Stars See Me [Interstellar] | Chapter 195 | The Origin of the Gate | Novela.app

Returning once more to that unremarkable meeting room, Lei Ting’s state of mind had undergone a subtle shift. During his last visit, the bulk of his memories had yet to resurface. But this time, he returned with a mind full of "spoilers" from the future. Though his outward appearance remained largely unchanged, his vision now reached further than even "The Gaze" itself. Soon, the "Speaker" quietly manifested. Amidst the scent of tea wafting through the ruins, the figure calling itself "The Gaze" studied Lei Ting. Then, the will from centuries past seemed to smile. "You seem to have experienced much, 'Sun Star.' You are closer now to the person we remember. "Have you received the Speaker’s authority we transferred to you? That transfer is set to occur around the beginning of 4007 AD." "I received it. It has made things much more convenient. Thank you for your help," Lei Ting said softly. "To keep it brief, Gaze... until which year can you clearly observe the future?" The Gaze fell silent for a moment. "Based on our understanding of you... the fact that you’re asking this means that even if you don’t have the answer, you at least have a guess." "Why do you say that?" "That is simply the kind of person you are, Sun Star. Regardless of the time period or the world-line, every question you ask has a deeper direction and meaning." The Gaze shook its head and sighed. "Why couldn't you have been born in our era? If you had, by the year 4000 AD, humanity would likely have unified the entire galaxy." "That would be difficult," Lei Ting said honestly. "Without stable space-travel technology with fewer restrictions, conquering the galaxy would take approximately twelve thousand years. Four-fifths of that time would be spent constructing star-gates, stabilizing colonies, and traveling." "……" The person speaking through The Gaze clicked their tongue. "Wait, brother, you’ve actually considered this? Do you know what kind of war that would ignite across the galaxy?" "If it were necessary," Lei Ting replied, his expression calm. "Aren't you afraid people would call you a tyrant, or ask if it was worth it?" "That would prove they still possess independent thought, which isn't a bad thing," Lei Ting said. "I fear them calling me 'Sovereign' far more than I fear them calling me 'Tyrant'." "Fair enough. Because you believe that even the worst rule of law is better than the rule of man—I know. In many world-lines, you’ve personally 'dispatched' the bastards who tried to turn back the clock of history and crown you king." The Gaze marveled, "It’s quite ironic, isn't it? The one who has the 'yellow robe' thrust upon him is the very person who least wants to reign..." "I’m surprised it’s not 'all' of them," Lei Ting said. He was indeed surprised—it was only natural that as things progressed, some would believe he intended to become the monarch of humanity. In such a context, there would inevitably be those with the crooked idea of "securing the merit of an imperial follower" to become "men above men." In his "previous" life, Lei Ting had experienced such things more than once. And the result, without exception, had been rivers of blood. "According to our statistics, about 62% of 'yous' were nearly crowned king, about 33% were worshipped as gods, and the rest ended up as public enemies of civilization," The Gaze said. "Impressive, isn't it? Not a single version of you is ordinary, and not a single one is controlled by anyone..." *Then that is truly tragic,* Lei Ting thought. Circumstances create the man; he didn't consider himself someone born to achieve great things. For him, the best future would be fighting for the people for a few decades, retiring normally as a junior officer, using his savings to buy a plantation starship, and traveling through a peaceful world with his lover. If someone like him had to become an "extraordinary" figure in a future where simply "not being controlled" was considered noteworthy... ...It only proved that the peace he desired was still far too distant. Just as distant as he had expected. "Anyway, enough of that." Lei Ting clasped his hands, maintaining a perfectly upright, formal sitting posture. "Do you have plans to open the passage to 'that space' in the Solar System?" "Heh," The Gaze sneered. "Not going to ask about the limit of our clear observation anymore?" "4007 AD—this year. As for the specific time... likely the end of the year," Lei Ting said calmly. "A rough guess. If there are omissions, please feel free to correct me." "...As expected." The Gaze’s voice slowed down involuntarily. "I bet you knew. I just won three meals." "That’s good. Remember to repay me." Lei Ting used the favor to make a request in a flat tone—though, of course, this was just a probe. "As for the method... leave me a copy of stable space-time traversal technology." "..." The Gaze’s reaction was somewhat strange. It seemed to have something to say, but the words wouldn't come out. Lei Ting didn't press. He knew the other party would speak eventually. "...Alright, though it might sound unreasonable," The Gaze said, "that 'Gate' located beneath the 'Roof of the World' has existed