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Глава 11

That beam of high-energy particles contained such astonishing information. In that case, the massive earthquake in the Java Trench was a consequence of K's failed attempt to become a god.

The destructive power of the Indian Ocean tsunami shocked the world, but compared to the wonders of the solar system, it was like a tiny ripple in a pond. Is that all? Whatever K intended to do at the bottom of the ocean, compared to the gods who created the wonders of the solar system, is failure merely an explosion of this magnitude?

"That's all the information in the message; there's no other explanation. We speculate that K must have cracked the code of God a long time ago, but he wanted to become a god himself and only reveal everything to Vimo Star after he reached that point. This is his usual habit: he never tells anyone what he has discovered before he can achieve a more glorious result. Unfortunately, he failed in the end and only managed to send back a few words."

At this point, Zhang Ming let out a long sigh, his face revealing his resentment and regret.

"I investigated the origin of the information; it was on the seabed, and everything was destroyed in the Big Bang. Judging from the remaining traces, K utilized the energy from the planet's core. Although this energy was enormous, it was still far from having the power to change the galactic landscape. I have absolutely no idea what he was trying to do. Later, I went to the Temple of Heaven..."

"The Temple of Heaven? The Temple of Heaven in Beijing?" I suddenly remembered that there was a place name in K's information that I was very familiar with, but the shock I had just felt made me temporarily ignore it.

“Our language doesn’t have a specific term for the Temple of Heaven. K’s words, translated directly into Chinese, mean the round altar where ancient Eastern people worshipped Heaven. The Temple of Heaven in Beijing is the most fitting example.”

“The summit of Mount Tai was also a place where ancient emperors offered sacrifices to Heaven.” I immediately thought of another place.

"I've been there too, I've been to every possible place, and I haven't found anything. Compared to K, I'm still far behind."

It seems Zhang Ming really admires K. I took out a stack of photos, close-ups of the stone tablet at the Hanging Blade Peak of Mount Tai, and handed them to Zhang Ming, asking, "Have you been to this place?"

“I didn’t expect you to find even this. When I saw this stone, I was very surprised. It turns out that so many intelligent life forms have noticed the solar system. It’s not just the Vimo aliens who are troubled. However, there’s not much space left on this stone, so I didn’t carve anything else on it.”

"During this time, my friends and I have made many discoveries. We have learned that over millions of years, so many extraterrestrial beings have visited Earth in search of the divine secrets of the solar system. Their footprints are found in every corner of the Earth. Many famous sages in human history have encountered them. Even our unknown neighbors, the other masters of Earth, the intelligent life living in the ocean, have been questioned about the mysteries of the solar system. I'm afraid all the planets in the solar system have been visited, but Earth has received special attention because of the presence of highly intelligent life. I am certain that such visits can be traced back hundreds of millions of years, or even longer."

"Did they succeed?" Zhang Ming asked, at which point he probably began to realize that what I had said earlier about mutual exchange was not just empty talk.

"As far as I know, at least one person succeeded. That was the owner of the Mahabalipuram ruins temple."

"Ancient temple ruins?"

"It was a flying saucer-shaped building, but by the time you go to see it, it will probably only be ruins. When it was still underwater, I went down there and blasted a hole in the top. When I left, seawater rushed in and destroyed the temple. Inside the temple, I obtained two things: the remains of the temple's owner and a crystal ball he made before he died. He deciphered the secret before he died, and this crystal ball is the key."

The thought of such precious artifacts being destroyed by Queen Wei filled me with deep regret. At that time, Queen Wei was determined to obtain what was inside the temple, but the temple was buried at the bottom of the sea, and there was no other way to enter. In Queen Wei's own words, he rarely did anything so violent.

"Besides K, someone else has already deciphered the code of God. Could it be that Earth is truly the key to unlocking the code?"

"According to records, that alien friend lived in Mahabalipuram for hundreds of years, keeping to himself and often discussing matters with the elders of the tribe. After a period of seclusion and contemplation, he suddenly claimed to have solved the mystery, left behind a crystal ball, and then died quickly."

"Has he never been to the Temple of Heaven?"

