Because you alone are not in a safe situation."

"Can you tell me why?" Luo Ji asked. Although his conjecture was logically sound, it still needed more practical evidence to verify it.

"You should have already guessed it, Dr. Luo Ji. There's no need to probe further."

"...Just like I imagined?"

"Just as you imagined, Dr. Luo Ji."

"...Do you know what I'm imagining?"

“If you’re willing to share your thoughts, I don’t mind listening. But I also don’t recommend that you reveal information in public that’s not suitable for too many people to know,” Cheng Xiao replied. “And, we’ve arrived.”

The conversation between the two came to an abrupt end.

Section 25. Transitional Situations

One meeting ended, followed by another. Upon arriving at Meilan Air Force Base, Luo Ji and Cheng Xiao quickly found their seats and quietly settled down. The speaker on the podium was a general named Kampavsky, a frequent face on screen representing the military—Luo Ji wasn't particularly fond of him, but he was somewhat interested. Despite being a burly man from Northern Europe, or rather, North Asia, Kampavsky spoke with the refined manners of an East Asian.

[He must have an East Asian background.] Luo Ji thought to himself, his gaze casually sweeping over the middle-aged general on the podium—he wasn't really concerned about the content of the meeting, since he wouldn't understand it anyway and the officer named Cheng Xiao beside him would surely make arrangements for him afterwards. So he decided to divert his precious mental energy elsewhere.

For example, thinking. Thinking about some trivial questions.

Meilan Air Force Base is not far from the conference venue; the distance is like the distance from Earth to Saturn. According to some publicly available information, Earth is currently 60 million kilometers away from Saturn's rings, or 200 light-seconds.

Two hundred light-seconds is a long distance for the average person. However, compared to Earth, it might not seem like a very long distance. Starting from Jupiter, the shortest route to Saturn at Jupiter-Saturn's closest point is 3.6 astronomical units, a journey of over 800 million kilometers. With this large data point for comparison, a distance of 60 million kilometers is not much different from walking to Saturn's doorstep.

We've arrived at Saturn's doorstep...

"How fast is our Earth moving now? How long will it take to reach Saturn?" he suddenly asked Cheng Xiao beside him, his voice perfectly controlled, at a level that wouldn't attract attention.

"One hundred kilometers per second, roughly seven days. If you want a more accurate figure, it would be six days, twenty-two hours, and forty minutes. There might be a fluctuation of up to five minutes." Cheng Xiao immediately gave the correct answer.

"Seven days... How about by spaceship?"

“You’ll be on Saturn in half an hour,” Cheng Xiao replied with a smile, knowing that Luo Ji wasn’t listening to any of the words in the meeting. “To be precise, we’re going to Iapetus, the outermost moon of Saturn’s rings. The research base is located on that moon, or rather, the entire moon is the research base.”

"Like Black Moon and White Moon? How many years ago did you start doing this?"

"Yes, just like the Black Moon and White Moon. I don't know exactly how many years ago, but I guess it couldn't have been more than five years ago."

"You mean aliens arrived in the solar system five years ago?"

"Perhaps you have more authority to speak on this matter, Dr. Luo Ji," Cheng Xiao chuckled, pointing to the top-secret document on Luo Ji's desk. "If you're willing to take a moment to look at this document before asking me."

“The public might need to know this.” Luo Ji pursed his lips, glanced at the document cover, and then shook his head. “No, not releasing it is a good thing. The World Government can handle this situation well, and too many people knowing will only cause trouble—I remember the content of that previous joint meeting was supposed to be confidential. Officially, it was just about developing Saturn?”

“Your judgment is correct, Dr. Luo Ji.” Cheng Xiao answered Luo Ji’s first question, then paused before answering the second. “The meeting was indeed private, but developing Saturn is indeed our responsibility—the Lunar Research project was split up half an hour ago. Some people will join the research team that you and I are in now, Dr. Luo Ji, while others will come with us to Saturn to complete the last project of the Lunar Research project.”

"You should know I wasn't listening."

"So I'm explaining this to you now, Dr. Luo Ji. After this meeting, we'll head to Saturn, and then complete the terraforming of Iapetus when Earth reaches its orbit. It will be the third month, and then the Pilgrimage Project will be fully completed."

