Chapter 481: Chapter 281: The Pasture Master is Coming
One can only say that this world line change is not entirely a good thing.
While continually learning the latest news from the Delegation through the Holy Land, Shen Shi was also contemplating his next plans.
Even if this time they truly manage to defeat the Mude System and earn a large profit, the strength of Human Civilization still cannot be elevated to a level where they can compete against the two main Interstellar Systems, not even close to the level of the three major A-level Civilizations. The effects of three thousand years of time are diminishing, and Human Civilization seems to once again be standing at the edge of a threshold, unable to see clearly what the true path forward looks like, uncertain about how to step out.
"Perhaps, a long duration of time is needed to digest the gains of nearly a thousand years," Shen Shi murmured to himself.
Since it’s no longer possible to obtain windfall profits, the only option is slow development.
In reality, the current strength of Human Civilization is rather superficial.
Almost all advanced devices are acquired from elsewhere; even in the No.3 future line, their own technical capabilities remain at approximately B7 level, quite inferior to even the ordinary soldiers of the B9-level Civilizations on the front line battlefield.
This superficial strength might initially allow Shen Shi, coupled with the Holy Land’s presence, to earn a profit. However, once they become cautious, as is the case now, it becomes difficult to seize such opportunities again.
If it weren’t for this, Shen Shi could certainly continue to play both sides instead of choosing the Thousand Alliance as he has now.
"After this profit, let’s settle down for a while," Shen Shi decided internally.
Of course, settling down doesn’t mean doing nothing. Even regular development has its ways, and three thousand years should still be maximized to the fullest. However, that is for later concerns.
At present, the more urgent focus is on this final business transaction.
However, with the emissaries sent out reaching the Thousand Alliance, the first news received was not good.
"The Thousand Alliance is acting coldly?" Shen Shi frowned slightly.
At this level, even the slightest fluctuations can reveal numerous issues, at least increasing certain percentages in possibilities through high-intensity calculations.
Thus, there must be a reason for the Thousand Alliance’s behavior.
However, there doesn’t seem to be any reason.
According to the current intelligence, the Thousand Alliance is actually in a disadvantaged position in the other two main battlefields. Although their scale and overall strength may surpass the Mude System, with the Pasture Master’s active presence on the front line and the eighteen major B9-level Civilizations gradually moving their Mother Star areas over, displaying a willingness to do whatever it takes to secure victory, the pressure on the Thousand Alliance has drastically increased. In this situation, they undoubtedly need a victory, a big gain to regain their footing.
This is the reason Shen Shi chose to cooperate with the Thousand Alliance.
From a war system-wide perspective, this is still the simplest and most effective balancing act.
Yet, the response of the Thousand Alliance was somewhat unexpected...
"The possibility of it being a show of force is not low, although this tactic shouldn’t hold much significance," Shen Shi deliberated alone.
High-level negotiations often proceed very directly.
Because both sides have extremely high computational capacity.
As Shen Shi has repeatedly emphasized, all conflicts ultimately revert back to intelligence information.
Even strength is a form of intelligence.
Thus, there must be information unknown to them that leads to the gap between actual situation and forecasts.
Shen Shi narrowed his eyes, yet fully mobilizing his Time Ability.
He was about to use his powers again.
Peering into the future brings considerable exhaustion to him, and he cannot see too far into the future, even though the incarnation in the No.3 future line is much stronger than when dealing with Emperor Ji in the No.2 line, it can only see seven to eight years ahead, which is actually of limited use in Interstellar War.
However, this time, Shen Shi uncovered crucial information.
"Does the Thousand Alliance actually have the confidence to swallow the Mude System in this Star System’s battlefield?" Shen Shi mused, "Even having the assurance to engulf our suddenly appearing and strength-deficient third party, which is somewhat unexpected, a trump card? Or a strategy?"
Upon calculation, it’s actually more likely to be a trump card.
Strategy has become difficult to deploy effectively in such wars, even forsaking the other two battlefields and fully supporting this one. This decision would take thousands of years to gradually implement; with such a long timeline, it’s virtually impossible to conceal anything.
Therefore, it seems recent adversities forcing the Thousand Alliance to reveal a new trump card might be the larger possibility.
"In that case, you should withdraw," Shen Shi instructed the Delegation in the end, subsequently issuing another important command, "Compress our personnel to the smallest units, fully conceal ourselves."
It must be said, Human Civilization’s biggest trump card is concealment.
With the Holy Land, humans can compress their presence to just one spacecraft, even a single person.
Under such a scale of concealment, even the Thousand Alliance and the Mude System find it difficult to detect traces of Human Civilization.
But if there is a need.
Then, in an instant, Human Civilization’s fleet can populate every corner where there is an individual’s terminal presence from the Holy Land.