The unique, repeating digital pulse Li Feng had detected reverberated through his mind, overriding all other concerns. It wasn't just noise; it was an echo, a distinct signature emanating from somewhere far beyond Eastbridge, perhaps even beyond Earth. This was no longer just about Julian Vance's rogue project; it was about the fundamental nature of the signal itself, and what it might signify.
Li Feng immediately initiated a deep, focused analysis. He pushed his own computational resources to their absolute limit, running complex algorithms to enhance the faint signal, trying to strip away the layers of static and interference. He analyzed its frequency spectrum, its modulation patterns, its subtle variations over time. It was incredibly complex, unlike any natural radio emission or known communication protocol. The pulse itself had a fractal-like quality, repeating patterns within repeating patterns, suggesting an intelligent origin, or at least, an incredibly sophisticated natural phenomenon.
He spent days locked in his apartment, lost in the digital labyrinth of the signal. Meals became an afterthought, sleep a necessary, but grudging, interruption. He mapped its faint presence across different times of day, trying to discern if its intensity varied with astronomical alignments or terrestrial events. So far, the pulse remained consistent, a silent, persistent beat in the vastness. His primary focus was trying to pinpoint its origin. The signal was too weak for precise triangulation with his current setup, but he could confirm it was not terrestrial. It originated from deep space, an unfathomable distance away.
The implications were staggering. If Julian was attempting to contact this, or if this was the 'universal truth' he sought, the consequences were beyond anything Li Feng had ever considered. This wasn't just about a stolen Wi-Fi signal or an eccentric student; it was potentially first contact.
His internal processes, usually so cold and objective, began to grapple with an entirely new set of variables: unknown intent, unquantifiable risk, and unforeseen outcomes. The methodical precision he applied to Forex markets or optimizing his body felt almost quaint in the face of this.
One afternoon, Chloe arrived at his door unannounced, her face drawn and pale. "He's getting worse, Li Feng," she whispered, stepping inside. "He's barely human. He just sits there, staring at his screens, mumbling about 'breaking through.' He's been drawing these weird symbols all over his walls, like runes."
Li Feng led her to his small living area, away from his glowing monitors. "His increasing intensity is consistent with nearing a critical phase in his project. The 'breaking through' comment implies imminent connection." He hesitated, then decided to share a measured truth. "My analysis has revealed Julian's system is attempting to connect with an external signal. A unique, repeating digital pulse."
Chloe stared at him, her eyes wide with disbelief. "A pulse? From where? What is it?"
"From deep space," Li Feng stated, his voice flat. "Its nature is currently unknown. It is a complex waveform, consistent with either a highly advanced natural phenomenon or an artificial transmission."
Chloe sank onto his futon, looking utterly defeated. "So, he is trying to talk to aliens? Or a ghost? Oh my god, he's totally lost the plot." She buried her face in her hands. "We have to stop him, Li Feng. Before he does something irreversible. Before he hurts himself, or worse."
Li Feng considered her words. "Stopping him physically is not within my current scope of operation or capability. Moreover, a direct confrontation could trigger an unpredictable response from his system, potentially revealing its existence to other entities."
"Then what?" Chloe looked up, tears in her eyes. "You're the only one who even understands what he's doing. What if this 'pulse' is dangerous? What if he lets something in?"
The question hung in the air. Li Feng himself didn't know. The implications were too vast. He had no data on the intent of the external pulse. His analytical mind, however, was already racing through probabilities. If Julian succeeded, the event would be global, undeniable. And Li Feng would be the only one who understood its genesis.
Later that evening, after Chloe had left, Li Feng found himself still staring at the faint waveform on his screen. The pulse. He needed to understand its properties more deeply. He began to devise a strategy to 'mirror' Julian's proposed connection, to build his own, safer, more controlled interface to the pulse. It was a risky proposition, requiring him to operate on the very edge of theoretical physics and advanced signal processing. If Julian could build a way to communicate with it, Li Feng, with his own refined intellect, could surely build a way to merely listen, to analyze, to understand, without full engagement.
He was no longer just an observer. The peculiar, distant heartbeat of the universe Li Feng had discovered pulled him in, drawing him into a silent, digital race against Julian Vance to understand the truth of 'The Echo.' The university seemed small, the city mundane, as Li Feng prepared to reach out into the vast, unknown frequencies of space.