"Samsung's system—it seems to have something in common with our ultimate destination."

"Yes, the final state of the Wandering Star is modeled after a quasar triple star system. By constructing three triple bodies, an absolutely balanced gravitational environment is created, allowing the Earth's gravitational well to operate at its maximum power without affecting the Earth's environment. This would allow Earth to accelerate dramatically to one-twenty-fifth the speed of light after leaving the solar system—if everything goes according to plan, we will arrive at our new home in about a hundred years."

"It sounds like a big slingshot."

"To be precise, it's like adding a protective film to the pills loaded on the slingshot," Cheng Xiao explained. "Actually, with our current level of scientific research, we could even increase the speed of a spaceship to one-fifth the speed of light. But our current materials technology isn't up to par; if we increased the speed that much, the spaceship would definitely explode—and so would Earth. That's why the lunar research team set their sights on Iapetus. Once this project is completed, the Earth's surface will be covered with a gravitational shield that has sufficient defensive and buffering capabilities."

How tough can this protective shield be?

“If the helium flash can explode again, then we can stand within the range of the helium flash and watch the fireworks. I’ve calculated the data, and it’s definitely enough,” Cheng Xiao said. He casually recited a long string of complicated formulas, and from his confident tone, it was clear that this was a genuine statement that could be verified at any time.

Luo Ji remained silent, glancing at the conference podium. Although he still didn't listen to Kampavsky's speech, he felt that the meeting was nearing its end in terms of its proceedings—he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he kept feeling that someone was hiding somewhere observing him, someone he had known not long ago—however, when he tried to concentrate and find that person, he found nothing.

“You’re not an ordinary officer.” Luo Ji turned his gaze away, lingering for a moment on Cheng Xiao’s smiling face. “You know far too much.”

“That’s because your security clearance is very high, while you and I are at the same level, Dr. Luo Ji.” Cheng Xiao maintained his usual smiling face, which gradually became more and more irritating in Luo Ji’s eyes. “By the way, I actually hold doctoral degrees from thirty-seven top universities, including Yao Guang University, where you are. Before coming here to take on this job, I worked in Yue Research and was authorized to disclose this information.”

Luo Ji opened his mouth, then slowly closed it after about twenty seconds. He looked away, deciding to pick up the top-secret document on the table and take a good look at it before leaving Earth after the meeting.

....................................

Looking at the now docile former protagonist, Cheng Xiao's expression remained unchanged, but inside, it felt like a small boat with sails was setting sail with the wind. Being able to crush the original protagonist—who relied on knowledge and ideas to save the world—with his academic qualifications—even though he hadn't yet done so, was undeniably a pleasurable experience. Although it might seem cliché and somewhat self-degrading, pleasure was pleasure, and happiness was genuine.

After all, during the world's reconstruction, he specifically sought out Alice to create a memory world, fabricating over a dozen independent educational histories and placing him within them—now, he's a PhD in mechanics taught by Newton, a PhD in battery science taught by Maxwell, and a PhD in artificial intelligence taught by Turing. He's also a student of Einstein, Heisenberg, Marie Curie, and many other giants. Alice even arranged a stimulating course for him, allowing him to simultaneously attend lectures under Edison and Tesla during one of his studies.

It was exciting and effective. And because he set such a precedent, others naturally followed suit. The ultimate consequence was that when the multi-year world reconstruction project ended, apart from those few extraordinary beings, all the reincarnators in the Central Continent team became academic experts with at least twenty top-tier doctoral degrees—in the original world, they would be national treasures even without any enhancements. And in this reincarnation world, they finally reached the level where they could understand the instruction manual.

Yes, at the level of being able to understand instruction manuals. That is, at the level where the witches can figure out how to use or even some of the principles behind the tools they create through independent study. Instead of the past, where most creations from the Great Library were incomprehensible to them without a user-friendly interface!

This is a huge step forward, and they have put in tremendous effort to achieve it. So, now that they have achieved academic success, it is only natural for them to show off a little—at least that's what Cheng Xiao thinks.