In the joint conference room of the Super Star Cluster Alliance, numerous leaders are engaged in a heated discussion.
Since the Three Universal Civilizations issued a mobilization for a space war, the leaders of each civilization have put aside their other work and regarded it as their top priority, actively inquiring about the situation of the external enemy from the Three Universal Civilizations.
However, due to the magnitude of the matter and the large number of civilizations eagerly seeking information, the Three Universal Civilizations gave a unified response, briefly explaining the situation of conflicting information, stating that they needed to control the number of people in the know, and indicating that it was not convenient to disclose enemy intelligence for the time being. Therefore, other civilizations were almost completely unaware of the external enemy at this time.
Even if some civilizations harbor resentment towards the Three Universal Civilizations in normal times, they will still obey the instructions of the Three Universal Civilizations and obediently cooperate with their strategic plans when facing external wars.
After all, the Three Universal Civilizations are the supreme rulers, and their determination to safeguard the security of the Explored Universe is beyond question. They are also the pillars of interstellar society, and no civilization opposes the Three Universal Civilizations having unified command during wartime. Even the Super Star Cluster Alliance dares not object.
A supercluster leader slammed his fist on the table and shouted:
"An invasion by an alien civilization is no small matter. For some reason, the Three Universal Civilizations haven't revealed the enemy's details, but the fact that they've put on such a grand display clearly indicates they've encountered a formidable foe."
"Judging from the attitudes of the Three Universal Civilizations, this one is most likely a mature, cosmic-level civilization, far superior to those natives," another person speculated.
Everyone's expressions were quite grave. This wasn't the first time Explored Universe and dealt with unknown civilizations. Historically, the development of new star systems had occasionally occurred. The most recent example was the development of the Shattered World, and the war between the Kun and the Tu Shu De tribes was a similar event. However, there was a world of difference between natives and cosmic civilizations, and the intensity of the war was on a completely different level.
A cosmic-level civilization in the Unexplored Universe is essentially the hegemon of a region. This is no longer a small-scale skirmish like when fighting natives, but an equal interstellar war. It is no longer a war where one has a 100% chance of winning, as in the case of teaching natives. There is a chance that the interstellar society will be destroyed.
The fact that the Three Universal Civilizations adopted a defensive posture at their base camps clearly indicated that they were not the ones initiating the attack, but rather the ones being invaded. This made many leaders of the supercluster civilizations feel uneasy—no one wanted to start a war on their own territory, because even if they won, their territory would suffer huge losses. However, the fact that the Three Universal Civilizations adopted a defensive strategy proved that they were likely at a disadvantage, forcing them to passively resist the invasion.
"The conservative strategies of the Three Universal Civilizations reveal their lack of confidence. We should prepare a backup plan. If the Three Universal Civilizations become the losers, we must find a way to preserve our own civilization."
The leader of Star Arc spoke in a deep voice.
In the eyes of these people in power, nothing is certain and nothing is superstitious. They never believe that the Three Universal Civilizations will never be defeated or destroyed. They consider every possibility and plan ahead.
"Unfortunately, the Three Universal Civilizations do not disclose intelligence about this external enemy, so we cannot analyze their social structure, political leanings, and foreign policy attitude..." Someone shook their head.
"It seems we can only learn about this alien civilization once war begins, and then we can make a decision based on the actual situation. Until then, all we can do is make arrangements for the fire-storage facility."
"This is what the Star Arc leader said."
After a brief discussion, one of the Three Kings of Modo suddenly spoke in a low voice:
"In a way, this might be our chance to break the deadlock."
Upon hearing this, the eyes of many super-star cluster leaders flickered.
They have been confined to the Explored Universe, their development restricted by the Three Universal Civilizations. Only external forces can break the balance. Their previous attempt to conquer the Shattered World failed, and although the Beyond Grade A Association has potential, it seems useless now. However, the external enemy is the biggest variable, which is just the right opportunity to change the situation.
The Star Arc leader stroked his chin and said slowly:
"The ideal scenario is that the Three Universal Civilizations and the alien civilization will both be severely weakened, allowing us to rise to power, take their place, and rule the interstellar society."
Of course, they will be wary of us. If this path doesn't work, we can take advantage of the war to withdraw. The Three Universal Civilizations will then be too weak to stop us, and we can migrate with our civilization to a distant region, become the new rulers, and freely consume resources and develop, no longer restricted and suppressed as we are today.
