Chapter 143: Genetic Memory

Based on information gathered during continuous exchanges with Stuo Civilization,

the Stuo Civilization clearly showed considerable interest in Human Civilization’s Collective Social Rearing system and the resulting social structure.

Yet, considering their own circumstances, the way Stuo beings reproduced and raised their next generation seemed quite aligned with certain features of Collective Social Rearing.

This state of Stuo civilization compared to their interest in Human social practices presented a seeming contradiction.

“Honorable Sies, Human infants are much frailer than newborn Stuo after birth. We must nurture them for several years before they are placed into the formal education system.”

The leader of Human Civilization’s delegation, Professor Qiu Yiming, head of Research Institute 011, paused before addressing Sies of Stuo Civilization.

After hearing Professor Qiu’s words through the translator, Sies also noticeably paused.

Then, Sies revealed a piece of information about Stuo social structure, previously unknown to Humanity.

“If that is the case… newborn Stuo individuals are indeed much stronger than Human newborns when first arriving.”

“Stuo newborns can walk normally, move around… and perform basic verbal and written communication immediately after birth.”

That newborns could walk at birth was understandable to people.

After all, even on Humanity’s home planet Earth, many animals could run or jump right after being born.

But claiming newborns could perform basic verbal and written communication? That was harder to grasp.

Luckily,

this wasn’t Stuo Civilization’s first contact with another species. They clearly understood Humanity’s confusion.

“Stuo individuals possess Genetic Memory.”

Sies, leader of the Stuo delegation, explained to the Human delegation.

Facing the Stuo representatives directly, the Human delegation Researchers maintained professional composure, showing no extraordinary reaction.

But when the news reached the rear command center,

inside the Negentropy Research Institute conference room, the various department heads jointly monitoring this historic visit to the Stuo city visibly froze for a moment.

Qin Yu also paid extra attention to this revelation.

This was,

the single most important piece of information gained during this second official face-to-face meeting between the civilizations.

It directly explained Humanity’s earlier bafflement over many Stuo behaviors.

Why were they fascinated by Humanity’s social structure,

yet so indifferent to the Human Reproduction Device and related technology?

Because such technology,

or rather, the Collective Social Raising method itself, was fundamentally impossible to implement within Stuo civilization.

Though their method of reproduction—based on fission, not biological sexes—

meant Stuo society was structured from its earliest “tribal” stage using this non-family unit as its smallest building block,

which seemingly offered ideal conditions for Collective Social Rearing…

It was precisely this factor of Genetic Memory

that utterly prevented any possibility of Collective Social Rearing being adopted or accepted among the Stuo.

Precisely because this method was unachievable for them,

yet visibly successful in another civilization,

the Stuo felt such intense curiosity and fascination towards Human Civilization’s societal model.

“Newly born individuals in our civilization, the ‘offspring’, possess Genetic Memory inherited from the parent host and its entire genetic lineage immediately after fissioning.”

Perhaps sensing Human thoughts, Sies gave a more detailed explanation to the delegation.

“Are there differences in the Genetic Memory received by different offspring?”

A Researcher from the Social Philosophy Department asked a key question.

“Yes,” responded Sies of the Stuo delegation. “Depending on the experiences, memories of their specific parent host, and those of ancestors further back in the genetic line.”

“In Stuo Civilization, each being views the next generation as a continuation of their own genes and life.”

“The formation of a Stuo individual’s complete self—a truly new being—is built upon this foundational Genetic Memory, supplemented by later experiences and acquired learning.”

This information made the underlying reasons for earlier mysteries even clearer.

Since an individual’s Genetic Memory originated from its direct parent host and earlier ancestors,

each new generation, while still a distinct individual possessing only some inherited memories,

nevertheless maintained profound myriad connections to its forebears.

These connections made any system resembling Human Collective Social Rearing utterly unworkable for the Stuo.

If a Human Reproduction Device-like technology produced a new Stuo individual possessing the Genetic Memory of a specific previous being,

an inherent primal bond would exist between offspring and progenitor.

The purpose and effectiveness of Collective Social Rearing would completely vanish.

Conversely, if such technology produced a offspring lacking any Genetic Memory,

for a species defined by inherited lineages like the Stuo, that would be utterly unacceptable.

To a civilization stretching back countless years, this would feel equivalent to wholesale cultural extinction and replacement.

As Sies implied, the logic was clear:

For the Stuo, a generation entirely devoid of Genetic Memory simply could not be considered Stuo Civilization.

This understanding raised another puzzle for the Human delegation and the leaders back at the Negentropy Research Institute.

Given this societal foundation—intertwined with their advanced Intelligent Era technology—

the first concern popping into Negentropy Researchers’ minds was societal stagnation.

It was crucial to remember:

Humanity’s current dynamic social mobility in the Intelligent Era—

open pathways for advancement and active class fluidity—

was not a guaranteed default outcome.

Without Collective Social Rearing being established before the Intelligent Era,

the resulting civilization could easily have taken a darker path, like ‘Cyberpunk’.

Resources became extremely concentrated. Social mobility froze entirely.

Within Stuo Civilization,

with each individual being a direct ‘life extension’ of its parent host due to Genetic Memory,

one would logically expect rigid lineage-based stratification to be vastly more severe.

Yet observations on the Stuo homeworld showed no evidence of it.

Moreover, Stuo Civilization had advanced to the Stellar Civilization level—technologically superior to Humanity by a clear step—

without appearing sclerotic, inflexible, or suffering from immutable caste systems.

This seemed particularly remarkable.