Chapter 290

The Bitain Empire and the Kollo Empire, these two colossal powers, unleashed a frenzied biting on the chessboard of the Milky Way Galaxy.

The flames of war, from their border, rapidly spread to the interiors of both camps.

Proxy war, fully upgraded.

The Eastern Glory Legion and the Western Destruction Legion, though they did not clash directly, the countless Third-level Civilizations they supported fought so fiercely that the starry rivers churned.

Yesterday, a Third-level Civilization belonging to the Bitain camp was still celebrating its capture of an enemy resource star.

Today, its homeworld might be destroyed by another fleet dispatched by the Kollo Empire.

The entire Milky Way Galaxy has become a gigantic meat grinder.

Countless civilizations, in this catastrophe, bloomed like fireworks briefly, then quickly extinguished.

In this process, who knows how many planets and stars were destroyed.

No one is safe.

Nor can anyone remain uninvolved.

Except…

Yanhuang Civilization.

This civilization, located at the end of the Milky Way Galaxy's spiral arm, blockaded and isolated by the Bitain Empire, seemed forgotten by the whole world, enjoying a peace luxurious to the extreme.

The battlefields of the two great empires are mainly concentrated in the central region and prosperous routes of the Milky Way Galaxy.

For the barren and remote starfield where the Yanhuang Civilization resides, they temporarily have no capacity to attend to it.

And the Yanhuang Civilization seized this once-in-a-lifetime strategic opportunity, personally created by Qin Hao, to begin a new round of "technology climbing" and "farming".

Time, in this peculiar atmosphere of external war flames raging and internal heads-down development, passed another full twenty years.

Twenty years of time is enough for the Milky Way Galaxy's layout to undergo another earth-shaking change.

The proxy war between the two great Fourth-level Civilizations has entered the white-hot stage.

Both sides suffered heavy losses; countless Third-level Civilization vassals were thoroughly crippled in this war of attrition, even outright exterminated.

They both fought with real fire; the scale and intensity of the war continue to escalate.

And the Yanhuang Civilization, in these twenty years, also completed a new round of rebirth.

The Yanhuang Academy of Sciences, after thoroughly digesting that complete Fourth-level Civilization technology tree, has truly reached the threshold of a Fourth-level Civilization in terms of technological level.

They even, under the leadership of Academician Qian Bowen, combined Yanhuang Civilization's own theories to optimize and innovate the existing technology,

developing some unique technologies that even the Bitain Empire has never mastered.

For example, a more stable and more energy-efficient "Quantum Foam Stabilizer V2.0 version".

For example, capable of ultra-long-distance, precise delivery of small-scale special forces, the "Individual Curvature Engine".

Militarily, the fleet scale of the Yanhuang Civilization has reached a terrifying level.

The total number of "Heavenly Sword"-class warships has exceeded three million.

And the "Interstellar Liberation Vanguard Army", formed by reorganizing the original Star Sea Divine Cult fleet and the silicon-based fleet, after being fully equipped with Yanhuang gear, its combat power also underwent a qualitative leap.

More importantly, under the seeding of the "Thought Expedition", the Yanhuang Civilization's periphery has formed an unbreakable "Red Alliance" composed of dozens of "Interstellar SWA Republican Civilizations".

Together they constitute a domain spanning nearly ten thousand light-years, with a population exceeding ten trillion,

possessing an independent internal circulation economic system and strong military power, an emerging civilization community!

The Yanhuang Civilization is no longer an "isolated island" that needs to hide behind the scenes, surviving by intrigue and scheming.

It has grown into a true hegemon that genuinely possesses the qualification to wrestle with Fourth-level Civilizations!

This day.

Yanhuang Civilization, Supreme Command Center.

A top-level strategic meeting determining the future direction of civilization is being convened.

"Comrades,"

He slowly spoke, his voice steady and powerful, "Twenty years of time, we have slept on firewood and tasted gall, striven with vigor and governed diligently. Today, we can proudly say that we have earned the qualification to contend for supremacy under heaven!"

His words made everyone present feel their blood boiling.

From a planetary civilization tucked away in a corner, to now having grown into a massive force that makes the entire Milky Way Galaxy take notice.

This path, they have walked it with extreme hardship.

"That's right!"

Zhou Shaoqing suddenly stood up, his face brimming with an irrepressible fighting spirit,

"Now the two great empires have fought to mutual ruin, gravely wounded! This is the perfect moment for us to leave this starfield and announce our existence to the entire Milky Way Galaxy!"

"I propose to immediately launch the Northern Expedition plan! Our target points straight to the heart of the Milky Way Galaxy!"

"We will use our Heavenly Swords to hew that corrupt throne! To establish a brand-new galactic order truly governed by the people!"

Zhou Shaoqing's words, twenty years ago, might have been considered the ravings of a dreamer.

But now, they have received enthusiastic responses from most of the generals present.

"Agree! We can no longer stay tucked away in a corner! The world is so vast, we ought to go see it!"

"Down with imperialism! Liberate the whole galaxy!"

The atmosphere in the conference room was instantly ignited.

However, Qin Hao shook his head at this moment.

"Now, it is not yet the time."

His voice was not loud, yet like a bucket of cold water, it instantly doused everyone's enthusiasm.

Everyone's gaze focused on him.

"Why?" Zhou Shaoqing asked, puzzled, "Is our current strength still insufficient to confront them head-on?"

"Strength, is sufficient."

Qin Hao nodded, affirming everyone's efforts over the past twenty years.

However, he shifted the focus of his speech.

"But we lack a legitimate justification for sending troops."

"We lack an opportunity that would let us appear on the galactic stage as liberators rather than aggressors."

Qin Hao's words left everyone lost in thought.

Yes, to act without a righteous cause is a major taboo in the art of war.

The Yanhuang Civilization has always been an image of loving peace and opposing hegemony.

If we rashly intervene with force in the war between the two great empires, we will inevitably fall into a passive position in public opinion, and may even provoke vigilance and resentment from other neutral civilizations.

This does not conform to the "righteousness" that the Yanhuang Civilization has always upheld.

"Then... what should we do?"

Zhou Shaoqing sat down, somewhat dejected, and said, "Are we just going to keep waiting idly?"

"Of course not."

A familiar smile appeared on Qin Hao's face.

"We can create our own opportunity."

He walked to the star map, and lightly tapped a finger on a certain region of the Milky Way.

It is a neutral star region located outside the spheres of influence of the Biteen Empire and the Keluo Empire.

"Here is the Free Star Domain Alliance."

Qin Hao introduced.

"It is a commercial and military alliance formed by over a hundred members who refuse to align with the two great empires; they are among the few neutral powers in the Milky Way."

"In the past twenty years, due to the war between the two great empires, the original trade routes have been destroyed.

The Free Star Domain Alliance, however, seized the opportunity, opened new trade routes, made a fortune from the war, and greatly expanded its strength."

"They style themselves as the 'Ruishi' of the Milky Way, a haven for all civilizations weary of war."

A hint of mischief flashed in Qin Hao's eyes.

"And our opportunity lies with them."

"You mean..."

Old Luo's eyes flashed with insight; he seemed to have guessed something.

"Exactly!" Qin Hao nodded.

"I want to direct a play."

"A scheme that will make this so‑called haven actively seek our aid."

"I want the whole Milky Way to see that the flames of war have reached our peace‑loving friends.

"We are forced to raise our swords to protect our allies and to uphold the last peace and justice of the Milky Way."

"By then, we will no longer be aggressors."

"We will be the Royal Army that comes, at the request of all peace‑loving civilizations in the Milky Way, to end this chaotic age."