062. Manifest Destiny
Galactic Era, January 14th, 221.
Azure Star, Frost-Plated Southwest, Nadeville Island, Abyss Industries Headquarters.
This former tourist hotspot from the old era, left behind amidst the global ravages of the Entropy Lord, fell outside the bounds of order.
After the ocean evaporated, the island was buried in snow and glaciers for a whole century. Fortunately, due to the shallow seafloor, Nadeville Island ended up stranded on the continental shelf and was eventually taken over by Abyss Industries. After centuries of transformation, it became an unsinkable fortress, serving as the headquarters and military base for Abyss Industries.
Because it was bound to the height of the continental shelf, combined with the barriers of glaciers, this island became the most unique fortress on Azure Star.
To destroy Abyss Industries' mother base, it would take 4,957 tactical nukes, one million infantry soldiers to land, and 200,000 armored units, with an estimated material cost of 120 trillion Red Arrow Galleons—too high a price for even the Four Nations to bear lightly.
Moreover, Abyss Industries, as a neutral corporate group, effectively held the status of a political entity. Many saw it as the next GTB and even hoped for its rise to face off against GTB.
One dealt in biotechnology, heavy industry, and pharmaceuticals, the other in education, energy, and telecommunications.
Their fields of business alone suggested that a confrontation was inevitable.
Abyss and GTB were like the "hero and dragon" trope in a story; the Four Nations were happy to watch these two organizations clash.
A myriad of transport helicopters took off and landed without rest, transporting products across the globe, then bringing back heaps of cash before setting off fully loaded again. Along with them went security squads carefully trained by the group and [Biochemists].
N4 sat quietly on the carpet by the floor-to-ceiling window, her long legs crossed, the fire burning warmly, as she gazed at the snowy scenery outside.
"The Frost-Plated Parliament restricted our biochemists' entry again this month. A total of 55 personnel were forced to remain in the Frost-Plated territory."
The synthesized secretary reported with no emotional fluctuations:
"The recently acquired 'Morzain Life' has seen its stock drop by 12.5%. Red Arrow is secretly pushing antitrust measures to prevent our pharmaceutical companies from entering the capital of Red Arrow."
"These are minor issues; let each region handle them as they see fit."
N4 rested her smooth, delicate chin on her hand, her expression calm:
"How's the Sulan Operations Team doing?"
"They ran into GTB's elite agents. The mission failed—12 dead, two survivors, and only one piece of professional knowledge brought back."
"GTB isn't easy to deal with. Extracting even a punctuation mark from them costs millions of Red Arrow Galleons."
N4 remained indifferent; such losses and gains were a break-even.
"What about the Intelligence Department? Still no sign of advanced-level knowledge?"
"Director Alkuko has exhausted all of his employees. He's currently a one-man army and unable to carry out any actions."
"I don't need complaints; I need results. He's missed his KPIs for four months straight now. If he can't do it, he can jump into the biochemical pool himself. The group doesn't need dead weight."
"Your will shall be done, Pioneer." The synthesized secretary bowed respectfully. "I've already informed Chairman Eraz, who will convey your will."
N4 showed no change, but she raised her hand, observing the slightly loosened skin on her hand's back.
This body had aged another year.
Her time was running out.
The extent of a [Biochemist]'s success could be seen in whether or not they remained forever young.
The more confident one was in their skills, the more they trusted their modification techniques. Technology could deceive time, but not forever.
When one began aging, it signified that their techniques had reached their limit and could no longer maintain youth and life. Their mindset would age accordingly, becoming timid; high intellect often brought with it stubbornness.
Perhaps due to the paths they chose, martial artists became increasingly humble the higher their level, while scholars grew more stubborn in their later years, steadfast in their worldview.
N4 was an exception—her mechanical, rational nature allowed her to accept her limitations and defects easily, facing the issue with objectivity and calm.
"The environment on Azure Star is too poor to allow one to ascend beyond Gamma-tier. My lifespan is nearing its end."
