novelraw Chapter 808: War Reparations
Chapter 808: War Reparations
What appeared before Xiao Yu was a scene so staggering that even with his experience he could not help but feel a chill inside. This small universe was simply too large, and the number of intelligent beings and technological civilizations within it was far too great.
This was a small universe with a diameter of roughly one thousand light years. Even at Xiao Yu’s speed, it would take five years to travel from one end of the small universe to the other. Of course, a small universe was finite yet unbounded. On the four-dimensional level it was a three-dimensional sphere. Traveling from one ‘end’ to the other was like starting from one point on Earth, circling the entire planet, and eventually coming back to that same place.
Within this small universe there were tens of thousands of stars. Aside from those designated purely as fuel stars, every remaining star had at least ten planets orbiting it. Across the small universe there were at least two hundred thousand habitable planets and at least three hundred thousand worlds devoted to industry, tourism, military, research, and other functions. Intelligent beings of various technological levels lived and moved about on all these planets.
Space was crowded with ships shuttling back and forth: industrial craft, transport ships, passenger vessels, warships, and many more. The vast small universe was filled everywhere with a sense of busy activity.
At least one quadrillion intelligent beings lived in this small universe. At its peak, the Divine Ark Civilization had only a few trillion intelligent beings. Judging by that number, the scale of the Guardian Alliance was several hundred times that of the Divine Ark Civilization.
One quadrillion intelligent beings, hundreds of thousands of planets with different roles, nearly one billion warships at various technological levels, plus logistical fleets on the order of more than ten times the number of warships, as well as countless private ships, commercial ships, and so on, together with innumerable space installations, communication facilities, transfer stations and the like, all combined to form this unimaginably vast alliance structure.
This alliance was truly enormous. Before this, Xiao Yu had never imagined that such a gigantic civilization complex could exist in the universe. Think about it. In such a colossal world, how many stories of joy and sorrow, feuds and hatreds were played out every day, how many deeds of heroism or treachery. Even if an intelligent being spent its entire life, it could not hope to explore this world in its entirety.
And all of this belonged to the Guardian Civilization. Here, the Guardian Civilization was the supreme existence. Every other civilization living here existed solely to serve the Guardians.
The universe had no true center, and the small universe likewise had no single center, or rather, every point could be considered a center. Imagine the surface of a sphere, and that is the situation.
But the distribution of civilizations still showed a pattern. Xiao Yu saw that where the stars were most densely packed, the civilizations there also tended to be more advanced. The farther from that region, the lower the level of the civilizations. At the very outer reaches there were even Level 3 Civilizations that had not yet gained curvature flight.Although the level of each civilization differed, every civilization was exerting its full strength under the command of the Guardian Civilization.
Level 3 Civilizations lacked curvature flight, so their main duties were mining resources and operating machinery in manufacturing, work with little technical content. Level 4 Civilizations, having curvature flight, were responsible for short-distance space transport and other tasks within their capabilities. The work of Level 5 Civilizations was more varied, while Level 6 Civilizations were primarily responsible for scientific research and enjoyment. Even as they enjoyed life, they still had to be ready at any time to obey orders from the alliance leader, the Guardian Civilization.
This was a strict pyramid structure. The Guardian Civilization undoubtedly occupied the very apex of the pyramid. The social hierarchy here was rigid, and there was basically no chance for a civilization to move up. If it arrived as a Level 3 Civilization, then even after ten million years it would still be a Level 3 Civilization. The people of that Level 3 Civilization could only ever perform simple, repetitive labor, with no hope and no future, because their civilization’s hope of advancement had already been stripped away.
Here, intelligent beings were like machines. Xiao Yu could roughly understand now why the Flame Civilization had been willing to endure such catastrophic losses just to escape.
The Flame Civilization was already Level 6. In this small universe they were without question one of the top-tier existences. Yet as long as they were not the Guardian Civilization, what difference did it make to be top-tier? They were still just tools.
“I wonder if there is any kind of talent selection mechanism here.” At this moment, an odd thought suddenly arose in Xiao Yu’s mind. “I wonder if something like this has ever happened”
“On the territory of a remote, backward Level 3 Civilization, there is an extraordinarily gifted individual. Through hard work, he becomes number one in his own civilization and then manages to enter the circle of Level 4 Civilizations.”
