Chapter 357: Future Planning, A Million-Year Voyage
(This chapter might also be the theme of the book.)
Crisis Era Year 497.
The history of the Trisolaran Civilization turned a new page this year, with the civilization's mother ship nearing completion. Although its diameter was less than one-fifth that of the Moon.
But its appearance was extremely impressive, like a giant floating castle in the interstellar space, highlighting the glory and power of the Trisolaran Civilization.
The Trisolarans had almost entirely loaded the last remnants of the Trisolaris, as well as all the precious materials that could be scavenged from the entire Trisolaran Star System, onto this magnificent civilization mother ship.
This mother ship was not just a spacecraft; it was more like the Trisolarans' mobile home, the symbol of their civilization's survival, carrying all their hopes.
And this year, by merging and innovating their technology, the Trisolaran Civilization also officially stepped into the ranks of a 1.3-level civilization.
Now, the unprecedented scale of the Mountain Civilization's ten thousand main battleships had traversed the long interstellar journey, and had strikingly arrived at the Trisolaran Star System.
They were arrayed in neat ranks, like a vast interstellar fleet spread across the canvas of the universe, each warship a cold testament to the Mountain Civilization's military might, together weaving an awe-inspiring network of force.
Behind this fleet, a massive and imposing super warship slowly made its way, its majestic form like a moving fortress deep in the cosmos, emanating an inviolable, towering presence. This, undoubtedly, was the pride of the Mountain Civilization, their civilization mother ship, the culmination of their wisdom and strength.
The sheer size of this mother ship was so vast that it could practically be compared to the Moon; it wasn't about carefully altering and using the Moon like humanity did, but rather constructing, with an almost reckless posture, a warship of similar size to the Moon.
The grandeur of the project, the excellence of the technology, was breathtaking and a bold challenge to the laws of nature.
As the mobile home of the Mountain Civilization and a base for universe exploration, this civilization mother ship was undoubtedly also carrying the mission of the Mountain Civilization, embodying their unswerving pursuit and dreams.
For both the Mountain Civilization and the Trisolaran Civilization, this moment was set to become the most important and brilliant chapter in their civilizational history, as the two civilizations encountered each other in the Dark Forest of the universe, together forging an unprecedented path within the Dark Forest.
The arrival of the Mountain Civilization would also inevitably lead to an alliance between Trisolaris and the Mountain Civilization.
The Head of the Trisolaran Civilization and the leader of the Mountain Civilization had a historic meeting for this purpose.
This meeting was far from a simple exchange of courtesies between two civilizations; it was a profound dialogue crossing the boundaries of species, aimed at determining the joint future goals and grand plans of both civilizations.
They first reached a consensus to advance towards the Solar System, which could possibly be accompanied by war with the humans of the Solar System.
Actually, the Mountain Civilization was also awaiting humanity's attitude; if humans chose war, then they would give them war.
Naturally, the Mountain Civilization would prefer if the Human Civilization, along with the Dinosaur Civilization, joined the "Civilization Alliance".
The "Civilization Alliance," bringing together four civilizations, would form an unprecedented bilateral four-cornered relationship.
The four civilizations corresponding to the four corners, with the Mountain and Trisolaran Civilizations as one pole, and Human and Dinosaur Civilizations as the other pole.
The four-civilization alliance would also set sail on a magnificent journey, forming a regular tetrahedron structure formation, each two being 0.2 light-years apart.
Such a distance could almost guarantee that each civilization can develop independently without being influenced by the other three; currently, none have weapons that can strike from such a distance, not even the Sophon Beam. However, if they wished to escape from the Civilization Alliance, such a distance would not be enough for their flight.
Additionally, during the journey, if any civilization was attacked, they could flee in the direction of the center of the other three civilizations; if the pursuer followed them, they would be drawn into the center of the regular tetrahedron formed by the four civilizations, completing an encirclement and cutting off their escape route. If the enemy's strength completely exceeded expectations, the other civilizations would also authorize activation of lightspeed escape.
The future plan of the four-civilization alliance is to continue along the direction of Cassiopeia, advancing along the Orion Arm, exploring the entire Orion Arm.
After completing the exploration of the Orion Arm, they would not stop, but transition to the Perseus Arm, continuing their great journey straight to the center of the Milky Way Galaxy.
If there are civilizations worth absorbing along the way, the alliance would also jointly consider whether to absorb them.
This is a grand epic that transcends time and space, a journey of millions of years, which for the Mountain Civilization, is akin to a peak that is unreachable yet full of allure.
In the hearts of the Mountain Civilization burned an undying flame; they yearned to climb this great peak, to conquer every unknown high ground with their wisdom and courage, to carve the footprints of their civilization between the sea of stars.
This, is the dream of the Mountain Civilization.
…
(Some readers may not be clear why it follows the direction of Cassiopeia.
From the perspective of the Trisolaran Star System, the Solar System is in the direction of Cassiopeia, which is also the direction of the Solar System's rotation around the Milky Way Galaxy.)
