Constructing a spaceship is not a matter of a single branch of technology, but something that involves countless aspects. The larger the spaceship, the more fields are implicated.
A Continent-Class spaceship is by no means something as simple as piling up construction materials. The things involved touch upon every corner of science and engineering. In Xiao Yu’s estimation, the difficulty of building a Continent-Class spaceship is at least one tier higher than that of a Nation-Class spaceship.
At present, Xiao Yu does not possess the ability to construct a Continent-Class spaceship. Even if he barely managed to build one, due to issues with mobility, defense, and offensive capabilities, it would be of no practical value. Such a Continent-Class ship would amount to nothing more than a heap of scrap metal crudely assembled.
Xiao Yu knew that the Molian Civilization likewise did not yet have the ability to construct a Continent-Class spaceship. For now, they merely had the concept.
Within this fifty-year voyage, digesting the technology acquired from the Molian Civilization, integrating all the technologies under his command, and developing even more advanced and efficient ones, so that in the end he could build a Continent-Class spaceship, that was the goal for which Xiao Yu now strove.
Nearly one hundred thousand scientists from the Dwarf Race had already been fully integrated into the Central Research Academy of Science. Their influx of fresh energy greatly alleviated Xiao Yu’s shortage of research manpower. After a three-day break, these scientists, together with the original ones, began to operate like screws in a colossal machine, closely coordinated and highly efficient.
Under Xiao Yu’s terrifying insight and strict disciplinary methods, the concern that Dwarf Race scientists might be excluded or suppressed did not manifest significantly. After Xiao Yu harshly punished several individuals who violated discipline, such phenomena vanished entirely. This action earned the gratitude of all the intelligent beings of the Dwarf Race. Yet this was not the result Xiao Yu sought. What he wanted was for them to truly integrate, rather than to stand opposed and require his coercion to barely cooperate.
“This matter cannot be achieved in the short term. It will take decades, even centuries, before it bears fruit.” Xiao Yu sighed inwardly.
After more than ten years of pursuit, the subsequent fleets finally reunited with the Nation-Class spaceships the China, the United States, and the Russia. Xiao Yu’s entire strength was at last gathered together once more. At present, Xiao Yu had less than two million ships remaining in total, and only five Nation-Class spaceships left. The battle with the Molian Civilization had brought immense gains, but the losses were equally severe.
“We’ve already traveled nearly two hundred light years. This distance is still not enough. Continue the voyage.” With a rare moment of respite, Xiao Yu glanced at the navigation log before turning back to immerse himself once again in the arduous task of technological analysis.Not only Xiao Yu, but all the scientists were busy at this moment. Research and development had been completely halted. Before fully analyzing the complete Level 5 Civilization technology tree obtained from the Molian Civilization, beginning any new research projects would be folly. Thus, all the scientists found themselves returning to the classroom once again, enriching their knowledge reserves anew.
These scientists only needed to learn specific branches within their respective fields. Such knowledge might not even amount to one ten-thousandth of the complete Level 5 Civilization technology tree. As the saying goes, ‘each craft has its own specialization,’ there was no need for them to master everything. But Xiao Yu was different. He not only had the ability, but also the necessity, to thoroughly understand every field of knowledge.
Disciplines are interconnected. Tens of thousands of specialized branches are interwoven, capable of extrapolating endless new insights. There was too much to think about, so much that even Xiao Yu occasionally felt overwhelmed.
Although his study tasks consumed nearly all his energy, one question could not be suppressed. It lingered in his mind like a maggot gnawing at bone, compelling him to ponder it.
This question was crucial. It might determine the path of Xiao Yu’s development for thousands, even tens of thousands, of years into the future.
That question was, what exactly is the difference between a Level 5 Civilization and a Level 6 Civilization?
This question seemed simple and easy to answer. Xiao Yu had already had more than one encounter with Level 6 Civilizations, and naturally knew that the hallmark of a Level 6 Civilization was its initial mastery of space technology. In other words, as long as one gained a preliminary grasp of space technology, one would naturally step into the category of a Level 6 Civilization.
But this raised another question, how exactly could one master space technology? Between a Level 5 and a Level 6 Civilization, what difference existed that allowed the latter to touch space technology while the former could not?
Was it a deeper understanding of fundamental physical theory? Or was it a breakthrough in energy technology? Or perhaps a major leap in materials science?
