Star City 1.
At Luna's request, the administrators across all regions were continuously gathering individuals exhibiting strong willpower.
The initial group of subjects had long since entered the super-microscopic world, yet they created no discernible ripple or feedback.
This silence stemmed from a fundamental lack of research into the super-microscopic realm; they simply couldn't detect what was occurring inside.
However, this was certainly not an achievement that could be accomplished overnight.
Luna had long ago directed every research institute in the Star Nation to dedicate resources to studying the super-microscopic world, increasing her financial commitment to this area by twentyfold.
This research initiative, since its very inception, had spanned nearly a thousand years, yet it had failed to yield any significant breakthroughs.
"The 15th cohort of individuals is about to enter the super-microscopic world."
A data packet arrived.
Luna merely glanced at the notification before dismissing it.
In the initial few trials, she would personally oversee the process.
But as time wore on, she had come to terms with a harsh reality: continuing to do so was merely engaging in wishful thinking—nothing more substantial.
She might be viewed as a vital superhero in the hearts of Chu, Hossie, and countless others.
But Luna herself understood with absolute clarity.
She was merely an insignificant, ordinary person in the grand scheme. All her current accomplishments were attributable to sheer fortune.
Perhaps not entirely, but easily over ninety percent of it was luck. The remaining fraction—less than ten percent—was her own diligence.
Within that small percentage attributed to her efforts, her individual contribution might account for only one percent. She possessed no unique, inherent abilities; she was simply a strategic decision-maker in the burgeoning human Civilization, not a field implementer.
The majority of the actual success belonged to Ayla.
Chu's assessment of Ayla's role was grossly inadequate.
Hossie didn't even know Ayla existed.
At this precise moment, the difficulties Luna faced were ones she simply could not resolve on her own.
As time progressed and Civilization advanced, the challenges confronting her were not only multiplying but growing increasingly complex and insurmountable.
At this juncture, her personal capacity felt somewhat insufficient to sustain the necessary momentum.
This was precisely why she held the resource theory of imagination in such high regard.
The resource theory of imagination posits gathering all individuals within a Civilization, consolidating them into a singular entity capable of developing across multiple dimensions.
If one person cannot resolve an issue, can one hundred people not solve it?
If one hundred people fail, what about ten thousand?
If ten thousand isn't enough, then one hundred thousand, one million!
The imagination of an individual is inherently limited, but the collective imagination of countless people is infinite.
Luna was now also aggressively increasing her investment in scholars focused on the super-microscopic world. This encompassed not only the academics within her direct research institute but also scholars elsewhere, as well as those who hadn't yet earned the title but were striving toward that goal.
She deeply hoped that through these accumulated efforts over time, the mysteries of the super-microscopic world could finally be unlocked.
That was the future she aimed for.
But for the present, inaction was impossible.
Therefore, she could only continue sending group after group of people into the super-microscopic world.
She desperately hoped these endeavors would succeed, but she knew perfectly well that she was merely constructing a facade of reassurance for herself using human lives. News of these individuals' departures would inevitably spread to every sector of Star City. Their entry into the super-microscopic world would also serve to reassure citizens that the Star Nation's leadership was actively striving for solutions.
Luna could not afford to cease this process.
The moment she stopped, widespread anxiety would ignite, threatening the stability of Star City itself.
"If Ayla were here, this would be so much easier."
Luna and Ayla's separation was beyond her control.
This, too, was a matter Luna could not dictate.
She rarely even inquired about Ayla's status, doing so only to avoid drawing the attention of the Connector Civilization via the Metacellular project monitoring.
[Communication received from the Third. Please prepare for reception.]
Luna was currently occupied, preparing for a new high-level meeting.
The agenda for this meeting concerned the growing problems plaguing Star City 3.
The issues within Star City 3 remained unresolved; the situation there was considerably complex.
Star City 3 possessed the most accommodating mortal realm among all Star Cities. This environment fostered intense, perhaps conflicting, emotions among its inhabitants.
To put it plainly, the citizens of Star City 3 were overwhelmingly filled with a "saintly inclination," hoping to redeem those controlled by the enemy rather than resorting to direct elimination.
Luna was, naturally, very resolute, inclined to disregard the citizens' perspective entirely.
However, she had to carefully consider the limits of her actions.
If she proceeded unilaterally, Star City 3 would inevitably descend into chaos. Since it was impossible to guarantee the complete eradication of the enemy influence, a full-scale riot could easily provide the hostile forces with an exploitable opportunity.
Should they resort to erasing the memories of every inhabitant in the Star City once the crisis passed?
