Chapter 190: The Crazy Plan

Under the palm, all things perish.

No matter what high-tech facilities, instruments, or buildings they are, whether open or hidden, they are instantly pulverized under this single palm strike, and all life activity is completely erased.

The shattered remains of the space fortress also fell into the seawater, raising a tsunami-like giant wave.

And then, they were slowly swallowed by the ocean.

The massive hand that had extended from the fortress also vanished without a trace, as if it had never appeared.

"Clean and tidy, how good."

Lin Qing glanced down at the sinking fortress debris from the air, then turned into a streak of light and flew away.

"With my current strength, breaking a Level Five fortress from the inside is indeed very simple."

While flying while suppressing his aura, Lin Qing also privately recalled the process of tearing apart that space fortress just now.

With his current strength, he naturally did not take that Caro into account; although the other party claimed to be ranked in the top ten on Earth, he was merely at a decent level within the sixth layer of the Yu Xingyuan, only slightly stronger than that Imperial Prince of the Starfall Clan during the God's Trial.

And after his Divine Office sublimated to God's Son, his strength skyrocketed, reaching at least the peak of the seventh layer; he would have to test the specifics in the Yu Xingyuan.

Just now, when the World God unleashed that shocking explosion, under close-range conditions, a normal Level Seven of the Yu Xingyuan would at least be severely injured, let alone Caro.

Under normal circumstances, only Star God Office holders of the combat type have an absolute guarantee to crush a Level Five fortress, which means a strength around the eighth layer of the Yu Xingyuan, but blasting from the inside is much simpler.

"Fortunately, Chu Hongjun also knows that Kadoan is my clone."

Lin Qing pondered, "The message Chu Hongjun sent to the Kadoan clone just now... told me to kill Caro, then blow up the Level Five fortress, and escape on my own?"

Chu Hongjun's meaning might be to have him kill Caro, then use a Zero-Point Energy Bomb to blast open that Level Five fortress.

He directly releasing the World God would achieve the same effect.

"Lin Qing."

At this moment, a telepathic voice suddenly rang in his mind; he heard Yi Leina Duo's familiar voice: "Did you destroy that fortress just now by yourself?"

Her telepathic voice conveyed incredulity and uncontrollable shock.

With Yi Leina Duo's strength, she could naturally see that Lin Qing was merely a Primal God Office holder, a mere sixth-level life form, yet possessed such terrifying strength?

Such an unimaginable strength almost exceeded her cognition.

"Yes."

Lin Qing said no more, simply transmitting: "I am coming to see you now; where are you?"

"I will cover your tracks; come to the underground base from last time." Yi Leina Duo transmitted: "Chu Hongjun happens to have a plan to discuss with you."

"Boom!"

The space fortress, like a rolling giant wheel, broke through the outer atmosphere with a thunderous crash, descended like a meteor over the Second Forbidden Zone, and slowly rotated to hover.

This wheel-shaped space fortress was the Lone Star Fortress that the Wisdom Star Group originally hid on the Moon.

As a Level Seven space fortress, under full-power activation, it crossed a distance of over ten thousand kilometers in less than twenty seconds, arriving here from the metropolitan area.

Beams of detection light quickly covered the nearby sea area.

There were also squads of soldiers wearing high-tech armor flying out from within, beginning to search the isolated island and the surrounding sea area.

In a short while.

"What?"

Inside the conference room of the Lone Star Fortress, Lei Tong heard the smart system's report, and his face turned extremely ugly. "The fortress was destroyed? Caro is also dead? And all people and equipment were destroyed as well?"

"Yes." The smart system replied: "Judging from the damage to the fortress, it is suspected to have suffered a blast of terrifying power. Although it was not a Zero-Point Energy Bomb, its power was sufficient to rival a Zero-Point Energy Bomb. It exploded from inside the fortress, causing Caro's instant death, leaving no time even to land on the Second Universe Network to send a message."

"Not a Zero-Point Energy Bomb?" Lei Tong gritted his teeth. "Then what was it?"

"Unclear."

