A supernova explosion was one of the most violent phenona in the universe. Even this smaller, artificial imitation still left Xiao Yu inwardly shaken by its terrifying power. Fortunately, because it was a man-made, inferior product, this particular supernova did not last long.
It was precisely because of this that Xiao Yu was able to barely hold on. Otherwise, the stellar cannon would have been completely destroyed, and if that had happened, Xiao Yu would have been lucky if even one hundred thousand of his 1.2 million ships survived.
When the first and most violent wave of the explosion finally ended, the stellar cannon, used as Xiao Yu’s shield, had already lost six full kiloters from its diater. Of the millions of engines, barely a few hundred thousand remained. But it had endured. It had shielded Xiao Yu’s fleet from catastrophic losses.
In just three days, the star rapidly dimd, or more accurately, its corpse dimd. At the center of the system now remained only a white dwarf, small in volu, extrely dense. During the explosion it had shed an imnse amount of mass, pushing the orbit of its surrounding planets outward by over ten million kiloters.
This star had now been erased from the universe. Born from a nebula, it ended by scattering its body back into one. Aside from the lonely white dwarf, nothing remained to testify that it had ever existed.
The environnt of this star system was still hostile. The vast stellar debris had completely reshaped it. High-energy radiation, though greatly diminished compared to the initial blast, still remained at levels sufficient to kill any form of life. This was, beyond doubt, a true hell.
The Molian soldiers, who had personally witnessed the total destruction of their star, had completely lost their will to fight. Xiao Yu did not let them go. Once the most dangerous period of the supernova had passed, he launched his fleet to wipe out the last remnants of the Molian Civilization, annihilating their remaining forces in this system.
It was over. Xiao Yu had obtained the complete Level 5 Civilization technology tree. The envoy of the Guardian Civilization had retreated. Now, there was no longer any power that could threaten his safety.
“Ti to leave.” Xiao Yu thought silently, directing his vast fleet to slowly head toward the edge of the system.
The star system had been reduced to complete ruin. The Molian Civilization’s capital planet had beco a lifeless husk. The star’s overwhelming energy had reforged its surface entirely, no more towering mountains, no more ten-thousand-ter-deep oceans, no more thick atmosphere. Nothing remained. Looking at it now, one would never believe that just days ago it had been a vibrant, living world.
Its surface temperature was still extrely high, but with the supernova’s most violent stage past, and with the white dwarf unable to sustain such enormous energy radiation, it ant the planet’s temperature would gradually cool in the long ages to co. Without stellar heat, it would eventually beco a frozen, dead world.
This star system was completely destroyed.
This was war at the level of a Level 5 Civilization. Such wars could affect more than a dozen star systems. The destruction of one or two stars was not unimaginable at all. Xiao Yu began to imagine what war between Level 6 Civilizations would be like.
He had witnessed such a scene once, when the half Four-Dinsional Taihao from the Large Magellanic Cloud, the Guardian Civilization, several other Level 6 Civilizations, and hundreds of Level 5 Civilizations joined forces to besiege the Sweeper Civilization. Xiao Yu had not dared to personally survey the battlefield afterward, but he was certain of one thing, within that region spanning hundreds of light-years, at least dozens of stars had been destroyed.
Xiao Yu began to ponder a matter, that of so-called ‘Luck Value’ and the saying that ‘the universe hates intelligent life.’
“Perhaps the existence of Luck Value has a deeper reason. The idea that the universe itself detests the presence of intelligent life is not without logic. A civilization brings enormous changes to the natural environnt. Even without war, a Level 5 Civilization with tens of billions of people would severely erode at least hundreds of planets. And that is only Level 5. If it were a Level 6 Civilization, it would open up its own small universes, directly influencing the fabric of space itself. As for the ethereal Level 7 Civilizations and those even higher, who knows what incredible thods they possess? If the universe had its own consciousness, of course it would instinctively dislike such alterations.”
