Deep Space Wandering Fleet
Chapter 313 - Chapter 313 Chapter 312 The Experiment of Eternal

Chapter 313: Chapter 312: The Experiment of Eternal Consciousness Chapter 313: Chapter 312: The Experiment of Eternal Consciousness In just five years, the entire fleet had accelerated over one hundred and fifty times, reaching a velocity of three thousand kilometers per second, equivalent to one percent of the speed of light.

As soon as the whole formation moved beyond the gravitational boundary of the Constant Star, free from the risk of meteorite attacks, it adopted a higher-gravity acceleration mode.

From initial excitement and curiosity to eventual familiarity, ordinary citizens gradually adapted to life aboard the spaceship and lost significant interest in such news. Most people would only glance at the news occasionally before exclaiming, “Oh, already over three thousand kilometers per second… truly a milestone for human flight!”

To manage the heat generated by the spaceship and reduce wear and tear, most ordinary citizens needed to undergo long-term hibernation, with the exception of some special personnel.

Hibernation took place by community, with most familiar faces hibernating and waking together, which made the days seem not too different from one another.

During the five years, 90% of the population had entered hibernation, leaving around eight hundred thousand people awake. These Awakened lived very ordinary lives, and this number was enough to maintain every aspect of Kunlun Mountain, including the military.

However, on this day, something significant happened in the “Kunlun Mountain” Unreal Laboratory!

The moment ripe with controversy regarding the Virtual World and… consciousness immortality had finally arrived!

Over three thousand civilizational leaders and more than sixteen hundred elderly about to participate in the experiment, gathered here to discuss the final experimental plan, which included signing agreements on personal privacy rights, freedom, and so forth.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began, “we have planned for this technology for a hundred years, and everything is now ready. We have the Glizerians’ related experience, but we still need human experimenters. What we need even more are determined pioneers to create unique idealistic worlds… especially regarding the selection of Transcendents.”

“If no one creates a virtual world unique to humanity, how can we proceed with the selection?”

Aside from Zhang Yuan’s speech, the meeting room was very quiet, with little discussion being heard.

Life encapsulates birth, existence, deterioration, and emptiness; birth, aging, sickness, and death. Yet, in books written by humans, stars of humanity shine, but the twilight years of heroes are seldom mentioned, as if completely forgotten by people.

This should be Zhao Qingfeng’s, the former Captain’s, last attendance at a meeting concerning the entire civilization.

He listened to Zhang Yuan’s speech, silently recalling his lifetime of experiences.

He was already over two hundred years old, his body a shadow of its former self; walking a short distance required stopping to rest, his vision was nearly gone, and he had become so thin that his clothes no longer fit. Even in today’s world where biological technology was advanced, it was impossible to cure such comprehensive aging.

These elderly individuals listened to the plans formulated by the younger people, then signed the final agreement, with hardly any objections, as if they had tacitly accepted their fate.

After the meeting ended, people both on and off stage bid farewell to these elders making their final departure.

The atmosphere was lively, applause slowly faded, and the attendees gradually left.

Zhao Qingfeng stood up, his legs trembled, and he could no longer keep his balance–he had to sit down again.

In the end, it was Zhang Yuan who noticed his difficulty and supported Old Zhao, as the two made their slow progress forward step by step.

Zhang Yuan felt the tremors in Old Zhao’s muscles and didn’t know how to describe his own feelings, but suddenly a line of ancient poetry came to mind…

“Time only serves to age us, disbelieving in affection, deep regret at departure, tears drop on spring robes, wine too easily wakes.”

Perhaps someday, he too would come to this state.

Qi Yuanshan was dead, Professor Wang Zhong was dead, Captain Ma was dead, his own mentor Ding Zhaodong was dead, and even his senior fellow apprentice was about to die; sooner or later it would be Zhang Yuan’s turn.

Death should be considered the greatest fear of life. To reduce the fear of death, humanity gave birth to religion, philosophy, theology…

Some literary figures issued what seemed to be encouraging reflections: death is not the opposite of life, but rather a way in which life endures…

But Zhang Yuan didn’t believe in these things.

Dead was dead, the end of life, and that was all.

He didn’t know what kind of psychological changes he would undergo on the day he faced death, whether he would struggle to live or if he would come to terms with everything.

Zhao Qingfeng suddenly took Zhang Yuan’s hand, the old man’s hands rough like tree bark.

He said with a smile, “Old Zhang, you must know, this is a war, a war between eternity and death. We are merely soldiers; no longer so-called leaders or the elite of civilization. If we fail, we die, and there’s nothing to worry about…”

“I know.”

“If all of us, more than sixteen hundred human experimenters, similarly fall into the virtual world, it would mean an absolute defeat for us. This technology might be something we humans can’t control…”

“…Completely destroying it is the best choice, not giving future generations more options, and not hesitating too much.”

Zhang Yuan nodded and sighed lightly, “I know.”

These old men were the first generation who had endured the long 3,000 years of the Long March, the most resolute pioneers, who had survived through the seasons to reach this day.

If even they were addicted to the virtual world, then there would be no point for those who followed to struggle with the technology; giving it up would be the optimal solution.

Zhao Qingfeng patted his shoulder and, without saying more, lay down quietly into a hibernation chamber with the help of a head nurse.

The other sixteen hundred or so old men did the same, put on helmets, and closed their eyes.

The hibernation chambers slowly closed.

Half an hour later, the neural networks and memory blocks of the brains of these sixteen hundred-plus people were scanned into biological computers, their self-awareness uploaded to the Pangu Brain, leaving behind nothing but vegetative bodies. These vegetative bodies would be used for medical research, especially to study the brain; what changes might occur after losing self-awareness was an unsolved mystery.

Professor Yamamoto Ichiro from the Unreal Laboratory sighed and said softly, “I suppose I’ll have to go in too, in a hundred and fifty years. I just hope that before then, we can master the technique for writing memories into cloned bodies so we can return to this less than wonderful world.”

Zhang Yuan couldn’t help but give a wry smile and shook his head gently.

Then, coming back to his senses, he solemnly said to the others, “Ladies and gentlemen, this experiment will last for at least two hundred years, with the main task being to construct the various worlds for the Transcendents’ Extraordinary Test. Regarding the data tracking of the experimenters and the auxiliary construction inside the virtual world, I entrust these tasks to you. The related privacy agreements have been signed; please do not have psychological burdens.”

He then addressed several experts in legal matters, “Additionally, the issue of legal rights for Digital Life is still up for debate; you may start preparing a draft proposal. Please ensure strict adherence to the confidentiality agreements; the general public must not know.”

“Only the old men on the brink of death are entitled to this technology.”