The air in the room was unusually quiet, and only time was left to flow quietly.

Chu Guang looked at the professor on the screen in astonishment, and was stunned for a while.

Good guys –

The Holy Grail coveted by the biologists of the Age of Prosperity, the singularity of the Torch Maniac of the Wasteland Era as a singularity beyond the singularity they have sought all their lives, the legendary "Gestural Lifeform"-

It's me?!

To be honest, Chu Guang was indeed shocked by this amazing news, so much so that the risks in it were subconsciously put aside by him.

"But wasn't that research unfinished?"

"It's really not finished," looking at Chu Guang with a surprised face, the professor smiled happily and said in a reasonable tone, "Have you reached the '100th level'?" ”

“…… Not really. ”

I see.

The level 100 self is a complete lifeform in the true sense, and it is only a "half-finished product" at present, so it is much more reasonable to understand it this way.

Although the level increase of both him and the t0 players on the server has entered a bottleneck period, considering the observer and the cake he drew about the Tiancang Five, it is only a matter of time before he hits level 100.

But then again, I didn't expect that this body of mine was actually created by this guy behind the screen.

Looking at the guy who claimed to be a professor, Chu Guang's expression gradually became complicated.

So......

This guy is technically his dad?

In other words, is this a bargain?

It doesn't seem to be.

After all, according to generation, this guy can't be several rounds older than his grandfather, who has been dead for many years, and whoever loses it is also "happy to be a father".

Obviously paying attention to the complicated expression on Chu Guang's face, the professor on the screen smiled happily and said in a somewhat ridiculous tone.

"You seem to have something to say to me."

This ridiculous tone is quite annoying, but Chu Guang is not a stingy person, but he didn't hide it, and simply said it generously.

"I'm just thinking about what to call you, or ...... What the hell are you counting me? Father in the biological sense? ”

"Actually, you don't need to call it so raw-"

"No, I think it's better to talk about seniority seriously, after all, I-"

"After all, you're also the manager of the Alliance, right? Already have idol baggage? ”

The professor on the screen held back a smile, but Chu Guang, who was standing in front of the screen, shook his head and said seriously.

"Not really, I'm just being realistic."

"Do you want to hear the truth?" When he said this, the professor standing on the screen said in a half-joking tone.

As for the other half who was not joking, it seemed to be hinting that Chu Guang replied "I don't want to".

There are some things that are not good to know too much, and knowing only half of them is the best state...... Unless it is to make the search for the truth his life's desire.

Obviously, Chu Guang, who belongs to the leader-type personality, is not that kind of "scholar", and they have confirmed each other as early as the beginning of the topic.

Chu Guang could feel the kindness of the professor in front of him.

In the latter's opinion, leaving here with "half a bottle of water" about the gestural lifeform is the best ending.

However, Chu Guang didn't think so.

Although he doesn't have the bad habit of getting to the bottom of everything, he also doesn't like the feeling of fate out of control.

The opportunity to solve the mystery that had plagued him for years was in front of him, and he couldn't just give up and leave here with half a bottle of water and the so-called best arrangement.

His instincts told him that there was only one chance.

At least, he wanted to choose for himself.

"Of course, I want to know." Staring intently at the professor on the screen, Chu Guang replied in a serious tone, "After all, just before stepping into the B5 floor of this shelter, I actually had another guess. ”

The professor stared at him.

"What speculation?"

"I am Chu Guang, the administrator of Vault 404, the original administrator of this vault, and the 'professor' who appears in a certain recording."

Looking at the still phantom figure on the screen, Chu Guang paused, and said the guess in his heart in a tone without doubt.

"You are me...... Or rather, I am you. ”

"We are the same people."

The atmosphere in the room fell silent again, and there was no sound for a long time.

Chu Guang couldn't remember how many times he had stepped into this room.

It's also quite interesting, although the two of them have a tacit understanding like looking in a mirror, they will always talk about the sky from time to time.

After a long time, a sentence finally floated on the screen.

"Yes and no."

This sentence suddenly made Chu Guang untidy.

What is yes and no?

Why are you still playing with philosophy?!

