135: Eyeball

On the edge of the Human Federation's territory lies an inconspicuous resource transit star—"Gray Rock Star."

It is a place where dragons and snakes mingle, filled with caravans and adventurers from various civilizations, and... a number of spies far exceeding what ordinary people could imagine.

In the basement of an inn named "Star Language" in the port area, a middle-aged man with an ordinary face and an aura restrained to a Planetary Level initial stage was boredly adjusting the ultra-micro interstellar communicator in front of him.

His codename is "Night Owl," a Planet-level Peak, from the Intelligence Bureau of the 2.2-Rank civilization "Myriad Merchant Conglomerate," and he has been lurking here for several months.

His task is to monitor the Human Federation, this "upstart" that has recently risen and annexed the Tristan Empire, and to assess its potential threat.

Once he discovers any signs that its technology or the number of experts exceeds the threshold of a 2.1-Rank civilization and threatens the interests of the Myriad Merchant Conglomerate, he is to transmit the information back.

The higher-ups of the Conglomerate will then decide whether to impose technical blockades, economic suppression, or... more direct "civilization pruning."

"A 2.0-Rank Peak civilization that got lucky and stumbled upon some of the Tristan Empire's legacy—does it even deserve the attention of our Myriad Merchant Conglomerate?" Night Owl curled his lips, his heart filled with disdain.

In his view, apart from the expansion of its territory, the Federation remained loose internally, and its technology tree was chaotic and disorganized.

Especially the Federation's benefit-the-people plan, which made him sneer endlessly.

"Unless it is a 2.5-Rank Star Arm Level civilization that has broken through the ultimate barrier of quantum technology and built celestial computers, allowing the underlying populace to provide inspiration for technological development in the 'virtual universe.'"

"Without a 'virtual universe,' the underlying populace has no use other than reproduction. Improving the quality of life for these 'leeks'—who live short lives and are harvested batch after batch—is merely a waste of resources."

"What a ridiculous civilization... If not for the fact that our Myriad Merchant Conglomerate, or rather all civilizations above Rank 2.1, have a long-standing habit of monitoring lower-level civilizations, I would want to go back on vacation right now."

Just then, the device he carried, which was disguised as an ordinary entertainment terminal, was suddenly forcibly cut into by a signal source—the official Federation channel, the global premiere of the promotional video "Spark Eternal Glory"!

"Hmm? Forced playback? Such a grand display." Night Owl scoffed. He originally wanted to turn it off, but professional habit made him watch it with patience.

At first, there was no ripple in his heart, and he even wanted to laugh—the dark forest of the Universe, the Law of the jungle, isn't this common sense? The Federation is making such a fuss; they really are country bumpkins who have never seen the world!

"AG-7? It seems to be an agricultural star on the border. There seemed to be some minor unrest there before. It looks like it's being used as promotional material."

He leaned lazily against the back of his chair, prepared to watch with a critical mindset to find flaws.

However, after the opening, the authentic restored images showing the Lorraine Federation, the Kaster Alliance, and other civilizations being instantly wiped out made his nonchalance instantly disappear!

"This is... the style of the 'Blood Blade'! A 'Purification' field?! They actually used such means to deal with a 2.0-Rank civilization?!" Night Owl sat up straight, his eyes becoming sharp.

"Those mad dogs of the Blood Blade, although greedy, rarely carry out this kind of thorough cleanup on the civilizations they 'farm,' unless..."

When he saw the main fleet of the Blood Blade Pirate Group displayed in the footage—covering the sky and earth, numbering in the hundreds of billions, and emitting over twenty thousand Stellar-level Experts auras—his breathing suddenly stopped!

"Twenty thousand... Stellar-level Experts?! The Blood Blade has deployed its entire main force?! Which 2.2-Rank civilization are they going to attack?! No... this direction... is the Human Federation?!"

Night Owl's heart pounded wildly, and a chill rose from his spine. He realized that he might have missed extremely important intelligence! The Human Federation is definitely not as simple as it looks on the surface!

