[Earth].
The office lights were off, leaving the room in darkness.
Only the faint blue glow of the Holographic Projection illuminated the surroundings.
A barely visible figure sat quietly behind the desk, elbows resting on its surface, silently watching the text flashing rapidly across the Holographic Projection.
Suddenly.
Perhaps because the [Earth] had shifted position slightly, a beam of light from the primary star, Gliese 555, shone directly onto the office viewport.
Passing through the viewport, the warm light instantly dispelled the cold darkness inside.
"Professor, the final selections have been made."
At the same time, an electronically synthesized voice echoed through the office.
"All right."
The figure behind the desk stirred, struggling to force the words out.
Then the office, now slightly brighter in the primary star's light, fell into deathly silence once more.
Lü Yongchang stared blankly at the names slowly scrolling across the Holographic Projection, then closed his eyes in pain.
"Professor, Academician Su Yutong is here."
"Tell her to go back," Lü Yongchang said weakly. "Don't open the door..."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Heavy knocks interrupted Lü Yongchang.
"Go back." Lü Yongchang took a deep breath, pulled himself together a little, and called out loudly.
"No!" Su Yutong's voice sounded slightly distorted through the thick cabin door. "You've been in your office for three days!"
"..."
There was no response.
Inside the office, Lü Yongchang was still staring blankly at the names in the Holographic Projection, trying to commit them all to memory.
But even his enhanced brain could not manage the task of memorizing a billion names.
"Don't forget, you're the Chief Scientist of the Human Federation Academy of Sciences!"
The voice outside suddenly grew stern. "If you collapse, what are the remaining billions of humans supposed to do?!"
Lü Yongchang trembled slightly, but still said