Chapter 71: Faster, Hurry Up!

Words : 1451 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

The decoded text contained an abundance of valuable information. It revealed that the droplet-like probe was leased by a Level 3 civilization known as the “Luka Civilization” from the Guardian Alliance. This probe was used for reconnaissance in the Third Starfield, where it ultimately discovered Xiao Yu. “It seems... they classified me as a Level 2 pinnacle mechanical civilization. I wonder what criteria they use for these classifications? What exactly is the difference between Level 2 and Level 3 civilizations?” “Well, those questions aren’t important right now... What matters is that my location has been exposed. What should I do next?” Xiao Yu pondered quietly. “From what’s known, the droplet was capable of faster-than-light travel. The Luka Civilization has also been granted a free fixed-point faster-than-light transmission opportunity. Could this mean the Luka Civilization hasn’t yet mastered faster-than-light travel themselves? And since the Guardian Alliance specifically emphasized this reward, could it imply that such a reward is highly significant?” Xiao Yu began analyzing the Luka Civilization’s potential responses. “From Year 37,000 of the Primordial Era to the destruction of the droplet in Year 37,020, the Luka Civilization used the droplet to patrol the Third Starfield, earning a total of 900 Alliance contribution points. That’s an average of 45 points per year. It seems these contribution points are quite valuable.” “Eliminating or capturing me would yield 2,500 Alliance contribution points... I’m worth far more than that droplet. It’s clear the Luka Civilization won’t disclose my existence to others but will attempt to capture me on their own. They classified me as a Level 2 pinnacle mechanical civilization, while they are a Level 3 civilization...” “Should I flee immediately?” Xiao Yu considered nervously. He had less than 10,000 ships remaining. If he chose to escape now, he had enough energy reserves to reach any star system within 20 light-years. However, one line in the droplet’s logs—”granted one free fixed-point faster-than-light transmission opportunity”—gave him pause. “The droplet took 20 years to reach me. However, it likely delayed itself with explorations along the way. This means the Luka Civilization’s fleet is likely faster than the droplet and could arrive at any time between now and the next 20 years.” “At my maximum speed of 1,500 kilometers per second... if they arrive within five years and begin pursuing me, there’s a high probability they’ll catch me. In the vast emptiness of space, I stand no chance against the Luka Civilization’s fleet.” “And... given my value, the Luka Civilization will almost certainly deploy their forces swiftly. If I flee now... my chances of death are 80%.” “What if... I stay in the Tianyuan IV system instead?” “If I have five years, I can restore my combat strength to what it was before the droplet’s arrival—or even surpass it. By then, with the help of space fortresses and turrets, I may have a chance to resist their fleet and possibly even destroy it!” “If I succeed, they will have to bear the cost of a faster-than-light transmission themselves to come after me again. This might make the endeavor unprofitable for them, and they could abandon their pursuit. Even if they don’t, organizing another attack would take far longer than five years, giving me ample time to escape. My survival chances during an escape would then improve significantly.” Xiao Yu began calculating: Fleeing immediately: 80% chance of death. Staying and fighting in Tianyuan IV: 60% chance of death from the battle, followed by a 10% chance of death during the escape. Total mortality risk: 70%. “Furthermore, staying in Tianyuan IV gives me time to advance my technology further, increasing my odds of victory. I’ll also have the opportunity to gather resources and prepare thoroughly for an escape if needed. The advantages are undeniable.” “Then it’s decided—I’ll stay in Tianyuan IV!” Xiao Yu resolved firmly. “What a shame. I finally had the chance to develop my technology peacefully, and now this droplet has shattered all those hopes. What an unprovoked disaster,” Xiao Yu sighed. Having made his decision, Xiao Yu wasted no time. He immediately began rebuilding and reinforcing the Tianyuan IV star system. Repairs to the interstellar fortresses at Tianyuan C and Tianyuan B, constructing new ships, analyzing the droplet’s shell material, advancing technology—there was a mountain of work waiting for Xiao Yu. The first task Xiao Yu undertook was restarting the ship construction facilities at Tianyuan A. Previously, shipbuilding had ceased due to computational limitations. However, with half his fleet