novelraw Chapter 148: Each with Their Own Schemes
Chapter 148: Each with Their Own Schemes
At the borders of the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire lay a Barren Star Sector that had yet to be explored.
Hum— A massive exploration Spaceship navigated this sector with extreme caution, maintaining a speed close to the speed of light but not daring to initiate faster-than-light travel.
Under faster-than-light conditions, the vessel would enter the Dark Universe, and the Dark Universe was by no means guaranteed to be safe.
This was especially true in an unexplored Barren Star Sector, where terrifying Life Forms might be lurking within the Dark Universe.
Furthermore, the primary goal of charting a Barren Star Sector was exploration. If they entered the Dark Universe and instantly crossed tens or hundreds of light-years, what would be left to explore?
"This Barren Star Sector has never been explored."
The captain of the exploration Spaceship stared intently at the sensor screens before his expression suddenly changed. "What is that?"
At the very edge of the scanning display, the faint silhouette of a planet appeared.
"A planet?"
The captain felt a surge of joy. Encountering a planet while exploring a Barren Star Sector was a wonderful stroke of luck.Whether it was a resource planet or a life-bearing one, it could be sold for a high price. If it turned out to be a resource planet containing uniquely precious materials, their current expedition would rake in an absolute fortune.
"Set a course for that planet and immediately scan the surrounding spatial layers,"
the captain immediately ordered.
An hour later.
The exploration Spaceship arrived a short distance from the planet.
"A planet that is completely pitch-black?"
The captain immediately dispatched a robotic probe to descend onto the planet and investigate.
Before long.
The robotic probe returned with a wealth of intelligence and data.
"This planet contains a massive amount of black crystals? These black crystals are called Source Sand Crystals, completely useless to human cultivators, but are divine items to the Source Spirit Race?"
The captain looked at the pitch-black planet in the distance, his brows tightly furrowed.
Useless to human cultivators? A divine artifact for an Alien Race? This was not necessarily a good thing.
Furthermore, the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire had long established strict regulations: if explorers encountered resources deemed precious to an Alien Race, they were required to report it promptly to the High-Ranking Officials.
"Take a few Source Sand Crystals and let's head back,"
the captain mused for a moment before deciding to return immediately and notify the imperial authorities.
As for hiding the discovery and privately trading with the Source Spirit Race?
The risk was far too great. Did people really think the exploration and detection equipment on the Spaceship were blind?
Every time an exploration team returned, their detection logs were thoroughly inspected to prevent anyone from secretly hoarding a portion of their haul.
Moreover, trading with an Alien Race carried enormous hidden dangers. Why would the Source Spirit Race conduct an honest transaction with him? It was far more likely they would simply swallow up both the goods and his crew.
Two days later.
The Spaceship returned smoothly.
At the same time, the intelligence regarding the massive deposit of Source Sand Crystals was escalated to the authorities.
Bluestar, the North Pole continent.
Su Yuan sat cross-legged inside his warship, constantly replaying every intricate detail of the impending localized war between the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire and the Source Spirit Race in his mind.
'This localized war is ostensibly about the Source Sand Star, but in reality, it is a baiting operation orchestrated by the Empire's High-Ranking Officials and strategists,'
Su Yuan thought silently to himself.
Over the past million years, the Source Spirit Race had successively birthed two Cosmic Sages.
This had drawn significant attention from the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire. The Empire's strategists had already begun laying out plans to weaken the Source Spirit Race—perhaps by eliminating one of their Sages.
And the appearance of the Source Sand Star provided an excellent opportunity to do just that.
"Source Sand Crystals? A planet composed entirely of a massive amount of Source Sand Crystals?"
Within the Territory of the Source Spirit Race, the experts who received this news were incredibly shocked. As a divine artifact of their race, even a fist-sized chunk of Source Sand Crystal was enough to cause a group of Source Spirit Race powerhouses to bash each other's heads in.
Let alone an entire planet practically made of Source Sand Crystals?
"This intelligence..."
