Luna spent several days wandering through the mortal realm.
She found it pleasant and comfortable.
The only issue was its sheer size, making individuals feel insignificant.
This applied to her, and even more so to the Everlasting Citizens.
But this wasn't a mistake.
Hossie couldn't manage a larger area.
A concentrated civilization might not experience rapid advancement but would be easier for a ruler to control.
Easy management allowed a capable ruler to freely direct everything, avoiding negative occurrences and ensuring steady progress.
If Hossie's Eternal Cycle star nation were an isolated civilization like the original Olive Branch Civilization, this approach would clearly be flawed.
But they were backed by the highly advanced Federation and other star nations.
They could freely trade with these star nations, ensuring steady technological advancement.
This might not be a long-term strategy.
But it's highly effective for the present.
They are the largest power among human civilizations outside the Galactic Federation. They can leverage this advantage to acquire technology at minimal cost.
However, a long-term strategy does exist.
The social structure of the mortal realm guarantees that it won't collapse in the short term.
Currently, everyone in the mortal realm works diligently, whether doing good or evil.
This drives the entire star nation's progress.
This is incredibly powerful!
In the 21st century on Earth, many countries with populations of hundreds of millions or even tens of millions couldn't maintain complete stability.
To achieve complete stability and rapid development in such a massive star nation is unimaginable.
In reality, if a civilization can maintain continuous progress without major social conflicts, its ruler is exceptionally powerful.
This is incredibly difficult.
Chu is a stark counterexample.
Initially aware of his limitations and inability to manage such a large civilization, Chu entrusted the Olive Branch Civilization to Luna.
The Flyer Civilization's monarch did the same.
To control the entire civilization, it transformed itself, knowing that it, as a Kirara, couldn't bear the burden alone.
Luna is similar.
As a biological being, she has limitations. Therefore, Ayla managed most of the Federation in the later stages, while Luna became her assistant.
Every civilization seeking centralized power without collapse must choose one of two paths:
One, reduce its territory, concentrating its power like the Olive Branch Civilization.
Two, increase its ruler's capabilities to govern everything.
The first path is relatively easy; the second is incredibly difficult.
Civilizational advancement often involves not only technological progress but also societal evolution.
The Federation, from its early days, has undergone many transformations.
Luna finally reached a park in this Star City.
Originally, the Star City didn't have parks.
After Hossie's Eternal Cycle star nation opened, more and more people arrived, and these lifeforms had this need.
Parks attracted people to buy property and conduct business nearby.
They also attracted tourists.
This park wasn't Federation-style; it replicated plants from the Olive Branch Civilization's historical records.
They couldn't even be truly called plants, as they differed greatly from human understanding of flora; they resembled enormous lollipops or stone pillars.
But something is better than nothing.
Many still came to appreciate these wonders.
In the park, Luna even saw a massive, anthropomorphic holographic projection against the sky.
She didn't know who created it.
As she was observing the projection, a holographic notification appeared beside her.
"Luna, there's an emergency!"
It was a message from Chu.
Luna had hoped to rest for a few weeks, even months, but she was unexpectedly summoned back.
She had come here to help build this place. After establishing the new star nation's system, Luna had assisted Hossie in continuously refining its societal structure to make it more perfect, or at least to prolong its existence before collapse.
But…
It was inevitable.
Luna abandoned her current body and directly entered the underworld.
Almost all of Hossie's Eternal Cycle star nation's administrative structures were located in the underworld. The mortal realm also had administrative structures, but they were subordinate to the underworld.
The underworld wasn't a dark mirror of the Star City; it was a created virtual world.
Since production remained in the mortal realm, the underworld didn't need any interaction with the physical world.
The underworld of Star City 1 was larger than its mortal realm counterpart.
Given current technological capabilities, creating a virtual world of 1 million cubic light-years was relatively easy.
It wouldn't be overly detailed, of course.
This virtual world was 0.4 cubic light-years in size, still vast enough to accommodate countless individuals.
This meant that the underworld was less crowded than the mortal realm, with people spread out.
The advantage was that it was a beautiful world like Alpha Eridani Ringworld, not a purely urban environment.
Upon entering, Luna quickly found Chu.
"What happened?"
Chu, looking grave, transmitted information to Luna—a mathematical formula.
The formula revealed the civilization's level and its intentions for communication.
