《From The Start, I Traded A Galactic Warship》 Chapter 1 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations This was the 15 square-meter room of an apartment. Plain and ordinary. However, at this moment, it was filled with splendid brilliance. Shen Shi sat on the bed in a daze and looked at the projection that had surrounded him. It was the ruins of a huge city. The raging flames were burning in front of him, and the surging black smoke almost blotted out the sky. Attacks that could not be seen by the naked eye appeared densely from all directions, bringing with them continuous explosions and expanding flames. Countless wailing humans struggled and fled in all directions, but there was nowhere to escape. Shen Shi even saw a girl in an exquisite princess dress being wrapped in flames in the air. She rolled and shouted, falling heavily in front of him. The mixture of charred and red foams of flesh made his whole body tremble. This was a grand inferno. It was the end of mankind. The extreme audio-visual images brought unimaginable emotions that kept hitting Shen Shi¡¯s every nerve. If it had not been for the soft touch of the mattress and silk blanket still felt from beneath him, he would have already screamed and fled. Suddenly, an unknown rumble shattered a large stretch of black smoke. With countless fragments sent flying, Shen Shi finally saw the sky behind the black smoke. He also saw the ¡°enemy¡± who had caused all this. Shock swept through everything in an instant. Warship! It was a huge shadow that had enveloped the sky above the city. It was a weapon that had definitely not come from humans. Its ferocious outer shell was intertwined tightly with the squirming flesh. Every detail was showing a reality that special effects could never reach, bringing about unspeakable shivers. Just when Shen Shi¡¯s emotions were about to reach their limit, everything stopped. The burning flames, the swept up debris, and even the screaming humans fleeing, everything stopped changing. Only huge words kept appearing in the center of his field of view. East Kingdom language, Western Alliance language, Nia language¡­ All the human words that could be imagined were among them. Shen Shi subconsciously found the one he could understand. [On June 18, 2026 A.D., the history of mankind was changed.] [The Earth Star Era has ended. The dark Starry Sky Era has begun with an all-out invasion war.] [On June 25th, the Earth Federation Command, representing 198 countries around the world, announced its surrender.] [800 million humans have lost their lives this week.] [Those who survived have also lost everything, including their dignity, freedom, hope, culture, history¡­] [We have not done anything wrong. The only mistake is that we are too weak.] [¡­] [With this video, remember the beginning of the Starry Sky Era.] [Produced on January 1, 3026, Starry Sky Era.] As the final words appeared, the illusion, which had originally enveloped the surroundings, started to surge toward the center like a receding tide. In the end, it returned to a small white ball floating in the air, which was about five centimeters in diameter. If some people outside were to see this scene, they would definitely fall into an indescribable madness. The kind of projection that made one feel as if one was in the midst of it, turning the entire room into a virtual world, was actually released by such an inconspicuous and portable small ball. If such technology could be popularized, it would suffice to completely change the video industry of humans and even the gaming industry. However, the only person who knew all this was clearly not in the mood to care about this. Shen Shi was still sitting on the bed. Everything around him, which had already recovered and become familiar, also gradually calmed his emotions. It was as if he had watched an extremely exciting movie in a movie theater, and his emotions were stirred. However, when the movie ended and he left the movie theater, he also left the world in the movie. However¡­ This was not something a movie could compare with. This was because Shen Shi knew very well where the small ball, which still floated in front of him, had come from. It contained a level of technology that humans absolutely could not understand at this moment. That was the future 3,000 years later. He raised his right hand and with a thought, a diamond-shaped piece of skin on the back of his hand started to emit a faint starlight. Then, it became clearer and clearer. In the end, the original appearance of the skin could no longer be seen. It became like a black hole, incomparably deep. It was as if it had become the entrance to another starry sky, dotted with countless starbursts. ¡°How did this thing get onto me?¡± Shen Shi muttered to himself. When he first discovered this change, he had been excited for a long while, especially when he realized that there was also a ¡°black market trading terminal¡± connecting to the human civilization 3,000 years later that was bound to him together with this thing. All kinds of movie plots he had seen before, such as ¡°black-technology literature¡±, ¡°learning literature¡±, and ¡°future technology literature¡±, filled his mind. To him, it was definitely not a false imagination. The virtual-reality projection ball in front of him was proof. Anything he could casually obtain from 3,000 years later would be enough to completely change this era. If he could operate it well, be cautious right from the beginning and be discreet, it would be enough for him to conquer this era and create a future which no one could imagine. Power, status, wealth, health, beautiful women¡­ Everything was within reach. However, that kind of expectation, just a few minutes ago, had been ruthlessly smashed, along with what was recorded in the projection ball! It was May 2023. If this projection ball really came from the future 3,000 years later, it meant that everything that had just appeared in front of him would happen in three years! Humanity would be invaded by alien forces, surrender in just a week and enter the dark Starry Sky Era. Even if he could survive that brutal week of war, he would lose everything! ¡°No!¡± Shen Shi gritted his teeth, his eyes revealing fear. ¡°I have to think of a way to escape from this future!¡± Although the possibility of a parallel space-time theory existed, he dared not take the risk. Moreover, he had an inexplicable intuition, as if it had come from the galaxy in the back of his hand. That was the future of this world! At this moment, Shen Shi had completely forgotten his original plan to get rich. Surviving was the most important thing! After forcing himself to calm down, Shen Shi looked at the back of his hand again. He could see his ability very clearly. He was an ordinary person who had worked hard to get into a good university. He had some ability and was also a little selfish. He was not much different from the people he saw wailing and fleeing in the video earlier. However, with this thing in his hand, the intrinsic difference thus appeared. ¡°This thing has appeared in this era and in me. Could it be that it wants to assign some mission to me, or does it have some expectations of me?¡± Shen Shi stared at the starry sky that had appeared at the back of his hand. His rather bright eyes were a little uncertain at this moment. In the end, as if he had made up his mind, he said in his heart, ¡°It might be disappointed¡­ Letting me and the people I care about survive is the most important thing for me!¡± Chapter 2 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Shen Shi still had an ability to take action that was not weak. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to get into such an internationally prestigious school from a small county. Moreover, when he was in school, he had relied entirely on himself to build up his small business bit by bit. He had opened a script-killing game studio store which was not considered small. In the past few years, script killings had been on the rise, and there were especially many script-killing studio stores around the university town. And the one owned by Shen Shi, relying on delicately managed interpersonal relationships in schools, exquisite renovations, and the hefty publicity costs he had invested in, had a good reputation in the vicinity, and his business had always been good. Originally, Shen Shi had planned to run this store well as a lifelong business after graduation. But now, this plan had clearly been disrupted. At this moment, he had put away the projection ball and forced himself to remain calm. Then, he sat at the desk and picked up a blank piece of A4 paper. [Known 1:] Shen Shi raised his pen and wrote. ¡°I¡¯ve named it the Diamond of Time. For short, it is called Time Diamond. It has the power to connect the present with the future 3,003 years later.