Chapter 194: Solution for Handling Slave Civilization!

"I, on behalf of the Federal, representing all humanity, extend to you, to all expeditionary troops, the highest respect!"

However, when he saw the solemn atmosphere inside the bridge, his smile also gradually faded.

"What's happening?" he keenly sensed something was off.

Zhang Xianzhong didn't waste words, directly repeating what Qin Hao had just said.

After listening, this Federal commissioner, who remained unmoved even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, also fell into a long silence.

The entire command center fell silent.

After a long while, he finally spoke slowly, his voice giving no hint of emotion. "I understand. I will report this to my superiors."

"Xiao Qin, based on your judgment, how much preparation time do we roughly have left?"

Everyone's gaze once again focused on Qin Hao.

Qin Hao pondered for a moment, then said:

"Hard to say, possibly very long—decades or even centuries. Because the universe is so vast, even if we receive the information, it will take time to get here."

"But it could also be short."

"As short as… the next second."

"Because we don't know whether those higher-level civilizations have mastered more efficient means, such as space folding or wormholes, for interstellar travel."

That answer amounted to saying nothing.

But it also showed that the current situation involves great uncertainty.

"I understand."

Luo Lao nodded.

"Worry and fear solve nothing."

"There's only one thing we can do."

His gaze turned sharp.

"That is, no matter the cost, to develop wildly using all our time and resources! Grow strong!"

"Before the next crisis truly arrives, let us become strong enough!"

"Strong enough that, no matter who comes, we will have the strength to fight!"

His words rang out, giving direction to all who were worried.

Indeed, rather than fretting here, it's better to seize every moment to improve ourselves.

"The most urgent matter at hand," Luo Lao's gaze turned to Zhang Xianzhong, "is to handle the postwar affairs of the Moyun star system."

"The Mo Yun Empire has fallen, but the mess it left behind must be dealt with."

"Those civilizations it enslaved, plus all the star system's resources, are our precious wealth."

"Turn this place into our first forward base against unknown threats!"

"Yes! Rote Commissioner!"

Zhang Xianzhong immediately stood at attention and saluted.

Luo Lao's words let him regain his backbone.

The communication was cut off.

The atmosphere on the bridge remained solemn, but the earlier panic was gone.

"Convey my orders!"

Zhang Xianzhong turned around, looking at all the commanders.

"The fleet will temporarily garrison the Moyun mother star system and establish a provisional defense line!"

"Engineering troops will immediately land to conduct a comprehensive survey of this mother-brain planet and all resources of the star system!"

"At the same time, issue a notice to all civilizations enslaved by the Mo Yun Empire!"

"Tell them, the Mo Yun Empire has fallen!" "Their… new master has arrived!"

The orders were swiftly transmitted.

The vast human expeditionary fleet began to move in an orderly fashion across this starry expanse that had just endured a bloody battle.

One after another, engineering vessels and scientific survey ships landed on the dead mother-brain planet and other valuable planets within the star system.

Their task is to quickly assess the star system's value and firmly grasp all usable resources.

Meanwhile, a proclamation issued in the name of the Human Federal was transmitted via the mental network left by the Mo Yun Empire, reaching every enslaved civilization within the empire's territory.

"The Moyun Civilization has been utterly eradicated by the Human Federal as of today."

"Effective immediately, all enslaved peoples will be placed under the Human Federal's administration."

"I demand that you maintain order and await the Federal's next orders. Any disturbance or resistance will be regarded as a provocation against the Federal."

This icy proclamation stirred a huge uproar among the civilizations that had been enslaved for hundreds, even thousands, of years.

Their slave master, the mighty Mo Yun Empire that had driven them to despair—has it fallen?

Has it been destroyed by a civilization called the 'Human Federal,' one they'd never even heard of?

Shock, bewilderment, fear, and a faint glimmer of hope…

Complex emotions spread through the heart of every survivor of those civilizations.

They don't know whether this is an escape from one hell or an imminent plunge into an even deeper hell.

…

Blue Star, the Federal Supreme Command Center.

A remote video conference that will decide the fate of dozens of civilizations and hundreds of billions of lives is now underway.

On the holo-projection appeared Luo Lao, Zhang Xianzhong, Qin Hao, and all the high-ranking officials from the Federal's military and political sides.

Their expressions were all solemn.

Everyone, the situation at the front is already clear to all of us.

Luo Lao spoke first, breaking the silence.

Although the Mo Yun Empire has been destroyed, the problems it left behind are thorny.

According to the preliminary statistics of the expeditionary army, within the vast territory of the Mo Yun Empire, the number of intelligent civilizations enslaved by it reaches as many as thirty-seven.

These civilizations vary in technological level, and their species forms are myriad and strange.

The only common point is that they were all subjected by the Mo Yun Empire to deep formatting via biological controllers, erasing most of their autonomous consciousness, turning them into mindless corpses that only obey orders.

Now, the Mo Yun Mother Brain has been destroyed; these controllers have lost their spiritual source, and although most functions have failed, their influence on them still persists.

How to dispose of these thirty-seven civilizations and the billions of slaves is the first difficulty facing us.

After Luo Lao finished speaking,

the conference room immediately erupted in low-volume discussion.

"How else could we handle it? Those not of our kind must have different hearts!"

A hawkish general spoke up without hesitation, a hint of killing intent on his face.

"These civilizations have been enslaved by the Mo Yun Empire for so long; who knows if their thoughts have been completely twisted? Who knows if they will bear resentment toward us?"

"Moreover, their appearance—just look at the images sent back by the scout fleet—is bizarrely shaped, basically a bunch of monsters!"

"I suggest, for the absolute safety of our Human Federal, to eradicate future troubles, we should eliminate them… all of them!"

"To cut the grass, one must remove the roots!"

This proposal, reeking of bloodshed, made many present furrow their brows.

"I oppose!"

Another official leaning toward civil affairs immediately stood up.

"General Zhou, we have just ended a brutal war; are we to start an even larger-scale slaughter again?"

"What difference is there between us and the brutal Mo Yun Empire?"

"These thirty-seven civilizations are also victims! As victors, as a higher civilization, we should grant them liberation and freedom, not swing the butcher's knife at the weaker!"

This official's words were filled with the humanitarian radiance of idealism.

"Women's benevolence!"

General Zhou snorted coldly and retorted bluntly.

"Minister Wang, you have a bleeding-heart mother complex! You speak lightly—liberate them? Give them freedom?"

"Then what? Let them return to their homeworlds, develop their own technology, and then someday come back to take revenge on us?"

"Don't forget, the universe is a dark forest! Mercy toward the enemy is cruelty toward our own people!"

"I neither agree to eliminate them nor to just let them go."