464: Or just accept it.

"Something's not right, this is very wrong."

Wang Yin immediately issued a command to his personal terminal.

"Xiao Liu, access the company's internal historical database. Search for keywords: colonization, exploration ship, Star Gate. Perform a cross-reference, especially similarity analysis on technical details and event descriptions."

"Command accepted, retrieving and analyzing," the terminal AI, "Xiao Liu," responded.

The wait for results wasn't long, but for Wang Yin and Dai Xing, it was somewhat grueling. If their guess was true, the nature of this matter would completely change.

A few minutes later, a comparative analysis report appeared on the screen.

The report showed that the content involving historical origins in the Sisterhood's "Book of Origins" was highly similar to the records in the company's historical database regarding the "Star Calendar Year 24 Interstellar Exploration Activities."

There were also test reports for the company's first Star Gate, and several documents marked "Investigation Report on the Disappearance of Experimental Colonization Ships (Summary)."

The similarity curve was shockingly high, and the report's conclusion was simple.

"Comprehensive comparative analysis shows that the 'Origin Account' provided by the unknown signal source is highly consistent with the records in the company's historical database regarding the 'Star Calendar Year 24 Interstellar Exploration Activities' and related early colonization disappearance events. The consistency in core events, technical background, and narrative logic reaches 88.8%."

"Hypothesis: This unknown civilization is very likely a product of the population transfer (referred to in internal documents as 'exile') conducted by the company in Star Calendar Year 24 under the name of 'Interstellar Exploration' through an early experimental Star Gate. They are descendants of a specific group from the Old Western Civilization background. This transfer resulted in the loss of contact with the colonization fleet due to Star Gate instability and unknown interference, and the colonization ship eventually lost contact."

"Please note that reports related to this are only available to the Technology Research and Development Department, except for the Strategic Investment Department. Relevant personnel must follow the company's confidentiality regulations after accessing the archives."

Wang Yin and Dai Xing looked at the report and didn't speak for a long time.

"So..." Dai Xing spoke first, his voice a bit dry, "We didn't encounter some mysterious alien civilization. We accidentally got in touch with the descendants of 'our own people' who were thrown out like trash by the company over a hundred years ago?"

"And these descendants even beautified the act of being dumped back then into a 'Sacred Migration' and 'Divine Selection'?"

"As surreal as it is, it looks like that's the case." Wang Yin rubbed his brow, feeling like his brain was short on oxygen. "Those 'Givers' and 'Chosen Ones' are probably just the team leaders and ship AIs from back then, or maybe some power-players who emerged from the Bottleneck. The 'Great Ship' is likely that single batch of colonization ships the company produced. The 'Gate of Starlight' should be that experimental Star Gate..."

"Good grief, this misunderstanding is really..."

He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. After all that, the other party's incredibly excited response, which they treated like a divine oracle from their ancestors, was actually just two ordinary technical staff members from the company replying to an inquiry while on vacation.

And the origin myth they held as sacred was nothing more than a rather unsavory bit of the company's early dark history.

"What do we do now?" Dai Xing asked. "Tell them the truth? 'Hey friends, stop worshiping. You aren't the Chosen Ones; your ancestors were just handled as a nuisance by our ancestors'?"

"Uh... hmm." Wang Yin imagined the scene. The other party would likely either have a crisis of faith and commit suicide, or they would instantly hate their 'ancestors' to the bone.

Neither outcome seemed particularly good.

He looked at the Sisterhood's self-account on the screen, filled with humility and a thirst for knowledge, then looked back at the cold comparative report.

"Let's not rush to a conclusion." Wang Yin pondered. "The report is just a hypothesis. The consistency is high, but it's not ironclad proof."

"Looking at their descriptions, there seems to have been a change in the flow of time at some point. Only a hundred-odd years have passed for us, but in their records, it was already hundreds of years ago."

"Now, they have developed into their own civilization with their own culture and social structure. To them, the 'Company' has long been a background element in their myths."

"Looking at their records, they don't even mention the company's existence. Well... that's not right either. According to their perception, the company indeed counts as their ancestor."

As he spoke, a complex emotion flashed in Wang Yin's eyes. There was curiosity, but also a subtle sense of responsibility.

