Very few events from that period are recorded in later generations.
Data City, after Heavenly Secrets's disappearance, Wang Ye was determined to find out what had happened. However, as an outsider, relying on himself and having to abide by Federation laws, it was simply impossible. In the end, he chose to start from within, finding a young man in the new army whom he had been observing for half a year.
The man's name was Hou Jie. He came from a middle-class family and was a PhD in history. During the New Army uprising, he performed exceptionally well in diplomatic negotiations, unlike a young man in his early thirties.
At this moment, Hou Jie was quite surprised when he learned of Wang Ye's purpose, as he rarely encountered people who were interested in that period of history.
"That period of history was rarely mentioned back then, and many things weren't in textbooks. The archaeological community also forbade publicizing it. But you've come to the right person." Hou Jie seemed a little excited. "We people in the Central Federation are quite concerned about our reputation, and we've always tried to cover up the negative history of that group of people. Actually, that's nonsense. How could such a major historical event be covered up?"
"Didn't they say that those families who committed crimes against humanity back then have all disappeared?"
"How could that be?" the other party sneered. "Our Central Federation has always valued personal connections. To climb to the top, which family or power doesn't have a complex web of relationships? A group of people with such great power, do you think they can succeed just by relying on a few leaders? Where does the power behind them come from? How many people are involved? Can you even mention these things?"
"That's true." Wang Ye nodded. "According to the files, it was said that the outbreak of the war was caused by a major diplomatic incident, right?"
"Ha, that's the official story. The incident back then was very strange." Hou Jie was clearly interested. After the New Army and the Federation forces reached an agreement, he had been responsible for recording the major historical events during this period, and he had also returned to his old profession. Now, when it came to that period of history, as a history expert, he naturally spoke eloquently.
"Who died in that incident back then? They were all top-tier dignitaries. Among them, two figures from my Central Federation alone were extraordinary. One of them, Liu Yongqi, was actually identified as the mastermind because he planned the attack. Those who were captured at the time eventually confessed that he was the one who ordered his subordinates to carry out the terrorist attack on the university Scientific Research Institute."
"But few people mention what kind of person he was. In fact, before that incident, he was a very prestigious military leader. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe him as a national hero. You know Red Sun, right?"
Wang Ye nodded. The former sworn enemy of the Central Federation's suzerain state, even after Red Sun merged into the Central Federation, still faced considerable exclusion, also due to historical reasons.
"He's the one who subdued them. Anyone who's read ancient history knows that a figure like him is comparable to Huo Qubing in ancient times. With his reputation at the time, he would have had a high probability of being elected Central Federation. Do you think it's normal that such a person would orchestrate an attack that ignited a world war?"
"His military prowess might be a way to muddy the waters further, using his top-notch military talent to achieve even greater ambitions," Wang Ye analyzed. "It's not impossible."
"But he was almost eighty years old at the time, and he had a terminal illness."
"This..." Wang Ye frowned, "There's really no need to provoke a major war."
"Many people are actually wondering what kind of project that laboratory was involved in that time, that could attract so many powerful and influential figures. But the records at the time were kept secret, and no one can say for sure what that laboratory was researching. But based on my speculation, it was probably..."
"Research on data life, right?" Wang Ye chimed in.
" Mr. Wang is a smart man," Hou Jie said with a smile. "What else could attract so many powerful and influential people, especially older ones, besides this data-driven life-saving project that can circumvent life and death? What else could possibly draw such a group of people who have already reached the pinnacle of their lives?"
"Is it because of that incident that the world war happened, and then the environment was so badly damaged by the war that it became almost uninhabitable for humans, which is why the Data City project was launched?" Wang Ye asked, frowning.
"That's what they say, but this part of history is rather vague." Hou Jie opened his data diary and said, "The trigger back then was indeed that reason. After all, the person who took action was a high-ranking military official from the Central Federation. It was a very sensitive event, and it would certainly cause a very troublesome diplomatic incident. But to say that it caused a world war is an exaggeration."
"At that time, due to the deterrent effect of nuclear weapons, major powers tried to avoid clashes, because everyone knew how serious the consequences would be. Theoretically, even if such a serious incident occurred, all parties would try to put out the fire. The strategy implemented by the Central Federation at that time was also to avoid war, so even if it came at a cost, they would choose to de-escalate the conflict and stop the war."
"But the war broke out so quickly!" Hou Jie pointed to the diary and said, "Fifty-eight days, the fifty-eighth day after the attack, the Central Federation officially declared war on the Western Federation. Before that, dozens of small countries among the three Federation had already had fierce friction, and even direct fighting. Such intensive war friction is unprecedented since the beginning of the Federation era. We archaeologists all believe that a powerful force was manipulating things behind the scenes, and multiple forces were intentionally provoking the war."
"Didn't you just say that because of nuclear deterrence, most powers are inclined to avoid conflict?" Wang Ye asked, frowning.
"That's why this part of history is so strange," Hou Jie said, opening up all the data points recorded in his diary. "A world war, affecting more than ninety countries, unprecedented in scale in history. The key is that it happened extremely quickly. Before that, previous world wars started locally and then slowly ignited the surrounding areas, a process that often took several years. But that time was different. In just fifty-eight days, almost the entire world was within the range of fighting."
"Just like all the factions are determined to fight, there are no reservations whatsoever!"
Upon hearing this, Wang Ye immediately understood. "This war was planned long ago, which is why it broke out so quickly. But what is its purpose?"
Upon hearing this, Hou Jie subconsciously glanced around, then shut down the surrounding data signals and whispered, "Some things can't be publicized, not even explicitly stated in official documents. But anyone who has studied that period of history can deduce that the war was actually paving the way for the data era. After years of research, I find the events of that time increasingly bizarre. I even think that those supposedly dead powerful figures didn't actually die; that's why they were the first data lifeforms."
"Why do you think so?" Wang Ye asked quickly.
"Because only they have that power," Hou Jie said excitedly. "Those people are all top tycoons or political figures from various countries, with enormous power behind them. If they were cooperating, they would have the ability to instigate a major war. But originally, they didn't have that motive. After all, as the top of power, they have no need to disrupt the existing order. The only possibility is that they have a new order in mind."
"Those people are all in their twilight years. If that lab project was actually a data life experiment, and if they succeeded, what would be the best way for those data life forms to maintain their power and status without being suspected by the world?"
Wang Ye nodded and said, "Drag everyone down with us!"
Haha, I think you'd be perfect for our line of work!
Wang Ye smiled. He mainly worked on criminal law at the Court of Judicial Review, but he actually wanted to go to the Grand Academy to study history. He had always longed to do that, but unfortunately, he didn't have the opportunity.
"But if, as you speculate, that group succeeded and even instigated a world war, did they survive?"
"There's no historical record of it," the other person shook their head. "Data life has its limits; how could they possibly have survived to this day? Unless they, like in your world, had Samsara."
Wang Ye's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this!
Do they have any descendants?
"That's the strangest part," Hou Jie said, squinting. "The descendants of those people have almost all disappeared. You know, some of them were monopolistic figures in some countries. Such a powerful force shouldn't have been completely wiped out, even after the world war. But now, whether in the Eastern Federation or Western Federation, the top families are all newcomers."
"A newcomer, huh?" Wang Ye.
Perhaps those people are still alive?
But so far, the only world with Samsara exists in one's own world.
Does that mean there's a group of old guys actually hiding in that world?