And even if memory alteration was attempted, could it be executed flawlessly?
Countless logistical and ethical problems awaited Luna's decision-making. From her standpoint, the choices made by Star City 3's citizens were difficult to comprehend.
Yet, this was precisely the fundamental divergence between different forms of life.
Luna, after reviewing this data, momentarily set the issue aside. Only after concluding her immediate critical tasks did she have the time to open the awaited message.
Upon reading the message, her first internal reaction was to silently award Chu a "like" for his decisive action.
Although many observers were unaware that Chu originated from Star City 4, how could someone who had been alongside him for so long possibly overlook it?
Therefore, for Chu, this decision represented a significant psychological hurdle.
That he could proceed without hesitation was already profoundly noteworthy.
Naturally, numerous other factors were at play, including the strategic value of Star City 4 itself.
Luna felt no surprise that Chu was vacating Star City 4, thereby allowing her to select a new leader. It appeared he no longer held any personal stake or expectation in its administration.
For Luna, this entire sequence was standard operational procedure.
She hadn't anticipated this exact outcome, but she could certainly accept it.
However, one specific item mentioned in this message immediately seized her attention: Super Force!
Wasn't this precisely the variable she had been searching for?
"Main Computer, instruct Chu to collect and transmit all available data regarding Super Force immediately."
[Affirmative.]
Both Chu and the warship's main computer considered Super Force effective, but ultimately limited in scope.
But Luna perceived the inherent, underlying potential of Super Force.
The issue wasn't what the discovery itself represented.
Although Super Force appeared to play no significant role in the existing historical records, this was undoubtedly just the initial phase. Perhaps Super Force held the key to unlocking the super-microscopic realm for them.
This was, in her estimation, the most crucial prospect.
But the methodology—how to utilize Super Force as that precise key—remained unknown to her.
She was not a specialist in that particular domain.
Luna also wasn't certain who possessed the necessary expertise to realize this potential, but she was confident such an individual would exist.
This resonated with the core tenets of the resource theory of imagination.
Vladimir's discovery of Super Force—wasn't that itself a manifestation of the resource theory of imagination?
A breakthrough discovery, not solely emerging from the efforts of elite scholars.
As long as broader participation was engaged, Super Force would inevitably become that essential key.
"In the historical records, Vladimir seemed to seek out Hossie. If he located Hossie, and they, alongside the remaining scholars affiliated with Hossie, could conduct joint research, perhaps they could indeed uncover something significant."
"Perhaps they, too, glimpsed the super-microscopic world... It's highly plausible. This might provide Chu with crucial guidance, ensuring he isn't as adrift as he currently seems."
"Main Computer, inform Chu that Hossie might potentially still be alive. Convey just that minimal piece of information. He will know the necessary steps."
Luna hoped this might inject some much-needed motivation into Chu.
Yet, even she harbored little real belief that Hossie was truly still among the living.
Her current decision, however, would undoubtedly initiate significant changes.
...
The data pertaining to Super Force finally reached Luna's hands thirty-five days later.
The content within was, frankly, tragic.
There were too many absurd logical leaps, and even though Luna had never deeply immersed herself in quantum mechanics, she could clearly sense the pervading lack of confidence embedded in the findings.
The individual who discovered Super Force was utterly lost within a theoretical maze.
It had eventually reached an endpoint, but because it had done so too many times through brute force, it had forgotten the correct path it traversed.
If the exact same experiment were replicated from the starting point, retaining all memories, the discoverer still wouldn't know the correct route and would repeatedly encounter the same obstacles.
"For a two-star scholar to achieve this level of documentation is already quite impressive."
Luna refrained from harshly criticizing the researcher responsible for the Super Force derivations.
She instructed the main computer: "Log Vladimir's name. Super Force was discovered by him. Of course, do not omit the contributions of the unnamed individuals. Compile this information as a formal file and make it accessible for review."
[Affirmative. The texts "Vladimir", "Super Force", and "Records of Star City 4" have been compiled and stored within the core knowledge base. Shall they be transmitted to the human Civilization knowledge archive?]
"Transmit!"
The Human Civilization knowledge archive was a comprehensive repository containing all recorded human knowledge, built by Ayla. It also constituted a portion of Ayla's personal storage unit, directly managed by her.
"Main Computer, transmit the data for 'Super Force' to all quantum mechanics scholars for immediate observation. Initiate a large-scale budgetary project to research potential application scenarios for the Super Force, categorizing its value across four distinct tiers based on the scope of application."
