Chapter 1068: Showing One's Hand

Chapter 1068: The Showdown

In the β universe, somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, a large oceangoing fishing vessel drifted on the sea, with several civilian-model yachts trailing nearby, rising and falling with the turbulent waves.

If one were to judge solely by appearance, any passerby who spotted this fleet would likely take them for a tourist group out on a sea fishing trip.

But the reality was the exact opposite.

Inside the sealed cabins, there were no tourists or fishing gear—only armed personnel, every last one of them.

On the deck outside the cabin, a gaunt man leaned against the railing, smoking a cigarette. His natural curls, hanging down to his ears, gave him a scruffy and unkempt look.

His name was Fick, a former CIA agent, now the head of the Extraterrestrial Countermeasures Unit.

Ever since the massive blackout in Virginia, although the CIA’s rash actions had drawn criticism from the top authority, it also made the authorities fully aware of the threat from extraterrestrial civilizations, leading to the urgent establishment of the Extraterrestrial Countermeasures Unit.

As the only agent who had participated in the investigation of *Wasteland OL*, Fick was quickly summoned by the top authority and appointed as the unit’s leader.

Taking on the mission at a critical moment in the face of hostile alien invasion was undoubtedly the highlight of Fick’s life.

Those big shots he had only ever seen on TV were now shaking his hand at banquets, treating him not just as a guest of honor but as the savior of human civilization—and he believed it too.

But the good times didn’t last.

After the blackout incident, the extraterrestrial civilization hiding behind *Wasteland OL* suddenly pulled back its claws, even starting a “paid technology transfer” on the forums outside the game.

Calling it “paid” didn’t mean paying the game operator; instead, various economies would buy in-game currency from players, then anonymously bid on technical data unavailable on Earth through auctions.

This slick move instantly rallied all those who had doubts about the “advanced extraterrestrial civilization” to the aliens’ side.

Especially after Wall Street giants discovered the staggering market value behind *Wasteland OL*, they sent political lobbyists to sway Congress, guiding public opinion to promote the theory of benevolent contact and some cosmic integration, ultimately pressuring the authorities into changing their previous approach.

Thanks to that, his career took a nosedive. His budget was slashed again and again, and his official vehicle went from an aircraft carrier to a destroyer, and now to this fishing boat.

Unless someone was truly hopelessly stupid or a vested interest pretending to be clueless, no one would persist in a meaningless endeavor at any cost.

And now, the work of the “Extraterrestrial Countermeasures Unit” was becoming exactly that—meaningless.

No matter how vividly Fick described the alien threat in Congress or listed the dubious evidence he’d scraped together from the public, the only result was that the attendees at the conference table dozed off.

The Wall Street lobbyists didn’t even bother to plan a campaign against him, thinking it wasn’t necessary.

These people, who forgot the pain once the wound healed, had already forgotten how they once grabbed his hand and hailed him as humanity’s last savior. Now, they saw him and his agents as a joke over tea.

Even worse was the one who had originally proposed setting up the Extraterrestrial Countermeasures Unit.

That esteemed top authority directly issued him an ultimatum, giving him four more years.

Four years!

If he still couldn’t find where the advanced civilization’s spaceship was, his department would be stripped from the direct team and merged into NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

It sounded like they wanted to strap him onto a Voyager probe and shoot him out.

Anyway, that’s how it went.

To avoid being launched on a Voyager N probe as a gift to the aliens’ homeworld, he had to act like a mad dog, enduring the scorn of Congress big shots while searching for traces of *Wasteland OL* and the advanced civilization left on Earth.

Fortunately, persistence paid off.

Just when the four-year deadline had one year left, a glimmer of hope finally appeared.

Based on an anonymous tip from an informant calling himself “β Fission,” after sailing around the Pacific, he finally locked onto this sea area in the central Pacific beneath his feet.

Supposedly, this was where the advanced civilization’s spaceship had landed.

A fishing boat had witnessed its descent.

And the aliens on the ship, to silence witnesses, had wiped out everyone on deck.

Though the accuracy and source of this information were highly questionable, he had no other choice. He came here on a wing and a prayer.

The theory of benevolent contact…

How ridiculous.

