Chapter 460: The Rule Bait of the Misty Labyrinth

The fleet moved like a giant beast sneaking through the thick fog, cautiously heading toward the first "Treasure Point".

Not far ahead of them, two fleets of vastly different styles were fiercely exchanging fire in an asteroid belt made of shattered crystals.

One side's ships were pitch-black, flickering in and out of space like ghosts—these were the Shadow Clan.

The other side's ships bristled with huge dish antennas, constantly emitting rings of invisible ripples—they were the Echo Civilization.

Their focus of contention was the "Condensed Crystals" glittering in the gunfire.

The battle was entering a white-hot phase, yet neither side noticed an uninvited guest silently arriving at the edge of their battlefield.

Xie Ge watched the two factions fighting to the death on the screen, rubbed his hands, and wore a kindly smile.

"All right, the actors are in place; it's time for us peacekeepers to make our entrance."

"Open the wideband channel, crank the power to max, and patch me through to the commanders of those two civilizations."

Xie Ge cleared his throat, straightened his collar, as if he were a superstar about to take the stage.

The next second, a majestic, booming voice thundered across the public channel of the Shadow Clan and the Echo Civilization.

"This is the Arbitration Envoy authorized by the Universal Alliance, Yanhuang Civilization's Xie! Both sides in the forward combat zone, cease all hostile actions immediately! Repeat, cease fire immediately!"

This sudden voice left the battling sides stunned for a moment.

The Shadow Clan's commander, a humanoid figure shrouded in black mist, issued a hoarse question:

"Yanhuang Civilization? Never heard of it. You dare meddle in Shadow Clan affairs?"

The Echo Civilization's commander, a strange being with its brain exposed in a transparent container, also sent a disdainful thought via psychic link:

【Get lost! These Condensed Crystals were found by us first—no one else dare interfere!】

Xie Ge had anticipated this reaction.

He gave a light chuckle, and the menace in his tone instantly turned into naked arrogance and contempt.

"Never heard of it? Well, you've heard it now. As for who discovered them first, I have no interest in knowing."

"I only announce one thing."

Xie Ge's voice suddenly rose: "According to the Universal Alliance's High-Value Resource Protection Act, the Condensed Crystals of the Misty Labyrinth have been listed as a 'potentially unstable strategic resource.' Your primitive, barbaric mining has already severely damaged the dimensional ecology of that region."

"From now on, I, Yanhuang Civilization, will conduct a full and fair survey of that area."

"Until the survey results are out, no side may conduct any mining activities. Otherwise, it will be regarded as an open provocation against the Alliance's act."

These words sounded noble and proper, but the core meaning was simple: you all stay put—this place is now under my authority.

"Arrogant!"

"You're asking to die!"

The commanders of the Shadow Clan and the Echo Civilization were simultaneously enraged.

In their view, this Yanhuang Civilization that came out of nowhere was practically courting death.

However, just as they were about to give that ignorant "arbiter" a taste of their own medicine, a scene unfolded that made their jaws drop.

Only then, in the distant mist, the Yanhuang fleet that had just been flickering in and out began to do something unimaginable,

sailing straight through the densest dimensional fog that even they themselves dared not approach.

Their ships suffered no effect, as if the fog that could warp space and interfere with dimensions were just ordinary air to them.

"How… how is this possible?"

The black mist surrounding the Shadow Clan's commander flickered unstably.

【Their dimensional stabilization tech… can it really completely nullify the fog's interference?】 The Echo Civilization's commander also fell into deep shock.

Little did they know, at that very moment on the bridge of the Pangu, Zhou Yunhai was directing the technical team in a tense, secret mission.

"Report! Initial test of the Mimicry Protocol begins!"

"The fleet's energy signature is beginning to resonate in sync with the surrounding dimensional mist!"

"Assimilation rate: 10%… 30%… 70%…"

"Report! Assimilation rate hits 95%! Our fleet, under conventional detection, has merged with the dimensional mist—successfully achieving rule‑level invisibility!"

Zhou Yunhai stared intently at the fluctuating numbers on the screen, his heart equally shaken.

This is the Chief Commander's plan.

Using this unique rule‑based environment of the dimensional mist, they were testing and refining Yanhuang Civilization's Mimicry technique.

The so‑called arbitration was merely the prelude to this grand experiment.

Their true goal was to collect those Condensed Crystals and analyze their internal rule‑stabilizing anchor structure.

Xie Ge watched the two civilizations frozen in place, his heart bursting with joy, while on the surface he kept the expression of "you bunch of country bumpkins."

"Now, who has any objections to my fair survey?"

The commanders of the Shadow Clan and the Echo Civilization fell silent.

Strength is the only passport in the universe. The trick Yanhuang Civilization just displayed already far surpasses their technology.

Though bitterly unwilling, they could only temporarily withdraw, watching helplessly as the Yanhuang fleet swaggered toward the precious crystal ore zone.

Meanwhile, in the distant Heavenly Palace Microcosm,

Qian Yin's research team had already received the data from the first batch of Condensed Crystal samples.

"Unbelievable…"

Qian Yin gazed at the holographic projection of the crystal's internal structure, magnified countless times, her eyes sparkling with amazement.

"Its internal structure is like a natural 'Rule Filter,' actively absorbing and neutralizing chaotic dimensional fluctuations."

"If we can replicate this structure and integrate it into our energy core, our Mimicry technology could leap to the next level!"

"By then, our bases and fleets will be able to better simulate the universe's fundamental pulse, lowering the chance of detection by the immune system!"

This discovery plunged the entire Academy of Sciences into a frenzy.

As Yanhuang Civilization's survey fleet was conducting its "survey" looting in the ore zone, a scout ship on outer picket duty suddenly made an astonishing discovery.

"Commander!" the scout ship captain's voice trembled slightly, "We are deep in the mist, and we have detected a faint abnormal regular fluctuation!"

Zhou Yunhai immediately switched the view over.

"Abnormal fluctuation? How is it different from the mist's fluctuation?"

"Completely different!"

The captain replied.

"The mist's fluctuation is chaotic, disordered. But this fluctuation…… it is very weak, but…… it is orderly, it is structured!"

It shares the same origin as the condensed crystal we are collecting, but its strength…… is at least ten thousand times that of the crystal!"

Zhou Yunhai's heart jumped violently.

"Coordinates!"

"Cannot pinpoint precisely, only able to confirm the general direction, in the core area of the mist!"