Four million years later.
"The cultivated body's indicators are all normal."
"Brainwave patterns and consciousness traits match. Mental state is stable."
"Awakening authorized."
"Awakening in progress..."
Bzz—
The nutrient fluid rapidly drained away. As the glass pod's lid rose, Li opened her eyes.
Everything before her was familiar: white, straight walls and a luminous ceiling, exactly like what she had seen in the Escape Tower. If the sensation of having her thoughts implanted had not felt so deeply awkward, she might even have thought she had returned to the days when she first entered the Skywell.
But she knew it was all an illusion born of familiarity.
Although she had no memory at all of what happened after being absorbed into the Heavenly Court, she had been fully conscious when her body was replaced. During the process, her consciousness had also received information from the outside world: humanity had safely landed on Earth, more than four million years had passed, the Great Revival had begun thirty thousand years ago, and the land could now support large lifeforms.
The span of time was simply too vast, and Li had no impression of the long sleep, leaving her utterly unmoved by the information.
Li raised an arm and examined it for a moment.
Traces of orange nutrient fluid still clung to it.
Her limbs seemed intact, and there was no discomfort anywhere in her body, yet she could not shake the feeling that something was different. As a high-ranking member of the Affairs Bureau, she naturally knew most of the Homecoming Plan, including the part about reconstructing bodies. The Heavenly Court could only record data; it had no way to turn data into people. Thus, they had to rely on Escape Tower technology to cultivate living bodies capable of carrying consciousness, then