Rebirth of the Super Battleship
Chapter 231: Twenty Years

Now, Xiao Yu finally understood the mysterious phenomenon of mass increase he had observed. It was simply that, at the moment of particle collision, the extreme environment gave rise to the appearance of negative matter. And the creation of negative matter was inevitably accompanied by an equal amount of positive matter. After the negative matter was produced, it instantly reacted with other matter inside the collider and disappeared, while the accompanying positive matter remained—this was what Xiao Yu had observed.

Through plundering the technology of the Molian Civilization, Xiao Yu’s technological dilemma had been perfectly resolved. Moreover, this phenomenon had also pointed him toward a method of creating negative matter.

As for how to mass-produce antimatter, the principle was even simpler—since antimatter and negative matter react to form dark matter, then by reversing dark matter, one could produce antimatter. It was just a pity that this process did not also yield negative matter, which left Xiao Yu a little regretful.

The specific method involved exploiting the characteristic that dark matter still responded to gravity. Utilizing the Grand Unified Theory’s concept of energy and gravity being interconvertible, one could build devices with extremely strong gravitational pull to collect dark matter from space. Then, through a highly complex reaction, that dark matter could be massively converted into antimatter. This antimatter could be used for energy storage, weapon production, and other purposes.

Antimatter energy was a tier above elemental decay energy.

During curvature flight, Xiao Yu ravenously absorbed knowledge from those mechanical storage devices. While conducting his own research, he also shared this knowledge with the Luka scientists. Other alien race scientists were not afforded this privilege, Xiao Yu did not trust them enough for now.

The process of fleeing was also a process of learning. The only thing that continued to vex Xiao Yu was that the over ten thousand Molian Civilization beings still refused to submit. Xiao Yu simply gave up on trying to convert them and locked them away.

“After all, they’re Level-5 Civilization lifeforms, it would be a waste to just kill them. Hm, in this universe, there must be many marketplaces similar to the Azure Market. When I come across another one, I’ll just sell these Molians. I should get a good price for them. Let some other civilization deal with the training, it’s not worth my effort.”

“I believe that lifeforms who possess extensive knowledge of Level-5 Civilization technologies will be eagerly sought after by all sorts of Level-4 Civilizations. When that time comes, I can trade for other technologies to further refine my own Level-4 and Level-5 tech trees.”

Xiao Yu’s technological development was not evenly balanced, this was a consequence of progressing too rapidly. It was a sacrifice that had to be made due to the speed of advancement. Because so much of his time had been dedicated to core technological branches, various secondary technologies had lagged behind. Xiao Yu planned that, in the future, when he encountered another such market, he would use trade to acquire those secondary technologies and save himself the time.

“At present, I’ve been fleeing for thirty years, and traveled about one hundred fifty light-years.” Xiao Yu was filled with concern. “Now that I’ve grasped the properties of tachyons, the barriers to creating Faster-Than-Light weapons and FTL detectors have been broken. The Molian Civilization surely possesses technology related to FTL detectors. But I’m still unclear on many of their operational characteristics, maybe I’ve simply fled too far, and they can’t find me. In any case, the farther I go, the safer I’ll be.”

This was yet another aspect in which a Level-5 Civilization stood above a Level-4 Civilization. Level-4 Civilizations were incapable of conducting large-scale warfare during Faster-Than-Light travel. It was exceedingly difficult for one Level-4 Civilization to completely eliminate another. But Level-5 Civilizations were different. Mastering tachyon weapons allowed them to fight battles even during FTL travel. If Xiao Yu were caught by the Molian Civilization, he could only pray for a stroke of good luck.

“This raid really was a bit reckless. If I’d known earlier just how formidable the Molian Civilization was, I probably wouldn’t have had the courage to rob them in the first place. This time… it really was dangerous. Saying it was like pulling teeth from a tiger’s mouth wouldn’t be an exaggeration. Still, risk always walks hand in hand with reward. If I hadn’t taken such a massive risk, how could I have gained so much in return?”

