316: The Three Great Powers

Even Captain Li Yang, currently in this mysterious space, hasn't yet figured out if this space contains only the Galaxy they discovered, or if other worlds are hidden in unknown corners.

"Alien civilization? Is that real or fake?"

The person respectfully addressed as President had a face full of doubt and disbelief.

After all, such a thing was too unimaginable, like a fantasy.

In his understanding, he had always believed that humans were the lonely intelligent life in the universe. Now, suddenly being told about the existence of an alien civilization, and even claiming to incorporate their planet into its territory, was truly unacceptable.

"Mr. President, this is probably an undeniable fact."

A member of the think tank beside him said with a serious expression and a firm tone.

"Think about it, with our current level of technology, I really can't imagine any country, domestic or otherwise, capable of achieving the feat of making an image of a person instantly appear all over the world. This far exceeds our existing technological scope. The only reasonable explanation is that the other party possesses alien technology far beyond our imagination."

His eyes revealed deep worry, knowing that this sudden change would bring unprecedented challenges and transformations to this planet.

Just as the President and the think tank members were discussing with troubled expressions, the office door was suddenly flung open with a "bang." A subordinate, looking flustered and hurried, rushed in.

His forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, and his breathing was rapid, clearly having run all the way.

He quickly approached the President, respectfully handed over a telegram, and said with a hint of nervousness.

"Mr. President, the three major countries have sent an urgent telegram, requesting us to immediately cease all military actions and sincerely inviting you to the United Federation to discuss countermeasures."

"Stop the war?"

Upon hearing this, the President couldn't help but frown slightly, his face showing an expression of disbelief.

A trace of hesitation and struggle flashed in his eyes, his heart full of reluctance.

"But our army is almost attacking the enemy's capital..."

His army had achieved continuous victories, and under the brave charge of the Soldiers, they were only one step away from completely occupying the next country.

At this critical moment, he was suddenly asked to stop the war, which made him quite unwilling.

Having invested so much manpower, material resources, and financial resources, with the fruits of victory within reach, yet having to watch them be abandoned, this taste was truly unpleasant.

His hand, gripping the telegram, trembled slightly. His heart was filled with mixed emotions as he pondered the complex situation behind this and how he should choose.

"Mr. President, in my opinion, it would be best for you to stop the war."

The think tank member, seeing the President's resistant expression and his apparent unwillingness to accept this directive, grew extremely anxious and quickly advised him earnestly.

"Let's not even mention that this is a joint directive from the three major countries, which we must treat with caution. Just considering that scene from earlier, it is highly likely the work of an alien civilization. Think about it, the ability to make an image of a person appear globally in an instant—such technological power, beyond our comprehension, is something we simply cannot contend with."

The think tank member paused slightly, then looked sincerely at the President and continued.

"Now, an alien civilization has suddenly declared that they demand our submission. This is undoubtedly the most severe and urgent problem we face. At this critical moment, if we continue to be deeply mired in internal warfare, it will not only disperse our limited energy and resources, but it may also make us appear vulnerable when facing an alien civilization due to internal strife. Therefore, the top priority is to set aside internal disputes and focus our efforts on clarifying whether that earlier scene was indeed caused by an alien civilization, and how we should respond to them."

The think tank member's words were clear and logical, every word revealing a deep insight into the situation and concern for the nation's destiny.

He knew that the decision made now would concern the future direction of the entire country, and even the world, and hoped that the President would weigh the pros and cons to make a wise choice.

"Alas, fine. Go gather the army to return for rest and recuperation, and make arrangements. I need to go to the United Federation."

The President listened to the think tank member's analysis, his expression changing repeatedly. He sighed heavily, his heart full of helplessness, and finally spoke slowly.

"Alas, fine. Go inform the front line, gather the army to return for rest and recuperation. Also, please make proper arrangements for my itinerary; I need to make a trip to the United Federation."

"Yes, Mr. President!"

