novelraw Chapter 825: If I Had Known
Chapter 825: If I Had Known
The true nature of the small universe was a fragment of space separated from the main universe, and a Level 7 Civilization had already mastered all kinds of space-related technologies. With the existence of the space energy formula, Xiao Yu could transform matter, or rather energy, into space, and could also transform space into matter or energy.
A gentle mode of conversion could be used to build spaceship engines and provide all kinds of energy needed by spaceships. The one billion warships Xiao Yu had most recently constructed all used this method of energy supply. A violent mode of conversion, on the other hand, could be used as a weapon. The difference between these two was not very different from the relationship between controlled nuclear fusion and a hydrogen bomb.
Right now, what Xiao Yu intended to test in the small universe was an oversized ‘hydrogen bomb.’ Xiao Yu planned to completely destroy this small universe by detonating a super high-yield Spatial Bomb.
If this experiment succeeded, Xiao Yu would obtain a strategic-class weapon. One had to know that if the power of this weapon were pushed to the extreme, it could even destroy an entire galaxy.
After leaving enough monitoring instruments in the small universe, Xiao Yu quietly took the Flame Civilization and left it. Of course, before leaving, Xiao Yu had already made the necessary arrangements and sealed the passage connecting the small universe and the main universe. It was like closing the door of a room. All existences imprisoned in this cell could no longer leave.
At this moment, inside the small universe, Ao Tian was still in shock as he pondered his next plan for revenge. He did not notice that in one corner of this small universe, some inexplicable reaction was taking place.
The space detonation devices that Xiao Yu had previously arranged here were quietly operating, and the countdown was steadily approaching zero. When that number reached zero, a vast energy erupted outward with the device as its center. Affected by this energy, the surrounding space immediately reacted under an extremely high energy level and extremely high spatial pressure.
A single device was, after all, far too insignificant. It could not possibly affect the entire small universe. One had to know that this small universe had a diameter of one thousand light years. But within this small universe, Xiao Yu had not deployed only a single device, but many, many more. Roughly one hundred billion of them.
Each device could affect one to two light years of surrounding space. Taken together, these one hundred billion space detonation devices were enough to influence the entire small universe. To manufacture these devices, Xiao Yu had spent an enormous amount of effort. Otherwise, the number of spaceships currently in Xiao Yu’s hands would have increased by at least several tens of millions on top of the current total.
The positions where these devices were installed had all been precisely calculated, just like back in the Earth era, when people carried out controlled demolition to bring down large buildings. When the countdown reached zero, all of these space detonation devices activated simultaneously in an instant.A faint spark of light appeared around one of the devices. This was a sign that space had been triggered into reacting. A very tiny portion of space had already been converted into energy, and this energy was emitted in the form of photons. At first, the reaction was extremely weak, but after only a brief moment, it became intense.
The brightness was increasing rapidly according to a geometric progression. It shot up from the brightness of a candle to the brightness of a star in a very short time. At the same time, the space of the small universe began to twist and deform. Waves of disturbance began to spread outward.
This reaction was occurring simultaneously at all one hundred billion devices in the small universe. It was at this moment that Ao Tian noticed that, not far from his position, a ‘star’ had suddenly appeared.
That was the glow emitted by one of the space detonation devices. Up to now, Ao Tian had only seen this single point of light, because the transmission of light also required time, and that little bit of time was only enough for him to see this one spot.
The propagation of light was limited by time. Spatial ripples, however, had no speed limit. In that instant, the entire small universe’s space was affected, and a series of unimaginable phenomena began to unfold.
Ao Tian watched all of this somewhat blankly. He had no idea what was happening.
The first to be affected were all spaceships currently engaged in curvature flight. Whether they belonged to Level 4 Civilizations or Level 6 Civilizations, at this moment, all ships that were inside curvature space were forcibly squeezed out of it. At the same time, spatial turbulence, which was extremely rare under normal circumstances, appeared in many regions. Quite a few ships had only just exited curvature space and had not yet figured out what had happened before being swallowed by the turbulence and torn to pieces.
