This fleet was not considered large, at least not from Xiao Yu’s current perspective. Within this fleet, there were less than two thousand ships, the largest among them only being Province-Class ships.
There were five Province-Class ships, more than four hundred City-Class ships, and the rest were County, Town, and Village-Class ships of smaller scale.
Yet Xiao Yu knew, even if he had two million ships, even if he still had four Nation-Class ships, he would not be able to defeat this fleet. Because this was a fleet of a Level 6 Civilization, because this was a fleet of the Guardian Civilization.
Their speed of advance was one hundred and seven times the speed of light, and their distance from him was less than one light-year. Based on this calculation, in only three days, they would catch up to him.
Three days, what was enough to do in that time? Nothing was enough.
In truth, if during this period Xiao Yu had not been on full alert, relentlessly scanning the surroundings, he would not even have discovered this fleet. But even if discovered, what difference did it make? To flee, he could not escape. To fight, he could not win.
Xiao Yu’s heart had already grown cold as ice. Muttering to himself, he said, “Could it be that all my estimates were wrong? The Guardian Civilization’s purpose really is to force me to submit under their command? If I refuse to yield, then they will destroy me? How could this be? How could this be? What should I do now? What should I do now?”
Xiao Yu knew this was the most dangerous event he had ever encountered in his life. He very likely could not escape this time.
If he had not personally witnessed the Guardian Civilization’s fleet rapidly approaching, Xiao Yu would never have understood this feeling. He had only once experienced something similar back in the era on Earth.
At that time, a still young Xiao Yu had gone alone to a tall shopping mall, where he encountered a fire. To this day, Xiao Yu still remembered how he felt then. Panic-stricken crowds everywhere, despairing cries everywhere, thick smoke filling the air, the very atmosphere feeling scorching hot. If not for sheer luck, he would have died.That sensation of brushing past death, Xiao Yu could never forget. It felt as though at the very next moment, he would die, and all laughter, sorrow, grief, and joy would forever leave him.
Now, Xiao Yu once again experienced that same feeling, that profound despair. Only three days, the time was too short, not enough to accomplish anything.
This was the terrifying might of a Level 6 Civilization. Before the battle even began, Xiao Yu had already admitted defeat. But admitting defeat did not mean Xiao Yu was a coward, for he understood very clearly that he absolutely had no chance of victory, not even the slightest. This was the vast disparity between levels, a disparity so great it could drive one to despair.
Xiao Yu rapidly searched for countermeasures. Though he admitted defeat, he still refused to give up hope for survival. Having come so far, weathering countless perils, Xiao Yu could not accept simply dying like this, could not accept fading into nothingness.
“The Taihao Civilization still has not appeared. Or perhaps, when faced with a powerful enemy like the Guardian Civilization, they have already abandoned me. After all, I am only an experiment. No matter how valuable an experiment may be, can it truly be worth so much? The Guardian Civilization refuses to let me go. But for the sake of one experiment, would the Taihao Civilization truly risk a war with the Guardian Civilization? Probably not. Fine then, I cannot rely on the Taihao Civilization.”
“My Specter companion still has not appeared. I do not know how he is now. Perhaps he has not sensed that I face a life-or-death crisis, or perhaps he has sensed it but, for some reason, cannot come. Or perhaps, my Specter companion is already dead, and it is precisely because of his death that I have become so unlucky, targeted by the Guardian Civilization.”
“All prosperity shared, all ruin shared. Could it be… that I too must walk the same path as the Specter elder …” Xiao Yu sighed inwardly.
“At critical moments, no one can be relied upon.” Xiao Yu thought silently. “At this moment, I can only rely on myself.”
Xiao Yu had already reported the current situation to the psychosocial sciences scientists present. When they saw the Guardian Civilization fleet, fierce and overwhelming, still just one light-year away, their faces too bore nothing but bitter expressions.
“Master, I am very glad to have fought under your command for such a long time. I was born within the Guardian Alliance and personally witnessed the cruel exploitation the Guardian Alliance inflicted upon us. To be able to escape from the Alliance and gain freedom, I have been very fortunate. I have watched with my own eyes as our Divine Ark Civilization grew step by step, from a Level 2 Civilization all the way to the Level 5 Civilization we are today. In my heart, I have always been proud of our civilization.”
