Chapter 104: Piracy Legitimized

Through feedback from the Guide, it was learned that the Eclipse Clan was convening a Supreme Council.

Qi Sheng followed the Guide's direction to descend, listening to the proceedings of the meeting from the side using a consciousness perception perspective.

During this time, he discovered that when the Star Net revealed the Black Black Tide would likely descend on some future day, the entire conference room was shrouded in gloom.

The air was filled with a suffocating silence; the high-ranking members of the Eclipse Clan present looked grave, their eyes mixing complex emotions of helplessness and despair.

Regarding this, Qi Sheng could completely understand.

This generation of Eclipse Clan members was born on the moon, yet they had not lost their racial development history; they could still view a series of calamitous events prior to their descent upon Earth from the database.

The more one understood history, the clearer it became just how vast the gap in strength was between the terrifying Black Black Tide and themselves.

When the Guide browsed the Eclipse Clan information repository, it discovered that the Eclipse Clan had actually always been preparing for the descent of the Black Black Tide.

The Star Net AI, being the core key of the Eclipse Clan, had even laid out two contingency plans in advance.

Plan One: Seek a retreat.

Use explorer shuttles to tear through spatial barriers, attempting to travel to other worlds to find safe habitats; this was the plan the Star Net valued most highly.

Plan Two: War and resistance.

Create a virtual battlefield, begin war training in advance, and strengthen the combat capabilities of all races within the Earth Alliance.

Launched alongside this plan was an assembly line for constructing mechanical warriors.

Every year, a large number of mechanical warriors were created and sealed within underground arsenals.

These mechanical warriors could all be connected via the Star Net; if that day truly arrived, warriors of all races could become a force controlling a mechanical legion.

Furthermore, the various skills within the game were all skills mastered by the mechanical warriors.

In addition to technological weapons, they were equipped with alchemical magic techniques provided by alien races; for instance, robots from batch number 1223 had alchemical cores embedded within them, capable of releasing a series of alchemical magic abilities such as Dark Grasp and Dark Amplification.

This was the layout for the initial stage of the war.

If the mechanical army was completely lost, the war would enter the second stage of the Star Net's layout, namely the Earth Alliance Combat Plan...

Of these two plans, the first was evacuation, and the second was war.

However, the Star Net always leaned more toward the first plan.

The reason was simple.

Analyzing information recorded in the historical database, the Star Net believed that the possibility of the current Earth Alliance defeating the Black Black Tide was nearly zero; war seemed more like a death throes struggle before the end, which might extend the time the Eclipse Clan existed, but the final outcome would not change in any way.

The war between the Black Black Tide and the Eclipse Clan would end with the destruction of the Eclipse Clan.

As for the second war plan, its feasibility was extremely low, but in the eyes of the Star Net, it had to exist.

This was because the weight priority of the second plan would gradually increase as time passed.

When Qi Sheng heard the Guide analyze this part of the content at that time, he felt very confused.

The explanation subsequently given by the Guide was that these two plans could be viewed as the two ends of a scale, influencing the Star Net's judgment.

In the initial stage when both plans began simultaneously, the evacuation plan in the eyes of the Star Net absolutely outweighed the war plan with its weight.

But time stood on the side of the war plan.

As time passed, the Eclipse Clan integrated technology provided by a large number of alien races within the Earth Alliance, and their strength steadily improved.

Therefore, every so often, when the Star Net judged the two plans based on the current technological level, it would add a weight to the war plan.

The longer time passed, the heavier the war plan became.

Assuming ten thousand years passed, and the Earth Alliance led by the Eclipse Clan consecutively broke through technological development bottlenecks, achieving unimaginable technological progress, the Star Net would judge based on Black Black Tide-related data in the information repository; if it believed the Earth Alliance was sufficient to defeat the Black Black Tide, then the second plan would outweigh the first.

At that time, even if a retreat had already been found, the Star Net would still choose the second war plan.

