Birth Of The Crafts-God

"Corruption."

Weston said with a low voice.

Lucas frowned immediately. Even Maessen and Professor Cayman, who were both already aware of the situation, didn't have pleasant looks on their faces.

Corruption was an anomaly or phenomenon that occurred within conductors of stellar energy over time, due to consistent exposure of stellar energy.

To understand what Corruption entailed, one needed to truly define stellar energy.

Stellar energy was a unique form of energy, much like electrical, thermal, sound, motion, radiant, nuclear and all other forms of energy. However, different from these forms, stellar energy was more bizarre, or better described as, unique. If there was one form of energy that could be used to draw similarities to stellar energy, it would be light energy. This was because, based on recent studies, stellar energy possessed a wave- particle nature, just like light energy. But as was earlier stated, stellar energy is 'unique'.

On Earth, it is said that the universe is composed of four primary components: radiation, baryonic (ordinary) matter, dark matter, and dark energy. This is the general consensus definition. But there exists another acceptable definition; that the universe consists of seemingly complementary but somewhat polar opposites: matter and dark matter; time and space; and finally, energy and dark energy.

Although there was a research paper that challenged this proposition [1], it was buried in the end.

Regardless of which definition it is, they agreed on the composition properties: normal matter (and all that is observable) constitutes between 1-10% of the universe; approximately 30% dark matter; and approximately 70% dark energy. A more detailed approximation was 26.8% dark matter, 68.3% dark energy, and 4.9% ordinary matter [2].

So far, humans on Earth have been unable to observe both dark energy and dark matter, much less study it, but hyumankin wasn't in the same situation. Thanks to the assistance from an alien race during the space exploration era, the last generation humans were able to not only observe and identify, but also study these two unique substances [3]. From them, stellar energy was discovered.

Due to the high concentration rate of both dark matter and dark energy, it became obvious to the last generation humans that there was a unique form of energy that existed in high concentration within the universe. However, due to the lack of the human body's ability to sense its existence, as well as their 'out-dated' technology, it became obvious why humans were a bottom-barrel civilisation in the universe.

Working alongside their allies, the first generation hyumans were made with the results of these findings and advanced research. And so, humanity ceased to exist and the hyumankin rose in its place. Hyumankin was able to advance, conquer, and prosper, becoming the strongest civilisation within their galaxy.

All of this was thanks to the discovery of stellar energy, and also the hyumankin's grit.

In summary, stellar energy was unique energy that existed within dark matter and dark energy. This explains why it was nonexistent on Earth, as the means to refine it was unknown.

However, while stellar energy was mysterious, it still obeyed certain laws and physics that were 'common sense'.

For instance, the continuous exposure of stellar energy to materials could cause harm to those materials, if not properly done. This included stellar energy conductors as well. This was similar to how thermal (heat) energy could deform or 'destroy' substances, including its conductors. Even electricity could cause damage to its conductors, especially when the current and voltage aren't properly regulated.

In the case of stellar energy, when the energy destroyed a material —specifically a conductor— while in performance, it was known as corruption.

For a long time, the last generation humans and the first generation hyumans battled the issue of corruption. The materials that existed in the ancestral planet could not handle stellar energy as they weren't bathed in it for decades for modification nor birthed by it. This gave the hyumans a handicap when facing violent alien races that sought to conquer them.

It wasn't until after they discovered the bathing technique did they manage to mitigate this problem. As hyumankin expanded its reaches, rare unique materials were found that were suitable for stellar energy conduction.

But even then, the problem of corruption wasn't eliminated, but merely controlled; the same as with the other examples given.

"Why is there corruption?" Still frowning, Lucas stared at Weston for an answer.

Not only had he simulated the Qin chip, but Lucas had also developed it. The only existing prototype was in his possession and it has been tested out tens of times. There were no signs of corruption under a 12 year usage period at least.

For a stellar processor, this was quite impressive after all, the longevity period for the common stellar processors was only seven years. The more advanced ones were up to ten years, and this included the ones available in Belfargos territory.

It was all because of this that Lucas was confused by the findings.

"..."

Weston didn't say anything but he looked embarrassed. This couldn't be helped after all, according to the blueprint, there shouldn't be corruption. Although the team had yet to simulate the blueprint, they had tested the prototype Lucas had before. They were of the performance of the Qin chip and its feasibility; hence, they were very confused when the results were shown to them.

