Chapter 222: Poison Beneath the Sugar Coating

Luo Lao looked at Qin Hao: "Your opinion……"

"They want to turn us into frogs in warm water." Qin Hao's voice was very calm.

"Little by little they display their strength, little by little they wear down our vigilance."

"Until we completely grow accustomed to their presence, accustomed to their kindness, and finally willingly become part of their faith."

"The technical advisory team is the first step, tacitly allowing our reconnaissance is the second step."

"They are using a silent, subtle way to carry out the most thorough cultural and spiritual invasion."

Qin Hao's analysis made everyone feel a chill.

Compared to the Silicon-based Union's naked, deadly threat, the Star Sea Divine Church Civilization's soul‑stealing means are more sinister and even more terrifying.

"We can't stay passive any longer." Luo Lao slammed his fist on the table, "Kong Jie!"

"Present!"

Intelligence Department Chief Kong Jie's figure immediately appeared on the communication channel.

"I order you to spare no expense, mobilize all our intelligence resources, and launch an infiltration of the Star Sea Divine Church!"

"Since they're treating us like monkeys, we'll find a way to worm into their minds and see what they're really thinking!"

"Yes!" Kong Jie accepted the order, his eyes burning with the same fighting spirit.

"Lei Ge's side also needs to take action."

Luo Lao turned his gaze to his old partner Zhang Yunfeng: "Have him go see that Ka En Ti again. We can lower our posture a bit, showing the fear and reverence we feel after realizing we offended them."

"We want them to feel their plan has been a great success—that we have been completely subdued by their strength."

"Paralyze them, to buy time for Kong Jie's infiltration."

"Understood!" Zhang Yunfeng nodded.

A secret counteroffensive against the Star Sea Divine Church thus began.

A few days later, inside the virtual reception hall.

Lei Ge's demeanor was more humble than ever before.

His face bore just the right mix of panic, guilt, and ingratiation.

"Honorable Envoy Ka En Ti, we sincerely apologize for our previous ignorance and offense!"

"We never imagined the great Star Sea Divine Church Civilization possessed such omniscient divine power. Our childish probes must seem utterly laughable in your eyes."

On Ka En Ti's perfect face appeared the anticipated smile.

"It's all right, my friend. The light of truth always needs some time to illuminate the lost lamb."

His tone carried forgiveness and mercy.

"Seeing you recognize your shortcomings and hold reverence in your hearts, we feel greatly relieved."

"To better help you understand the cosmic truth and fight the cold heresy,"

"we have decided to dispatch the Faith Guide to your star system for deeper exchange."

"They've arrived!"

Luo Lao and Qin Hao, who were monitoring the talk, both felt a jolt in their hearts.

The other side took the bait.

"Th… thank you so much!"

Lei Ge behaved as if startled by favor: "We will surely welcome the guide with the highest honors!"

The communication was cut off.

Luo Lao immediately connected to Kong Jie's channel.

"They're sending more people over, which means their data exchange with our primary star system will become more frequent. This is your chance—you must seize it!"

"Yes! We have successfully implanted a Trojan horse in the technical data they sent us."

"As long as their new batch of guide fleets synchronize data with their main network, our Trojan will have a chance to infiltrate!"

Over the next month, the Federal surface was calm and tranquil.

"Faith Guide" arrived in the Yanhuang Star System; they were assigned to various research departments and mingled "seamlessly" with human scientists.

But in the Federal Intelligence Department's base, the atmosphere was tense to the extreme.

Countless top programmers and data analysts stared fixedly at the holographic screen, at the data stream flowing like a waterfall.

They were waiting for an opportunity.

Finally, one early morning.

"We're in! We're in!" a stifled cheer rang out in the base.

"The Trojan successfully broke through their first firewall! We've linked up to the Star Sea Divine Church's outer database!"

Kong Jie's breathing grew ragged.

"Don't alert them! Pull back every bit of data you can download!"

For a moment, vast amounts of golden rune data that human technology still cannot fully comprehend,

began to pour in incessantly through an extremely secret channel into the Federal supercomputer.

This was a high‑stakes gamble.

If we win, humanity will have a chance to glimpse the true face of this third‑level civilization.

If we lose, once discovered the consequences would be unimaginable.

Everyone held their breath, awaiting the final result.

One week later.

"Report!" Kong Jie's voice burst with uncontainable excitement.

"We have successfully obtained a top‑secret file marked the Purification Protocol from within the Star Sea Divine Church!"

"We... we have seen... the true face of the Divine Church!"

"Purification Agreement?"

Luo Lao's heart tightened suddenly, and he had a bad premonition.

"Yes, the Purification Agreement."

Kong Jie's voice was a little hoarse: "This is not a technical document, but a set of procedures for dealing with all civilizations whose faith is not steadfast."

As Kong Jie explained, a document preliminarily deciphered by the Federal AI was presented before everyone.

The document's contents made even these federal officials, accustomed to storms, feel a chill rising from their hearts.

The Star Sea Divine Church Civilization has an extremely strict "faith rating system" for all second-level civilizations within its sphere of influence.

They will periodically test these civilizations' faith purity.

The ratings are divided into three levels: "devout," "wavering," and "heretical."

For "devout" civilizations, they provide technological and material aid, turning them into holy warriors for their outward expansion.

For "wavering" civilizations, they increase the deployment of faith guides, using comprehensive cultural, educational, and technological infiltration to pull them back onto the devout path.

And for those civilizations that, despite repeated guidance, remain obstinate and even attempt to resist and question universal truth, they will label them as heretical.

Then, they activate the Purification Agreement.

The so-called "purification" is not merely physical destruction.

It is a means more cruel and vicious than mere physical destruction.

First, they use a special "faith virus" to destroy that civilization's entire information network and historical records, plunging its civilization into chaos and ignorance at its root.

Then they dispatch a purification fleet to carry out targeted eliminations of that civilization's high-ranking officials, scientists, and thinkers.

Finally, they descend upon that civilization's homeworld in the guise of saviors, bestowing divine grace upon the survivors who have lost their thoughts, like walking corpses.