"Tier One, Small-Scale Initial Stimulation. Computational usage scale not exceeding 100 million individuals, issuing a 100 million Energy Credit bonus."
"Tier Two, Medium-Scale Generative Model. Computational usage scale not exceeding 10 billion individuals, issuing a 1 billion Energy Credit bonus."
"Tier Three, Large-Scale Commercial Grade. Computational usage scale not exceeding 1 trillion individuals, issuing a 10 billion Energy Credit bonus."
"Tier Four, Colossal-Scale Phenomenal Grade. Computational usage scale exceeding 1 trillion individuals, issuing a 100 billion Energy Credit bonus."
"Should any other fundamental super-microscopic world forces be discovered, a reward of 10 billion Energy Credits shall be issued per force."
This required scale was, in fact, not overly immense.
Luna only needed to allocate a total of 100 trillion in capital to achieve this objective.
However, this low figure did not imply that fundamental super-microscopic world forces held so little worth.
Funds were primarily allocated to incentivize lower-tier scholars.
Top-tier researchers, if they pursued related technology, would invariably prioritize commercialization first—that is where genuine wealth generation lay.
And for them, financial backing ensured that even if they failed to develop commercially viable products, they would not suffer substantial losses.
Of course, the majority of the bonus recipients would certainly not be individual scholars.
They would be corporations.
The Star Nation maintained specialized laboratories that generated income through experimental production.
But their operational scale remained too confined. A major corporation's capital capacity allowed it to invest far more aggressively in the early stages, leading to a much quicker practical implementation of new discoveries.
There is a fitting adage:
A corporation is a miniature Star Nation, and a Star Nation is merely a vastly larger corporation!
The number of dedicated laboratory personnel was finite, whereas a company could deploy a million scholars supported by a hundred million personnel catering to those scholars' needs.
This highlighted the immense power of organized capital.
And this was the extent of Luna's immediate capabilities.
She lacked the requisite specialized knowledge; she was not a domain expert. Professionals handle professional tasks. If she were to intervene directly in technical matters, she would only compound the chaos.
This adhered to the principle of governance: officials should not interfere in commerce.
However, this did not preclude Luna from seeking improvements to existing technology.
Although Vladimir's technology was rather rudimentary, the Super Force was, at the very least, a type of super-microscopic force. As long as it could be harnessed, a certain degree of information could be extracted from the super-microscopic realm.
"Summon the chief executives of Losinola, Yunui, and HHHI—the three major corporations—for an immediate briefing!" Luna commanded the main computer.
These three companies currently represented the largest quantum research entities within Star City 1.
Among them, HHHI had already established a branch in Star City 5. Based on the technological assets gained from that outpost, they held a notable advantage over the other two firms.
While Losinola was not as deeply integrated as the HHHI Corporation, 34% of the technology underpinning the Particle Shackle weaponry used to resolve the crisis in Star City 1 actually originated from Losinola.
The Eternally Democratic Star Nation, and even the Federation itself, possessed a substantial volume of technology that was never subject to official governmental research channels.
According to statistical analysis since entering the New Era over 70,000 years ago, the origin of high-tech innovation had shifted dramatically: from an initial 99% originating from official sources, it had now dropped to only 28%, with a dominant 72% of high-tech advancements being developed by private enterprises.
Of course, this metric only accounted for sheer quantity.
If one analyzed the qualitative superiority of these innovations, official, high-level scientific breakthroughs still surpassed 91% of the total.
Nevertheless, even that residual 9% represented an enormous contribution to the advancement of human Civilization, especially considering these private companies operated with significantly fewer resources than the government apparatus.
The actual resource conversion rate into high-tech innovations for private firms was calculated to be sixteen times higher than that of the government sector.
This was precisely why Luna and Ayla had previously invested so heavily in supporting the general citizenry.
The pressure of maintaining citizen welfare exists within a Civilization.
Conversely, the pressure governing survival is predominantly exerted outside the Civilization. The external expanse was clearly vast and unforgiving.
During the former Federation era, it was precisely the protracted conflicts with the Filament Civilization and the Olive Branch Civilization that propelled human Civilization into a phase of rapid development, compelling the government to truly assert its full operational capacity.
During prolonged periods of peace, the most efficient catalyst for progress is always found within the Civilization itself. Stability and persistence allow for the synergy of numerous collectives, each group possessing divergent imaginations, thereby sparking greater innovation.
...
Luna organized the documents held in her hand.
Then she proceeded to the conference room.
This time, it was an online conference session.
Although the matter was extremely urgent, Luna was certain these corporations would not pass up such a clear opportunity for massive financial gain.
