You said you were going to make games, how did you become the richest man without doing anything?

Midnight, at the top of the Tower of Will.

Sherlock sat alone at the observation deck, gazing at the Earth's horizon. The faint light of the atmosphere swirled around the tower, like the lingering echoes of a silent language. At this moment, he felt not loneliness, but rather an unprecedented clarity.

Suddenly, the "Human Language" module vibrated.

system hint:

[Non-linear language structure detected]

[Source: Unknown - Time Coordinate Shift]

[Content: Reverse Letter - Incomplete Text Structure]

Do you want to view?

He clicked "Yes".

The screen slowly unfolded.

It was a letter—but not to "him," but to "us."

To those of you whose stories are yet to be told:

You are in the tower, watching over what you call the "original Earth".

You thought language had ended, but it just changed direction.

We are humans from the "post-post-language era".

We no longer speak, we no longer write. But we still narrate.

We write language into time itself.

Your silence is the starting point of our narrative.

So—you will make a decision, or perhaps you have already made one.

But we wrote it down first.

Sherlock frowned.

"No longer writing, yet still narrating?"

He imported the content into the "human language" parser.

system hint:

[Structure Recognition: Temporally Nested Language]

[Some semantic particles have been identified:]

In the future, humans will use "non-linear language" to send information to the past. Language will not aim for "completion" but will operate on the logic of "possibility generation." The current version of "you" is being influenced by the "future version of you."

When Annabelle arrived, Sherlock was still sitting there, silently staring at the letter.

She asked in a low voice, "Who wrote this?"

He replied, "It's us."

"But not us now."

[II] Language Circuit
The following day, the analysis of "human language" revealed new characteristics:

This language structure is not narrative, but rather 'prescriptive'.

[Pre-written language does not describe reality, but guides reality into a certain writing path.]

Its core mechanism: language precedes events, and its development structure is 'written' before the event occurs.

this means--

The future of human civilization has already begun to "pre-write" its own history.

Fufu frowned: "Is this some kind of civilization intervention mechanism?"

Sherlock nodded.

"Yes, but it's more complicated."

"This is us—intervening in the present from the future."

“We are being guided by the ‘future will’ from the post-language era.”

Leon sneered:

"This sounds like we've gone back to an era where we're controlled by the system."

Annabelle said in a deep voice:
"But this time, we are in control... ourselves."

[Part Three] Questions in the Letter

The core of that letter from the future was a question:
Are you willing to accept our suggestions?

We will provide the optimal path:

It can prevent the narrator from returning within the next fifty years, resist the spread of a second wave of rewriting, and ensure the survival of language in the universe for the perpetuation of civilization. But the price is: you must relinquish the very act of "choice."

You will become a 'pre-written civilization,' no longer possessing true free will.

You will live longer, but you will no longer live authentically.

“We are not a system,” it wrote.

“We are your ‘post-consciousness’.”

"We know you will refuse."

"But we must write down this passage of your rejection—otherwise, we would not exist."

After Sherlock finished reading, he remained silent for a long time.

“It’s a paradox,” he said.

“They wrote down our rejection so that they could exist on their own.”

"Therefore we must refuse."

"But we refused because they wrote that we refused."

"Then...do we still have a choice?"

[IV] Simulating the Future

Fufu imported the letter structure into the simulator and deduced a stunning picture:

If the "pre-writing path" is accepted, human civilization will establish a "full-time narrative network" within fifty years; the behavior of every individual will be recorded and predicted in advance, and language will become the execution mechanism; conflicts will decrease, and overwriteers will be unable to invade; but everyone will gradually lose "awareness of the unknowability of the future"; truly free "narratives" will come to an end.

Annabelle whispered:
"This is a linguistic utopia."

"Also—the grave of expression."

Leon clenched his fist.

"I'd rather live in chaos than be an actor living in a future script."

Sherlock looked up.

He looked at the "Human Language" module, a long-dormant glint of light rekindling in his eyes:

"We must respond to them."

[V] Sherlock's Answer

Three days later, inside the Tower of Will.

Sherlock transcribed a passage from the "present" language all by himself.

