The communication from the Deep Blue Well hung up, the underground storage center that emerged in the sea of ​​flowers and Ophelia's figure faded away like a tide. The bright sunshine once again shone on this open and vibrant place. In the gentle breeze, Belltila's figure reappeared in front of Gao Wen, with a serious expression on her face.

"I really didn't expect the breaking point to appear in front of us in this form... The deep blue well actually stores the magic wave data from seven hundred years ago."

"Unexpectedly, reasonable," Gao Wen said slowly, "If there is any possibility of leaving behind the 'shadow' of the demon tide in this world, it can only be in the Deep Blue Well... that shocking explosion destroyed the Gondor civilization, but also resisted a tide that could lead to the end of the world. I have considered this possibility a long time ago, but I didn't expect... it actually left traces there."

"Do you think Ophelia's plan is really possible? Raise the magic power of the Deep Blue Well to a 'energy level' that is enough to simulate the magic tide, and create a controlled magic tide environment in the laboratory..." Belltila seemed a little worried in her tone, "Although it is feasible in theory, the idea is really advanced, and... it is always a bit unsettling."

She shook her head and looked into Gao Wen's eyes: "Actually, I didn't expect you to agree with her plan, which is not in line with your usual cautious personality."

"...We may not have much time," Gao Wen faced Belltila's sight. In front of this "former saint" who can be ranked as the two core forces of the Cecil Empire with Dawn, he did not hide his thoughts. "Our civilization has developed safely for too many years this season. Although the arrival of the demon tide does not seem to have a very accurate time scale, it has a rough cycle, and we must be mentally prepared to come the next day."

"...Is it because of the 'star shining' mentioned in that alien signal?" Belltila looked at Gao Wen quietly, "Do you think that information is telling us that the tide of devil is about to begin?"

"I'm not sure, but it's very likely - maybe the civilization sending the signal is still unknown, maybe this signal is really a trap, but as long as there is a certain possibility, we have to make all preparations...'They's crossing the starry sea to send us this message, and the content must have its profound meaning."

Belltila didn't speak for a moment, but just lowered her head slightly as if she was thinking. Seeing this, Gao Wen asked curiously: "What are you thinking?"

"I'm considering the 'observation' problem in the final stage of Ophelia's plan," Belltila raised his head. "As you asked, the most critical problem of this simulation test is that the essence of the magic wave is that the observer effect in the macro field is out of control - in other words, its final stage does not allow intelligent creatures to participate at all. Trying to observe the magic wave will lead to the death of the participants, which means that even if her simulation is successful, we have no means to extract the results from it... Although we are taking one step at a time, starting with separating the original data, we always have to face this problem."

Gao Wen frowned slowly: "Indeed, I am also thinking about this. Observation is not allowed in the final stage of the experiment, which is almost as difficult as the magic wave itself... I have only two solutions at present. One is indirect observation, using a comprehensive observation device that can simulate the five senses of humans to enter the experimental field to record data, and then read it by external testers;

"The other is 'restricted observation', which uses soul-based magic to completely freeze the tester's mind and let it enter the experimental field in a form similar to the 'puppet'. According to our current understanding of the magic wave, individuals without mind will not be affected by the shock field - but the perception of the puppet personnel is still continuously receiving the impact of the shock field. We can directly try to analyze the tester's neuroorganic changes after the test, or use high-level illusion to extract the 'impression fragments' left in the tester's subconscious.

"But it is hard to say how successful these two methods are, because both solutions actually avoid the essential element of the observer in a sense, and without the participation of the observer... The demon wave may not show any recordable nature at all - for ordinary entities, the demon wave is just a harmless breeze that will not even leave traces."

"The key is, what exactly is an 'observer' and what qualities need to be judged as an 'observer'," said Belltila slowly. "I have heard of the concept of 'observer' you described at several academic exchange meetings, but this concept is also summarized outside the environment of the magic tide..."

She frowned and muttered as if she was talking to herself: "Will wise individuals become 'observers' in a limited environment? So are intelligent puppets observers? Can low-level intelligence and advanced intelligence puppets act as this role? Or do they need to reach a certain 'threshold'? Is the Iron Man soldiers under Ophelia an observer? If we observe the magic wave through a bunch of sensors, just like your first solution, will the testers standing on the other end of the sensor still be affected - will the power of the magic wave act on them across space?"

