Chapter 258: Qin Hao's Guidance

"Wrong?"

The Church Leader was stunned; he couldn't understand how his most sincere faith could be wrong.

"You're not studying; you've entered a dead end of thought."

Qin Hao's tone became stern.

"You treat this kind of thought as a scripture that is eternally correct and beyond question."

"You regard him as an omnipotent being that requires worship and obeisance."

"This is not learning; it is laziness of thought, another form of distorted development."

Qin Hao's words were like a thunderbolt, striking the Church Leader's heart.

The fervor on his face gradually faded, replaced by confusion and incomprehension.

"What does this mean? I… I still don't quite understand?"

Qin Hao's gaze deepened, and he began to interpret.

"True learning is not blind obedience, nor deification."

"but rather four steps: study, comprehension, application, transcendence."

"Study his theory, understand why, given the circumstances of his time, he made such judgments and decisions."

"Apply these theories to our current practice."

"Finally, and most importantly, combine them with our current concrete situation and new environment,"

"to surpass him and form our own theory."

Qin Hao looked at the Church Leader and said, word by word:

"He is great not because he is always correct, but because he opened a path,"

"a path that allows those who come after to go farther and see higher."

"His true expectation for everyone is not that you imitate him or worship him."

"but rather hopes that you—study me, become me, surpass me."

These nine words, like nine thunderclaps on a clear day, exploded in the depths of the Church Leader's consciousness.

He stood frozen in place, his body trembling slightly.

"Study me, become me, surpass me…"

He repeatedly chewed on these nine words; the layer of fervent haze in his eyes was being dispelled bit by bit.

Afterward came an unprecedented clarity.

He recalled his previous fanatical actions, recalling his obsession with trying to subsume all civilizations under a "liberation" framework,

a deep sense of shame welled up in his heart.

He understood.

He was merely mechanically imitating the great one's "technique,"

yet he completely failed to grasp the great one's thought—the pragmatic, ever-changing "principle."

"So that's how it is!"

The Church Leader took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Qin Hao,

"Instructor, your wisdom has shown me a broader world; I nearly became a slave to thought."

Qin Hao nodded and continued: "The spread of thought needs to be adapted to local conditions even more."

"Have you ever considered that for those civilizations internally, there is no class oppression,"

"or that civilizations with development models utterly different from ours, if you forcibly liberate them, what would the result be?"

"It's like forcing a creature born without a stomach to ingest the benefits of 'eating.'"

"He would not only fail to understand, but would also find you bewildering and develop great aversion toward you."

"We liberated the Mechanical Carbon Element Civilization because its ruling model fits the definition of 'oppression.'"

"But the universe is vast and full of wonders; we cannot measure all civilizations with a single ruler."

Qin Hao's words thoroughly enlightened the Church Leader.

He felt utterly ashamed of his previous fanaticism and immaturity.

"Instructor, I was indeed wrong."

The Church Leader's voice was full of sincere repentance.

"I will immediately conduct an ideological rectification within the Star Liberation Vanguard Army."

"I guarantee that all future actions will be guided by strategy and wisdom, perfectly combining the essence of the great one's thought with concrete practice."

Seeing the Church Leader's genuine awakening, Qin Hao also showed a faint smile.

Even a child can be taught.

This former 'godman,' after undergoing the baptism of thought and the hammering of practice,

is shedding his inexperience and gradually growing into a genuine, qualified leader.

Go.

Qin Hao patted his shoulder: "The Vanguard Army is the Federation's most important sharp blade for the future; I hope this blade is not only sharp, but also knows when to be drawn and where to point."

"Yes, Instructor!" the Church Leader saluted again, his eyes full of respect.

His future path only now truly stepped onto the right track.

While Qin Hao and the Church Leader were engaged in deep exchange, the propaganda machine of the Human Federal also went into full operation.

Dozens of rigorously worded, mild-toned peace statements were sent via various public channels to dozens of nearby Third-level Civilizations.

In the statements, the Federal repeatedly emphasized its basic national policy of "peaceful coexistence and non-interference."

And it proactively released part of the video material showing equal trade with the nascent Mechanical Carbon Element Free Body, to prove it is not a spreader of "thought plague."

This series of public relations operations was effective.

The tense nerves of the surrounding civilizations finally eased a little.

Although reconnaissance activities hadn't fully ceased, the tense, sword‑drawn atmosphere gradually faded.

The Federal had won a precious respite for itself.

In the midst of peaceful development, another year or more passed.

That day, at the Federal Strategic Command Center, Luo Lao, carrying orders from above, called another top‑level meeting.

"The external threat is temporarily under control, but we face a more pressing internal issue."

Luo Lao's face grew grave; he brought up a holographic star map.

On the star map, a vast region formerly belonging to the Silicon‑based Union was marked gray, indicating "undetermined".

This region stretches over a thousand light‑years and includes over a hundred star systems.

More importantly, many Second‑level Civilizations that the Silicon‑based Union had once forcibly controlled via logical pacts still reside within this region.

Now that the Silicon‑based Union has fallen, these Second‑level Civilizations have lost the control of their supreme mastermind.

They are like worker bees that have left the hive, plunged into chaos and bewilderment.

"How should we handle this enormous territory and these Second‑level Civilizations?"

Luo Lao tossed the question to everyone in the room.

It's a sweet dilemma, yet also a thorny problem.

Just give it up?

No one would agree.

The resources within this territory are sufficient to boost the Federal's power to a new tier.

Direct annexation? Not realistic either.

The Federal's present population is not enough to absorb such a huge territory.

Furthermore, directly annexing those Second‑level Civilizations would surely trigger their fierce resistance.

"We could follow the ancient feudal model, backing a few of the stronger Second‑level Civilizations to administer for us,"

"We would only need to regularly collect resources as tribute."

A general suggested.

The proposal was instantly met with opposition.

"No way! Outsiders will inevitably harbor different intentions."

"Once they become powerful, they'll be the first to turn against us—this is rearing a tiger to invite disaster."

"What can we do? We can't garrison a massive army to watch over each one—we lack the manpower."

The conference room once again descended into fierce argument.

All eyes eventually turned to Qin Hao.

Qin Hao reflected briefly, then spoke slowly.

"Compulsory taxation is essentially oppression; it will surely spark resistance."

"My proposal is to adopt a different line of thinking."