Chapter 176
Chapter 176
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 176
Chapter Title: Patterns in Over Technology
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‘Already reached that far?’
Fontana wasn’t the type to speak without evidence, relying solely on imagination.
The fact that he was speaking with such certainty meant he had already grasped the general outline.
“Tell me more.”
“Have you never thought about it, President? When researching aliens, these over technologies pop up out of nowhere sometimes. They seem novel at first, but when you collect and examine them, they share a common framework.”
“Hmm, I’ve felt that way at times too.”
“Right?”
“But there’s no proof.”
“I used to think it might be possible in a vague way too...”
Fontana continued, displaying something on a hologram.
“Look here. They overlap. These two are different, but they stem from the same ‘root.’”
“Hmm...”
“Here too, here too! And here!”
The examples he presented as evidence numbered in the dozens.
They were so minute that they seemed like coincidences at first, but as they piled up, they became undeniable proof.
“I got a lot of help from this common information when researching amplification rates this time. It sped up the research considerably.”
“Ah...”
“Your inspiration might have come from here too, President. You unconsciously recognized connections I missed and came up with better results.”
I hadn’t thought of it that way.
But hearing it now, it was convincing.
“But is that such a big deal? The theory that aliens aren’t just simple lifeforms but tied to an alien civilization has been around for ages, hasn’t it?”
“It might not seem like much if you think simply. But if this becomes established ‘fact,’ wouldn’t the direction of research change fundamentally? Instead of each lab proceeding individually, we’d create a data hub and start from basic research. That would lead to huge breakthroughs, right?”
“...”
“With a solid foundation like that, derivative research would become possible on our own, and analyzing your information to reproduce the tech would be a breeze.”
Fontana chattered on excitedly in a thrilled voice.
As a researcher, he couldn’t contain his excitement.
‘He’s almost spot on.’
If we could proceed as Fontana said, humanity’s future would truly be bright.
But it was an impossible method.
Sharing core information between rival organizations.
It sounded difficult just hearing it.
The Union currently held the most alien data and was researching it, but it wasn’t in a leading position compared to others.
Just a step ahead, at best.
But the Union’s research lag wasn’t due to any fault of its own.
The Union was a public institution from the start.
It approached alien research from the perspective of understanding the enemy, so once it reached its target level, it became less proactive.
Corporations and other groups, on the other hand, pursued profit.
They’d acquire corpses of profitable species and analyze them intensely.
Their base wasn’t as broad as the Union’s, but their depth of understanding was greater.
In fact, products derived from alien research outnumbered the Union’s by far.
Anyway, would they willingly share information obtained at such great expense?
It might even reveal secrets behind their own alien-derived products.
Absolutely impossible.
Even if it happened, it would likely be limited to superficial sharing.
“If we could, sure.”
“...Yeah.”
Fontana plopped down into his seat.
Seeing his deflated energy, he knew it was tough too.
“Anything else besides that?”
“...Hmm.”
Fontana scratched his head and continued.
“If we can’t collaborate, we should start first ourselves. We have you, President, so we can do it without teaming up with others.”
“...”
“But to shorten the time, we need to exchange with as many labs as possible. Even trivial data from a century of research. Accumulating info like that will get us to the singularity faster.”
“We’ll have to give some of ours too, right?”
“We have endless data anyway. Give what’s appropriate. Any little thing we get in return is a win.”
I agreed with Fontana.
Salmon Lab was excelling thanks to my ability, but excluding a few fields, our basics were lacking.
If exchanges could fill those gaps, we should do it.
‘Now we’re really getting started.’
What Fontana came up with was something that wouldn’t happen for another 15 years originally.
Fifteen years from now would be well after the original story began.
By then, individual alien research would have progressed enough to hold meaning without a data hub.
As research成果 began to be utilized in earnest, it would empower the splintered groups from the Union to become self-sufficient, accelerating the chaos.
‘My existence will speed it up even more.’
Tech like energy amplification was originally supposed to be a secret weapon of one group.
But now it had spread widely.
I hadn’t taught it to anyone directly, but products on the market would allow others to approximate the tech.
So, what would the future look like with my intervention?
Technological advancement would be ignited, naturally.
The overall pace would quicken, and each group would stably possess greater power sooner.
But there was no need to worry.
It meant humanity’s overall strength would rise, which was exactly what I wanted.
‘And I’ll be at the forefront.’
I envisioned the future.
A future where war with aliens began in earnest.
That moment had come one step closer.
*
Terra Planet’s nights were fantastical.
From early evening when darkness fell, three moons reflected sunlight, glowing brightly.
The clean atmosphere revealed countless stars, and the light trails from spaceships added mystery.
I reclined my chair and lay back, gazing at the night sky.
No matter how many times I looked, it never got old.
“Wow, it’s so dazzling. Money really does make a difference, doesn’t it?”
“Can’t you just stay quiet?”
“What did I even say?”
The tranquility shattered.
Suddenly, two voices rang out.
One was Sia, the other Albert.
“Aren’t you the only one chattering nonstop since earlier?”
“Hey, Sia talks more than me, though.”
“No, seriously.”
“Seriously what.”
“Say one more word.”
I’d never seen Sia show her emotions like that before.
How much had that sleaze bag been needling her?
‘Did I pair them up for nothing?’