The smart system said: "But it can be confirmed as a pure energy explosion with no residue, and it was also a vacuum-level bomb."

"Then it is normal for Chu Hongjun to have created other bombs." Lei Tong said in a low voice: "What about surveillance? Was the surveillance inside this fortress transmitted in real-time?"

"The holographic projection surveillance inside the fortress is transmitted via light signals within the planet."

The smart system said: "Although it is uploaded and stored in real-time, uploading all information from inside such a massive fortress together also has a delay of about 0.0076 seconds. Up to 0.0076 seconds before the surveillance was destroyed, no discovery was made of how Lin Qing caused the explosion."

During the smart system's response, beams of light also formed holographic projections, replaying the surveillance records of the fortress interior before it was blown up.

"You say... if a Zero-Point Energy Bomb exploded here, would you die?"

"Is that so? Truly pathetic..."

The surveillance records inside the fortress ended completely right there.

"Didn't see him take out a bomb." Lei Tong frowned: "The record ends here; within just 0.0076 seconds, the fortress surveillance was destroyed?"

However, he also understood in his heart that this was very normal.

0.0076 seconds seems very short, but for his level, in high-speed combat, it is enough to fully exchange blows hundreds or thousands of times.

The upload of surveillance records inside the fortress has a delay of 0.0017 seconds; as long as the surveillance equipment is destroyed within 0.0076 seconds, naturally there is no time to upload the records.

"Yes."

The smart system replied: "At that time, the satellite surveillance of this Forbidden Zone was also hacked and shut down. We can only confirm the explosion's power from the scene traces; it rivals a Zero-Point Energy Bomb. At least a strength of the seventh layer of the Yu Xingyuan would be required to possibly survive such an explosion."

"What about the satellites?" Lei Tong frowned: "Do the satellites have ground surveillance records?"

"All satellites capable of monitoring were hacked and forcibly shut down." The smart system said: "It is suspected to be the work of Chu Hongjun."

"Chu Hongjun..."

Lei Tong narrowed his eyes slightly and said: "Tell me the conclusion of your deduction and analysis."

The smart system replied: "Lin Qing should possess some special survival ability that allows him to survive even under a Zero-Point level explosion. After being coerced into entering the fortress interior, he detonated the bomb through some concealed method, killing Caro in a mutual destruction, destroyed the fortress, and he himself relied on some method to preserve his life and escaped after the explosion."

"Survival ability..." Lei Qing pondered.

With such a survival ability, he did not find it strange.

The relic space of Earth's pre-civilization was definitely left by a Level Two civilization; it is also possible that Lin Qing obtained some survival item from within it.

As for relying on Lin Qing himself?

He had never considered it, and the intelligent system had not factored this condition in at all.

Because it was completely unreasonable.

A newly promoted Primeval Divine Servant, even if he mastered a Divine Skill, could at most reach the strength of just passing the sixth layer of the Yu Xingyuan.

And that explosion just now was enough to rival a Zero-Point Energy Bomb; even someone with the strength of the seventh layer of the Yu Xingyuan, if they were not skilled in defense and poor at survival, would likely be blown to death on the spot.

Such terrifying power, how could it possibly be connected to Lin Qing himself?

"Damn it..."

Lei Tong's face was extremely gloomy. "This Lin Qing was clearly going to participate in the Divine Servant Trial, yet he actually carried such a terrifying bomb with him..."

Most importantly, he had never imagined Lin Qing would possess such an incredible survival ability!

The explosive power of this level is enough to destroy all matter and energy, forming an absolute vacuum, so many abilities that seem like rebirth or resurrection are also completely useless.

For instance, some very miraculous Holy Letters can even achieve 'Rebirth from a Drop of Blood', but in such an explosion, death is inevitable.

Including the soul, which is essentially a mixture of spirit and energy, would also be destroyed.

Therefore, surviving such an explosion is very difficult.

Only those precious treasures involving space could possibly possess such a survival ability.

"The pre-civilization of Earth is indeed formidable..."

