novelraw Chapter 101: Azure Surge Universal Human Empire
Chapter 101: Azure Surge Universal Human Empire
Heavy snow fell in thick flurries across the North Pole continent.
Su Yuan thrust his long gun forward, piercing straight through the skull of Captain Ao Qu the moment he appeared alongside a spatial fluctuation.
"Dead?"
Su Yuan's gaze remained calm, his mind clear on the outcome.
With his brow pierced, the mental and willful fluctuations of the Level 11 Starry Sky Life Form, Captain Ao Qu, completely dissipated.
Starry Sky Life Forms boasted incredibly robust physiques capable of traversing the starry void, yet they still harbored a fatal weakness.
That weakness was the head.
The head served as the anchor for a Starry Sky Life Form's soul, mind, and will.
Once the skull was shattered, even a Starry Sky Life Form would be dead beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Naturally, as a Starry Sky Life Form advanced in their cultivation, this vulnerability would gradually disappear.Upon reaching the Peak Starry Sky Life Form stage, their mind and will would permeate their entire body, eliminating this weak point entirely. They could survive even if their head was pulverized.
Su Yuan retracted his long gun, simultaneously severing and claiming Captain Ao Qu's head.
Even pierced and mutilated, a Starry Sky Life Form's head held immense research value.
'It is all over.'
Su Yuan thought to himself.
Ever since he learned about the Interstellar Colonial Ship, Su Yuan had used the gray mirror to simulate today's battle countless times.
Captain Ao Qu's life-saving trump card—the brow gem capable of spatial teleportation—was naturally factored into Su Yuan's calculations.
With Captain Ao Qu's strength as a Level 11 Starry Sky Life Form, combined with the spatial brow gem...
...even with the element of surprise on his side, Su Yuan could not have killed him in an instant.
That was precisely why Su Yuan had arrived at the North Pole continent ahead of time, laying in wait to spring his trap.
Through the gray mirror, Su Yuan had foreseen exactly where Captain Ao Qu would end up after activating his brow gem.
"Xiaolan."
Su Yuan immediately awakened the AI Xiaolan from her dormant state.
"I am here, Master."
Xiaolan's voice responded at once.
"Launch an intrusion into the control network of that Interstellar Colonial Ship,"
Su Yuan instructed.
This was the most crucial part of the plan.
Merely killing Captain Ao Qu and the other two Starry Sky Life Forms?
That would come nowhere close to solving Blue Star's true crisis.
The real threat facing Blue Star was not this single Interstellar Colonial Ship.
It was the Multieye Civilization standing behind it.
Although the Multieye Clan was an insignificant faction within the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire...
...compared to Blue Star, they were undoubtedly an absolute colossus. They boasted over a thousand Starry Sky Life Forms, and their strongest expert was a Peak Starry Sky Life Form.
A Peak Starry Sky Life Form was immeasurably more powerful than newly advanced experts like Captain Ao Qu and his crew. The former possessed the terrifying might to destroy an entire planet.
Utter destruction, not merely wiping the surface clean.
The two concepts were on completely different levels of difficulty.
It was safe to say that if the ones arriving on the Interstellar Colonial Ship had been Peak Starry Sky Life Forms instead of newly advanced experts like Captain Ao Qu...
...Su Yuan would not have stayed to fight at all. He would have seriously considered fleeing.
It wasn't that he lacked the means to forcibly kill a Peak Starry Sky Life Form. With the omniscient capabilities of the gray mirror, he could certainly formulate an execution plan.
However, the price would be far too steep, vastly outweighing any benefits Blue Star and the solar system could offer him.
"Understood, Master."
The moment AI Xiaolan woke up, she took control over Blue Star's entire network.
Simultaneously, she launched a maximum-intensity cyberattack against the control network of the Interstellar Colonial Ship that had landed on the Australian Continent.
In truth, despite AI Xiaolan's immense computing power, hacking into the Interstellar Colonial Ship's control network in such a short timeframe should have been extremely difficult.
After all, the ship's systems had been constructed by the Multieye Civilization, boasting defensive capabilities far beyond anything on Blue Star.
Unfortunately for them, Su Yuan possessed full knowledge of every weakness and backdoor in the ship's control network.
In a direct, brute-force clash, AI Xiaolan would have had no hope of winning.
But slipping in through known vulnerabilities? That was exponentially easier.
In a mere five minutes, AI Xiaolan successfully seized total control over the Interstellar Colonial Ship.
"What is the current situation?"
Meanwhile, Director Zhou and the others were waiting in anxious suspense.
They only knew that the massive Interstellar Colonial Ship had descended, followed by the intense energy fluctuations that had just erupted across the Australian Continent.
Beyond that, they remained completely in the dark.
Su Yuan held full control over the high-tech weapons they had manufactured. The exact timing of their activation and launch had been preprogrammed long in advance.
