Perhaps it was the immense and grand structure of the spaceship that startled them. People who had been cheering excitedly for the successful ignition of controlled nuclear fusion were suddenly reminded of the fear once instilled by "Above X Fortress," and they snapped back to their senses.

The reason was none other.

The disparity was too vast!

Even the most top-tier physicists on Earth could not provide a reasonable explanation for the power source and propulsion method used by that spaceship. They could only deduce from traces within the "Game" that it might have adopted some form of anti-gravity technology.

As for how exactly it was achieved, no one could offer a reasonable explanation.

This also indicated that from the most fundamental logic of scientific technology, human civilization was not merely a little behind but significantly lagged behind the other side...

The academic world argued from the four fundamental forces to energy conservation, and from Minkowski spacetime theory to the ten-dimensional strings of superstring theory and the extra strings in M-theory.

Although no physicist committed suicide over the idea that "physics no longer exists," the debate about new physics indeed caused many to lose the few hairs they already had.

Some physicists suggested that perhaps a special particle exists in dimensions unseen by humans.

This particle not only follows the physical laws of three-dimensional space but also obeys laws in other dimensions unknown to humans. Therefore, humans could indirectly influence gravitational fields in higher dimensions through it.

Others proposed that perhaps the gravitational field itself is a particle of a higher dimension.

Thus, all things visible to humans, including humanity itself, are merely projections of this particle in the three-dimensional plane.

Though these conjectures are incomplete and present many assumptions impossible to prove or disprove with current human technology, they still represent progress in a certain sense.

Even if this blind exploration is still far from the "cosmic membrane" that exists above 11 dimensions...

The debate did not stop within academia; it also elicited a significant public response.

Facing the overwhelming technological advantage of the advanced civilization and the limited goodwill already shown, "The Descendant Faction" gradually became the mainstream in public opinion.

After all, expecting humanity to rid itself of the intrinsic flaws in human nature to achieve broad equality is very difficult.

If all that is introduced into human civilization from advanced civilizations is advanced productivity without distribution methods compatible with that productivity, then any advanced technology would ultimately just build a cage for the old order.

If help is to be provided, it should be comprehensive, aiming for widespread prosperity within the Milky Way. Moreover, being liberated could also be a kind of redemption.

There are numerous representatives supporting this viewpoint in the Descendant Faction, mainly those from industry and radical academics.

Of course, a considerable number of Darwinists still vividly portray the concealed threat within, believing that the facade of peace is also a sugar-coated bullet of swords, and that the invasion from advanced civilizations is imminent.

They call themselves the Battle Faction.

Their representative is conservative forces within the establishment, primarily Phillip, a former CIA agent and now a leader of a temporary civilian task group.

Regardless of the type of voice, none represent absolute correctness; they are simply viewpoints scattered across the spectrums of consciousness.

These two contrasting voices balance each other while also pushing each other forward.

Apart from these two mainstream voices, some non-mainstream viewpoints have emerged.

For example, the "Virtual Game" theory is one of them.

Faced with a spaceship that far exceeds the imagination of human science and technology, some opinion leaders propose that "our" universe is actually just a virtual game field of a higher civilization, and everyone's fate is predetermined from birth.

For the advanced civilization acting as GM, they can arbitrarily alter the game's rules, thus rendering cooperation or resistance futile.

Similar to the Matrix.

There is no shortage of supporters of this theory, and it has almost covertly become a new cyber religion.

Besides this, there is also the faction viewing "advanced civilizations" as the creator, believing that "Wasteland OL" is one possible future of human civilization foreseen by the creator.

However, regardless of the viewpoint, one thing is beyond doubt—

The nerves of the entire globe are being influenced by that spaceship bound for Mars...

...

A certain research base in eastern Hua Nation.

The command room was spacious and well-air-conditioned, yet it couldn't dispel the heat swirling above people's heads.

Dressed in work uniforms, operators sat meticulously in front of the terminals, busily compiling data returned from astronomical observation sites across the nation.

And that analyzed and compiled information displayed on the command room's big screen showed only a flickering green dot, alongside a few blurry photos listed beside it.

Standing before the big screen, an elderly professor, around fifty years old, frowned deeply, muttering to himself.

