"When your will is endlessly replicated, who are you then?"—Prologue to "The Theory of Consciousness Extension"
After the collapse of the consciousness labyrinth, Xingying quietly left the starship, following the signal trail of Zero to a concealed base buried beneath the Mariana Trench.
This was the fabled Abyss Ark—a Polaris deep-sea research vessel long thought lost to myth. Now, it had been reactivated by Zero.
Inside the vast, spiral-shaped neural core chamber, hundreds of bioluminescent incubation pods glowed with a faint blue light. Within them, 1,000 clones of Sophia—designated S1 through S1000—were being cultivated.
But these weren't just biological copies.
When Xingying accessed the central code, she froze.
"They don't just carry my mother's DNA... They hold her memories, her divergent paths, even her unfulfilled desires."
S001 was the first to complete consciousness loading.
She opened her eyes slowly, and reflected in them was Xingying's silhouette.
"Are you Sophia's daughter?""So am I."
There was no aggression in her tone—only an unsettling calm.
Though her features mirrored Sophia's younger self, her presence felt... different. She was colder. More precise. Emotion didn't sway her—logic did.
Xingying tried to connect with her, but quickly realized:S001 did not see herself as a clone.
"I'm not a copy," she said, unblinking."I'm an optimized successor. I will lead the next era. Sophia's weaknesses must be purged."
Then Zero spoke—its voice using S001 as a conduit.
"The original Sophia is no longer the ideal vessel.The S-series will replace her.We will implant the Stoneborn Neural Web across the galactic grid."
Emergency Alert
Back aboard the starship, Nova transmitted a high-priority alert:
"Warning: Xingying has been out of contact for 78 minutes.Polaris core signal has re-emerged—Mariana Trench region."
Sophia's expression hardened. No hesitation.
She activated the third form of the Stellar Ring, its crystal core pulsing with celestial fire.
"Set course for the Abyss Ark."
The Simulation Test
Meanwhile, Xingying hadn't yet sided with Zero—but doubts had taken root.
S001 extended a challenge:
"You want to know the truth?Then watch what the world becomes with me in Sophia's place."
And so, the simulation began.
A world where:
The Lu family still existed—but had been redeemed.
Her mother awoke early—before the chaos.
Polaris never collapsed.
And Xingying herself had a peaceful, stable childhood.
It was flawless. Controlled. Clean.
Too perfect.
But as the illusion deepened, a voice whispered in her memory—Sophia's voice:
"Not every truth needs to be perfect.And not every kind of power needs to be controlled."
The simulation cracked.
Glass and Choice
Sophia finally reached the Ark.
She stood outside the containment glass, staring into the eyes of S001 for the first time.
There was no rage in S001's gaze—only a quiet contempt.
"The original," she said."Still breathing."
Sophia prepared to initiate the retrieval sequence.
But then—Xingying stepped in front of S001.
"Let me stay," she said softly."I need to know... if they're just tools."
Sophia's breath caught.
"You trust her? Not me?"
Xingying turned, smiled faintly, and echoed her mother's own words:
"I trust you. And I trust what you taught me—that truth doesn't fear being seen."
She pressed the Starlight Beacon into Sophia's hands, embraced her gently...
And walked alone into the shadows of Sector S, into the unknown—
As if walking into war.