Chapter 264: A Gift from a Fourth-Level Civilization

And the core driving this miracle seems not to be technology, but rather an... invisible power that you call faith or belief.

We are very interested in this power.

Having said this, Bi Long displayed a series of gifts that would drive any third-level civilization mad.

All I saw was him tapping the metal bracelet on his wrist.

The next moment, a device only two meters long appeared out of thin air in the center of the meeting room.

This is a spatial energy engine that our empire has phased out over dozens of generations," Bi Long introduced.

It draws energy directly from vacuum zero-point energy; theoretically, the energy is unlimited.

Immediately afterward, he put the engine away and then pressed another button.

Han Ge's teacup instantly disintegrated into countless basic light particles, then reassembled into that cup in midair.

With matter disassembly and reassembly transmission technology, as long as we have enough energy, we can disintegrate a planet and transmit it to any corner of the universe.

There's also wormhole manufacturing technology, spatial bracelets, elemental reconstruction technology, and spatial resonance communication technology...

Each term Bi Long uttered struck the hearts of all the Yanhuang high-ranking officials present.

Any one of these technologies would be enough to cause a qualitative leap in Yanhuang civilization's technological level.

This is the technological strength of a fourth-level civilization.

They are no longer merely applying space; to a certain extent, they 'create' and 'modify' space.

After throwing out these huge temptations, Bi Long finally stated his purpose.

He proposed a so-called talent exchange program.

Our empire greatly appreciates the potential and vitality your civilization has shown.

We are willing to open the study slots of our Imperial Academy of Sciences to your civilization.

You can send your finest scientists and thinkers to study in our empire; we will also send our scholars to your civilization to deeply study your culture and ideas.

On the surface, this plan appears to be a fair and mutually beneficial two-way learning.

But everyone knows the true purpose behind it.

They want to use these high technologies as bait, in exchange for Yanhuang civilization's top talent.

Once Yanhuang civilization's finest talent enters the Biteen Empire and witnesses that higher-dimensional civilization, will they still return?

This is a bloodless strategy of draining the pot from under the fire.

Thank you very much for your empire's generosity.

Han Ge skillfully maneuvered, his back soaked in cold sweat.

Our Yanhuang civilization is very willing to engage in technological cooperation and talent exchange with your empire on a basis of fairness and mutual benefit.

But," his tone turned firm, "we firmly reject any form of compulsory or disguised control.

Our talent may go study, but they must return.

The ideas left by the great ones can be studied and learned, but only with our approval.

Faced with Han Ge's humble yet unyielding answer, Bi Long seemed not surprised.

On his face composed of light particles, an approving expression appeared.

I understand. Only a civilization with backbone deserves our respect.

Then, as a beginning of our friendship, we are willing to use a unique technology of an advanced third-level civilization,

to exchange for all information data about that great person in your civilization, how about that?

Finally, both sides reached a deal.

The Biteen civilization left behind a technological document titled 'Quantum Foam Stabilizer,' which comes from a certain extinct advanced third-level civilization.

And the Yanhuang civilization handed over a processed database concerning the great person's life events and major ideological works.

A seemingly peaceful and friendly diplomatic contact ended with the curtain falling in a jovial host-guest atmosphere.

Bi Long's envoy team, carrying the items they had traded for, left satisfied.

However, they did not know that.

From the moment they entered the Solar System, their warship technical information had already been copied by Qin Hao.

In fact, it wasn't just them; Qin Hao didn't let any visiting third-level civilization slip by.

Federal Supreme Command Center.

Qin Hao's mouth curled into a smile.

He exchanged 850,000 energy units for all the technical information of the Biteen civilization's warship!

This deal was a huge profit!

How is it?" Old Luo asked from the side.

The data is in hand.

Qin Hao nodded, then he directly transmitted that huge data packet to the Academy of Sciences.

However, Qin Hao's expression quickly turned solemn again.

But, our gap with them is even larger than imagined.

He recalled using his perception to probe those three Biteen envoys just earlier.

When approaching them, it was like a mud cow entering the sea—there was no response at all.

He even felt that, if they wished, they could at any moment detect his probing and launch a counter psychic strike against him.

I have a premonition," Qin Hao's voice deep, "I might... not be able to beat any of them.

That sentence was like a bucket of ice water poured over everyone's heads.

Qin Hao is the Yanhuang civilization's stabilizing needle, the ceiling of individual combat power.

Even he said such a thing—just how terrifying has the individual strength of a fourth‑level civilization become?

Technology and the individual—complete domination in every aspect…

Luo Lao muttered to himself, "It seems our road ahead is still long."

On the other side, the Academy of Sciences.

When Qian Bowen and his top scientists saw the data packet sent by Qin Hao, the entire Academy of Sciences plunged into utter madness.

My God! They've actually achieved precise control over space!

Space energy engine! This is the true infinite energy engine!

Our engine, compared to it, is just a child's toy!

And there's this kind of space‑diffusion shield… It looks like it's locked on target, but it's actually off by one hundred eight thousand li, so it can't hit the opponent at all…

The technology of the Biteng Civilization opened a door to a new world for these brightest scientists.

They frantically absorbed this technological knowledge, trying to analyze, reverse‑engineer, and transform it into the strength of the Yanhuang Civilization.

Headquarters of the Interstellar Liberation Vanguard Army.

Mao Xinyang also watched this encounter with the Biteng envoy through a remote conference.

He gazed at the Biteng people made of light particles, at their miracle‑like technology they displayed, and a strange feeling welled up in his heart.

"Instructor." He found Qin Hao.

"I've discovered that although the Biteng Civilization is powerful, its core logic seems to be missing something."

"Oh? What is missing?" Qin Hao asked with interest.

"It's lacking… vitality, or rather the potential for change."

Mao Xinyang said, thinking it over.

"They are perfect, powerful—like a machine set to a fixed program, with every action tightly controlled."

"From them I sense no possibility of making mistakes, nor any possibility of learning from errors and surpassing themselves."

"I recall your teachings on 'Thought Transcendence.'"

Mao Xinyang fell into thought. "They seem to have pushed their civilization to its current extreme, making further breakthroughs difficult."

"They have mastered powerful space technology, yet they have also become slaves to technology."

Qin Hao's eyes showed an approving look.

Mao Xinyang, you have truly grown.

He can now, from a higher dimension, dialectically view a civilization stronger than himself.

"You're right."

Qin Hao nodded. "Once anything reaches so‑called perfection, it means it has lost all possibility of further evolution."

"And a civilization that has stopped developing, no matter how strong it looks now, its fate is already sealed."

……

In the distant star sea.

Bi Long's envoy team was on its way back to the Biteng Empire.

"Lord Bi Long, do you really think exchanging a piece of high‑level third‑level civilization technology for those so‑called ideas is worthwhile?"

A deputy asked, puzzled.

"Of course it is." A faint, deep smile appeared on Bi Long's face, made of light particles.

"Technology can be replicated.

but ideas—especially the kind that can ignite a civilization and cause it to burst forth with infinite potential in a short time—are unique.

"The old fogies in the council haven't smelled the scent of change for far too long.

They need something new to stimulate their long‑rigid thinking.

"The Yanhuang Civilization is interesting; they're like a bunch of energetic barbarians daring to challenge any rule."

"Treating them as pawns might bring some unexpected variables to this game that's been dull for tens of thousands of years."

A glint of sharp light flashed in Bi Long's eyes.

Yet he could never have imagined.

In their eyes, that interesting bunch of "barbarians" had already packed up and taken away their most proud warship intact.