Chapter 8: The Quantum Project
"临界点有多长?"陈泉问道.
"按照目前的风暴蔓延速度,大约48小时."
会议室里一片寂静.大家都意识到,情况比他们想象的要危急.
"我们得分头行动,"陈权终于打破了沉默,"首先,立即派出特别特遣队,摧毁已知的量子信标站.其次,组织了医疗队营救受影响的平民.第三..."他看着林月和罗林,"你们两个负责最重要的任务.
"找出最终协议的真相."林月接过了谈话的话题.
"没错."陈泉道:"你的量子共振能力是唯一的突破.也许它可以帮助我们理解普罗米修斯的真实意图."
"但是我们从哪里开始呢?"罗林问道,"线索太少了."
林月想了想:"也许吧...我们应该回到一切开始的地方."
"你是说..."
"Spark Labs.""这不是被毁的地方,而是最初的实验基地,"她说.在那里,必须仍然保留了一些重要信息."
陈权调出一张地图:"原来的基地在喜马拉雅山深处.地形很复杂,可能已经被 Blue Light Tissue 控制了."
"But this is the only chance," Lin Yue insisted, "if you want to stop the quantum project, you have to understand its essence." And ...," she paused, "I think my parents might be there too." "
Rollin glanced at her, understanding what the decision meant for her.
"Okay," Chen Quan agreed, "I'll arrange for a helicopter to take you there." But hurry, we don't have much time. "
The meeting ended quickly. The various departments immediately sprang into action and began to carry out their respective tasks.Lin Yue and Luo Lin came to the equipment room to prepare for the upcoming mission."Are you okay?" Rollin asked as he checked his gear.
"To be honest, I don't know." Lin Yue smiled bitterly, "Over the years, I have always thought that my parents were forced to leave. Now suddenly it turns out that they may have been involved in all this..."
"Maybe it's not as simple as it seems," Rollin said, "and like you said, the original purpose of the Quantum Project was good." "
"I hope so." She whispered.
After the equipment was completed, the two went to the tarmac. A transport plane painted with stealth paint is already waiting.
Before taking off, Chen Quan came to see him off. He handed Lin Yue a small box: "This is a video recovered from the laboratory data. Maybe it will help you. "
Lin Yue opened the box, and inside was a small memory.
"I'll look at it when the time is right," Mr. Chen said, "and focus on the task now." Remember, you only have 48 hours. "
After the transport plane took off, Lin Yue looked at the city below through the porthole. The quantum storm that erupted a few hours ago has subsided, but strange energy fluctuations still fill the air.
She took out the memory, hesitated, and plugged into the portable terminal. A blurry picture appears in the holographic projection.
It shows a laboratory, and the time shows that it was twenty years ago. A man and a woman stand in front of a complex instrument, arguing fiercely about something.
"It's too dangerous!" The woman said, "We can't take this risk!" "
"But this is the only chance," said the man, "Prometheus was right in his calculations." Perfect results can only be achieved by genetically modifying them at an infancy. "
"But that's our daughter!" The woman was almost shouting, "Are you going to turn her into an experiment?" "
"No, a pioneer in evolution!" The man said excitedly, "Think about it, if she succeeds, she will become the first true awakened person in the history of mankind." She's going to start a new era..."
"Enough!" The woman interrupted him, "I won't agree. Tomorrow I will leave with Yueyue. "
"It's too late," the man whispered, "the experiment has begun." Just last night..."
The picture cuts off abruptly here. Lin Yue sat there dumbfounded, tears falling silently.Rollin gently held her hand: "At least now we know that your mother is on your side. ""But why ...," she choked up, "why did they all turn to the Blu-ray organization again?" "
"We'll find out," Rollin said, "in that base." "
Six hours later, the transport plane landed in a hidden valley. About a two-kilometer walk from here is the original base of the Spark Project.
The cold wind howled, and snow covered the entire valley. The two advance cautiously, always on the lookout for possible enemies.
"Something is wrong," Rollin opened his genetic field to scan the surroundings, "the quantum field around is very active, but there are no guards in sight. "
"They're waiting for us," Lin Yue said, "or rather, waiting for me." "
Sure enough, when they came to the base entrance, the gate opened automatically. Pale lights peek through from within, as if issuing a silent invitation.
"Too obvious a trap." Rollin said.
"But we don't have a choice," Lin Yue stepped forward, "time is running out." "
The interior of the base is surprisingly neat, and there are no signs of twenty years of desertion. The equipment on both sides of the corridor is functioning normally, as if there is always someone maintaining it.
"Over here," Lin Yue pointed in one direction, "I feel strong quantum fluctuations. "
They followed the induction to a rotunda. In the center is a huge spherical device with complex circuits on its surface. The device is running, emitting a slight hum.
"Quantum Core," a familiar voice sounded, "the most important facility of the Spark Project. "
Professor Wu stepped out of the shadows. This time it's not a projection, it's a real person. Behind him, there stood two figures of Lin Yuechao's thoughts.
"Dad... Mom..." Her voice trembled.
Mother Lin wanted to step forward, but was stopped by Professor Wu: "Don't worry, let's explain some things clearly." "
He turned to Lin Yue: "Do you know what this device does?" It is the hub that connects quantum networks. Twenty years ago, your parents conducted their first experiments here. "
"Experiments?" Lin Yue looked at her parents, "What experiment?" "
"Quantum consciousness transfer," Father Lin finally spoke, his voice filled with guilt, "We want to create a quantum network that can accommodate all human consciousness. In this way, human beings can break free from the limitations of the physical body and enter into a completely new form of existence. ""That's the real purpose of the quantum project," Professor Wu said, "not to control, but to transcend." Let humanity evolve to a higher level. ""But it failed," Ms. Lin said, "and we underestimated the risk of consciousness transfer." The first batch of volunteers... Their consciousness is lost in the network. "
"That's why you're turning to genetic modification?" Lin Yue asked.