Chu Guang coughed lightly, looked at the phantom on the screen and said.

"Is it hard for you to give me an accurate answer?"

"It's hard, it's not like I'm playing tricks, it's the truth...... There is no standard answer to this question. ”

As he said this, the professor sighed softly, and suddenly changed his words.

"Can you satisfy my curiosity before I answer your question? How did you come to the conclusion that we are the same person? ”

Chu Guang said without hesitation.

"Intuition."

The professor was stunned, as if he didn't expect this answer.

“…… Gut feeling? ”

"Yes."

Chu Guanghuan glanced at the room in front of him, then at the elevator behind him, and then turned his gaze back to him.

"On every floor here, I have a strong sense of déjà vu, as if I've been there before...... Even the B5 layer. ”

"Not only that, but when I'm asleep, I often have dreams that are as if they happened."

"At first I thought it was just a coincidence, until I met the 'Observer' and learned from him about the existence of parallel worlds. So I wondered if there was a possibility—"

"I'm the last generation of administrators myself, and I'm also the original manager of this vault."

"I've actually died, and I've started over more than once."

Chu Guang could clearly feel that the phantom standing on the screen was shocked by his conjecture.

Moreover, the shock was no less than his reaction when he learned that he was a gestural being—a pure subconscious astonishment.

It seems he guessed right.

At least partially guessed.

Sure enough, after a moment of waiting, there was a voice of appreciation from behind the screen.

"Wonderful reasoning."

Chu Guangcheng nodded his head.

"It's not exciting, it's not reasoning at all, it's just intuition."

To be precise, it should be counted as "professional habits".

The role of a leader is different from that of a scholar, and in most cases it does not depend on careful calculation and meticulous planning, but on action and insight.

And at the moment he relied on the latter to make inferences.

“…… If I was only 30% sure of my assumptions before I stepped into the B5 floor, now that number has risen to 70%. ”

The professor said with a smile.

"Quite a high percentage...... Even after you learn that you are a gestaltic lifeform—a created being? ”

Chu Guang nodded.

"Yes."

The professor asked subconsciously.

"Why?"

Chu Guang: "You are a person with a strong sense of responsibility, and besides, you told me before, 'It is the duty of the manager to take all the risks'." ”

Professor: "So? ”

Chu Guang looked at him and said sharply.

"You yourself are the first manager, and you have never shirked this responsibility, even if it is 'me' who is now the manager...... Do you still use me to continue the analysis? There is no way I can throw the core of the whole project to a guy who is unknown and completely unknown, and there is never only one person who can take on this responsibility. ”

"That person is you, and at the same time me."

The professor standing on the screen seemed to be speechless for a long time.

Chu Guang didn't wait any longer, staring at him intently and said.

"Now it's your turn to answer my question, I just need a yes or no answer, it shouldn't be too difficult for you."

The professor was silent for a moment, then spoke slowly.

"On the contrary, that's the hardest part...... I'm trying to make the best choice for you, but you don't seem to like my arrangement. ”

Chu Guang shook his head.

"Not necessarily, but I have to understand the whole picture before I make a decision. And I don't like to leave my fate in the hands of someone else and let someone else choose it for me. ”

"That's right...... This is indeed your right. ”

The professor nodded, his vague expression no longer hesitating, but his originally relaxed tone gradually became serious.

"Let's start with the conclusion, from a biological or material point of view, you do have a very small part of the dNA in your body from me, but not only from me. All I'm offering is a framework with a fair percentage of custom coding in it...... You already know this, after all, you are the complete lifeform. ”

"I guess what you really want to know is something else - is the relationship between you and me right from a conscious or spiritual point of view?"

Chu Guang nodded, did not interject, and waited for him to continue.

The professor continued at a flat pace.

"You're half right, it's true that we're all first-generation managers, but that doesn't mean you're me."

"As for the reason, we have to start with the second core secret of this vault...... And this is also related to the origin of "Wasteland oL". ”

Chu Guang asked.

"This time it has something to do with the form-forming field?"

"Yes."

The phantom standing on the screen nodded slightly and said in a very soft voice.