“In truth, I have always had a wish, that once our Divine Ark Civilization became strong enough, we could march upon the Guardian Alliance and rescue all the Luka people still trapped there. But now it seems this wish will never come true. Ah, but it doesn’t matter. Perhaps it is fate that prevents us from achieving it. I have lived long enough. To die now is no loss. Master, farewell. It has been an honor to spend so much time together.”
In the silent virtual conference room, Luka Two stood up and spoke these words to Xiao Yu. “Please allow me to leave the conference, Master. I wish to spend these last three days in peace.”
“Go.” Xiao Yu weakly waved his hand, granting Luka Two’s request.
“Master, if I had enough time, I am confident I could grow to a level not inferior to Lord Number Two. But regretfully, we have no time left. Master, thank you for your constant generosity and kindness. It is you who gave us a peaceful and happy life. I once heard Lord Number Two speak of his days within the Guardian Alliance. That kind of life, I would rather die than endure. Now, there is no way forward. When something cannot be done, then let it be accepted calmly. I love my wife very much. I beg you, Master, to allow me to spend these final three days with her. I will leave the virtual conference room now. Master, farewell.”
“Master…”
“Go, all of you, go.” Xiao Yu once again weakly waved his hand and said, “This news must remain secret for now. Do not spread it. I will announce that all intelligent beings within our Divine Ark Civilization are to take a holiday and rest. During this period, I will open all entertainment facilities, and all resources will be supplied freely without limit. Let everyone… spend these last three days without pressure, experiencing one final carnival.”
After saying this, Xiao Yu shut down the virtual conference room.
This crisis was unlike any before. In the past, no matter what dangers or tribulations they faced, Xiao Yu never gave up his resolve, never abandoned hope. Luka Two and the scientists were the same. Until the last moment, they always persevered, offering Xiao Yu their wisdom and advice in every way they could. But this time was different. Xiao Yu knew that Luka Two had already fallen into despair.
Despair was born from an accurate assessment of the situation. In fact, Xiao Yu was certain, as long as one possessed complete logical thought and a certain degree of intelligence, upon knowing the current situation, anyone would despair. Luka Three and Luka Four would also despair. That was why Xiao Yu did not tell them about this matter at all. To die in the midst of revelry could also be considered a kind of happiness, could it not?
Now, there was more than enough reason for Xiao Yu to despair. Logically speaking, he indeed should despair. No matter how great his intellect, with only three days, it was impossible to resist a fleet belonging to a Level 6 Civilization. Yet Xiao Yu still did not intend to give up. Even though he was acutely aware he had no way forward, no solution at all.
Xiao Yu needed a little comfort from the realm of the spirit. Thus, after such a long time, Chen Mo’s figure once again appeared before Xiao Yu.
“You all are spending your last three days with your loved ones. Then these three days, I will spend with Chen Mo. That is not too much to ask, is it?” Xiao Yu muttered to himself.
He had already prepared an artificial intelligence program, which would control every movement and word of this projection. In compiling this program, Xiao Yu had used a chaos algorithm, an algorithm whose results were unpredictable. Therefore, he himself did not know what actions or words this projection would produce next.
Xiao Yu had only set a few initial parameters for the program, such as Chen Mo’s personality, Chen Mo’s hobbies, and Chen Mo’s usual tone of speech. Everything else, he left to the program to calculate.
The time point Xiao Yu set was one year after Chen Mo left the research institute.
“Director Xiao, long time no see.” When Chen Mo’s projection appeared, she gave a faint smile and said these words.
“Yes, long time no see indeed.” Xiao Yu manipulated another projection device to project his own image before Chen Mo, also smiling faintly. “What have you been busy with all this time? You didn’t even come visit me.”
“I don’t know.” Chen Mo frowned, as if struggling to recall something. “I only remember that I just woke up. I feel like I’ve been dreaming for such a long time. How long have I slept?”
“Not very long at all.” Xiao Yu smiled. “You’ve only just slept for seven hours. How have you been this past year?”
“A year?” Chen Mo’s expression was a little dazed. She seemed to be trying hard to recall, but after a long pause, she gave up with a helpless sigh. “It does seem like we haven’t seen each other for a year, but I can’t remember. I don’t know if I’ve been well or not. It feels like… not very well, perhaps.”