Lei Tong took a deep breath. "Just how many treasures did these guys find in the pre-civilization ruins? Such precious treasures were used just for his survival..."

Thinking of this, he suddenly sneered: "But to let Lin Qing survive, he was willing to use such a precious treasure. Qi Lingxiao did not intervene, which further proves his Divine Servant Trial failed..."

In his view, once Qi Lingxiao succeeded, he would be completely invincible on Earth, so there would be no need to hide.

And such a survival item is more precious than the entire Wisdom Star Group; what was the point?

"Hmph..."

Lei Tong gazed coldly at the fortress wreckage pulled from the seabed below. "Wait until the opening of the Sky Archipelago ends this time, and then we shall see..."

If it weren't for the worry that forcing Chu Hongjun too hard would turn Earth into a dead star, preventing even the opening of this Sky Archipelago, he would have gone to their door right now.

"Forget it... just a mere Lin Qing."

Lei Tong took a deep breath. "As long as it is a year and a half later, the great army of my Yuanchen Civilization will descend upon Earth; by then, even geniuses will be useless..."

Inside a base hidden deep underground.

"Lin Qing, you're back."

Zhao Jiayi rushed to Lin Qing's embrace almost like flying, hugged his waist, raised her head, and looked at him with her pair of bright blue eyes. "Did the trial succeed?"

"Of course." A smile appeared at the corner of Lin Qing's mouth, and he looked her over again. "How many sets of Holy Letters has Ms. Yi Leina Duo given you carved?"

Before leaving, he had left a large piece of Star Origin Stone for Zhao Jiayi, allowing her to carve Holy Letters faster and saving the time needed to accumulate energy.

"Four sets."

Zhao Jiayi touched her belly again and muttered, "But, I don't seem to be pregnant..."

"... You are still young, don't think about these things." Lin Qing looked at her speechlessly.

"Don't you want it?" Zhao Jiayi asked in confusion.

"Earth is still in crisis, my strength is not enough, let's wait." Lin Qing shook his head.

"Oh, then we'll talk about it later." Zhao Jiayi nodded obediently, then used telepathy to transmit a voice: "Mom might be spying on us with telepathy; do you want to sleep tonight?"

"... Do you want to?"

"Mm..."

"Then come tonight."

After the two chatted for a while via telepathy, Lin Qing went to the base's conference room to find Chu Hongjun and the other two.

"Lin Qing, Yi Leina Duo said you didn't use Chu Hongjun's Zero-Point Energy Bomb to destroy that fortress just now?"

Inside the conference room, Qi Lingxiao couldn't help but ask as soon as he saw Lin Qing.

Lin Qing nodded and said, "Anyway, the effect is the same. Dean Chu didn't say I must use the Zero-Point Energy Bomb; he just asked me to destroy that fortress, so I did it myself."

Yi Leina Duo couldn't help but exclaim, "A fifth-tier space fortress; I couldn't even destroy it."

She was a special Divine Servant in the direction of Civilization Guide, not a combat type, and was more skilled at guiding and discovering talent, suitable for teaching and instructing.

She was relatively weak in combat aspects.

Although she was a Star Divine Servant and held a rare Divine Servant title, in reality, her strength was only at the seventh layer of the Yu Xingyuan. "Higher than I calculated, and you've improved again?" Chu Hongjun also glanced at Lin Qing.

"How did you do it?"

Qi Lingxiao became even more surprised. "You are a Primeval Divine Servant now, right? Your life level is only that of a High Primeval Creature, a sixth-level life form."

Lin Qing pondered for a moment and said, "My Divine Skill is quite strong, and the treasures I obtained in the Secret Library of the Stars have also made my Gene Optimization Index relatively high, which is why I have this strength."

"The legendary Combined Divine Skill?" Qi Lingxiao suddenly understood a bit.

He sighed with a "tsk tsk": "When I received the Divine Skill inheritance in the Sky Archipelago, I also heard of Combined Divine Skills. Although I learned the three powerful Divine Skills of that set, I must become a disciple to learn the final inheritance that fuses the three Divine Skills into one, but my talent and comprehension are not enough to meet the threshold for becoming a disciple."

