"Do you remember what I said?" These Patrols were the first alien beings the human fleet had encountered after leaving the Solar System.
"My lord, I wouldn't dare forget. You gave us technology so we could develop to the Peak Star System-Level Civilization, and ordered us to destroy that human civilization after 200 years."
"Good, as long as you remember. How are things going for you now?" the Patrols asked.
"My lord, after 148 years of development, our population has grown from the original two million to one billion. With the technological support you gave us, our newest warships are 3,000 meters long, and we have more than ten million of them. In another 52 years, we can reach at least twenty million without any trouble."
"Too slow. No wonder you were defeated by humanity. I gave you technology and a safe environment, yet after all these years, this is all you have to show for it? Do you know that humans have already built more than twenty million warships with technological reserves and resources far inferior to yours? And I believe the quality of their warships is no worse than yours."
"What?!! My lord, that's impossible."
"Fools. Just because you can't do it doesn't mean humans can't. Tell me, have you fully deciphered the technology I gave you? Have you fully applied it to your warships?"
"My lord, well, we've deciphered part of it. I've already ordered them to step up their work on the rest," Ma Meng, the Sand Python Civilization's new leader, said with some displeasure. The Patrols' angry scolding made him very unhappy. Over the years in the Tau Ceti System, he had thoroughly enjoyed being the leader. Before, he had only been the chief of a small tribe in the Sand Python Civilization, forced not only to bow and scrape before the large tribes around him, but also to flatter the people in the leadership.
More than a hundred years ago, the former leader had died in the war, while Ma Meng's tribal fleet had miraculously suffered no losses at all. In the days that followed, he led the tribal fleet in pursuit of other scattered warships on the run, giving them a choice: submit or be destroyed. Despite the Sand Pythons' brutal, bloodthirsty nature, Ma Meng had still gathered a force of more than twenty thousand warships.
Without their civilian ships, they had originally planned to wander and plunder along the way. As for fighting humanity to the death, that had merely been something Ma Meng said offhand. As the new leader, he still had to keep up appearances. When all was said and done, Ma Meng had humanity to thank. If not for them, how could he have become the leader of the Sand Python Civilization, throwing his weight around and living so happily ever since?
He had never expected to encounter a Patrols. Ma Meng had agreed to the Patrols' terms without a second thought. Anyone would be a fool to turn down such a good deal. After 200 years, it wouldn't matter even if he couldn't defeat humanity. At least he wouldn't lose the technology, and as long as he was careful, he could preserve a large part of his fleet. Perhaps he could even get by with a token effort. That was what Ma Meng had thought at the time.
After enjoying supreme power for more than a century, Ma Meng had completely changed his mind. Once the fleet grew a little larger, he would quietly leave Tau Ceti. With the fleet now capable of traveling at 400 times the speed of light, he had every chance of evading the Patrols. Then he could find a star system far away and enjoy his life in peace. That was what really mattered. Who in their right mind would go fight the human civilization to the death? Ma Meng hadn't expected the Patrols to arrive with more than fifty years still remaining before the 200-year deadline, much less start ordering him around the moment they arrived. Ma Meng was deeply unhappy.
"What's wrong? Are you displeased? A bunch of self-important fools. Do you think I'm lying to you?!" The Patrols had noticed Ma Meng's displeasure.
"My lord, I wouldn't dare. My lord, with your abilities, you could wipe out the human civilization single-handedly. Why rely on us? If you think we're no match for the human civilization, you could simply find another civilization to do it."
"What, are you trying to go back on your word? Let me tell you, although I can't act directly against humanity, I have no such reservations about wiping you out. I'm ordering you to set out immediately. There's no need to wait for the 200 years to pass. The longer you wait, the more crushing your defeat will be."
"My lord, it would be better to stick to the agreed time. Our fleet is still under construction, and by then it could double in size. We'd have a better chance of winning." As Ma Meng spoke, he secretly made a gesture to his subordinates.
Ma Meng no longer wanted to be controlled by these Patrols at all. He intended to use the fleet to destroy the Patrols. The Small Star Sector Civilization behind the Patrols might give him pause, but there was only one Patrols warship before him. With the Sand Python Civilization's force of more than ten million warships, it was entirely possible to destroy it. Afterward, they could immediately leave Tau Ceti without anyone knowing. Even the Small Star Sector Civilization behind these Patrols was unlikely to find a star system-level civilization deliberately hiding in the vast Milky Way. The Milky Way was simply too big, after all. If worst came to worst, he could lead the fleet into hiding in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. As long as he remained the leader of the Sand Python Civilization, he could still enjoy a comfortable life.
"Ma Meng, what are you doing?!!!" The Patrols had noticed the Sand Python fleet beginning to move.
"My lord, nothing. We're just preparing to set out and settle accounts with the human civilization."
"Fools. It seems you'll always be full of yourselves unless I teach you a lesson."
With that, the Patrols' silver ship charged into the Sand Python fleet at more than 5,000 times the speed of light. Dozens of beams shot from the ship, striking dozens of Sand Python warships with precision. The beams were identical to the ones that had destroyed humanity's Polaris hundreds of years ago. The Sand Python warships exploded instantly, without even having time to react.
The silver ship continued attacking the Sand Python fleet at a speed of more than a hundred meters per second. The Sand Python fleet reacted and began to fight back, but let alone destroy the silver ship, they couldn't even hit it. The Patrols were simply too fast. At this rate, all ten million Sand Python warships would become space junk in a matter of days.
After destroying several thousand Sand Python warships, the Patrols stopped. All the remaining Sand Python warships ceased every movement, not daring to react in the slightest.
"My lord, my lord, I won't dare do it again. Please spare us, my lord. We're willing to serve you. We'll go destroy the human civilization right away." Ma Meng had been frightened by the Patrols.
"Hmph. Let me tell you, although the human civilization as a whole is still a late stellar-level civilization, its fleet has already reached the standard of a mid star system-level civilization. Given a little more time, they can develop technology in their other fields without any obstacles. Although you as a whole have reached the early star system-level, your fleet is also at that level. In the Milky Way, military power is the fundamental factor that determines a civilization's level, so it will be difficult for you to win against the human civilization."
"My lord, if that's the case, aren't we obviously going to our deaths?"
"You still have hope of winning. I examined humanity's warships. Although there are as many as twenty million of them, they're small, only a hundred meters long. Size isn't the fundamental measure of a warship's strength. Take my warship, for example: it's only a little over two hundred meters long, but we're at the advanced stage of small star sector civilization. When we were a star system-level civilization, our warships ranged from several thousand meters to several dozen kilometers in length. Humanity isn't yet capable of building small, powerful warships like a small star sector civilization."