Chapter 1095: For the Sake of Survival, We Are Touching the Forbidden

Aorusike slammed his hand on the table and said.

"'Mirror Rift'. This aligns with some of our previous intelligence fragments. The Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance has internally mentioned concepts like 'Mirror Rift' and 'Reality Anomaly'. It now appears that the facility on Tartarus-IV may have inadvertently opened some kind of... rift connecting different versions of reality."

An elderly councilor, Lord Mallory, spoke slowly.

"Let me summarize. We are facing an enemy that rose from the Gladiator Arena, possessing Super Soldiers we cannot counter.

Now, we have discovered that within our own territory, there exist facilities capable of harming these Super Soldiers. Such facilities function by distorting the structure of reality, potentially opening rifts to... other versions of reality."

Mallory looked around at everyone.

"And your proposal is: to study and replicate this phenomenon, weaponizing it to use against the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance."

Valken nodded.

"That is exactly it, my Lord. It is our only ray of hope on the front lines."

Mallory was in Silence for a moment, then said.

"I understand the urgent military necessity.

But I must remind you all: we are playing with forces we do not understand at all. Distorting reality? Opening Mirror Rifts? These concepts are forbidden knowledge.

Historically, every civilization that attempted to control power beyond its own understanding eventually..."

"Eventually what, Lord?"

A young military-faction councilor interrupted.

"Destroyed? But if we do nothing, we will be destroyed all the same! The goal of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance is clear: to annihilate or conquer the Feng Qi Xing Alliance.

Their policies in occupied territories prove this: executing high-ranking officials, dissolving government institutions, and forcibly imposing their system.

This is not a normal territorial dispute; this is a war for survival!"

Another councilor echoed.

"That's right! It's destruction either way, at least the Mirror Rift gives us a fighting chance! Perhaps we can even find a way to control it during our research!"

Mallory shook his head.

"You are gambling, gambling with the future of our entire civilization. What if this power goes Out of Control? What if the opened rift cannot be closed? What if... what if something comes out of the rift that is even more terrifying than the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance?"

Aorusike replied.

"We already have some data, Lord. Although the incident on Tartarus-IV was violent, its scope was limited and its duration brief.

The structure of reality seems to have a tendency toward self-repair.

If we can control the scale, if we can guide it precisely..."

"If we can, if, if."

Mallory sighed.

"Too many assumptions, too little certainty. But we truly have no choice, do we?"

Speaker Ravenna finally spoke.

"Doctor Suolun, based on existing data, what is needed to initiate research? Time? Resources? Risks?"

Suolun thought for a moment and replied.

"We need a specialized research team. We need similar ruins for field study. We need to reproduce the conditions of the energy burst, but it must be done on a controllable, small scale."

Suolun paused, then added.

"Time... cannot be estimated. It could be months, it could be years. Resources... will be significant, requiring the mobilization of top talent from various fields. Risks... are extremely high. We may trigger uncontrollable events during research, which could lead to the death of researchers, or even worse."

"But what if we succeed?"

Valken asked.

"If we succeed, we may master a brand-new weapon system. A weapon capable of ignoring conventional defenses and attacking the very foundation of the enemy's existence. Even... we might open a passage to other realities, obtaining different technologies, resources, or... allies."

"Allies?"

A councilor keenly seized upon the word.

"If mirror realities exist, then versions of the Feng Qi Xing Alliance may exist within them as well. They might be more advanced, might have mastered methods to counter the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance, might..."

"Or they might be more backward, might have already been destroyed, or might themselves be a threat."

Mallory said coldly.

"We cannot assume that other versions of us will be friends. By definition, 'mirror' means similar but not identical. That point of difference could be fatal."

Speaker Ravenna crossed her hands and fell into deep thought.

Everyone in the conference hall looked at her, waiting for her decision.

After a long while, Ravenna finally spoke.

"We will approve the Mirror Rift research project."

Lord Mallory closed his eyes, but did not object.

Ravenna continued.

"But there must be strict limitations and safety protocols. First, the research cannot be conducted on a Core World or in densely populated areas. A remote, uninhabited planet or space facility must be chosen. Second, the research must be conducted in stages, with each stage requiring approval from a special committee of the council before proceeding to the next. Third, if there are signs of it going Out of Control, it must be possible to terminate and isolate it immediately."

Ravenna looked at Suolun.

"Doctor Suolun, you will lead this project. You will have the Highest Priority and may mobilize any talent and resources you need. But you will also bear full responsibility; if there are catastrophic consequences, you are the primary person responsible."

Suolun took a deep breath, then nodded firmly.

"I understand, Speaker. I will do everything in my power to ensure the research is conducted safely."

"Chairman Valken,"

Ravenna turned to the military leader.

"Before the research results are available, the Southern Theater must hold firm. Your multi-pronged counterattack plan must be executed; you must buy time for the research. At the same time, you need to begin developing tactical applications for once the Mirror Rift is weaponized, but limited to paper simulations only; no actual deployment is permitted until the research proves its safety and controllability."

"Understood, Speaker."

Valken saluted.

Ravenna took one last look around the entire conference hall.

"Everyone, we have made a dangerous decision today. We have chosen to explore the unknown, chosen to touch the forbidden, because we have no other choice.

But I must remind everyone: this is no guarantee of victory; it is merely an attempt born of desperation.

We still need to fight on the conventional battlefield, still need to defend our world, and still need to seek every possible opportunity.

The Mirror Rift research is our last resort, not our first choice. When putting it into use, we must be as cautious as we would be with the most dangerous pathogen.

Because once it is Out of Control, we may not lose to the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance, but to the Demon we have released ourselves."

Ravenna paused for a moment.

"Now, let us vote. Approve the Mirror Rift research project, with the aforementioned restrictions. Those in favor, please light up your Third Eye."

Inside the conference hall, one Third Eye after another lit up in succession.

Most eyes were lit: the entire Military Committee, the representatives of the Academy of Sciences, and the majority of the council members.

Lord Mallory's Third Eye did not light up.

But a few seconds later, Mallory slowly opened it; the light was dim, but it was indeed present.

"For the sake of survival, we are abandoning our principles."

A council member nearby responded.

"Without survival, principles are meaningless, my lord."

Ravenna finished counting the votes.

"Passed. Project codename: 'Mirror Operation'. The meeting is adjourned. May the Three-Eyed guide us."