"He must have traveled to many places before settling in Mahabalipuram. He may have been to the summit of Mount Tai, but at that time there was no emperor offering sacrifices to Heaven there. And the Temple of Heaven in Beijing was only built in the last few hundred years. The fact that he pondered for hundreds of years in Mahabalipuram suggests that his previous travels did not contribute much to deciphering the mystery. I think his method of deciphering the mystery is quite similar to the sudden enlightenment in Buddhism."

"Enlightenment?" Zhang Ming frowned. I was wondering if he understood the meaning of the word when Zhang Ming relaxed and said, "It seems that K must have encountered something at the Temple of Heaven that led to his enlightenment, rather than some clear answer being hidden there. My previous search was completely wrong. However, I don't have K's wisdom. Even if I encountered the same thing and saw the same thing, I couldn't have an enlightenment like him."

I thought to myself, just how high a status did K, who was blown up at the bottom of the sea, have on Vimo Star? Zhang Ming's admiration for him was no small matter.

"Enlightenment depends on opportunity; it's not something that can be achieved simply by having high intelligence," I couldn't help but say.

Zhang Ming smiled, gave me a friendly nod, and said, "Did you discover anything about the crystal ball?"

This question alone reveals the change in his attitude towards me. If it were our first meeting, he would have directly asked me to let him study the crystal ball. But now, his question is a kind of acknowledgment of me, or rather, of human capabilities.

However, faced with his admission, I lacked confidence in my reply: "The crystal ball is normal under normal circumstances, but light passing through it forms concentric circles of light and shadow. It has now been sent to our best research institute, and we expect to have a conclusion soon."

"Please let me know when the results come out. Also, could I take a look at the skull?"

This requirement was within my expectations, so I had the skull with me at all times.

I took a wooden box out of my bag and placed it on the table. Then I stood up and closed the slightly ajar door to the private room. It would always be troublesome if someone saw this kind of thing.

Zhang Ming opened the wooden box, took out the skull, and placed it on the table.

“The Fes people!” Zhang Ming blurted out, “They really are the Fes people. I had my suspicions when I saw those reliefs.”

"So you knew about it? What kind of life is it?" I asked curiously.

“We only made contact with them a little over a hundred years ago. The planet Fies is 4,800 light-years away from us, located between the solar system and the Vimo system, all three of which are on a straight line. Their civilization's development path is completely different from ours, and more like the one living deep in your Earth's oceans…” Zhang Ming paused here, somewhat hesitant.

"I call those friends in the sea the sea people, although most humans are unaware of their existence."

"It's easier to say that way; otherwise, it might not be a good idea to expose them to humans indiscriminately."

I gave a wry smile and didn't reply.

"The Fies are the same type of civilization as the underwater people on Earth. Earth is truly a wondrous place, having simultaneously nurtured two advanced life forms, and both following drastically different paths of development. The history of the Fies is far more ancient than that of us Vimo people. They rely on individual strength to explore and grasp the universe, and have evolved to the point where their bodies are essentially energy-based, thus lacking a fixed form. However, their skulls, the source of their thought, cannot be replaced by pure energy. When their long lives come to an end, all that remains are these small skulls. These skulls are quite different from your human skulls; they look similar, but their hardness is extremely high, proportional to the energy they possessed in their lifetime."

As Zhang Ming spoke, he took out a tubular object from his pocket, and a beam of white light shot out from the front end, hitting the skull.

"This pulse gun can pierce through your main battle tank, but it will probably only leave a shallow mark on this skull." Zhang Ming said, then suddenly exclaimed "Huh," and the pulse gun in his hand shot out another beam of white light, much brighter than before.

"Huh?" Zhang Ming exclaimed again. The tip of the pulse gun lit up, as if it was brewing something. After a few seconds, a faint red light shot out, and the skull was hit for the third time.

It was obvious that each of the three blows was heavier than the last, but upon closer inspection of the skull, there was no trace of the shallow marks that Zhang Ming had mentioned.

I looked at the so-called "pulse gun" and then at Zhang Ming.

Zhang Ming's face showed a solemn and respectful expression: "The skull of this Fies man is so hard that the energy he possessed during his lifetime was unimaginable. It seems that he must have been a very famous figure in the history of the Fies people."

A thought struck me, and I asked, "Could his energy be so great that it could reshape an entire galaxy?"

