The uplink tower rose like a spine against the dawn.
Wess and Mira worked late into the night sealing the relays, tuning the emitter gain, and stabilizing the signal feedback loops. As they finished welding the final mounting brace, a soft ping cut through the air.
System Alert: CIVIC UPLINK COMPLETE
—Colony Uplift Status: VERIFIED—Cognitive Threshold Met
TECH RESEARCH TREE UNLOCKED
Toren stepped back, a thrill shivering along his spine as a sprawling network unfolded before his eyes.
It wasn't just a menu.
It was a forest.
Each branch branched again—military, civic, agricultural, logistics, medical, philosophical.
But one glowed softly—isolated, amber-lit.
SYNTHETIC NEURO-INTERFACETier: AdvancedRequired Research Time: 64 hoursDescription: Construct brain-linked neural sync device to enable fast-transmission learning, direct skill imprinting, shared memory compression.
Toren clicked it without hesitation.
The system blinked once.
Warning: Risk Profile High. Side Effects Unknown. Prototype Path Irreversible.
Confirm Research Begin?
He stared at the words, then tapped: YES.
Knowledge wasn't enough anymore.
Velocity mattered.