Immediately after, the tragic state of the AG-7 Agricultural Star was presented. Orbital defense platforms were silently annihilated, ground troops were crushed with a wave of a hand, and cities turned into scorched earth... Night Owl watched with excitement; he loved watching this kind of crushing massacre!

The resistance of the Human Federation was as fragile as paper in front of the main force of the Blood Blade.

"It's over... this Human Federation is finished... No wonder the Blood Blade deployed its entire main force; they are killing the chicken to scare the monkey, and the target is probably the Holy Radiance Empire or our Myriad Merchant Conglomerate..."

Night Owl muttered to himself, already beginning to conceive how to report this unexpected discovery to his superiors—the destruction of the Human Federation might trigger a potential change in the balance of power in the surrounding Star Domains.

"Wait! If the Federation has been destroyed, how could I still be watching this promotional video?" Night Owl realized that something was unusual.

The disdain on Night Owl's face gradually froze, and he suddenly sat up straight, his pupils shrinking, "The Blood Blade Pirate Group deployed its entire main force? To deal with one Federation? This... this is not logical!"

He knew the strength of the Blood Blade Pirate Group better than ordinary Federation citizens! It is a massive force that controls thousands of star systems, has over twenty thousand Stellar-level Experts, and is a power that even the Myriad Merchant Conglomerate is unwilling to clash with easily! Its main fleet appearing here means...

However, the following footage completely overturned his perception! When those six figures, artistically processed yet still able to convey supreme majesty, appeared, Night Owl's heart felt as if it were being gripped by an invisible giant hand!

"Star... Star Arm Level?! Impossible! It must be special effects! It's the Federation bluffing!" He let out a low roar, trying to deny everything before his eyes.

But when he heard Su Qing's incomparably clear words—"It is our Federation's Supreme Leader, Your Majesty Yun Xi! It is our supreme Her Highness Qinglan! It is our glorious Yue Xi, Xuan Sha, Su Yuan, and Liu Qing, our four Sun Body Your Highnesses!"

When those four names were spoken, especially when the words "four Sun Body" came out, it was like four bolts of Chaos Divine Thunder, ruthlessly striking deep into Night Owl's Soul! Innate Sun Body!!! And there are four of them?!

"No! Impossible! Absolutely impossible!!!" Night Owl's face turned pale as paper in an instant, his body began to tremble violently and uncontrollably, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back!

He knew better than anyone what "Innate Sun Body" meant! In the civilization ranking system of the Cangqiong Seat, an Innate Star Body is the only "source power" for a primitive civilization to break through to a Rank 2 civilization; it is the pillar of 2.0 to 2.3-Rank civilizations; an Innate Moon Body is the light of hope for moving towards a 2.4-Rank civilization, and they are extremely rare across the entire Sagittarius Arm!

And an Innate Sun Body... that is a legend! It is the supreme pass to a 2.5-Rank Star Arm hegemony civilization, or even higher levels! If a civilization can give birth to an Innate Sun Body, as long as they do not die prematurely, they are almost destined to advance to a 2.5-Rank civilization!

And now, this Human Federation, which he regarded as "country bumpkins," has suddenly popped out... four of them?! Plus those two suspected Innate Moon Body ascendants, Leader Yun Xi and Her Highness Yun Qinglan—these two must be the leaders who enabled this Federation civilization to step into a 2.1-Rank civilization in just one hundred thousand years...

"Six... six Star Arm Level experts... four Innate Sun Bodies..." Night Owl's brain went blank, and immense fear and a sense of absurdity engulfed him!

He lunged at the ultra-micro communicator, his hands trembling so violently from extreme agitation that he could barely operate it! He must immediately! Right now! Transmit this news back to his country!

This is no longer a simple threat assessment; this is a heaven-shaking change sufficient to overturn the existing pattern of the entire Sagittarius Arm!

Using the highest encryption level, he almost incoherently sent out all the core content of the "Spark Eternal Glory" promotional video, especially the speculative information regarding the six Star Arm Level experts, the two Innate Moon Bodies, and the four Innate Sun Bodies!