“But one thing I don’t understand, the half Four-Dinsional Taihao once told that the universe hates such changes. Yet it is not a collective consciousness, it has no independent self-awareness. So why would it hate?”
“Luck Value… Luck Value… Destroying other civilizations can increase one’s Luck Value. On the surface, it seems as though the universe itself is encouraging intelligent beings to slaughter one another, reducing the number of civilizations through such ans. But doesn’t the universe know? War itself is a form of communication, a ans of driving civilization’s progress. I am the clearest example. Without war, I could never have grown this quickly. To use a simple comparison, if destroying one hundred Level 3 Civilizations allowed to advance into a Level 5 Civilization, the total number of civilizations would indeed be reduced, but I would beco far stronger. And as a Level 5 Civilization, the impact I could inflict on the universe would certainly be greater than the combined influence of a hundred Level 3 Civilizations. From this perspective, the increase in Luck Value seems like a losing bargain. So then… why would such a system exist?”
Xiao Yu’s heart was filled with doubt.
The mysterious Taihao Civilization, the elusive Level 7 Civilizations, the seemingly contradictory idea of Luck Value, war and peace, growth and death, all of it tangled endlessly in Xiao Yu’s mind, leaving him with the constant feeling that a fog hung before his eyes, obscuring the road ahead.
“For now, best not to dwell on these things.” Xiao Yu sighed lightly. “As I grow stronger, one day I will co into contact with them. Every mist must be cleared by , every mystery answered.”
“Then… Molian Civilization, farewell. I’m busy, and I have no interest in chasing your remnants through other star systems. I hope you won’t co to bother again either.”
He glanced once more at the white dwarf, then, after uniting the biological army with his fleet, Xiao Yu set off on his long journey.
The complete Level 5 Civilization technology tree he had obtained from the Molian Civilization needed to be digested. His fleet, heavily battered, required ti to recover. In such a situation, the proper course was to find a remote, inconspicuous star system and quietly rest.
“Well, star systems are mostly alike. Any one will do. Let’s just leave here first.” Xiao Yu thought as he guided his fleet onto the road of voyage.
There were many kinds of stars. Dividing them by mass into categories like red dwarfs, yellow dwarfs, subgiants, and blue giants was only the most superficial thod. In truth, by spectrum, tallicity, age, and other factors, Xiao Yu could sort stars into tens of thousands of classes. But all of that mattered only for scientific research; it had no effect on his choice of destination.
No matter the type, so long as planets were present, it was enough. Planets ant resources, and with sufficient resources, his growth could be sustained. The choices available to Xiao Yu were countless, scattered everywhere.
Within the biological army, damage statistics had already been compiled, and the roll of fallen warriors completed and distributed to every Ho ship. At this mont, more than seventy Ho ships and tens of billions of intelligent beings were imrsed in grief.
“For the growth of our Divine Ark Civilization, these brave warriors gave their lives. With their lives as the price, they pushed our civilization forward.”
“Their deaths have bought today’s victory. Our Divine Ark Civilization is like a towering building, and these warriors are the stones and bricks that form it. Their nas will forever be rembered by us, their deeds forever spread among us. They are all heroes. Today, we grieve for their passing, but grief alone is not enough. We must inherit their will, make our Divine Ark Civilization stronger still. Only then can we comfort the spirits of the heroes above.”
At this mont, Xiao Yu presided over the morial service for the fallen warriors. His personal appearance ant that this was the highest-level morial possible. Across dozens of Ho ships, tens of billions of intelligent beings were watching through every available ans.
“I will build a Hall of Heroes in every Ho ship, so that all may co and pay respects. The heroes’ deeds will never be forgotten by us.” Xiao Yu spoke calmly, while solemn silence filled the Ho ships.
The populace spontaneously began holding grand commorations. On the very first day after the Halls of Heroes were built, they were covered in flowers.
“The road ahead holds infinite possibilities and infinite hope. No matter the cost, we must march forward with strength, must we not?” Xiao Yu smiled as he spoke. “The Divine Ark Civilization will advance, and it will never stop.”
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