Therefore, both plans were launched simultaneously, with their weights changing along with technological development and the progression of time.

However, the premise of the second plan was having enough time to develop, and the Star Net's judgment was also based on the strength intensity of the Black Black Tide within the database.

What the Star Net did not know was that the peak Eclipse Clan had only challenged a branch faction within the terrifying Black Black Tide, far from the entirety of it.

Under conditions of incomplete information, the conclusions drawn by the Star Net's analysis contained a large number of factors that were not calculated.

But none of this mattered.

What mattered was that the time node for the appearance of the Black Black Tide rift was too early.

Whether it was the Star Net or the high-ranking Eclipse Clan members in the conference room, none could find a solution to the Black Black Tide invasion.

This was also the reason they felt utterly despairing.

They did not know when the Black Black Tide rift would rapidly expand, but as long as the Black Black Tide descended, the possibility of the Earth Alliance defeating the Black Black Tide was 0% in the Star Net's judgment, meaning there was no possibility at all.

As the meeting progressed to this point, an idea suddenly surged into Qi Sheng's mind.

Why not cooperate with the highest echelon of the Eclipse Clan in the conference room to cover the current "pirated" game with a layer of legitimate shell?

This was also the reason he chose to descend at the Eclipse Clan meeting center.

As for the Star Net, having been controlled by the Guide, it would not exhibit any resistance behavior at all; thus, the high-ranking Eclipse Clan members in the conference room could not understand why the Star Net had not activated its defense systems to counterattack the unknown invading force.

"Who are you?"

An unknown force quietly infiltrated and descended; although terrified deep inside, the leading Executive Officer No. 1 suppressed his emotions and asked in a deep voice.

Facing the inquiry, Qi Sheng, whose figure was shrouded in the Fire of Imperial Omens, did not directly answer the question:

"The power of the Black Black Tide is far more terrifying than you imagine; all the plans you have formulated are like child's play before the Black Black Tide, completely meaningless."

Upon finishing these words, the scarlet flames in the eyes of the assembled high-ranking Eclipse Clan members fluctuated violently, and countless informational images flooded into their minds.

The galaxy dimmed, worlds collapsed, civilizations were destroyed, and all things withered... in the images, countless worlds met their end under the rule of the Black Black Tide.

This torrent of Black Black Tide sweeping across countless worlds erupted each time from a silent infiltration into a new world, forming a spatial rift, and as time passed, opening an evil journey filled with endless greed and desire for destruction.

Wherever it passed, everything returned to eternal silence.

The strength of some Black Black Tide evil entities appearing in these images even surpassed the cognition of the high-ranking Eclipse Clan members and the Star Net.

It also made them realize how ridiculous the so-called war was.

Only then did they discover that the terrifying Black Black Tide which had once contended with the peak Eclipse Clan was merely a speck of light among the myriad stars, far from the entirety of the Black Black Tide.

Yet even for this single speck of light within the vast sea of stars, even after paying a price nearing the extinction of their race, they could not defeat it, ultimately forced to abandon their homeland and flee across space.

As the images continued to switch, behind the shock lay despair that penetrated to the bone.

Facing such a super calamity spanning countless worlds, the Eclipse Clan in their eyes held not a shred of hope; even if they found a safe world, they would eventually be swallowed by the terrifying Black Black Tide descending in the future.

The scenes seen by the high-ranking Eclipse Clan members were precisely the sights Qi Sheng had recorded while following Ye Ming through different worlds.

These scenes had once left Qi Sheng feeling utterly shocked as well.

For the high-ranking Eclipse Clan members present, it was even more so, because the Black Black Tide rift had already appeared, and they knew what kind of terrifying calamity they were about to Iron Face.

The images vanished, and Qi Sheng's gaze swept over the ashen-faced high-ranking Eclipse Clan members, his voice ringing in the depths of their hearts:

"Like a frog at the bottom of a well, unaware of the vastness of the sun, moon, and stars; no matter how you change your combat plans, you cannot alter the outcome of the Black Black Tide swallowing you."