The crowd's eyes lit up slightly; some were tempted.
As the saying goes, it's better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix. The Super Star Cluster Alliance has been second to none for too long, constantly being Warning by the Three Universal Civilizations Three Universal Civilizations.
If restrictions could be lifted, then large-scale migration would be a viable option.
At this moment, the Star Arc leader changed the subject, saying:
"However, without intelligence on the enemy, it's not appropriate to make a decision right now... The Three Universal Civilizations will most likely be wary of us, using us as a pawn to kill us, forcing us to become their main force, thereby reducing our strength and eliminating our threat. So, we still need to observe the course of the war."
The leaders nodded in agreement, their expressions subtle.
Since the enemy hasn't attacked yet, it's impossible for the various civilizations to unite as one; self-interest is inevitable.
Wars are always sudden, and the announcement from the Three Universal Civilizations spread throughout the Galaxy, just as surprising the player community and eliciting a strong reaction.
"A war is about to break out? I haven't even brushed my teeth yet!"
"Wasn't the main storyline supposed to be the rise of Beyond Grade A nation? How did it suddenly turn into an interstellar war?"
"Damn it, we've gotten the main storyline wrong again. I really can't figure out this version!"
"Actually, all of this has a clear Vein, but the intelligence we have access to isn't high enough to get the inside story; we can only analyze the surface."
Many players on the forum were initially surprised and uncertain, but after the initial astonishment, most of them quickly became excited.
A war? That's great! I can get involved in the main storyline again!
As a group that thrives on chaos, players welcome war. After the Three Universal Civilizations and the guild reconciled, many players could only run black markets in various places and do daily tasks. Although it was very free, without a main objective, they were still a bit bored.
With a cosmic war looming, perhaps the largest conflict ever witnessed, most players are eagerly anticipating it.
Just then, Han Xiao also issued a conscription order to the legion players, summoning all the legion's combat-ready troops to the Shattered World to await orders.
At Black Star's call to action, almost all of the tens of millions of Legion players responded, abandoning their Black Market quests and converging on the Black Star Palace from all over the world.
Shattered World, the Dawn Star Cluster, the Border Stargate Station.
A vast, endless line of civilian spaceships of various types stretched before the exit gate, maintaining order under the supervision of the Crimson Dynasty's fleet as they entered the gate in batches. These were interstellar citizens responding to the migration, leaving the Shattered World on a massive scale.
Basically, all interstellar travel companies voluntarily assisted in the migration, mobilizing their ships to transport batches of interstellar citizens out of the country, both in response to the call and to take advantage of the surge in demand for flights to make a profit.
Currently, Starliner flights don't prioritize comfort; they only care about passenger capacity. Unless you choose the VIP cabin, which costs many times more, don't expect any special treatment.
On a large travel ship, countless interstellar citizens crowded into the ship's main hall. Various races could be seen here. These were all ordinary passengers, most of whom were chatting and talking with their companions. Many were worried, and the hall was noisy.
"The recent turmoil has been far too frequent. Those in power keep stirring things up, making it impossible for us to have any peace," a Cosmic Human couldn't help but complain.
A man standing nearby, looking disgruntled, said indignantly, "Who says otherwise? A while ago, the Three Universal Civilizations were in a standoff with the Beyond Grade A Association. I thought something terrible was going to happen. We finally managed to calm things down, and now we're going to fight again. They just won't let us have any peace and quiet."
"What's done is done, let's stop complaining," sighed a well-dressed passenger. "I just hope that this migration to the inner star system will guarantee our personal safety."
"As long as the Three Universal Civilizations can keep the enemy at bay in the border star system, we shouldn't have to worry. No matter how fierce the fighting gets, it won't threaten us," another passenger said.
"It's hard to say. When we encountered alien civilizations in the past, the Three Universal Civilizations didn't force us to relocate on a large scale. This time, the enemy is probably very powerful. Hopefully, the Three Universal Civilizations will be more reliable, otherwise even the inner star system won't be safe." Someone said worriedly.
The cabin was filled with unease; the more they talked, the more worried they became.
Besides concerns about personal safety, many people are also worried about their livelihoods.
"If everyone from the border star regions migrates to the inner star regions, it will probably be crowded, and daily necessities will become even scarcer, causing prices to rise..."