Clueless about the ongoing events, Director Zhou and the other officials had no choice but to wait patiently, their nerves strung tight.
"Will it work?"
A female director asked in a hushed whisper.
If this plan failed and drew the ire of an extraterrestrial faction, what awaited Blue Star would likely be far worse than a simple massacre.
"It will definitely succeed."
Director Zhou looked around the room and spoke in a deep, resolute voice.
It wasn't that he knew the outcome in advance like Su Yuan did.
It was simply because, at this very moment, Blue Star had no other option but to believe in success.
"Yes, it will work."
The other directors nodded in succession.
An unknown amount of time passed.
It could have been a single minute, or perhaps an entire hour.
The projection device in front of Director Zhou and the rest flickered back to life.
A familiar cartoon character image reappeared on the screen.
"Lord."
Seeing the avatar, the officials instantly sat up straight, their spirits lifting.
"As you hoped, those three extraterrestrial experts are dead."
Su Yuan's voice echoed through the conference room.
"Dead?"
Director Zhou and the others felt as though they were trapped in a dream.
The plan had actually succeeded?
After all, Su Yuan had explicitly told them that those three alien invaders were Starry Sky Life Forms, and any one of them possessed the means to exterminate all life on Blue Star.
"Do not celebrate just yet."
"Those three experts might be dead, but the power backing them remains."
Su Yuan's words splashed over them like a bucket of ice water, abruptly snapping the ecstatic crowd back to harsh reality.
That was right.
Since those three had dared to pilot an interstellar warship here to take over Blue Star, they definitely had an interstellar faction supporting them.
Even if Blue Star managed to kill the vanguard, it would inevitably invite brutal retaliation from the power behind them.
"Lord, what should we do now?" Director Zhou asked cautiously.
Since Su Yuan had anticipated this situation, he surely had a solution prepared.
"Head over to that Interstellar Colonial Ship immediately."
Su Yuan instructed.
"Understood."
Director Zhou and the others replied respectfully.
Soon after.
The group arrived beneath the massive Interstellar Colonial Ship. Seeing this interstellar warship up close only deepened the awe and trembling in their hearts. Let alone its internal mechanics, just the visible external technology would take Blue Star thousands, if not tens of thousands of years, to fully comprehend.
Following Su Yuan's orders, Director Zhou and his entourage stopped before the energy pillar at the entrance located at the bottom of the ship.
"Step into the energy pillar."
Su Yuan's voice rang in their ears.
"Alright."
Director Zhou and the others took a deep breath. The energy pillar was a direct passage into the ship's interior.
No one knew what awaited them inside. What if the alien experts had left behind lethal traps?
Wouldn't stepping inside be like sending sheep straight into a tiger's den?
However, none of them dared to disobey Su Yuan.
Su Yuan could kill them with a single thought. On the surface, the Blue Star Republic was led by the Xia Nation...
...but everyone knew that the true master wasn't the Xia Nation, but Su Yuan. He was the undisputed ruler of Blue Star.
Hum— As the group stepped into the energy pillar, a gentle gravitational force lifted them steadily upwards, carrying them through the bottom entrance of the warship.
Inside the Interstellar Colonial Ship lay a labyrinth of silver-white corridors, exuding an overwhelming aura of advanced technology.
Director Zhou and the others surveyed their surroundings with utmost caution, wide-eyed like country bumpkins visiting a metropolis for the first time. It wasn't until Su Yuan's voice echoed once more, urging them forward, that they finally dared to move.
After all, who knew if a wrong step might trigger the ship's internal security systems?
Given the terrifying level of technology this vessel possessed, activating the alarms would ensure their swift and absolute annihilation.
A short while later.
After passing through a series of heavy blast doors, the group finally arrived in the ship's control room.
This was the nerve center of the entire vessel.
"Director Zhou, step up onto the platform."
Su Yuan spoke, directing the man to stand at the main console.
"Understood."
Director Zhou steadied his nerves and immediately complied, ascending the platform.
The console was massive. Upon stepping up, Director Zhou immediately noticed a drafted email displayed on the light screen, waiting to be sent.
The recipient of the message was the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire Planetary Administration.
And the contents read—
"I, on behalf of the Blue Star civilization, am willing to jointly develop our planet with the Empire and accept imperial management. Blue Star currently possesses thirteen C-grade mineral veins and six B-grade mineral veins..."
The document was incredibly long and detailed, providing a comprehensive overview of Blue Star's entire situation, including its precise coordinates, numerous advantages, and an extensive development plan post-integration into the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire.
"This is...?"
Director Zhou blanked for a moment.
"Moving forward, Blue Star will be placed under the jurisdiction of the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire."
Su Yuan's voice abruptly cut through the silence. It wasn't just for Director Zhou; everyone else in the control room heard it clearly as well.
"Azure Surge Universal Human Empire?"