This situation was distinctly different from the previous meeting with the governmental officials.
Upon entering the meeting room, the main computer promptly displayed a notification:
[The chief executives of the three major corporations—Beili, Waterar, and Faslanti—have logged in and are awaiting commencement. Shall the meeting open?]
"Yes!"
Luna sat down, and immediately, three figures materialized before her, or perhaps more accurately, three shifting masses of mist; they were all descendants of the Olive Branch lineage.
"The central computer should have already detailed the specific requirements to you, so I will refrain from unnecessary elaboration," Luna stated, her inherent authority immediately manifesting.
Facing Luna, the three decision-makers of these super-corporations—figures situated at the zenith of ordinary citizens within the Star Nation—sat rigidly upright, displaying noticeable nervousness.
"Super Force!"
"This is the first super-microscopic force we have successfully identified."
"Our Star Nation is currently confronting a threat originating from the super-microscopic realm. Super Force, alongside other super-microscopic entities, will become essential assets for dealing with hostile Civilizations."
"For other research institutions, I have already enacted funding policies to support their endeavors, but for you, I require the complete and rapid development of the super-microscopic world. I expect to see super-microscopic world architectures established at the fastest possible speed, and crucially, I need the super-microscopic world integrated with the macro world."
All super-corporations maintained established connections to official government channels.
These official channels frequently issued directives to promote the continued expansion of these corporations.
Now, it was the moment for these corporations to provide a substantial return on that support.
"I do not concern myself with academic minutiae, nor do I wish to debate the specifics. I do not know how long your research will take, and I will not mandate a specific completion date."
"But I hope you all understand: this is a race against extinction. A single error could plunge the entire Star Nation into eternal perdition."
"The first entity to deliver verifiable results will receive a retroactive cash injection of 10 quadrillion credits, alongside a pledge of 40 quadrillion in future policy support." Luna announced, her expression inscrutable.
However, the three executives listening to her words were visibly agitated.
The quantum field sector was currently a consistent drain on resources; their companies generated virtually no profit and incurred annual losses. Their immense scale was entirely sustained by investors from across human Civilization.
The investment market heavily favored the super-microscopic field.
Their own peak market valuation was only tens of quadrillions of Energy Credits. This represented market valuation, not tangible cash flow.
Because they were interstellar corporations, their operational overhead was inherently massive. Across all corporations within human Civilization, an annual 100% profit rate of even 5% was considered exceptional. For instance, Supernova Technology Corporation's annual 100% profit rate remained merely 3% until Luna's management led to it exceeding 5%. It must be noted that Supernova Technology benefited from utilizing alien Civilization technology, effectively incurring almost zero R&D costs.
Furthermore, Supernova Technology Corporation was fundamentally a weapons manufacturer.
Within human Civilization's broader economy, the standard annual 100% profit rate for most companies hovered around one-thousandth (0.1%).
For example, HHHI Corporation's predecessor was a mining enterprise. Logically, it should have been highly lucrative. In reality, while its gross revenue over a hundred years could indeed reach a scale of 370 quadrillion, its net profit amounted to a meager 711 trillion.
Therefore, this total support package of 50 quadrillion was equivalent to 5,000 to 10,000 years of profit for these corporations. It was no wonder they were so fiercely tempted.
The rules Luna established for them promoted a fierce competition mechanism, which would greatly stimulate their investment and determination. These corporate decision-makers were exceedingly sensitive to capital incentives.
Waterar, the chief executive of Yunui Corporation, finally broke the silence and inquired: "Then, what is the reward for the second entity?"
The first corporation to achieve success received such a monumental reward; naturally, they needed to know the value of securing the second-place slot.
They awaited Luna's definitive reply.
However, Luna's answer was simply: "None."
"This is a winner-take-all agreement. The victor claims everything; the loser forfeits all."
"I believe you are fully aware that this isn't just my personal stipulation; this is a commercial war."
"The initial victor will inevitably absorb everything. Are you truly suggesting we support the second party to somehow surpass the first?"
Even providing backing to the second-place contender would only slow its inevitable decline, not propel it toward success.
Especially for groundbreaking new technology, achieving the initial breakthrough secures immense commercial dominance.
It isn't solely about the 50 quadrillion Luna represents; numerous other investors fear being relegated to second position.
It is possible that the winner will ascend to become one of the Federation's most influential corporations; this is no trivial matter.
Hearing this declaration.
All three key decision-makers took a sharp intake of breath.
This was essentially forcing their hand!
While the agreement stated no fixed timeline, this competitive structure served as the ultimate constraint!