"Yes," said Father Lin, "we realized that we had to first engineer human genes so that the brain could adapt to quantum states. And you are the most successful test subject. "
Lin Yue staggered back: "So I've been an experiment from the beginning?" Even if you know the risks..."
"We have no choice!" Father Lin said excitedly, "Mankind is heading for extinction. Environmental pollution, resource depletion, war... Only evolution can save our species. "
"Enough!" Rollin roared, "That's how you treat your daughter? "
"You don't understand," Professor Wu shook his head, "it's far more important than personal feelings. Now, the quantum network is nearing completion. The Ultimateum Protocol will transfer the consciousness of all awakened into the network. This is a new era for humanity..."
"No," Lin Yue said suddenly, "you are the ones who don't understand." "
Her energy field expanded dramatically, and Rollin's genetic vision resonated. The abilities of the two fused perfectly, forming a quantum state that had never been seen before.
"That's real evolution," she said, "not about abandoning humanity, it's about gaining strength while maintaining it." Not a forced change, but a natural awakening. "
Professor Wu's expression became hideous: "That's because you don't know the truth yet." Tell her," he turned to Father Lin, "to tell her who Prometheus really is." "
Father Lin hesitated for a moment, and finally told the last secret: "Prometheus... It's the future you. "
This truth is like a bolt from the blue.
"What?"
"The first experiment of the Quantum Project was not a complete failure," Lin explained, "and there was a consciousness that successfully crossed the river of time. That consciousness comes from you thirty years later. She... You tell us that the future of humanity is headed for destruction. That's why I started this project and tried to change history. "
"Impossible..." Lin Yue shook her head, "I don't believe ...""Believe it," Professor Wu said, "why do you think Prometheus is so special to you?" Why design these perfect genetic sequences? It is who you are, or rather, you will eventually become it. "Lin Yue felt that the world was spinning. Everything seemed to make sense—what Prometheus knew about her, those point-in-point words, and... The power that keeps awakening within her.
But just then, Rollin took her hand.
"Don't listen to them," he said, "the future is not predestined." It is precisely because you have the right to choose that it is precious. "
This simple contact made Lin Yue sober up. Yes, no matter what the past may be, no matter what the future may be, the choice in this moment is what matters.
"You're right," she said, looking directly at Professor Wu, "I reject this so-called fate. "
Her energy field expanded violently, resonating with Rollin's abilities. A brilliant light illuminated the entire hall.
"Stop!" Professor Wu shouted, "You're going to ruin everything!" "
But Lin Yue didn't stop. She finally understood the true meaning of her abilities—not destruction, but purification. Not control, but awakening.
A violent quantum storm erupts in the center of the hall. The spherical device emitted a screeching alarm, and the circuits on the surface began to crumble.
"Get out of here!" Mother Lin suddenly pushed Professor Wu away and ran to the console, "I'll disconnect the core!" "
"No!" Professor Wu tried to stop him, but Father Lin stopped him.
"It's over," said Father Lin, "it's time to admit that we were wrong." "
The sirens are getting louder and faster. The entire base began to shake violently.
"The energy is out of control!" Lin Mu shouted, "The core is about to ..."
Before the words fell, a dazzling pillar of light rose into the sky. The entire base is flooded with quantum energy.
By the time the light had dissipated, the spherical device had completely disintegrated. And in the ruins, an illusory figure slowly emerged.
It was an older version of Lin Yue, or rather, the real Prometheus.
"You made a different choice," she ... It said, "That's good. "
"Why?" Lin Yue asked, "Why did you design all this?" ""Because I see so many possible futures," Prometheus said, "for most of the timeline, humanity is headed for destruction." I wanted to change that, but eventually realized that forcing change would only lead to greater disaster. ""So it's a test?"
"Yes and no," Prometheus smiled, "it's an option. And you have chosen to remain human, and you have chosen to believe in the power of the heart. That's exactly what evolution really needs. "
Its figure began to dissipate: "My mission is accomplished. The next path is up to you. Remember, the future is not predestined, but co-created by everyone's choices. "
The last words echoed through the empty hall. Lin Yue looked at her parents, and there was both remorse and relief in their eyes.
"I'm sorry," said Father Lin, "we are so obsessed with changing the future that we forget the most important thing." "
Mother Lin hugged her daughter in tears: "Forgive us for ..."
Professor Wu knelt on the ground and muttered, "So many years of hard work... It's all over ...."
"No," Lin Yue said, "this is a new beginning." "
She turned to Rollin: "Thank you for always being there for me. "
"I will always be," he replied, "because it is my choice." "
Outside the base, the quantum storm began to subside. The Awakened across the globe are gradually regaining control. There is no forced evolution, no consciousness uploading, everything is back to normal.
But the world is no longer the same. People have witnessed the awakening of power, but also the power of human nature. Perhaps this is the real evolution – embracing change while remaining human.
Chen Quan quickly sent someone to answer him. On the way back to the headquarters, Lin Yue looked at the sunset outside the window, and his heart was unprecedentedly calm.
The future may still be full of unknowns, but she is no longer afraid. Because she knows that as long as she sticks to her heart and is with important people, she can find her own path.