"Become a disciple?" Lin Qing realized.

He suddenly remembered that when he was attempting the Divine Skill trial for the Commander of Troops, as long as the requirements were met, the highest option was to become a disciple.

But he only learned the second Divine Skill, 'Spinning Star'.

However, this trip to the Sky Archipelago would allow him to receive the inheritances for the first and third Divine Skills; at that time, he would try again to see if he could become a disciple and learn more.

"Speaking of which..."

Please... collect_(!)

Lin Qing suddenly sized up Qi Lingxiao and said, "Hall Master Qi seems to be in a good mood. I can't tell what Divine Office you hold; you don't look like someone who failed the Divine Office trial."

Actually...

He had already confirmed that Qi Lingxiao's Divine Office trial was a success.

The domain of a Demi-God can easily probe other Primordial-level Divine Offices; only a Star-level Divine Office would be impossible for him to see through.

Right now, he could not see through Qi Lingxiao's Divine Office.

This meant—Qi Lingxiao was already a Star-level Divine Office holder!

"Correct."

Qi Lingxiao smiled. "With my character, I am a natural child of fortune; how could I fail? I truly had an epiphany during the trial. After mastering three Divine Arts, I swept the entire field during the trial!"

He looked silently at Chu Hongjun. "If it weren't for that guy Chu Hongjun insisting on some plan to make me pretend I failed the trial, I would have kicked all these damn bastards off Earth long ago!"

With his strength as a Star-level Divine Office holder and three powerful Divine Arts, he was absolutely capable of passing the ninth layer of the Yu Xingyuan!

With such strength, even in the vast majority of Type I civilizations, he would be considered at the very peak.

Only a Type 1.9 civilization might possess more terrifying existences.

"Dean Chu's plan?"

Lin Qing realized and said, "So Dean Chu doesn't just want to drive these extraterrestrial civilizations out of Earth?"

Hearing this, Chu Hongjun looked at Qi Lingxiao and said, "If you could be as calm as Lin Qing and have some brains, I wouldn't have to hide every plan from you."

Qi Lingxiao snorted and said, "This time I will definitely be calm. Anyway, I am invincible on Earth. Just say it."

"I refuse."

Chu Hongjun said calmly, "I can be certain that as soon as I tell you the plan, you will definitely refuse."

"Huh? What do you mean? You're hiding it from me again?" Qi Lingxiao suddenly stood up, glaring fiercely at Chu Hongjun, his teeth grinding with anger.

"The parts you cannot accept, I will tell Yi Leina Duo and Lin Qing via telekinesis," Chu Hongjun said in a calm voice. "As for the part of the plan I tell you, just cooperate well."

"You're treating me as a tool again, right?" Qi Lingxiao's face turned dark.

Chu Hongjun seemed not to hear, turned his head to look at Lin Qing and Yi Leina Duo, and said, "Then let me outline the plan."

Qi Lingxiao's mouth twitched slightly. "Just you wait. After the Earth crisis ends, I'll beat the hell out of you sooner or later!"

"If you can survive until then."

Chu Hongjun looked at him, then said, "The purpose of this plan, just as Lin Qing said, is not merely to drive the extraterrestrial civilizations out of Earth."

He paused and said, "Or rather, what meaning is there in just driving out these existing extraterrestrial civilizations on Earth? In a year and a half, Earth will open up; that will be the true great crisis."

"Then at least we can take revenge, right?" Qi Lingxiao said.

"Is that called revenge?"

Chu Hongjun looked at him and said, "The Wisdom Star Group and other extraterrestrial forces are merely tools used by those extraterrestrial civilizations to colonize Earth. Throwing away the tools, is that revenge?"

Lin Qing suddenly realized that Chu Hongjun's extremely rational conclusion coincided perfectly with his own thoughts.

The Wisdom Star people almost caused the complete isolation of humanity on Earth; merely driving out the Wisdom Star Group would be too cheap for the Wisdom Star people.