Zhang Ming chuckled, "How could that be? Whether it's the development of a mechanical civilization or a biological civilization, it's impossible to do something like that. Biological energy can develop to the point of having a destructive impact on planets, and mechanical civilization can develop to the point of changing the state of stars, but to manipulate an entire galaxy like chess pieces... that..." His voice lowered, and his expression became somewhat devout, "That must be the power of a god. Otherwise, how could this place be called the Code of God? How could so many civilizations be troubled by it? Didn't that great Fessian also ponder this for hundreds of years?"

I raised an eyebrow and said, "But the Fes people came first, then you Vimo people. At least both of your civilizations have had people who deciphered the code of the gods. Now that we have the crystal ball, perhaps the secret will be revealed."

Zhang Ming, however, remained unaffected by my tone, saying, "The unveiling of one mystery is always accompanied by the discovery of even bigger and more mysteries. Both of the great figures who discovered the truth are dead; who knows what the revelation of the mystery will represent?"

His words made me uneasy.

"However, the most important task now is to decipher the code of God. Don't you Chinese have an old saying, 'If I hear the Way in the morning, I can die content in the evening'?"

Before I knew it, it was late at night. I considered asking several times to see what the Vimo aliens actually looked like, but ultimately didn't say it. It wasn't that I was worried Zhang Ming would find it abrupt; judging from the little girl's reaction last time, I could guess that their appearance certainly wasn't appealing. Even if I remained outwardly calm, I would still feel uncomfortable inside. Besides, is appearance really that important? They're fine as they are; why make things awkward for myself?

Zhang Ming gave me a phone number and told me to let him know as soon as I had any research results on the crystal ball. I don't know if he bought a phone to fit in with local customs, or if he was able to connect China Telecom's signal to his own advanced equipment.

Just like last time, I stayed in the private room drinking tea when Zhang Ming left. My mood, of course, was completely different.

If one hears the Way in the morning, will one truly die in the evening?

I was stunned for a moment before I came to my senses and sent Liang Yingwu a text message. He came in shortly after.

I told him the results of my conversation with Zhang Ming, and he made very detailed records. These records will definitely be entered into the database of the X organization, and Vimo Star and Fies Star will soon be marked on human star maps.

We've learned a lot of new information, but it's still not helpful in deciphering God's code; we still have to wait for the crystal ball's analysis report.

"No matter what happens in the end, we hope to have further communication with the Vimo aliens. Please give me that number," Liang Yingwu said finally.

I frowned. I've always felt uncomfortable when Liang Yingwu speaks to me in the name of the X organization.

"I'll bring it up with Zhang Ming when I call him after the report comes out; that will be more effective than you calling him directly."

Liang Yingwu thought for a moment and nodded in agreement: "Alright. But you should know that this is not an ordinary exchange between individuals."

I frowned again. I could, of course, hear the underlying meaning in his tone. No matter what, I had to give him my contact information.

Five days later, Liang Yingwu returned the crystal ball to me. The analysis report he relayed was disappointing.

The molecular structure of a crystal ball, from the outside in, appears as if it has been compressed by an incredible amount of energy, with each layer becoming increasingly dense. This change in structural density alters the refractive index of the crystal ball, resulting in concentric circles of light and shadow when illuminated by strong light.

The width of each layer varies, from centimeters for the outer layer to millimeters or even micrometers for the inner layer. The density of the inner layer is greater than that of the outer layer, but not by a factor of two; it's just slightly larger. Otherwise, this crystal ball would be incredibly heavy.

"So you know nothing about this crystal ball except its structural state, and can't determine its function?"

“You’re wrong,” Liang Yingwu said.

"Oh?" I was secretly delighted and waited expectantly for Liang Yingwu to continue, but unexpectedly, Liang Yingwu gave me a blow to the head.

"We haven't fully figured out its structure."

"You just said..."

Do you know what order of magnitude the second-to-last layer is from the center point?

"Nanometers?" I asked. Liang Yingwu just mentioned millimeters and micrometers, so I suppose it gets even smaller.

"It's at the molecular level."

"How is that possible? Molecules are in perpetual motion; how can they be fixed in place?"

"The movement of solid metal molecules is inherently very weak, but the molecules at the very center of the crystal ball are restricted to an extremely low frequency and range of molecular activity by means unknown to us, thus forming a fairly stable state."

I nodded and then asked, "If the second to last layer is already this tiny, what is the last layer?"

"At the center of the second-to-last layer, there is only one molecule. And this molecule has a higher density than the molecules surrounding it."