“Then he discovers that within the Level 4 circle he is only average, so he keeps striving until he becomes number one there and squeezes into the Level 5 circle. In the Level 5 circle he is again just ordinary, so he strives once more to reach the top and finally enters the Level 6 circle, over and over again in this cycle.”
“If someone like that truly existed, he would be worth writing a great epic about.”
“In a social structure this rigid, it must be incredibly hard for such a person to appear.” Xiao Yu sighed inwardly. “I really dislike this development model where you build your own progress by extinguishing the hope of advancement in other civilizations.”
The combined fighting strength of the Guardian Alliance had already been almost completely smashed by Xiao Yu. Inside this small universe, there were still enormous fleets measured in the billions, but they were not warships.
It was like a fully armed elite army entering a giant metropolis full of civilians. The metropolis might have tens of millions of people, but how could they possibly be a match for a few thousand soldiers?
The main base of the Guardian Alliance now lay entirely exposed before Xiao Yu. When his hundreds of millions of ships arrived, not a single vessel dared advance to meet them.
“This is where you have stayed for hundreds of thousands of years. Hundreds of thousands of years ago you were a low-tier Level 6 Civilization, and now you are still a low-tier Level 6 Civilization.” Xiao Yu said to the Flame Civilization. “This is a sinful place. It should not exist in the universe. Take a good look at it now. Once I am done, you will never see it again, because I will destroy it completely.”
“Great Sweepers Civilization, thank you for avenging our people. To repay your kindness, we are willing to offer any price.” the Flame Civilization replied in a very humble tone. “However, before you destroy this sinful place, we beg you to grant us a small request. You must know that here, only the Guardian Civilization is truly evil. Most of the other civilizations are innocent. We ask that you spare them.”
“Hmph.” Xiao Yu answered with disdain. “I do not believe there are any innocent people or innocent civilizations here. Level 6 Civilizations oppress Level 5 Civilizations, and Level 5 will only oppress Level 4 even more fiercely and brutally. If there are any innocent civilizations at all, they can only be at the very bottom of the pyramid, the Level 3 Civilizations.”
“No, you misunderstand. In most cases it is indeed as you say, but there are a few civilizations that still follow their principles. For example, the Level 6 Civilization numbered Three, the Level 5 Civilizations numbered Thirty Five and Fifty One, and the Level 4 Civilizations numbered One Hundred Thirty Nine and Two Hundred Thirty Three. They are all principled, kind civilizations. We ask that you spare them.”
Xiao Yu said calmly, “I cannot be bothered with your internal affairs, nor am I interested in judging who is good and who is bad. Whether they are good or bad, what does that have to do with me? Inform them at once, aside from the Guardians, all civilizations are to leave this small universe immediately. Destroying them would be a pointless waste of my time.”
“Thank you for your mercy, thank you for your mercy.” the Flame Civilization said, expressing thanks over and over, then broadcast a spatial message at maximum power throughout the small universe, one that any civilization could receive.
“The great Sweepers Civilization does not wish to destroy innocent civilizations. Now, aside from the Guardians, all civilizations are free to leave this small universe and regain freedom and hope.”
What greeted the Flame Civilization was a long silence. Perhaps the oppression of the Guardian Civilization had sunk too deep into their minds, because at this moment no civilization dared to step forward first, to push open the door to freedom.
The Flame Civilization spoke again in an even more urgent tone.
“My compatriots, the destruction of the Guardian Civilization is at hand. Do you still intend to defend this evil civilization? Leave quickly. The great Sweepers Civilization has already spared you. If you refuse to leave and anger him, the consequences will be unimaginable.”
No civilization in the small universe yet dared to take the lead.
At that moment, another spatial broadcast appeared. After a brief analysis, Xiao Yu recognized that this was sent by another Level 6 Civilization.
“Since when has the Sweepers Civilization ever shown mercy? Do you take us for idiots? There is only one possible reason why the Sweepers Civilization refuses to attack the alliance now. That is because the Sweepers Civilization has also suffered serious damage and is temporarily unable to face our alliance of several thousand civilizations.”
“You want to split us apart by such means? Sweepers Civilization, you underestimate our alliance.”
“And Flame Civilization, you actually help the enemy and consort with the Sweepers Civilization. Our alliance will not forgive you.”
“Sweepers Civilization, stop pretending to be strong. Sit down and negotiate with us. But before any negotiations, we demand that you withdraw from our small universe and hand over at least three Star-Class warships as war reparations…”