In other words, where was the path leading from a Level 5 Civilization to a Level 6 Civilization?
The promotion from a Level 1 Civilization to a Level 2 Civilization had relied on breakthroughs in energy technology. The discovery of nuclear energy had completely transformed the way civilizations obtained power, granting them the ability to step into near Earth space. With more refined forms of energy control, the Level 2 Civilization had advanced further, mastering technologies such as Energy Shields and Energy Cannons. A breakthrough in fundamental theory had allowed a Level 3 Civilization to advance to Level 4, mastering curvature flight and opening the gates of the universe. The breakthrough to a Level 5 Civilization had come with the mastery of tachyon-related technologies, granting Faster-Than-Light detection capabilities and even enabling the creation of stellar cannons capable of destroying stars.
So then… how could one break through to Level 6 Civilization?
Other scientists might not have this awareness, since they had not reached such a level. But Xiao Yu, having fully understood and absorbed the complete Level 5 Civilization technology tree, and possessing an extremely profound grasp of all fields, was compelled to ask this question.
Xiao Yu was certain that the path from Level 5 to Level 6 would not lie in energy technology. By the time a civilization reached Level 5, energy technologies had essentially reached their pinnacle. A Level 5 Civilization could already achieve one hundred percent conversion of mass into energy. Could a Level 6 Civilization somehow extract energy from the void? Or turn one hundred units of mass into one hundred and twenty units of energy? That was basically impossible.
The development of civilizations was continuous. For example, the hallmark of a Level 5 Civilization, tachyon technology, had already shown signs during the Level 4 stage, when Xiao Yu’s large collider experiments had repeatedly observed strange increases in matter. By studying these odd phenomena, Xiao Yu had eventually achieved a breakthrough. But Xiao Yu could be certain that at present he had not yet discovered any such unknown phenomenon that could lead to a breakthrough into a Level 6 Civilization.
Xiao Yu had a feeling that advancing to Level 6 might not be like the first five stages, where mere accumulation could suffice.
After all, a Level 6 Civilization was too mysterious. The differences and commonalities between a Level 6 Civilization and the Taihao Civilization remained completely unknown to Xiao Yu.
He had already fully mastered the technology system of a Level 5 Civilization, yet he could not see where the next step lay. Before him seemed to appear a fog, and that fog blocked his way forward.
“Space technology… space technology… space weapons, space shields, the ability to travel at one hundred and fifty times the speed of light, the mysterious hydrogen-shell starships, the Neutron War Star, the Radiance…” These things churned endlessly in Xiao Yu’s mind, leaving him unable to piece together a coherent path.
“Step by step. Let me first perfect the things at hand. I don’t believe that my Divine Ark Civilization will stop at Level 5, with no further road to walk.”
Xiao Yu’s chaotic thoughts gradually became clear. Having survived countless dangers in the cosmos, his psychological resilience was already formidable. He firmly believed that no matter what difficulties lay ahead, he would resolve them. As the saying went, the footsteps of the Divine Ark Civilization would not stop.
Once again, Xiao Yu’s gaze shifted outward from the spaceship. Within his massive fleet, countless detection instruments worked tirelessly, scanning every corner of the visible universe.
At this moment, those instruments detected something strange. That thing floated quietly before Xiao Yu’s fleet, maintaining a relatively stationary position against the immense armada.
“Divine Ark Civilization, stop. Join the Guardian Alliance. Our Guardian Civilization has already made up its mind. If you persist in your obstinacy, we will strike you mercilessly…”
“We of the Guardian Civilization have already discovered your trail. A mere thirteen times the speed of light, compared with our speed, it is like an ant crawling. You cannot escape. Joining our Guardian Alliance is your only path to survival.”
“Our fleets are already on their way. This is your final chance…”
This strange object transmitted a message toward Xiao Yu’s fleet, and Xiao Yu quickly picked it up. At the same time, he finally saw what the object truly was.
Its surface had nearly one hundred percent reflectivity, flawlessly smooth. Its overall shape was that of a droplet of water.
In that instant, Xiao Yu knew exactly what it was. He had encountered such a thing before, in the Tianyuan IV system. At that time, the ones deploying it had been the Luka people.
This was a droplet-shaped probe of the Guardian Alliance. And now, once again, it blocked the path of Xiao Yu’s fleet.