¡± [Known 2: It seems that in order to conserve resources, items from the present world will be passed to the future. They will experience the passage of 3,000 years in an unknown space. The evidence is that the jade pendant traded previously has been assessed as an antique.] Shen Shi had already made a deal with a person in the future who called himself an antique collector through the black market trading terminal. He had used the Guanyin Jade Pendant he had bought for more than a thousand yuan to exchange for that projection that recorded this part of history. As for the reason for trading this¡­ he could only afford this. [Known 3: Jade is not valuable in the future.] Shen Shi wrote down the three known situations. This was a habit he had developed when he was thinking. As he slowly wrote, inspiration would often burst forth. At this moment, looking at the three known items listed, he hesitated for a moment and continued to write: [Speculation 1: All the materials and substances in the present world are not of much value in the future.] This was a speculation based on the reaction of the collector when he saw the jade pendant and normal logical deduction. If it had not been for the carving of Guanyin on it, even if the other party could be certain that this jade pendant had come from 3,000 years ago, he would not have traded for it at all. In the universe, there was no lack of various materials, even those from 3,000 years ago. [Speculation 2:] Shen Shi continued to write. [Antiques will have a certain value in the future.] This was also easy to speculate. If it was worthless, how could there be a collection of antiques? At this point, Shen Shi stopped. In the black market of the future, the antique collector¡¯s store was not the only one. The problem was that in Shen Shi¡¯s current situation, antiques were undoubtedly the easiest for him to realize. This was the advantage brought about by the Time Diamond. He had to make good use of it. Therefore, the problem now was obvious. If the jade pendant had no value, then he had to find a valuable ¡°antique¡±. He thought for a while. Shen Shi continued to write: [The value of modern antiques comes from three aspects: rare attributes, historical value, and artistic value.] The rarer something was, the more precious it was. Needless to say, it should be the same in the future. Therefore, the rarity of the materials themselves required no further thought. What was available now would definitely be available in the future. Even precious metals like gold would probably not be worth much in the future. Therefore, Shen Shi drew a bold circle around the words ¡°historical¡± and ¡°artistic¡±. After some thought, he drew another circle around ¡°historical¡±. The collector he had seen¡­ his appearance was really difficult to describe. Therefore, it would be really hard to project what people of today consider as ¡°aesthetically artistic¡± to the future. Then, there was only ¡°historical¡± left. Shen Shi stared intently at the word, his eyes grew brighter. Every antique was a witness to the politics, economy, and culture of a specific period in history. They were a carrier of comprehensive historical information. At the same time, they were items that could not be regenerated or re-created. They reflected the sense of vicissitudes and the rare characteristics of the weight of history. This aspect might be the greatest value of antiques in the future! ¡°As long as human civilization is able to perpetuate, exploring the history of one¡¯s own civilization should become a pursuit of those of the future,¡± Shen Shi muttered to himself. In the end, he suddenly stood up, ran to his room, and took out a pile of papers. These were all backup copies of some of the scripts in his store. After some thought, he took out a flash drive and copied something from his computer. If his deduction was not wrong, these things might be more valuable than his jade pendant! Now, it was time to try to make a deal. A dazzling galaxy appeared on the back of Shen Shi¡¯s hand again. In the next moment, a cold feeling surged into his mind. Words appeared in front of him. [Do you want to log into the trading market?] ¡°Yes!¡± Shen Shi had already experienced it once, so he was very familiar with it. [Please select the item to bring along.] With the appearance of the next selection, everything in the room was covered by light blue marks. He chose the stack of scripts and the flash drive. ¡°Esteemed Member, you¡¯re welcome to log in.¡± With this last line, Shen Shi¡¯s mind seemed to have been divided into two parts. One was still sitting on the chair, while the other had arrived at another place. It was an ancient and quaint street. Yes, it was ancient and quaint. As far as the eye could see, the sun was bright, the sky was blue, and the vista was broad. On both sides were buildings of various styles. Some had the traditional style of the beauty of the Orient. Whether it was the wooden eaves, the carved windows, or the golden glazed roofs, they were all displaying oriental characteristics. Although it was inappropriate for a small courtyard to be mixed with imperial glaze, the buildings that showed Western characteristics were even more exaggerated. It was clearly in the style of an ancient Greek temple, but the color and materials used were similar to the catacombs of ancient Egypt? A doorpost similar to the statue of David had a signboard completely in a Cantonese style? Gothic Revival Architecture¡¯s main body was adorned with a great dome of classical architecture? This was a mixture of different materials from different periods, and different regions! However, compared to the strange feeling he had when he first came here, this time, Shen Shi could see some information from the various buildings that made him excited. It was the pursuit of history and culture! And the loss of history and culture! Yes, these buildings indeed looked nondescript and were full of the fantasies of people of the future about ancient buildings. However, in this virtual trading market, there were buildings of this style everywhere. It was obvious that they were some kind of trends, and weren¡¯t these trends reflecting the pursuit of history by people of the future? Shen Shi became more confident in the deal he was about to make. Chapter 3 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations At this moment, he was actually not his original self. Instead, he was covered with seven-color streams of light. Not to mention his appearance, one could not even roughly see his form. Looking around, most of the people walking on the streets looked like this. This effect which was like ¡°anonymity¡± was a function of the terminal. After all, it was a ¡°black market¡±. Although Shen Shi had the intention to explore the surrounding shops, the most important thing now was to determine the value of the ¡°antiques¡±. He tried his best to integrate himself into every beam of seven-color figures around him. Even his pace was maintained at a similar rate. He came to a corner of the street unhurriedly. Here, there was a store that was different from the rest of the other buildings to him. The reason was simple. From the perspective of modern people, there was no issue with the decor of this store. The exterior wall was made of green stone bricks, and there was a brown wooden plaque. There were bells hanging on the inside of the door, and when one pushed the door open and entered, there would be a crisp ringing sound. Whether it was the rows of wooden shelves placed against the wall or the counter on the side that blocked the customers, they all looked very natural. They were no different from modern antique stores. This was why Shen Shi had noticed this place previously. The first time, he was unfamiliar, but the second time, he was more familiar. He pushed the door open and walked in. The first thing he saw was a seven-color figure in front of the counter and the collector sitting behind it. Are there other customers? Shen Shi glanced at the collector and walked over calmly. ¡°Welcome.