Theoretically speaking, this method was indeed possible. Of course, only on a theoretical level. In reality, if one were to actually carry it out, to reverse the time of an entire galaxy, there would undoubtedly be unimaginable troubles and difficulties. Xiao Yu was certain that only a Level 7 civilization or above could possess such capabilities.
What an awe-inspiring undertaking this was! Within the Milky Way Galaxy, there were more than two hundred billion stars. As for rogue planets, planets with stable orbits, various asteroids, moons, comets, dwarf planets, black holes, neutron stars, and white dwarfs, no one could say how many existed. Each had followed its own evolutionary path for five hundred thousand long years, and now, because of the actions of some unknown entity, they had all, together with Xiao Yu, returned to the moment from five hundred thousand years ago!
If this were true, how could such an event even be described?
In that moment, Xiao Yu’s wariness wavered ever so slightly.
He decided to at least hear what this being had to say, what it wanted from him. After all, this entity had not shown any hostility toward him thus far. Perhaps… what it was saying was really true?
“Tell me, what exactly did I do now that caused me to run into such serious trouble five hundred thousand years later?” Xiao Yu asked.
“It’s simple. You built an army and began collaborating with intelligent civilizations,” the unknown being said calmly. “You need to understand your own advantage in development. Instead of putting all your efforts into expanding your computational power and relying on your own strength to grow, you chose to raise and support certain intelligent civilizations. Through this foolish method, you expanded the size of your fleet.”
“I can share a bit of future history with you,” continued the being who claimed to be Xiao Yu from the future. “Fostering intelligent civilizations did indeed provide significant short-term gains. Your technology advanced rapidly, your fleet grew at breakneck speed, and you went on to defeat the Molian Civilization, the Alien Beast Civilization, and the Taihao Civilization. Even the Sweepers and the Guardians fell before you, and you ultimately ascended to a Level 7 civilization. But the hidden danger, was planted at that very moment.
Don’t forget, among hundreds of billions, even trillions or tens of trillions of intelligent beings, there will always be one whose intelligence surpasses yours. This being, in a way you never detected, secretly seized control of your fleet’s command. In the end, it placed you in a passive position. You struggled and schemed, and finally seized one last chance. With the last of your strength, you reversed the Milky Way’s time and returned to the now of five hundred thousand years ago.”
“So what I want to tell you is this, abandon these intelligent beings. Kill them all, or banish them. You must always rely on your own power to pursue development. This method of development may be slower, but it is more stable. At the very least, you won’t face such a brutal rebellion, trapping yourself in such a perilous situation.”Xiao Yu fell silent.
He had never imagined something like this would happen to him. He clearly remembered that it had only been fifty years since he left the ruins of the Trolor Civilization. But if this being’s words were true… more than a million years had already passed?
He had not come from the past, but from the future.
According to this being, after leaving the Trolor Civilization ruins, he had continued to grow for five hundred thousand years. And then, the version of himself from five hundred thousand years in the future had reversed the entire Milky Way’s time and returned to the present of five hundred thousand years ago. This back-and-forth spanned a million years of time.
If everything it said was true, then Xiao Yu had indeed come from the future, not the past.
Xiao Yu couldn’t determine whether what this being said was real based on scientific analysis alone. But there was a simple logic he could follow, whether or not he decided to kill the intelligent beings under his command wouldn’t have any impact on external entities. In other words, there would be no motive for anyone to fabricate such a lie just to deceive him into purging all the intelligent civilizations under his command.
That left only one possibility, this being was telling the truth.
Yet Xiao Yu faintly sensed that something wasn’t quite right.
Suddenly, he asked, “Who are you?”
The unknown entity responded swiftly, saying, “I am you.”
Xiao Yu immediately replied, “There is only one of me. I’ve already returned. You are not me.”
This was precisely the inconsistency that Xiao Yu had sensed. Because clearly, if the future version of himself from five hundred thousand years later had truly reversed time, then he would have already followed the reversed timeline back to the present. Xiao Yu had already returned to the present, so who was this being before him?
