Starship Base, Cryo-chamber.
The once spacious chamber was now filled with equipment of unknown names. Dozens of researchers bustled about, recording data and calibrating devices, creating a scene of bustling activity.
Gong Yiding’s consciousness remained connected to the base. He didn't need to see with his eyes; all progress unfolded in his mind. Any issue would trigger an instant thought, alerting the relevant personnel, thus ensuring the smooth and rapid assembly of equipment.
Ou Zhanpeng rushed in, "Elder Gong, how is the preparation coming along?"
Gong Yiding checked the time in his mind, instantly calculating the remaining duration. "About half an hour more."
Ou Zhanpeng pursed his lips, his serious expression masking a sliver of unease.
In his original plan, once the decision was made, all that was needed was to issue a revival command to the cryo-chamber.
However, Gong Yiding and the research team clearly had different ideas. They not only considered the success of the revival but also contingency plans for failure.
Consequently, the various devices prepared during this period were deployed, their utility fully realized.
The two conversed in a corner, and in what felt like moments, thirty minutes passed, with all equipment debugging completed as planned.
Upon receiving the news, Shan Qiuyu entered the cryo-chamber, and Ou Zhanpeng and Gong Yiding hurried to meet him.
The revival of a Prophet was a matter of such magnitude that it could not be unilaterally decided by Ou Zhanpeng and Gong Yiding; it required reporting to headquarters for approval.
The three leaders, upon receiving the application, were also conflicted. They convened for a long deliberation before grudgingly agreeing.
Under different circumstances, the three leaders would have preferred humanity to develop at a slower pace rather than consenting to the Prophet's revival. However, humanity's current situation was fraught with peril, and complete annihilation could occur at any moment.
This was not a problem that could be solved by dispatching more immigration ships. Even if these ships managed to establish a foothold on other planets, it would take centuries for them to develop to Earth's current level. If development lagged, it might even take a millennium or more.
To demonstrate the importance of the Prophet's revival, Shan Qiuyu, representing the military, arrived at Starship Base to personally oversee the entire process.
If the revival failed, it would at most be a wasted trip. However, if it succeeded, Shan Qiuyu would be tasked with representing humanity in comprehensive dialogue with the Prophet.
This was not a responsibility that Ou Zhanpeng or Gong Yiding could undertake.
Shan Qiuyu waved off Ou Zhanpeng's impending pleasantries and looked up at the cryo-chamber, several stories high. "How are the preparations?"
He genuinely hoped the Prophet would not be revived, but the situation had reached a point where it was unavoidable.
He could only hope that the Prophet's revival would open a door of hope for humanity.
"Basically complete," Ou Zhanpeng replied.
"Ready to begin at any time," Gong Yiding stated.
"Then let us begin!" Shan Qiuyu said.
Gong Yiding issued the command, and a hovering platform drifted over. The group boarded, and the platform slowly ascended to the level of the cryo-chamber.
"Which one to revive?" Shan Qiuyu asked.
"This one!" Ou Zhanpeng pointed to a cryo-chamber. "His name is Lei. He was the one who destroyed the broken ship."
Inside the cryo-chamber was a handsome middle-aged man. Shan Qiuyu gazed at Lei for a moment. "Begin."
"Begin!" Gong Yiding confirmed.
Ou Zhanpeng issued the revival command to Lei's cryo-chamber. The dormant exterior of the capsule began to display various Prophet script, along with incomprehensible charts and progress bars.
"Revival commencing!" a researcher announced loudly.
"Cryo-chamber operating normally!"
"Internal temperature rising!"
"Subject's condition stable, internal and external temperatures rising in sync..."
A cacophony of voices continuously reported the revival status.
Ou Zhanpeng's anxiety intensified, a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.
Gong Yiding teased in a low voice, "What? Can't sit still already?"
Ou Zhanpeng earnestly retorted, "If the Prophet wakes up later, what should I say?"
Gong Yiding was initially taken aback, then found it both amusing and exasperating. "How should I know?"
"Minus eighty degrees Celsius!" a voice interrupted their conversation, drawing everyone's attention to the cryo-chamber.
"Minus sixty degrees Celsius!"
"Minus forty degrees Celsius..."
The revival program proceeded meticulously, step by step.
As Lei's body temperature finally surpassed the freezing point and began to approach normal levels, Ou Zhanpeng's heart pounded uncontrollably.
It wasn't just Ou Zhanpeng; even Gong Yiding felt his processor heating up slightly.
"One degree Celsius, skin softening!"
