allonlinenovel Chapter 712 The Cosmic Observer
Chapter 712 The Cosmic Observer
"What...are you beings?"
Meng Chuan asked his question rather impatiently.
He needs to get to the bottom of this.
Is it a single individual?
Or was he an envoy of some civilization?
Is it an enemy? Or... a harmless observer for the time being?
The light outside the porthole flickered slightly, as if nodding.
Immediately afterwards, the voice from the communicator rang out with a strange sense of emptiness, as if it were not coming from a specific location, but rather permeating the entire starship:
“We are the ‘observers’.”
"Observer?"
Meng Chuan frowned:
"Observe what?"
"Observing 'civilization'".
The other party's answer was very concise:
"You are the thirty-seventh interstellar civilization that we have observed."
The thirty-seventh?
Meng Chuan was startled.
So there are so many extraterrestrial civilizations in the universe?
How long did they exist?
How long did the observation last?
What's the purpose?
There were just too many questions, and Meng Chuan was unsure which one to ask first.
Yingdie gently tugged at Meng Chuan's sleeve and gave him a look.
This means that Meng Chuan should not press for answers, but should first figure out the other party's intentions.
Sometimes, asking too many questions isn't a good thing.
No one knows which inappropriate word might anger the other person.
They are now like fish on a chopping board, at the mercy of others.
Meng Chuan suppressed his doubts and asked a more crucial question:
"Why did you follow our starship and cut off our communications?"
"For the sake of 'dialogue'."
The other party's answer remained direct:
“Your communication signals will interfere with our information transmission, so temporary blocking is necessary.”
shield?
Meng Chuan raised an eyebrow.
That's putting it lightly.
God knows how much psychological pressure this "temporary blocking" brought him.
And how much panic it caused on Earth.
Why do we need dialogue?
Meng Chuan continued to press:
"Why didn't you just show up when you were on Mars?"
This is what Meng Chuan wants to figure out their intentions.
Only by knowing their purpose can we determine whether they are friend or foe.
"Because the time is not right."
The electric-like sound continued:
"We need to determine whether your civilization has the 'foundation for dialogue'."
"Basics of dialogue?"
"Yes."
The other party continued to explain:
"Whether they possess rationality, whether they can understand our goodwill, whether... they will not launch meaningless attacks out of fear."
Meng Chuan recalled the scene at the production base, where Zhan Yi pulled out a short knife and Ying Die gripped a short stick, and his heart sank slightly.
Perhaps their "instinctive defense" was indeed observed by these "observers".
That's why they didn't show up at the time.
"what about now?"
Meng Chuan pressed on, but his voice remained cautious:
"Are you sure now?"
"Basically confirmed."
The other party's answer was very objective:
“You did not completely lose control in the face of the ‘unknown existence,’ nor did you attempt to attack us with your ‘weapons’—even though those weapons were ineffective against us.”
Although these words carried a somewhat overwhelming honesty, they made Meng Chuan breathe a sigh of relief.
At least, the other party is not showing any hostility so far.
Of course, Meng Chuan could understand their caution.
It's like a group of people with hunting rifles facing a tiger.
Although a tiger poses no threat to a person with a gun.
But people must first determine whether the tiger is intelligent and possesses the ability to communicate and understand.
If there is no possibility of communication, why would someone with a gun waste words on a tiger?
"If this is a conversation, why are you following us?"
Meng Chuan looked at the light outside the porthole and asked into the communication device:
"Can't we talk on Mars?"
"A 'safe distance' is needed."
There was a hint of explanation in the other person's voice:
“Your base has a ‘defense system,’ though it’s very rudimentary, well! Maybe not even that. But it might trigger your ‘stress response.’ You’re more ‘calm’ in space.”
Meng Chuan understood.
These "observers" were more cautious than he had imagined, and even somewhat... "understanding of human nature."
They know that people are more likely to act impulsively in familiar environments because their "territory has been invaded."
On the contrary, it is easier to remain rational in the isolated and helpless space.
Therefore, these observers are not only technologically advanced.
Even their intelligence far surpasses that of humans.
"What do you want to talk about?"
Meng Chuan asked directly.
"Let's talk about 'you' and also 'us'."
The other person paused, as if organizing their thoughts:
“We have observed that you have established a ‘base’ on a desolate planet and are attempting ‘interstellar colonization’.”
"This means that your civilization has already acquired the initial 'interstellar travel capability' and has reached the 'threshold for dialogue'."
Meng Chuan's heart skipped a beat.
That so-called barren planet might refer to Mars.
It turns out they had noticed Qinglian Fort long ago.
They may have been watching them since the day they landed on Mars.
"You want to stop us?"
Meng Chuan became alert.
If the other party is here to "demarcate territory" or wants to drive humans back to Earth.
That "dialogue" is unlikely to be pleasant.
"Do not."
The other party's answer was very straightforward:
"We do not interfere with civilizations that do not threaten our development. However..."
The voice paused for a moment, as if carefully choosing its words.
"Just what?"
Meng Chuan pressed for an answer.
"It's just that your 'technical level' is not yet sufficient to support 'interstellar colonization'."
The other person's voice carried a calm, factual tone:
"Your energy efficiency is too low, your defense capabilities are almost zero, and even... your 'adaptation to the cosmic environment' is very poor."
It may be harsh to say, but it's the truth.
Meng Chuan had no way to refute it.
Humanity's nuclear fusion technology is still in its infancy, starships rely entirely on hard shells for defense, and even walking on Mars requires spacesuits...
Compared to these "observers" that can easily float in space and block signals at will, it really seems like a "child who has just learned to walk".
"so what?"
Meng Chuan looked at the light outside the porthole:
"Are you here to 'instruct' us?"
Meng Chuan didn't actually have high hopes.
As the saying goes, there is never love without a reason, nor is there hatred without a reason.
Between civilizations in the universe, where is there any "guidance" given out of thin air?
Most of the time, there are conditions.
"You can say that."
The other party's answer, however, was beyond his expectations:
"We can provide 'technical support' to help you upgrade your civilization level."
Meng Chuan and Ying Die were both stunned.
Technical support?
Upgrade your civilization level?
Isn't this pie too big?
"why?"
Meng Chuan immediately retorted:
"What are your conditions?"
There's no such thing as a free lunch; this principle applies everywhere.
"Before I state my conditions, there is something I am curious about, and I hope you can answer it for me."
"what's up?"
"How can you survive in such toxic oxygen? In all the civilizations I have observed, there has never been a single intelligent civilization that requires oxygen."