"Civilization is the cancer of the universe."
Without the slightest hesitation, the Zeroers gave their answer.
This was the final answer they had reached after pondering for countless ages.
Like cancer cells within a living organism, civilization endlessly drew upon the universe's resources to develop itself, accelerating the universe's march toward death.
According to their computational models, no matter how many variables were entered, they all pointed to the same result.
The existence of civilization drastically shortened the universe's lifespan—
"If there were no life, this universe would contain nothing but the simple movement of matter."
Zhang Qi did not directly refute that cold conclusion. He merely stated another fact. "Stars burn, nebulae gather, black holes devour. Everything follows predetermined physical laws, sliding from order into disorder.
"Precise, but dull."
He paused before giving his conclusion. "That, in itself, is meaningless."
"Meaningless?"
The Zeroers were stunned by this answer.
"That's right.
"Because they have no self.
"A stone rolls down a mountain and shatters another stone. That process has no purpose, no emotion, no memory.
"It does not care about the beginning, so naturally, it does not care about the end.
"For pure matter, whether it is destroyed today or tomorrow makes no difference at all, does it?"
Zhang Qi nodded and answered.
Upon hearing this response, the vast forest of brains fell silent.
Within the biological fiber conduits connected to those transparent cylinders, the streams of light began to move erratically.
They were calculating, verifying, trying to overturn this argument.
After a long while, a trembling question was transmitted in the form of information.
"Then—what exactly does civilization mean to this universe?"
"Civilization is the universe awakening to itself," Zhang Qi answered. "It is the first pair of eyes it opens amid endless darkness and cold. It is what