"An advanced civilization?"
The revealed civilization level translated to approximately Type 2.7, more powerful than the Flyer Civilization.
"Where did this come from?" Luna asked.
Had a civilization discovered their civilization?
"It's from our galactic bulge expeditionary vessel."
Chu's response surprised Luna.
The surprise stemmed from the fact that their expeditionary vessel shouldn't have reached the galactic bulge yet.
Yet, they had already received communication from such an advanced civilization.
Theoretically, the complexity of the galactic bulge far exceeded her imagination.
"The authenticity of this requires further calculation."
"What do you think we should do?" Chu asked Luna.
A civilization initiating contact could be benevolent or malicious.
But given the current circumstances, Luna didn't see a problem.
Regardless of the civilization's nature, even if malicious, it wouldn't act rashly.
Besides, this was their original goal:
To gather information.
"Respond."
"We need more information. Although they are some distance from the galactic bulge, as a Type 2.7 civilization, they might reveal information we don't know."
Honestly, the best approach is to remain silent and develop slowly.
Without the dimensional war, Luna would definitely choose this method.
The Flyer Civilization's emission was intended to establish contact with new civilizations.
With this new civilization contacting them, Luna wouldn't refuse.
Contact methods were straightforward.
The message contained coordinates and communication methods.
While the writing system differed, the message included formulas and corresponding diagrams, ensuring accurate comprehension.
"Should we really contact them? We don't know their intentions." Chu expressed some concern.
Their intentions weren't necessarily purely hostile.
They might achieve their goals through communication.
For example, one person knows about an upcoming event, but another doesn't.
The uninformed person learns the information from the informed person.
If the informed person transmits false information, the uninformed person is likely to believe it.
Believing it, the uninformed person acts accordingly, allowing the informed person to achieve their objective.
This can be illustrated with stocks.
For instance, a stock analyst, or perhaps an insider at a market research firm, says: The company will soon announce a new product with strong market competitiveness; it's unprecedented. They then reveal some product details.
If it's a stock analyst, their goal is to inflate the stock price. Everyone buys the stock; once the price is high, they sell, knowing the information was false.
But if it's an insider, or even the company's owner, they might have a genuine new product, generating hype to raise the company's stock price for financing or other purposes.
In short, information itself can be a weapon.
If we contact them, assuming they possess more information and we listen to them, we risk falling into an information trap.
"Your concern is about information manipulation."
"If we didn't need their information, we could refuse."
"But the reality is that we desperately need it."
This wasn't a proactive act.
It was reactive.
Luna was compelled to receive more information.
Information is crucial; its absence creates informational isolation.
What does that lead to?
A Qing Dynasty-plus scenario.
The Qing Dynasty elite knew about the Industrial Revolution, the development of new weapons, and widespread colonization.
But the lower classes didn't, and the elite failed to act on this knowledge, essentially becoming ignorant and leading to collapse.
Complete informational isolation would be even worse than the Qing Dynasty.
"Besides, even if they intend to deceive us, to exploit us…"
"Then they'll certainly reveal some truth, because they won't know whether we already know these things."
"With the Connecter existing, if they're unfamiliar with it, they'll certainly speculate; if they are familiar, they'll speculate even more."
"Even if this information is a protective measure, it still contains gold; it just depends on whether we are qualified gold miners."
Luna instructed Chu to prepare the message.
She had already formulated it.
First, express goodwill; second, ask questions.
This wouldn't seem abrupt.
Conversely, the other party would likely anticipate this and prepare their response.
Luna used Tachyon communication equipment.
The received message contained Tachyon spatial coordinates.
Theoretically, Tachyon communication equipment is common among cosmic civilizations.
The Flyer Civilization has it.
It's not particularly advanced technology.
It's not just uncomplicated; it's also necessary.
When a technology is essential, everyone will develop it independently; this is common.
In contrast,
The Olive Branch Civilization's situation was unusual.
Because they possessed other technologies, such as gravitational tunnels and a unique societal structure, they didn't need long-distance communication.
Perhaps some existed, such as inter-Star City communication, but this was overshadowed by their societal structure.
The message, consisting of formulas and diagrams instead of text, was sent three days later.
Based on the distance, Luna estimated a two-year response time.
This was but a blink of an eye for her.