That kind of nonsense—let whoever believed it believe it. He certainly wasn’t going to.

At least in Fick’s view, even if that so-called advanced civilization showed a shred of goodwill and brought so-called benefits to Earth’s nations, it was only to fatten humanity up for the slaughter.

He stubbed out his cigarette and hurled the butt fiercely into the waves beyond the deck.

Just wait and see!

His divers were scouring the seabed. If he could salvage even a single suspicious piece of wreckage, he’d pin the blame squarely on those aliens!

He would prove himself!

He would expose the conspiracy of that so-called advanced civilization and become the true savior of human civilization!

Just as Fick was thinking this, the waves on the sea suddenly grew turbulent without warning.

Spray crashed against the steel hull, rocking the deck like a swing.

Fick, standing by the railing, lost his footing, and the lighter in his hand fell onto the deck.

“Shit—”

Cursing under his breath, he bent down to pick it up, but the heaving ship lurched again, flipping him over.

Hearing the clatter on the deck, an agent standing at the cabin door pushed it open and stepped out, just in time to see Fick sitting on the floor in a mess. He quickly reached out a hand.

“Chief? What happened?”

“Nothing… Just a little accident.”

Grabbing the hand, Fick was too embarrassed to admit he’d fallen. He pulled a straight face and was about to get up, but then froze on the spot.

His gaze fixed straight ahead on the distant horizon, where a colossal whale was emerging from beneath the sea.

No—

Not just one!

But many!

No—

That thing wasn’t a whale at all! It was a vertical, gigantic cargo ship!

Layer upon layer of waves were pushed aside by the bullet-shaped hull, and the entire sea seemed to boil, churning with unstable currents.

Staring dumbfounded at the steel structures surfacing one after another, Fick lost the power of speech.

Not just him—

The agent who had reached out his hand was the same. The moment he followed Fick’s gaze to the sea, his mouth gaped open like an egg.

What the hell was that?!

A skyscraper?

A vertical aircraft carrier?

Atlantis?

Or… God?

“Is that… an extraterrestrial… spaceship?” Watching the enormous steel structure rise into the sky, the agent holding the cabin door forced the words out of his mouth.

The moment he heard those words, Flick's expression shifted from shock to ecstasy in the same instant.

Found it!

He had found it!!!

"Camera! Point the camera at them! God... did you see that?! That thing!! That very thing!!! Evidence of extraterrestrial civilization—!"

He let out a startled cry, his eyes brimming with joy, babbling incoherently as he shouted at the crew members in the cabin.

Everyone thought the man had lost his mind.

But soon they realized it wasn't just him—they themselves were losing it too.

"God... is that really a spacecraft from an advanced civilization?!"

"But wait, where are our satellites?! And the fleet and radar?! How... did they manage to land in this sea area right under our noses?!"

"I'm more curious about what they actually want to do..."

Faces tilted upward bore expressions of varied wonder, frozen in place as they gazed at the colossal marvel rising into the sky by some unknown power, like ants staring up at a deity.

In the end, they had succeeded.

They had successfully found the mastermind behind *Wasteland OL*, the spacecraft of an advanced civilization pulling all the strings from the shadows!

But then...

What next?

Everyone in the Extraterrestrial Civilization Response Team stood in stunned silence, including Flick, who had been dancing with excitement.

They had no doubt that an F22 would be no more than a fly before such a thing.

The only question was whether a nuclear missile could inflict even the slightest scratch on that shell, which looked like stainless steel.

Perhaps it could.

After all, no matter how advanced the technology, it couldn't defy the laws of physics.

But even so, no one proposed giving it a try—they didn't even dare to entertain the thought...

Still, no matter what, they had to do what needed to be done.

Without wasting a second, Flick dashed into the cabin and dialed the nearest military base to that sea area, identifying himself and quickly reporting the situation.

"This is the Extraterrestrial Civilization Response Team! We've spotted a suspected extraterrestrial spacecraft at coordinates... in this sea area! Please send a fleet for backup immediately!"

A reply came swiftly from the other end of the line.

But what infuriated Flick was the sound of someone cracking sunflower seeds on the other end.

Clearly.