"Nine degrees Celsius, microcirculation established!"
"Fourteen degrees Celsius, external circulation established!"
"Twenty degrees Celsius, cardiac pacing... first attempt failed... second attempt failed... third attempt failed!"
At this moment, a shadow fell over everyone's hearts.
"Failed pacing, does that mean the revival failed?" Shan Qiuyu asked in a low voice.
Ou Zhanpeng looked at Gong Yiding, who pondered for a moment before replying, "External circulation has been established, so even if the heart doesn't beat, it won't affect the revival. It just means that after revival, we'll need to figure out why the heart failed. If there are cardiac issues... we'll have to replace his heart."
"Ah!" Shan Qiuyu nodded slightly. "As long as it doesn't affect it, that's fine."
The body temperature continued to rise, and pacing persisted. It wasn't until the ninth attempt that a faint fluctuation finally appeared on the monitoring equipment.
"It's beating, it's beating, it's beating!" the researcher monitoring the equipment shouted excitedly!
"Autologous circulation established, external circulation terminated!"
"Body temperature steadily rising, digestive system resuming physiological activity!"
"Lungs revived, artificial respiration in progress!"
One piece of good news followed another. A hint of surprise flickered in Gong Yiding's eyes. "Excellent, excellent!" httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
The most critical juncture had been passed, and the experimental team was only one step away from success.
Gong Yiding couldn't help but ask, "Any brain activity?"
"Not yet!"
"What about the brain cells?"
"Everything is normal!"
"Keep the transfer equipment on standby, ready to transfer consciousness at any moment!"
"Understood, equipment is on standby, ready to transfer consciousness!"
"Spontaneous respiration resumed, artificial respiration terminated!"
"Body temperature approaching normal, it's happening, signs of brain activity appearing!"
On the screen, the electroencephalogram, which had been a flat line, now showed subtle fluctuations.
Even someone with no medical knowledge understood what this represented.
"He's alive, he's alive!" exclamations of joy erupted.
Gong Yiding and Ou Zhanpeng were equally overjoyed, while Shan Qiuyu maintained his outward composure.
However, beneath the surface calm, his mind was a whirlwind of thoughts.
It was no exaggeration to say that without the Prophets, humanity would not have achieved its current accomplishments. From this perspective, it was not excessive to venerate the Prophets.
But then again, judging by the experiences of the three prehistoric civilizations, the Prophets exhibited strong control tendencies. While they were dormant, it was one thing, but would they dictate to humanity after revival?
It wasn't that Shan Qiuyu was being overly cautious; it was simply that no one knew the Prophets' upbringing, nor the nature of their civilization. It was impossible to ascertain their values.
They were certainly different from humanity, and complete opposition was not out of the question. If their values were even remotely close to humanity's, Shan Qiuyu would consider it a blessing.
However, after a brief period of celebration, the cryo-chamber remained unresponsive.
Realizing something was amiss, the cheers gradually died down, and all eyes fixed on the cryo-chamber. Their hearts sank.
"What happened?" someone asked.
No one answered, and no one knew how to.
Ou Zhanpeng keenly noticed that the Prophet script on the cryo-chamber had not disappeared. He had a vague premonition but hesitated to voice it.
Gong Yiding couldn't hold back. "What's the status of his physiological functions?"
"Fully recovered!"
"And the brain?"
"Brainwave activity is gradually increasing!"
Gong Yiding was deeply perplexed. All the data indicated improvement, so why was the Prophet still inactive?
As he pondered, the cryo-chamber suddenly made a soft sound. The script and charts on its surface dimmed and vanished. Then, the lid opened, and a hiss of escaping air spewed from the gap.
Ou Zhanpeng instinctively held his breath. Gong Yiding didn't need to breathe, but his CPU experienced a momentary lag.
The hissing ceased, and the lid slowly opened, revealing the Prophet within the cryo-chamber, his chest rising and falling rhythmically.
"Is it a success?" Ou Zhanpeng asked.
Gong Yiding shook his head. "I don't know, maybe!"
Before he finished speaking, the Prophet's eyelashes fluttered. Then, his eyeballs rolled, and after a few seconds, the long-dormant giant slowly opened his eyes, revealing a pair of pitch-black irises.
Upon seeing the hovering platform nearby and the small figures filling the chamber, Lei's expression showed a clear moment of bewilderment.
However, he quickly regained his composure, raised an arm to support himself in the cryo-chamber, and slowly sat up.
Shan Qiuyu whispered, "He looks approachable. How do we communicate with him?"