While muttering, Belltila seemed to have fallen into a kind of strange circle of thinking. She frowned and thought hard, and finally her thinking spread to a strange height: "The demon tide acts on the human mind and amplifies it to the macro world. Will people with insufficient IQ be judged as an "observer" in this process?"

Gao Wen: “…ah?”

"Will the mentally retarded be immune to the tide of magic?" Bell Tirat asked seriously, "If the highly intelligent iron soldier is an observer and the low-level intelligent puppet is not an observer, then as long as the IQ is lower than the treacherous puppet, will you be immune to the doomsday... I remember Selena told me before that the mentally retarded be immune to the mentally retarded..."

"Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, you are all messy - your thinking is offside," Gao Wen had to interrupt Belltila quickly. Although the other party's initial questions were quite academic, it was obviously too far from reading. "I think your understanding of the concept of observer was deviated from the beginning. The out-of-control observation effect in the magic tide has nothing to do with IQ. Unless it is a flesh-and-blood puppet or a 'vegetative person' with completely frozen thinking, even mentally retarded has never heard of surviving the magic tide..."

Speaking of this, he thought about it carefully and explained his point of view: "I think that in the face of the specific environment of the Demon Tide, the definition of the ‘observer’ should be ‘an individual who can realize his existence and observation behavior’ - this individual does not necessarily need to understand what an observer is, but he can be aware of his existence, the existence of the world, and the interaction with his surroundings. Even if he knows nothing about all concepts in this process, as long as the above conditions are met, it should be in line with the concept of the Observer under the Demon Tide..."

Belltila thought: “…so that’s the case?”

Then she shook her head: "I may be too obsessed with these issues. Brother... The theoretical knowledge of the Magic Tide seems to be not my expertise, and I am more suitable to deal with matters in the druid field."

“The role you can play in the druid realm is equally crucial,” Gowen laughed, “especially during a critical period of post-war reconstruction.”

Then he chatted with Belltila for a moment before ending his connection with this encrypted space.

The boundless sea of ​​flowers faded away quickly in the field of vision, turning into a bizarre phantom drifting with the wind, and the surface scene of the Dream City covered the sight. The "conceptualized Cecil City" built on the spiritual network appeared in front of Gao Wen, and the street scenery was as prosperous and gorgeous as he remembered.

There are crowds of people and traffic. Ordinary users entering the neural network walk on the streets and alleys in the form of "citizens", while researchers and network controllers work busy in various facilities in the city. Everyone provides an additional computing power to maintain the operation of this huge network and support the empire's amazing scientific research projects - all of which continue to occur deep in the network in the form of data.

Gao Wen blinked and was about to quit the network completely, but as soon as he was about to go offline, some strange thoughts came to his mind.

After thinking for a while, he opened a confidential line that only a few people knew about, and edited an email in his mind: "Do you think the observer effect caused by the weak intelligence immunity tide is out of control?"

After less than a second of hesitation, Gao Wen chose to confirm and sent the email to the Senior Advisory Group of the Theocracy Council (work group).

After a few seconds, a few messages came into his mind.

The highway deer and the tower witch each sent a question mark: "…?"

Tea Egg: "...What strange questions are you thinking about? If you are very idle, come and try my new Coke. I just asked Tyre to try it, but now it doesn't look like... Oh, you don't need it anymore."

Gao Wen: “…?”

...

In a special room deep in the Obsidian Palace in the Imperial Capital of Tifeng, Rosetta Augustus was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window and thinking. Outside the floor-to-ceiling window was a lush garden view in the sun, which was out of place with this late autumn season. Above the garden, you can see a vague magic shield, and countless subtle runes wandered on the surface of the shield, maintaining the evergreen artificial ecology in the courtyard.

Behind Rosetta, a large magic device is fixed on the ground in the center of the room. It is a set of the most advanced "Thinking Acceleration Type II" immersion cabins, imported from the Cecil Empire. At this moment, the magic runes immersed in the base of the bilge have become dim.

A voice came from Rosetta: "Father, do you think that 'alien civilization' is really possible to establish...'cooperation' with us?"

"At least they expressed their willingness to communicate, and we have to respond now," Rosetta turned his head and looked at Matilda standing beside him. "The initiative is not in our hands - but if it is done properly, the initiative will not fall completely in their hands. This is the best situation at present."

