Chapter 274

"Yes." Zhao Kaiyuan called up the fragment he had read, which was all incomprehensible symbols and geometric figures, but Torch Dragon-3 beside him gave a translation guess.

【Civilization ID γ-3, energy utilization efficiency threshold: 0.37, assessment result: below standard by 72%, executing clearance procedure. Time taken: standard time unit 1.4. Residue processing complete.】

【Civilization ID γ-9, energy utilization efficiency threshold: 0.41…… below standard by 68%, executing clearance procedure. Time taken: 1.1.】

【Civilization ID γ-12……】

Line after line, cold as an accountant doing the books.

"So they really are 'harvesting' civilizations." Chen Guang said softly, "They score civilizations by energy utilization efficiency, and those that fail…… are cleared."

"What's our score then?" Wang Hao asked.

Chen Guang quickly calculated: "With current human technology, controlled nuclear fusion prevalence 12%, Xuanming power grid coverage 35%, industrial production overall energy conversion efficiency…… comprehensive assessment, our energy utilization efficiency threshold is about 0.48."

"What's the passing line?"

"From these records we can extrapolate……" Chen Yun marked the curve, "At least 0.5. We're just a little shy of passing."

"Just because of this 'little bit', they're coming to wipe us out?"

"To them, this isn't considered malicious behavior." Chen Guang said with a complex expression.

"It's like…… an antivirus program finding a low‑efficiency, resource‑hogging piece of software and deciding to uninstall it. No hatred, no emotion, just a pure logical judgment."

Li Yang fell silent for a few seconds at the Moon Base, then said: "So we're fighting against a…… program that thinks we should be uninstalled?"

"Pretty much." Chen Guang paused, "But this also means their actions are completely predictable. As long as we can prove our 'efficiency' meets the standard, or……"

"Or what?"

"Or make them think we meet the standard." Feng Yan took up the conversation.

"If we can't actually raise our efficiency above 0.5 within one year and eleven months, at least we need to make the probe think we have."

"How do we pull that off?" Wang Hao asked.

"Using their own technology." Zhao Kaiyuan's voice grew excited.

"I read their efficiency‑evaluation algorithm model from the fragments."

"Torch Dragon-3 is analyzing it; if we can crack it, we can forge the data—so in the probe's eyes, human civilization would suddenly jump from 0.48 to 0.6, or even 0.7."

"Isn't that cheating?"

"What morality is there to talk about with a program that wants to uninstall you?" Zhao Kaiyuan said righteously, "They're about to wipe out our whole families, and we're still supposed to compete fairly with them?"

That statement left no room for rebuttal.

Three hours later, Torch Dragon-3 completed the initial breach of the database.

The Dragon Chant cafeteria was temporarily turned into a war room, with holographic projections scrolling detailed data on seventeen destroyed civilizations.

Their tech trees, cultural traits, and processes of destruction.

Some civilizations never even left their star system before being judged "inefficient" and erased.

Others had already developed interstellar colonization, yet were destroyed for "excessive energy waste rate."

The worst‑hit civilization's records show that just three years before its demise it had broken through vacuum zero‑point energy technology, boosting its energy utilization efficiency fivefold—but the Harvesters gave it no chance to update its data.

"They patrol on a fixed cycle." Chen Guang pointed at the marked spots on the galactic star map.

"Every three to five thousand years they sweep a region, assessing every civilization they encounter. If you failed the last assessment, they come next time and wipe you out outright—no second chance."

"When were we last assessed?" Li Yang asked.

"According to the records, the last assessment of the solar‑system region was…… twelve thousand years ago." Chen Yun marked the time point.

"Back then humans were still chipping stones. The efficiency threshold was about 0.01, far below the standard. But for some reason, the Harvesters didn't execute the clearance procedure; instead they marked us as 'under observation'."

"Why?"

"I don't know. The record ends here." Chen Guang shook his head, "But this time they sent a probe, obviously to conduct a final exam, and the moment we met we blew the examiner to bits."

Wang Hao laughed: "So now we're caught cheating and have to silence the examiner?"

"Pretty much." Feng Yan rubbed his temples, "But the good news is, the examiner died before sending back the report card—at least not the full one. The probe only transmitted a 'coordinate confirmation' signal, no assessment data."

"So the main fleet still doesn't know we're failing students?"

"Exactly. They only know there's a civilization here, and that we have the capability to shoot down their probe." Feng Yan stood up and walked to the holographic star map.

"That means next time they come, they'll be fully prepared. But this also gives us time——"

He turned around and faced everyone:

"Before they arrive, we need to alter our report card to a perfect score."

"The plan is called the 'Loophole Plan.'" Chen Guang pulled up the outline.

"Using the technology we reverse‑engineered from the probe, we will dramatically boost the surface energy efficiency of human civilization."

"At the same time, we will study how to fundamentally deceive the Harvesters' evaluation algorithm; if we can make them see the solar system as an 'efficient civilization sanctuary,' they might even abandon the clearance."

Zhao Kaiyuan added: "I already have a lead on that—those purple‑veined materials, if mass‑produced and spread over Earth's major industrial zones,"

"they can forge an extremely high energy‑utilization efficiency signal, like putting a failing student in a honors student's uniform."

"How much do we need?" Li Yang asked.

"Based on the total area of global industrial zones……" Zhao Kaiyuan quickly tapped the calculator, "we'd need to produce roughly a billion tons."

The cafeteria fell silent for a moment.

"A billion tons?" Wang Hao stared, "Our current annual output of specialty materials is only how much? A million tons would already be the limit!"

"So we've got to go all out." Zhao Kaiyuan grinned.

"But the good news is, I've found a simplified synthesis method for this stuff—using a special isotope from lunar regolith plus hydrogen and helium from Jupiter's atmosphere, catalyzed under high pressure, it can be produced."

"We just finished the Jupiter operation, so the raw material supply is sufficient."

Feng Yan nodded: "Then let's do it—starting today, 85% of global industrial capacity will be redirected to the 'Loophole Plan.' All nations, all companies, everyone, make way for this goal."

"The resistance will be huge." Chen Guang warned, "A sudden shift will cause economic shock, and unemployment could spike."

"Then we'll use a wartime mechanism." Feng Yan made up his mind.

"Tell everyone, this is no longer an economic issue, but a survival issue."

"In one year and eleven months, if we cannot produce a report card that satisfies the Harvesters, human civilization will become, like those seventeen civilizations, a single entry in the database."

He paused briefly and looked out the window.

Night deepened, but more "stars" could be seen in the sky; they are the acceleratingly deployed Heaven's Punishment Platforms, and each additional one adds a fraction to humanity's safety.

"Dismissed," Feng Yan said, "return to your own tasks. Li Yang, after the mech is repaired, come find me; I have a new design to discuss with you."

"Wang Hao, accelerate the missile production line again. Chen Guang, keep cracking the database; I need to know whether those seventeen civilizations left any 'strategy.' Zhao Kaiyuan…"

"One billion tons of material—it's on you."

"Don't worry," Zhao Kaiyuan clenched his fist, "I won't eat or sleep, but I'll get it done."

The crowd dispersed.

The cafeteria fell quiet again, only the cleaning robot remained tidying dishes.

Feng Yan stood alone by the window, watching the night sky.

One year and eleven months.

Seven hundred days.