Before Gong Yiding could reply, Ou Zhanpeng volunteered, "Leave it to me!"
Saying this, a small section of the platform beneath him detached and slowly drifted towards Lei. He then uttered a string of familiar yet profoundly alien words, "Lei, are you well?"
Shan Qiuyu was stunned. "Is that the Prophet's language? When did this kid learn it?"
Gong Yiding shook his head, indicating he was also unsure. "This kid has more secrets than just this!"
"That's true!" Shan Qiuyu nodded and didn't delve further into the matter.
Ou Zhanpeng waited for a moment, but Lei merely stared at him without any response.
He ventured a bit closer. "Lei, do you remember me?"
Lei, newly revived, fixed his large eyes on the tiny figure before him, his gaze converging in the center, almost giving him a cross-eyed look. "You are the Spark. I remember you!"
Lei's voice was deep and resonant, making Ou Zhanpeng's ears ring. But being able to communicate was the best possible start.
However, Lei offered no words of thanks or similar sentiments. Instead, his expression suddenly shifted to one of weariness. "I chose to sleep. Why have you revived me?"
Ou Zhanpeng's mouth twitched. He had intended to exchange polite greetings, but the conversation had quickly gotten to the point. He immediately turned to Shan Qiuyu and repeated Lei's question.
He was responsible for communication, but Shan Qiuyu was the one who made decisions.
Shan Qiuyu sighed. "Let's tell him the truth."
Ou Zhanpeng nodded, about to recount humanity's plight, but the words that came out were a question, "Do you need to eat something?"
Lei instinctively rubbed his stomach. "That would be wonderful!"
A moment later, the research team moved to the dining hall.
Throughout their walk, no matter where they went, the Prophet's expression remained distinctly displeased.
Ou Zhanpeng felt he understood Lei's feelings. His current sensation was likely akin to his own home being occupied by outsiders and then extensively renovated.
Gong Yiding operated a mecha that was half a head shorter than the Prophet, placing several large bowls, each five meters in diameter, before him.
This mecha was an experimental product of the research team, originally designed to counter a first-generation civilization. Later, as relations between the two parties eased, the mecha experiments were halted, and the corresponding technology was shelved.
However, the experimental prototypes remained, stored in the base's warehouse.
To facilitate communication, Gong Yiding had retrieved this item from storage. Otherwise, given humanity's size, facing the Prophet would have been immensely intimidating.
"What is this?" Lei asked, staring at the bowls.
Ou Zhanpeng leaped onto the table and pointed at the bowls, which were taller than he was. "This is rice, a staple food... This is braised pork belly with potatoes, a main dish... This is beef stew with carrots, another main dish. Apologies, due to time constraints, this is all we have for now."
The rice, made from 100 kilograms of rice, was enough to feed 450 to 500 people. The two dishes were also prepared in similar quantities.
The Prophet's arrival was sudden, and the dining hall was unprepared. The limited food available was intended for ordinary personnel.
Fortunately, the base had a large population and ample food.
Ou Zhanpeng had wanted to prepare some vegetables for the Prophet, but only these two stewed dishes were ready. The rest were still being prepared, so he had to make do for now.
The head chef was almost beside himself. The two largest, most oil-rich dishes had been taken entirely, and he was still being criticized. What kind of people were these?
The head chef was currently preoccupied with this issue. With such a large deficit, some people would undoubtedly go hungry during the meal. He had to immediately assign personnel to work overtime to fill the gap as quickly as possible.
Lei had never tasted human food. His nose twitched, and a rumbling sound suddenly emanated from his stomach.
Perhaps he was truly hungry, as he picked up a spoon larger than a shovel, scooped a basin of rice into his mouth, and then added a ladleful of the succulent braised pork. His face immediately lit up with surprise and delight.
Ou Zhanpeng smiled gleefully. He knew this would be the outcome.
Humanity had conquered the three great civilizations with its cuisine. While the Prophet was the creator of all Earth humans, who said that creators had never enjoyed good food?
The Prophet ate two large bowls in one go, a total of 200 kilograms of rice, and two large bowls... He finished both large vats of stewed dishes completely, leaving not a drop.
This was, in the literal sense, a glutton!
Witnessing this scene, everyone had similar thoughts: feeding such a giant would surely exceed this month's food budget.
Putting down the bowls with satisfaction, Lei patted his distended stomach. "I didn't expect your food to be so delicious... Spark, I have seen your achievements. You have done better than I imagined. Now, you can tell me why you revived me."
"We need your help!" Ou Zhanpeng stated.