"Since they treat us as 'Ancestors,' perhaps we can use this identity to do something."

"Hmm? What are you planning, kid?" Dai Xing was wary.

"Nothing much," Wang Yin smiled, but the smile lacked its previous playfulness and held more seriousness. "Just continue chatting with them as ancestors or as observers from the civilization of origin. See what these descendants of the exiled have become after all these years and what they are pursuing. And while we're at it..."

He looked out the window at the eternal brilliance of the golden hour.

"See if we can give them a little bit of... well, useful guidance from the old home. After all, from their own account, their 'New Eden' is currently quite a mess."

"While I wouldn't say I pity them, they shouldn't have to live this miserably."

"Are you addicted to role-playing, or are you really planning to be a savior?" Dai Xing raised an eyebrow.

"Neither." Wang Yin closed the report page and reopened the Sisterhood's long letter. "I just feel that since fate has connected this line, and they happen to need help while pursuing goals that aren't evil, then spending a bit of our spare time playing this family reunion game and giving some harmless advice won't cost us anything."

"Maybe," he added, his tone half-joking and half-serious, "it could even produce some results we can actually write into a report?"

"Promotion to researcher, starting today."

Dai Xing looked at him for a moment, finally sighed, and smiled as well. "Fine. Since you applied for the project anyway, you call the shots. But let's be clear: take it easy, don't actually start thinking you're a god. Also, keep a record of all communications and anything we give out. If the boss asks later, we need to have an explanation."

"Understood." Wang Yin nodded, his fingers tapping on the virtual keyboard.

This time, he adjusted the tone of his reply. He reduced some of the deliberate archaism and added a touch of elder-like steadiness and care.

He first thanked them for their detailed introduction and expressed limited praise for the principles upheld by the Sisterhood. After all, the pursuit of exploration and peace was worthy of respect in any era or place.

Then, he provided a demystifying interpretation of parts of their historical records that were clearly mythologized but corresponded to early colonization technical details.

For example, he described the Great Ship as a flawed design concept for early interstellar vessels, explained the Gate of Starlight as a verification of Star Gate technology, and vaguely pointed to the Givers and Chosen Ones as the artificial intelligences or project leads who held the responsibility of guidance at the time.

However, he didn't directly deny their "myths," but rather rationalized and historicized them.

It was still necessary to maintain a bit of mystery.

Finally, he inquired again about the specific details of the chaotic situation they were facing in New Eden and stated that based on the information provided, he could attempt some basic strategic deductions or explorations of scientific and technological directions as a reward for their ability to contact him.

Reply completed, sent.

Wang Yin leaned back in his chair and let out a breath.

"Alright, the new message is out. Let's see how these long-lost distant relatives of ours will respond next."

Dai Xing shrugged. "I just hope they don't send over a bunch of requests for us to bestow Divine Artifacts or perform miracles. We can toss them some non-classified weapons at will, but we can't conjure up real Divine Artifacts."

"I don't want to be targeted by those ruthless people in the Market Development Department."

"Don't worry, from their descriptions of their own technology, they are very specialized and a bit too backward," Wang Yin said, not paying much mind to Dai Xing's complaining as he watched the successful transmission prompt.

"Giving them some toy-level stuff will be enough. At most, slightly more sophisticated toys. As for how much they can learn from it, that's their own destiny."

On the far side of the sea of stars, the Sisterhood's new resonator had just finished its final tuning.

When the reply from the ancestors arrived, its tone seemingly closer, cheers erupted in the observation station once again.

Dr. Aria held the reply, which the Council of Elders had determined contained ancient wisdom and guidance, her hands trembling slightly.

Especially the rational interpretation of the "myths"; in her eyes, this was not a denial, but rather the "Ancestors" revealing the truth hidden by time in a more Advanced way!

They were guiding them to look at their own history with a more precise eye!

"The Ancestors are teaching us! Guiding us!" she said excitedly to her colleagues at the start of the second formal communication meeting. "They have not only responded to us, but are helping us understand ourselves!"

"What a grace this is!"

"Immediately prepare the second detailed report! Focus on the specific difficulties of New Eden, our technical Bottlenecks, and our vision for the future! We must present our truest side to the Ancestors!"

A new round of even more fanatical work began.