The subordinate immediately responded respectfully, then turned and swiftly left to execute the order.

Seeing that the President had finally agreed to stop the war, the few people nearby simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief.

They knew that the President had invested a great deal of energy and resources in the war, always longing for the glory and benefits that victory would bring. They had truly worried that the President, out of unwillingness, would insist on continuing the war.

If that were truly the case, regardless of whether that mysterious projection genuinely came from an alien civilization, the sanctions from the three major countries alone would be enough to plunge their country into eternal doom.

The three major countries, as the three most powerful nations on this planet, possessed unparalleled military, economic, and technological strength.

And the United Federation was precisely an important organization established by these three major countries to facilitate discussions on major affairs and various transactions between nations.

In this organization, the three major countries held absolute sway; any action that went against their will could trigger severe sanctions.

Therefore, the President's decision undoubtedly averted a crisis that could have brought about utter disaster...

"Pal, how is that planet now?"

After delivering that declaration to the people on the planet, Captain Li Yang temporarily shifted his attention from the planet, focusing on other matters concerning the fleet.

Now, he suddenly remembered and inquired about the latest developments on the planet.

"Reporting, Captain Li Yang."

Pal stood tall, responding with a steady and powerful voice.

"Since your projection appeared across the planet, the entire planet is now in an uproar, with discussions about you everywhere. The populace is abuzz with astonishment and curiosity. Furthermore, we have monitored that the Decision Makers of various countries on the planet are urgently communicating and coordinating, preparing to gather for a large-scale discussion."

"A meeting to discuss?"

Captain Li Yang nodded slightly, a trace of thought flashing in his eyes.

"Alright... Once all of them have arrived and begin their formal discussion, you personally go down and engage in friendly communication with them in the name of our Xili Empire. Try to persuade them to willingly submit to our Empire, as much as possible, without resorting to force."

After all, Yan Ze had specifically instructed before departure to preferably use friendly means to handle this matter, adhering to the principle of showing courtesy before resorting to force.

Captain Li Yang knew that having the other party surrender peacefully would not only preserve the planet's resources and civilization to the greatest extent but also align with the Empire's consistent approach towards the human race.

While force is an effective means of resolving problems, it is best to prioritize peaceful communication unless absolutely necessary. This might earn the Empire a more stable and loyal subsidiary planet.

However, the premise is to see if they show Pal respect. If they don't show Pal respect, then they don't show Captain Li Yang respect. If they don't show Captain Li Yang respect, then they don't show the Empire respect. If they don't show the Empire respect, then they will just have to taste the flavor of starship cannons.

A sharp glint flashed in Captain Li Yang's eyes.

"Yes!"

Pal responded without hesitation.

"Oh, and..."

Captain Li Yang rubbed his temples, seemingly alleviating the fatigue from days of exploration missions.

"Have the other starships made any new discoveries during this time?"

After all, they had been in this mysterious space for almost two or three days already.

"Report."

Pal immediately straightened up, answering methodically.

"I have inquired with the Captains of the other starships one by one. They all reported that they are still exploring. As of now, no new worlds have been discovered, nor has any starship successfully reached the spatial boundary."

Hearing this reply, a trace of disappointment flashed in Captain Li Yang's eyes, and his interest immediately waned a bit.

He waved his hand gently in resignation, signaling Pal that he could leave.

Then, he slowly leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, wanting to rest for a while and conserve his energy for whatever situations might arise next...

A few days later, in the most prominent United Federation building on this planet, the atmosphere was exceptionally solemn.

Inside a spacious and luxuriously decorated conference hall, a group of people dressed in crisp formal wear gathered with serious expressions.

They sat around a large hollow circular conference table, each person's expression revealing the importance they placed on the matter about to be discussed.

"Gentlemen, I presume you all know why you were hurriedly summoned here, concerning the global sensation that occurred a few days ago."

Among them, a man sitting at the head of the table at the forefront broke the silence first, speaking slowly.