Next, the overall shape of the small universe began to change. From this moment on, the small universe was no longer in a calm state like normal universe space. All kinds of indescribable distortions were constantly occurring inside it. Ao Tian saw that when the chaotic, twisted space spread over a star, that star would bizarrely deform into an irregular shape and then explode with a thunderous boom. When the chaotic, twisted space spread over a warship, that warship would suddenly lose all energy reactions.
It was as if heaven and earth had flipped over. From this moment forward, everything in the small universe became irregular. The sky was filled with twisted objects that no longer followed any logic. The propagation of light no longer followed straight-line rules, but was instead arbitrarily bent and twisted. The entire small universe descended into chaos.
“What in the world is happening…” Ao Tian murmured to himself. Standing in the grand conference hall, faced with this irresistible, immeasurable power, all he felt in his heart was a deep sense of powerlessness. By this time, many civilization leaders had already shrunk onto the floor, shivering.
This had completely exceeded the scope of their understanding. It had utterly surpassed the limits of what they could endure.
At this moment, the small universe was like an ocean ravaged by a raging storm, and the warships were like vessels suffering torment upon its surface. Without a doubt, the higher the level of technological civilization, the stronger the storm-resistance of its ships. While the warships of Level 6 Civilizations had not yet suffered serious damage, the logistics bases of the low-level civilizations could no longer hold out. Ao Tian saw that, in the chaotic and twisted space, the logistics base that housed several thousand low-level civilizations and at least in the trillion range of intelligent beings was being wantonly twisted like a toy. Terrifying flashes of explosions erupted again and again. The logistics base had turned into a playground of chaos and death. Some ships tried to escape, but they were carried off by the twisted space to an unknown destination before they could even leave the base.
The light emitted by that bright point was growing ever more intense, and by now it was even brighter than a star. Yet it seemed that this point of light had not yet reached its limit, and was still rapidly increasing in brightness. Along with the increase in brightness, a dangerous aura was spreading through the area. This was the instinct of intelligent beings. Ao Tian knew that the moment this feeling arose in his heart, he ought to flee immediately, as fast and as far as he could. But now, he had no way to escape.
The logistics base had been completely destroyed amidst this storm, while the fleets of Level 6 Civilizations, with their relatively high resistance to the storm, had not yet been devastated. But the strength of the storm was still increasing. At this rate, the destruction of the Level 6 fleets was only a matter of time.
Ao Tian squatted on the ground in utter despair. The changes that had occurred in this brief period of time were like a plunge from heaven into hell in an instant. Barely half an hour ago, he had still been planning what form the celebration would take after their final victory. Now, half an hour later, he had fallen into the deepest abyss of terror.
The flagship he was aboard was inevitably affected as well. Even the internal energy supply of the ship showed signs of instability. The lights began to flicker, and various devices within the room started to shake.
Fortunately, at this moment the strength of the storm seemed to have reached its limit and stopped increasing. Ao Tian let out a sigh of relief.
“We finally made it through? Good, good. The fleets of the Level 6 Civilizations have not yet suffered heavy damage. I still have the capital to rise again…” Ao Tian muttered to himself.
Just then, he looked at that bright point that had seemingly reached its limit, which had thus stopped increasing in brightness and shone like a star. The intense light stabbed his photoreceptors, and in that instant, a powerful premonition of danger rose up in his heart.
“Oh no, no…” Ao Tian whispered.
But it was already too late. An indescribably intense explosion had been triggered. The one hundred billion detonation devices deployed throughout the small universe had all been pushed to their limits, and the intensity of the space itself had reached its limit as well. As a result, a cataclysmic explosion engulfing the entire small universe erupted.
In that instant, everything within the small universe, whether naturally existing planets or stars, whether Province-Class spaceships or Star-Class battleships, was caught in the blast. As he stared at the flash of light rushing toward him at an unbelievable speed, Ao Tian closed his eyes in despair. He knew he was doomed. The entire small universe had been destroyed, so what reason could there be for someone like him, trapped inside it, to survive?
“If I had known, I never would have provoked the Sweepers Civilization.” That was the last thought in Ao Tian’s heart.
At that very moment, Xiao Yu was in the main universe, receiving the data transmitted by the instruments he had arranged in the small universe. This data was extremely important. It was a crucial reference for Xiao Yu in evaluating the power of this bomb.
“All right, it is done. Time for us to leave.” Xiao Yu said calmly, leading his fleet away from that place.