153: Echoes of Hunger

The initial success of the “information feeding” strategy bought the Alliance valuable breathing room, but it also brought new challenges and deeper reflections. They were no longer facing a purely destructive, uncommunicative entity, but rather something more akin to an ancient, starving being, trapped by its own fractured instincts, blindly wandering the cosmos.

Einstein’s team repeatedly analyzed the data from this “feeding.” “The rule information fragments filtered by the cornerstone were primarily mathematical proofs concerning the stability of fundamental physical constants and some low-entropy energy structure models,” he reported. “This information seemed to precisely meet its intrinsic need to… ‘repair its foundational rules.’ After absorption, the disorder of its rule signature indeed decreased.”

“So, it’s ‘self-healing’?” Ling Shuang mused. “Its ‘hunger’ stems from the instability and incompleteness of its own rule structure?”

“That’s one way to understand it,” Einstein nodded. “But its ‘digestion’ rate and the ‘nutritional’ content of the information we provide need precise calculation. If we feed it too little, or if the energy density is too low, it won’t meet its needs, and it might become agitated, accelerating its movement to find other ‘food sources.’ If we feed it too much, or if the information is too complex, it could accelerate its recovery process, or even trigger unpredictable evolution, which could be even more dangerous.”

The concerto keystone also transmitted a similar warning: [Target exists with ‘information metabolism’ cycle. Need to establish… a sustainable… ‘supply-stability’ balance. Over-stimulation or neglect are both undesirable.]

Thus, a precise “rule-based rearing” plan began. The Alliance established several concealed automatic delivery stations along the predicted path of the “potential listener”—now temporarily named “echo devourer” by the research team. These stations were secretly protected by Watch Outpost outposts, regularly and quantitatively releasing rule information packages meticulously proportioned by the cornerstone.

Wu Yong’s rapid response fleet, like sheepdogs, followed silently from a safe distance, monitoring the echo devourer’s status to ensure it wouldn't suddenly turn towards Alliance territory or any valuable star systems.

This peculiar “symbiotic” relationship continued for several cycles. The echo devourer seemed to accept this regular “feeding”; its movement trajectory became more regular, its activity fluctuations stabilized at a relatively low level, and that cold sense of hunger noticeably diminished. It even began to periodically circle around the main delivery points, as if marking these areas as its “pasture.”

The crisis seemed to be temporarily under control.

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However, beneath the calm, undercurrents never ceased.

First, the cornerstone’s Nexus Prediction captured that after the echo devourer stabilized, its interior seemed to begin a slow, self-reconstruction based on the absorbed information. It wasn't simply repairing damage; it was more like using this new rule information to try and complete its missing parts, and perhaps even… evolve.

“It’s like a rule-based organism with extremely strong learning capabilities,” Einstein said with concern, looking at the latest structural scan simulations. “The information we feed it is becoming the ‘bricks and mortar’ for its self-improvement. We cannot predict what it will ultimately become.”

Second, the Tide of Delusion also sent a new observation report. It pointed out that this act of “information feeding” to an ancient existence was itself altering the historical causal chain of the area, and its long-term consequences were hard to estimate. It reiterated that the Alliance needed to take full responsibility for all its actions.

The most unsettling discovery came from a deep analysis of the echo devourer’s rule signature. With the synergy of the cornerstone and Aidan’s song, the research team peeled away a faint, extremely ancient imprint from the deepest layer of its rule structure, one highly similar to a fragment labeled “Forbidden Protocol” in the memory ark.

The records of this “Forbidden Protocol” were vague, but they generally described how, in the early universe, a certain civilization, in pursuit of ultimate power or immortality, attempted to forcibly merge its consciousness with the cosmic rules themselves. After failing, its out-of-control consciousness remnants, left with only the instinct to devour, transformed into a wandering “rule cancer.” “Could it be… that the echo devourer is the product of a failed forbidden experiment by an ancient civilization?” Ling Shuang felt a chill. If this were true, then its endless “hunger” might stem from the eternal sense of rule deficiency and existential anxiety caused by that failed fusion.