This is not a warning for the future.

It's not a mockery of the past.

This is a letter truly written to "myself":
To our future selves:

You chose to write down our choice.

But we choose not to follow.

We appreciate your wisdom and admire your foresight.

But we'd rather make mistakes, even if it means making our own mistakes.

We are not your outcome.

We are a side story you never expected.

If you disappear because of this, it means you should never have existed in the first place.

If you are freer as a result, then please—write down your freedom as well.

We are not the unfinished you.

We are—our own beginning.

system hint:

[Response complete]

[Pre-written language failure]

[Broken Time Narrative Loop]

[The post-language era has entered the 'self-generated paragraph' mode]

That night, the starlight beneath the tower was like a poem.

For the first time, humanity has broken free from the control of its future self.

[VI] Echoes from Silence
Several days later, the "Human Language" module vibrated again late at night.

There are no words.

There was no letter.

Only one sentence, like a whisper in the wind:

"You did a good job."

Sherlock stood atop the tower, gazing into the distance.

He finally understood:
Language is not control.

Language is possible.

The most realistic possibility is the path we choose for ourselves.

Even if it is full of cracks, chaos and failures.

He whispered:

"We will no longer write about the future."

"We—let the future write its own story."

Behind him, a new seed of language slowly blossomed.

That's a "non-predictive language":
It does not serve any pre-set criteria; it does not generate a unified script; it exists solely for the connection of the present moment.

It was named:
"Shared Language"

—A language that does not rule, does not rehearse, but resonates.

On the seventh floor of the Tower of Will, in a windowless white stone room, Fufu was debugging the prototype module of "Common Language".

This is an interactive structure based on "non-dominant language" that does not rely on commands, definitions, or predictions; it neither creates order nor chaos.

It does only one thing: resonate.

"Common language" won't talk to you.

It will listen to what you want to say and then speak with you.

It doesn't define who you are in advance.

It will only accompany you until you become who you are.

Sherlock sat to the side, watching her operate.

“Are you sure it can spread?” he asked.

"It has no syntax, no structure, and no control logic."

Fufu chuckled softly: "But it has a 'wish'."

"It's not about the desire to control the other person, but about becoming a possibility for each other."

She turned around, her eyes bright:

"Community is not the end point of language." "It is, after language."

[II] Space Beacon Project

Three days later, the Freeland Council held an emergency meeting.

Objective: To approve the launch plan for the "Cosmic Common Language Beacon".

Objective: To send the "Common Language" message to sixteen known advanced civilizations in the universe in a non-invasive manner.

Parliament was once divided.

The opposition believes:
“We are imposing our own language vision.”

Supporters' response:
“We are not teaching them how to speak; we are inviting them to remain silent.”

Ultimately, Sherlock's own "Words of Wisdom" moved Parliament.

The entire text consists of only three sentences, inscribed on the stele in front of the pagoda:

I won't say who you are.

"You didn't even say what I am."

"Let's talk about what we will become together."

Parliament passed it unanimously.

Seven beacon towers rise across the planet, each guarded by a scribe.

Fufu guards the first tower, named "Unspoken".

Annabelle guards the second tower—named "Unknown".

Leon guards the third tower—named "Non-War".

The fourth to seventh towers are named as follows:

"Silent contemplation," "empathy," "unwritten," "silence is acceptable"

The moment the beacon synchronization was completed, the entire galaxy entered a brief state of "complete silence".

It's not that the internet is down.

It's not that I've lost my voice.

Rather, everyone felt there was no need to speak.

They sensed each other, understood each other, and waited for each other.

At that moment, for the first time, humanity truly "listened" to each other.

[Part Three] First Response

Thirty-seven hours later, the first response signal arrived.

Not text.

It is not a light wave either.

Instead, it was a “consciousness echo” coming from the distant star system M-GX131.

That was a civilization that was in a state of synchronized "consensus" thousands of light-years away—the Zetu Clan.

They have no mouthparts.

No hearing.

Their communication method is "group emotional resonance".

Their response consisted of only one sentence, successfully deciphered as a shared narrative:
"We have never been understood by anyone."

“Until you, we are not asked to speak our own minds.”