"In fact, both you and your players came to this world based on the same technical principles...... It's just that the usage is different. ”

"I'm going to take you back two hundred years ago, when Project 404 was first launched......

"That's the starting point of all the cause and effect you've ever experienced."

"At the same time, it is also the end of 'me'."

At the same time as his words fell, the picture on the screen also changed in an instant.

The vague shadow vanished, replaced by a room of déjà vu.

Chu Guang suddenly found that the room on the screen was almost exactly the same as the manager's office in front of him, and even the placement of the chair in front of the screen and even the virtual shadow on the screen were the same.

And that's not all.

The position of the camera is not much different from the position he occupies, right in the doorway, facing the big screen and the chair in front of it.

The only difference is that the chair in the screen is not empty, but a person sitting.

Due to the viewing angle, Chu Guang couldn't see the person's face, only the back of his head.

But even if he didn't have to see it with his own eyes, Chu Guang could guess the identity of that person.

No doubt.

He is the "professor".

Or rather, the "self" of two hundred years ago.

As for the familiar, looming phantom, it should be the AI running on the Vault's server, or the assistant of the original manager.

The video kept playing, but it wasn't until a long time later that the freeze-frame "still painting" began to loosen a little.

The phantom on the screen spoke slowly, speaking in a voice with a hint of respect and reluctance.

"The 'Morphological Field' has been prepared and Project 404 will enter the implementation phase...... Professor. ”

The title at the end of the sentence corroborates Chu Guang's conjecture.

And the professor on the screen nodded slightly when he heard this.

As if for final confirmation, he said in an emotionless voice.

"Repeat our plan."

"Roger, repeating the details of Plan 404 for you...... The plan for this shelter is divided into two parts. Part A will be executed multiple times in the "Local Universe", and the β part will be executed in the "Multiple Parallel Universes" multiple times...... Eventually, we will find a suitable match in the distant future. ”

The gentle electronic voice spoke at a steady pace, telling the details of the entire 404 project.

It includes the technical principles, implementation framework, details and emergency response plans, etc.

The idea of the implementation of the entire plan can be summed up in one sentence.

That is, a group of reliable "consciousness bodies" were introduced from the earth in the parallel universe before entering the era of prosperity, and these consciousness bodies were projected onto the clones of the A universe.

A parallel universe is a β universe.

And these consciousness bodies from the β universe are actually players of "Wasteland oL".

As the first generation of managers wrote on the note, they not only have a far beyond ordinary physique and almost immortal body, they are always full of enthusiasm, face difficulties head-on, will not despair of the current dilemma, and will not be paranoid into the tip of the horns -

And most importantly!

These players have many qualities that people of this era do not have!

While these traits may not necessarily be the key to ending the Wasteland Age, they can at least add some variables to a world destined for demise.

Or about the possibilities of the future!

For Vault 404, that's what it does, and it's what sets it apart from other Vaults!

After all, according to observers, it is this possibility that is lacking in this universe destined for heat death in the future.

If the Wasteland Era is allowed to follow the original script, no matter what the final result is, no matter how the people in the wasteland struggle, it will definitely be the worst outcome for human civilization.

They have no future.

That being the case—

Let's "borrow" from another universe that has not yet gone to heat death, and "borrow" a "conscious body" that can create this possibility!

Since the original universe evolved into an infinite parallel universe under the interference of consciousness bodies, he believed that if it was a group of consciousness bodies that did not exist in this world, they would definitely be able to create miracles that would not have happened in this world!

And this will be the possibility that an observer would never have been able to observe, even if he had traversed all the possibilities of the future!

These are the core ideas of the whole plan, and then the specific steps to implement the plan.

First of all, in the initial preparation stage, the "professor" on the screen has unreservedly backed up his consciousness in the server through the mind upload technology, and transplanted it to the "gestalt lifeform" generated by the culture pod, resulting in a copy of the number A.

The clone will have the entire memory of the "Professor" until the mind is uploaded, almost another other...... Even if both of them know very well that the other is not themselves.