This speculation cast an even deeper shadow over the “rearing” plan. What they were feeding might be a cosmic tragedy, a living “disaster” that could never be truly healed, only temporarily appeased.

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Just as the Alliance high command was fiercely debating how to deal with the echo devourer long-term, an accident occurred.

An exploration fleet, not belonging to the Alliance and from an unknown civilization, strayed into the echo devourer’s wandering zone! This fleet clearly lacked the Alliance’s stealth technology; their energy signatures and rule disturbances were as conspicuous as torches in the dark to the echo devourer’s perception!

“Warning! Unknown fleet has triggered a sharp increase in the echo devourer’s activity!”

“It’s turning! Speed increased by 300%! Target locked on the unknown fleet!”

“The ‘hunger’ index in the devourer’s rule signature is skyrocketing! Entering predation state!”

Alarms blared in the monitoring center!

“Immediately send the highest priority warning to that unknown fleet! Inform them of the danger and provide safe evacuation vectors!” Lin Mo immediately ordered.

“Rapid response fleet, move out to assist! Attempt deterrent fire to attract the devourer’s attention! We absolutely cannot let it devour that fleet!” Wu Yong roared over the channel.

However, everything happened too quickly. The unknown fleet seemed to be stunned by the sudden appearance of the echo devourer, radiating terrifying rule fluctuations; their reaction was half a beat too slow.

The echo devourer’s invisible rule body, like a vast net, instantly enveloped the unfortunate fleet. There was no explosion, no light, only a violent distortion and annihilation of rules. The fleet, along with the beings inside it, were decomposed and devoured in an instant, turning into fundamental rule particles and information streams, completely absorbed by the echo devourer.

The entire process was silent and terrifying.

Neither the Alliance’s warnings nor Wu Yong’s fleet’s deterrent fire could prevent the tragedy unfolding before their eyes.

After the consumption was complete, the echo devourer’s activity slowly decreased, the hunger in its rule signature temporarily subsided, and it even “circled” contentedly for a moment before slowly returning to its usual wandering route, as if it had merely enjoyed a routine “snack.”

The Watch Outpost fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone had witnessed the entire process of the unknown fleet’s silent annihilation through the monitoring screens. A helpless anger and deep sorrow permeated the air. They had tried to control the risk, tried to establish a balance, but the universe’s cruelty was once again laid bare before them in the most direct way.

“We… we couldn’t save them…” Ling Shuang’s voice was choked.

Lin Mo closed his eyes, took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart. He opened his eyes, his gaze becoming sharper and more resolute.

“Do you see? This is the reality we face.” His voice was low and powerful. “’Rearing’ can only temporarily stabilize, not eradicate the threat. As long as the echo devourer exists, it is a deadly danger to other civilizations.”

He looked at Einstein, at Ling Shuang, at all the core members.

“Our strategy needs adjustment. Merely ‘feeding’ and ‘monitoring’ are no longer enough. We must find a more fundamental solution.”

“Einstein, concentrate all resources on analyzing the echo devourer’s core rule structure, especially that ‘Forbidden Protocol’ imprint. We need to find its… weakness, or find a way to transform or completely seal it.”

“Ling Shuang, Aidan, I need you and the cornerstone to attempt a deeper, beyond-instinctive conscious contact with it. Since it was once intelligent life, even if only remnants remain, perhaps a trace of… rationality can be awakened.”

“Wu Yong, strengthen patrols and early warning, establish a broader civilization alert network, and do your best to prevent similar tragedies from happening again.”

The Alliance’s role as “caretakers” was transforming towards “crisis managers” and “potential healers.” They realized that the only long-term way to coexist with such an ancient tragedy might be to try to “understand” and ultimately “resolve” it, rather than merely maintaining a fragile balance.

The road ahead became more difficult, but also clearer. They had to delve into the tiger’s den, to touch the scar left by that forbidden experiment, still aching in the universe.