Humanity is missing, luckily I have billions of clones-Chapter 405: It Was You!

Further examination indicated that the ship’s predicament was, in all likelihood, merely an accident.

Tom did not detect any signs of intentional damage.

Originally, this kind of accident might not have been significant. Even if the ship’s intelligent system couldn’t resolve it, as long as there was one conscious person providing biological intelligence, the accident could have been easily averted.

However, regretfully, everyone aboard this ship was in hibernation. With no one awake, the malfunction was left to gradually develop naturally, eventually triggering an internal explosion that caused the ship’s overall failure. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Then, during the subsequent long journey, the malfunction worsened, ultimately... stopping completely.

This situation is difficult to avoid in the universe. The universe is too vast and boundless, and no one knows how many dangers and possibilities for accident are hidden within it.

Just like the ships he sent to contact the Gravity beings back then, a considerable number were lost in space, and no one knew what kind of accident they encountered.

Looking at his compatriots, rigid as stone, Tom felt a profound sense of loneliness emanating from his core. It seemed as if, from this moment on, he was the only one left in this vast universe.

Perhaps... this wasn’t just a feeling, but reality.

Tom certainly had the ability to extract genetic data from the bodies of these Human compatriots and then recreate some Humans through clone technology.

This was no challenge for Tom at all. In fact, he didn’t even need the remains of these Human compatriots; simply relying on his own genetic data, with some minor adjustments and modifications, Tom could create all types of Humans: male and female, old and young, tall and short, fat and thin, intelligent and foolish, cunning and kind, and so on.

But Tom always believed that the Human Civilization in his heart was a culture, a culture inherited from ancient times that had developed a brilliant and glorious civilization, a moral system and values, and a profound heritage, rather than just some biological entities similar to Humans in genes and appearance.

The Humans who carried this culture were his compatriots. Humans who did not carry this culture were merely clones, merely tools, not his compatriots.

And now... within the scope of his knowledge, the last batch of his compatriots lay before him as cold corpses.

In this universe, can I no longer find my compatriots...?

In this vast universe, in this immense starry sky, am I the only Human left?

After the anger and sorrow, Tom felt a bone-chilling loneliness.

If there are no more of my compatriots in this universe, then what can I still pursue?

As he slowly contemplated, Tom’s slightly bewildered gaze gradually cleared, and his heart became firm once more.

"Since there are no more of my compatriots in this universe, then... I will uncover the truth behind the demise of Human Civilization and avenge Human Civilization!

From this moment on, vengeance will be the sole purpose of my continued existence.

Perhaps one day I will rebuild Human Civilization, but not now, only after I have uncovered all the truth and thoroughly avenged Human Civilization.

At that time, I will continue the broken thread of civilization’s inheritance. I will tell the first batch of infants born through clone technology that our homeland is on a planet called Earth, and that we are a civilization that, although flawed in many ways, has always tirelessly pursued peace and beauty.

In this process, we will also make mistakes and take detours, but this heart will always remain unchanged.

Then, I will let them reproduce naturally, guide them to be independent and self-reliant, and establish themselves in this universe through their own strength..."

Tom slowly made up his mind.

He manipulated the robots to collect all the compatriots who had turned into cold corpses and transported them to the Human-class residential ship where his main consciousness resided.

This residential ship was built by Tom entirely according to Human aesthetics.

Across a vast continent totaling 10 levels and over 3,000 square kilometers, everything was complete: high mountains and snowfields, vast oceans, streams and rivers, grasslands and deserts, forests and wetlands.

Following the ancient tradition of ’returning to the earth for peace,’ Tom buried the more than 10,000 collected remains in various locations, each with a different but absolutely beautiful landscape.

"May you rest in peace amidst these green hills and clear waters, within our own Human Civilization’s ship."

Before the more than 10,000 gravestones, more than 10,000 clones, controlled by Tom, simultaneously bowed in mourning for these compatriots.

After settling these matters, Tom once again summoned Clan Leader Momolansi, the Chief of the Bluetoth Clan.

"Let you be the one to contact the Recorder Civilization and exchange our experiences during this period for some intelligence."