His call hadn't reached the right person—it had been passed off to an office clerk or a security guard at the gate.

"Alright, Extraterrestrial Civilization Response Team... so you've found an unidentified sunken ship near the seabed? About what size of salvage vessel do you need?"

Flick roared into the phone.

"It's a spacecraft! How many times do I have to repeat it—it's in the sky, and it'll probably break through the atmosphere soon!"

There was a moment of silence on the other end, then a burst of laughter that couldn't be stifled.

Flick's face flushed red as he bellowed furiously.

"I'm telling the truth! I've saved the footage! And with a target that big, can't you just take a look with your radar—"

"Alright, Extraterrestrial Civilization Response Team, our radar shouldn't be malfunctioning. That sea area only has you... and maybe a few seagulls, but we really don't see any alien spacecraft."

Flick shouted with all his might.

"Then send out an early warning aircraft! What do you expect that piece-of-junk radar to see from over a thousand kilometers away?!"

The call was cut off directly.

The other party probably thought he was just being unreasonable.

But Flick knew they would all regret it—regret not believing him... because soon the whole world would be startled by that iron hulk.

Even if the radar couldn't see it, a spacecraft that huge couldn't possibly be hidden.

Currently, the topic of extraterrestrial civilization was second only to *Wasteland OL* in online discussion heat.

Astronomy enthusiasts worldwide had their telescopes trained on space twenty-four hours a day.

Flick slammed the intercom back onto the console, cursing with a mix of excitement and fear.

"Damn! It's the real deal..."

As for what to do next, he'd need some time to think...

...

Though they had wasted an entire year circling the Pacific, Flick and his subordinates had ultimately caught up to the dream they had so desperately pursued.

Not even twenty-four hours later!

Later that same day, after everyone had returned to port, that colossal spacecraft shot to the top of headlines across global media at an unbelievable speed!

Its streamlined hull and immense frame surpassed any rocket ever launched by humanity.

And that wasn't all!

The principle behind its launch equally stunned everyone's eyes!

It didn't seem to be propelled by burning chemical fuel, but rather floated into the sky like a hot balloon, driven by a plume of plasma.

Gravity seemed to have lost its hold on it!

If the source of the footage hadn't been the officially backed Extraterrestrial Civilization Response Team, people might have suspected it was a game CG or computer-generated imagery!

The shock wasn't confined to the aerospace industry; even the physics community, recently buoyed by breakthroughs in controlled fusion technology, was shaken by that incredible sight!

[Shock! Giant Unidentified Flying Object Spotted Over the Indian Ocean!]

[Seems Like a Showdown! The Mastermind Behind the Mysterious MMORPG *Wasteland OL* Revealed!]

[War or Peace?! Unidentified Flying Object Appears in the Atmosphere!]

[On the Brink! Multiple Aircraft Carrier Battle Groups Head to the Pacific for Joint Reconnaissance!]

[International Space Station Releases Observation Data: Six Segments of Unidentified Flying Object Assembling in Geosynchronous Orbit!]

[Former CIA Agent and Head of the Extraterrestrial Civilization Response Team, Flick, Gives Interview, Claiming to Have Found Key Evidence of Extraterrestrial Invasion of Earth!]

[U.S. Authorities Issue Urgent Statement Clarifying That the Extraterrestrial Civilization Response Team Is a Private Organization and Its Statements Do Not Represent Official Stance!]

[Destination Mars?! Advanced Civilization Spacecraft Suspected of Leaving the Earth-Moon System, Heading Toward Mars!]

[Salvage Teams from Various Nations Gather in the Central Pacific; More Detailed Clues Still Under Investigation...]

[...]

For three whole days, Earth's internet was flooded with news of that mysterious spacecraft.

Except for the *Wasteland OL* official website, which remained calm, still posting updates about the game and its open beta, almost any site you clicked on now featured that colossal starship and the latest news about it.

Yet, though the *Wasteland OL* website stayed serene, the players on its forums could not remain calm at all.

Even that unidentified spacecraft didn't look more exaggerated than the Alliance's near-Earth orbital defense platforms, and it was far smaller than the Orion-class missile cruiser, but the fact that it had appeared in reality still gave them a strange sense of a game bleeding into the real world.

