The Twilight Zone (1): A Different Way to Live

65 million years ago, Venus

A mass of ice nearly a million kilometers in diameter around Saturn acted like a giant lens, casting a shadow that blocked superluminal waves from reaching the sun. This shadow formed sunspot groups tens of thousands of kilometers in diameter on the sun's surface.

Venus happened to be located at the focal point of this large lens. With each successive eruption of solar flares, streams of high-energy particles were ejected. Venus's rotation slowed from its original speed of one revolution every 23 hours to one revolution every 200-plus days, eventually stalling.

Venus was nearly tidally locked with the sun. One side perpetually faced the sun, enduring unbearable heat, while the other side faced away, plunged into darkness and extreme cold.

Tens of thousands of Venusians who refused consciousness uploading were forced to hide in the twilight zone of Venus. The so-called twilight zone is a region where the longitudinal coordinates are exactly plus or minus ninety degrees.

As Venus rotated once a day, this area would experience day and night cycles.

However, once Venus's rotation period nearly matched its orbital period, reaching over 200 days, the sun's altitude in this region remained almost constant. The sun always hovered above the horizon, neither rising nor setting.

The temperature in the twilight zone stabilized at over 30 degrees Celsius, making it the only habitable region for Venusians.

Under Dean Abbott's suggestion, Director Diston of the Venus Alliance's General Affairs Office had, before Venus's rotational stall, established a fully equipped small city in the twilight zone, capable of housing tens of thousands of people.

The Alliance government mobilized various transport vehicles, including electric trucks, high-speed trains, and a myriad of aircraft, to move all personnel and a large quantity of supplies to this final city of Venusian civilization.

Those who refused consciousness uploading suddenly found themselves in an unexpected windfall. All sorts of goods and daily necessities produced to sustain Venus's nearly six billion people now belonged to these mere tens of thousands.

Money became meaningless, and terms like "transaction" and "purchase" and their associated actions seemed utterly ridiculous. There was simply too much in the way of resources; people could take what they needed.

In the city center square, people erected a massive bar, which some named the Darkness Bar. Old Speaker Kent suggested calling it the Dimly Lit Bar, and no one objected. Regardless of the name, what mattered was the ability to revel endlessly.

The old Speaker had not forgotten his mission: to maintain order as much as possible, prevent violence, and preserve the dignity of the Venusians on Venus until the very last moment.

However, the laws that had governed people's behavior were now entirely abolished, as even with laws, there were no police or judicial bodies. Even Director Diston and the final group of government personnel were about to upload their consciousness, bidding farewell to those who remained.

The old Speaker was indeed resourceful. He understood people's psychology and was adept at communication. He went to the Dimly Lit Bar and said loudly to those around him:

"I never imagined this would be the happiest time for all of us. We have abundant food and drink, endless wine, no need to spend money, no need to work. We can take whatever we want. Isn't this the immortal life we've always dreamed of?"

The crowd was immediately energized, raising their cups in agreement and drinking heartily. People from further away gradually gathered around.

"There's still over a year until the final moment arrives. During these days of immortal life, what other wishes do you have?"

The atmosphere was both noisy and relaxed. Several burly men shouted, "Eat heartily! Drink deeply!" A few women nearby, not to be outdone, said contentedly, "Ten outfits a day! Five makeovers!"

A tall, thin man with a smirk shouted, "Sleep with women! Whoever I want!" His words drew a burst of laughter.

Suddenly, a plump, slightly stout woman boldly yelled, "Sleep with men! Whoever I want!" An even louder roar of laughter echoed through the bar.

The old Speaker joined the laughter, then, after a pause, his expression turned serious as he asked, "If those Venusians who uploaded their consciousness can truly be reborn on Earth, do you hope to be remembered by them? Do you want to leave something behind, so that future generations know you once existed in this world?"

The bar's cacophony seemed to encounter a peculiar chemical reaction and instantly ceased. No one spoke immediately, but their minds were clearly racing.

Yes, humans are indeed strange creatures. After endless indulgence and pleasure, what arises is not just satisfaction, but a nameless melancholy that stirs within the heart.

In the face of death, everyone, while unwilling to go, always hopes to leave a trace of their existence.

As if by magic, the old Speaker pulled a palm-sized crystal disc from his pocket and said, "This is a new, ultra-stable, anti-decay material recently developed by the Venus Academy of Sciences. It's made from silicon crystal with a metal coating, processed through a special technique. Simply put, it's gilded glass."

"This material is resistant to heat and cold. As a hard drive, it can retain information for over ten thousand years. I plan to make a movie, documenting our daily lives, engrave this movie onto the hard drive, and find a way to send it out from Venus for future generations to watch."

"Is anyone willing to be an actor in my movie? Regardless of gender, everyone who participates will be a protagonist. This movie has no name yet, as it will depend on the final content. Perhaps it will be about indulgence and violence, unsuitable for children, or perhaps about kindness and happiness. I don't know what it will be. I am merely the producer and director; you are all the screenwriters and actors."

"Some of you have already stated your wishes. If you are curious about my wish..."