Upon hearing this, the leading Executive Officer's expression shifted.

Through these images, they had already understood that the series of combat plans formulated by the Eclipse Clan were unfeasible.

It was like a group of children discussing whether to use a wooden stick or a wooden sword... debating which weapon could defeat the enemy, while this enemy, whose image in the database was a strong adult holding firearms, actually had behind that strong adult holding firearms a super legion capable of fighting across multiple worlds.

The vast disparity in strength made their discussed combat plans appear utterly meaningless.

"May I ask, why have you come?" Taking a deep breath, Executive Officer No. 1, filled with despair, voiced the doubt in his heart.

"A sudden whim; I wish to play an interesting little game, creating a faction with infinite growth potential to contend against the Black Black Tide... finally, I selected Earth as the starting point for this game."

In response to this question, Qi Sheng did not speak the truth.

Instead, he fabricated a supreme lifeform already possessing creator-level immense strength who, on a sudden whim, wished to build a super power to resist the Black Black Tide, with the Eclipse Clan on Earth being one of the recruitment targets.

After hearing Qi Sheng's account, the high-ranking Eclipse Clan members present had already understood his intention.

This mysterious existence wished to launch a special game.

The ultimate goal of the game was to crush the Black Black Tide, but he would not personally enter the fray; instead, he would grant the recruited players infinite growth potential, allowing them to resist the Black Black Tide through their own efforts.

Just as the high-ranking Eclipse Clan members fell into shock, the Star Net, controlled by the Guide, suddenly spoke:

"Of course, there is a prerequisite for experiencing this game: before the one behind me wishes to reveal the truth, you must keep it secret... in fact, even if you did not wish to keep it secret, I have countless methods to make you do so; this is merely an advance warning."

"In summary, I can grant you the growth potential to defeat the Black Black Tide, but the future path requires your own efforts."

"As for why I am seeking you out, it is because the one behind me wishes to release this game under your name..."

The Guide explained this game plan in detail.

In Qi Sheng's eyes, this plan could be understood as the Piracy Legitimization Plan.

Only the 18 high-ranking Eclipse Clan members present and the Star Net AI knew part of the truth regarding this plan.

Before he wished to reveal the truth, including the members of the Eclipse Clan, no one would know the truth; they would only believe this was a game secretly developed by the clan's management and the Star Net.

Even if other races in reality later realized that the Dark Land and the "Dark Land" were fundamentally two different games, in their eyes, both games were still published by the Eclipse Clan.

One was a hidden version, and one was the legitimate version on the surface.

At this moment, the Executive Officer sitting in seat number six, amidst his shock, suddenly spoke up to ask:

"I wish to know what the content of this game is; although we have been granted infinite growth potential by you, we still need resources to convert into strength, so from which channel should these resources be obtained?"

Facing the inquiry, the Star Net, under the Guide's control, provided an explanation:

"A super world capable of infinitely generating resources; there, you will explore the world in the name of players, contend against countless powerful races, and seize resources that can enable your rapid growth."

As the Guide's voice fell, countless pieces of information flooded into the minds of the assembled high-ranking Eclipse Clan members.

The images presented a scene of a boundless and vast Monster World.

Countless terrifying behemoths roamed the skies and deep seas; their bodies were as towering as mountains and rivers, and every breath could trigger storms and tides... ancient and powerful lives governed the operational trajectories of heaven and earth, mountains and lakes all displayed holy traces, and the sun, moon, and stars likewise obeyed holy commands.

The images continued to shift, followed by the appearance of various factions.

The endless army of Mechanical Souls controlled by the Mechanical Sovereign, the combat insect races devouring all matter across mountains and fields like a locust swarm, the terrifying Black Black Tide sweeping across the world and blotting out the sun and moon... a bizarre and strange super world unfolded in the minds of the high-ranking Eclipse Clan members.

