Ascension involves quite complex ethical and moral dimensions. Often, the reason a civilization chooses ascension is because it has no other path to take.
From a scientific perspective, ascension is an expression of a technology tree reaching its limit, leading to one of two outcomes: either a technological explosion or a technological downfall.
The former is naturally the result of successful ascension, while the latter is the consequence of failure.
To get back to the point, whether successful or not, ascension is never an individual's affair; it inevitably involves collective consciousness.
That's why Gao Gong was surprised.
Creating a pseudo-ascension using simulated ascension technology is uncommon, yet not unheard of across the cosmos.
However, a pseudo-ascension involving 'collective consciousness,' even with Gao Gong's experience, is something he has rarely witnessed.