N4 raised her hand, her palm ejecting nano-polymer tendrils that removed her eyeball from its socket. As she disassembled the crystalline base and applied thermal paste to the heat-dissipation nerve, she nonchalantly said:
"Abyss Industries no longer has a new Gamma-tier to succeed me. The position of 'Pioneer' will be vacant in a few years. The board should prepare accordingly."
"Records show we have two Gamma-tier biochemical bodies in stock."
"This isn't about the body."
N4 reinstalled her eyeball, the optic nerve reconnected, and her green eyes lit up, transforming from mere high-polymer plastic into something full of life.
"My consciousness has weakened from constant implant replacements and thought transplants. Given my intellect and brain development, I should clearly recall the explosion of the Haramuth Laboratory 239 years ago—yet now I begin to forget."
N4 massaged her temples, staring unblinkingly at the snow outside:
"Humans cannot achieve immortality. Death is a natural, necessary, universal disaster arranged by the Creator."
"Have you considered a brain transplant?"
The synthesized secretary's eyes brightened, and the quantum computer in its head offered a suggestion:
"Using your sperm and eggs stored in the bank, we could clone a new body through a cultivation pod."
"Meaningless. My consciousness has been uploaded countless times, my body replaced innumerable times, brain cells transplanted and replicated billions of times. Each transmission has accumulated my mental state."
N4 said coldly:
"And that is—chaos. My consciousness intensity has reached its limit, and its information entropy is about to peak, beyond what current technology can eliminate."
"Mortals cannot achieve immortality—whether by digital consciousness uploading or replacing the body. My telomeres and chromosomes are all normal, yet my mind's disorder will soon reach its maximum."
"I can say with certainty, this is an issue beyond the extraordinary knowledge of Azure Star. Only the advanced knowledge of a [Biochemist], which might exist in GTB's hands, could potentially make a difference."
That was why she sent agents to infiltrate GTB's headquarters and steal extraordinary knowledge.
Yet, given that the group's finest Sulan Operations Team had already failed…
"Without a pioneer's leadership, Abyss will face decline," the synthesized secretary said.
"Such is fate."
Even when faced with her imminent demise, N4 maintained her cold, indifferent demeanor.
She didn't care for anyone's life—not even her own.
"I'll make arrangements for your funeral: dissection and storage, as per your will."
The secretary nodded and withdrew.
N4 stared out at the world outside the window.
As a top technocrat and magnate leading a technological conglomerate, her pursuit of beauty was nonexistent. She had never cared for attire or personal entertainment. Most of her wealth went into running her corporation.
Yet now, with death looming, she often found herself gazing at the snow.
Under the half-open shield projector, Abyss Headquarters lacked artificial sunlight and was instead enveloped in a black winter night.
What was there to see? No one understood.
Indeed, there wasn't much.
Even N4 didn't know why she did this.
As she silently observed the snowy scene, her office door was abruptly knocked upon.
Knock-knock-knock!
"Pioneer, something big has happened."
Urgent triple knocks rang out, followed by a loud shout.
N4 remained unmoving, gazing at the dark snowfall.
"Pioneer, Alborinta, Alborinta!"
Without turning her head, N4 spoke: "What's happened to Alborinta?"
"Alborinta—the ground-based gravitational wave receiver!"
Outside, the Abyss Industries executive, barely able to speak in his excitement, finally composed himself and said clearly:
"Just four minutes ago, during routine maintenance, two vacuum tubes ruptured, and Energy Unit No. 3 issued an alert. After repairs, the coding unit began functioning."
N4 slowly raised her head.
"Upon inspection, we detected gravitational waves unlike those from past giants like Beta-Three or Qi-Heng-Five. This time, they contained patterned information. Unbelievable…it's definitely a signal from extraterrestrial life."
She stood up, walked to the window, and raised her hand, trying to hold the snowflakes through the glass.
"The decoded message reads:"
Why did she so want to see snow today?
"——Dear Ms. N4, happy birthday."
---------------------------------
A big thank you to [Kill Jason] for joining my Patreon! Your support means a lot to me.