He had a distinguished bearing, his eyes showing composure and wisdom. This person was the Decision Maker of Ancient Country, one of the three major countries.

"After the incident, I immediately consulted our research institute's top experts. After in-depth analysis and research, they unanimously stated that the technology capable of projecting an image globally with extreme realism and vivid colors is simply unattainable with our planet's current level of technological development."

The Decision Maker of Ancient Country's voice was clear and powerful, echoing in the spacious conference hall.

Upon hearing this, everyone's faces were instantly clouded with gloom, their expressions becoming even more serious and heavy.

After all, according to this statement, the mysterious projection very likely truly came from an alien civilization, which was undoubtedly a shocking and fear-inducing speculation.

"Therefore, the reason for gathering you all here for discussion is that we must quickly decide on a unified stance to deal with this unprecedented situation. After all, the other party has clearly stated that they demand our submission."

Another gentleman sitting beside the Decision Maker of Ancient Country then spoke.

He was dressed in an exquisite suit, his elegant demeanor unable to conceal his current worry. This person was the Decision Maker of Oulan Country, one of the three major countries.

"So, we must make a decision as soon as possible: whether to choose submission or to rise up and resist..."

As soon as the Decision Maker of Oulan Country finished speaking, the entire conference room fell into a brief silence. The heavy atmosphere grew even more intense, and everyone weighed these two choices concerning the fate of all humanity in their hearts.

"Submission? Submission my ass!"

Just then, the conference room door was violently thrown open with a loud bang. A man with skin as black as charcoal strode in aggressively.

He was dressed in clothes sewn from animal hides, his rough style clashing with the suited and well-dressed people around him.

He walked with his head held high, as if oblivious to others, towards the conference table.

Everyone looked towards the sound, frowning and showing clear displeasure in their eyes, but they all suppressed their reactions.

Because the newcomer was the Decision Maker of Black Country, one of the three major countries. Within the planetary nation system, Black Country was considered the most peculiar existence.

Black Country's technological level lagged significantly behind even some first-tier technologically advanced countries.

However, it managed to rank among the three major countries, and the reason for this was quite unique.

This was because Black Country, leveraging its racial advantage and geographical environment, directly occupied one of the world's seven major continents. Since that continent was entirely populated by a single race, they naturally all united.

Other countries often united in groups of several or even dozens to jointly divide a continent, while Black Country single-handedly dominated, controlling an entire continent.

More than ten years ago, Ancient Country and Oulan Country had already set their sights on this lucrative territory.

After all, the vast territory occupied by Black Country contained immeasurable rich resources, an irresistible temptation for any country.

Ancient Country and Oulan Country, as powerful nations with top-tier technology on the planet, naturally coveted this land, harboring intentions of bringing it under their control.

However, Black Country's situation was extremely peculiar.

Due to its unique historical development trajectory and racial composition, the entire nation's populace displayed extraordinary unity.

This unity was not merely simple cohesion, but a powerful force that could bind them together when facing external enemies.

Furthermore, Black Country had a large population, giving it an absolute advantage in numbers.

Although Ancient Country and Oulan Country surpassed Black Country in technological advancement, they had not reached a point of complete overwhelming dominance, and the number of Soldiers still became a decisive factor in victory or defeat.

When Ancient Country and Oulan Country successively launched invasion wars, Black Country, with its tenacious fighting spirit and close unity, repelled the invasions of both countries time and again.

Despite relatively backward weaponry, they relied on human wave tactics and geographical advantages, preventing the armies of Ancient Country and Oulan Country from gaining any significant advantage on Black Country's soil.

After countless fierce clashes, Ancient Country and Oulan Country gradually realized that conquering Black Country was not an easy task.

Repeated failures forced them to re-evaluate Black Country's strength. Ultimately, the two countries reluctantly abandoned their covetousness for Black Country's territory and gave up the idea of invasion.