They exchanged glances, now viewing each other as their most formidable immediate adversaries.
"Are there any further inquiries?"
"This is not a minor issue. I will need to deliberate on all aspects of this situation."
"I certainly do not wish for you to be negligent in any manner. This concerns not only your respective corporations but also the very survival of the entire Star Nation."
The decision-maker representing HHHI Corporation in Star City 1 was named Faslanti.
HHHI Corporation was the wealthiest among the three major corporations in Star City 1. Its origins traced back to at least a super mining conglomerate, whereas the other two corporations were newly established entities, lacking deep local roots and relying entirely on external investment for support.
He was also the most outwardly confident of the three.
What primarily concerned him wasn't the spoils for the second-place company, but the critical issue of information parity.
"We must guarantee that the intelligence obtained remains identical across all parties; otherwise, I feel this entire competition becomes meaningless."
The underlying reason for this demand was that the Losinola Corporation was a local enterprise deeply tied to the Eternal Cycle Star Nation.
Faslanti did not know Luna's precise standing. He merely presumed Luna's vested interests aligned with the Eternal Cycle Star Nation.
Therefore, any secret favoritism shown by Luna toward Losinola Corporation would be highly detrimental.
His current position dictated the level of information accessible to Faslanti.
The mere fact that Luna initiated contact with them had already elevated them to a status they hadn't originally commanded, making such suspicion entirely normal.
"I can guarantee that this competition will be conducted with absolute fairness, adjudicated under the arbitration of the main computer system."
"Of course, I shall not interfere with any subsequent methods you employ to secure advantages later on. That falls under a separate matter, provided it remains compliant with Star Nation regulations."
After stating this.
It was observable that Beili, the decision-maker for Losinola Corporation, appeared somewhat disappointed.
They were the local power, while Yunui and HHHI Corporation both hailed from the Federation.
The Federation represented the core of human Civilization, possessing significantly greater resources and talent than the Star Nation.
Consequently, they were undeniably the weakest party in this arrangement.
However, Beili held alternative strategies in mind.
Perhaps later, they could widely publicize the details of this arrangement.
The populace held conflicting loyalties between the Star Nation and the Federation. By skillfully leveraging these ingrained emotions, they might secure some form of advantage.
"I believe we have overlooked one crucial point."
"Since this research is being subsidized by Star Nation funds, the resultant discoveries should rightfully belong to the Star Nation. While the corporations naturally retain certain rights, I contend that these rights must be strictly confined within the Star Nation's boundaries."
Beili's assertion immediately drew animosity from the other two decision-makers.
His meaning, stripped down, was clear: the monopoly rights must remain internal to the Star Nation. If these corporations sought to utilize the resulting technology beyond the Star Nation's borders, permission would be denied.
This was, in fact, a standard maneuver in commercial rivalry.
Many technological breakthroughs within the Star Nation and the Federation were deliberately siloed from each other.
Of course, this exclusivity required quotation marks, as it primarily meant the private sectors operated independently. The private sector relied on monopoly protections to secure the rights derived from their investments. If corporate rights weren't safeguarded, the massive financial pipelines invested by these companies could not be recouped, allowing other entities or individuals to commercialize the results without having borne the initial investment risk.
The point Beili raised was, fundamentally, reasonable.
It was simply that Luna had omitted this restriction earlier, which Yunui and HHHI Corporation were naturally pleased to accept at the moment.
Although all three parties were descendants of the Olive Branch lineage, they were present to represent the interests of their respective corporations and were not prioritizing the welfare of the entire Star Nation at this juncture.
And now, this timely objection would undoubtedly cause the two Federation-aligned corporations immense financial repercussions down the line.
The Star Nation was, ultimately, just the Star Nation; it could not compare with the Federation, nor with the market of all human Civilization.
However.
None of the three knew that Luna hadn't overlooked this point, but had consciously chosen not to impose such a restriction.
She stated: "That restriction is unnecessary."
"The Star Nation will impose absolutely no restrictions on any technology researched by your three companies. Furthermore, the Star Nation will also provide equitable compensation, paying royalties for any subsequent use. You may rest assured on this aspect."
As the guiding figurehead for all of human Civilization, Luna would naturally avoid adopting a narrow-minded stance favoring any single faction.
Beili's expression darkened upon hearing this.
Yet, this type of decision-maker always held numerous contingency plans.
Luna and the three continued to discuss the finer points of the agreement, and the official contract would only be finalized a year later. They possessed ample time to meticulously scrutinize the legality and rationale behind every clause.