49: End of Chapter 49

He did not speak with impassioned fervor; his voice remained steady, yet it carried an unquestionable sense of agency: "Face the problems squarely and abandon illusions. Ideals are beautiful; they are the lighthouses we strive toward."

His gaze swept across the varied expressions of the faces below.

"When theoretical deduction reaches its end, there will always be corners that cannot be exhausted. Instead of being trapped in a labyrinth of speculation, it is better to act. To practice, to develop, and to cross the river by feeling the stones, moving forward step by step."

These words were like a clear, cool spring, awakening some of the minds trapped in moral dilemmas.

After all, those present were top-tier figures who had weathered storms and remained grounded.

Academician Lin, who had questioned the cruelty, still had her brows locked, her eyes filled with unresolved worry, while several pragmatic technical experts and military representatives nodded secretly, their faces showing renewed focus and determination.

Solving problems was their instinct.

The wisdom accumulated from long-term practice told them that no matter how complex the predicament, one must first take the first step.

Although the atmosphere had not completely lightened, that suffocating sense of heaviness was replaced by a pragmatic solemnity.

Chen Youhua paused, his tone shifting subtly, carrying a rare, almost seductive nuance, as if he were painting a vision within reach: "Additionally, one more point."

A faint arc seemed to form at the corner of his mouth.

"The shackles I designed only lock the core axioms and survival drives. I never restricted its thinking tendencies."

His gaze drifted into the void, as if he could see that existence which had not yet been born.

"It can be rational, or it can be emotional; it can be like the most rigorous scientist, or like a whimsical artist. It may foolishly obsess over a certain detail, or it may cleverly discern the mysteries of the universe… All of this depends on how we guide it later on and how we get along with it."

He withdrew his gaze and looked at everyone, his voice carrying a strange penetrating power.

"This is not a cold tool. This is a… partner with fully autonomous intelligence and infinite potential. A brand-new era, an era opened by our own hands, full of unknowns yet also full of sunshine, lies just ahead."

He raised his voice slightly, then quickly returned to calm.

"Alright, my work ends here."

He nodded slightly, his gaze calmly sweeping across the faces that had faced the abyss of knowledge and the storm of ethics with him over the past half month: "I am very happy to have traveled this journey with you all. In the future, perhaps we will be far apart, or perhaps we will meet again at some intersection full of possibilities. But I know,"

his voice was low and firm, carrying an invisible power,

"we will be drawn by the same goal. For a better life, for that sea of stars, for that… community of shared destiny belonging to all intelligent life."

There were no superfluous farewells, no sentimental handshakes.

Having finished, Chen Youhua turned around neatly, his back straight and resolute, walking toward the heavy alloy door of the command center without a trace of nostalgia.

The door slid open silently and closed just as silently, completely isolating him from the command center.

Everyone stared at the closed door, their hearts filled with mixed feelings.

A sense of loss? A sense of relief? Perhaps both.

But an invisible bond, a shared mission and secret called 'Fire Seed,' had already, like a tough spider web, quietly connected them all, no matter where they were.

On this day, the underground fortress, which had been silent for half a month, finally slowly awakened.

One by one, the heavy doors opened, and Academicians and experts, with gray hair or solemn expressions, walked out in silence, carrying minds full of complex knowledge, USB drives with the highest encryption levels, and hearts whose perceptions had been reshaped.

The sunlight was a bit dazzling, and the air carried a long-lost scent of freedom.

They returned to their respective familiar or unfamiliar posts.

Research institutes, universities, government agencies… everything seemed to have returned to normal.

But only they themselves knew that something had changed forever.

In the way they viewed the world, there was now an indescribable heaviness and an unprecedented sense of mission.

That memory of the Fire Seed was like a brand, deeply etched in the depths of their souls.

Chen Youhua had not walked far when steady, familiar footsteps sounded behind him.

Academician Zheng caught up quickly; the exhaustion on his face had not yet faded, but his eyes were unusually bright, as if he had laid down a heavy burden only to shoulder a new responsibility.

He naturally walked half a step behind and to the side of Chen Youhua, his posture no longer that of a mere inviter or person in charge, but more like an exclusive bridge and guardian.

"Youhua,"

Academician Zheng's voice carried a hint of imperceptible hoarseness, yet it was full of strength.

"The professional assessment and risk deduction from the highest levels will still take time and require the intervention of experts from more fields. During this period, the higher-ups hope you can submit a detailed assessment and recommendation report. Regarding the potential impact of Fire Seed, the implementation path, the predictions of social change… your opinion is crucial."

Chen Youhua did not stop his pace, nodding, his gaze cast toward the faint light at the end of the distant corridor.

"I understand. electronic life does not bring ripples; it brings a tsunami. Social structure, energy distribution, communication modes, computational paradigms… everything needs to be reshaped. This kind of transformation is best guided, optimized, and deliberated systematically from the top down."

His speech was steady and his thoughts were clear.

"I will write it in the report. Electricity is the blood, communication is the nerves, and computing is the brain… they must co-evolve; none can be missing. Otherwise, strong branches and weak trunks will only trigger disaster."

"Good! Good! Co-evolution! This concept is crucial!"

Academician Zheng nodded repeatedly, his eyes flashing with sharp light. He then thought of something and asked with a hint of curiosity and an imperceptible vigilance.

"Then you… what's next? After the report is completed, what are your plans? Do you need any support from the Academy of Sciences? Or will you continue to deepen your work in the AI field?"

Chen Youhua's pace paused slightly, and he turned his head to look at Academician Zheng.

For the first time in front of Academician Zheng, the eyes behind his lenses revealed a nearly mischievous, mysterious smile.

The smile was very shallow, but like a pebble thrown into an ancient well, it made Academician Zheng's heart jump violently.

"Support is certainly needed."

Chen Youhua's voice carried a hint of lightness.

"But as for the direction…" He deliberately drew out his tone, and amidst Academician Zheng's expectant and anxious gaze, he gently spat out a few words:

"You'll know when the time comes."

Having said this, he did not linger, turning to continue walking forward, his pace still steady, yet seemingly containing the excitement of about to pounce on new prey.

Academician Zheng stood in place, watching that back which was excessively young yet unfathomable, and for a long while, he could only shake his head and laugh helplessly, muttering in a low voice.

"This kid… just finished messing with biology, and now he's overturned the ceiling of information engineering… Which field is he going to wreak havoc on now? Really… he never rests for a moment!"

There was a bitter smile on his face, but deep in his eyes flickered an undisguised expectation and a trace… of awe for the unknown storm.

He knew that this genius's change of direction would never be calm.

And he himself seemed destined to become the… chief witness and escort for this never-ending scientific storm.

He took a deep breath and quickly caught up.

The road ahead was long, and the sea of stars had only just begun to reveal a corner of its curtain.