However, before two years passed, Luna received a message from the Flyer Civilization.
"The Flyer Civilization's dimensional gateway is under massive attack."
This news was a bombshell.
Luna's sense of urgency intensified.
She hadn't anticipated this to happen so quickly.
But it was understandable.
Different civilizations are located in different sectors, meaning they interact with different four-dimensional civilizations.
The Federation, compared to the Flyer Civilization, is located farther out on the Milky Way's disk.
This means that their corresponding four-dimensional civilizations are likely weaker, while those corresponding to the Flyer Civilization are stronger.
Luna no longer possessed decision-making power in the Federation.
She had relinquished control to Ayla.
Therefore, after reviewing the message, she didn't immediately contact Ayla.
Ayla would have received this information before her and would contact her directly.
However, Luna couldn't remain idle.
Dimensional invasion was a significant event.
Her Hossie Eternal Cycle star nation couldn't afford to ignore it.
"Inform Hossie; he'll make his assessment."
"This isn't urgent. According to the information, the expanding matter will soon cool, bringing four-dimensional warships."
"But the Flyer Civilization will likely be the first target, not us."
The Flyer Civilization should be the ones panicking.
Luna saw a significant opportunity.
Although she wasn't directly involved with the Flyer Civilization, she knew her next steps.
Controlling the Flyer Civilization was inevitable.
This dimensional invasion would force the Flyer Civilization's monarch to make concessions.
She believed another version of herself was already presenting these terms.
She didn't need to worry about that.
Even if she were to intervene, the outcome would likely be the same.
She only needed to manage her current situation.
...
Luna genuinely ignored it.
However, Hossie, upon receiving the news, had already contacted the Federation, seeking deeper cooperation.
The Hossie Eternal Cycle star nation's current military strength was insufficient; they were developing new warships and weapons, but progress was limited.
This cooperation focused on weapons and warships.
They hoped to purchase warships from the Federation.
The Federation had no reason to refuse.
In fact, both Luna and Ayla hoped the Olive Branch Civilization would develop alongside the Federation.
Mutual benefit was the Federation's internal development goal.
As for the possibility of rebellion:
For Luna and Ayla, existing outside the Federation's system, while they controlled the Federation, they weren't inherently part of it.
They controlled everything.
Both the Galactic Federation and the Olive Branch Civilization.
In essence, the Galactic Federation, and perhaps all of human civilization, was an extension of Luna and Ayla's will.
It wasn't that Luna and Ayla were elevated by human civilization; if human civilization faltered, Luna and Ayla would fall.
That wouldn't happen.
Luna and Ayla had always been the body of human civilization; they possessed it, and everything else was merely branches on that body.
The Federation sold some warship technology to the Hossie Eternal Cycle star nation.
Simultaneously, they provided the Hossie Eternal Cycle star nation with gravitational energy technology.
Ayla's swift actions instantly revealed her intentions to Luna.
They had waited for many years, becoming intimately familiar with each other's thoughts.
Ayla provided gravitational energy technology and warship technology to enable the Hossie Eternal Cycle star nation's development; afterward, they would undertake the exploration of the galactic bulge.
This mission was arduous.
The Galactic Federation didn't need the Hossie Eternal Cycle star nation to participate in the dimensional war.
The lessons learned from the old Federation were profound.
Diversified development was the path forward.
Focusing solely on warfare would inevitably lead to the weaker side's defeat.
The old Federation was a prime example.
Due to Luna and Ayla's limited thinking, while they continuously developed, it was incremental progress, not giant leaps.
At that time, the Federation should have expanded rapidly, obtaining more energy and building more warships.
But Luna and Ayla chose to play chess.
In the end, their development couldn't keep pace, resulting in their being crushed by the Olive Branch Civilization.
This was a limitation of their vision and thinking.
However, this doesn't mean Luna and Ayla's previous judgments were wrong.
After encountering numerous civilizations, they couldn't assess whether other powerful civilizations existed nearby.
Uncontrolled expansion might lead to encounters with other civilizations, resulting in a two-front war.
Now they know that advanced civilizations in the universe are rare.
Civilizations like the Galactic Federation, the Purple Thorns Civilization, the Olive Branch Civilization, and the Filament Civilization—Type 2 civilizations clustered within a 1000-light-year radius—are exceptionally rare.
