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For that period, very little was recorded by later generations...

In Digital City, after Tianji disappeared, Wang Ye was determined to find out what exactly had happened.

However, as an outsider and with the need to abide by the laws of the Federation, it was impossible.

Eventually... he decided to start from someone inside and found a young man who he had been observing for half a year in the new military.

This person, named Hou Jie, was born into a middle-class family and was a PhD in history. In the recent military uprising, he performed very well in diplomatic negotiations, which was uncharacteristic for someone just over thirty.

At this time, Hou Jie was quite surprised when he knew the purpose of Wang Ye’s visit, as he rarely encountered people interested in that period of history.

"That history was seldom mentioned...many things are not in textbooks, archaeological circles don’t even allow it to be publicized.

.. But you’ve come to the right person by asking me.

" Hou Jie appeared somewhat excited: "People in our Central Federation care a lot about face, always covertly hiding the negative history of those families, it’s just nonsense.

How can such a major historical event be covered up? "

"Wasn’t it said...that those families who committed crimes against humanity all disappeared without trace?"

"How could that be?" The other party scoffed: "The Central Federation has always valued personal relationships, if you want to get to the top, which family does not have a complex web of connections?

How could such a large group of influential people succeed just from the few at the top?

Where did the energy come from behind them?

How many people were involved, can these be mentioned? "

"That’s true..." Wang Ye nodded: "From the documents, it was due to a major diplomatic incident that caused the great war to erupt, right?"

"Heh... that’s the official statement, but the incident that year was very strange.

" Hou Jie was clearly intrigued, and since the new military and Federation powers settled, he had been responsible for documenting this major historical period, picking back up his old profession.

Now bringing up that period of history, as a scholar, he naturally spoke freely.

"Who died in that incident? Those were top elites, including two significant figures from our Central Federation—one of them, named Liu Yongqi.

.. This person was actually identified as the mastermind because the attack was orchestrated by him.

The people captured finally admitted that it was he who had instructed his subordinates to carry out a terrorist attack on the University research institute. "

"But... few people mention what kind of person he was. Actually, before that incident, he was a military leader with very high prestige, not overrated to be called a national hero, you know Red Sun?"

Wang Ye nodded, the enemy nation of the Central Federation’s suzerain state in the past, even though Red Sun later merged into the Central Federation, it was still ostracized due to historical reasons.

"He defeated them, anyone who has read ancient history knows, he was a figure comparable to the ancient Huo Qubing. With his prestige at the time, if he were to run for the leader of the Central Federation, the likelihood of him being elected was high. And yet, such a figure planned an attack that ignited a world war, do you think that’s normal? "

"He was good at fighting... maybe he wanted to muddy the waters, using his top military talents to achieve even greater ambitions." Wang Ye analyzed: "It’s not impossible..."

"But he was already nearly eighty years old, and he had an incurable disease..."

"This..." Wang Ye frowned: "Indeed, there was no need to provoke a major war."

"Many people wonder, what exactly was that laboratory’s project that attracted so many powerful individuals, but the records at that time were confidential, and now no one can clarify what the laboratory was actually researching, but from my speculation... it should be..."

"Research on digital life... right?" Wang Ye interjected.

"Mister Wang is a smart man..." Hou Jie laughed: "What else but the Digital Life project that could evade Life and Death could attract such a group of people who had already reached the Peak of their lives?"

"So, was it because of that incident that the subsequent world war occurred, and later, because the environment was almost uninhabitable for humans due to the war, the Digital City plan was initiated?" Wang Ye asked, frowning.

"That’s what they say... but this part of history is quite vague.

" Hou Jie opened his digital journal: "The immediate cause back then was indeed because of that, since it was a high-ranking military official from the Central Federation who took action, a very sensitive incident that could indeed provoke a troublesome diplomatic issue, but to say it directly caused a world war seems too much. "

"At that time, due to the deterrence of nuclear weapons, major nations tried their best to avoid engagement, as everyone knew the severe consequences.

Theoretically, even if such a grave incident occurred, all parties would seek to extinguish the fire.

The Central Federation was also implementing strategies to avoid war, so they chose to de-escalate even at a cost."

"But the war broke out surprisingly quickly!

" Hou Jie pointed at the diary and said, "Fifty-eight days after the attack, the Central Federation formally declared war on the Western Federation.

Before this, there had already been intense frictions including direct confrontations among dozens of smaller nations within the three federations.

Such intense wartime friction was unprecedented since the era of the federations began.

Our archaeological team internally believes that, at that time.

.. there was a major force manipulating behind the scenes, with multiple parties intentionally igniting the flames of war. "

"Didn’t you just say that due to the deterrence of nuclear weapons, most forces were inclined to avoid engagement?" Wang Ye frowned.

"That’s why I say this part of history is odd.

.." Hou Jie opened the data points recorded in the diary and continued, "It was a world-class war, involving over ninety countries, unprecedented in its scale.

More importantly, it happened extremely fast. Previously, global wars would start locally and then gradually spread over several years.

But this one was different; in just fifty-eight days, nearly the entire world was engulfed in conflict. "

"It was like all forces were determined to fight, without any reservations!"

Hearing this, Wang Ye instantly understood, "This war was pre-planned, that’s why it erupted so rapidly. But what was the purpose?"

At this point, Hou Jie instinctively looked around, then turned off the surrounding data signals, and whispered: "Some things are not to be disclosed publicly, even the archives can’t explicitly list them.

But anyone who has studied that period of history could deduce that the war was actually paving the way for the upcoming data era.

Personally, after many years of research, I feel that the events of that time were mysterious.

I even believe that the then-deceased elites hadn’t really died; they were the first batch of data life forms."

"Why do you think so?" Wang Ye eagerly asked.

"Because only they had the energy..." Hou Jie excitedly replied: "Those people were top tycoons and political figures from various countries, backed by immense power.

If those individuals were collaborating, they had the power to propel a great war.

But originally, they had no motive to disrupt the existing order, unless they had arranged a new order. "

"Those people were in their twilight years. If the lab project was actually a data life experiment, and if they had already succeeded, then for a few data life forms who wanted to ensure their power and position without suspicion, what would be the best method?"

Wang Ye nodded, "Drag everyone down with them!"

"Ha-ha... I think you are quite suited for our line of work!"

Wang Ye also smiled; his main job at the Judicial Court was dealing with criminal law, but he had originally wanted to enter the University Palace to study history, which he had always been keen on, only that he missed the opportunity.

"But if, according to your speculation, those people succeeded and also propelled a world war, did they survive?"

"History records no..." the other person shook his head. "Data life also has its limits; how could they possibly live until now? Unless, like your world, they had reincarnation..."

At this, Wang Ye’s heart skipped a beat!

"Do they have descendants?"

"This is the eeriest part," Hou Jie said squinting his eyes.

"The descendants of those people have almost completely disappeared by now.

Remember, some of them were monopolistic figures in their countries.

Such massive forces, even after experiencing a world war, should not have been entirely wiped out.

But at present, whether in the Eastern Federation or the Western Federation, the top families are all newcomers. .."

"Newcomers..." Wang Ye was shocked, harboring a suspicion...

Maybe... those people are still alive?

But so far, the only known existence of reincarnation was in his own world.

Does that imply... there might be a bunch of old folks who are actually in hiding in that world?