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Since the Solar System's orbit around the Milky Way is undulating and lacks a specific direction, and does not get any closer to the direction of Cassiopeia, it is more accurate to say that it moves towards the direction of the Crater Constellation or the Leo Constellation.
The following diagram shows the distribution of stars within 50 light years, using the Earth's ecliptic plane, which is also the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun, as the reference plane.
At the center is the Sun, with the direction of the Solar System's orbit around the Milky Way above, which also corresponds to the direction of Earth's northern hemisphere.
Beneath the Solar System is Alpha Centauri, also known as the Trisolaran Star System. Up and down are arbitrary human definitions, but this is the most convenient way to understand it.
Therefore, setting off from the Trisolaran Star System towards the Solar System or the direction of Cassiopeia is roughly following the direction of the Solar System orbiting the Milky Way and similarly follows the direction of the Orion Arm.)
Although the Mountain Civilization was well aware that this path of exploration and alliance was fraught with thorns, and each step could lead into the unknown abyss, still they resolutely embarked on this voyage across the sea of stars.
No one could predict the ultimate outcome of the Civilization Alliance, but this may just be the brightest glimmer of hope that the Mountain Civilization had glimpsed in its long quest, a faint light piercing through the Dark Forest.
Merging two civilizations by force not only fails to cultivate a more splendid civilization but may also result in the withering of two unique civilizations due to incompatibility.
Even if the amalgamation may seem perfect on the surface, it is nothing but a false prosperity that only increases the number of individual civilizations. Yet in that decisive civilizational battle where fate is at stake, quantity has never been the key to victory.
In lieu of this hollow integration, the Mountain Civilization prefers an alliance that maintains the independence and dignity of each. Naturally, this entails a harsh reality: if the other party is not seeking an alliance out of spontaneous and introspective reflection, the Mountain Civilization would rather forgo such an alliance, or might even annihilate it outright.
Allowing the Trisolaran Civilization to maintain its independence is also a challenging choice for the Mountain Civilization. The development of civilization is never linear, and the future is filled with uncertainties.
The Trisolaran Civilization could potentially achieve a major technological breakthrough, thereby shaking off the constraints of Mountain Civilization and even turning to become a new constraint, or ignite the flames of war directly.
Such a future, like a Sword of Damocles hanging over the head of Mountain Civilization, forces them to remain vigilant at all times. For in this vast universe, every choice might become a turning point in the rise and fall of civilizations, and every gamble could determine the fate of billions of lives.
In times of peace and abundant resources, both sides might coexist for the sake of their beliefs.
But when faced with special circumstances or a shortage of resources, this fragile peace may collapse instantly. Would the parties then erupt into a Dark Forest battle? Would they plunder each other's resources?
This is why the path of civilization alliance in the universe appears so lonely and challenging. Every civilization is like an isolated island; although sincere emotions may not be rare, genuine trust is like a rare treasure, almost impossible to find.
In this sea of stars, the greatest ignorance is to blindly expect the kindness of others. In this Dark Forest, every hunter could become potential prey.
No one knows how long the path of civilization alliance will take.
Every civilization that sets foot on this path is gambling its future to explore that unknown answer. On this long and unpredictable journey, every step could be the ultimate test of civilizational wisdom and courage, and the final answer may only be revealed by the universe itself.
...
The dream of a million-year journey for the Mountain Civilization, isn't it also Lin Sen's deepest desire?
Lin Sen has also been tirelessly working towards this, and in this complex world, there is nothing more comforting than meeting people who share your ideals and are equally willing to give everything for the exploration of the mysteries of the universe.
The Mountain Civilization and Human Civilization, these two civilizations staggering forward in the universe, are bound to become companions who cherish each other.
Fleeing the Solar System and avoiding the Dark Forest has never been Lin Sen's real choice.
What Lin Sen yearns for is to guide humanity to autonomously choose that route filled with the unknown and challenges, to confront the Dark Forest, where true strength comes from the awakening of the heart and a shared belief, not from external pressure.
In the past 200-plus years, Lin Sen has never chosen to hibernate; he hasn't been constantly working on the Death Star escape plan. As for those grand plans, the technical implementation didn't require Lin Sen to manage, and he wouldn't be adept at managing such a large project.
He poured all his energy into the research of the combined future history of the universe and social history (or emotional history of society). He and his fellow travelers envisioned the future of humanity entering the Interstellar Era, with every detail encapsulating their yearning for the unknown and dedication to exploration.
And he was also constantly guiding all of humanity towards that great route leading to their dreams.
When the alliance of four civilizations was established, moving onto a shared path, perhaps they would forge a new identity, such as the "Divine Vessel" civilization. The Divine Vessel would carry their shared dreams and expectations.
The ships of civilization have already set sail into the vast ocean, and as far as the eye can see, there are only boundless treacherous waves, where even a splash could capsize them.
No one knows if the "Divine Vessel" will be able to lead them through the trials and tribulations, to that Other Shore.
When the future "Divine Vessel" civilization becomes a high-level civilization, looking back on today, they will have no regrets about the choices made.
This is a lone boat challenging the raging myths of the sea!
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