destroyed, it was imperative to accelerate production. Inspired by insights gained from the droplet’s chip, Xiao Yu began developing a ternary computer. Unlike traditional binary computers, which use 0 and 1, a ternary computer incorporates -1, 0, and 1. Here, 1 represents truth, -1 represents falsehood, and 0 represents uncertainty. Ternary computing more closely mimics human cognitive processes. Xiao Yu estimated that with equivalent hardware, ternary computers could be over five times more efficient than binary ones. If successful, the ternary computer would allow Xiao Yu to simultaneously manage up to 100,000 ships with unparalleled efficiency and flexibility, marking a monumental leap in power. Alongside the shipbuilding efforts at Tianyuan A, Xiao Yu also began upgrading the weapons systems in the asteroid belt. Based on his estimates, the Luka Civilization’s combat methods would closely resemble his own. Under these circumstances, the concealed mines and controlled turrets in the asteroid belt would play a pivotal role, unlike their ineffectiveness against the droplet. Meanwhile, at Tianyuan B and Tianyuan C, the satellites damaged by the droplet’s seismic disruptions remained unstable, rendering repair work impossible. Xiao Yu had no choice but to shift construction efforts to backup satellites elsewhere. Beyond internal system upgrades, Xiao Yu resolved to expand his information-gathering capabilities. He initiated the construction of a massive signal coverage network extending up to 200 billion kilometers beyond the star system. With this network, Xiao Yu could immediately detect any incoming Luka Civilization fleet. Having learned from the Moluton Civilization and the droplet incident, Xiao Yu also began reevaluating interstellar warfare strategies. He conducted extensive simulations to devise more advanced and efficient methods of interstellar combat. The defensive forces in the Tianyuan IV system were primarily concentrated along the ecliptic plane. Though interstellar space is three-dimensional, Xiao Yu wasn’t concerned about the Luka Civilization bypassing the ecliptic to directly strike his headquarters. Interstellar warfare, Xiao Yu realized, shares similarities with ancient ground-based warfare. In ancient times, war occurred on a flat, two-dimensional plane. Castles represented singular points within this plane. Until a castle was breached, attackers typically wouldn’t bypass it to strike deeper targets, as the castle could launch a counterattack from behind, flanking the invading forces. Similarly, in a three-dimensional interstellar battlefield, star fortresses serve as two-dimensional barriers. If the Luka Civilization bypassed the fortresses to directly assault Xiao Yu’s headquarters, it would expose them to a pincer attack. Any civilization with basic military knowledge would avoid such a blunder. After careful consideration, Xiao Yu concluded that defenders inherently hold a dimensional advantage over attackers. Determined to capitalize on this advantage, Xiao Yu planned to equip Tianyuan B and Tianyuan C with 10,000 ships each, including two City-Class ships for each location. The fortresses at both locations would see significant enhancements in combat capability. Xiao Yu plunged into the intensive construction efforts. Under the immense pressure of survival, he unleashed a level of productivity he had never imagined possible. Every second was filled with activity, and his efficiency had increased severalfold compared to when he first arrived in the Tianyuan IV system. One after another, ships emerged from the construction facilities at Tianyuan A, swiftly deployed to strategic locations. Thousands of monitoring satellites equipped with superluminal communication devices were constructed and scattered across orbital paths ranging from tens of millions to 200 billion kilometers, creating a surveillance net around the entire system. In addition to Tianyuan A, Xiao Yu established secondary and tertiary construction bases in the asteroid belt and on the satellites of Tianyuan B and Tianyuan C. These bases operated simultaneously, ensuring a continuous output of equipment. The massive computational demands kept Xiao Yu’s systems running at 95% capacity. To cope, Xiao Yu developed highly intelligent software programs distributed across the Chongqing and the Tianjin, diverting some of the workload to these supercomputers. Only through this delegation was Xiao Yu able to sustain the relentless pace. Construction across the Tianyuan IV system proceeded with fervor, but the looming sense of crisis never left Xiao Yu. At every moment, he silently screamed to himself, “Faster, hurry up! The Luka Civilization could arrive at any time!”

Chapter 71: Faster, Hurry Up!

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