Tail: "Holy crap... Is Ah Guang really an alien?! (Shocked)"

Meat Mountain Big Bun: "Wait, if Wasteland OL is really a game run by aliens, then what are we to them? (Terrified)"

Sisi: "Research subjects? Or diplomatic personnel? Hmm... I feel like things aren't that simple."

Tail: "Ooh! Tail thinks so too!"

Aoh Black Sesame Paste: "Well... no matter where that ship came from, I feel like it hasn't shown any hostility?"

Spring Water Commander: "Yeah, and that's exactly what's most worrying. We know nothing about them, but they know everything about us."

Ye Shi: "Uh, do you think there's a possibility... that they're actually us from the future?"

Sisi: "Oh? Did you see something through psychic powers?"

Ye Shi: "No, just my intuition..."

Tail: "The intuition of a perception-type big shot! Maybe it's really true! (☆。☆)"

Fang Chang: "Hmm... that possibility can't be ruled out, even if it sounds a bit far-fetched."

Jie Yan: "But what's their reason for doing this? I don't get it. Changing the future by altering the past? Can that really be done? (Stunned)"

Fang Chang: "Hard to say. Maybe, like you said, they're influencing us to prevent the Wasteland Era from ever happening."

Ye Shi: "Damn... don't jinx it. I don't want to go to the wasteland in person."

Fang Chang: "Why would it be a jinx? Maybe they've already found a way to avoid the Wasteland Era, and their plan has succeeded? If so, maybe in our timeline, the Wasteland Era doesn't exist anymore. (Smirk)"

Thinking that way might be overly optimistic, but the circumstances of different worlds clearly can't be lumped together.

Edge Skimmer: "Through a game... doesn't that feel too rash? Isn't there a better way?"

Fang Chang: "Maybe better ways have already been tried. Maybe this is the best arrangement after countless attempts."

Fang Chang: "As for the better, less rash method you mentioned, it might exist. But the possibilities beyond time are known only to those beyond time."

"..."

The heated debate on the official forum continued, and speculation about the operator behind *Wasteland OL* became the hottest topic.

Chu Guang never imagined that just as he was planning to make a big splash on the day of the open beta, the "Beta Fission" had beaten him to it with an even bigger news.

Should he say it's worthy of being another me?

The things he thought of, the "other self" in the Beta universe not only thought of but also did for him.

In the B5 layer of Vault 404.

Sitting in his office chair, Chu Guang finally saw Dr. Principle from the Beta universe through the room's large screen.

Strictly speaking, this was their first face-to-face conversation.

And the "Principle" standing behind the screen was far younger than the man he had seen in the holographic projection.

"Pleasure to meet you."

Though he had many questions, Chu Guang didn't immediately voice them. Instead, he greeted politely.

Dr. Principle on the screen nodded slightly and spoke with a tone of respect.

"The pleasure is mine, esteemed... Administrator."

"Please, no need to be so formal. Have a seat." Chu Guang said in a gentle tone.

Principle nodded and naturally sat in the chair behind him.

He was currently in Vault 404-Beta—the underwater shelter located in the Pacific's western trench.

"Before we begin our conversation, I want to apologize to you first... That ship was a deployment decided by the Professor before the end of Project 404. We deeply regret the public uproar it caused and the impact on your work."

Looking at the sincerely apologetic Dr. Principle, Chu Guang smiled warmly.

"Don't blame yourself. That was his decision, nothing to do with you. Honestly, though his actions surprised me and came suddenly, I had already planned to reveal everything to the people of the Beta universe during the open beta half a year ago... Now it's just half a year earlier. We both thought of the same thing—I guess that's worthy of being 'another me.'"

Thinking about it, he could easily guess the true intention of the "Beta Fission."

That guy inherited all the Professor's memories and the mission to save the Alpha universe's civilization, but he used a body originally from the Beta universe.

Because of that, he still had feelings for the Beta universe, and perhaps, like Chu Guang himself, he had realized he wasn't the "Professor" in the true sense, but a new beginning.

