120: Dark Forest Theory VS. The Wildfire Theory 2

A young human representative couldn't help but speak:

"But... at least that would extend the civilization's lifespan..."

"Extend? Or merely prolong the agony?"

Qin Jiuge countered,

"In contrast, the Prairie Fire Law I adopted is the true gamble of the brave!"

"We never rely on luck; instead, we choose to frantically exploit our potential and rapidly develop technology before being discovered,"

"Using the momentum of a prairie fire to seize Universe resources, annex weaker civilizations, and achieve technological explosion and power leap in the shortest time possible."

He walked to the holographic star map, pointing to the conquered star systems:

"In this gamble, we are betting on our own development speed, on the evolutionary potential of our civilization."

"Once successful, we will reverse our fate from prey to hunter. When the enemy finally finds us, our technological strength will have long surpassed theirs,"

"We might even be able to annex them in turn and make them our own."

"Even if we fail, we would have expanded and struggled magnificently, leaving the flame of our civilization in the Universe."

"This is far more dignified and valuable than hiding in a corner, being easily plucked out and exterminated like a rat!"

Qin Jiuge's mechanical body turned to the human representatives, his optical sensors flickering with intense light:

"Those who dare not gamble never have a chance to win from the start!"

"And for us who choose to strike proactively, even if we are Shattered Bone, we will make the Universe remember our burning form!"

"Do you understand?"

Silence.

A long silence.

Calvin slowly raised his head, his eyes gleaming with an unprecedented light:

"I... I understand. We humans are willing to follow your flame."

...Ten years later.

A Blue Star was no longer its original planet.

Under Qin Jiuge's modifications, it had transformed into a spherical mobile fortress three thousand kilometers in diameter,

Its outer shell covered with the latest composite armor, its surface riddled with weapon arrays.

Tens of thousands of ships flew around it, forming a formidable Mechanical Fleet.

And in these ten years, Mechanical Civilization had experienced three technological explosions.

The first involved absorbing the Silicon-Based Life Technology of the Crystalline Race, developing self-repairing Nanomaterials.

The second involved acquiring Bio-Mechanical Fusion Technology from a conquered Zerg Civilization.

The third, and most important, saw the birth of a rudimentary Hyperspace Engine from a human scientist team with a population of only a million.

"Hyperspace Engine prototype test successful."

When Assistant 001 reported, even its synthesized voice carried a hint of excitement,

"Theoretically, we can achieve instantaneous jumps of up to five hundred light-years."

Qin Jiuge looked at the test data and nodded with satisfaction.

This was at least a hundred years ahead of BC Civilization's technology in the original plot.

"Master, there's something to report."

001 brought up a report,

"Our detection network has discovered traces of an Intermediate Civilization's activity fifty light-years away."

"Detailed data."

A holographic image unfolded, showing a fleet engaged in battle with a weaker civilization.

Ship design style, weapon characteristics, tactical patterns... Qin Jiuge's database quickly matched them.

"This is... an early fleet of BC Civilization."

His optical sensors narrowed slightly,

"It seems Su Chen and Xing Ya have begun their 'hunt'."

...On the BC Civilization flagship, the 'Arbiter', Su Chen and Xing Ya were reviewing the latest battle report.

"Another civilization has been wiped out."

Xing Ya leaned against Su Chen's shoulder, her eyes devoid of any pity,

"Their resources are enough for us to build three new fleets."

Su Chen nodded, his finger tracing the star map:

"At this rate, we can control the entire Spiral Arm within a hundred years."

"However..."

He paused,

"Our detection network has recently discovered some anomalous signals."

"Anomalous?"

"At the edge of our Sphere of Influence, there are some... high-energy reactions."

Su Chen brought up the data,

"But each time we dispatch a fleet to investigate, the signal disappears. It's likely some civilizations skilled at concealment."

Xing Ya sneered:

"No matter how good they are at hiding, they can't escape our high-precision detection technology."

"Increase detection efforts. Once locked on, destroy immediately."

"Of course."

Su Chen kissed her forehead,

"The iron Law of the Dark Forest must not be violated."

What they didn't know was that those "anomalous signals" were precisely the Mechanical Civilization's advance probes.

And each time a probe disappeared, it was because Qin Jiuge ordered them to retreat proactively.

He wasn't planning to confront BC Civilization head-on so soon.

"Give us another twenty years."

Qin Jiuge looked at BC Civilization's expansion data,

"In twenty years, our technological advantage will create a generational gap."

...Over the next fifteen years, Mechanical Civilization entered a period of frantic development.

Qin Jiuge adopted an unprecedented model of civilization Fusion.

He did not simply plunder and destroy like BC Civilization,

Instead, he integrated every conquered civilization into the Mechanical Civilization system,

Preserving their cultural characteristics and technological trees, allowing them to contribute their wisdom to the development of the entire civilization.

