October 6, 2026 Tuesday The Edge of the New Continent
October 6, 2026 Tuesday The Edge of the New Continent
I went to the public learning center again this afternoon.
I went to the public learning center again this afternoon.
Not because it was particularly suited for studying.
Not because it was particularly suited for studying.
The air conditioning was too strong, the desks were too low, and the terminals displayed a security confirmation every twenty minutes. The dormitory network was nearly out of data, and the school library database did not allow searches for interstellar calendar conversions.
The air conditioning was too strong, the desks were too low, and the terminals displayed a security confirmation every twenty minutes. The dormitory network was nearly out of data, and the school library database did not allow searches for interstellar calendar conversions.
Some things are marked unnecessary by the system simply because they are not part of the assigned curriculum.
Some things are marked unnecessary by the system simply because they are not part of the assigned curriculum.
Unnecessary things usually require you to find somewhere else to do them.
Unnecessary things usually require you to find somewhere else to do them.
I was still researching the Heli civilization.
I was still researching the Heli civilization.
We submitted the assignment outline yesterday. The platform has neither returned it nor approved it. Its status remains “Under teacher review,” like a very polite pause.
We submitted the assignment outline yesterday. The platform has neither returned it nor approved it. Its status remains “Under teacher review,” like a very polite pause.
I did not want to touch those records again.
I did not want to touch those records again.
I had written what needed to be written. I had marked the uncertainties. If the teacher wanted us to turn it into a clean success story, I would probably revise it.
I had written what needed to be written. I had marked the uncertainties. If the teacher wanted us to turn it into a clean success story, I would probably revise it.
Not because I had suddenly decided they were right.
Not because I had suddenly decided they were right.
Sometimes you know a wall cannot be pushed down. Pulling your hand back is not surrender. It is refusing to break your bones against something that will not move.
Sometimes you know a wall cannot be pushed down. Pulling your hand back is not surrender. It is refusing to break your bones against something that will not move.
But when I logged into the inter-school platform today, I saw a new notification.
But when I logged into the inter-school platform today, I saw a new notification.
Someone had resubmitted the three folded-away alien documents.
Someone had resubmitted the three folded-away alien documents.
Submitter: Song Yan.
Submitter: Song Yan.
At first, I thought he was another student from Taiji Dian City who had obtained elevated access, brought out documents that other people could not find, and was waiting for everyone to praise his international perspective.
At first, I thought he was another student from Taiji Dian City who had obtained elevated access, brought out documents that other people could not find, and was waiting for everyone to praise his international perspective.
I opened the submission because I wanted to know what gave him the right.
I opened the submission because I wanted to know what gave him the right.
His explanation contained only one sentence:
His explanation contained only one sentence:
The source was not the problem. The ruler was wrong.
The source was not the problem. The ruler was wrong.
The complete conversion process was attached below.
The complete conversion process was attached below.
The Federation Standard Stellar Calendar had omitted one intercalary stellar cycle from the edge galaxy. For the history of the central star domain, the error was too small to matter. But one of the Heli local oral histories happened to use that old calendar.
The Federation Standard Stellar Calendar had omitted one intercalary stellar cycle from the edge galaxy. For the history of the central star domain, the error was too small to matter. But one of the Heli local oral histories happened to use that old calendar.
One cycle was missing.
One cycle was missing.
The events shifted apart.
The events shifted apart.
Three records that had originally contradicted one another became like three people living in different eras, never able to line up with each other.
Three records that had originally contradicted one another became like three people living in different eras, never able to line up with each other.
I stared at his equations for a long time.
I stared at his equations for a long time.
First, I checked for errors.
First, I checked for errors.
Then I checked whether he had deliberately chosen parameters that favored his own conclusion.
Then I checked whether he had deliberately chosen parameters that favored his own conclusion.
Finally, I checked whether he had hidden the uncertain parts.
Finally, I checked whether he had hidden the uncertain parts.
He had not.
He had not.
He marked every gap.
He marked every gap.
Which parts were estimates. Which parts had two possible interpretations. Which records still could not be fully confirmed. He did not claim to have found the truth.
Which parts were estimates. Which parts had two possible interpretations. Which records still could not be fully confirmed. He did not claim to have found the truth.
He proved only one thing: the ruler the platform used to measure data had excluded that edge galaxy from the beginning.
He proved only one thing: the ruler the platform used to measure data had excluded that edge galaxy from the beginning.
That made me a little unhappy.
That made me a little unhappy.
Not because he was wrong.
Not because he was wrong.
Because he was right.
Because he was right.
I had spent two days circling through the echoes of corporate media. I needed Xia Xiao’s account just to reach the original records. He could enter the interstellar library, use the academic network, run his own comparison scripts, and reconnect a timeline that had been buried for two hundred years.