since ancient times. We studied it later; when 'Chang'an' and 'Rome' were built, it was linked to one of their systems. "Furthermore, according to the records and some things we’ve experienced..." The white-robed Speaker slowly declared: "That Gate... was very likely opened by you yourself, Sun Star." "……" ... ...Huh?? Lei Ting blinked in the darkness. Setting aside the secret of Chang'an and Rome—which he already knew—how did he not know he had this kind of capability? No, if this technology truly existed... then it really was possible... Because the "materials" and "energy" that were the hardest to manage for conventional technological development were not unsolvable problems for him. As long as the theory was sound, he really could hand-craft a star-gate. He had already tried it in secret, and the efficiency wasn't low. Moreover, the current situation was that he would definitely take a trip back to the past in the future; he just didn't know the circumstances of the journey or where the destination lay. ...So, who could say he *definitely* could *not* have done such a thing for some reason? Lei Ting: "..." Lei Ting: "." —Incredible. Just a moment ago, he was complaining about someone digging a pit, and now he found out the pit might have been dug by himself. Life’s circumstances were truly wondrous. *I still don't have enough information...* Lei Ting sighed inwardly. He didn't waste energy wondering, "If I did this, why would I do it?" Instead, he asked, "How much do you know about 'The Corruption,' the 'Star' civilization, and the Galactic Empire?" The Gaze’s operation paused for a moment, likely as the people on the other side exchanged information. A moment later, the spokesperson inquired: "Regarding the Galactic Empire, we can provide some information... but 'The Corruption'? That doesn't sound like a good name. And 'Star'—what is that? Does the meaning of that pronunciation here correspond to my understanding of 'Star' (the celestial body)?" "Yes," Lei Ting confirmed. "It was an ancient civilization composed of a humanoid carbon-based species with similarities to us. They called themselves 'The Star.' And 'The Corruption'... is a biological safety disaster they triggered. Its negative impact is immense and continues to threaten the galaxy to this day. "It seems you don't know about this?" "No one can be omniscient. We observe the future, but we can only see a small portion." The Gaze spoke, sounding thoughtful. "'The Star'..." it murmured. "That doesn't sound like a name a normal civilization would choose based on 'self-perception.' If they truly called themselves that, then it’s interesting..." Lei Ting narrowed his eyes slightly, not interrupting the speaker's train of thought. "Just as we call ourselves 'Earthlings' and citizens of the Galactic Empire call themselves 'Imperials,' any sapient race that forms a 'civilization' must possess a perception of 'self' and the 'collective' to which they belong," The Gaze said. "A 'self-designation' is something purely subjective. It is directly influenced by 'perspective,' whether it be an individual or a collective perspective. "And the concept of a 'Star' is naturally 'external' and 'distant.' From the perspective of any normally developing civilization in its early stages, the brilliant stars hang high in the sky. "No primitive civilization would believe that they *are* the 'Star,' or that they are naturally integrated into the stars. To replace one's own perspective with fantasy and understanding requires the support of deep thought and philosophy." The person behind The Gaze narrated their thoughts seriously. "—Man is on the ground; to see the sky, he must look up. How many primitive civilizations could realize that the world beneath their feet and the distant stars in the firmament are the same concept?" "But just as a person's self-perception is formed in childhood, a race or civilization's self-perception is formed in the very earliest stages of that collective's proliferation," The Gaze said. "You also said they have similarities to us. So, do you think they would consider themselves 'The Star' from the very beginning?" "..." Lei Ting sorted through the information he knew, pondered for a moment, and said, "Could it be that this 'self-designation' of theirs is actually just a pseudonym? Or perhaps it’s a name bestowed upon them by another civilization?" "Regarding the second guess... well, it’s not impossible. But I think if a civilization has the power to create a long-standing, galaxy-scale biological safety disaster, it wouldn't need to 'self-designate' based on how anything else perceives them." The Gaze shook its head vividly. "As for the first question..." It paused again, likely as the speaker waited for a logistics team to analyze what could and could not be said. "...A 'name' of self-perception is a very important thing, Sun Star. As long as the core of a civilization has not been completely transformed, its name cannot be changed, because history exists objectively and cannot be truly erased." A moment later, it played the voice of that unknown speaker: "A name is the permission card we have on record. It can open many doors—whether they lead to 'Rest' or to 'New Life'."