At this moment, Situ stood facing the wind, leading his "clan members" in a state of high alert.
Qingmu could sense some subtle changes in the surrounding Mental Power Field, but Situ's control was clearly very precise, and it didn't affect anyone other than him and the savage.
He saw the scepter in Situ's hand, which emitted a silvery light. Its shape was somewhat similar to the black Divine Wooden Staff he had seen before, but the material was clearly different. Intuitively, that one was made of wood, while this one was made of metal or stone.
Under Situ's command, the savages moved in a regular pattern. From their formation, it was difficult to discern anything; as Petru said, they were just a disorganized mess. But if one carefully sensed them with Mental Power, one would find that the savages' positions were very subtle, and their Mental Power Field were twisted into a strange connection between them.
Qingmu thought of the octopus again, and then of the Internet. He already knew about the Internet's tentacles; he'd even caught one in the basement of the Mei's Laboratory building. He'd reached some kind of agreement with that Ghost, even risking giving it the potential to evolve on its own. He just wanted to know: where exactly was the Internet's brain?
Su Huilan suddenly asked him, "When these savages were controlled by the scepter, were they acting voluntarily or under duress? Do you think they were an independent consciousness at that moment, or part of a collective consciousness?"
Qingmu said, "I really don't know, but based on experience, their state is probably similar to being hypnotized. In a Group Real-Scene Dream, they have their own independent consciousness, but are also subject to unified command and control. Using an octopus as an analogy is more appropriate; I can't think of a more vivid way to describe it."
Qingmu has already left Su Huilan's dream, so there's no need to avoid discussing this topic with Situ.
Su Huilan pondered for a moment, "This already feels a bit like a higher-dimensional being."
"Higher-dimensional beings?"
"Yes, think about it, the octopus's neural structure is actually not very complex, but it is decentralized. It has one main brain and eight secondary brains. Each tentacle can be seen as a secondary brain with its own independent neural center, but no one would regard this tentacle as an independent living entity. But who knows if it has consciousness?"
What if this tentacle is conscious? And further, what if this tentacle is actually a person?
If you consider a group of several hundred savages as an octopus, then each person is like a tentacle. You wouldn't consider these people as non-living beings, would you?
The octopus's tentacles are connected to its brain by only a few nerve fibers, which filters out most inefficient information and allows it to receive only high-level instructions from the brain. The tentacles analyze low-level information and make behavioral decisions on their own. Therefore, an octopus can hunt without the brain, and the tentacles can do so independently.
Many tentacles connected together, forming a shared consciousness with the octopus's brain, constitute a higher life form. Similarly, the bodies and brains of many savages, through some form of mind control, can be connected to another higher brain—"
Su Huilan glanced at Situ, "Is that a model of a higher-dimensional life form, or perhaps a Four-Dimensional Octopus?"
" Four-Dimensional Octopus?" The people around him felt a little creeped out.
Before Qingmu could even picture what the octopus would look like, the Boss Coal above him exclaimed, "Quack! Cool! How about we make a plate of four-dimensional grilled octopus skewers?"
The Crow waited for a long time, but no one paid any attention to him, so he had no choice but to shut his beak in boredom.
Mrs. Larry, who had been listening attentively, interjected, "That's a really interesting idea! Four-Dimensional Octopus —that means higher-dimensional beings might be composed of three-dimensional beings like us, and our consciousness is just a 'fragmented consciousness' of a higher-dimensional being scattered throughout the universe, while our bodies are merely their 'neurons' or tentacles!"
If such life truly exists in the universe, that would be incredibly fascinating. Its brain resides in a fourth-dimensional or higher dimension, while its invisible tentacles extend throughout the entire universe, forming a self-proclaimed independent intelligent being within the three-dimensional world!
Su Huilan added, "It might even transcend time and space; its tentacles not only reach into every corner of space but also into the timeline we cannot touch." She looked at Situ and the savage they were mobilizing, deliberately raising her voice, "For example, this brain might be able to simultaneously control a savage here, a cat from Earth, and a Triassic dinosaur!"
Boris listened for a while but still didn't understand. He said impatiently, "You scientists are really something! We're at war! Do you understand war? At a time like this, you're still spouting nonsense about Four-Dimensional Octopus and higher-dimensional life! So tell me, where's that brain you're talking about? Can it help us drive away those savages and let Laozi get a good night's sleep?"
After Boris's remark, everyone fell silent. Indeed, it was a bit inappropriate to discuss such matters now.
Petru wholeheartedly agreed with Boris, saying, " Boris, do you want to come with me and charge in? We have guns. As long as Mr. Stone holds that old wizard back, we can wipe him out!"
Boris scoffed, "Get lost! Who wants to be with a notorious pirate!"
Petru pulled out a grenade and weighed it in his hand a few times. "You'll be willing."
Boris pursed his lips, but a glint appeared in his eyes.
Just as everyone was silent, Situ suddenly turned around and said, "Do you know about the Boltzmann Brain?"
"What?"
Whether it Qingmu, Su Huilan, or Mrs. Larry, they all knew about the Boltzmann Brain, but they didn't understand what Situ meant by suddenly saying this.
" The Four-Dimensional Octopus, your analogy is spot on! It lies on the Milky Way, its tentacles piercing through black holes and the mists of time, reaching into your brain... Each and every one of us is a tentacle of it!"
After Situ finished speaking, he turned around and stood there motionless, leaving only his back view, as if he had never moved and what he had just said was just everyone's illusion.
Qingmu looked up at the sky. He couldn't see the Milky Way, only a newly risen red Sun. Strangely, behind that Sun, there was a smaller Sun.
The arrival of the third wave of savages disrupted the original balance of power, causing temporary chaos. However, all three sides quickly calmed down, took their positions, and formed a new balance. This new balance was more stable than the previous one, because everyone was worried that if they made any unusual moves, the other two sides might unite.
No one spoke anymore, not even the savages howled. The atmosphere in the forest became very strange, the air heavy and oppressive. The wind seemed frightened by the atmosphere and dared not come closer, only trembling on the distant treetops.
The Crow scratched its neck and the feathers on the Tushu with its claws, and cawed indignantly, "You didn't even eat breakfast, and you're already out fighting!"
Its voice, which was not loud to begin with, now sounded as if amplified tenfold, buzzing loudly in people's ears. Even it was startled. "Wow! What's going on?!"
Its voice was even louder than before, like a thunderclap in the mountains and forests.
With a bang, the original peace and balance were shattered.
One of the three great wizards raised his scepter first, and the stable Mental Power Field in the valley suddenly became chaotic.