"...It's so bizarre. Our radars can't capture it, not even radio telescopes can see it. The only thing that can track its traces is the optical telescope... But it's too fast; our zoom speed can't keep up. Every time it switches orbit, we have to recalculate its position."

Standing next to the professor, a square-faced man also frowned.

Missing it during the launch phase was understandable, as they hadn't deployed radars in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and the Satellites couldn't always focus on a strategically valueless desert.

However, the fact that the spaceship had already flown outside the geosynchronous orbit, yet their radars still couldn't lock onto it... This was quite perplexing.

Due to the complete failure of radio detection technology, optical telescopes had instead become the most effective means of observation.

"Is this the technological gap..."

Hearing the square-faced man's words, the old professor smiled wryly and shook his head.

"I'm afraid it's not just a matter of technological disparity... This might be technology we simply don't understand."

"Like a deflection shield?"

Hearing the unfamiliar term, the old professor was taken aback and asked with a frown.

"...What is that?"

The square-faced man smiled awkwardly and said.

"Nothing... just a setting in a game."

Professor: "..."

Although mentioning a game in such a setting appeared unserious, it was regrettable that was the closest to what they considered the truth.

According to Professor Yan Feng's theory, the cloaking technology employed by that spaceship might be related to some form of anti-stealth coating that appeared in the game, likely unrelated to the deflection shield.

Of course.

Considering that the spaceship was equipped with an anti-gravity device, adding a deflection shield didn't seem too far-fetched.

Just as everyone was contemplating, a technician sitting at the terminal suddenly exclaimed with delight.

"There's a new update! The spaceship broadcasted a radio message to Earth!"

Hearing this, the head of the investigative agency, who had been silent while holding his arms, suddenly looked up, stepped quickly to the terminal, and pressed his face close to the screen, asking.

"What did it say?"

The operator's fingers danced over the terminal's keyboard, soon reporting with a tense expression.

"After decrypting the message, there seems to be only one symbol... Translated, it appears to be α?"

"Alpha..." The head of the investigative agency was momentarily stunned, then his expression subtly changed, and he said, "Just this symbol? Is there no additional information?"

"...No." The operator shook his head with a difficult expression, "It also didn't respond to our attempts to contact... There's only this symbol in the three-second broadcast message."

This time he spoke with certainty.

Because just now, other observation stations also reported the detection, all observing the same message.

Including their international partners.

"Alpha..." The director rubbed his chin with his index finger, a solemn expression on his face as he pondered over the term.

The professor specializing in aerospace had been mulling over it for long and suddenly raised his head, unsure, he said.

"Could this be their name? Or, are they giving themselves a name using a symbol we understand?"

"This possibility cannot be ruled out." The director said in a deep voice, "What concerns me more is, why this symbol... Could there be some deeper meaning behind it?"

Everyone in the command room exchanged glances, interpreting each other's expressions.

The information they had was too scarce.

It was hard to deduce anything useful from just one symbol.

However, at this moment, the square-faced man, who had been deep in thought, suddenly spoke up.

"I suddenly remembered that the early version number of 'Wasteland OL' seemed to be Alpha... It later changed to Beta."

"Alpha, Beta..."

"I'm wondering if they mean to say... they are Alpha, and we are Beta?"

Though this interpretation seemed a bit of a stretch, he still voiced his speculation.

Whispers spread through the room.

Several officials from Shangjing turned their gaze to him.

"What do you mean..."

"Can you elaborate a bit more?"

Facing the gazes directed at him, the square-faced man pondered for a moment before continuing.

"It's just my guess."

"Perhaps what they mean is that they are our future, and also our pioneers. We are their past, but at the same time, their continuation?"

"Both the past and the continuation..." Pondering this sentence repeatedly, the person in charge frowned and asked, "How is this done?"

It sounds as if the civilization calling themselves Alpha is both their past and their future?

"I don't know," the square-faced man shook his head honestly, "maybe it's a parallel universe? Or perhaps a multiverse? Or maybe both... and some universes were born earlier than ours."

"As for how exactly, I am not sure... Additionally, after all, I am not an expert in this field; my theory is only for reference."

"This does sound a bit far-fetched..." The old professor from the aerospace sector said with a wry smile, "If there's a parallel universe us, I want to ask why they want to contact us? Are they trying to get something from us?"