The Galactic Federation has explored over 10,000 light-years, finding only lower-level civilizations, none above Type 2.
The so-called limitations in vision and thinking were due to limited information.
Luna didn't want to repeat past mistakes.
They needed to understand the full picture of the Milky Way to better prepare for the dimensional war.
Ayla agreed.
She hoped the Hossie Eternal Cycle star nation would focus on this.
Gathering information!
Over a year after receiving the message about the dimensional invasion of the Flyer Civilization, Luna finally received a response from the new civilization.
After establishing Tachyon communication, their exchanges increased, especially after this transmission.
Chu was the first to see the data.
But he couldn't understand the complex formulas and diagrams.
Neither could Luna.
They sent the data to the Star City's main server for processing.
Uncontrolled expansion might lead to encounters with other civilizations, resulting in a two-front war.
Now they know that advanced civilizations in the universe are rare.
Civilizations like the Galactic Federation, the Purple Thorns Civilization, the Olive Branch Civilization, and the Filament Civilization—Type 2 civilizations clustered within a 1000-light-year radius—are exceptionally rare.
The Galactic Federation has explored over 10,000 light-years, finding only lower-level civilizations, none above Type 2.
The so-called limitations in vision and thinking were due to limited information.
Luna didn't want to repeat past mistakes.
They needed to understand the full picture of the Milky Way to better prepare for the dimensional war.
Ayla agreed.
She hoped the Hossie Eternal Cycle star nation would focus on this.
Gathering information!
Over a year after receiving the message about the dimensional invasion of the Flyer Civilization, Luna finally received a response from the new civilization.
After establishing Tachyon communication, their exchanges increased, especially after this transmission.
Chu was the first to see the data.
But he couldn't understand the complex formulas and diagrams.
Neither could Luna.
They sent the data to the Star City's main server for processing.
It's like trying to understand English using only a translation program.
But this is even more difficult.
It's not just about solving simple formulas; it requires formula comparison, a massive undertaking.
A single person would likely spend decades analyzing this data.
But with a server…
Four hours later, Luna received the information.
The data was delivered directly to her inbox in the underworld—a virtual world. She simply clicked to access the comprehensive and complete information.
After analysis, a massive star chart appeared.
[The information states that this civilization possesses complete knowledge of the Milky Way.]
[According to the information, the Milky Way contains six top-tier civilizations and nineteen near-top-tier civilizations (Type 2.9 and 2.8).]
[These civilizations all reside within the bulge and are constantly engaged in conflict.]
[Approximately 14.8 million years ago, these civilizations finally ceased fighting and formed an alliance, tentatively called the Milky Way Alliance, signing a non-aggression pact.]
[Only top-tier and near-top-tier civilizations signed the pact. Smaller civilizations also existed in the bulge, but after the pact, they were expelled from the resource-rich bulge; this civilization was one of them.]
[Outside the bulge, their progress slowed due to the lower density of stars and black holes.]
[To achieve progress, dozens of civilizations began to contend.]
[The Milky Way is vast. The preference for the bulge stems from proximity; once a civilization's territory becomes too large, collapse becomes more likely, so expansion is avoided.]
[Through conflict, outer civilizations declined, and powerful near-top-tier civilizations emerged. These weren't accepted by the bulge's treaty civilizations; they couldn't return. Therefore, these civilizations left the Milky Way for dwarf galaxies.]
[Ancient records mention this. Current data indicates that there are now eleven top-tier civilizations and only seven near-top-tier civilizations in the bulge. Though open warfare ceased, covert conflict continues. Some civilizations, driven to despair by certain information, committed mass suicide.]
[The specific reasons aren't mentioned, only the current chaos within the bulge.]
[The dimensional gateway was originally created by all the top-tier civilizations. They were familiar with traversing it before its opening. The same was true for other dimensional civilizations. Approximately one hundred years after the gateway's opening, the bulge experienced devastating dimensional warfare.]
[…]
The information, while seemingly extensive, lacked substantial useful detail.
For example, it mentioned over ten top-tier civilizations.
But what were their scientific focuses, biological forms, and territories? The information provided no such specifics.
Instead, the content consisted largely of questions:
[Is the outer Milky Way empty?]
[Will the ancient exiles return?]
From these questions, Luna and Chu discerned the civilization's anxieties.