After doing all this, he collapsed on the floor, staring blankly at the ceiling, muttering repeatedly: "It's crazy... this world is crazy... the Federation... what kind of monsters are they exactly?..."

...

Myriad Merchant Conglomerate, Supreme Council Dome—the "Golden Source Palace."

In the massive circular hall, built from pure gold and energy crystals, flowing with light and color, it symbolizes the Conglomerate's absolute control over wealth and resources.

At this moment, the Conglomerate's Supreme Speaker—an elder named Horn, who is a Stellar Level Peak who has comprehended the Law of Space and controls a vast commercial Empire—is discussing the next quarter's trade agreement with core council members.

Suddenly, the emergency communication indicator light of the council dome emitted a blinding red light!

An intelligence officer scrambled in, his face ghastly pale, his voice trembling uncontrollably: "Sp... Speaker Your Excellency! Honorable Council Members! Emergency... highest emergency intelligence! From the lurker codenamed 'Night Owl'!"

Speaker Horn frowned in displeasure: "What are you panicking about? What could be so urgent about intelligence from a 2.0-Rank civilization?"

"No... it's not!" The intelligence officer was almost crying as he trembling projected the information transmitted back by "Night Owl" and the clips from "Spark Eternal Glory" onto the central light screen.

When those six majestic figures, especially the words "Innate Sun Body" like a red-hot branding iron, came into view, the laughter throughout the entire Golden Source Palace came to an abrupt halt! Dead silence! A dead silence like that before a supernova explosion!

All the council members, including Speaker Horn, had the smiles on their faces freeze instantly, their pupils dilating to the extreme, as if they had seen the scene of the Universe's end!

"Impossible!!!" A council member in charge of military affairs slammed the table and stood up, the chair being shaken into powder by his out-of-control aura!

"Innate Sun Body?! And four of them?! What kind of interstellar joke is this! Has that Night Owl been bought off by the Federation?! Or has he hallucinated from taking too many drugs?!"

"Investigate! Verify immediately! Activate all our deep-cover agents buried in the Federation! At all costs!" another council member roared.

Speaker Horn stared fixedly at the distinct yet unfathomable figures of Yue Xi, Xuan Sha, Su Yuan, and Liu Qing on the light screen, his lips trembling. As experienced as he was, he had completely lost his composure at this moment.

"Immediately... immediately contact the Holy Radiance Empire side... they... they must have received the news too..." Horn's voice was extremely dry, "If... if this is true..."

He did not continue, but everyone understood the consequences.

The Myriad Merchant Conglomerate and the Holy Radiance Empire, as neighboring 2.2-Rank civilizations, had always regarded the dozens of 2.1-Rank civilizations and hundreds of 2.0-Rank civilizations around them as fat sheep that could be manipulated at will, and they had even been secretly drafting plans to divide their future benefits.

If the Federation really possessed four Innate Sun Bodies and multiple Star Arm Level experts... then they were not fat sheep, but... sleeping dragons! All their previous schemes and all their contempt would become a path to their own destruction!

...

Holy Radiance Empire, Sacred Prayer Hall. The same scene played out here.

The Emperor of the Empire, the "Radiant Emperor" Isaac, wearing magnificent imperial robes, had the scepter in his hand crushed and deformed with a "crack" after reading the intelligence!

His face was livid, his chest heaving violently, his eyes filled with disbelief and... fear?

"Innate Sun Body... four of them... hahaha... what a Human Federation!" Isaac's voice was like an injured lion, filled with rage and lingering fear.

"Your Majesty, this matter concerns the fate of the nation and must be confirmed immediately! If it is true... our Holy Radiance Empire's strategy towards the Federation needs to make... a fundamental adjustment!" a Cardinal said in a deep voice, his tone incomparably grave.

"Adjustment? It's more than just an adjustment!" Isaac stood up abruptly, radiance surging around his body.

"Pass the order down: from this moment on, all the Empire's infiltration and provocation plans against the Federation are to be terminated! Prepare the highest-spec diplomatic mission and gifts immediately! We must... befriend them! Befriend the Human Federation at all costs!"