"We haven't completed simulations yet, so it's too soon to say it's from our side." Cayman said at this moment.

His meaning was to shift the result of the team's failure to the blueprint.

"Let me have a look at the prototype."

Lucas ignored Cayman.

Weston looked at the professor, hoping for advice.

Cayman was annoyed by Lucas' intentional act of ignorance, however, he wasn't petty as to start a fight right away. Instead, he decided to use this problem to set Lucas up.

Cayman gave an order with a nod, following which Weston reacted quickly.

By this time, the small group of four had arrived within a laboratory inside of the building. The lab was completely white, be it the walls, the ceiling or the floor. Even the equipment used were all white, except for a few of them —mostly the small sized ones— which were cyan in colour.

"Here."

At the centre of the lab was a huge complex machine roughly twice the height of a human being and about seven metres wide; it looked just like a small house. At the centre of this device was a glass casing within which were three needle-like objects hovering above a small tray. Atop the tray was the focus of today's meeting, the prototype Qin stellar processor.

This machine was one of the most important machines in the vestige-smith industry for stellar processors and was called the AFSD; the All-purpose Fabrication Stellar Device. It was capable of carrying out key fabrication processes such as photolithography, etching and also inscription.

For a vestige-smith in the stellar processor industry, the AFSD was used to determine one's abilities. This was because it was very difficult for one to operate. The more advanced the model was, the more difficult it was to operate.

After going through the safety procedures and being sterilised, Lucas approached the AFSD and studied the stellar processor inside of it. There was a small unit with a display by the side of it which Lucas stood in front of. He used the onscreen buttons on the control unit's display to operate the AFSD.

The screen suddenly showed a zoomed-in live footage of the stellar processor inside of the AFSD. Compared to the one Lucas had made, the prototype was slightly different in terms of the colours and the shape.

However, these differences weren't anything serious in the research team's opinion. Since they would be mass-producing the Qin chips soon, it was only natural for them to add a bit of flair to their version, to differentiate it from the original.

This was actually a standard act in the production industry of Baylands city-state, but it didn't imply that the modified version was entirely separate from the original. An example in Earth was how a GPU company called Mvidia designs GPUs and licence them to other companies. These companies, such as Gigabit, Axus, EVDA, and Nsi, would then work on the GPU designs to produce their own graphics card.

Lucas ignored all of this and zoomed in the camera once more, down to a nanometre scale. He also activated the electron microscope on the AFSD and recorded the footage captured by the microscope.

After a short while, Lucas was done and left the control unit.

During this period, both Cayman and Weston were surprised by Lucas' actions.

As was earlier mentioned, the All-purpose Fabrication Stellar Device could be used to test the capabilities of a vestige-smith. This was because not only did one need a lot of experience and knowledge to be able to control such a complex device, but one's stellar energy control needed to be robust to utilise some of its features. While Lucas didn't employ those features in his investigation, he was still able to utilise the basic functions of the AFSD fluidly almost as if he had done so before.

One should know that the AFSD model within this lab was an advanced model that was literally one-of-a-kind in Baylands city-state. It couldn't even be produced in the city-state and had to be imported from Paros city-state by the Ross family, at an expensive price. As such, unless one had encountered this device in Paros city-state, it was basically impossible for one to be able to use it so easily. Even if you were experienced with other lower models of an AFSD, it still wouldn't suffice.

As such, their shock was understandable.

However, how could the duo know that Lucas was quite experienced working with an AFSD?

The Versoa team, despite being a racing team, actually had one of these. Racing shuttles employed stellar processors to help control the sensors in the vehicles and also control the engine. Although most teams preferred to purchase their chips or request customs from professionals and big corporations, some developed or modified theirs in-house. In the Versoa team, the production and modification of the stellar processors used by the shuttles was the role of the department of Simulations and testing. Hence, it made sense why they had an AFSD.

What's more, the Versoa team's AFSD model was only just a step behind that of the Silverine Factory. With Belfargos territory being the centre of vestige-smiths, it was only natural that such a device could be found there.

Being the research addict he was, Lucas has studied the Versoa team's AFSD and went further to learn about the various AFSD models in existence. Although he didn't dare to say he has mastered them all, Lucas was well versed in the basics of most of them.

"Any luck?" Maessen asked.