After thinking for a long time, the institution's person in charge didn't agree with the old professor's statement, but instead remarked thoughtfully.

"Although it does sound a bit far-fetched, this can explain their seemingly causeless kindness towards us."

The square-faced man shook his head.

"I think perhaps it's not without reason."

The person in charge looked over at him.

"What do you mean?"

Seeing multiple pairs of eyes turn to him, the square-faced man thought for a while and said.

"The reason they contact us might be to solve some of their own problems, and they might have already achieved this purpose... which is why we saw that spaceship."

The expression of the person in charge gradually became serious.

"Are they revealing their cards..."

"Yes," the square-faced man nodded slightly, casting his gaze towards the screen ahead, "they no longer need anything from us, so they no longer hide their traces... However, I think that opening up might not necessarily be a bad thing."

"At least from now on, we no longer need to doubt each other and can communicate with each other on a more equal footing."

"Probably."

...

Although his "probably" lacked confidence, the development of things unexpectedly unfolded as the square-faced man had anticipated, bringing about an unprecedented change.

Shortly after the unidentified spaceship reached Mars' orbit, an organization named "Shelter Technology" suddenly appeared at the center of the public's attention.

This person named Principles, claiming to be the CEO of Shelter Technology, the director of Shelter 404-Beta, and the Alliance ambassador to the Beta Universe.

In a sticky post on the Wasteland OL website forum, he announced with a clear voice.

"We are not aliens."

"We are another version of you."

"You can call us pioneers, Alpha civilization... or fellow beings from the Alpha Universe."

In the video, Doctor Principle briefly described the eleven-dimensional universe membrane theory and the soap bubble theory.

These theories were originally the masterpieces of the "Professor," but now that the Professor is no longer around, he had to explain the theoretical basis for establishing contact between the two sides on behalf of the Professor.

Of course.

Regarding the morphogenesis field and more technical details, he did not reveal them in the video.

From the perspective of someone who has been through it, they will still provide appropriate guidance and inspiration to the fellow beings of the Beta Universe as before, but they will not dump knowledge that the latter never had onto them all at once.

Helping someone to grow prematurely is not a good thing for either side.

The people of the Alpha Universe might only miss the opportunity of "Sociology+3," but the people of the Beta Universe would be deprived of their potential for self-growth and the possibility of developing tools and methods through exploring the unknown.

If facing the same predicament, it would be fine; the experience of the Alpha Universe could help the people of the Beta Universe pass through easily.

But if the Beta Universe encounters predicaments on the future timeline that the Alpha Universe has not experienced, this predicament might very well become a hurdle that the former cannot overcome.

After all, according to the Observer, the situation between different universes might be different.

Taking the Beta Universe and the Alpha Universe as examples, human civilizations in the two universes might have experienced similar or even identical histories, but outside the horizon, they might still encounter completely different situations.

For instance, the pioneering civilization encountered by people from the Alpha Universe at South Gate Two is likely to be encountered by people from the Beta Universe as well.

Including Celestial Warehouse Five.

The pioneering civilization that left a trace of their soul at South Gate Two once declared information about the relics at Celestial Warehouse Five, so for the human civilizations of the two universes, it technically belongs within the "horizon" as well.

But if it's a universe farther than Celestial Warehouse Five, then it might not be.

That will be a completely new arrangement and combination.

Perhaps humans in the Alpha Universe found nothing in a star system 100 light-years away, but humans in the Beta Universe were lucky enough to discover the remnants of another pioneer civilization there, thus opening another path... These things are entirely possible.

"We are distinct from each other... Whether it be our faces, names, or the maps beneath our feet."

"Yet we are the same... Because the things you've encountered, we've also encountered. And the past we've experienced, you are now experiencing."

"We have already embraced an inseparable destiny, and from now on we will march forward together in the void. We thank you for the help you have once given us... and hope that our history can offer you some inspiration, to avoid possible tragic events in the future."

"If tragedy cannot be avoided, don't lose heart."

"When that time comes, we will come to save you!"

"Just like you once saved us."

No matter whether people of the Beta Universe can digest this massive amount of information, Doctor Principle revealed in an orderly manner those truths that "he and Chu Guang unanimously deemed necessary to disclose."