It desperately wanted to leave the bulge, perhaps even the Milky Way.
"This civilization is undoubtedly stronger than us, yet their desire is to leave," Chu said.
This was a reminder to Luna that they had a similar choice.
They were close enough to the Milky Way's outer regions to make a departure.
But it would mean abandoning much.
That's why Luna had been reluctant to make this choice.
Moreover, leaving the Milky Way would mean entering the vast emptiness of the cosmos.
They might drift for hundreds of thousands of light-years, only to reach another galaxy and find it far more advanced, with ubiquitous Type 3 civilizations that could crush them instantly.
"We've reached this point. For a smaller civilization, escape would be straightforward."
"Smaller civilizations have fewer needs and less internal conflict."
"And the internal conflicts within human civilization… we all know about them."
"I'll handle the large conflicts necessary for our development, but I'll ignore the smaller ones. These minor conflicts will be obscured by the larger context."
"But interstellar travel, lasting hundreds of thousands, even millions of years… that's enough time for our civilization to collapse."
"To preserve our civilization, we must gamble."
Luna hoped Chu wouldn't have similar thoughts.
Because it was dangerous.
To collapse without a fight is the ultimate taboo of military strategy.
Luna felt that if they were to leave, she would do so without hesitation.
But if they were to stay, she would be prepared for the annihilation of humankind.
Luna examined the questions, extracting useful information.
"Why haven't the Milky Way civilizations, after tens of millions of years of development, ventured to the outer regions?"
"Based on our current information, this might be due to the departure of near-top-tier civilizations or the original inhabitants of the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds."
These civilizations were afraid.
One of their fears might be the Light-based civilization.
Based on the remaining Light-based civilization ruins, which are millions of years old, it seems they weren't that powerful back then.
Were they among the civilizations that left?
Or just one of their followers?
Luna didn't believe the Light-based civilization hadn't noticed the light encompassing the Milky Way.
If the Light-based civilization originated from the Milky Way, perhaps even the bulge, there would be traces to follow.
Their conversation revealed this civilization's animosity towards the Light-based civilization or other civilizations.
This civilization sought information, hoping to escape the Milky Way.
Why not take a chance?
It was incredibly difficult.
The disparity between civilizations was immense.
A civilization controlling 100 million stars is considered Type 2.9 in terms of energy.
The bulge contains over 10 billion stars.
Plus, black hole energy.
Luna believed the top-tier civilizations' total energy reserves had reached Type 3 over the past tens of millions of years.
The difference between Type 2.7 and Type 3 is a thousandfold.
Like the Galactic Federation's helplessness against the Olive Branch Civilization.
And there was more than one.
Whether the bulge was stable or experiencing intense conflict, the civilizations wouldn't allow another to enter. Therefore, civilizations outside the bulge faced an alliance of over a dozen top-tier civilizations.
Their combined resources surpassed a Type 3.1 civilization.
This meant that if this alliance was strong enough to resist other-dimensional civilizations, civilizations outside the bulge wouldn't stand a chance.
If the Federation couldn't resist other-dimensional civilizations, then there was no question; escaping the Milky Way was paramount.
Therefore, for weaker civilizations on the periphery…
Their only option was to look for an escape.
This civilization had realized this.
Death was inevitable.
It wanted to flee.
But would the Connecter allow it?
This was Luna's doubt.
The Connecter would have received this information. If this civilization wanted to flee and sent this signal now…
They weren't concerned about the Connecter. Perhaps the bulge was still embroiled in conflict, preventing the top-tier civilizations from dealing with external threats.
Very dangerous!
Luna saw a trap woven into this information.
With incomplete data, this information was like a pack of wolves.
"This information is contradictory. Let's set it aside for now."
"We need more information before making judgments."
"Perhaps the Flyer Civilization knows something."
"We should wait until our spacecraft reaches the bulge, observe the situation firsthand, and then make a thorough assessment."
Was this information useless?
No.
Once they understood the complete picture, Luna could discern this civilization's true intentions.
"Should we respond?"
Chu asked.
He wasn't without his own opinions, but with Luna present, he preferred to hear her thoughts.
"Of course."
"This civilization is a path to obtaining more information."
"They've given us ambiguous information, a mix of truth and falsehood. Why shouldn't we set a few traps of our own?"