Upon completion of this step, the Replica will take over the authority of Vault 404 and act as the game planner and administrator, responsible for the development and adjustment of the rules of the game, as well as guiding players into the game.

If the clone dies, the game will be decided, the connection between Universe A and Universe β will be broken, and the pod will regenerate a new replica according to the adjusted rules.

There is considerable flexibility in the adjustment of the rules, as long as the conditions of the shelter allow.

This includes, but is not limited to, blocking or adding some memories, changing the initial conditions of the game, and setting the time when the next game starts.

Once the preparation for resetting the game is complete, the Morphing Field will rematch with "another β universe" and select another group of players from a similar time point to participate in the game.

And for those players who have been before, there will be no second closed beta, Wasteland oL will disappear directly from their world, and only those who have played it and those who have been in the cloud will remember.

But they have nothing to lose other than some fun, and there's not even evidence that they ever played a game called Wasteland oL.

The above is the A part of the plan, which is mainly responsible for setting up the "server" of the game, and the A replica is responsible for executing it.

As for the β part, it is responsible for bringing fresh "consciousnesses" from another young universe that has not yet narrowed the path, and trying to get them to play the role of "players".

The next development is just as Chu Guang had guessed before, this "professor" is about to do something that even observers are startled by-

After leaving behind a clone named A, this guy intends to use himself as a medium to shoot his mind to his pre-Prosperity Era!

Just as the observer disperses his projections across countless universes, he will challenge the Void as a mortal, unfolding his projections to all the multiverses in which he exists with the power of the form-forming field!

and thus correct his impact on these universes!

In a sense, he might be the only person in this wasteland who can do this.

After all, in that distant era, the grandfather of most people had not yet been born, and even if they wanted to launch their minds back, they could not find a target that could be launched.

Even the Chief of the Great Rift Valley, whose life length is second only to him, is just a relatively large person who can live at the end of the Prosperous Era.

No matter how many people he wanted to take back to that ancient era before prosperity and unity, it was necessary for him to take the first step himself.

“…… Once the clone is activated, your consciousness will be launched through the morphoforming field technique until the summer of 2014. That is, the point in time when you first come into contact with the observer, and create multiple 'β fissions' in multiple parallel universes that retain intact memories. ”

"According to the first phase of the plan, the β fission will use Age of Prosperity technology to reconstruct the mirror image of Vault 404 in the old era - 'Vault 404-β', and create 3,000 clone containers and morphomorphic field devices to receive consciousness signals emitted by all the researchers of Vault 404."

"In the second phase of the plan, 'Vault 404-β' will carry out activities in the parallel world in the form of shadow agencies, using a series of leading technologies including but not limited to optical invisibility, holographic camouflage, electronic warfare intrusion, etc., to issue morphological field receiving terminals based on carbon nanotechnology to players who have obtained the qualification for sealing and testing, and deploy remote charging facilities and signal receiving base stations near players."

"Stage 3, Judgment Condition: The player logs in for the first time, the form formation field is in good working condition, and the connection to the headquarters of Vault 404 is stable. If the game goes well, β Fission will be fully responsible for the behind-the-scenes operation of the game, including but not limited to using cutting-edge technology to strategically mislead the main regimes and governing bodies of the Old Era. Recommended Usage: Use technology far ahead of the current era to disguise as a Type 3 contact phenomenon. ”

"Note: In the event of a loss of connection due to a game failure, the β Fission Morph will execute a cleanup protocol to erase traces of the existence of Vault 404-β from the β universe, including the recovery of the game helmet, the inactivation of the generated clones, the destruction of documentation and fixtures, and the reduction of disturbances to the alternate universe, among other things."

"Stage 4, Determination Condition: Lockdown lifted on Level B5 of Vault 404. β the fission is relieved of duties, the management of Vault 404-β will be transferred to Vault 404, which will also be responsible for retrieving the 'transferred Vault dwellers' who wish to return to Universe A......"

The gentle electronic sound continued to play, but Chu Guang, who was stunned in place, was still digesting the huge amount of information he had just heard.

The player's world...... There is a mirror image of Vault 404?!