The Source Spirit Race experts scrutinized the source of the information.
As a powerful faction in the universe, the Territory of the Source Spirit Race bordered the universal human empire, so they naturally had spies planted within the human ranks.
This very news had been transmitted by one of those spies.
"These photos and video feeds should be genuine."
The Source Spirit Race expert watched the video several times. Even through the screen, that pitch-black planet emanated an aura that left him intoxicated.
Source Sand Crystals were inextricably linked to the evolution of the Source Spirit Race, granting them an extraordinary sensory connection to the mineral.
"Report this immediately."
Realizing the gravity of the situation, the Source Spirit Race expert swiftly relayed the intelligence to the High-Ranking Officials of his clan.
In a Secret Realm completely isolated from the outside Great Universe.
Dozens of colossal figures, exuding the suffocating aura of stars, stood silently in place.
Seated at an even higher vantage point was a figure entirely shrouded in gray mist. His gaze was profound, as though containing an entire universe, as he looked down upon the dozens of stellar figures below.
"I have shown you all the photos and videos," the gray-misted figure said, his tone perfectly calm.
"The black planet in the video definitely contains a massive amount of Source Sand Crystals. I can feel it," a figure as massive as a planet spoke up. "With so many Source Sand Crystals gathered in one place, it is highly likely to give birth to a Source Sand Heart..."
As soon as these words were spoken.
An intense wave of desire instantly swelled within the hearts of all the stellar figures present.
A Source Sand Heart was the crucial, indispensable material required for a Source Spirit Race expert to evolve from a Stellar Life Form into a Cosmic Sage.
Every Stellar Life Form present desperately yearned to obtain a Source Sand Heart to break their shackles and ascend to the realm of a Cosmic Sage.
"We must still be cautious. This might be information deliberately leaked by the human empire," one Source Spirit Race Stellar Life Form warned, maintaining his rationality.
"Regardless of whether this news was intentionally released by the human empire or not, the planet composed of a massive amount of Source Sand Crystals in that video is completely real."
Another Source Spirit Race Stellar Life Form voiced his thoughts.
"Let's first see if we can negotiate a trade with the human empire. We might be able to obtain the Source Sand Star through a normal transaction," one Stellar Life Form suggested.
"Agreed."
"Let's try trading first to gauge the human empire's attitude."
The other Source Spirit Race Stellar Life Forms chimed in one after another.
Unless absolutely forced to, they naturally had no desire to fight a bitter war of attrition against the human empire.
"I have already contacted the royal family of the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire. They demand our Source Spirit Race's Origin Crystal in exchange for the Source Sand Star,"
the gray-misted figure seated at the highest peak finally spoke.
"The Origin Crystal?"
"What staggering arrogance! Has the human empire gone mad?"
"The Origin Crystal is the very foundation of our Source Spirit Race, and they want to take it?"
"Are they joking?"
The Source Spirit Race Stellar Life Forms erupted in fury.
No matter how desperately they yearned to become Cosmic Sages, they would never be willing to trade away their race's Origin Crystal.
"I neither rejected nor agreed to their terms,"
the gray-misted figure at the top stated. "Next, I plan to mobilize our military forces in the border regions to pin down the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire."
"As for you... nine of you will be selected to infiltrate the human empire's Territory and attempt to secretly steal the Source Sand Star."
After saying this, the gray-misted figure paused for a moment before continuing, "Source Sand Crystals have an extremely deep connection with space. A Source Sand Star the size of a planet? Without our Source Spirit Race's Secret Method, even a Cosmic Sage wouldn't be able to move it."
"Therefore, the Source Sand Star should still be there. At most, there will be more human powerhouses guarding the perimeter. As long as you can approach it undetected and utilize our clan's Secret Method, you can take the Source Sand Star away."
The gray-misted figure declared, "I promise that whoever brings back the Source Sand Star will be granted priority rights to exchange for the Source Sand Heart contained within."
"I will go."
"I'll go too."
One by one, the Source Spirit Race Stellar Life Forms clamored to volunteer.
