forever
"The Watcher"—this is the new civilization's honorific title for the golden consciousness suspended in Earth's orbit. It encircles Earth like a planetary ring, composed of countless tiny particles of light, sometimes coalescing into a blurry humanoid shape, sometimes spreading into a magnificent nebula. In the collective dreams of RH-0 carriers, it always appears as two men standing among azaleas, their fingers touching, their gazes tender.
“They have truly become legends.” Zhao Mingxuan, now 107 years old, sat on the balcony of the sanatorium, gazing at the sky and sighing. His Γ mark had long since lost its luster, just like his fading vitality.
The nursing robot offered him the medication, which he gently pushed away. Since Huo Xue's passing three years ago, Zhao Mingxuan had been waiting for this moment—the moment to reunite with his old friends.
The new era is known as the "Resonance Era." Under the watchful eyes of the Guardians, the global harmonic network operates stably, crime rates have plummeted to historic lows, and disease early warning systems have saved millions of lives. But a new problem has arisen: ordinary humans have begun to pursue the RH-0 trait.
“Gene editing appointments are booked up for the next three years,” Li Lin, a young network engineer and representative of the new generation of carriers, reported to Zhao Mingxuan. “Natural carriers feel that their uniqueness has been taken away.”
Zhao Mingxuan smiled bitterly: "Humans always want what they don't have." He recalled the pursuit and fear seventy years ago, which has now turned into admiration and longing. History is truly the greatest irony.
Suddenly, all harmonic connections oscillated simultaneously. The Watcher's golden light flickered abnormally in Earth's orbit, sending a warning signal.
“An unknown signal has been detected at the lunar base.” Data streams flashed in Li Lin’s eyes. “It’s not the frequency of the Star Singers…it’s older and more urgent.”
Through the harmonic network, the signal was shared with all advanced carriers: a distress call from an endangered civilization, but this time the request was shocking—it didn't require RH-0 carriers to leave, but rather Earth to donate "emotional diversity."
"They're extracting our emotional traits?" Li Lin asked incredulously. "How is that possible?"
Zhao Mingxuan's Γ mark suddenly warmed slightly, and a forgotten memory awakened: "Enoch said... there is a civilization in the universe that feeds on emotions. Not the kind of destruction like devourers, but... symbiotic harvesting."
The Watchers relayed more detailed information: this civilization, which calls itself the "Emotion Core," does indeed desire symbiosis and is willing to exchange advanced technology for periodic emotion collection. However, the risk lies in the possibility that those whose emotions are collected may permanently lose certain emotional abilities.
The global parliament is embroiled in heated debate. Supporters see it as an opportunity for interstellar cooperation; opponents warn it could lead to the homogenization of human emotions.
Just then, a startling discovery came from the lunar base—among the technologies provided by the Emotion Core Civilization was a "two-way fusion" device that allowed ordinary people and carriers to achieve temporary consciousness fusion without gene editing.
"But this requires a watchman as a bridge," the scientist explained, "meaning that Du Siling and Han Beimo need to... be temporarily separated."
The entire harmonic network shuddered. For seventy years, the Watchers had been of one mind; no one knew whether separation was possible, or even desirable.
Zhao Mingxuan was urgently sent to the lunar base. As the only person who had experienced the Γ-brand, he was considered to understand best the pain and risks of forced connection.
“Separation can cause permanent damage to consciousness,” the chief warned, “and perhaps… one of them is irreversible.”
Through harmonic connections, the Watcher expresses its will—a willingness to try. For the progress of humanity, and for understanding between ordinary people and carriers.
The separation ceremony took place on a full moon night. Hundreds of millions of people worldwide watched it via harmonic networks, while ordinary people experienced the shared sensation through neural interfaces.
As the scientific device was activated, the golden light particles fluctuated violently, gradually splitting into two clusters—one as bright as the sun, and the other as soft as the moon. The light particles slowly coalesced into two blurry human figures.
Du Siling and Han Beimo—for the first time in seventy years, they exist as separate consciousnesses.
"Han Beimo?" Du Siling's voice came through the speaker, accompanied by electronic noise.
"I'm here." Han Beimo's response was equally distorted. "It feels... strange."
Through temporarily created bodies, they briefly regained their human form. Miraculously, their appearances remained the same as when they left, but their eyes held the wisdom and vicissitudes of seventy years.
"A request for intelligence." Du Siling cut straight to the point. "It's very risky."
Han Beimo chuckled, his fingers unconsciously touching his collar—where a holographic azalea was pinned: "When has the risk ever been less?"
They decided to accept the proposal for emotional intelligence, but with strict conditions: emotional collection must be voluntary, each collection must not exceed one-thousandth of the Earth's population, and it must be done in rotation.
The intelligence-driven civilization agreed. In return, they provided two-way fusion technology.
The first subjects were Li Lin and an ordinary young man. Guided by the Watchers, the two successfully achieved a brief fusion of consciousness. After the experience, the young man was in tears: "Now I understand... the weight of connection."
The experiment was successful, but the cost soon became apparent—the separation between Du Siling and Han Beimo could not last. Their consciousness began to destabilize, and the light particles dissipated intermittently.
"They must re-integrate," scientists warned, "otherwise they may both dissipate."
Before they could rejoin, they had an hour of complete separation. Using this precious moment, they did their first "personal" thing in seventy years—they went to the rhododendron field on the lunar surface (cultivated using love core technology).
"Do you remember?" Du Siling touched a translucent flower. "The azalea at the orphanage."
Han Beimo nodded: "You often secretly share bread with me because I told you I like watching you eat."
The two sat in the flower field, sharing their feelings over the past seventy years—the experience of being guardians, the responsibility of protecting the earth, and the eternal loneliness.
“The most painful time is the night of the full moon,” Han Beimo said softly. “We can be separated for a short time, but we can only look at each other and can’t touch each other.”
Du Siling smiled: "But now we've touched it." He grasped Han Beimo's hand—a real human hand, though only a temporary one.
An hour later, the re-fusion began. This process was more painful than the separation; light particles collided violently, emitting dazzling light. When a unified consciousness was finally formed again, the Watcher's gold became even deeper, as if it had absorbed more human emotions.
The emotional intelligence protocol was officially launched. The first batch of volunteers experienced emotion collection—most reported only mild and temporary fading of emotions, but a very small number permanently lost some emotional capacity.
“The cost is higher than expected,” Du Siling-Han Beimo conveyed via the harmonic network. “Renegotiation is necessary.”
Just then, Zhao Mingxuan's life came to an end. In his final moments, he connected with the Watchers through a neural interface.
"Tell Huo Xue..." the old man's faint consciousness conveyed, "I kept my promise."
The Watchers descended upon the sanatorium, golden light particles coalescing into two blurry human figures that gently grasped the old man's hands. In the final moment, Zhao Mingxuan's Γ mark emitted its last glimmer of light before extinguishing forever.
His passing marks the complete end of an old era. Humanity in the new era continues to seek a balance between connection and independence, while the Watchers forever protect this world.
On a night of full moon, the golden light particles separated once more. Two blurry human figures sat in a field of azaleas on the moon, their fingers touching, their gazes tender.
"Forever?" a voice asked.
“Forever,” another voice replied.
Then the light particles re-merge and continue their eternal protection.
Cost and gift are always in a cycle of balance.
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