¡± The collector looked over with his gentle eyes. He was speaking in a language that Shen Shi did not understand, but he could hear a simultaneous translation in his ears. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± What came out of Shen Shi¡¯s mouth was a slightly dull voice that had been modified by the terminal, and there was no emotion in it. However, it made the azure light in the collector¡¯s eyes clearly brighter. ¡°It¡¯s you, esteemed customer.¡± The collector even left the customer in front of him and walked toward Shen Shi. There were no seven-color streams of light used for anonymity on his body, nor were there any clothes. It was a body that combined art with technology. On the jade-like, crystal clear trunk, there were all kinds of runes woven from golden patterns. The internal structure could even be faintly seen. Every move he made had a blue stream of light surging in his body, giving him a mysterious color. The word ¡°robot¡± could not describe this body at all. Shen Shi was also not sure if this was his true appearance or a virtual image in this trading market¡­ In any case, his terminal did not have the ability to fabricate this image. But none of that mattered. Shen Shi watched silently as the collector walked up to him, pretending to be a person of a few words. ¡°What do you want to trade this time, esteemed customer?¡± The collector¡¯s voice could not be distinguished as male or female. It was more neutral because one could not understand the language he used, nor could one figure out his tone. However, just as Shen Shi was thinking about what to say, a customer who had concealed himself on the other side suddenly interrupted. ¡°Wait, I¡¯m not done with the transaction here.¡± This was also in an unintelligible language, but it seemed to be different from what the collector was using. ¡°Customer.¡± The collector looked at the customer. ¡°I can¡¯t accept the item you have brought out.¡± The rules of this place were very strange. There was no money, but rather, there was barter. It seemed especially inconvenient. However, there might be other reasons Shen Shi did not know. At this moment, another customer had walked over to interrupt, but Shen Shi did not care. In such a place that surpassed the world view, he adhered to the principle that the more one spoke, the more one would make mistakes. At this moment, he only placed his gaze on the other item originally placed on the counter. It should be the item the other customer wanted to trade. However, he did not know if the other party was buying it or selling it. However, the moment he saw that thing clearly, Shen Shi¡¯s pupils constricted slightly. If it had not been for the shielding of the seven-color light, he would have been discovered. However, he could not be blamed because it was a book! It was an incomplete, yellowish book that seemed to have more than half of it burnt. However, there were two words clearly written on what was left of the cover. Sun Tzu! These were obviously Chinese characters. This was a book from his era! What came after Sun Tzu? From the remnant part of it, Shen Shi had already guessed that it ought to be the Sun Tzu¡¯s Art of War! His heart was thumping, but he did not make a sound because he had already realized that this was a very good opportunity to see if the books of his era were valued here and what value they had. If the two of them were to bargain, it would be even better. As he listened, he continued to look at the book, as if he was interested. The customer, who had also concealed his appearance, did not care. He continued, ¡°This is the latest product of the Adelaide civilization! You should know how popular it is. Take it outside to trade for money. The price will definitely be above that of your book!¡± Shen Shi¡¯s gaze was also attracted by another item that had appeared beside this customer. It was a ball of black liquid floating in the air. It looked like half the size of a person. It kept surging as if it was alive. The situation was obvious. It was an item the customer had taken out to trade for this book. However, what was this? As Shen Shi was thinking of this, the collector still refused to trade. ¡°If you can buy it outside, then feel free to buy it outside. You should understand the rules here. I don¡¯t need this kind of simulation transformation substance, so its value is greatly reduced. In addition, I¡¯m not an antique dealer. I¡¯m a collector.¡± If the last sentence had been translated accurately, Shen Shi would have also understood. An antique dealer wanted to make money, but a collector only wanted to collect. If the price was tempting enough, he might sell, but at least, he would not sell his collection because the price was slightly higher when he was not short of money. As if he had seen through the firm attitude of the collector, the customer was silent for a while before he asked, ¡°I¡¯ll only use this to trade. How much do you want?¡± ¡°Ten times.¡± The collector¡¯s lips, which were woven with golden thread, opened slightly. ¡°Impossible!¡± The customer¡¯s tone had also changed, but from the translation alone, Shen Shi could seem to see his determination. ¡°This is the bottom line.¡± The collector did not say anything else. Instead, he looked at Shen Shi again. ¡°What does this esteemed customer want to trade this time?¡± Shen Shi did not reply. He was just thinking. There seemed to be a book on Sun Tzu¡¯s Art of War in his room. It did not take long to make a decision. For him now, it was most important to find a way to understand more information and then maximize his benefits. Otherwise, even if he had the gold mountain, he might not be able to sell it for a good price. Chapter 4 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Therefore, in response to the collector¡¯s question, Shen Shi said slowly, ¡°An ancient text.¡± With just these three words, suddenly, everything fell silent. It was not just the collector. Even the other customer, who had concealed himself, looked over. ¡°What a coincidence.¡± The collector smiled. His lips were clearly golden, but they were exceptionally soft when he smiled. ¡°What do you have?¡± the customer asked first. ¡°I have Sun Tzu¡¯s Art of War.¡± Shen Shi looked at him. In an instant, silence appeared again. Although his expression could not be seen, and the tone of voice could not be heard, Shen Shi could sense his urgency. He had originally planned to throw it out. Since he had made up his mind, he did not have to hesitate anymore. ¡°How many words of explanatory notes are there?¡± the customer asked again. Explanatory notes? Shen Shi was stunned. His gaze then swept across the tattered book on the table, and he seemed to understand. What was really valuable was not the original text of Sun Tzu¡¯s Art of War. After all, this was a famous piece of work. Even in the present society, there were countless versions. Therefore, even if the ancient book was missing, the original text should not be missing. However, for the explanatory notes, there might just be only one copy. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Shen Shi was straightforward. His form started to become illusory. He was in a half offline mode. At this moment, his main consciousness had returned to reality. He walked directly to his study and picked up the book on Sun Tzu¡¯s Art of War. Sea City Literary Union Publishing House. It was a hardcover edition with a hard cover. It had a total of 312 pages and was as thick as a novel with more than 100,000 words. Compared to the incomplete book he had seen earlier, it was many times better. When he returned to the collector¡¯s store, the book had already appeared in his hand. However, at this moment, the book had turned yellow, dry, and fragile. The pages were stuck together, as if they would break into pieces if he flipped them. 3,000 years of time had already been added to this book. Even so, the customer was still excited. Even the collector¡¯s gaze was firmly on the book! ¡°It has actually been preserved so intact!