Chapter 193

Just one step away!

He seemed to be able to see that beyond that intangible barrier lay a completely new Life Level.

If he could cross it, he would truly comprehend the laws of 'soul' and 'consciousness,' reaching an unprecedented realm.

However, just as he was preparing to go all out and break through this final barrier...

A sudden, inexplicable palpitation surged in his chest.

He 'saw' it.

In the fragments of the mother brain's last memories he had just absorbed, he saw that eerie phosphorescent light.

Seeing that phosphorescent light, it disregarded all rules, turning the coordinates of the Solar System into countless lethal bits of information, scattering them in all directions.

Damn it!

Qin Hao's face changed instantly.

The impending breakthrough impulse was forcibly suppressed by him.

All joy vanished.

In its place came an unprecedented gravity.

He finally understood what the mother brain's last vicious curse meant.

It was not bluffing.

By means Qin Hao currently cannot comprehend, it thrust human civilization—a 'newbie village player' that had just won a battle—directly before other civilizations in the universe.

Moreover, it slapped a label on humanity's forehead: 'Walking super treasure, come quick!'

Now the trouble's big...

Qin Hao's brows were tightly knit together.

He was not afraid of battle.

But the feeling of being treated as prey and roasted over a fire made him very unhappy.

He did not know what kind of beings those signals would attract.

Could it be a Second-level Civilization stronger than the Mo Yun Empire?

Or… could it be the three-, four-, or even higher-level civilizations described only in the system, capable of controlling stars and delving into time-space technology?

The unknown is what is most terrifying.

The Human Federal had just defeated its first enemy; now was the time to rest, recuperate, and digest the fruits of victory.

But now, this precious window of opportunity might be indefinitely shortened.

Even possibly, there might be no window at all.

Perhaps in the next second, a fleet a hundred times stronger than the Mo Yun Empire will appear directly at the doorstep of the Solar System.

Thinking of this, Qin Hao's heart sank.

He slowly opened his eyes, glanced at the lifeless planet beneath his feet, and there was no longer any ripple in his gaze.

The power boost from absorbing the mother brain was no longer important.

How to respond to the impending crisis is the urgent priority.

His figure flickered and he vanished from the spot.

The next second, he was already back on the bridge of the 'Shenlong'.

Inside the bridge, it was still an ocean of celebration.

The troops were celebrating this unprecedented great victory.

Every face was brimming with heartfelt pride and joy.

Our strongest has returned!

Someone shouted, and all eyes instantly focused on Qin Hao.

The bridge fell silent at once.

Everyone stood straight, looking at him with eyes mixed with awe, admiration, and fervor.

In their hearts, Qin Hao was no longer human.

He is a god!

He is the sole true god leading human civilization toward glory!

We won! Xiao Qin, we won!

Zhang Xianzhong strode forward, excitedly patting Qin Hao's shoulder, his eye sockets somewhat red.

Forty million enemy ships! One hour! Annihilated! Hahaha! This is absolutely a miracle in interstellar war history!

What about that mother brain? Has it been dealt with?

Looking at everyone's excited faces, Qin Hao could not smile.

He took a deep breath and spoke in an unprecedented solemn tone:

Commander, everyone.

We may have stirred up big trouble.

Qin Hao's words were like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing all enthusiasm on the bridge.

Everyone's smiles froze on their faces.

Big trouble?

The excitement on Zhang Xianzhong's face quickly faded; he furrowed his brows and looked at Qin Hao.

Xiao Qin, what do you mean? We just wiped out the enemy—how could there be trouble?

He did not understand.

In his view, the Mo Yun Empire, this major threat, had been completely eliminated, and the Human Federal should now have a smooth path ahead.

How could there be anything more troublesome than forty million enemy ships?

"The mother brain did something before it died."

Qin Hao's face was grim.

He didn't conceal anything, and he fully disclosed how the mother brain, using mysterious means, broadcast the Solar System's coordinates throughout the universe.

"It treated us as bait, a bait marked as treasure, and threw us into the dark cosmic forest."

"I don't know how far its signal can travel, nor what kind of being might receive it."

"But one thing is certain: we have been exposed."

"We are completely exposed to the sight of all potential enemies."

……

Dead silence.

A silence so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

When Qin Hao finished saying all this, the entire bridge fell into an eerie silence.

The immense joy from that brilliant victory just moments ago was replaced by a bone-chilling coldness at this moment.

Everyone's brains momentarily crashed.

They could imagine what that meant.

Was it like a newborn who had just learned to walk, being stared down by a pack of hungry beasts?

"This... how is this possible?"

A young officer, his voice dry, spoke up and broke the silence.

"How... how could it do this? What means could it use, ones you couldn't even detect?"

"In the vast universe, nothing is strange."

Qin Hao shook his head and said in a low voice, "Just because we don't understand it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. The mother brain has existed for tens of thousands of years, enslaved countless civilizations; it's normal for it to have some trump cards we can't comprehend."

"Now dwelling on this is pointless."

"We must prepare for the worst."

Zhang Xianzhong's face turned extremely grim.

After all, he was a veteran of countless battles, and he quickly regained his composure from the shock.

He immediately realized the gravity of the problem.

"You mean we might at any moment face an enemy even stronger than the Mo Yun Empire?"

"Yes."

Qin Hao nodded.

"Moreover, we don't know when the enemy will come, from where, or how strong they are."

That answer sank everyone's hearts to the bottom.

Having just won a battle that destroyed a civilization, they hadn't even caught their breath when a sharper blade loomed overhead, ready to fall at any moment.

This feeling was more suffocating than directly facing forty million enemy ships.

"Damn it!"

Zhang Xianzhong couldn't help but curse, slamming his fist onto the command console.

"You damned worm! Even dead, you're still screwing us over!"

He was furious and frustrated.

But above all, he felt powerless.

In the face of such an unknown, possibly dimension-transcending strike, their proud fleet seemed pale and feeble.

"Immediately! Connect to the Blue Star Military Command Center!"

Zhang Xianzhong quickly made a decision.

Pass this message, unchanged, to the Rote Commissioner!

This matter is beyond what our expeditionary corps can handle; it must be decided by the Federal high command!

Yes!

The communications officer immediately began operating.

Soon, Old Luo's steady face appeared on the holographic projection.

On his end, he had obviously also received the news of the frontline's great victory, his face lit with a relieved smile.

"Commander Zhang Xianzhong, Xiao Qin, you fought very well, very well!"