Although secretly infiltrating the human empire's Territory was highly perilous, how could they possibly obtain the Source Sand Heart and become a Cosmic Sage without taking any risks?
Moreover, having achieved the rank of a Stellar Life Form, which of the Source Spirit Race powerhouses present didn't possess an ample arsenal of life-saving measures?
"Very well."
"It will be you nine."
The gray-misted figure nodded, selecting the nine best at survival, evasion, and stealth from the many volunteers.
"I will remain on the front lines to draw as much of the human empire's attention as possible. You must all be careful,"
the gray-misted figure instructed.
"Understood."
"No problem."
The nine Source Spirit Race Stellar Life Forms nodded firmly.
"You may all leave."
The gray-misted figure waved a hand.
The crowd of Source Spirit Race Stellar Life Forms quickly departed. A long time later.
The gray-misted figure suddenly spoke to the empty air, "What do you think?"
Whoosh— A phantom-like silhouette condensed out of thin air.
The aura of this illusory figure was impossibly deep, almost as if it contained a Great Universe within itself.
"There is an over seventy percent chance that the news regarding the Source Sand Star was deliberately released by the human empire. Their exact goal is to lure our race in..."
the illusory figure stated.
"I know."
The gray-misted figure nodded.
Given the isolating and restrictive capabilities of the human empire's Virtual Network, if they had truly wanted to lock down information about the Source Sand Star, the Source Spirit Race absolutely would not have found out about it this quickly.
"But the Source Sand Star is real."
The gray-misted figure let out a heavy sigh. "As long as we can acquire that Source Sand Star, our race should be able to give birth to another Sage."
This was exactly the human empire's Overt Scheme.
They laid out their entire trap right on the table in plain view.
Now it was simply a matter of whether the Source Spirit Race would take the bait.
Refuse to go?
And miss out on a future Sage?
Decide to go?
And highly likely fall straight into the human empire's vicious trap.
"Among the Sages of our race, your survival abilities are the strongest. This time, I will use our border military forces as the outward distraction and the nine Stellar Life Forms as the inner layer of the operation. But the true task of securing that Source Sand Star will fall to you,"
the gray-misted figure said, looking at the illusory silhouette.
"I understand."
The illusory figure nodded. He was immensely confident in his life-saving abilities. The human empire was using the Source Sand Star as bait, but wasn't this also a rare opportunity for the Source Spirit Race?
"As long as we can take away that Source Sand Star, even if we lose all nine Stellar Life Forms in the process, it will be well worth the cost,"
the gray-misted figure declared coldly.
The unspoken implication was clear: the illusory figure's absolute priority was to protect himself and secure the Source Sand Star, ignoring all else.
"Understood."
The phantom silhouette replied.
Then, he vanished from his spot.
The gray-misted figure sat at the highest peak, sinking into deep silence.
"Azure Surge Universal Human Empire..."
Thoughts churned violently in his mind. In this operation, the Source Spirit Race's greatest trump card was that illusory figure. He was a Sage, and one who excelled in self-preservation at that.
With him making the move, the probability of the Source Spirit Race successfully taking the Source Sand Star was still quite high.
As for failure? Even if they failed, it would merely mean the loss of a few Stellar Life Forms. Compared to the potential rewards, this was a price the Source Spirit Race could easily afford to pay.
In the Virtual Network world, inside a Personal Space.
"Source Spirit Race amasses troops at the border."
Su Yuan quickly spotted this headline on the news feed.
The massive gathering of the Source Spirit Race's military at the border was impossible to cover up, and it had already stirred up a massive commotion on the Virtual Network of the Azure Surge Universal Human Empire.
Anything involving an imperial war naturally drew the intense scrutiny of countless Imperial Citizens.
Consequently, many Imperial Citizens recently settled on Bluestar were also fervently discussing the matter.
'It's all just a facade.'
Through the gray mirror, Su Yuan could see the truth of the situation with crystal clarity.
In reality, both the High-Ranking Officials of the empire and those of the Source Spirit Race saw the situation just as clearly.