¡± Even though he could not understand the language, even from the translated voice, he could sense the unbelievable shock in the collector¡¯s tone of voice. He gently raised his fair fingers, and the book in Shen Shi¡¯s hand immediately flew up and spread page by page in the air. The originally fragile pages seemed to have been delicately protected; they separated completely. Even the smallest cracks could be seen clearly, without any effect on each other. However, the words on it seemed to have been pixelated. It was impossible to see them clearly. After all, what had appeared here was not the real book at all. It was a virtual version of the book. The mosaic on the text was only a protection of the copyright. Shen Shi did not speak. He was also a little surprised by this scene, but he still remembered to maintain his taciturn persona. After a long while. The collector still did not retract his gaze of amazement and fascination. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen such a perfect ancient book in a long time!¡± His fingers slowly swept across the floating pages, as if he was feeling the rough texture. ¡°It has been preserved in a vacuum environment with nothing missing! It should have only gone through one owner. Unfortunately, its owner had not turned the pages much. Sir, please sell this treasure of humanity to me. I will definitely give you a deal you will be pleased with!¡± The azure light in the collector¡¯s eyes became scorching. The excitement in his tone was obvious. In fact, this was a very irrational behavior in a transaction. Shen Shi did not believe that people 3,000 years later would not be able to control their emotions, but he had still acted as such. This was enough to show the value of this book! He had made a correct guess. Shen Shi was also ecstatic! This meant that he who was from the past had real treasures! Thanks to the anonymity mode, Shen Shi¡¯s mood had not been leaked at all. After a moment of silence, he suppressed his emotions and looked at the customer earlier. ¡°Show me the item you want to trade.¡± ¡°¡­Sure!¡± Due to anonymity, Shen Shi did not know the expression of the other customer. However, the ball of tumbling liquid had already flown over. The introduction sounded at the same time. ¡°The simulation transformation substance produced by the Adelaide civilization is specially made for integration into other civilizations. It can simulate any carbon-based living creatures. The smallest unit is precise to the progenitor cells. Its simulation of a material¡¯s structure is also very strong. At the same time, it is equipped with the strongest anti-reconnaissance system. Its value to the military is extremely high.¡± Shen Shi looked at the ball of liquid in his hand and listened to the continuous translation. Even though the original tone could not be heard under the effect of anonymity, he could sense the urgency in the other party¡¯s heart from the lengthy introduction. Anonymity was indeed not omnipotent. It was indeed right to speak less. However, compared to all this, Shen Shi was even more amazed by the item in his hand. He had already temporarily obtained the right to use this item from the trading platform and knew its true use. Transformation. The so-called simulation transformation substance was made up of incomparably small individual units that could transform into most elements. ¡°Take note, it¡¯s an element! An element like hydrogen, helium, lithium, helium!¡± From the current scientific perspective, this was almost impossible. The so-called elements were the basic particles that constituted matter. They were the result of a qualitative change caused by the quantitative change in the number of protons in an atom. In other words, if the substance in front of him really existed, its level of control would at least be a proton! However, there was no change in the proton¡¯s energy? Forget it. Shen Shi gave up on using his poor scientific knowledge to think about technology 3,000 years later. Suppressing his excitement, he controlled it according to the manual. With a thought, the ball of black liquid in his hand suddenly compressed into a square of gold. Whether it was the weight or the texture, it was no different from real gold! Then, it moved again. It turned into a bird he did not know the name of. It had wings that kept changing color, and it was beautiful. It spread its wings and flew around Shen Shi in this small room. This was an alien creature recorded in the database of the simulation transformation substance. The transformation substance could transform into most elements, but combining them required a control terminal to control it. It was like the relationship between a remote control and a drone. ¡°Not bad,¡± said Shen Shi, pretending to be calm. ¡°Then let¡¯s trade!¡± The customer could no longer suppress his anxiety. This was a complete copy of Sun Tzu¡¯s Art of War! Even if it was not the only copy, just its completeness alone was enough to increase its value by more than ten times! If he were to give this treasure to the Lord¡­ He had to trade for it! The customer even looked at the collector warily. A moment ago, they were trading partners. Now, they were rivals! Chapter 5 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations ¡°If you, my esteemed customer, like this kind of transformation substance, it¡¯s not like I can¡¯t take it out,¡± the collector said at this moment. Even when he spoke, his gaze was still fixed on the pages. He was not anonymous, and the confidence in his tone was simply overflowing. ¡°Ten tonnes!¡± said another customer slowly. Instantly, the collector froze. Shen Shi¡¯s eyes lit up. Ten tonnes of simulation transformation substance? This simulation transformation substance could transform into all kinds of elements. It could even simulate living creatures. It was comparable to the 72 transformations in myths and legends. However, there was something that could not be changed. Quality. In other words, a kilogram of simulation transformation substance could not turn into two kilograms of gold. If it was only a kilogram, Shen Shi might only be able to transform it into a pistol or something. But ten tonnes? From tanks, planes, to lions, elephants, and even alien existences! An item from 3,000 years later was no less magical and powerful than a legend if brought to the present society! If one could just take any simple item, not to mention a base desire to become rich, one could even rule the world! However¡­ Shen Shi suddenly recalled the scene of the alien war three years later. It was as if a basin of cold water had been poured over his head, and his stirred heart turned cold. So what if he could rule the world? There were only three years left of humanity¡¯s good days. As for defeating the invaders¡­ Thinking of the warship that covered the sky, Shen Shi¡¯s heart turned even colder. ¡°Eleven tonnes!¡± The collector¡¯s voice pulled the dazed Shen Shi back. The bidding had begun. The smile on the collector¡¯s face had disappeared. The light in the group kept surging, vaguely revealing a sense of mystery. However, the other customer was not afraid. ¡°Twelve tonnes!¡± Although the collector had a special status, even the collector could not cross the platform and know his true identity! ¡°Thirteen tonnes!¡± ¡°Fourteen tonnes!¡± Since it was a transaction for the simulation transformation substance, that customer was determined to obtain it. ¡°Some time ago, a Type-3 merchant ship from the Adelaide civilization was plundered by interstellar pirates. It was carrying 25 tonnes of the latest simulation transformation substance.¡± The collector stared intently at the other customer, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly. ¡°I offer 24 tonnes. If you continue to increase the price, I¡¯ll give up.¡± Shen Shi¡¯s heartbeat quickened. Interstellar pirates? The world 3,000 years later was probably more complicated than he had imagined! However, compared to this, the 24-tonne figure was the main reason for his heart to beat faster! No matter what the world was 3,000 years later, these people could not possibly return to 3,000 years ago to find him. He was just a brutal antique seller. Everything else had nothing to do with him! There was a long silence. At the moment when even Shen Shi felt nervous, ¡°25 tonnes!¡± The simultaneous translation of these words appeared in his ear. ¡°Congratulations.¡± The collector seemed to sigh, and the smile on his lips faded. ¡°You don¡¯t have 24 tonnes at all!