Luna's thoughts were more radical.
"If we want to survive this dimensional war, we must change our approach to development."
"Perhaps conquering civilizations is a better path."
Time seemed increasingly urgent.
It was impossible for the Galactic Federation to develop to sufficient strength on its own.
She needed another way out.
And that way out might not be in her hands.
Chu, shocked by Luna's words, stared at her.
Conquering civilizations?
He knew Luna wanted to conquer the Flyer Civilization, but this statement meant something far greater.
She wanted to conquer many civilizations.
Such as…
The civilizations on the outskirts of the bulge.
The most advanced among them would be Type 2.7.
The Federation was currently advancing towards Type 2.6 in energy; the difference wouldn't be vast, at most a few dozen times greater.
If the Federation conquered the Flyer Civilization, the disparity would be even smaller.
Perhaps it was possible.
But this path was perilous.
A slight misstep could lead to utter ruin.
"To win big with small, this is the hardest path."
"Let alone other civilizations; it's questionable whether even the Flyer Civilization can be absorbed by human civilization."
Chu expressed his concerns about this decision.
He thought Luna was only now beginning these preparations.
But in reality, Luna had been laying the groundwork for this plan for a long time. The path was previously vague, but it was now becoming clearer.
"Who says conquest requires a big fish swallowing a small fish?"
"Don't forget we are not just human civilization, but the Galactic Federation."
"We currently practice imperialism, but we can switch to other ideologies."
"Escaping the Milky Way is the worst-case scenario. If we can unite enough civilizations, we might stand a chance against a dimensional invasion."
This conquest meant incorporating other civilizations into the Galactic Federation system.
Like a snake swallowing a much larger creature.
Then slowly digesting it.
"But they are stronger than us. How will we control them?"
Chu couldn't immediately grasp Luna's plan.
Luna looked at him and said, "We don't need to directly manage them; we just need to build a bridge."
"What do they lack now?"
"Trust!"
"And we only need to give them a little trust, and they'll cling to us."
"Dimensional warfare is inevitable; we've experienced dimensional incursions here, so they're even more vulnerable."
"They're even more desperate than we are."
The truth or falsehood of this information is irrelevant.
Even if the information is false, as long as dimensional warfare is real, they can implement this plan.
Even if dimensional warfare is also false, they'll still accept this bridge.
Because they have their own motives.
However, as Chu mentioned, the risk of backlash remains.
But Luna had already prepared for this.
"Respond to their message, request more details, and convey the idea of a civilization bridge."
"I suspect the civilizations outside the bulge harbor grievances; otherwise, they would have already united."
"Tell them we can connect all those civilizations if they provide their coordinates."
Those civilizations would agree.
They are like two pieces of metal; a layer of rubber is needed to bond them.
And Luna intended for the Federation to be that rubber.
"I still think this plan is too idealistic."
Chu felt this plan was unlikely to succeed.
Some things weren't that easy or simple.
Luna said, "We can't expect them to trust us immediately, so we need to add something else."
"We're far enough away that they can easily send us false information, and we can do the same."
"What if I told them that civilizations beyond the Milky Way are already mobilizing?"
"We could provide information on some Light-based civilizations, or even suggest…that we're already allied with those outer civilizations."
Hearing this, Chu instantly recalled certain events.
It had been many years.
Luna had always focused on domestic affairs.
This made her forget that Luna's true skill wasn't internal governance, but warfare.
Like the previous Holy Grail plan.
Chu had been a pawn in that deception.
A single piece of unverified information could make Chu hesitate.
This was the same.
By finding what other civilizations desired and fabricating a believable lie, Luna could obtain what she wanted.
This wasn't deception, but strategy.
Chu sensed that Luna was withholding information.
That information was likely the key factor.
She and Luna had coexisted for a very long time—tens of thousands of years, at least.
He could still see through this.
He believed Luna had nothing to hide from him.
Because he had entrusted everything to Luna. From a third-party perspective, he wasn't Luna's friend, but more like her dog.
That was blunt, but true.
What could one hide from their own dog?
Yet, Luna remained silent.
Why?
Chu gazed into the cosmos.
He suddenly realized something.
The Connecter!
While anticipating events within the bulge, it was only speculation.
The Connecter might still exist, still observing the entire Galactic Federation, or perhaps even more.
