Deep Space Wandering Fleet
Chapter 465 - 463: The Situation in the Milky Way

Chapter 465: Chapter 463: The Situation in the Milky Way

The second more pronounced faction is the Enlightener Faction. They believe that intelligent beings in the universe can be enlightened and that the universe shouldn’t be as mediocre and silent as it is now.

They excel at employing a range of gentle methods to quietly stimulate the potential within low-level civilizations.

Since this path is not an easy one to follow, so far, the only one discovered is the Enlightener Civilization.

Zhang Yuan couldn’t yet determine what ultimate fate awaited the Enlightener, this lone civilization—whether it had followers, or whether it had become disillusioned and left the Milky Way...

Under normal circumstances, a kind person is easily replaced by one who isn’t. Similarly, a loving civilization in fierce competition is likely to be trampled underfoot by more selfish civilizations—this is the stark reality.

Game theory, applicable in small human societies, also applies to the vast cosmic society. Trying to escape the prisoner’s dilemma is extremely challenging.

The third faction is the one with the highest level of danger: the Noah Faction, also known as a traditional religious civilization.

Assimilation is a forceful power that inevitably implies a certain degree of exclusivity. When two different religious cultures meet, one must emerge as the victor; coexistence is not an option.

"Yes, such civilizations share something in common with certain religions. Without exclusiveness, culture can easily degenerate, branching off into other cultures. They must adhere to the sole truth. For instance, the vassals of the Alef Civilization are dedicated to the one Sovereign Civilization. They firmly believe that only by following the Sovereign State can they attain wealth, power, and... eternal life!"

Even now, the civilizations that have been assimilated are those low-level ones that haven’t ventured into the stars.

But who knows what happens next?

Perhaps some interstellar civilizations have also been assimilated? It’s just that this hasn’t happened to humanity yet; we’re simply unaware.

Zhao Qingfeng analyzed, "To us, an interstellar civilization, low-level civilizations that have yet to step off their planet are as weak as ants. Forcing them into assimilation wouldn’t take much effort. Some simple science, to native civilizations, is akin to magic."

"But to higher-order civilizations, we humans, a third-level civilization, are also as weak as ants. They could easily assimilate us... This is the most worrying point."

"Even if we are unwilling—and oh, we would certainly be unwilling if we really faced that plight—the other side could use military coercion to eliminate all the adults, preserving only the children. Then they could indoctrinate and propagandize the children."

"If we were assimilated, it would only take one generation for our thoughts to no longer be what they are today. Our next generation would become fervent zealots of the Alef Civilization, and to them, Earth Civilization would be nothing more than a group of heretics, devoid of any sense of identity!"

"I even feel that assimilating a civilization like ours would be more meaningful! More valuable than assimilating a hundred low-level natives."

This speculation chilled one to the bone. As if a piercing cold went from the spine to every cell in the body!

In the vast expanse of space, how many insatiable behemoths lie hidden, desiring not your flesh but your thoughts, and... your soul!

The 13.8 billion years of the universe’s existence have brewed too many possibilities. Such behemoths are likely far more numerous than one might imagine, and the dark gamble is even more intense than anticipated. The mere surface ripples that appear are enough to send chills down one’s spine.

Zhang Yuan frowned, "Truly, these are peaceful times. If we were unaware of this, everyone could be at ease. But knowing this, we sense an extreme urgency. No wonder this information is kept confidential, beyond the reach of ordinary people who don’t seek it out deliberately."

Zhao Qingfeng nodded in agreement, "Indeed, intelligent life can also be considered a precious resource in the universe, at least more valuable than helium-3, or even antimatter!"

Zhang Yuan pondered for a while and added, "However, there’s no need for us to panic and disrupt our own progress over this right now."

If due to this matter, we blindly expand our military power, it’s actually not wise. The development of civilizations follows its own laws; artificially twisting these laws will only result in the loss of potential for development.

The Alef Civilization is at least a Fourth-level Civilization. In front of a Level 4 Civilization, a Third-level Civilization without even Curvature Technology is utterly insignificant. If we truly encounter one, no amount of troops will make a difference; it would be impossible to escape.

But if we encounter a Third-level Civilization or Second-level Civilization, our current military strength happens to be suitable and won’t interfere with our own development.

"...To partake in such affairs, humanity’s current strength is far from sufficient."

"The existence of the Milky Way has been almost as long as the universe itself. Since there has been such a long period of peace, it theoretically wouldn’t be a problem to continue for a few hundred, a few thousand, or even tens of thousands more years."

What humanity must do is use this time to rapidly develop ourselves, including gaining more information in this area. It’s imperative to acquire Curvature Navigation Technology as soon as possible and rise to the level of a Fourth-level Civilization. With Curvature Navigation, considering the vastness of the Milky Way, escaping shouldn’t pose a problem.

Zhang Yuan felt that the current leaders’ choices were quite wise, and one must not be thrown into disarray.

He said softly, "There must be internal reasons for humanity’s survival to this point... I have a few thoughts. Such civilizations, let’s refer to them as ’religious civilizations’ for now, are certainly not favored by other interstellar civilizations... It’s even possible that wars could erupt over ideological differences! Of course, such interstellar wars are not something we can participate in yet."

"Take the Enlightener Civilization, for example. If I were an Enlightener, and I painstakingly educated a civilization, giving those in a primitive state an environment to develop and preventing them from hitting a dead end. Then a religious civilization comes along and assimilates them, wouldn’t all my hard work have been in vain?"

"I guide them every step of the way, and you assimilate them in my wake? What would I think? Who do you think you are, opposing me?!" Zhang Yuan made a gesture as if cutting meat with a knife.

Zhao Qingfeng couldn’t help but laugh, "That makes sense, but it still requires a clear disparity in power between the two. If the Enlightener Civilization is much stronger than the Alef Civilization, of course they could simply slap the other aside. But what if the strengths are equal, or even the reverse?"

"Perhaps the Alef Civilization is not the core of the entire Noah Faction? Like a pyramid scheme network, the Alef Civilization might just be the one doing the grunt work?"

Zhang Yuan spoke solemnly, "So... this matter is indeed very important. Even the Badit people, a Third-level Civilization, don’t understand, alas."

"According to the information from the Badeit Civilization, at least a Sixth Level Civilization or higher had a super-war in the Milky Way a million years ago! It’s actually quite difficult for us to imagine the true rage of a High-level Civilization."

Of course, all of this is mere speculation.

But Zhang Yuan did not doubt that High-level Civilizations would take action over something like "ideology."

The higher the level of a civilization, the more pure it becomes in its thinking and in its civilizational self-confidence; this is beyond question. Civilizations like the Enlighteners may consider helping Low-level Civilizations as part of their own beautiful culture.

They believe that this culture represents their own justice; now that someone is destroying this culture, that becomes a real major conflict.

On the other hand, the extensive expansion of the Alef Civilization will inevitably lead to a backlash from other interstellar civilizations. Anyone with a bit of sense would know that if no other civilization intervenes to maintain balance, such a civilization would eventually spread throughout the entire Milky Way.

In conclusion, the situation in the Milky Way could be more complex than imagined, or it might not be so bad; in any case, we still need to reach the interstellar trading market to gauge the mood before making any decisions.