261: Other civilizations in the Milky Way, the trembling "spectators"!

The third spiral arm of the Milky Way Galaxy, a secret coordinate wrapped layer upon layer by folded space.

This is the location of the highest council of the Galaxy Guardians Alliance—the "Star Dome Hall".

Normally, this place is a symbol of order in the Milky Way Galaxy, a sacred land revered by countless lower civilizations. Representatives from various advanced civilizations deliberate here, deciding the rise and fall of countless star systems. They are accustomed to being high above, accustomed to looking down on the lower creatures still struggling in the mud with the gaze of examining "experimental subjects".

But today, an unprecedented chill permeated this magnificent hall.

cold.

Around the giant circular conference table sat intelligent life forms of various shapes. There were silicon-based life forms with liquid metal flowing all over them, energy bodies like burning flames, and carbon-based creatures with countless tentacles and compound eyes.

But at this moment, no matter how different their life forms were, their emotions were surprisingly consistent.

That is—fear.

Bone-deep, soul-freezing fear!

And on the gigantic holographic screen spanning several kilometers in the center of the hall, a "execution" video, just transmitted from the Galactic Center battlefield, was playing on a loop.

execution video.

In the footage, it was the moment the Star-Devouring Hive Mother collapsed.

That two-dimensional scroll spanning light-years, that black hole core detonated from within, and that black fleet, unharmed, slowly passing by like a parade of the Grim Reaper.

A deathly silence enveloped the entire venue.

Even those silicon-based life forms without respiratory systems felt their core processors overheating and crashing.

"Gulp."

Someone, unknown, was the first to make a swallowing sound, breaking the suffocating silence.

"It's over already?"

The speaker was a representative from the Cygnus Civilization, a blue gel floating on an anti-gravity device. Normally, it preferred to speak in an operatic tone, but now its voice trembled like a broken bellows about to fall apart.

"The Star Devourer, that cancerous tumor that has plagued the Galactic Center for hundreds of millions of years, which even we couldn't do anything about—"

"Is it just gone?"

"Gone."

Sitting at the head was the current Speaker of the Alliance, a highly intelligent being from the Andromeda Galaxy. He possessed a nearly perfect humanoid body, but his skin had a translucent, crystalline texture.

At this moment, the normally majestic Speaker was staring intently at the young human standing on the bridge of the expedition on the screen. His crystalline eyes gleamed with extremely complex light.

"According to the data transmitted by Thor, the entire battle took less than one Earth hour."

"The weapons used by the other party include, but are not limited to: cross-dimensional strikes, Causality tampering, and some kind of rule erasure that we cannot comprehend."

"Most importantly—"

The Speaker's voice deepened, carrying a hint of profound helplessness.

"From start to finish, the Earth fleet suffered zero casualties."

"Boom—!!!"

These words were like an antimatter bomb, directly blowing up the entire council hall!

Although everyone had guessed the outcome from watching the video, when this cruel data was officially confirmed, the shock still hit everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer!

Zero casualties!

To annihilate a hegemonic civilization that possessed a black hole as an energy base, and with zero casualties?!

What does this mean?

It means this was not a war at all!

This was a complete Dimensionality Reduction Strike!

"This is impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

A reptilian creature covered in sharp spines suddenly stood up. It was Karl, the representative of the Orion Empire, known for its volatile temper and advocacy of force.

"That Earth Civilization, I've checked their archives! Just five years ago, they were a Level 07 primitive civilization that couldn't even leave their home planet! They were still burning oil! Still using those primitive chemical rockets!"

"How could they have mastered such god-tier technology in just five short years?!"

"This is unscientific! This violates the axioms of cosmic evolution! They must have cheated! Or, or they were disguised by the legendary the cleaners!"

It roared hysterically, seemingly trying to cover up its inner fear.

However, no one around it echoed its sentiments.

Everyone just looked at it with the gaze one would give an idiot.

Cheating?

In the universe, strong is strong, weak is weak. Being able to crush the Star Devourer is the truth!

Who cares if they cheated? If you're so capable, why don't you try using a cheat yourself?

"Sit down, Karl."

The Speaker waved his hand wearily, "Admit reality. No matter how they did it, the fact is that a true monster has emerged from the Orion Arm."

"A monster that all of us combined wouldn't even be enough to fill its teeth."

The Speaker's words plunged the scene back into silence.

An emotion called "despair" began to spread among the representatives of these advanced civilizations.

They once thought they were the chess players of this starry sky, able to manipulate the fates of lower civilizations at will. But now they realized that they were merely pawns on the chessboard themselves.

And beyond the chessboard, that giant named "Earth" slowly lowered its head, watching them with an indifferent gaze.