"I'll respond."
"But should we act under the Galactic Federation's banner?"
"Using the Olive Branch Civilization's banner would also work." Chu said.
This wasn't about distancing themselves from the Galactic Federation.
He was referring to the next plan.
The Olive Branch Civilization was sufficiently centralized to leave this sector and venture deeper into the Milky Way.
After all, the distance between them was vast.
The advantage of this distance was deception.
But the disadvantage was reduced control.
Implementing the plan would also be difficult.
"Super-antimatter displacement has a failure rate for living beings."
"But not for us."
"Theoretically, we could approach the speed of light with a sufficiently large super-antimatter displacement device."
Chu had been thinking about this device for a long time.
For them, this was the ideal teleportation device.
Near-light-speed travel.
This was the ultimate goal of every civilization.
Of course, Hossie's Eternal Cycle star nation also had it, but on a smaller scale.
Creating a large one would be impossible without the Federation's support.
The energy requirements were too high.
Was it worth it?
Luna didn't answer immediately.
"Let me think about it."
"The current plan is too rudimentary and needs refinement."
"And we're not under immediate pressure; the primary focus remains the Flyer Civilization."
"Once we finish the other matter, we'll start preparing."
It wasn't just one other matter, but many.
Luna had initially created millions of incarnations to avoid detection and control by the Connecter.
But that wasn't the only purpose.
Her own incarnation served a larger purpose: to accelerate the overall progress of human civilization to conquer the Flyer Civilization.
After learning more about the Flyer Civilization, Luna discovered its weakness.
This weakness was its dependence on its environment; without the dimensional gateway, the Flyer Civilization wouldn't have this vulnerability.
But there are no "what ifs."
Having discovered this weakness, Luna would exploit it.
The Federation and the Flyer Civilization weren't enemies, but they certainly weren't friends either.
Even lovers quarrel and separate; much more so for two civilizations.
This is why Luna used the word "conquer."
Her goal was conquest; alliances and cooperation were merely means to that end.
...
Rusty star nation.
Supernova Technology Company.
The appearance of the White Dragon-class ship catapulted Supernova Technology Company to the forefront of commercial ship suppliers.
The innovative nature of this technology essentially crushed traditional ships.
But how powerful could it be?
Powerful ships were already plentiful.
True ingenuity lies in the unexpected, in battlefield effectiveness.
Ships weren't supposed to be used on battlefields, but these smaller star nations couldn't afford many warships, making ships their primary fighting force.
After Supernova Technology Company launched its evasion ships, 300,000 were ordered within 400 years.
Giotto's pricing was a staggering 210 million Energy Credits per ship.
And that was just the base price.
To reach projected effectiveness, additional evasion weaponry was required, costing at least 50 million Energy Credits per ship.
Even so, the 300,000 orders generated a revenue of 78 trillion Energy Credits.
This was just the first phase.
More star nations were watching.
They wanted to see the performance of Supernova Technology Company's new ships on the battlefield.
And then, naturally…
Domination on a grand scale!
Evasion-type materials were beyond the technological capabilities of current human civilization.
This outcome wasn't surprising.
Evasion-type materials could evade attacks when the opponent's weaponry lacked sufficient power.
They directly evaded energy weapons.
On the battlefield, they were essentially game-breaking.
The first phase only delivered 70,000 evasion-type ships. These ships destroyed 180,000 Federation ships and 1300 warships, with over 43,000 evasion ships remaining.
This was an unprecedented victory.
No ship had ever performed so well on the battlefield.
The battlefield applications of evasion-type ships were constantly being explored.
All star nations recognized their potential.
Especially the early potential.
Therefore, the second phase's orders surged to an astonishing 1,070,000 ships.
Combined with previous orders, a total of 1,370,000 ships were ordered, generating 356.2 trillion Energy Credits in revenue.
Supernova Technology Company's previous market value was only 146 trillion.
Few companies have ever seen revenue exceeding their market capitalization.
But that changed within ten years.
Supernova Technology Company's market value skyrocketed to 2.629 quadrillion, becoming the most powerful corporation in the surrounding sectors of the Rusty star nation.
Several star nations invested in Supernova Technology Company.
Several other super-corporations also participated.
Including Osvedi Corporation, which had previously left the Federation to establish its own nation.