Everyone's eyes widened, holding their breath as they waited for Speaker Kent to continue. The old Speaker closed his eyes slightly, placed his right hand over his chest, and said in a quiet but firm voice:

"I hope this movie will be titled Glorious Years: True Colors of Heroes, and at the end, there will be this line: To be continued."

After he finished, the old Speaker's eyes filled with tears. Someone, it's unclear who, started a chant, which led everyone to shout in unison:

"Glorious Years! To be continued!"

Outside the bar was a vast square. At the end of the square, beyond a row of hastily erected simple structures, lay the Venus Alliance's last spacecraft landing field.

Inside the simple structures, Director Diston wore a serious expression, while Dean Abbott directed the staff as they worked methodically.

After Director Diston and the final group of relevant personnel uploaded their consciousness, Abbott and the project team's scientists and engineers would board a spacecraft bound for the Titan base.

The most crucial cargo on the spacecraft would be gene samples from nearly six billion Venusians, along with several large computers containing the uploaded consciousness of nearly six billion people.

The moment of farewell arrived. Speaker Kent also came from the bar. He would bid farewell to Diston and Abbott in two different ways. Diston and the others would "die" through consciousness uploading, while Abbott and his team would embark on a new journey aboard the spacecraft.

"I suggest you reconsider. It would be best if you didn't upload your consciousness now and instead came with me to the Titan base to rendezvous with Tesla and the others. We need you to continue leading us," Dean Abbott said to Director Diston.

"Your computers hold the consciousness of nearly six billion people. I want to be with them. I'll leave the matters outside to you and Tesla. I believe you will overcome all difficulties and allow me and all our people to be reborn on Earth."

Speaker Kent gestured for Abbott to stop trying to persuade him. "The three of us each have our own roles. I will remain on Venus to maintain our final dignity. Diston will upload his consciousness and comfort the people within the circuits. And you, Abbott, are responsible for the Earth rebirth plan."

The final uploading process proceeded in an orderly fashion. As it was about to be Director Diston's turn, being the last in line, he suddenly thought of a question and asked Abbott:

"Can the consciousness of different people within the computers communicate with each other?"

"Theoretically, yes, but to reduce power consumption, we haven't enabled that function. They cannot communicate with each other; only those of us outside can broadcast messages to everyone."

Diston pondered for a moment. "I don't know what it feels like to be trapped in a computer, but it probably isn't pleasant. I'll write a letter, and you can broadcast it to everyone, telling them I'm here, accompanying them until the day they see the light again."

The letter to all Venusians was written, its content:

"Dear compatriots:

I am Director Diston of the General Affairs Office. On behalf of the Venus Alliance government, I greet you all.

None of you, including myself, ever imagined we would lose our physical bodies and have our consciousness confined within computers as we are today. I know many of you are resentful. Why has this happened? It's all the fault of those mad scientists and adventurers."

What is the truth? Are scientists sinners? If we hadn't researched Superluminal Wave Theory, if we hadn't built Superlight Wave Power Stations, wouldn't that have been enough? I don't know how to answer these questions.

What I do know is that science can bring risks, even the risk of destroying all Venusians, but I also know that without science, it's absolutely impossible.

Scientists brought us electric lights, trams, and various appliances, but electricity itself is dangerous. Nuclear power brought us clean energy, but at the same time, it gave us atomic bombs capable of destroying Venus a hundred times over.

Every major technological advancement may come with risks, and could even threaten human safety. Today, we Venusians find ourselves in an unprecedented crisis.

Fortunately, our scientists have devised a solution. After the Mars explosion, the Solar System will be restored to stability and balance. The landforms of Earth are changing according to the scientists' designs; she will become our new home.

As I am about to upload my consciousness to join you, forced to bid eternal farewell to Mother Venus, I can fully understand how you felt at that time.

The history of Venusians has spanned thousands of years, with the torch of civilization passed down through generations.

We Venusians, with faith, wisdom, courage, resilience, and unity, have overcome all sorts of difficulties and weathered crisis after crisis. We have not failed the spirituality bestowed upon us by heaven. We humans—

Summarize the truths derived from experience into science.

Convene the goodness that springs from our nature into norms.

Distill the love that arises from our hearts into literature.

Engrave the beauty perceived through our senses into art.

The thoughts and consciousness of us humans resonate in harmony with the grand galaxies and the tiny dust motes, shining with the brilliant light of natural philosophy in the vast universe.

My dear brothers and sisters, elders and children! Today, with immense reluctance, we bid farewell to Mother Venus. In the not-too-distant future, the fire of our civilization will be rekindled on Earth.

It is precisely the science that destroyed our original way of life that has given humanity the opportunity to live differently. Please wait in hope, and we shall meet again in the next life! Please believe firmly:

Venus is eternal, and humanity is everlasting!

&

Poem compiled from chapter titles:

With no plan, I try everything in vain. Song, Chen Shidao Success and failure follow each other, how can there be constancy? Song, Lu You Cultivating a certain heart is sainthood. Song, Du Fan Where in the world is not my home with a broad mind? Song, Zhen Shanmin