“Another hundred light-years of escape. I can’t conduct large-scale scientific research during curvature travel, and I’m dying to begin verifying the many formulas and theorems I’ve obtained. Verification is also a process of gradual mastery. Once I fully digest this haul of technology, even if I can’t reach the height of a Level-5 Civilization, I should have no problem achieving the peak of Level-4.”

Xiao Yu came to a quiet conclusion.

“Before, I only understood quantum entanglement in terms of practical application. I used it to build superluminal communication devices but I never knew the underlying principle. Now, I finally get it: quantum entanglement is actually facilitated by tachyons. Because tachyons move so fast, they give the illusion of instantaneous communication. Once I grasp more tachyon properties and related technologies, the performance of my FTL communication devices will make a massive leap.”

Tachyon was merely a collective name, there were many types of tachyons. They differed in aspects such as mass and speed. For instance, the phenomenon of quantum entanglement was based on the fastest and lightest type of tachyon.

One type was suited for communication. Another exhibited a different and unusual behavior: when encountering positive matter, antimatter, or dark matter, it would not fully annihilate but instead partially reflect and return to its origin point. Since its speed greatly exceeded the speed of light, this property could be harnessed to create FTL detection systems. Xiao Yu speculated that the Molian Civilization’s Faster-Than-Light detectors were built using this variety of tachyon.

There was yet another type of tachyon that responded to strong magnetic fields. It could be gathered and fired in a specific direction, and could remain stable in space for a certain period. This made things very simple, using strong magnetic fields, these tachyons could be trapped into a circular motion within a fixed area. Once a sufficient quantity was amassed, they could be fired all at once. Utilizing this principle, one could produce ammunition for negative matter cannons. Xiao Yu believed that the Molian Civilization’s giant cannons were built using this very technology.

Before Xiao Yu now stood a door, a door leading to a brand-new world. But because he was still traveling via curvature drive and unable to conduct large-scale scientific research, he could only drool over the knowledge, unable to act on it.

“Twenty years. Twenty years from now, no matter what, I must exit curvature flight and anchor near a star to begin scientific research. Time is life. Time is life…” Xiao Yu muttered to himself.

During this time, Xiao Yu had already completed a preliminary assessment of the alien scientists, evaluating their current knowledge level, fields of expertise, and research capabilities. He had started assigning them projects that were relatively unimportant and matched their current academic proficiency.

Some scientists with lower levels of knowledge were undergoing training under Xiao Yu’s direction. In his view, the greatest measure of a scientist’s worth was not how much knowledge they currently possessed, but their ability to develop new technology.

Xiao Yu ensured every aspect of their comfort and quality of life. In fact, over these decades, Xiao Yu had used biotechnology to create small societies of several thousand individuals tailored for each scientist. Within those societies, the scientists held the highest status and absolute power, life and death rested in their hands.

If they wanted entertainment, they simply needed to propose the idea, robots would complete all relevant facilities within forty-eight hours. If they wanted fine cuisine, they need only provide the recipe, robots would prepare and deliver it within an hour. If they desired beautiful partners, once a biological model was submitted, Xiao Yu would use biotechnology to create it within seventy-two hours and have a robot deliver it to their bed.

In short, whatever they wanted, they received. Whatever pleasure they desired, they enjoyed. Xiao Yu was like a generous god, fulfilling their every wish, even inventing extravagant luxuries they hadn’t imagined and giving them the most comfortable lives possible.

Xiao Yu also paid close attention to their health and was researching biological technologies to extend their lifespans…

In short, his message was clear: you focus solely on advancing technology, everything else, I will take care of to a degree beyond your imagination.

That was Xiao Yu’s philosophy.

Compared to the way they had been sold as mere commodities in the Azure Market, this treatment was paradise. Even within their home civilizations, it was unlikely they had ever lived so luxuriously.

But this divine existence was founded on a single, unshakable premise: work honestly for Xiao Yu! Obediently, diligently, and precisely complete every task Xiao Yu assigned!

If they failed a task, or were disloyal, or harbored any ill intent, then the fate that had already befallen those other creatures, killed by Xiao Yu in the most brutal fashion, would be theirs as well.

Under this carrot-and-stick approach, every one of these alien scientists became both industrious and utterly loyal.