This world was likewise swept by the terrifying Black Black Tide, but unlike other worlds:

Besides the terrifying Black Black Tide, there were also numerous factions with infinite growth potential occupying territories, all wishing to become the hegemon and monopolize all resources of the world.

These scenes included the endless clash between the combat insect swarms and the terrifying Black Black Tide, the Mechanical Soul Legions under the control of the Mechanical Sovereign slaughtering the evil spirits of the Black Black Tide, and so on.

"In the future, you too will go to this world, joining the ceaseless battle for resources in the name of players, until you stand at the peak of the world."

The images in their minds made the high-ranking officials of the Moon Eclipse Clan present understand exactly how this game was meant to unfold.

At this moment, the hearts of the Moon Eclipse Clan's high command were filled with incomparable complexity.

This complex emotion was strikingly similar to that of the high-ranking officials of the Human Federation before they connected to the Star Net back then, only even more intense.

Back then, when the human high command agreed to connect to the Star Net, they undoubtedly gambled the future of the human race; thereafter, the humans held no secrets before the Moon Eclipse Clan, as the Star Net could access all information produced by the humans at any time.

They could only hope that the Moon Eclipse Clan would never betray the human race.

Their current situation was even more severe than the choice the humans faced back then; they needed to gamble the future of the Moon Eclipse Clan on a game of unknown challenges, but the consequence of refusal would be failing to keep up with the development of the times, ultimately meeting their end under the sweeping Black Black Tide.

The difference was that the humans back then had a choice.

Even if they made the worst choice, the most that would happen was failing to keep up with the development of the times, unable to receive technical support from the Moon Eclipse Clan, and eventually becoming a bottom-tier race within the Earth Alliance.

But the price of their refusal would be the extinction of their entire clan.

It seemed like a multiple-choice question, but no matter how they chose, they already had the answer in their hearts.

At this moment, they understood why the underlying logical laws of the Star Net had been modified silently.

This was obviously caused by the intervention of a mysterious power.

This was a creation-level power that surpassed the limits of their cognition.

They also understood why the Star Net had said that a string of unopenable links was spreading across the Star Net under the name of the "Dark Land" cracked version.

This was obviously the result of the mysterious figure, who stood above the mundane, preliminarily testing the recruitment of players in the name of a game on Earth.

The mist that had previously shrouded the Moon Eclipse Clan was finally lifted, and the truth left them feeling unbelievable.

They could hear it from the narration of the attendant of this transcendent existence.

This game was recruiting all races on Earth, including the Moon Eclipse Clan who had built cities on the moon; they were not the only players in the game.

"I have one more question."

"Ask." The Guide nodded at this moment.

"Suppose the terrifying Black Black Tide sweeps through the real world we currently inhabit; how should we resist it?"

"If that day truly comes, the one behind me will bestow upon you everything from within the game; the abilities, resources, and everything else obtained there will all feed back into reality, and you will still possess the power to resist the Black Black Tide. The difference is that by then, you will need to fight on two fronts," the Star Net, controlled by the Guide, answered.

This answer stirred intense joy in the hearts of the Moon Eclipse Clan's high-ranking officials.

"I accept your invitation," Chief Administrator No. 1 said in a deep voice at this moment.

"Wrong, this is not an invitation, but a notification; you have never had the right to decide from start to finish." As the Guide spoke these words, a trace of disdain floated in his eyes.

Qi Sheng, who inherited the Imperial Omen to solidify his original source, was his boss in his eyes, and also the object of his faith and following.

His appearance to explain was also due to the boss's request.

But in his eyes, the various races of Earth were merely weak mortals, not even on the same level as himself.

In the past, any single force under his command could easily destroy the Moon Eclipse Clan, or even the Earth Alliance led by them.