I looked at the crystal ball in my hand, never imagining that this sphere had such an intricate structure.

"But doesn't this mean we've completely figured out the structure?"

"Since the crystal ball's structure is so refined that it reaches the molecular level, the creator's methods far surpass current human technology. We have no reason to be certain that it only goes as far as the molecular level."

"You mean the very core molecule's atoms, nuclei, and even smaller components will undergo new changes?"

"The structure of the crystal sphere, with its density gradually increasing from the outside in, greatly affects our observations, making it impossible to observe its center at the atomic level. That's why I said that."

I sighed. I could only vaguely understand the structure; to expect to decipher the code of God with it was far too naive.

I felt rather embarrassed when I called Zhang Ming; Earth's technological civilization had made a fool of itself this time. He, however, didn't seem to mind at all, and even thanked me profusely for giving him the crystal ball to take back and study.

I tactfully conveyed Organization X's desire to contact him. Zhang Ming's response was somewhat reserved, but he didn't outright refuse. The message was conveyed; how Liang Yingwu would communicate with him next was not my concern.

I arrived in Beijing early Saturday morning, May 28th. I can't rest easy until I visit the Temple of Heaven.

Zhang Ming has already left with the crystal ball; he gained nothing at the Temple of Heaven. Of course, I'm not arrogant enough to think I'm far smarter than him, and whether K actually achieved "enlightenment" at the Temple of Heaven is still debatable. This trip was simply to resolve a knot in my heart.

Deep down, I still have a little wild fantasy: what if I also come to some enlightenment? Even though the chance is only one in ten thousand, or perhaps even less.

I entered through the North Gate of the Temple of Heaven. I bought a combined ticket for 35 yuan and mingled with the large group of tourists as I walked in.

The outer wall of the north gate is circular, while the south gate is square, subtly reflecting the Chinese concept of "a round heaven and a square earth," where the whole world lies between heaven and earth.

With these ancient Eastern philosophies in mind, I walked through the meticulously maintained garden area and entered the ancient city gate, where smoking and open flames were prohibited. Ahead lay the most famous Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests.

Walking inside the Temple of Heaven, my initial lack of urgency to find answers became much more relaxed. I figured I'd just try my luck while sightseeing. Unfortunately, I was somewhat disappointed as soon as I reached the entrance to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. Behind a small wooden sign was a tightly closed gate; the place was scheduled for renovations and wouldn't reopen to tourists until 2006.

I hope K didn't get his inspiration in the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. With that thought, I walked around the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and continued onward.

The wide Danbi Bridge was once accessible only to a select few at a limited time. The yellow silk canopies of yesteryear are gone forever, and now the white stone road is teeming with people, much of the reverence for heaven and earth that should have been felt has been diluted by the flow of people.

A line of people waited in front of the Echo Wall in the Imperial Vault of Heaven, each shouting their own voice, while the shrine to the Supreme Emperor of Heaven in the main hall received little attention. I peered into the hall for a long time; it was a magnificent building, but as for unlocking the divine code, I had absolutely no inspiration.

I wandered around the courtyard a few times, but I really had no interest in queuing up to shout at the Echo Wall. I pondered for a while how much connection the Echo Wall could possibly have with the solar system, and felt that the possibility was too small, so I left the Imperial Vault of Heaven. Ahead was the Circular Mound Altar.

The outermost part of the Circular Mound Altar is a square wall, inside which is a circular staircase. Needless to say, it is also a manifestation of the concept of a round heaven and a square earth. This Circular Mound Altar is also a microcosm of a world, echoing the overall structure of the Temple of Heaven. In retrospect, it is like one ring within another, a large world containing another smaller world.

The number of tourists at the Circular Mound Altar is similar to other places. This magnificent structure, originally built in the ninth year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1530 AD), was the site for grand ceremonies to worship Heaven. It features white marble pillars and a platform of bluestone, with three tiers of altar surfaces, each nine inches in diameter.

The sum of zhang, 15 zhang, and 21 zhang is 45 zhang, which is the "supreme number of the emperor". Heaven belongs to yang and earth belongs to yin, odd numbers are yang and even numbers are yin, which also coincides with the idea of "harmony between heaven and man".

The three-tiered altar was nested in a ring, and as I climbed the steps, a strange feeling gradually arose in my heart.