Osvedi Corporation was a ship manufacturer, formerly the Federation's leading ship producer. They understood the value of evasion-type ships and invested 300 trillion Energy Credits to acquire 49% of Supernova Technology Company's equity.
With this infusion of capital, plus support from the Rusty star nation and other new shareholders, Supernova Technology Company expanded its production lines.
They now produce around 200 ships daily.
Fulfillment of all orders would take approximately 5000 days, or 13 years.
As Supernova Technology Company grew stronger, Luna's status rose accordingly.
Her initial 2% stake was diluted to 0.5%, but even so, it was worth over 13 trillion, essentially making her incredibly wealthy.
Giotto's stake was reduced to 11%, valued at 289 trillion.
Of course, these were dividend-bearing shares.
In current human civilization, nominal shares were like dividend-bearing shares, preventing dilution.
Nominal shares didn't affect company decisions, only dividend distribution.
To participate in decision-making, one needed to purchase unconditional voting shares or equity shares.
Osvedi Corporation's 300 trillion investment secured 49% dividend-bearing shares and 30% equity shares.
Giotto still held 51% of the equity shares, retaining absolute decision-making power.
Actually, the Federation had redefined nominal shares and equity shares. Nominal shares are now called "money shares," and equity shares are called "power shares."
Corporations themselves don't issue equity shares or voting shares but establish subsidiaries that offer shares to employees.
Supernova Technology Company's reserves and influence grew significantly.
And Giotto's ambition grew as well.
Because he primarily sold ships to distant star nations and refused investment from nearby ones, those neighboring star nations resented both Supernova Technology Company and the Rusty star nation.
Of course, this resentment wasn't universal.
Relations between these star nations were already strained.
It's a case of distant relatives being more helpful than close ones.
They wouldn't supply weapons to their enemies.
...
Supernova Technology Company headquarters.
Standing in the conference room, Giotto excitedly addressed Toma K.
"I never thought we'd succeed."
"But we met Luna, and we've advanced so quickly."
His excitement was evident.
The money was enough to fund their civilization's mission.
Toma K, adorned in designer jewelry, looked like a nouveau riche.
He calmly stated, "We only have 2.629 quadrillion Energy Credits; we rank 7841st among human corporations."
He didn't want to shatter Giotto's illusion.
But it was the truth!
Giotto remained unfazed.
"We still haven't revealed everything, have we?"
"This so-called evasion material is just the tip of the iceberg."
"Speaking of which, damn it, don't you find physics incredibly difficult? I've studied for over 10,000 years, and I still don't understand it."
He was frustrated by physics.
He wasn't naturally gifted in this area.
But to understand what was in his mind, he had to understand it.
Toma K remained silent; he hadn't mastered it either.
Of course, their learning far surpassed that of most people.
Initially, they felt omniscient, like running 5km with a 20kg backpack and then suddenly dropping it—a sense of relief, even a feeling of being able to jump two meters.
But it was just an illusion.
After taking the scholar qualification exam…
They were despondent for weeks.
They scored B-, not bad for newcomers, but they had studied for 1000 years.
Furthermore, out of 40,000 examinees, they were in the bottom 30%.
The competition was fierce.
They didn't give up on their studies, though.
But the truth is, even with sufficient knowledge, mastering it requires innate talent.
"Why not directly download the knowledge into the minds of those who need it?"
Toma K considered this the fastest method.
Giotto looked at him deeply.
"Do you want us to reveal everything?"
Toma K laughed.
"Ha! Do you think everyone doesn't know that we didn't invent this technology?"
They had worked with others for so long.
Anyone could ask a complex question, and they would struggle to answer.
It was unlikely they wouldn't know!
Such abilities couldn't be hidden.
Giotto was slightly deflated.
After considering it, he made his decision.
"Let's give this to Luna. At least she's trustworthy."
After all these years, Giotto not only trusted Luna but admired her abilities.
Of course, there was another reason.
The Rusty star nation would soon declare war on its neighbors.
This was his decision.
The surrounding star nations were already restless, unwilling to let them continue growing.
Giotto intended to strike first.
He now possessed the strength.
His only concern was that once the plan was initiated, there would be no turning back.
He wasn't sure he was fully prepared.
Giotto checked the time.
Year 215,373 AD.
He had been back in the Federation for over 20,000 years.