According to the document drafted by Tom, Clan Leader Momolansi solemnly broadcast a message into the starry sky at a specific frequency using that Stellar Communication Technology device.

"Esteemed Recorder Civilization, I am Clan Leader Momolansi, the Chief of the Bluetoth Civilization. Our civilization has some intelligence we would like to offer to your esteemed civilization.

Since our civilization was promoted to a Strong Nuclear Civilization, we have encountered a series of events..."

He recounted some of the events of recent years, carefully selecting those that did not involve their own secrets, with particular emphasis on the Red Star Alliance, and their subsequent mission for the Red Star Alliance to detonate a supernova in the G76 star system to destroy the Purple Moon Civilization, how the Purple Moon Civilization had long been infected by the Demonic Eye and become the Demonic Eye Civilization, ultimately helping the Red Star Alliance break free from restrictions, and the high possibility that the Space-level Demonic Eye was destroyed by the Destroyer Civilization.

Tom believed that matters involving Space-level civilizations, whether it was the Destroyer Civilization, the Perseus Alliance, the Red Star Alliance, the Space-level Demonic Eye, or the interactions and wars between these Space-level civilizations, would likely be of higher value.

"Regarding the war between the Destroyer Civilization and the other major civilizations, we were aware of it in advance, but we did not know the details.

The details provided by your esteemed civilization are of extremely high value and fill in our intelligence gaps.

Now, may I ask what information your party wishes to exchange for?"

Just as it had been thousands of years ago, after a brief silence, the reply from the Recorder Civilization arrived.

Having experienced so much, Tom now had a greater understanding of the different levels of civilization and the capabilities they possessed.

After the Red Star Alliance had to contact him through the Cloud Civilization’s gravitational wave broadcast, and the Space-level Demonic Eye contacted the Purple Moon Civilization through that special method of communication between Demonic Eye Civilizations instead of Stellar Communication Technology, Tom had a deeper appreciation for the Recorder Civilization’s technology that seemed capable of galaxy-wide Stellar Communication Technology at any time and in any place.

It seemed that the Red Star Alliance and the Space-level Demonic Eye, also Space-level civilizations, did not possess this technology.

So... what is the origin of this Recorder Civilization? Are they truly a Space-level civilization? Or are they even higher than Space-level?

In this Milky Way, do they truly just record, as they claim, that "every civilization is a miracle, recording the story of every civilization"?

It seems that the Recorder Civilization also hides secrets unknown even to Space-level civilizations.

However, this was not relevant to him for now. All he wanted at this moment was to exchange for some intelligence.

At Tom’s instruction, Clan Leader Momolansi solemnly stated their party’s request: "We hope to know the truth about the extinction of Human Civilization. We wonder if the value of the intelligence we provided is sufficient?"

The reply came quickly.

"The value of the intelligence provided by your party is sufficient. However... regarding the extinction of Human Civilization, our party only knows a portion of the information, not the entirety.

Now, our party can provide you with this portion of information.

The direct culprit behind the extinction of Human Civilization is... the Space-level Demonic Eye."

What?!

At that moment, not only Clan Leader Momolansi but even Tom was instantly shaken.

He had envisioned many culprits, including a civilization that had popped out of nowhere from some remote corner, but he had never thought that it would be the Space-level Demonic Eye.

What kind of hatred, what kind of grievance?

No matter how you looked at it, the Human Civilization of that time should have had no connection with the Space-level Demonic Eye.

The Purple Moon Civilization was indeed also a Demonic Eye and had secretly captured a large number of Humans, but hadn’t they not yet delivered those Humans to the Space-level Demonic Eye?

"Why?"

"Our party has already stated that we only know a portion of this matter. We do not know why the Space-level Demonic Eye exterminated Human Civilization."

Tom suppressed the turbulent emotions in his heart and continued to instruct Clan Leader Momolansi to ask: "How did the Space-level Demonic Eye exterminate Human Civilization? Why is there no trace of Human existence on Earth?"

