Wasteland Development Diary

"However, in these working layers, more than 1/5 are in a state of non-functioning damage."

Zhou Yi added, "With such a high damage rate, given the Cave People's level of technology, it doesn't quite seem like natural wear and tear."

"You're right."

"In the working layers... many have been forcibly shut down and externally damaged."

"How did that happen?"

"...Judging from the methods and structures, it was done by the Cave People."

The Dong speculated, "Perhaps there was an internal conflict at the time, or some Cave People couldn't precisely complete the commands, resulting in damage to the workstations instead."

Zhou Yi chuckled.

He pulled a chair over, sat down, and took the iced fruit tea handed to him by his assistant, Yuan Xiao, taking a sip.

"Typically, there are two ways to resist."

"The first is non-cooperation."

"The second is violent resistance."

"The Heavenly People, as Transformers, are the latter. Seeders, although they didn't participate in blockading the String Civilization, were similarly indifferent, which falls under the first type."

"Beneath Jupiter, 20% of the working layers being damaged and non-operational represents the second type of resistance."

The Dong was surprised, "You mean the Cave People weren't internally conflicted but were part of a rebellion against the String Light order?"

"Precisely."

Zhou Yi nodded, looking at the flowing light veins in the Corridor Palace: "No civilization, upon reaching a certain stage of development, can endure long-term control, whether it's invisible colonization or crude enslavement."

He spread his hands: "This isn't something I'm saying. It's a summary from the Reverse Flow who have seen many histories of civilization's destruction. Our human past has constantly proven this point as well."

"The Cave People created a great civilization; from the germination and awakening amidst the Circular Flow on Jupiter, you crafted various tools, constructed unique wonders, and continuously attempted to break free from the planet's constraints."

"Even though ancient Cave People ultimately perished, the technology and creations you left behind were treated as treasures by the later Mud Tree People."

Zhou Yi seriously said, "Your Record Land allowed them to master the use of Mud Tablets. Your exploration and advancement in Space Holes provided a roadmap for Mud Tree People to set off from Jupiter."

"To inherit and master your civilization's skills is the greatest recognition and respect for you."

"Civilizations like this cannot accept being fooled and domesticated."

"Mr. Zhou, everything you said is correct, but..."

The Dong sighed, "How could the Cave People possibly resist the String Civilization's orders? We have found no records, only damaged working layers and those empty corpses."

"The evidence is the description and records of the Time Master on the Mud Tablets."

Zhou Yi looked towards the Corridor Palace: "The ancient Cave People were searching for the Time Master. They realized they needed to traverse higher dimensions to break through the prison set by the String Civilization in the three-dimensional space."

"The legend of the Doomsday Beast passed down through generations of Mud Tree People originates from the Cave People's records. However, quite the opposite, the Cave People implied that finding the Time Master was the hope for breaking the situation. The absorption and fusion with the planet was merely a description of the Time Master's form."

"But in the eyes of the Mud Tree People, this became a terrifying apocalyptic disaster."

Zhou Yi said, "It was just that the commands from the String Light came too suddenly, leaving the Cave People with little time to prepare, and most were controlled."

"Only a small portion of the Cave People, hidden in various containers or building shelters, were spared from memory eradication and retained some self-awareness. This includes those sleeping in the shelter like you."

"That group of Cave People saw it all. Although they weren't sure why it was happening, they understood what the master manipulator intended to achieve. The String Civilization wanted to use the bodies of the Cave People to lay the groundwork for the String Emitter around Jupiter, so they did their utmost to cause damage, preventing Jupiter from being remotely activated."

"This was the Cave People's resistance at the time."

The Dong was shocked upon hearing this, "Mr. Zhou, you know about this? It's like you witnessed the entire process..."

Zhou Yi smirked, "I just asked the Golden Tree to help check a moment ago."

The Golden Tree, forcibly catalyzed into birth, happened to witness the Cave People's destruction by the String Light, serving as the ignition tool for Jupiter.

It confirmed everything.

Earlier, Zhou Yi was silent, also verifying details with it.

"Is that so."

The Dong immediately became energized, "It seems we are also resisters, like Earthly Life! We fought, and although we didn't win, we prevented the String Civilization from using Jupiter!"

"Yes."

Zhou Yi nodded.

The String Civilization's plan didn't consider a highly improbable event—that the Cave People used as biological tools wouldn't continue living aimlessly like Usurper Worms.

They embarked on a different path and developed a highly intelligent civilization.

The historical divergence might have been triggered by a Cave Person or a group discovering that the corpses of their kind were a marvelous tool, much like when humans first discovered fire.

Then everything changed.

"Mr. Zhou, we are very sensitive to String Light and can almost completely absorb its energy and information. Although we've already integrated and exchanged genes with other microorganisms, we remain influenced."

The Dong worried, "If this continues, we might still be controlled by the String Light."

Zhou Yi laughed, "Haven't we found a way by now? As long as we construct buildings capable of isolating or blocking the String Light, we can effectively avoid this influence."

The greatest fear of the String Light in the past stemmed from the unknown power it wielded.

But on Jupiter, Mud Tree People have already summarized and experimented. As long as they use Pan Tree, Light Soot, and Light Amber to create protective facilities, most of the String Light can be entirely blocked, making its influence extremely limited.

The primary subjects affected by the String Light were the Cave People.

Both the Mud Tree People and the Guangna Species on Jupiter at the time had Cave People genes within them, thus being affected.

Continuing to exchange and alter genes with Earth's microorganisms, coupled with constructing protective equipment, can render the String Light ineffective.

"Yes, yes, yes! You're right. I was influenced by the String Civilization in my judgment... The interference suffered by the Black Thorn and the Evil Brain is minimal. Especially after being enveloped by Black Thorn, it's almost negligible."

The Dong came to a realization.

Zhou Yi said, "Your sensitivity to the String Light allows you to help us pinpoint its trajectory, turning it into an advantage. You mentioned before that the String Light transmits through one-dimensional space?"

"Yes, Mr. Zhou."

The Dong replied, "The String Light transmits through a one-dimensional space hole into Jupiter and then unfolds here. It itself is an energy body carrying information, which can be consumed to issue orders to the Cave People."

"Issuing orders is conducted through the String Light."

"In the information, there's also a part about activating Jupiter, using Heavenly People parts..."

Zhou Yi raised a hand, "Wait a moment. Are you saying there's a description of how to use Jupiter?"

"There is."

The Dong said, "If it's simply about operating Jupiter, it can indeed be done because the Cave People are the key to operating Jupiter. We are the switches and operators, while the String Light merely transmits commands."

"What operations can you perform?"

"Currently, we can rotate and activate 4,080 'Star Anchors' on Jupiter, which are self-rotating machines made by the Heavenly People. They can focus energy to mobilize and drive the entire planet's core operation."

"The simplest operation is to mass-produce Solid Cloud Elixir. In the past, the Cave People processed the outer layers of the Star Anchors to produce Solid Cloud Elixir, and now they can directly produce it."

Zhou Yi was ecstatic upon hearing this.

Energy blocks can be mass-produced!

The Building Life forms can now complete upgrades en masse!