Epilogue

After nearly two years of dedicating my spare time, I have finally completed this book. Given my limited abilities as an author, mistakes are inevitable. I warmly welcome your guidance and corrections.

Let me first share my perspective on life: I believe that the forms life can take are inherently diverse. Yet most scientists, when searching for extraterrestrial life, set up an unnecessary barrier by using Earthly life as their sole point of reference. I oppose this attitude. To illustrate, I recall the first time I cleaned a black carp. A colleague asked, “Did you remove its teeth?” I replied, “This fish doesn’t have teeth.” He retorted, “Are you so sure its teeth must be near its mouth?” Immediately, I split open its head with a knife and discovered not only that the black carp had teeth—but their shape resembled human teeth, and they were located near its throat.

This small anecdote about the black carp’s teeth inspired me: When confronted with the unknown, we cannot simply measure it against our existing concepts and knowledge. In my mind, teeth—whether human or animal—were always near the lips, yet reality proved otherwise. This suggests that many notions and concepts ingrained in our minds are narrow, superficial, or outright mistaken.

Readers keen on scientific developments will have noticed that various platforms frequently feature papers by obscure or renowned scientists, presenting new discoveries alongside personal beliefs. Most of these beliefs are rooted in the intellectual traditions of prominent scientists and philosophers. For example, many scientists and science fiction writers are firmly bound to Einstein’s theories—particularly the speed of light. They believe it is the ultimate speed in the universe. Even though quantum mechanics is now part of daily life, they dare not challenge Einstein, his prestige being so great; just as the words of the successful are treated as truth, while those of the unsuccessful are dismissed as nonsense.

Regrettably, my writing skills are lacking, and I am unable to produce prose with enough tension and clarity to delight readers. This has led to many details that may confuse or obscure the narrative. Let me briefly clarify certain aspects: I mean no disrespect to Einstein or his admirers, but I did, indeed, challenge the speed of light. Please don’t ask whether I have experimental or mathematical support—I am not a professional scientist. If I could offer such evidence, perhaps I would have a shot at the Nobel Prize, haha…

I believe that, so long as one does not maliciously slander religion or ethnicity, there is no need to constrain the pen when writing science fiction. Write as you wish.

In truth, I have never fully understood Einstein’s theory of relativity, let alone critiqued it. I barely grasp Newtonian mechanics, and perhaps because of my admiration for classical physics, I prefer Newton and Galileo over Einstein.

My works often feature superluminal and even hyperluminal speeds, simply stemming from my awe at the mysteries of this vast universe and the secrets of life—a dissatisfaction with the limitations of current human technology. So, while I may have challenged the speed of light, it is unrelated to Einstein and relativity. My writing is purely the product of my own wild ideas. If you encounter inconsistencies or impossibilities in this novel, simply smile and move on—they are but “science fiction,” after all.

The universe is so vast that it evokes fear. The total number of grains of sand on Earth pales in comparison to the stars in the cosmos. Why should we believe that life exists only on Earth? I not only believe in the existence of extraterrestrials, but I also think their kinds and numbers must be immense. They should possess a variety of appearances, personalities, physiology, and life forms; we simply haven’t discovered them yet. Before humans displayed specimens of chimpanzees, few believed such creatures existed.

If the speed of light truly is the ultimate velocity in the universe, what hope remains? No matter how many aliens exist, no matter how beautiful or handsome they may be, we cannot reach them, nor they us. If I wish to visit an alien’s home, I would die before even making it halfway. If an alien wanted to visit mine, they’d perish at the doorstep. What agony! I long to shake hands with aliens, play chess with them, even wage war—if only to die without regret. So, my writing includes many things that may seem meaningless or nonexistent, merely to satisfy my own imagination.

This is my first attempt at science fiction. The process was winding, with many revisions. Every time I reviewed my manuscript, I found typos and awkward phrasing. Eventually, I stopped rechecking, as the errors seemed endless.

Given my current ideas, my work has broad potential for sequels. For example, the stories about “Celts” and “Neanderthals” in the novel could easily provide the foundation for several more exciting tales...

If you are also passionate about science fiction, we can discuss and create together. I do not care which prestigious university you attended, nor how many impressive transcripts you hold. As long as you, like me, are brimming with wild ideas.

My email address is: hkxs888kuang@

Affectionate Young Man

December 13, 2022