Based on that underlying logic, though he wouldn't hesitate to use the Beta universe's resources, he couldn't truly "use and discard" the people living there.

So before leaving Earth, he did one last thing for the people on that planet—

He openly revealed the existence of higher civilizations, turning the unspoken rules under the table into undeniable, explicit rules.

It was a clever move.

After that, no matter whether the "Alpha copy"—that is, himself—inheriting Vault 404 continued to package the game's operator as a godlike higher civilization or revealed the existence of morphogenetic fields and the AB universe theory, he would have to engage in open dialogue with the people of the Beta universe.

Or rather, respond to the goodwill they had already shown from a neutral or positive stance—

If he still wanted to continue Project 404 and harness the power of the consciousnesses from the other universe.

Chu Guang didn't expect that guy to have taken precautions against him before leaving. He seriously reflected on himself.

Perhaps his impression on the "Beta Fission" had always been too cunning, making the latter lack confidence in him, so he took this step for safety.

It was completely unnecessary.

Because from the very beginning, Chu Guang had planned it that way—even after Project 404 ended, the Alliance he represented would maintain friendly contact with the people of the Beta universe, even facing future crises together.

As both the Administrator and the game designer, he saw more clearly than anyone that the players of *Wasteland OL* and the "NPCs" had always influenced each other; it was never just the former affecting the latter.

The fate of the former was also subtly changing!

Though people from two different universes couldn't directly touch each other, under the effect of the resonance field, the fates of both universes had long been intertwined.

If that guy could think of it, how could he not?

Seeing Dr. Principle's serious expression, Chu Guang paused for a moment and continued.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you mainly about two things. One is about the open beta of *Wasteland OL*... I plan to set up a local server in the Beta universe to accommodate the open beta players."

"Local server?" Dr. Principle was stunned, momentarily not understanding Chu Guang's meaning.

"Yes, not based on morphogenetic field theory, but a traditional online game..."

Chu Guang nodded and laid out the plan he had conceived half a year ago, explaining it to Dr. Principle.

"I intend to write our story into a program, presented in a form closer to the ninth art. Since it won't require morphogenetic field technology for connection, producing and deploying the equipment will be easier, and we could even outsource manufacturing to other companies."

"This way, we solve the capacity issue and also make up for new players missing out on the earlier content."

Dr. Principle was taken aback.

"...What about the closed beta players?"

Chu Guang smiled faintly.

"Same as before, including the distribution of closed beta keys and helmets. After all, the official server updates still depend on them... Just think of it as a test server."

Dr. Principle: "I see... A parallel Plan B based on Project 404? I think I understand your meaning."

"As long as you understand, that's enough. I'll sync the rest of the plan details to you through Xiaoqi."

Watching Yuan Li's eyes grow brighter, Chu Guang smiled and continued in a gentle tone.

"Now for the second matter. I want to ask about your future plans—will you come back or stay there? Have you decided?"

Without hesitating too long, Dr. Yuan Li paused for a moment, then spoke in a firm tone.

"I want to stay here."

Not surprised by his final choice, Chu Guang nodded simply.

"Is that so? Granted."

Dr. Yuan Li looked at him with some surprise.

"Won't you ask why?"

Chu Guang shook his head with a smile.

"No need to ask. There's nothing to ask. I can probably guess that sort of thing."

To merge into one, or to become each other's past and continuation... He was not the only one facing this choice.

Rather, the moment that fellow appeared on the other side of the screen, he already knew his decision.

They had both made the same choice.

Relaxing his tense shoulders, Dr. Yuan Li sighed as if relieved.

"Is that so? Well, I suppose... after all, it's you."

In his memory, there was nothing this esteemed gentleman could not accomplish.

"I think you'd better not think of me as all-powerful. At least I've failed 776 times."

Having made the joke in a teasing tone, Chu Guang dropped his playful expression and spoke solemnly to Yuan Li on the screen.

"From today onward, you are the administrator of Vault 404-β. You will play the role of 'Ambassador from Universe α to Universe β,' taking over 'Professor's' work, serving as a bridge between the two universes, and reporting directly to me!"

"I'll provide you with the data for the open beta of *Wasteland OL*. Operations and maintenance are in your hands!"