He took a deep breath, his eyes flashing with sharp light: "Four Innate Sun Bodies... what does this mean? It means the Federation's future minimum achievement is a 2.5-Rank Star Arm hegemony, a Star Arm Level civilization! Even... in all likelihood, higher! If we don't befriend them now, are we going to wait until they rule over the Cangqiong Seat before we go and kneel to welcome them?! Will kneeling to welcome them be of any use at that time?!"

The highest levels of the two 2.2-Rank civilizations, after extreme shock and panic, quickly reached a consensus—regardless of whether it is true or false, they must immediately change their attitude towards the Federation! From a potential enemy, transform into... a future giant that they must exert every effort to curry favor with!

However, how could the abnormal, nearly 180-degree turn in the drastic movements of the Myriad Merchant Conglomerate and the Holy Radiance Empire, as well as their frantic verification behavior using the highest-level intelligence networks, escape the eyes of... higher-level existences?

Just as they would plant eyes in 2.1-Rank and 2.0-Rank civilizations...

Sagittarius Arm, deep inside, 2.3-Rank civilization "Star Spirit Federation."

This is a civilization that advocates knowledge and harmony, with a territory covering nearly four hundred thousand star systems and over five million Stellar-level Experts!

The Master of its highest institution, the "Tower of Myriad Knowledge," a Stellar Level Peak who has comprehended eight Laws including space, and possesses incomparably powerful Mental Energy, Olga, was processing the daily flow of information.

Suddenly, a "low-priority anomaly report" submitted by the subordinate intelligence department caught his attention. The report showed that the two 2.2-Rank civilizations bordering them—the Myriad Merchant Conglomerate and the Holy Radiance Empire—had recently shown an extraordinary, almost fawning degree of attention towards that newly promoted 2.0-Rank civilization named the "Human Federation."

It seems they are frantically verifying the absurd intelligence regarding that civilization possessing "multiple Star Arm Level experts" and "Innate Sun Bodies"?

"Human Federation? Star Arm Level? Innate Sun Body?" Tower Master Olga frowned slightly, finding it somewhat amusing. He casually clicked on the attached clip of the "Spark Eternal Glory" promotional video.

At first, he didn't care, thinking it was just a common promotional tactic used by low-level civilizations. However, when his Mental Energy swept over the artistically reproduced images of those six figures, especially when he made contact with the faint, simulated "flavor of the Law" belonging to Yun Xi, Yun Qinglan, and the four Sun Bodies, the smile on his face instantly froze!

"This... this feeling..." Olga stood up abruptly, his eyes bursting with unprecedented sharp light!

"It's not a simple simulation! Inside this... lies a trace of a real, supreme brand of the Law! Although it is extremely faint, but... it is absolutely impossible to simulate without it actually existing!"

He was more knowledgeable than the people from the Myriad Merchant Conglomerate and the Holy Radiance Empire, and he could better distinguish between true and false!

"Immediately! Escalate this intelligence to 'Civilization Survival' level!" Olga's voice carried a hint of trembling.

"Activate the 'Deep Space Eye' and scan the Star Domain where the Human Federation is located with full power! I need the most detailed data on the fluctuations of the Law of Space!"

"In addition," he paused, his tone incomparably serious, "prepare to convene the Supreme Council! We must seriously evaluate this 'Human Federation'! If... if they really possess Innate Sun Bodies..."

Olga did not continue, but his heart was pounding wildly. The value of a civilization possessing Innate Sun Bodies is far beyond imagination! With the massive population size of the Cangqiong Seat, the birth of an Innate Sun Body is a random event! It is not a probabilistic event! It might not even be born in hundreds of millions or even billions of years!

If the Star Spirit Federation could befriend them, perhaps they could obtain the opportunity to break through their current civilization Bottleneck!

However, this sudden, highest-level attention of the Star Spirit Federation towards a "2.0-Rank civilization," as well as the abnormal activation of the "Deep Space Eye." That subtle ripple of the Law of Space, in the end, still could not escape the perception of a true giant—the Sagittarius Arm, one of the only ten 2.4-Rank civilizations, the Dragonborn Empire!