¡± The indignation in the other customer¡¯s words could be felt even with the translation in the anonymity mode. ¡°There is always a price to pay for trying to snatch something from my hands, customer,¡± the collector said calmly. His gaze fell on the pages again and his fingers touched them reluctantly. It seemed that even if he had tricked his competitor, he was not very happy. This was a person who really loved antiques. Shen Shi was certain of this in his mind. Even if he had been pretending, to be able to pretend to this extent meant that this would not change easily. ¡°Sir.¡± The other customer turned to Shen Shi. ¡°Can we trade?¡± Shen Shi could not understand what he was saying, but from the translation, he could already sense the other party¡¯s respect for language. This was the seller¡¯s market. ¡°Sure,¡± he said briefly. 25 tonnes! Considering an adult male to weigh 63 kilograms, 25 tonnes was enough to transform into 400 humans! Moreover, the value of this transformation substance was far beyond just transforming into a creature, an element and so on. Shen Shi was a student from a major university, so he was not stupid. What would a substance that could transform into any element mean? This meant that it was an omnipotent experimental apparatus! If Edison had this back then, he would not have needed to experiment more than 7,000 times to invent the light bulb. It was indeed a worthy future creation¡­ Even if it had just an auxiliary role, it was enough to change the development of human technology. Unfortunately¡­ Shen Shi thought of the alien invasion again, and his excitement was suppressed. However, it was not without advantages. With this matter pressing in his heart, he did not have to worry about losing his balance after becoming rich because he could not float even if he wanted to. Shen Shi was having fun in his misery. The transaction process was very smooth. Everything was handed over to the platform. This black market trading terminal, which had come with the Time Diamond, was also a very magical treasure. Each terminal seemed to have an independent and huge space attached. All the items for trading were carried out directly in the space. Even the scanning and projection of the items for trading were carried out through this independent space. The technology 3,000 years later was no less than a legend. Anyway, a large pile of squirming black liquid appeared in Shen Shi¡¯s space. And that customer, after adding Shen Shi as a friend, left in a hurry. Although he had traded for what he wanted, he had paid a heavy price and suffered heavy losses. ¡°Is there anything else, esteemed customer?¡± The collector looked at Shen Shi and asked in a friendly tone. Shen Shi did not know if there was such a thing as a favor 3,000 years later, but in his opinion, he actually owed this collector a favor in the transaction just now. Without him, it would have been impossible for that book on the Art of War to be traded for such a high price. Yes, he had already guessed the approximate price. The first price the other customer had quoted in front of the collector was ten tonnes. It was probably the right price, or might even be a little higher. With a reference point, it would undoubtedly be more beneficial to Shen Shi for his subsequent transactions. Therefore, he said directly, ¡°I want a cosmic warship that can survive in the universe for a long time!¡± Yes, a cosmic warship! This was what Shen Shi really wanted and must have! If the alien invasion three years later was unavoidable, then there were only two options left, to defeat the invaders or to escape from the Blue Planet. Clearly, Shen Shi did not have any confidence in the former, and the latter was to prioritize protecting his life and that of his family. He was already preparing to flee. This was the decision he had made after watching the doomsday video. Regardless of whether it was possible to change history or not, and regardless of the future of mankind, retreat was the most important guarantee! Chapter 6 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations ¡°Big business.¡± The collector¡¯s golden lips slowly curled up, the extent of which was completely incomparable to earlier. It was like a clown¡¯s smile, overflowing with inexplicable emotions. He raised his fair fingers and tapped gently. A completely black item appeared in front of Shen Shi. ¡°This is the best warship I have. If my esteemed customer has the means, feel free to take it!¡± Shen Shi saw an unprecedented scorching heat in the depths of those blue eyes! He had been careless. Shen Shi knew that he had been too anxious. There was no specific price for such a barter trade. The demand determined the value to a large part. He had said what he wanted first and had actually lost a part of the initiative. Just like the customer earlier, he had no choice but to trade for it at a higher price. However¡ª The warship was the most important! Shen Shi¡¯s attention was completely attracted by the spaceship in front of him. It was certainly different in appearance from the cosmic warship people imagined in the movies. This spaceship was not flat or long, but spherical. Yes, it was the image of a ball. The surface was completely black, and a large part of the surface was exceptionally smooth. The material could not be roughly seen. Only a few areas had some bumps, and the corresponding information had already been fed into his mind through the platform. [Diameter: 1.365 kilometers. It has an ecological circulation system and is equipped with a smart central control system of the *** model.] [Equipped with the ** model of annihilation reactor.] [Equipped with a **** flexible drive engine. Its power level is ***58*4.] [Equipped with a maintenance system. The highest maintenance loss ratio is 32.486745%.] [Equipped with a level-3 energy room.] [Equipped with the **** concealment system.] [The main weapon is the Star-Slayer Ion Cannon.] [Secondary weapons include *** pulse shot, gamma laser launcher, **** cannon¡­] [¡­] The long pages at the back were a large number of mounted devices and performance parameters. Just the weapon section alone was four to five pages long. Every single item had a huge page when clicked open, and there was a large number of * characters. According to the explanation by the platform¡¯s translation system, the character * meant that it could not be translated in the common language it used. In short, Shen Shi had given up trying to see if the cosmic warship was good for migration use from the description. After all, even buying a computer required one to have the corresponding knowledge to know if it was good or bad, let alone a cosmic warship. He simply placed his attention on the warship itself. With just a thought, Shen Shi, who had already obtained the control of the projection, easily enlarged the projection of the warship in front of him. And this store, which was originally only of average size, actually continued to extend. It was not until a really huge cosmic warship appeared in front of him that Shen Shi could truly feel the shock! This was a sphere with a diameter of 1,300 meters! The surface area was about 6 million square meters! It was equivalent to the area of almost a thousand football fields! The largest aircraft carrier in the world was only 300 meters long! Shen Shi had once watched the aircraft carrier of a country from afar. To this day, he still remembered that shock of a human being facing a mobile behemoth. However, that aircraft carrier was so ¡°small¡± compared to the cosmic warship in front of him! If he could take this cosmic warship to the Blue Planet, it would immediately become the largest transport vehicle on the Blue Planet! There was no other! Not to mention, this was a cosmic warship! Thinking that this cosmic warship might belong to him, Shen Shi was indescribably excited. Like most men, he liked big and imposing things. However¡­ The image of the cosmic warship, which had almost covered the entire sky, suddenly appeared in his mind. Shen Shi¡¯s originally excited heart cooled down again. From the current perspective, this cosmic warship was imposing enough. But from the perspective of the future and the galaxy? Shen Shi did not know. He only knew that if he wanted to escape, the cosmic warship in front of him could only take tens of thousands of people away. ¡°Not enough.¡± He looked at the collector. ¡°Is there anything better?