"…Ms. Diana has been busy studying the information she brought back from the Viplanton Observatory these days. She seems to be very confident about the alien civilization that sends the signal," Matilda shook her head. "She doesn't know that we are about to start the interstellar communication, but I think she should be a supporter of this."

"She was a senior guard of the Viplanton Observatory. She had a special feeling about the information brought back from the observatory and the alien civilization revealed in the information," Rosetta said slowly. "But whether she supports this or not, the project will begin...Matilda, you and Diana will be in charge of this matter, you will be led by you and Diana, and she will be assisted by you, and you will organize the domestic Star Explorers and contact Cecil and the technical team of Silver."

Matilda lowered her head slightly, and a strand of long black hair drooped down: "Yes, Father."

"Next, let's see our new allies... when the Siren can prepare their 'communication equipment'," Rosetta said. "Before they are ready, we will develop a 'text' for establishing a first communication with the alien civilization... I hope Gowan Cecil can make some suggestions in this regard."

Matilda was a little puzzled: "Why should I wait for his advice?"

"...I think this is something that tests imagination and creativity," Rosetta's mouth seemed to have a smile. "He has always been very good in 'creative' in this regard."

Matilda: “…”

The future Empress Tifeng looked at her father with a strange look for a long time before finally breaking her silence with some hesitation: "Are you kidding just now?"

"Can't you tell?" Rosetta looked flat, "I'm certainly joking, too - you shouldn't have stereotypes about your father in this regard."

Matilda was stunned for a moment and didn't know how to answer. She had been the daughter of Rosetta Augustus for more than 20 years, but recently she was becoming less and less able to adapt to the changes in her father's past two years, but no matter what... this is at least not a bad thing.

Rosetta seemed to not care about Matilda's reaction at all. He just withdrew his gaze from outside the window and turned his eyes to the immersion cabin in the center of the room.

"...It's a magical technique," the King of Tifeng, who always acted seriously, finally broke his silence. "I've heard those slept with the Sleepers explain the principles behind this controlled 'spirit mapping' technique, but what they described is still rough compared to the mature neural networks used by the Cecils... it's still rough like a draft."

"All mature technologies start with drafts. We are indeed a little late to start, but we have begun to catch up," Matilda said immediately. "Now the Imperial Arts and the Royal Mages Association have established several joint research groups. They are trying to reversely restore the Cecilian 'Nerve Thorn' technology, and this technology is one of the predecessors of neural networks..."

Rosetta nodded slightly, then asked as if he was casually asked: "As far as I know, do you and Hadill often use immersion cabins? That is, they often enter the Cecilian neural network?"

Matilda's expression seemed awkward for a moment, but he quickly answered: "Yes, we... will use it in our spare time. Although we cannot understand too deep things through the open neural network, if we only use it to understand the culture of neighboring countries, news and some social changes will appear particularly convenient. Hadilon is even considering forming a special department, composed of intelligence personnel who are good at collecting information and communicating, and collecting intelligence in the open area of ​​the neural network.

"And even without considering this layer, the neural network itself is a... very useful thing. The information it contains is vast, and its ontology is growing rapidly every minute and every second. Leisure and entertainment are just one of its most insignificant functions."

Listening to his daughter talking about neural network-related matters, Rosetta Augustus felt for the first time in his life whether he was a little behind the times—but soon he threw this strange idea aside and asked curiously: "Since you know so well, I just happened to ask you something."

Matilda immediately looked up and said, "Ah, may I ask!"

"...I've seen some people who have some special scenes when entering a neural network, such as unique light curtains, decorative runes and vines, what's that?"

"Ah?" Matildawan didn't expect that his majestic father would ask this. He was a little confused, but he quickly realized, "Ah, the one you are talking about should be the 'login special effect'. Usually... it requires a fee."

"Pay? Use an extra fee to buy some 'illusions' that can only be used in the virtual world?" Rosetta seemed to find this a bit difficult to understand, and soon he had a new doubt, "Does 'they' need to pay..."

The ruler of the Tifeng Empire suddenly realized that this involved an extremely realistic problem: do several retired gods really have "money"? Do they usually need this thing?

Matilda next to her was confused: "What are you talking about?"
Chapter completed!