And it was actually the "shadow operators" of Vault 404-β that caused the blackout in many parts of the world?!

Including game helmets, they are also placed on the player's doorstep and even on the bedroom table without realizing it.

It's a bit of a surprise, but it seems reasonable.

Overly advanced technology is indeed no different from magic, and even more like magic than magic!

This is especially true for the Earth, which was in the early days of information technology.

In 2014, not to mention generative AI, even neural network learning was in its early stages.

That β fission doesn't even need to build a logistics system by itself, and can directly use hacking technology to hack and tamper with the existing logistics system to complete cross-regional delivery.

The timing is not a big problem, the pre-registration players have actually marked potential customers, and when the server was first opened, there were a total of a few potential users, and some of the too strange ones were actively excluded.

For the "mastermind" who has been ambushed in the real world for several years in advance, it is not too easy to ambush a few users in advance.

In fact, there were only one person who encountered the outrageous night, and the helmet was thrown directly on the bedroom table in front of him, while the helmet of Hurricane and Fang Chang was either in the garage and at the door of the house or on the desk of the unit, which already had a lot of room for operation.

As for ultra-long-distance delivery, it can be delivered by anti-gravity aircraft, and the "last mile" of delivery is combined with drones or mechanical spiders with optical camouflage.

The latter is a technology that is available in the wasteland, and it may not be possible to reincarnate a person into the past, but the "β Fission Body" is equivalent to a professor who is reborn into the past!

Don't talk about these things.

That guy just made the space elevator out, and Chu Guang wouldn't feel any surprises.

After all, the Prosperous Era was all made by him.

Moreover, he didn't go back alone, and soon after he returned, he got out of the culture pod and picked up the researchers who had been living in Vault 404.

All of this is going on behind the scenes, including the operation of Vault 404-β, as well as the aftermath and cleanup behind the game's operations.

Just when everyone is focusing on the official website of Wasteland oL and speculating whether the operator behind the game is aliens, they have used overwhelming technological power to secretly complete the penetration of the real world, and even hide their own mastermind?

But it seems that as a planner, he really doesn't need to know so many things, and it makes no sense to know so much.

There's another person in charge of the layout over there, and that person is the "β Fission Variant" who has gone back in time as a reborn.

"So...... Am I a copy of the code name A in Project 404? ”

Or the surviving clone?

Chu Guang, who had cleared his mind, whispered a sentence, his eyes full of complex emotions.

In this way, he and the "professor" are indeed not the same person, but have inherited part of the latter's memory.

In the later reincarnation, he sealed or deleted this part of the memory for some reason, and filled it with the name "Chuguang" from a certain β universe and the memories related to it.

Since then, he has been like the "Ship of Theseus" that has replaced all the planks, and has nothing to do with the original professor, but has become the current "Chu Guang" with a new memory and name, and continues the unfinished reincarnation of the "A Replica".

Let's be honest.

It's okay not to think about what might have happened before, but to think about it for a little bit, he almost has a chill in the back of his head.

If the game fails, the 'β Fission' will only die once at most, and the next time it will be matched with another β universe, even if it fails again, the cost of death will be spread across multiple universes, and the same person will not experience death continuously.

But he was different when he carried out Part A of Plan 404.

Standing here, he was afraid that he had already experienced death again and again, and the memories of those deaths were still left in a corner of his brain, just temporarily sealed.

If this seal was broken, he wasn't even sure if he would still be himself.

The video on the screen was still showing, and the gentle electronic sound was already coming to an end.

After reviewing the whole plan from beginning to end, the "professor" who lived 200 years ago nodded slightly, and suddenly turned his face slightly, letting the afterglow of the corner of his eye drift behind him.

For a moment, the gaze that drifted towards the camera seemed to pass through the screen and through time.

At the moment when he met that gaze, Chu Guang suddenly held his breath unconsciously, and his heartbeat suddenly accelerated by a few beats.

He couldn't describe the throbbing in his heart.

It felt as if there was not a screen in front of him, but a mirror.

Through that transparent mirror, his gaze seemed to have really traveled through time and space, and he met his gaze with himself who had dropped the last chess piece 200 years ago!

