Volume 1 Chaos Comes Chapter 11 Hyperion
After Observer No. 1 discovered that the humans on Earth had developed a clan structure and the rudiments of a country, he immediately initiated an individual tracking investigation in accordance with regulations.
"It is certain that the carbon-based intelligent life on this planet has begun to use copper alloys to make tools."
"Hmm? Are you saying they have learned to use external electricity?"
For metal creatures, the electric current in the environment is divided into three parts: internal electricity, body electricity and external electricity. Internal electricity is the tiny electric current in the brain, which is the carrier of consciousness; body electricity is the electric current in the body directed by the brain, under which the body completes various actions; and external electricity simply refers to all external charge activities, which can be generated naturally or operated by organisms.
Various electric currents are essential to all living things in the universe with metal skeletons. They are both blood and nerves, and the essence of life.
There are thousands of words in their various languages to describe electricity. The myths of different ancient civilizations invariably set the supreme god as the god of electricity and light. There are also a large number of poems and songs praising electric current and various electrical phenomena in literary and artistic works of all dynasties.
Since electricity is the source of life, metal materials with the strongest affinity with electricity are naturally God's favorites.
In the history of metallic life, philosophers have long debated whether beings that can absorb energy and replicate themselves can be considered living beings, provided that they are not made of metal skeletons.
But in the view of scientists, the movement patterns of microcurrents in the brains of other types of organisms are exactly the same as their own brains, so they should all be classified as life or even "intelligent" life.
All life in the knowledge system of the two observers uses electric current as the carrier of thought, without exception.
"It doesn't look like they are using external electricity. I guess they haven't discovered the electromagnetic properties of copper alloys yet."
"Hmm? Then why do they purify metals?"
"It is simply used as an implement and weapon... In war, it relies on the collision of metal to destroy the enemy's fragile body structure to attack."
"This is a really strange way of attack..."
This attack is only effective against the fragile bodies of carbon-based creatures. No. 2 finds their waste of copper elements very ridiculous.
"I think we should not underestimate them. The development of civilizations that have mastered metal smelting methods will be greatly accelerated. After crossing a certain critical point, they may enter a period of explosive technological growth."
"I agree. We should immediately send a letter to the Observatory to revise the threat level of Earth's creatures."
"…Intelligent life - other solid matter: one type, level one threat."
The threat level is divided into five levels. Level one and level two threat observation stations can decide on their own whether to intervene. Level three and above must be handled according to the order of the General Administration and must not act rashly.
"But at present, their civilization is still developing very slowly, so there is no need to intervene for the time being."
In fact, out of selfish motives, Observer No. 1 did not want to do anything. He felt that he would never encounter such a strange life form again in his lifetime. This was the perfect material for producing scientific research results.
Before going back to school, there was another calf-deep snowstorm at home, and I had one last place to go.
It was a second-hand bookstore on a sloping road.
As the old saying goes, steep slopes mean quick flowing water, and there are no other shops on both sides of this cement road leading to Binhai Avenue, only lush sycamore trees and fences of the community. This street was the only way for me to go home after school when I was in junior high school. I remember that I had to take a break after climbing a few steps, and turned around to look at the traffic and waves at the end of the road.
I also asked the physics teacher why the sea level in the distance looked much higher than the road. The teacher told me that it was because the earth is round.
Now that I think about it, it doesn't seem right. Even if the earth was flat, it should be like this, and the sea level would be higher. This is just because distant objects appear higher in the perspective.
I slowly climbed the steps on the slope towards the bookstore. Cars were no longer allowed on this road because of the snow, and there were only a few children playing on the road. When I reached the door, I brushed off the snow on my body, pushed open the heavy thermal curtain, and walked into the store.
Like the previous coffee shop, this bookstore was also converted from an old fisherman's house. The fundamental reason for this situation is that the expansion of the city is much faster than the decline of the countryside, and the remains of the latter have no time to be degraded before becoming the body of the former.
The furnishings in the room were very messy, with books piled up on all four walls and on the shelves on the floor. Some were tied together with plastic tape, and some were simply piled on the floor. This scene reminded me of Teacher Xie's office.
Several bundles of popular novels and poetry were placed in the area closest to the door, most of which still had their covers. Eight words were written on the brown paper attached to the bookshelf:
Plastic seal can be removed and returned to its original position after reading
It was written in thick Yan style with a brush. But there was no point in posting this sentence, after all, even if I really wanted to read it, there was no place to sit.
I found a passage in the narrow aisle and walked slowly, reading the densely packed book spines as I strolled. The Cthulhu book that I had read in the coffee shop before was bought here, and it only cost me twenty dollars.
"Hey, boy, here we go again." A voice with a thick local accent interrupted the recollection I was about to begin.
The person who spoke was the owner of the store. He had been hiding in the messy pile of books before, and could not be found unless you looked carefully.
He was a hunchbacked old man, huddled behind the counter. Standing under the wall of books, I could only see a dim figure.
The windows and doors of this bookstore face west and are only blessed by sunlight at dusk.
"Happy New Year, uncle."
"Happy New Year." He took off his reading glasses and looked at my face. I noticed that he seemed to have a novel written in Russian in his hand.
I know very little about the bookstore owner's personal information. I only know that he had opened the store here when I was born, and that I could tell from his strong accent that he was a local.
The few pleasantries just now may be our only communication today. When I came here before, if I found that there were no books I wanted to buy, I would just walk out. The old man would not say goodbye to me, and would not even take his attention away from the book he was reading. Even if I wanted to buy a book, I only needed to ask him the price and then scan the QR code on the wall.
This time I was lucky enough to find a Hyperion in English printed in the 1990s. It was in very good condition, without even a missing corner, and the yellowed cover was printed with golden farmland and strange human figures.
I wonder how much an original book like this would sell for on a second-hand website.
I put the books on the counter, unzipped my bag and searched for my wallet. After all, the balance in my phone might not be enough, and students wouldn’t have much money in their WeChat accounts.
It took me a while to look for something, and the old man opposite took off his reading glasses and glanced at me.
"Hey man, can you show me what's in your bag?"
He was talking about the article that Teacher Jie gave me. I never touched it after I went home.
The old man took the article and read it carefully page by page, as if I didn't exist.
"Well... I'll give you the book, just keep this."
After a long time he finally spoke.
This was a bit shocking to me. Confucius said that wealth and honor are what people desire, but if they do not obtain them by proper means, they will not keep them. Those sheets of printing paper cost almost nothing, and I have the electronic version on my computer. Using them to exchange for the precious original book was like pie in the sky falling on my head.
"This... is not good, sir. This book is too expensive..."
"It's okay, you can take it."
I wanted to do something to make up for it, so I took out all the references for this article from my school bag and gave them to him. I am a superstitious person, and I was worried whether this unexpected fortune would ...
"Um...sir, how about this, let's leave a phone number."
