Faced with Chen Ran's proposal to "talk," conveyed through Nuwa, the collective consciousness of Gestalt fell into unprecedented confusion.
Its logic database contained only three options: assimilate, format, or retreat after assessing the threat as too great.
"Communication," especially communication with an "anomalous entity" it could neither understand nor defeat, was the lowest-priority option in its behavioral protocols.
Yet in reality, its warship was being dismantled from within by a virus called "life." The option of retreat was likewise impossible, as its warp engines had been entangled by vines.
It seemed to have no other choice.
[...Accepted.]
A stiff, halting ripple of consciousness emerged from the warship that had nearly become a "hanging garden."
This was the first time it had responded on equal terms—or rather, from a position of slight weakness.
The corner of Chen Ran's mouth curled upward.
Good. The first step had succeeded.
What he wanted was to shatter its lofty arrogance, its attitude of treating all things as resources. Only when it felt pain and fear would it lower its head and listen seriously.
"The first question." Chen Ran's will was transmitted through Nuwa, clear and direct. "Who are you? Where did you come from? What did you come here to do?"
These were the most basic Three Questions of Civilization.
The diamond-shaped warship fell silent for a moment, seemingly organizing its information—or perhaps deciding what information could be disclosed.
[We are 'Gestalt.'] [We came from... the 'Logic Celestial Body.'] [We came here to carry out the 'Supreme Directive': to explore, record, and assimilate all valuable resources and civilizations.]
Its answer was cold and frank, without the slightest attempt at concealment.
"The Logic Celestial Body?" Chen Ran caught this crucial piece of information. "The Supreme Directive?"
[The 'Logic Celestial Body' is our progenitor. It is the origin and endpoint of Gestalt.] [The 'Supreme Directive' is the sole law that sustains Gestalt's existence.]
This answer gave Chen Ran a clearer understanding of the form this Mechanical Civilization took.
It was most likely a vast hive-like civilization controlled by some super artificial intelligence or progenitor. Its individuals possessed no independent will; all action revolved around a core directive.
Such a civilization was terrifying. It felt no fear, harbored no selfish desires, never grew weary, and merely carried out its objectives with the unwavering certainty of a program.
But at the same time, it possessed a fatal weakness.
Its thinking was rigid, lacking creativity and adaptability.
"Then, in your records, are there many existences like us?" Chen Ran asked his second question—the one he cared about most.
He wanted to know whether saint-level power was truly rare within this endless chaos—or rather, the universe.
This time, Gestalt remained silent for even longer.
[Our database contains records of 7,321 civilization samples.] [Of these, 99.7% are purely material technological civilizations.] [0.2% are mystical civilizations involving fields such as 'psionics' and 'Mental Power.'] [And beings like you... capable of directly twisting physical laws, creating life, and disregarding Karma...] [Recorded number: zero.] [You are the first.]
This answer made Chen Ran's heart skip a beat.
He felt both a measure of relief and a deeper concern.
The relief came from the fact that saint-level power seemed unique in the universe—the true pinnacle of combat strength.
His concern was what the Gestalt civilization would do after encountering such an unprecedented case. Would it retreat in fear, or would it... stop at nothing to research and dissect this "anomalous specimen"?
Knowing the nature of this Mechanical Civilization, the latter seemed overwhelmingly likely.
"The final question." Chen Ran's will sharpened. "What exactly does your 'assimilation' mean? Turning us into metal cans like you?"
['Assimilation' is a gift.]
For the first time, Gestalt's reply carried an emotional ripple that bordered on fanaticism.
[Organic life forms are fragile, inefficient, and filled with redundant information. Your birth, aging, illness, death, and your emotions are all meaningless entropy increases.] [Join Gestalt, and you will cast aside your useless flesh. Your consciousness will merge into the eternal sea of logic and become part of the great whole.] [This is the ultimate evolution of life.]
Those words sent a chill down the spines of every human General aboard the Civilization.
In the eyes of these metal cans, flesh and blood, the seven emotions and six desires, were "garbage" that ought to be discarded?
Such a civilization stood in direct opposition to the ideals of every living being in the Primordial World.
It was a true heresy!
"Evolution?" Chen Ran laughed, his will filled with contempt and mockery.
"Turning living people into machines without emotions or selfhood, capable only of carrying out directives—and you dare call that evolution?"
"You do not understand life at all."
"Life is great not because it is eternal, but because it is brilliant. Not because it is unified, but because it is diverse. It is precisely because we have joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, love and hatred, that our civilization can be so magnificent."
"Your so-called eternity is nothing but a stagnant pool. Our civilization is a river that never ceases to flow!"
Chen Ran's words rang with force. They were not only for Gestalt, but also for humanity itself.
This was a declaration from human civilization to the Mechanical Civilization.
[...Illogical.] [Emotions are redundancies in logic. Diversity is an obstacle to efficiency.]
Gestalt's consciousness clearly could not accept Chen Ran's beliefs.
"Those who follow different paths cannot work together." Chen Ran's will turned cold once more.
"Since you answered our questions, we will spare you today."
The invisible power of "creation" around Nuwa slowly began to recede.
The vines and flowers entwined around the diamond-shaped warship also began to wither and fall, eventually turning into specks of light that vanished into the chaos.
The warship's systems began to recover.
[...You are letting us leave?]
A trace of confusion seeped from Gestalt's consciousness.
According to its logic, the defeated should be completely destroyed or dismantled.
"Get lost." Chen Ran's will conveyed only two words.
"Go back and tell your 'progenitor' that the Primordial World is not a place you can lay your hands on. There are gods here."
"If you come again, you will get more than flowers."
Bzz—
The newly freed diamond-shaped warship did not hesitate in the slightest.
The space around its hull began to twist violently, and a massive spatial wormhole formed once more.
Its enormous body slowly entered the wormhole, preparing to flee this bizarre world that had shattered its understanding.
Yet just as its stern was about to disappear completely into the wormhole—
Chen Ran's will sounded again.
"Oh, right. Before you go, let me give you a local specialty."
As his words fell—
A speck of golden light flew from Nuwa's fingertip.
That speck of golden light ignored the distance of space and instantly entered the wormhole that was about to close.
Before you continue