"Then what should we do?"

The blue gel asked tremblingly, "Thor said that the Earth leader seems to have discovered our observation vessel. If, if they follow the clues and find their way here—"

"Hiss—"

At these words, all the aliens present shivered in unison!

Find their way here?!

Think of the Two-Dimensional Foil that turned the Star-Devouring Hive Mother into a flat picture!

Think of that bizarre weapon that can modify Causality!

If those things landed on their home planets—

"No! We absolutely cannot let them become hostile!"

Karl, the representative of the Orion Empire, no longer had his previous arrogance; his spines were now limp with fear. "We must do something! We must state our position!"

"What position?"

"Of course, a friendly position!"

Karl declared righteously, his change of face so swift it was astonishing.

"I think we should immediately, right now, form a diplomatic mission of the highest caliber! Bring our most precious gifts and go to pay homage—oh, no, to visit that great Earth Civilization!"

"Yes! Exactly!"

"I agree! We must show sufficient sincerity!"

"I propose transferring all star map management rights of the Orion Arm to Earth! It's their backyard, and they should be in charge!"

"I second that! And resources! We should proactively offer mining rights for rare minerals! Consider it a, a greeting gift to the new overlord!"

For a time, the atmosphere in the entire council hall underwent a sudden change.

The bigwigs who were just discussing the Earth threat theory were now scrambling to express their stance, fearing that a moment's delay would land them on the terrifying neighbor's blacklist.

This is the true law of the dark forest.

When you are weak, you are prey; everyone wants a piece of you.

When you are strong enough to flip the table, you are a god; everyone scrambles to be your dog.

Looking at the group of undignified "allies" before him, the Speaker sighed helplessly in his heart.

But he knew this was the only choice.

If they didn't kneel quickly and properly, they might not even get the chance to kneel.

"Since there are no objections, it is settled."

The Speaker stood up, straightened his crystalline robe, a symbol of power, and solemnly announced:

"Activate the 'First Contact' contingency plan."

"I will personally lead the team, assembling the most luxurious fleet (excluding weapons) from the entire Alliance to the Galactic Center region."

"We are going to welcome—"

"The new master of the Milky Way Galaxy."

While the Galaxy Guardians Alliance was in chaos.

Far away on the expedition in the Galactic Center.

Lu Chen sat in the command chair, still holding the unfinished cup of happy water.

"heavenly craft."

[Here, Master.]

"How are those peeping Toms reacting now?"

Lu Chen's tone was casual, as if asking about the weather.

On the holographic screen, countless intercepted encrypted communication records immediately popped up.

[Reporting, Master, based on intercepted signal analysis, the Galaxy Guardians Alliance is in an uproar.]

[Their fear index has exploded.]

[Currently, they are urgently forming a diplomatic mission, preparing to bring a large number of gifts and resources to 'pay tribute' to you.]

"Tribute?"

Lu Chen couldn't help but laugh at the word.

He swirled the cup in his hand, looking out at the now-clear starry sky, his eyes gleaming with profound light.

"It seems these aliens aren't as stupid as I imagined."

"Sensible, very good."

"Commander Lu, how should we deal with them?"

The Wolf Warrior leaned over, asking excitedly, "Should we give them a 'Causality' too? Just to test the weapon's stability."

"No need."

Lu Chen waved his hand.

"Killing a chicken to scare the monkeys; the chicken has been killed. Since the monkeys are scared enough to kneel, let them be."

"After all—"

Lu Chen's gaze drifted to the more distant depths of the universe, beyond the Milky Way Galaxy, a vaster and more dangerous unknown realm.

"The Milky Way Galaxy is too big for us Earthlings to manage alone."

"We need some obedient laborers."

"Laborers?" The Wolf Warrior was stunned, then chuckled, "Got it! Like those lackeys who work for a bone, right?"

"Something like that."

Lu Chen stood up and stretched.

Although the battle was quick, it was indeed mentally taxing. Especially the mental burden of using the Causality Weapon at the end made him feel somewhat tired now.

"Notify everyone to rest in place."

"Open the public channel and broadcast an announcement to the entire Milky Way Galaxy."

Lu Chen adjusted his collar, his smile fading, replaced by a majestic aura of dominion.

"The content is one sentence:"

"This place is under the jurisdiction of the Earth Federation."

"Trespassers will die!"

This utterly domineering declaration, transmitted via super-range broadcast, instantly spread to every corner of the entire Milky Way Galaxy.

That night.

The leaders of countless civilizations spent a sleepless night.

Because they knew that from today onwards, the sky above this starry expanse—

had changed.

It no longer belonged to chaos, no longer to darkness.

It had a new name, a name that everyone had to look up to—

Earth!