¡± If the alien invaders were to arrive as scheduled, this cosmic warship would be the last home for him and his family, and be their greatest reliance in the vast universe. However, no matter how powerful it was, it was not enough for his needs! Unless it was powerful enough to defeat the invaders! ¡°Dear esteemed customer,¡± the collector¡¯s tone was clearly regretful after the translation, ¡°this was originally a warship I had prepared for myself. I can guarantee that you will not be able to obtain a better migration warship here. You have to know that we humans are not qualified to build an migration warship of the *** type and above.¡± The last sentence stunned Shen Shi. Not qualified, not incapable? Speaking of which¡­ After the crushing defeat three years later, humanity would have lost everything to barely survive. Thereafter, what was the situation of mankind in the interstellar society 3,000 years later? If only he knew the history. Shen Shi once again realized his mistake. A huge sense of crisis had driven his strong desire for the cosmic warship. However, in reality, he should have obtained more information about the future before trading for the warship. This way, the possibility of exposing himself would be greatly reduced, and he would be able to obtain a more powerful warship as far as possible. After all, he was just an ordinary university student. He was not so calm and wise. Shen Shi mocked himself in his heart. However, he had already made a decision. No matter what, he had to get the cosmic warship! Not to mention the migration warship in front of him, even if it was just a small one, as long as he could escape from the Blue Planet, he had to get it! As for the more powerful warships, as long as it was possible, there would be plenty of opportunities. The Time Diamond and the value of antiques in the future were his confidence! ¡°In that case, this one will do,¡± he said softly. Then, after a moment of hesitation, he threw out a USB flash drive. Yes, it was the USB drive where he had used his computer to copy something before he came. 3,000 years had already been applied to this USB flash drive. However, this was 3,000 years in an inert environment, so there were no rust spots or corrosion. There were only some slight deformations. These were traces of a long period of time which could not be erased. However, the moment the projection of the USB flash drive appeared, The collector¡¯s entire head was enveloped by a dense halo! His eyes were no longer just glowing, they were also rolling violently, overflowing with intense emotions that even Shen Shi could easily see! ¡°Is this¡­ an ancient information storage carrier from the Earth Star Era?¡± His voice became very soft, and the translation of his words even trembled. Shen Shi had not expected the other party¡¯s reaction to a mere USB drive he had taken out to be so exaggerated. Chapter 7 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations However, the excited collector no longer cared about him. Like he had forgotten the existence of Shen Shi, he had even forgotten that the USB flash drive in front of him was just a projection. The collector held the steel-made silver USB flash drive carefully with his crystal-clear hands and muttered to himself, ¡°Oakley has tampered with our language, destroyed our memories, and destroyed all the information carriers. They want to enslave us forever, so that we will never be able to find our past, our origin, or ourselves, and never be qualified to touch the domain of the strong¡­¡± Shen Shi¡¯s pupils constricted as he listened to the translation. He finally understood why present text and information had such great value in the future, and why so much of history and culture were missing. The invaders three years later had deliberately destroyed everything! However, Shen Shi could not understand. From the perspective of rule and slavery, destroying the faith and culture of the captives could be considered a powerful method. However, why was it that after losing these, one would never be qualified to touch the domain of the strong? Wouldn¡¯t losing the inheritance and culture of the past create a new culture? Shen Shi lowered his gaze and did not say anything. Whether it was the future 3,000 years later or the mysterious starry sky, at this moment, there were too many secrets that were unknown and incomprehensible to him. But now was not the time to pursue these secrets. At this moment, the collector had already started to analyze the contents of the USB drive. This USB drive had been left for 3,000 years. A present-day computer would obviously have been scrapped. However, with the powerful analytical ability of the black market platform, all the contents retained in the USB drive were opened. Those were four movies. The names and images were all blurred by the platform. Just like Sun Tzu¡¯s Art of War earlier, it was the platform¡¯s protection of the information¡¯s copyright. Even so, it had already made the collector completely excited! ¡°It has actually been preserved so intact!¡± He had also sighed like this about Sun Tzu¡¯s Art of War earlier. It could be imagined how valuable an intact piece was for such a cultural antique! ¡°Respected esteemed customer!¡± The collector looked at Shen Shi again, no longer hiding his desire. ¡°May I ask which four movies are recorded here?¡± ¡°¡­Iron Man 1 and 2, as well as the Spring Embroidered Saber 1 and 2,¡± Shen Shi told him truthfully. As soon as he finished speaking, it was obvious that the halo that had appeared in the head of the collector suddenly stopped. This was an exceptionally strange scene. It did not conform to the optical theorem at all. It was like some kind of cool special effect. However, in Shen Shi¡¯s senses, it was more like the prelude to a volcano eruption! He even had the urge to take a few steps back. However, before he could do anything, a scorching emotion erupted first! An azure light filled his vision! It was an indescribable sense of oppression. The collector in front of him seemed to have transformed into light, but also like the infinite quantum body of Dr. Manhattan. Just looking at him caused one¡¯s mind to tremble. It was as if raging emotions were surging over. It was an uncontrollable joy, a passion that trembled all over, a joy that came from the soul¡­ [Alert! Alert! Your consciousness is being attacked!] Just as Shen Shi was about to be immersed in the surging emotions, scarlet triangular frames and ear-piercing buzzing sounds kept appearing, suppressing all his emotions earlier. The shock in Shen Shi¡¯s heart could not be described with words. If the seven-color light of anonymity had been removed, one could see that he was breathing heavily. Just now¡­ what was that? Isn¡¯t this virtual reality? And what was that azure light? Wasn¡¯t it a special effect? It could actually attack his consciousness? Just as Shen Shi was considering whether to retreat, the alarm suddenly stopped. In front of him was still the collector, and he looked like he had returned to normal. ¡°I¡¯m extremely sorry, esteemed guest. Please forgive my rudeness.¡± The collector lowered his head and even placed a hand on his chest. He bent down at a 90-degree angle and said in a regretful tone, ¡°I was too excited and did not control my emotions and strength. Please forgive me. For this, I¡¯m willing to give you a satisfactory compensation.¡± At the same time, a notification from the platform appeared in front of Shen Shi. [You have been attacked by the collector¡¯s harmless energy. The other party has asked for forgiveness. If you do not agree, the other party¡¯s credibility score will be deducted. Note: If the credibility score is too low, he will lose the store qualification.] ¡°¡­¡± At this moment, Shen Shi had not recovered. Whether it was what had just happened or the notifications on the platform in front of him, there was a lot of information. As a result, his thoughts were in a mess. He did not know where to start. Silence was the response he could give at this moment. After a long silence, the collector continued to bow. He was filled with regret. He gritted his teeth. ¡°Respected Sir.¡± The slightly changed translation seemed to have reflected a change. ¡°I¡¯m willing to compensate you with 13 tonnes of simulation transformation substance for free to seek your forgiveness. I hope my slight discourtesy will not affect your subsequent transaction with me.