The officials exchanged bewildered glances. Extraterrestrial factions were entirely foreign to them, and they had certainly never heard of this particular empire.
Su Yuan provided a brief explanation.
The true crisis threatening Blue Star was never Captain Ao Qu and his two Starry Sky Life Form subordinates.
It was the Multieye Civilization looming behind them.
How could they handle such a colossal civilization?
Abandon the planet and run?
If he had genuinely wanted to take that route, Su Yuan would have fled years ago instead of remaining on Blue Star until now.
By consulting the gray mirror, Su Yuan had found a solution that best aligned with his current interests.
That was to seek refuge under a patron capable of effortlessly crushing the Multieye Civilization.
And within the territory of the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire, what better backer could there be than the Empire itself?
Therefore, folding Blue Star into the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire's administrative fold was the optimal path forward.
Not only would this move grant them the Empire's protection, but it would also provide an official channel to seamlessly integrate into interstellar society.
Naturally, submitting to imperial jurisdiction came with drawbacks.
Namely, a substantial portion of the revenue from Blue Star's mineral veins and other resources would have to be surrendered to the Empire as a tax.
However, this was already the absolute best outcome for Blue Star.
At the very least, the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire adhered to a strict set of rules. They had a defined bottom line and wouldn't resort to underhanded, malicious tactics.
If they refused the Empire and chose to submit to a different faction instead, Blue Star would face unimaginable layers of exploitation. As a civilization yet to produce a single Starry Sky Life Form of its own, any random power in the cosmos could casually stroll over and bully them.
Through the gray mirror, Su Yuan was all too familiar with the tragic fates that typically befell native planets in the wider universe.
The unlucky ones, like Blue Star, were discovered by hostile factions like the Multieye Civilization, resulting in utter extermination and their complete erasure from the cosmos.
The lucky ones managed to make contact with spacefaring factions and willingly surrendered. Yet, for thousands upon thousands of years—right up until they finally birthed a Starry Sky Life Form—they were forced to toil as slaves and beasts of burden for their alien overlords.
As for cultivating their own Starry Sky Life Form?
That would inevitably be obstructed by the very faction ruling over them. After all, no master wanted their slaves to suddenly rise up and demand equal footing.
True, the Universal Human Empire Alliance had passed protection laws specifically shielding life-bearing planets.
But having a law on paper was one thing; actual enforcement out in the lawless dark was another matter entirely.
"Now, I will send this document. Shortly after, a verification video call will come through. You just need to answer exactly as I instruct,"
Su Yuan declared.
An application for integration into the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire wouldn't be approved simply by sending an email. It still required formal verification.
This was precisely why Su Yuan had ordered Director Zhou and his team to board the ship.
Su Yuan had no intention of stepping into the spotlight to interact directly with the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire, which was why he had pushed Director Zhou and the others to the front lines as his proxies.
He was perfectly content to remain pulling the strings from the shadows.
"Understood."
Director Zhou nodded solemnly.
Immediately after, the document hovering on the screen was dispatched.
To successfully transmit a message to the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire Planetary Administration, one needed to connect to the Empire's virtual network.
That required hijacking the high-grade network uplink equipment aboard the warship.
Meanwhile.
In a star system countless tens of thousands of light-years away from Blue Star.
The local star within this system was fully enclosed by a giant ring device, which meticulously absorbed every last trace of the heat and energy it emitted.
The ring was densely populated with massive structures. Inside an office located within one of these buildings, a portly man was rapidly operating a sprawling light screen.
As an employee of the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire Planetary Administration, this portly man had a mountainous workload to handle every single day.
The ultimate fates of countless life-bearing and resource-rich planets rested squarely upon his daily administrative decisions.
"Hm?"
The portly man's expression shifted as his gaze fell upon a newly arrived missive. "An application requesting integration into the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire?"
He casually clicked it open, and as he read, his furrowed brow gradually relaxed.
Reading this document felt incredibly refreshing. It lacked any superficial fluff and cut straight to the core.
It clearly outlined the exact value of their planet. It even presented a meticulous blueprint for its future development post-integration, explicitly detailing the projected revenue it would generate for the Empire.
Compared to this clean proposal, the applications sent by other native planets usually gave the portly man a headache. The vast majority of their contents were bloated with endless, groveling declarations of utmost loyalty and subservience.
Did the Empire care about their sycophancy?
No, the Empire cared solely about their actual value.
"Coordinates... So it is a life-bearing planet located out in that barren star sector."
The portly man immediately grasped the situation.
The territory governed by the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire was simply too vast. It was so impossibly large that there were still sprawling swathes of uncharted barren star sectors within its own borders.
"Judging by this document, this life-bearing world named Blue Star possesses a respectable advantage in mineral vein resources. It meets the criteria for imperial integration."
The portly man scanned the document one last time before finalizing his decision.
"Approved!"