Humans provided rich imagination and creative thinking,

The Crystalline Race contributed precise Materials science,

The Zerg demonstrated efficient collective collaboration models,

A rare civilization called the "Psionic Race" even opened up a new path for the Mechanical Civilization, integrating psionics with technology.

By the thirty-fifth year, Mechanical Civilization had controlled a Star Domain of over two hundred light-years,

With seventeen subordinate civilizations and a total population (including organic and mechanical life) exceeding a hundred billion.

And the mobile fortress "New A Blue Star" had completed its final modifications.

It was now a true "Dyson Sphere"-level war machine, internally equipped with a Planetary-Grade Energy Core, and its surface weapons could melt an Earth-like planet in three seconds.

"It's time."

Qin Jiuge looked at the holographic star map. BC Civilization's territory had expanded to within only thirty light-years of the Mechanical Civilization's control zone.

"Activate 'Heaven-Burning Project'."

...BC Civilization finally developed their proud high-precision civilization detection technology in the fortieth year.

"Initiate full-Domain scan."

Su Chen personally gave the order on the 'Arbiter'.

Detection waves swept across the surrounding hundred light-year Star Domain at the speed of light.

According to their expectations, they should discover a few hidden weaker civilizations, followed by routine destruction and plunder.

But the results shocked them.

"Detected... detected super-large-scale civilization signals!"

The technician's voice trembled,

"Coordinates... coordinates spread across the entire detection area! This is impossible!"

On the star map, the Star Domain previously thought to be "empty" lit up with dense points of light.

It was a civilization's territory so vast it was suffocating, at least five times the size of BC Civilization.

"Immediately analyze civilization characteristics!"

Su Chen's face was pale.

Data analysis quickly came out:

Primarily mechanical characteristics, mixed with multiple life forms. Technological level... unassessable, at least in some areas far surpassing BC Civilization.

"They... they were there all along?"

Xing Ya was incredulous,

"Why didn't we discover them before?"

"Because they weren't hiding."

The chief scientist replied with a trembling voice,

"It's just that... our detection technology wasn't advanced enough before, so we couldn't detect their true scale."

"Now that technology has Breakthrough, we've discovered they've been there all along, openly developing and growing strong..."

Su Chen and Xing Ya exchanged glances, both seeing fear in the other's eyes.

According to the dark forest law, discovering a more powerful civilization meant... extinction.

"Immediately activate all stealth devices! The entire fleet enters silent mode!"

Su Chen's command was practically a roar.

But it was too late... just as BC Civilization tried to hide itself,

A massive Mechanical Fleet had already appeared on the outskirts of BC Civilization's core star system via hyperspace jump.

That was the "Heaven-Burning Fleet" personally led by Qin Jiuge, composed of three thousand capital ships and tens of thousands of escort ships.

And in the center of the fleet was the "New A Blue Star," which had been transformed into a war fortress.

The 'Arbiter''s alarm blared piercingly.

"Detecting a super-large-scale fleet 0.5 light-years away! Quantity... quantity unquantifiable!"

"Hyperspace disturbance detected more jump signals! We are surrounded!"

Su Chen and Xing Ya rushed into the command room, seeing a scene that filled them with despair.

On the holographic tactical map, red dots representing the enemy surged from all directions like a tide,

While the blue dots representing BC Civilization were like lonely boats in a storm.

"How is this possible... how could they be so fast..."

Xing Ya murmured.

"Because they don't need to hide at all."

An unfamiliar synthesized voice suddenly cut into BC Civilization's communication channel,

"Because their detection technology is far more advanced than yours."

A holographic projection unfolded in the center of the command room, revealing Qin Jiuge's mechanical body.

"Greetings, Dominators of BC Civilization."

Qin Jiuge's optical sensors scanned Su Chen and Xing Ya,

"I am Black Spirit, the Dominator of A Blue Star's Mechanical Civilization. Or, you can call me Qin Jiuge."

"A Blue Star..."

Su Chen had once found intelligence about this Mechanical Civilization from the ruins of other civilizations, but compared to the intelligence... "Impossible! Your technology shouldn't..."

"Shouldn't have developed so quickly?"

Qin Jiuge interrupted him,

"That's because the Law you believe in was wrong from the start."

He brought up data for comparison:

"You spent vast resources and time developing detection and stealth technology, searching for hidden civilizations to destroy, and then hiding yourselves."

"We spent the same resources and time developing weapons and expansion technology, openly developing and growing strong."

"The result is that by the time you could finally see us, we had already grown to a level you couldn't comprehend."

Xing Ya gritted her teeth:

"The dark forest law is the truth of the Universe! Your high-profile development will sooner or later be destroyed by a more powerful civilization!"

Qin Jiuge let out a mechanical laugh:

"I've heard that sentence too many times."

"Now, let me show you with facts what the true Dao of survival is."

Qin Jiuge ordered:

"Demonstrate our strength. Don't destroy their flagship; I want them to witness the demise of their own civilization with their own eyes."