Chapter 152: Chapter 153: Planting Plan!
Biological entities lack a precise definition. According to so theories in cellular automata, under the governance of ti and space, a few simple rules can generate exceedingly complex systems.
One might wonder, what does the existence of multiple life-supporting planets in the erratic Solar System signify?
If a person wins a lottery ticket, it might be due to luck; if they win two lottery tickets, it may not just be luck but rather the high probability of winning embedded in the lottery itself.
The presence of these complex organic materials, on the other hand, confirms the universality of life in the Universe.
However, there’s no need to worry too much; humans once sent nurous electromagnetic waves towards Gliese 581.
The result was no response…
Humans have never observed any signs of intelligent civilizations on Gliese 581.
Zhang Yuan was more concerned about whether the human immune system could adapt to the complex microbial environnt of an outer planet.
“Thinking too much is useless, but we must prepare in advance,” Senior Brother Zhao patted his shoulder and turned back to the cabin.
…
Days passed one after another, and it was ti for hibernation again. It had been a fulfilling year, and he had learned many new things.
Yet, this hibernation carried a touch of lancholy. After saying goodbye to his teachers and friends, Zhang Yuan went to bid farewell to the Old Captain.
The elderly Captain Ma was in the Star Library, gazing at the stars and lanted, “Children, do you know the origin of the Earth Era Spaceship?”
Five teenagers, curious, were marveling at the library in zero gravity for the first ti and saw the stars, enjoying themselves imnsely.
One child quickly answered, “It was built by Earth Civilization!”
The Old Captain asked another question, “Do you know what Earth is?”
“…It’s a very big planet with many, many people.”
Another child excitedly said, “I read in books that it has a lot of delicious food, fun things, and so cartoons.”
The children, though not deeply emotional about Earth Civilization, were sufficiently curious.
The Old Captain continued, “Do you know how many people it took to build this spaceship?”
“500,000?”
500,000 was the total population on the spaceship—the largest concept they could imagine.
“Wrong, add three more zeros!”
The Old Captain chuckled, “At least five hundred million people! They directly or indirectly participated in the construction of the spaceship. The initial planning and supportive facilities took sixty years, and the entire construction took forty years…”
The children were speechless, shocked by the grandeur of the plan, beyond their wildest imagination.
Education aboard the Earth Era spaceship was stringent; in ager resource conditions, physical labor was required at a certain age.
Material life was not so grand either; there weren’t many toys.
Children from poorer families matured earlier, profoundly understanding the enormity of this number.
The Old Captain asked further, “If we reach a new Mother Star, achieve basic industrialization, and solve the problem of survival, are you willing to spend a lot of effort to build the next Deep Space Colony Ship?”
“…Don’t rush to answer. Your entire lifeti will be consud by this task, and then, this spaceship won’t belong to you. It will slip from your hands.”
The children hesitated, speechless.
To think of investing one’s life’s effort only to let it go was an excruciating notion.
They were already aware of how vast a light-year is, how arduous such a lone journey can be, and how important money is to life.
The Old Captain smiled, explaining, “This isn’t a aningless task. In the finest era, we dedicate the most refined part of our entire civilization, releasing it into the vast Universe, to grow into a new seed.”
“This is the ideology of our new civilization, which we nad… the Seeding Program!”
“We can’t guarantee that our civilization will escape the fate of diocrity. Our mathematics is not yet strong enough, our will not solid enough, we do not know if the future path is correct, so it must be done this way!”
“…Only thus, year by year, day by day, one generation after another will continuously regenerate from the ruins.”
“Using our fragnted history to illuminate the path of the future.”
“I believe, one day…”
“One generation of civilization will produce a genuine qualitative change!”
“…It will beco a truly extraordinary civilization, a legend in the Universe! Far surpassing our existence!”
“This is the aning behind our actions! Are you still willing now?”
The children’s spirits surged with passion, and the painful feeling seed much alleviated.
“Then… I want to be a Captain!”
“ too!”
The children hastily raised their hands.
The Old Captain laughed heartily.
He had decided not to hibernate anymore and spend the last segnt of his life doing what he desired. Educating the next generation, accompanying this spaceship he had spent a lifeti on as it slowly decayed—it wasn’t so bad after all.
What you regret, others may not; what makes you happy, others may not feel the sa. The true sensation is like drinking water, warm or cool only known to oneself.
The Old Captain turned back, smiling at Zhang Yuan, “Are you about to hibernate?”
The deep wrinkles on the Old Captain’s face, like ridges and ravines, yet he appeared fiercely strong. He had devoted his life to this spaceship, and while nearing its end, it was far from truly finished.
This powerful aura made one subconsciously overlook his age.
Zhang Yuan nodded, “In an hour…”
“I’ll see you off!”
The lighting in the large hibernation chamber was always dim, faintly misty, giving Zhang Yuan an unreal sense of illusion.
The hibernation device was like a ti-space machine.
Unfortunately, it was only a one-way ticket to the future, with no possibility of returning to the past.
He did not have much interaction with the Old Captain, but at that mont, he felt an indescribable emotion.
The first batch of humans fading in deep space…
Were truly…
Great enough.
There would be a second batch, and a third.
Parting is never comfortable.
“Drama and joy are rely perceptions of others. To have lived this lifeti safely, without major mistakes, is already quite good; I am quite satisfied,” the Old Captain discerned his mood, smiling lightly.
“I can only accompany you this far.”
“It’s up to you guys to keep pushing…”
“The future challenges, I entrust them all to you.”
With a soft sound, the hibernation chamber lid officially closed. Zhang Yuan felt a wave of dizziness. The last scene he saw was the Old Captain kindly smiling at him.
…
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