Sia handled the most tasks among my people.
I’d assigned Albert to her before deciding his permanent placement, but seeing them now, it seemed like a mistake.
Soon, the door opened.
I permitted their entry and straightened up.
“Long time no see, Sia.”
“Same here, Leonard.”
“Been well?”
“...Except for one thing.”
Sia glanced at Albert before answering.
Albert then exaggerated his response.
“Why look at me? If you have complaints, say them outright.”
“Outright...”
Sia bit her lip as if swallowing her anger.
If I weren’t here, she might have exploded.
“Albert.”
“Yeah, Captain.”
“Looks like you’ve had it easy. Want to recall some old memories?”
“No need for that...”
It was amusing to me, but not to Albert.
Albert glanced warily and smacked his lips.
I drew a clearer line for him.
“Stop needling Sia. She’s your superior. She’s not someone you can toy with.”
“Needling? Come on.”
“Doesn’t matter your intent. Don’t test your superior. If you want to try that, come under me instead.”
“Uh, that’s a bit...”
“Yeah. You don’t want that, do you? I’ll make a spot that suits you soon. Hold out until then.”
I had no intention of keeping him under Sia long-term anyway.
For a guy like Albert, a rigid role was less fitting than one allowing more autonomy.
Sia, seeing Albert shrivel up, had calmed down and returned to her usual self.
I beckoned her and began receiving her report.
“I’ve handled everything you instructed. And the summary report is uploaded.”
“Good work. Mustn’t have been easy.”
“How could I be lax about something involving my family? Thanks to you, Leonard, we’ve found a new nest.”
“It’s because you made the decision.”
Sia’s family, Lachesis, had become nomads when the Triple Link region was engulfed in war.
Billions had fled alongside them.
Only about a million stuck with Lachesis to the end, but finding a settlement was no easy task.
I was the one who recommended migrating to the Laplazia Star System.
Reasons abounded.
The Laplazia Star System bordered the Styx Front directly.
If the Styx Front broke, it would face alien invasion immediately, classifying it as a danger zone.
Naturally, fear of war drove people away.
But maintaining a solid frontline required a stable rear.
Filling vacancies left by emigrants minimized backlash, so they actively recruited migrants.
‘Now’s the chance.’
The chain of panic-driven migrations wouldn’t last forever.
Reason would eventually prevail, and as the Styx Front stabilized, they’d dwindle.
By then, filling vacancies with migrants would be harder.
Sure, fleeing aliens only to end up on another frontline was unsettling, but life was like that.
Better than wandering space without a proper settlement, they’d resolved.
Guiding migrants to Laplazia benefited me too.
With Lachesis closely tied to me, it would naturally strengthen my influence there.
And bolstering influence was perfectly natural.
On the Styx Front, my influence ranked right after Major General Rivel.
I was one of the top powers here.
Passively handling a region where I might operate for decades wasn’t wise.
“You’ll join up after this, Sia?”
“There’s still much to handle in Laplazia. Lots to check at the lab too, so accompanying you seems impossible, Leonard. Sorry.”
“No worries. I’ve benefited from you plenty.”
We were vertical partners.
Sia worked devotedly for me, but I mustn’t forget her personal ambitions mattered.
I received her other reports while offering her tea.
Casually, I asked,
“How’s this guy?”
“A two-faced parrot. One hiding a dagger inside. In short, utterly untrustworthy.”
Her response was firm.
She could’ve softened it in front of him, but he clearly irked her.
“Hah?”
Albert’s eyes curved into half-moons.
It looked like a smile, but gave off a chilling vibe.
“How do you know me so well, Sia?”
“Hmph.”
“Isn’t your true nature obvious?”
“Hey, Captain. Keep slandering a good guy like me, and I’ll go astray.”
“As if. You’ve been rotten from the start.”
Protests wouldn’t work.
Albert smirked as I scolded him.
I addressed him.
“I’m forming a new group soon. Starting with intel gathering, it’ll handle everything.”
“That for me?”
“Yeah.”
“Everything, huh... Includes assassinations, right?”
I just nodded without speaking.
“Sounds fun.”
“Don’t think you can kill just anyone under ‘assassination.’”
“Hey, I know that much.”
“Sia will help frame it up to a point. After that, filling it’s on you, so think ahead. And...”
“That ‘and’ always makes me uneasy.”
Sharp as ever.
“You’re too weak for me to entrust it otherwise? Come with me this time for training first. That’s the condition.”
“Huh?”
“Roze and Merdi will welcome you.”
“...Haha.”
“P.S., run and I’ll chase you to the edge of space.”
“Damn it!”
He flinched, as if he’d planned a spatial leap escape.
Spatial leap was annoying, but catchable.
Especially now, escaping my senses without leaving the planet was impossible.
Albert didn’t know that, but didn’t dare try.
“Don’t worry, it won’t be that bad.”
“...I’d sooner trust a dog’s word.”
“You prepared the data I mentioned?”
“Yeah.”
I took the memory stick from Albert and loaded it immediately.
Then scanned through it.
‘Just as I expected.’
It was info I’d requested to verify.
Testing Albert’s intel skills too.
“Leonard, a guest has arrived.”
“Perfect timing. Show them in.”
I sent Albert and Sia out and awaited the new guest.
Moments later, the door opened, revealing a familiar face.