'Hmm? Tejia Chiyun is requesting access?'
A smile graced Su Yuan's face. He had been waiting specifically for Tejia Chiyun.
Tejia Chiyun was the son of the Chiyun family's Patriarch.
Not long ago, Tejia Chiyun had approached Su Yuan, asking for help to pass a grueling family trial.
As for the reward, it was the Yin-Yang Blood Pool.
Following that, Tejia Chiyun had sought out Su Yuan several more times.
Tejia Chiyun received Su Yuan's strategic planning and counsel, and Su Yuan received the desired compensation.
Their cooperation had been immensely pleasant for both sides.
'Grant access,' Su Yuan commanded mentally, and Tejia Chiyun's avatar materialized nearby.
As for the purpose of Tejia Chiyun's visit, Su Yuan had naturally long since divined it through his gray mirror.
In fact, the reason Su Yuan had initially accepted Tejia Chiyun's friend request was precisely in anticipation of this very day.
"Mr. Ming,"
Tejia Chiyun greeted respectfully the moment he saw Su Yuan.
After several interactions, Tejia Chiyun increasingly felt that Su Yuan was utterly unfathomable.
The strategies and advice provided by the man had never missed the mark even once. Simply thinking about such terrifying calculating prowess sent shivers down Tejia Chiyun's spine.
Because of this, when Tejia Chiyun found himself facing a major turning point that would dictate his entire future, the very first person he thought to consult was Su Yuan.
"Mhm,"
Su Yuan nodded with a faint smile as he looked at the young man.
"I wonder if Mr. Ming is aware of the recent situation with the Source Spirit Race?"
Tejia Chiyun asked promptly.
"I know a bit about it,"
Su Yuan nodded.
"The Source Spirit Race is amassing forces at the border, and the empire has issued orders to my Chiyun family to garrison our corresponding star sector to prevent their powerhouses from secretly infiltrating our space..."
Tejia Chiyun explained. "And the specific mission assigned to me by the family is to guard this particular sector..."
As he spoke, he pulled up a holographic star map and highlighted a small region on it.
Guarding this sector was both a mission and a test from his family. If Tejia Chiyun could execute it flawlessly, the resulting merit would give him a solid chance to compete for the position of Patriarch.
That was exactly why Tejia Chiyun had sought out Su Yuan without hesitation.
"You want me to help you guard it?"
Su Yuan deduced.
"Yes,"
Tejia Chiyun nodded.
In truth, the star sector his family had assigned him was not very large, and the odds of a Source Spirit Race powerhouse sneaking into that specific area were extremely low.
But Tejia Chiyun was terrified of the possibility.
What if the worst happened?
What if a Source Spirit Race expert just so happened to infiltrate the exact sector he was guarding, and he failed to notice them or accidentally let them slip away?
Wouldn't his post-mission evaluation be completely ruined, spelling disaster for his future in the family?
"I am willing to pay one billion Azure Surge Coins to hire Mr. Ming to help me coordinate the defenses,"
Tejia Chiyun said in a low, earnest tone.
One billion Azure Surge Coins wasn't actually an exorbitant amount, but then again, the probability of an incident occurring was so incredibly low. It was highly likely that from beginning to end, not a single Source Spirit Race expert would ever set foot in Tejia Chiyun's sector.
Tejia Chiyun was primarily spending this billion to buy peace of mind.
"Done,"
Su Yuan agreed with a nod.
Tejia Chiyun believed that there was a high probability no Source Spirit Race powerhouse would infiltrate his assigned Territory.
But Su Yuan knew better. He knew that in exactly one month, a Source Spirit Race Stellar Life Form would infiltrate that very sector.
And this Source Spirit Race Stellar Life Form was the precise chess piece Su Yuan needed to achieve his ultimate goal.
In this impending imperial war.
The Empire's High-Ranking Officials had their grand designs.
The Source Spirit Race had their own calculated schemes.
And Su Yuan, too, was quietly weaving his plot in the shadows.