I had spent two days circling through the echoes of corporate media. I needed Xia Xiao’s account just to reach the original records. He could enter the interstellar library, use the academic network, run his own comparison scripts, and reconnect a timeline that had been buried for two hundred years.
Resources are genuinely useful.
Resources are genuinely useful.
Useful enough to make it difficult to pretend the world is fair.
Useful enough to make it difficult to pretend the world is fair.
But I could not say he should not have done it.
But I could not say he should not have done it.
Because he did not lock the result away.
Because he did not lock the result away.
He released the formulas, versions, original sources, and uncertain points. Anyone could run it again. Anyone could point out where he had calculated incorrectly.
He released the formulas, versions, original sources, and uncertain points. Anyone could run it again. Anyone could point out where he had calculated incorrectly.
That makes him different from the kind of person I dislike.
That makes him different from the kind of person I dislike.
At least for now.
At least for now.
I kept reading and discovered that he had not only corrected the timeline.
I kept reading and discovered that he had not only corrected the timeline.
The three documents pointed to the same event: the Heli civilization had once experienced a “silent evacuation.”
The three documents pointed to the same event: the Heli civilization had once experienced a “silent evacuation.”
It was not an official migration. It was not ordinary population movement.
It was not an official migration. It was not ordinary population movement.
It was a group of people who had been kept in the low-priority tier for years, leaving the original system with whatever data, technology, children, and memories they could carry.
It was a group of people who had been kept in the low-priority tier for years, leaving the original system with whatever data, technology, children, and memories they could carry.
There was no complete official list.
There was no complete official list.
No heroic record.
No heroic record.
No media outlet had turned them into a grand story.
No media outlet had turned them into a grand story.
Only traces left in different places: a delayed supply request, an oral account, a set of time markers that did not match the central stellar calendar.
Only traces left in different places: a delayed supply request, an oral account, a set of time markers that did not match the central stellar calendar.
Without Song Yan’s conversion, these traces would probably continue to be labeled unverifiable by the system.
Without Song Yan’s conversion, these traces would probably continue to be labeled unverifiable by the system.
Then folded away.
Then folded away.
Then unseen.
Then unseen.
I suddenly thought: was this not the same thing we discussed yesterday?
I suddenly thought: was this not the same thing we discussed yesterday?
Some people leave with nothing.
Some people leave with nothing.
At least the Heli people carried something away.
At least the Heli people carried something away.
They carried their memories.
They carried their memories.
In the evening, I saw the INN announcement again.
In the evening, I saw the INN announcement again.
Its status had changed.
Its status had changed.
The Earth independent news node mission now had an applicant.
The Earth independent news node mission now had an applicant.
Applicant: Song Yan.
Applicant: Song Yan.
When I looked at those two characters, my first thought was: overestimating himself.
When I looked at those two characters, my first thought was: overestimating himself.
Fifteen years old.
Fifteen years old.
Probably from Taiji Dian City.
Probably from Taiji Dian City.
A library. An academic account. An interstellar network. Time to run conversion scripts. Of course he would think he could take on an interstellar news node.
A library. An academic account. An interstellar network. Time to run conversion scripts. Of course he would think he could take on an interstellar news node.
People like that are the most likely to build a system that looks beautiful.
People like that are the most likely to build a system that looks beautiful.
Then discover that it has no low-bandwidth mode, has not considered old equipment, has no appeal channel, and has never asked who will be hurt first once the data becomes public.
Then discover that it has no low-bandwidth mode, has not considered old equipment, has no appeal channel, and has never asked who will be hurt first once the data becomes public.
I was about to close the page.
I was about to close the page.
My hand stopped.
My hand stopped.
I thought about his submission.
I thought about his submission.
He did not delete the uncertain parts.
He did not delete the uncertain parts.
He did not claim to know everything.
He did not claim to know everything.
He at least knew that the ruler could be wrong too.
He at least knew that the ruler could be wrong too.
That does not mean his system will not fail.
That does not mean his system will not fail.
It means I should look at it more carefully.
It means I should look at it more carefully.
If he really takes the INN assignment, I will look for his vulnerabilities first.
If he really takes the INN assignment, I will look for his vulnerabilities first.
Not because I want him to fail.
Not because I want him to fail.
Because a system meant to preserve other people’s memories cannot fail to preserve its own blind spots.
Because a system meant to preserve other people’s memories cannot fail to preserve its own blind spots.
I wrote down his name.
I wrote down his name.
Song Yan.
Song Yan.
I hope he really knows what he is trying to do.
I hope he really knows what he is trying to do.