Ultraman: This Belial only wants to make money.

Episode 33. The Poison of Civilization

"May I ask, are we qualified to join Foundation X?"

Ultimately, some people couldn't resist the urge and broke the silence.

The speaker was Dr. Yamata, who was full of curiosity about weapons from other worlds. Just a small card had such amazing power. If he could witness the brilliance of Zetton's spark in the universe, it would be the greatest happiness for a weapon developer.

The others had their own thoughts, and their gazes all turned to Jin Yi. As mentioned before, the X Group had made contact with other Earths in other worlds. Since there was a precedent, why couldn't we?

"Of course there are."

Jin Yi nodded.

"Foundation X welcomes all those who come with good intentions."

Many people in the room swallowed hard. Some had worried that because Earth's civilization level was too low, they would be ruthlessly rejected by the conglomerate X, but Jin Yi's answer gave them hope.

"Then... could technology from other worlds... also be used against us...?"

Knowledge is the ladder of progress, and the advancement of civilization is inseparable from knowledge. The X Foundation has opened the door to other universes. So, to what extent would the knowledge of an entire universe elevate the current Earth civilization?

How many detours will we avoid? We might even achieve instant success!

However, the cold reply shattered the illusion.

"no."

"But we've already become members of Foundation X."

Someone asked anxiously, "Hope is right in front of us. The sweet fruit hanging on the branches is so tempting. I'm standing under the tree, drooling, but I can't reach it no matter how hard I try."

Jin Yi explained.

"It is precisely because we are a whole that Foundation X has a responsibility to everyone."

"Galatron contains a great deal of knowledge from other civilizations, but some of it is not suitable for you to access. Some Earths have atmospheres filled with a magical energy called mana, which allows humans to perform miracles called magic. But the Earth beneath our feet—"

Jin Yi stamped his foot, speaking with a pointed meaning.

"With only nitrogen and oxygen, and no magic element, magic is just a castle in the air. All the technologies derived from magic are just fantasy stories to you."

"Well... we can always learn a thing or two from it... technical problems don't necessarily mean the mindset is incompatible..."

Dr. Yao was unwilling to give up, and the scientists also wanted to see the cannons of the magical world.

"You're too shallow, Doctor, but it's not your fault."

Jin Yi's criticism angered Dr. Yawei, who was an outstanding human and usually only heard praise. However, the person on the stage seemed to surpass him in both knowledge and experience, so if the criticism was reasonable and well-founded, it was not unacceptable.

"The knowledge of other civilizations in your eyes is like a delicious dish laid out on a table, ready to be enjoyed at any time, but you all seem unaware of one thing—"

Why can't civilization be toxic?

"poison--"

Everyone was taken aback for a moment, then leaned forward slightly, waiting for Jin Yi's explanation.

"The technology in the magical world is incompatible, so everyone can just laugh it off as a fantasy story. The most dangerous thing is a civilization that is similar to Earth but is not quite the same."

"A civilization that arises around a technology will see its inhabitants' lives and culture converge toward that technology. People in the industrial age used gas lamps and rode in horse-drawn carriages, while modern people use electric lights and fly in airplanes. Human lifestyles will converge toward the cornerstone of civilization."

"this……"

Dr. Yao's face turned pale instantly, seemingly having figured out the key point. After thinking for a moment, Director Sawai also seemed to realize the problem and remained silent. However, most of the attendees looked at each other, puzzled and confused.

Therefore, Jin Yi could only explain it in a simpler way.

"Simply put, other civilizations are more advanced and developed, but they are simply not suitable for you. Forcibly deviating from the established path will result in the most tragic outcome of a complete disaster and loss of life. A slightly better outcome would be that you become a hybrid civilization that loses its direction, suffers a civilizational break, and becomes lost in the fog, unable to find a way out. Even in the most ideal scenario, you will completely lose the individuality of your civilization and become a vassal of another civilization."

There are precedents for this in human history. When a civilization that is temporarily at a disadvantage is influenced by another civilization, the entire civilization almost completely leans towards the advanced side, and its own history and memory dissipate into the dust. This is a kind of cultural victory.

If an organism's genes are too homogeneous, it can easily be wiped out by a single virus. Once all civilizations become homogeneous, the day of total annihilation will not be far off. Diversity is the way out for the universe.

"So you understand now? It's such a mistake to let fledglings be exposed to the outside world too early. Foundation X paid a heavy price when it was first established before it understood this principle."

Almost everyone attending the meeting was an exceptional individual, and with Jin Yi's almost explicit reminder, they had already grasped the significance of the meeting.

"Then...does that mean we won't get anything at all?"

"That's not necessarily true."

These words rekindled hope in everyone's hearts.

"No two leaves are the same, but there are two similar leaves. The advice from Foundation X is to learn from our neighbors, rather than to be overly ambitious."

Jin Yi took out the projection device provided by Mavis from his pocket, gently pressed the switch, and amidst the exclamations of the crowd, the boundaries of time and space blurred. From the world of New Ultraman, Tokyo Shibuya in 2020 appeared at the TPC headquarters 20 years ago.

Almost all the attendees at the meeting were from Japan, and Shibuya was not unfamiliar to them.

In Shibuya, the building that Asami knocked down with her elbow has been repaired, and the streets have returned to their former bustling state, teeming with people and vehicles, far surpassing what they were before.

"This...is this the future of Japan...?"

Director Sawai gazed at Japan 20 years in the future with fascination and asked.

"Two similar flowers."

Jin Yi gave a brief reply, and then continued to explain.

"The Earth in this universe has also been attacked by anomalous phenomena and monsters. There is also a defense organization similar to the GUTS team, the Furto team. However, the difference is that this is 2020, which is 20 years later. It is still an Earth civilization, and the time span is not far."

Jin Yi selected a stylish young woman on the projector, and the camera moved up from her leather boots and bubble socks, finally settling on the phone in her hand.

"They are one step ahead of us, yet still out of reach."

While the military technologies of the two universes may differ in some aspects, the gap in civilian technology is readily apparent.

The concept of mobile phones has actually existed for a long time, but the technological gap caused by the 20-year time span is clearly visible. However, with lessons learned from another world, 20 years of development can be bridged in just two months!

Besides mobile phones, many more advanced things are flowing into the world like a torrent, making it more developed and beautiful.

"This is exactly what we need right now..."

Director Sawai, who had maintained a calm demeanor, now showed excitement; this was exactly what he had been wanting to see.

"As expected of the X Group!"

Even civilizations that have just joined Foundation X can avoid detours and find the path that best suits them under guidance. Perhaps this is the reason why Foundation X has been able to continue.

However, communication is a two-way street.

After a brief moment of excitement, everyone present realized a problem.

There is no such thing as a free lunch in the world. What price must one pay to gain knowledge from another world?

They are all high-ranking officials on Earth, outstanding individuals, with no shortage of wealth and power, but this approach simply doesn't work on aliens.

Like a nouveau riche riding a donkey into town, who thinks he has some money, but when he sees a tall horse and brocade clothes coming from the opposite direction, he would feel a little inferior and hide on the side of the road.

Although I really want to tell you to speak up, I find it hard to say it.

The silence of the crowd was exactly what Jin Yi had expected. All the groundwork had been laid for this moment. Jin Yi never did anything that didn't benefit him, and now he could finally speak his mind about his demands: the most precious thing in the universe, something that none of those present would refuse—

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P.S. - Pause here and guess what Jin Yi is looking for?

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