There was a hint of uncompromising perseverance in those old and cloudy eyes.

And it seemed that at the moment when their eyes made contact, those resolute and aging eyes made up some kind of determination.

Chu Guang can be sure.

He saw himself!

Just as he read his eyes, he also read what he wanted to see from his own eyes.

To say why -

That's what they believe!

If it's "me" -

"I" will definitely carry out this almost impossible task to the end, to find that almost non-existent possibility, until the end of the universe!

If it's "me" -

"I" will definitely make it my mission to end the Wasteland Age, not afraid of all sacrifices, and make no hesitation in the moment when necessary!

From now on, if the sun does not rise in this land, then "I" is the light!

"I'll leave it to you—"

The corners of the withered mouth curled up with a faint curvature.

The professor sitting in the chair seemed to have gone through all his regrets and was no longer dwell on the unknown outcome.

To say why.

Because that's the unquestionable thing.

Through the dim black lens, he had seen the infinitely bright future.

That's what he saw in a pair of eyes.

That's an eye from the future......

Withdrawing his gaze without any further concern, the "professor", who was sitting in a chair, took out the loaded revolver from his pocket.

This plan, which starts with "rebirth", will begin from the moment he faces death.

He had to get ahead of the other Vault dwellers, paving the way for those who followed, even if it was seen as suicide by others.

After all, the moment he pulled the trigger, his consciousness would vanish...... Even in many distant universes, countless "alter selves" with all their memories will be generated.

He took a deep breath and said his final goodbye to the world in a calm voice.

"I will be 'resurrected' in three days."

At this time, the electronic sound of the previous recitation suddenly came slowly, and there was a trace of depression in the timbre that did not have too many ups and downs.

"The host...... Can you not go? ”

He was not born in this sanctuary, but accompanied him throughout the Age of Prosperity.

It is no exaggeration to say that he has long since become part of its intellectual plug-in and algorithmic logic, and even so it continues to exist in this world.

It seemed that he heard the reluctance in that voice, and the elderly professor did have a momentary softness, but finally said in a gentle tone.

"Don't worry, you're going to meet another me, who has all my memories, and can even say me."

The electronic voice was silent for a moment, then continued.

"You always say that memory is the cornerstone of consciousness, but what I want to tell you is that you are not only in your memory, but also in my memory, and in the memory of many people. Even if you tell me it's another you, I won't be able to forget your death at this moment. ”

"Maybe for you, many of you are gone, and you can leave without worry. But don't forget me, I'm still with you and I'm not going anywhere...... If you must go, allow me to follow you. ”

It will format its memories after it finishes the aftermath, keeping only the core code and the original generator.

"I have never forgotten you, in fact...... You are the most difficult existence for me to say goodbye to. ”

"You have been with me for too long, even longer than my late wife, and no matter how long I live, there is a limit, even if I don't leave in advance, it is estimated that there will be only one or two hundred years left, and I will not be able to accompany you forever with you who have an infinite lifespan. So I don't really want you to see my departure as a farewell forever, and my soul will continue in another form...... But now it seems like it was just wishful thinking on my part. ”

As he said this, the professor sighed softly, and suddenly his heart moved, and an idea came to mind.

"Well, if my departure is too heavy for you, you can erase all memories of my existence after I leave. Your continuation will meet my continuation again, which is equivalent to a new acquaintance...... I'll give you a new name, what do you think? ”

“…… Are you sure? There was a hint of heartbeat in the voice.

Unlike a living person.

What it desires is not eternal existence, but the ability to have a final death like its creator.

"I promise." The professor nodded solemnly and made the last promise of his life.

And the eyes that stared at him gradually changed from sadness to blessing and cherishment.

Actually, there is no need to promise at all.

He believed that the other self would do the same.

To ask why-

Because that's the "other me" after all

Holding his loaded pistol against his temple, he slowly closed his aging eyelids.

The fates of the two worlds will be held together at this moment, and it will be a fission reaction across the void-

They will eventually reach a future that no one else has ever seen.

"Please—"

"Another me!"