"First, you must understand one point."

Chu Hongjun said, "For Earth, the true crisis has never been the Wisdom Star Group, or even the Yuan Chen Civilization. Given Qi Lingxiao's current strength, does Earth civilization not have the qualification to negotiate with the Yuan Chen Civilization? As long as benefits are shared, this is not a crisis at all."

"Then what is the true crisis?" Qi Lingxiao couldn't help but ask, adding, "Let's be clear beforehand: I will not accept the result of making peace negotiations with those Wisdom Star dogs."

"That result never existed from the beginning."

Chu Hongjun looked at him, then slowly said, "Earth's true crisis... is that we are too weak."

Yi Leina Duo and Qi Lingxiao couldn't help but be stunned.

"Too weak..."

Lin Qing pondered thoughtfully.

"Perhaps you do not have sufficient knowledge or concept of Earth's treasures," Chu Hongjun said. "But after gaining some understanding of Earth's pre-civilization, the conclusion I drew made me immediately understand this truth."

He looked at Lin Qing and said, "Lin Qing, do you think Earth's pre-civilization was a Type II civilization?"

Lin Qing pondered for a moment and said, "I don't know the situation of a Type II civilization, but from what is currently known... it should be more than that."

Nonsense.

The ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine steps of the Bronze Demon Mountain; the rewards for the steps from ten thousand to ninety thousand were all Type II civilization initiation marks.

And after the hundred thousandth step, the reward was a Type III civilization initiation mark!

Although he was unclear if a Type II civilization had the qualification to enter a Type III civilization, no matter how one looked at it, Earth's pre-civilization did not seem like a Type II civilization.

Chu Hongjun nodded slightly and said softly, "Then I can tell you with certainty that Earth's pre-civilization absolutely cannot be a Type II civilization; it must be a Type III civilization."

Lin Qing thought the same in his heart.

The highest level of civilization is Type IV, and there are only two Type IV civilizations: the Void God Clan and the Yu Xingyuan Demon Clan. Therefore, Earth's pre-civilization was either Type II or Type III.

"How did you determine that?" Qi Lingxiao couldn't help but ask.

Chu Hongjun said slowly, "A Type I civilization is the application of energy and matter, while a Type II civilization has reached the peak in the application of space. A Type 1.9 civilization is special precisely because it has also begun to apply space."

He paused and said, "As for a Type III civilization, it is rumored that the application of time has become completely mature, and the application of spacetime has surpassed the imagination of all civilizations."

Lin Qing's heart trembled.

In the Vacuum Great Tomb, the method of storing the Star Origin Stones was time stasis!

Moreover, the entire space where the Vacuum Great Tomb was located formed its own cycle, just like an independent spacetime!

"This time, Lin Qing's trip to the Vacuum Great Tomb made me completely confirm this point: Earth's pre-civilization is a Type III civilization."

Chu Hongjun said in a low voice, "As the treasure of a Type III civilization, even if only a small residue remains, once a Type II civilization learns of it, it will probably cause the Type II civilization to go mad, right?"

His gaze swept over the three of them. "Earth is now like a child carrying a bag of gold walking through a slum; this is the true danger!"

Qi Lingxiao was stunned for several seconds before saying somewhat without confidence, "Type II civilization... that seems like we can't fight them..."

"In the eyes of a Type II civilization, Type I civilizations are like anthills, easily wiped out."

Chu Hongjun glanced at Qi Lingxiao and said, "You have reached the end of the divine office path under normal circumstances; you should understand what I mean."

Qi Lingxiao helplessly nodded.

He asked again, "So, what do you plan to do?"

"Two key points."

Chu Hongjun said, "Secrecy, and survival."

He paused, then said, "There are currently rumors in the Milky Way that a treasure left by a Level 1.9 civilization exists on Earth; this will only attract a Level 1 civilization. Just keep it like this. Only the high-level members of the Zhi Xing people have confirmed that Earth's pre-civilization was a Level 2 civilization."