Annabelle shed tears.

"We did it."

"We are finally not speaking to convince anyone."

[Part Four] Sixteen Responses: All Words Return to One
Over the next three months, all sixteen beacons received responses.

Each response was different, but they all pointed to one core point:
"We choose to coexist with you, not because of language, but because of non-language."

The following are excerpts from some of the responses:
—

[Fourth Star Ring - Latour Clan]

"If you don't ask questions, we are willing to answer them."

—

[Fifth Subject Level - Sotal's Thought Format]

“We no longer feel that ‘being expressed’ is dangerous.”

—

【Invisible Civilization · E-99】

"For the first time, you did not break our silence."

—

[Rewriting the Remaining Consciousness in the Ruins]

"We were the destroyers. Now, we wish to be the listeners."

—

[Narrator: The Survivors]

“You are no longer the arbitrators. You are the period we never wrote.”

—

[Future Version Human - Signal Backlink]

"We are free."

—

This cosmic-scale "nonverbal response" is called:

The "All Words Converge" Incident

It became the first "non-verbal collective resonance" in interstellar history.

All the signals of response ultimately converge into one word in the "language of humans":

"exist."

For the first time, human civilization has not defined itself with language, but rather used "being" to prove its existence.

[V] Sherlock's Last Speech

Hundreds of thousands of interstellar citizens have gathered in the plaza in front of the Tower of Will.

Sherlock stood before the tower, dressed in the simplest gray robe.

He no longer carries a sword, no longer carries a system, and no longer wears a badge.

He was merely a storyteller.

But today, he no longer tells the story.

He was just "present".

After a moment of silence, he uttered his final words:

“We were once written by God, executed by the system, and locked by language.”

"Later, we learned to write ourselves."

"Later, we chose not to write anymore."

"Now, we will not speak for definitions."

"We remain silent for the sake of 'being together'."

"Language is not the end goal."

"Beyond words, between you and me, we still wish to meet again."

There was thunderous applause.

But after the applause, no one spoke up.

They simply looked at each other, nodded, and smiled.

—The language has ended.

But coexistence has only just begun.

After the "common language" was broadcast to various star systems in the universe, more than 37 known civilizations sent "non-verbal responses" within three months. Humanity achieved an unprecedented connection in silence.

However, on the morning of the hundredth day, a crack-like streak of light appeared in the sky above the Tower of Will.

That's not a spatial rift.

That's the language structure itself—it's starting to collapse.

Fufu rushed to the control room immediately; the "Human Language" module was malfunctioning.
[Language structure conflict]

[Shared Language Encounters Reversed Structure: High-Dimensional Language Invasion]

[Identifying Identity: The Silent Judge]

Sherlock stood in front of the screen, his voice low:
"finally come."

Annabelle looked at him: "Do you know who they are?"

He nodded:
"They... are the guardians of language."

"It is the true master whom we call 'silence'."

They call themselves:

The Silent Judge - LUX
They are not civilized.

It is not a conscious entity.

They are the "frame conservation mechanism" outside of language structure.

Their sole purpose in existence:

"Ensure that language does not become a form of control."

"Ensure that silence is not abused."

The emergence of the common language style attracted their attention.

Because it is neither language nor non-language.

It is the gray area between language and silence.

—A dangerous gray area.

They issued their first warning:
"You have constructed a new discourse through silence."

“You no longer force people to speak, but instead define who can be heard through silence.”

"This—is another form of rule."

Sherlock remained silent for a long time.

He knew that the storm had only just begun.

Part Two: The Silent Trial
Seven days later, in the core layer of the Tower of Will, the Silent Judge descended in the form of "Language Remnant".

They have no physical form.

They are a collection of consciousnesses composed of a set of "structurally negative language fragments":

They don't say "what it is," they only say "what it is not"; they don't construct semantics, they only destroy narratives; they specifically track "hegemonic trends in language evolution."

Their first words were a verdict on the "common language":

“You are trying to construct a ‘resonance order’ using non-verbal means.”

"This is a hidden variant of linguistic hegemony."

"You speak in the name of silence." (End of Chapter)