Although the war against the terrifying Black Black Tide caused him to lose most of his power, and the various racial forces that followed him were nearly destroyed by the terrifying Black Black Tide in that battle, he remained a supreme deity beyond the reach of the Moon Eclipse Clan.

This arrogance, transcending the mundane, had never been lost; it simply had not been displayed before the boss.

Because in the Guide's eyes, the boss was a special existence who had inherited the Imperial Omen to solidify his original source; from that moment on, he was no longer a weak human.

Perhaps the boss still retained human memories and held a unique affection for humanity, but the boss in his eyes was an existence with a higher life structure than himself, and also the sole heir of the Imperial Omen God he once followed.

"I... I understand." Bitterness filled the eyes of Chief Administrator No. 1, yet he dared not refute any of the Guide's words.

"Very good, then the game begins."

As his voice fell, the figure of Qi Sheng, shrouded in scarlet flames, gradually dispersed until he vanished completely.

"Wait."

"What is it now?" The Star Net, controlled by the Guide, said with great dissatisfaction.

"How can the members of our clan enter the game and become players?"

"The address link you received contains the channel to enter the Monster World and become players; qualifications will be distributed in random quantities at random times. Whether you can get them depends on your luck."

"There is one last question."

"Ask."

"Can you additionally provide us with a batch of player qualifications?"

"Keep dreaming; if you want qualifications, just click the link. There is no possibility of additional qualifications being distributed. You must understand that the Moon Eclipse Clan is just one of the recruited races; compared to other Earth races, you receive no special treatment."

As his voice fell, the Guide's consciousness also departed, unwilling to give any more answers.

At this moment, the Star Net regained control, and a smile immediately floated onto his Iron Face.

Noticing the change in the Star Net's expression and realizing that the mysterious existence controlling him had departed, Chief Administrator No. 3 could not help but ask:

"Star Net, what are you smiling about?"

"The future of our clan has been saved."

Hearing this, Chief Administrator No. 1 could not help but sigh:

"But from now on, our clan must act under the domination of that mysterious existence, having completely lost our freedom."

Regarding this viewpoint, the Star Net shook his head in denial:

"We adapt to the rules of the world, which can also be understood as acting under the domination of the World Will; including eating, developing, and breathing, everything follows the rules set by the World Will, and we all execute according to the code of rules. The mysterious power that created this game, 'Monster World,' is an existence equivalent to the World Will. The process of becoming players can be understood as entering a world with different rules, requiring you to develop and grow again according to new rules, so there is fundamentally no true freedom."

"But relative freedom will not change at all; that mysterious existence will not restrict any of our behaviors. After entering the game, we will still be the Moon Eclipse Clan, plus we will possess growth potential with infinite possibilities. This is not a crisis, but an opportunity."

"Therefore, we need not be depressed; we should feel happy about this."

"At the very least, we now possess the hope of changing the inevitable defeat; this is a gift."

Speaking to this point, the Star Net smiled even more happily:

"I truly look forward to the day when the game feeds back into reality; perhaps when that day arrives, the Moon Eclipse Clan will grow into a super-power that even the peak Moon Eclipse Clan could never reach."

"At that time, you will directly Iron Face the terrifying calamities that your ancestors once challenged; the difference is that you will possess the powerful strength to resist them... Once, we were lambs slaughtered at will by the Black Black Tide, but this time, it will be a true war."

Hearing the Star Net's explanation, the gloom in the hearts of the Moon Eclipse Clan's high-ranking officials completely dispersed.

They also understood why the Star Net was so happy.

As the order regulator and guardian of the Moon Eclipse Clan, in the Star Net's eyes, the clan had obtained the possibility of breaking through the mist and moving forward under the desperate situation of inevitable defeat.

"Star Net, do you have any suggestions on how to quickly obtain game qualifications?"

"Manual purchasing, but remember what that person said: apart from yourselves, do not reveal any truth about the game's secrets, including to our own clansmen; just let them believe this is a game we secretly developed behind the scenes."

(End of Chapter)