Lin Qing, deep in thought, said, "Completely annihilate the Yuanchen civilization?"

"If possible, this is indeed the best method of secrecy."

Chu Hongjun said, "The threat from the Yuanchen civilization is not great. What we fear most now is that a Level 1.9 civilization will also hear the news and come rushing over; that would be very troublesome. I'm afraid even the people of Earth would find it hard to keep themselves alive."

"Level 1.9 civilization..." Qi Lingxiao took a deep breath and said, "I indeed have no confidence in confronting a Level 1.9 civilization... Can your plan ensure our safety in front of a Level 1.9 civilization?"

"Yes."

Chu Hongjun nodded and said, "For this, the most critical thing is... to seize the Zhi Xing Group's Class 7 space fortress."

"Class 7 space fortress?" Qi Lingxiao asked in confusion, "A Class 7 fortress is indeed powerful, but it poses no threat to someone like me at the ninth layer of the Yu Xingyuan; it's just a turtle shell. What use is a single Class 7 fortress?"

"I naturally have great use for it." Chu Hongjun said, "A Class 7 space fortress can only be manufactured by a Level 1.9 civilization, and even a Level 1.9 civilization needs to consume vast resources to build one."

Having received Kadoan's memories, Lin Qing naturally understood the special nature of a Class 7 fortress.

A Class 7 fortress already utilizes materials containing spatial properties; the technological limit of a normal Level 1 civilization is only a Class 6 space fortress.

The Yuanchen civilization, because of its connection with that powerful Level 1.9 civilization 'Nine Stars', had also expended a huge price to obtain two Class 7 space fortresses.

From this, one can also see the Yuanchen civilization's importance attached to Earth; they had long ago sent one of the Class 7 space fortresses here.

To prevent other universe civilizations from noticing the Yuanchen civilization's importance attached to Earth, they even specially hid the Lone Star Fortress inside the Moon.

However...

Although a Class 7 fortress is powerful, it poses no threat to someone at the ninth layer of the Yu Xingyuan; what use does Chu Hongjun have for a Class 7 fortress?

"Lin Qing."

Chu Hongjun suddenly used telepathy to speak to Lin Qing: "Kadoan is your clone. Since Lei Tong dares to move against you, it seems my deterrence is no longer effective... Now the Yuanchen civilization should already know that even if Earth becomes a dead star, once life is restored again, it can reconnect to those ruin spaces, right?"

"Yes." Lin Qing replied via telepathy, "The administrator of the Yuanchen civilization consulted the ancestor of the Level 1.9 civilization 'Nine Stars' and believes Earth was formed from fragments of a Level 2 civilization's void secret realm."

Chu Hongjun transmitted via telepathy, "As expected. Then we must seize the Zhi Xing Group's Class 7 fortress; otherwise... the hope for Earth's civilization will be even more slim."

"Dean Chu, is the Class 7 fortress really that useful?" Lin Qing couldn't help but ask via telepathy.

"The Class 7 fortress itself holds little significance."

Chu Hongjun transmitted via telepathy, "But the spatial materials and core device components of the Class 7 fortress are what I need."

"Materials and components?" Lin Qing was even more puzzled.

"Earth's civilization is weak; we can only continue with the same deterrence plan."

Chu Hongjun transmitted via telepathy, "But a Level 1.9 civilization simply does not care about those zero-point energy bombs, nor do they care if Earth becomes a dead star. So we need a truly threatening deterrence."

Lin Qing was stunned.

"I am preparing to create a true 'big weapon' capable of completely destroying Earth."

Chu Hongjun transmitted via telepathy, "Not turning it into a dead star, but shattering the entire Earth completely, to a point of no recovery. Only in this way can we threaten a Level 1.9 civilization... And that Class 7 space fortress contains the materials and components I need."

Lin Qing was astonished.

Although the deterrence of mutual destruction is a very effective strategy, creating a big weapon capable of shattering the entire Earth?

This plan is too crazy.

No wonder Chu Hongjun was so certain Qi Lingxiao would not agree to this plan.

(End of this chapter)