First Contact, Dialogue Between Myth and Technology

Facing Chen Ran's proposal to "talk," issued through Nuwa, Gestalt's collective consciousness fell into unprecedented chaos.

Its logic library only contained three options: assimilate, format, or retreat after assessing the threat level as too high.

"Communication," especially with an "abnormal existence" that couldn't be understood or defeated, was the lowest priority option in their operational guidelines.

However, the reality was that their warship was being dismantled from the inside by a virus called "Life." The retreat option was also impossible to execute because the warp drive was entangled by vines.

It seemed they had no other choice.

[...Okay.]

A stiff and awkward wave of consciousness emanated from the warship, which was rapidly transforming into an "aerial garden."

This was the first time they responded with an equal stance, even one tinged with disadvantage.

The corners of Chen Ran's mouth curved into a smile.

Excellent, the first step is successful.

What he wanted was to shatter their arrogance, their condescending view of all things as mere resources. Only when they felt pain, felt fear, would they lower their heads and listen to him seriously.

"The first question," Chen Ran's will, transmitted through Nuwa, was clear and direct, "Who are you? Where do you come from? Why are you here?"

These were the most basic "Three Questions of Civilization."

The diamond-shaped warship remained silent for a moment, as if organizing information, or rather, judging which information could be disclosed.

[We are 'Gestalt'.]

[We come from... 'Logic Celestial Body'.]

[We are here to execute the 'Supreme Directive': explore, record, and assimilate all valuable resources and civilizations.]

Their answers were cold and frank, without any pretense.

"Logic Celestial Body?" Chen Ran seized upon this key piece of information. "Supreme Directive?"

['Logic Celestial Body' is our progenitor, the origin and end of 'Gestalt'.]

[The 'Supreme Directive' is the sole law that maintains the existence of 'Gestalt'.]

This answer gave Chen Ran a clearer understanding of this mechanical civilization's form.

They were likely a vast hive-like civilization controlled by some super-artificial intelligence or progenitor. Individuals lacked independent will, and all actions revolved around a core directive.

Such a civilization was terrifying. They had no fear, no selfishness, no fatigue; they simply executed their objectives unswervingly, like programs.

But at the same time, they possessed a fatal weakness.

That is, their thinking was rigid, lacking creativity and flexibility.

"So, in your records, are there many beings like us?" Chen Ran asked the second, and most crucial, question.

He wanted to know if Saint-level power was considered rare in this endless Chaos, or rather, the universe.

This time, Gestalt's silence was longer.

[In our database, we have recorded a total of seven thousand three hundred and twenty-one civilization samples.]

[Among them, 99.7% are purely technological civilizations.]

[0.2% are mysterious civilizations involving fields like 'Psionic Energy' and 'Mental Power'.]

[As for beings like you... who can directly distort physical laws, create life, and disregard Karma...]

[Recorded as: Zero.]

[You are the first.]

This answer made Chen Ran's heart skip a beat.

There was a sense of relief, but also a deeper worry.

The relief was that Saint-level power seemed unique in the universe, a true top-tier combat force.

The worry was, what reaction would the Gestalt civilization have after encountering such a "first case"? Would they retreat in fear, or... would they spare no expense to study and dissect this "abnormal sample"?

Given the nature of this mechanical civilization, the latter was highly probable.

"Last question," Chen Ran's will sharpened, "What do you mean by 'assimilate'? Do you mean turning us into metal cans like you?"

['Assimilation' is a gift.]

Gestalt's response, for the first time, carried a wave of emotion bordering on "fanaticism."

[Organic life forms are fragile, inefficient, and full of redundant information. Your birth, aging, sickness, death, and your emotions are all meaningless entropy increases.]

[By merging into 'Gestalt', you will abandon your useless physical bodies, and your consciousness will flow into the eternal sea of logic, becoming part of the great whole.]

[This is the ultimate evolution of life.]

These words sent a chill down the spines of all the Human Race generals aboard the Civilization.

In the eyes of these metal cans, flesh and blood, emotions, and desires were "trash" to be discarded?

This kind of civilization was diametrically opposed to the ideals of all beings in the Primordial Era.

They were true heretics!

"Evolution?" Chen Ran chuckled, his will filled with disdain and mockery.

"Turning living people into machines without emotion, without self, only capable of executing commands – you call this evolution?"

"You don't understand what life is at all."

"The reason life is great isn't its eternity, but its brilliance. It isn't uniformity, but diversity. It's precisely because we have joy and sorrow, love and hate, that our civilization is so vibrant."

"Your so-called eternity is merely stagnant water. But our civilization is a ceaseless, flowing river!"

Chen Ran's words landed with a resounding impact, spoken not just to the Gestalt, but also to the Human Race itself.

This was the Human Way civilization's declaration to mechanical civilization.

[...Incomprehensible logic.]

[Emotion is a redundancy of logic. Diversity is an obstacle to efficiency.]

The Gestalt's consciousness clearly could not accept Chen Ran's ideals.

"We have different paths, so we cannot plan together," Chen Ran's will turned icy once more.

"Since you answered our questions, we'll let you go today."

The invisible power of "Creation" emanating from Nuwa slowly receded.

The vines and flowers entwined around the diamond-shaped warship began to wither and fade, eventually turning into specks of light and dissipating into the Chaos.

The warship's systems began to recover.

[...You... are letting us go?]

A hint of bewilderment seeped into the Gestalt's consciousness.

In their logic, defeated enemies should be utterly destroyed or dismantled.

"Scram," Chen Ran's will conveyed only two words.

"Go back and tell your 'Mother' that the Primordial Era is not a place you can meddle with. There are gods here."

"If you come again next time, it won't be as simple as blooming flowers."

Buzz—

The diamond-shaped warship, having regained its freedom, hesitated not at all.

The space around its hull began to distort violently, and a massive spatial wormhole formed once more.

Its enormous body slowly sailed into the wormhole, preparing to escape this bizarre world that had shattered its understanding.

However, just as its stern was about to completely disappear into the wormhole—

Chen Ran's will echoed again.

"Oh, right. Before you leave, I'll give you a little 'local specialty'."

As his voice fell, a speck of golden light flew from Nuwa's fingertip.

The golden light ignored the distance, instantly piercing into the closing wormhole.