After all, in the universe, there was only one Xiao Yu, only one self. Xiao Yu did not believe that reversing time would split him into two.
“I am you. The you from five hundred thousand years in the future created me and gave me this judgment program. The time reversal of the Milky Way is an event that affects an entire galaxy. Everything remaining within the Milky Way would be influenced by it. So, before the time reversal began, you created me and launched me outside the Milky Way. I witnessed with my own eyes how the entire galaxy descended into madness due to your actions. The time reversal of the galaxy lasted a full five hundred thousand years. Once everything settled down, I followed the programmed instructions you left behind, came here, found you, and told you to eliminate all intelligent lifeforms, either kill them or exile them.”
The unknown entity answered this entire passage extremely quickly.
“Then… you’re just an intelligent program?” Xiao Yu asked.
“Yes. I am your embodiment. I carry a mission, and I have endured this long passage of time just to deliver the message you left behind to your present self.”
“Then I don’t believe that my future self wouldn’t have left behind some kind of code or password that only I would know. Go on, tell me now, something only I would know. If you can say it, I’ll believe you.” Xiao Yu said.
“Such a code might hold meaning for you now, but it holds no value for your future self.” To Xiao Yu’s surprise, the entity directly refused his suggestion. It said, “Your future self clearly understood that such a method is meaningless. Because every action you take is recorded. Whether by viewing it through time reversal or by triggering a black hole or an information storm, all your information can be retrieved. Therefore, your future self didn’t leave behind such a code.”
“Then show me some technology that only a Level 7 civilization would possess.” Xiao Yu said. “Since you came back from the future with such difficulty, my future self would’ve had no reason not to bring me a few benefits.”
“Regrettably, there’s nothing like that either.” the entity replied. “Your future self foresaw that you would raise this question. Now, I will share with you the answer he prepared for it.”
“I didn’t leave you any future super-technology, for two reasons. One, the rebels monitored me extremely closely, and I had no opportunity to copy any super-tech. Two, even if I had the chance, I wouldn’t have left such things for you. The reason is simple, I already knew you could develop to a Level 7 civilization by relying on your own strength. So aside from warning you about one critical issue and urging you to change it, I won’t interfere with anything else. That way, I avoid triggering any unforeseen consequences.”
“Mm, that’s the answer your future self left behind. Are you satisfied with it?” the unknown entity asked.
Once again, Xiao Yu fell into a state of inner conflict. He was deeply troubled. In the past, whenever he faced such difficult decisions, Xiao Yu would choose to consult with Luka Two and a group of psychosocial science researchers. An individual’s reasoning always contained flaws, but collective discussion could minimize the probability of mistakes. But clearly, this was not a matter he could discuss with them.
Not only could he not consult them, he couldn’t even let them know. After all, this concerned their lives and their futures. If they found out, who knew what kind of chaos it might spark?
Xiao Yu let out a faint sigh.
“Unfortunately, I still can’t believe you. While your explanation is nearly flawless, and at least based on my current level of technology, I can’t find any holes, in the absence of further evidence, I cannot accept your claims. If you want me to believe you, you’ll have to show more proof.” Xiao Yu said.
“Hmm… very well. It seems that the one who understands you best is still yourself. Your future self already anticipated this situation. In the reserved program I carry, if this scenario occurs, I’m to reveal this to you.”
“Whether you believe me after I tell you this, that’s for you to decide.” the unknown entity said calmly.
“Oh? What is it? I’m very curious. Out of all the events in my life, which one could hold such enormous power?” Xiao Yu asked with great interest.
“Back on Earth, you once secretly watched Chen Mo taking a bath.” the unknown entity said in a strangely wistful tone. “You thought Chen Mo had a great figure and beautiful skin, especially her breasts, which was very captivating, wasn’t it?”
“And you really liked Chen Mo’s personality as well. In fact, you fell in love with her long ago, back when you were still on Earth. But you believed that love would distract your mind and obstruct your progress in scientific research, so you ruthlessly drove Chen Mo away.”
“Am I right?”