Image Exchange

It was still a Ternary Numeral System Signal, still a Numeral Star Chart like the one transmitted by that broadcast ship before.

"What does this mean?"

"Are we supposed to interpret pictures?"

Seeing the image processed by the computer and displayed on the Holographic Screen, Yue Yuan and the others all looked puzzled.

That Unknown Civilization had certainly come up with an unusual idea, using these pictorial forms to begin initial communication with other civilizations. Though it was only a Numeral Star Chart, and the same one sent by that broadcast ship before, it at least conveyed one message to humanity—or rather, to other civilizations: we are willing to communicate!

Clearly, this was a signal of goodwill. At the very least, it would prevent two Unknown Civilizations meeting for the first time from immediately descending into war amid endless suspicion.

But what did it mean to send this star chart again now?

This time, Yue Yuan did not immediately ask those present to speak and speculate. Instead, he began considering it himself. With his intelligence, he quickly thought of two possibilities. First, it was a question. Second, it was an indirect attempt to gauge humanity's level of computer technology.

As for the question, humanity had clearly already arrived in this star region, yet the Unknown Civilization had sent the same star chart as before. To Yue Yuan, this seemed like asking: did you come here because you received the star chart from our broadcast?

Otherwise, there seemed to be no reason to send the same star chart after humanity had already arrived. They should have treated it as the first encounter between two Unknown Civilizations and sent other information in an attempt to communicate—for example, starting with mathematics, gradually moving on to language, and ultimately reaching a point where both