Not only that.

Doctor Principle also announced a global open tender under the name "Shelter Technology" for major regional agents of the public beta service of Wasteland OL, as well as genuine holographic helmet equipment suppliers.

Even though such fully immersive virtual reality technology is epoch-making for human civilization in the Beta Universe, it is not as exaggerated as "Morphogenesis Field" technology; they can achieve it even without carbon nano-circuit boards.

It's just that the cost might be slightly more expensive.

As the mirror image of the early closed beta version, the public beta will operate as a genuinely immersive MMORPG. All game data will be stored in regional data centers on Earth in the Beta Universe and will participate in the grand epic of the Alpha Universe starting from Wasteland Era 211.

Public beta players will start from the winter before the Bone Chewing Chaos, retracing the paths they once reviewed, engaging in battles with more exaggerated attribute panels and skill trees against more powerful Variants, Looter, and Mutants.

Meanwhile, among NPCs in the public beta, including the Manager, many will be played by AI provided by Ideal City, and some plot NPCs will have the same resurrection ability as players—unless they are special characters killed by the storyline with updates.

Simply put, the public beta is equivalent to a full-age nostalgic version of the closed beta.

Exaggerated skills and attribute panels will dilute some overly heavy content, like being caught by a Looter or Mutants and not being thrown into a cauldron to be stewed, but rather instantly black out and resurrect.

The strict rules of the closed beta will not exist in the public beta, for example, malicious PK behavior won't result in direct disconnection, but rather like other MMORPGs, it will be marked as a red name, and upon being killed by other players or safe zone NPCs, punishment will be triggered... Thus becoming part of the gameplay.

Theoretically, public beta players can even role-play as Looter, without having to stick to the order faction.

Furthermore, the resurrection cooldown in the public beta will be canceled.

On top of that, compared to the diluted pain in the closed beta, the pain in the public beta will be further reduced, and a painless, seamless, no damage explosion clothing harmony version will be launched to prevent some "played but can't afford to play" giant babies from crying.

After all, it's already a virtual game, making it so realistic is somewhat unnecessary.

Public beta players can still exchange feelings with NPCs played by AI, give gifts to accumulate goodwill, develop into close brothers and sisters, or even spark a romance... However, the realistic parts will be trimmed based on local laws and regulations by the agents' discretion.

Though Shelter Technology isn't registered as an organization in the Beta Universe, it will still adhere to local laws.

As for the closed beta, everything remains as before.

Players can still continue playing with a mindset of gaming or experiencing dreams, exploring unforeseen futures with the "NPCs", providing expansion data for the public beta, or becoming bosses in the public beta... As long as the gaming rules are followed.

After all, there will be no material exchanges between the Alpha Universe and the Beta Universe anyway, with only consciousness being transmitted, taking it as a dream is entirely logical.

For players already unable to view the game as a game, they can finally, without psychological burden, openly share their origins with new era friends, or even invite them to visit their own world in the future.

The Player's Handbook will delete the confidentiality clauses regarding the "game" content and add explanations about the Alpha and Beta Universes, along with some unlocked data from Project 404.

How to view everything in the Beta Universe will be up to the players themselves!

Wasteland OL promises not to delete files and will continue operating without change.

Even the qualification for closed beta will be distributed at the original pace to already reserved players or to players showing outstanding performance in the public beta... About one to two hundred accounts a day.

Even if it isn't a network game at all, but rather another real universe!

Moreover, if any closed beta players want to experience the nostalgic version in the public beta, it's easy enough, simply purchase the paid version of the game helmet sold by the regional agents.

Public beta accounts and closed beta accounts do not share data, and various settings within the game will have considerable differences.

However, as rewards for the closed beta players, they will receive special medals and skin rewards issued by the system when registering public beta characters.

For more specific details, players will have to explore on their own after the public beta goes live.

As soon as Doctor Principle's video was published, the Forum of Wasteland OL exploded.

On top of that, there was a global uproar!

Wasteland OL's behind-the-scenes operator wasn't an alien, but another group of future humans?!

At this moment, both the Descendant Faction and the Battle Faction were embarrassed by their previous conclusions.

A high-level civilization turns out to be me... Not bad.

Too hasty!