On the technology tree of a low-level civilization, the speed of light was the ceiling. If it could not break through that ceiling, it would never set foot on the interstellar stage. Interstellar migration and economic development would both remain castles in the air. After all, there were only so many "habitable planets." At least within a star system, finding one already counted as incredible luck. From the perspective of civilization, being unable to leave the star system meant waiting to die.
For advanced civilizations—especially those nearing "ascension"—the speed of light was instead the baseline. They had to possess at least dozens of "technology branches" capable of breaking through the speed of light in different ways.
Only by conducting enough "faster-than-light exploration" could they confirm the technological path with the highest compatibility with their own technology tree.
Among them, "quantum technology" was one such path.
The simplest and crudest understanding was that quantum entanglement traveled at ten thousand times the speed of light.
That was why a virtual invasion of an entire "cyberspace" could be blocked so easily.
The reason Elder Hun Jie could form a "quantum fruit"—an exceptionally precious fruit even among carbon-based fruits—was largely because a "second-level information civilization" under his control had already begun exploring "quantum technology" and had achieved abundant results.
That was how he had used technological achievements to evolve from "carbon-based" into "information."
The main reason Gao Yuanyuan could recognize this object was the cosmic treasure in High Engineer's possession: the "Quantum Key."
This thing could be called an "information-life killer," especially against an information-civilization leader like Gao Yuanyuan. It was an even more effective decapitation weapon. She had played with it plenty herself and had conducted no small amount of research to counter it.
Thus, the instant Elder Hun Jie made his move,