"To our knowledge, even a Space-level civilization does not have the ability to completely erase numerous traces from a planet. Of course, the Space-level Demonic Eye cannot do that either.

Destroying a planet is simple, but erasing all traces is different from destroying a planet.

In fact, the Space-level Demonic Eye did not erase all Human traces on Earth. All they did was... replace the Earth."

Tom’s heart was once again shaken.

So that’s how it is!

So, the Earth currently in the Solar System, although exactly the same as the real Earth in terms of elemental composition, crustal structure, atmospheric content, etc., was merely created by a Space-level civilization using Earth as a template!

Even the current Tom already possessed the ability to artificially create a planet.

To build the planet-sized gravity telescope back then, Tom had hollowed out a dwarf planet and then piled the matter together, allowing it to form a planet on its own.

Although the artificial planet at the moment was still very crude, the industrial strength of Space-level civilizations was immeasurably higher than his; they could completely replicate an Earth one-to-one!

But, the same question remained.

Why?

Exterminating Humans is one thing, but why recreate an Earth and put it there?

However, Tom did not directly ask this question, but first asked another crucial question.

"Are you saying that the real Earth was taken by the Space-level Demonic Eye? Then, what about the Humans who lived on Earth? They, they... Does the Space-level Demonic Eye still exist now? Did the Destroyer Civilization destroy them? If they were ultimately destroyed, then, then were the Humans affected?"

At this moment, the words Tom instructed Clan Leader Momolansi to say were slightly trembling.

"The Space-level Demonic Eye has been completely exterminated. The real Earth is indeed within the Demonic Eye Nation, but the Humans who lived on Earth were not affected by this war.

Because long ago, all the Humans on Earth had already died.

Our party does not have the specific time of death, but based on various intelligence estimations, the time was within a thousand years after Earth was incorporated into the Demonic Eye Nation."

Tom fell silent, the glimmer of hope that had just arisen in his heart instantly extinguished.

After a moment, Tom inquired again: "To our knowledge, before the extinction of Human Civilization, there was a long-standing barrier around the Sun, concealing the existence of a civilization within the Solar System.

Does your esteemed party know the origin of this barrier? Who set it up? Why?"

"Our party has not obtained any information regarding this barrier. In fact, our party only inferred the existence of this barrier after it disappeared and Human Civilization suddenly appeared."

Tom was silent again.

Regarding this barrier, he had another question in his mind.

The disappearance of the barrier exposed the existence of Human Civilization to the world, leading to the Space-level Demonic Eye taking Earth and exterminating Humans.

It’s just...

He had caused such a stir in the Solar System afterwards, engaging in continuous warfare with the former Bluetoth Civilization, so why didn’t the Space-level Demonic Eye pay attention to him?

Given the Space-level Demonic Eye’s inexplicable action, yet not directly destroying Earth but creating a replica instead, although the reason was unknown, the Solar System and Human Civilization must have held some relatively important significance for them.

Otherwise, why bother with such trouble?

From this perspective, they shouldn’t have let him off.

But why was he completely unharmed? Why did the Space-level Demonic Eye seem to have not seen the subsequent war in the Solar System, as if they hadn’t detected his existence, and completely ignored him?

After thinking for a long time, Tom ultimately decided not to ask the Recorder Civilization this question.

The Recorder Civilization’s intentions were difficult to discern, and asking this question could very likely expose his secrets.

After thinking for a moment longer, Tom instructed Clan Leader Momolansi: "Our party hopes to uncover the motive behind the Space-level Demonic Eye’s extermination of Human Civilization, but we do not know how to proceed.

Can your esteemed party point us in the right direction?"

The Space-level Demonic Eye had died at the hands of the Destroyer Civilization, so this revenge was unnecessary. But Tom firmly believed that this matter was not that simple.

Why did they inexplicably attack Humans?

There must be a reason behind it!

This time, the Recorder Civilization was silent for a longer period.

"Our party has learned that when the Demonic Eye Nation was destroyed, a Gravity-level Demonic Eye that was attached to the Space-level Demonic Eye narrowly escaped. They may possess some information regarding Human Civilization."

...