¡± Thirteen tonnes of simulation transformation substance! When Shen Shi heard this compensation, he finally regained his senses. He took a deep look at the collector in front of him. Putting aside those things that could not be understood for the time being, the current situation was very easy to understand. The reason why the collector had lowered his attitude so much was probably not because he was worried about the so-called ¡°credibility score¡±, but because he was worried about the USB drive deal which had yet to be closed! After another moment of hesitation, Shen Shi then said slowly, ¡°Don¡¯t do this again.¡± No matter what the attack had been, it had given him a warning. Even here, it was not absolutely safe. He needed to be more cautious. However¡­ 13 tonnes of simulation transformation substance! He had a total of 38 tonnes, after adding the 25 tonnes he had traded for earlier! If used well, there was almost no counter strategy in present society! After confirming that the compensation had been received, Shen Shi also selected forgiveness when prompted. Only then did the collector straighten his body again. ¡°Thank you for your forgiveness.¡± He seemed to be relieved. Shen Shi noticed that the collector no longer seemed to hide his emotions in front of him. The blue light did have the effect of transmitting emotions. He had already somewhat understood what it was like for ancient people to suddenly transmigrate to the modern world. There were too many unknowns and too many mysteries! There were many aspects which he could not guess and comprehend with his past logic. Therefore, Shen Shi was still playing the role of a quiet person. The collector only thought that he was still unhappy about what had happened earlier. ¡°Please forgive me.¡± He still maintained a slightly bent posture, and a sense of helplessness and regret could be felt. ¡°The treasures you have taken out are really too astonishing!¡± Chapter 8 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Shen Shi remained silent. To be honest, he was also indescribably shocked. The value of present information was shockingly high in the future 3,000 years later. Even though the antique collector in front of him had a stronger fondness for antiques, it was still a little too exaggerated. The collector still did not stop talking. ¡°That was one of the most famous movies in the short history of the Earth Star Era! It displayed the ancestors¡¯ yearning for technology and the universe when they were in the Earth Star Era! I had the honor of seeing the fragments, and I could not help but be deeply shocked by the astonishing imagination of the ancestors.¡± The emotions he had transmitted turned into deep intoxication. ¡°Although I have never seen the Spring Embroidered Saber, I have also heard of it. It is a story played by the ancestors of an era more distant than the end of the Earth Star Era. Every frame, every word, is a priceless treasure to humans!¡± Shen Shi¡­ still found it difficult to understand. He felt that this fanaticism had surpassed the pursuit of antiques by present people. Was history really so important? Could the significance of the Time Diamond¡¯s crossing of 3,000 years be for history? But no matter what. The greater the value of history, the more beneficial it was to him! ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the deal.¡± Shen Shi changed the topic back to the deal. ¡°Is there really no better one?¡± ¡°Dear Sir.¡± The collector seemed to be in a difficult position. ¡°You should know our current situation. If it had been in the past, we might have had a chance, but now, no civilization in the territory of the Rancher would dare to sell the migration warships to us.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Shen Yi did not reply. Rancher? Current situation? There was too much unknown information in this sentence. If he were to answer carelessly, it would reveal that he knew nothing about the future. His silence seemed to have been mistaken by the collector for some kind of displeasure. The collector looked at the silver USB drive again and at the four movies projected from it. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Dear Sir, are you planning to flee? Then, I¡¯ll also give you an independent information vault so that you and your family clan can develop rapidly in any star realm. This is already my greatest sincerity. At least, no one here can give a deal more valuable than mine.¡± Flee? An independent information vault? Shen Shi pondered the meaning behind these few words. However, from the looks of the collector, he knew that he would not be able to ask for more. In fact, he did not want to say anything else. If it had not been to avoid exposing his trump card and to continue to transact in the future, he would have exchanged 40 movies for this warship, let alone four movies! ¡°Alright, let¡¯s trade.¡± It was also a short response. This time, the collector fell into a happy mood again! Fortunately, this time, he did not erupt with light like before. Instead, he completed the transaction as quickly as possible. Then, he could not help but remove the restrictions on the platform. The names and contents of the four movies were completely unlocked. And Shen Shi. He looked at the huge ¡°black ball¡± in his personal space in a daze. Had he really obtained it? A cosmic warship with a diameter of more than a kilometer? ¡°Honorable Sir, what else can I do for you?¡± The collector seemed to have confirmed the authenticity and completeness of the movies. He became even more respectful toward Shen Shi. This was not just reflected in the translation, but also in his actions. He was still in a half-bent posture. Shen Shi had planned to leave immediately, but at this moment, he was a little hesitant. He still left a sentence. ¡°Next time. I might look for you in the future.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± The collector became even more joyful and bowed gracefully again. ¡°It is my great honor to be able to deal with a gentleman of noble status from a distant clan like you. Every friendship item you have brought is a supreme treasure. Every ancient phrase you speak is a great gift to me.¡± Shen Shi looked at him deeply. In fact, he had already realized this. Although the platform would provide simultaneous translation and anonymity would also hide the tone of the words, the language he used could not be concealed. The East Kingdom language was definitely ancient to the people of this era. The evidence was the rows of * characters in the description of the warship. Shen Shi naturally understood that those * characters did not mean that it could not be explained in the words of the East Kingdom language, but that there was no corresponding vocabulary. This was enough to show that not many people would be able to speak his ¡°native language¡± in the future. This was also the reason why the collector had addressed him as an ¡°esteemed customer¡± on their first transaction. From the collector¡¯s attitude toward the other customer, it could be seen that there was definitely a reason for his respect for him. Although he did not understand what the collector was thinking and what the ¡°distant clan¡± meant, Shen Shi naturally would not ask. This was because this ¡°misunderstanding¡± was in his favor. The seven-color light of anonymity concealed all of Shen Shi¡¯s emotions and actions. In the eyes of the collector, he only remained silent for a short while before turning around and leaving the store. Then, he exited the trading market. His consciousness returned to his body. The first thing that came was the strong sense of unreality brought about by the change in the environment. Then, his subconscious reaction was to check the items in his personal space. That huge ball was still suspended in the air, including a large pile of squirming black liquid! It was real! He had really used a book worth ten over yuan and a USB drive he bought for a hundred or so yuan to exchange for a large pile of omnipotent substance and a cosmic migration warship that could accommodate tens of thousands of people! No! He could not be too excited! Shen Shi¡¯s face turned red. He clenched his fists tightly and used all his strength to control his urge to shout. No matter how calm he usually was, he only understood how difficult it was to control his emotions when he encountered something big. Then, he gently raised his hand. A large ball of black, sticky, oil-like liquid appeared on the floor of the room. It squirmed slowly. It was the simulation transformation substance! Shen Shi did not take out too much. He only took out 50 kilograms. However, in a standby state, it was enough to cover the floor of