Chapter 203: Elven Civilization, Merchants?

No!

A radar soldier tasked with monitoring suddenly shouted a report.

"Commander! The enemy fleet has completed a spatial jump and appeared within our detection range!"

"Numbers…… numbers are wrong!"

"Not ten thousand ships! Only…… one hundred ships!"

One hundred ships?

This number left everyone in the command room stunned.

Zhang Xianzhong also froze, then immediately asked:

"Are you sure? Did you make a mistake? The difference between one hundred and ten thousand is too huge!"

"Report to Commander! No mistake! I've repeatedly confirmed, pinning the fleet count down to the ones place—it's one hundred ships!"

The radar soldier stated firmly.

Inside the command room, a strange silence fell.

Everyone stared at each other, their minds full of question marks.

What the hell is going on?

We went to all that trouble to create such an exaggerated spatial jump energy reaction, and only a hundred ships showed up?

What are they here for?

Are they here for sightseeing?

"Magnify the enemy's image onto the main screen!"

Qin Hao ordered in a low voice.

Yes!

Soon, the holographic projection switched.

A hundred strangely shaped warships, never seen before, clearly appeared before everyone.

The style of these warships is completely different from both humanity's steel-industry aesthetic and the Mo Yun Empire's flesh-and-blood organic style.

Their hulls display an elegant streamlined form, pure white throughout, with surfaces so smooth no seams are visible, as if they were naturally grown works of art.

On their hulls are also inscribed many vine-like patterns that emit a faint green light.

The entire fleet exudes an elegant, natural, even… beautiful aura.

But beneath this beauty lies an energy fluctuation that even makes Qin Hao feel a palpitation.

These spacecraft are not simple.

"Have you analyzed the enemy's weapon system and energy shield level?"

Zhang Xianzhong asked.

"Report to Commander! Cannot analyze!"

The head of the technical department, sweating profusely, replied:

"The enemy's hull material possesses an energy shielding property we cannot comprehend; our detection waves cannot penetrate it at all!"

"We can only vaguely sense that each warship contains an extremely powerful energy source, its power at least dozens of times that of our Nüwa-class warship!"

This conclusion made the atmosphere in the command room tense again.

Is a single ship's energy power dozens of times that of the Nüwa-class?

What does that mean?

This means that even a random enemy ship could possess combat power not inferior to, and possibly surpassing, that of a Nüwa-class warship.

A hundred warships like this pose a threat absolutely no less than a million Moyun warships!

"What are their movements?"

Qin Hao's gaze was fixed tightly on the screen.

His perception had already spanned the vast distance, reaching out.

But he discovered, just as the technical department's report said, that when approaching the enemy fleet, he was also blocked by an invisible force field.

This force field is not offensive, but its shielding effect is remarkably good.

"Report! After completing the jump, the enemy fleet remained stationary, with no movement."

"They also haven't activated their weapon systems or shown any hostility."

"They…… they seem to be…… waiting for something."

An observer reported.

Waiting?

Waiting for what?

Are they waiting for us to make the first move?

The officers in the command room had their thoughts racing.

"Commander, should we fire a test shot?"

A hot-headed young officer couldn't help but propose:

"Regardless of what they are, let's hit them with a Star-Erasing Cannon first and see what they're made of!"

Nonsense!

Zhang Xianzhong immediately rebuked.

"Before we clarify the enemy's intentions and strength, we must absolutely not act rashly!"

"The universe isn't our backyard; if they're just passing by and we fire this shot, it'll become an endless civilizational war!"

Zhang Xianzhong, being steady and prudent, clearly understands that what the Human Federal needs now is time, not a new enemy.

Qin Hao also nodded, indicating agreement.

"The commander is right; let's first observe and see what happens."

He had a feeling that the other side didn't seem to have come to fight.

If they were really drawn here by the beacon, enemies wanting to loot the treasure couldn't possibly send only a hundred ships.

This is more like a kind of... probe?

Or... something else?

Just then.

"Beep beep beep—"

On the communications department's seat, the alert tone sounded again.

"Report to the commander!"

"We have received a communication link from the other side! It contains dictionary translation information."

Communication link?

Everyone's hearts rose to their throats.

Are we finally about to uncover the mystery?

"Connect it!"

Qin Hao hesitated not at all, and gave the order directly.

"Warning! The other side's communication signal may carry unknown mental contamination or information virus; should we activate the highest-level information firewall?"

In the warship, the cold voice of the AI rang out in the command room.

"Activate!"

Zhang Xianzhong said without hesitation.

Contact with an unknown civilization can never be too careful.

"The information firewall has been activated."

"Transferring the communication..."

On the main screen of the command room, the image flickered.

Afterwards, a clear three-dimensional holographic projection appeared before everyone.

It was a... humanoid creature.

His build was somewhat taller and slimmer than an ordinary person, about 1.8 meters.

His skin was so fair it was nearly translucent, like the finest mutton-fat jade.

A waterfall of silver hair cascaded loosely over his shoulders.

Most striking were his long, pointed ears and a pair of emerald eyes that sparkled with wisdom.

He wore a well-tailored, splendid white-and-green outfit, and his face bore a gentle, polite smile.

Behind him was the bridge interior, similarly styled, filled with a natural and artistic atmosphere.

"This is..."

In the command room, all the humans who saw this scene were stunned.

The image of this creature before them fit the human mythological description of "elves" all too well.

Elegant, beautiful, noble.

"Greetings, human friends of the newly risen civilization."

That "elf" spoke.

He spoke a language no human had ever heard, but via the Federal supercomputer it was almost instantly translated with precision and transmitted directly into everyone's minds.

"Please allow me to introduce myself."

"My name is Ai'erwen, an interstellar merchant from the Gaia Star System of the Elf Civilization."

Elf Civilization? Were they not the neighbors of the Moyun Civilization before?

Interstellar merchant?

These two words made Qin Hao and Zhang Xianzhong glance at each other, seeing a hint of surprise in each other's eyes.

Merchant?

To go to all this trouble just to do business?

"When you attacked the Moyun Civilization, your existence was already exposed."