"Sigh, I've finally managed to save up some money, and I don't know how long it will last. I hope my job opportunities won't be affected. As long as I don't have to go to the front lines, I'm willing to do any kind of work."
Many passengers sighed and lamented.
Just then, something happened outside the window, attracting everyone's attention.
Long queues formed in front of the exit stargate, while the nearby entry stargate was deserted. But then, fleets suddenly began to sail out of the entry stargate and arrive at the Shattered World, their hulls bearing the insignia of different Beyond Grade A forces.
The next moment, the arriving fleet transformed into countless streaks of light, heading in the opposite direction from the refugee fleet towards the war zone.
"Those are the fleets of the Beyond Grade A Association?"
As the fleet disappeared from sight, the expressions of some passengers suddenly became somewhat subtle.
Among the refugees were many interstellar citizens who had been criticizing the Association online during the confrontation between the Three Universal Civilizations and the Association. Seeing this scene, they had very mixed feelings.
Unexplored Universe, interception zone.
Numerous mechanical outposts stretched across the starry sky, their orbits, composed of spatial anchors, extending outwards and covering the World Tree exploration team's route.
The Three Universal Civilizations were incredibly efficient in their construction efforts; in just a few days, they had formed the rudiments of a defensive perimeter, creating a war zone that served as the front line for intercepting the World Tree.
In the past few days, the Three Universal Civilizations have been laying out space-stabilized orbits along the exploration team's route around the clock, covering an increasingly larger area. They have discovered that the World Tree has repeatedly attempted to generate wormholes in different locations, but all attempts have been interfered with by the space-stabilized anchors, ultimately resulting in failure.
Inside the temporary base, Simon and other commanders were in the operations staff room, discussing tactics in hushed tones while Han Xiao and several Beyond Grade A listened in.
After the meeting, Han Xiao led a dozen or so Beyond Grade A, including Kasuyi and Kant, to the interception zone to oversee the situation and learn about the current circumstances.
The Shattered World has many territories of Beyond Grade A- level forces, which are already making intensive war preparations. With numerous cadres in place, these forces don't need their leaders to keep a close eye on things.
Besides association members, there were also many Beyond Grade A members from the Three Universal Civilizations present, who were there to keep watch and prevent the World Tree faction's Beyond Grade A members from coming over.
"According to statistics, the other side has attempted to open a wormhole five times, with the coordinates getting farther and farther away. The last attempt was already approaching the edge of a stable spatial orbit."
Simon pointed to the star map and solemnly said:
"The coordinates they choose next will likely be quite far apart, possibly outside our observation range... Our defenses aren't fully in place yet, Black Star, we still need your help."
I'll try my best.
Han Xiao nodded.
Laying out stable spatial orbits can only delay things a little, allowing the World Tree's teleportation location to move away from the defensive perimeter, but it cannot cover the routes left by exploration teams over countless years. As long as the World Tree moves the teleportation coordinates far enough, it will eventually be able to send new exploration forces over.
If the new World Tree exploration team is outside their observation range, it will be more troublesome. The enemy can take a much longer route, and the defense perimeter of the Three Universal Civilizations has not yet been fully built, so the probability of interception is limited. The best way at present is to rely on the intelligence channels of the Child of Destiny to locate the position of the subsequent exploration teams and intercept them in a targeted manner to prevent any from slipping through the net.
The premise is that the child prophets on the World Tree side have access to this information; otherwise, the Child of Destiny would have no way to obtain the intelligence. However, this channel is very well hidden, and the World Tree side probably doesn't realize the problem so much, and will still use the power of the prophets to help the exploration team solve their problems.
"Beep beep beep..."
Just then, Han Xiao's communicator suddenly rang.
The room immediately fell silent; everyone stopped talking and looked at Han Xiao.
Han Xiao took out his communicator and glanced at it; it was a text message from the Oathkeeper.
After reading the contents, his eyes flashed, and he pondered:
"The World Tree has successfully opened the wormhole, and a new batch of exploration troops has arrived. We are four days' journey from the farthest stable spatial node... Everyone, we are about to engage the enemy."
Upon hearing this, everyone present's pupils contracted.
Although they were mentally prepared, everyone still felt heavy-hearted when they officially engaged in battle with the World Tree Force. Only Han Xiao in the room was able to remain calm.