the entire room. This type of simulation transformation substance was controlled by a program installed on the personal terminal. In the future world, the so-called personal terminal would be a necessary and universal tool like the mobile phone and computer of modern people. It included various forms. There were optical computers external to one¡¯s body, chips implanted in one¡¯s body, and even terminals located in a special space that could be controlled by consciousness. Even a cosmic warship could be controlled remotely with one¡¯s consciousness through a personal terminal. It was obvious that the black market trading terminal which had come to Shen Shi¡¯s side with Time Diamond was a personal terminal, and one that was very advanced. It had already been bound to him. Chapter 9 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Apart from the Time Diamond, which was something completely incomprehensible, this terminal was just a tool that everyone in the market had. Shen Shi had ascertained it from the beginning, and he had also confirmed that there was a choice to untie it. Therefore, he was not too worried about any traps in this thing. He planned to change the terminal if he had the chance in the future. However, at this moment, he had already installed the control system for the simulation transformation substance. This was a wonderful feeling. With a thought, the black liquid on the ground seemed to have a life of its own as it slowly flowed toward him. It wrapped around his body from his legs, bringing with it a cold sensation. In the next moment, it suddenly broke away and turned into a dazzling golden pillar in front of him! Shen Shi grinned, his smile equally bright. His first reaction was actually to transform it into gold. This was a little worldly. However, he was a worldly person! Shen Shi knew himself very well. He yearned for power, status, and money. He enjoyed vanity and liked to be the attention of everyone. He was unwilling to be ordinary, and liked beautiful women. He craved most of the good things of the world. Even the hard work praised by the people around him was essentially nothing more than the pursuit of desire. And now, everything he had yearned for in the past seemed within reach. At this moment, there was no one else. It looked like there was a way to escape from the crisis three years later. Shen Shi heaved a sigh of relief and no longer suppressed himself. However, this complicated emotion, which was mixed with novelty, excitement, anticipation, worry, regret, hesitation, and so on, had appeared for the first time in his more than 20 years of life. As his emotions surged, the transformation substance in front of him also started to change continuously. The sofa, the wardrobe, the tablet, the computer, and even the cat and dog, in the end, became a Gatling gun with a long bullet belt! It could be fired! Although during the transformation of elements and forms, there would not be the conversion of energy, once it was set up, it could still participate in the chemical reaction. Of course, the energy consumed in this process would need to be absorbed externally. In other words, as long as one had grasped the principle and absorbed enough energy, even nuclear weapons could be simulated! ¡°It¡¯s simply like a magical power.¡± Shen Shi sighed. According to the accompanying instructions, this simulation transformation substance itself had military applications. In the current society, it was like flying an armed helicopter to ancient times. It was like an immortal god in the world. If the cosmic warship was added¡­ Shen Shi had already begun to realize that in just ten over minutes, the power he had control of had already surpassed everyone on this planet! This had nothing to do with status, power, or wealth. Instead, it was a higher level; it was a purer, and more powerful force! This feeling was so magical. All imagination about it was so powerless in front of the real existence. Only by really possessing it could one really know this dream-like feeling. It could be said that if it was not for the calamity three years later, Shen Shi would probably be floating in the air at this moment. However, it was precisely because he knew of the calamity that he was trying his best to restrain his swelling emotions. And the desire to share. It would be great if there was a trustworthy mentor at such a time. Shen Shi suddenly yearned to share. Even if it was just a sincere friend. Even if he did not reveal the true situation. He took out his phone and scrolled through his contact list, trying to find a friend he could share his emotions with at this moment. However, there was none. Shen Shi had many friends, but he really did not have any whom he could vent his emotions on. Actually, his father would do too. Unfortunately, his father had already died six years ago as a hero. Finally, he saw a person¡¯s name. Aixin¡¯er. Someone who had made him a little dazed. ¡°When a person is in the limelight, it is indeed easy to remember the unattainable one he had once yearned for¡­¡± Shen Shi had a complicated expression. The last time they chatted was a few months ago. The other party had asked very simply if he wanted to go to Sea City to study together, and he had rejected her with the excuse that he still had something to do. As for the reason? The probability of losing to reality was too high when the difference in feelings was too great. He was also unwilling to face it humbly, so he could only stay away. However¡ª Things seemed different now. Shen Shi did not know his feelings at this moment. Everything that had happened in such a short period of time had really exceeded his imagination, making him feel bewildered. However, it did not matter. He had already dialed the number. It only rang once before it was immediately picked up. ¡°Hello?¡± A soft voice came from the phone. ¡°Are you free? I think I need some help,¡± Shen Shi said directly. The moment he heard the other party¡¯s voice, he suddenly found himself calm. It was as if he had finally returned to a familiar domain from an illusory world. This made him realize that he might need an anchor, one that could allow him, who had changed too quickly, not to lose himself. ¡°What happened?¡± The voice on the phone seemed to be a little anxious. ¡°In fact¡­¡± Shen Shi deliberately dragged his voice out. It was not until the breathing on the other end of the line became a little hurried that he said seriously,¡± I¡¯ve become rich overnight, like one that is worth hundreds of millions. So, I¡¯m very lost now. Why don¡¯t you come out for a chat? ¡± ¡°Du du du.¡± The call was hung up. Shen Shi was a little dumbfounded. However, the message came quickly. ¡°Are you teasing me now?!!¡± [Anger.jpg] Shen Shi scratched his head. She did not believe me. It was no wonder. If someone had told him this, he would not have believed it either. ¡°Come out and meet me. I¡¯m serious.¡± Shen Shi tapped on his phone. ¡°I have class in the afternoon. Let¡¯s fix it at 8 p.m. I¡¯ll go over to your store.¡± The reply was quick. ¡°Alright.¡± After replying, Shen Shi put down his phone and lay on the bed. The transformation substance morphed into tens of cats. They leaned meekly on his side. After a long while. Shen Shi then stretched out his palm and looked at the dazzling galaxy slowly appearing on the back of his hand. The corners of his mouth curled up involuntarily. It was not the kind of smile that was based on excitement, desire, and strength. Instead, it was a smile that was really based on reality. ¡°No matter what the future holds, from this day onwards, my fate is no longer ordinary,¡± Shen Shi said to himself. He suddenly got up from the bed. The cats scattered in all directions and gathered again, turning into a cube. He had already bragged. There were only a few hours left before the appointment. In short, he had to get money first. The life goal of the vast majority of people was really very simple for him at this moment. Among the transformation models given by the simulation transformation substance alone, there was a record of a common weapon used in information warfare. With the internet level of the Blue Planet, a super computer built from the transformation substance would only need a few seconds to be completely in control. He was not going to invade the bank or anything. As long as he could get a few virtual coin wallets, getting money would be a piece of cake. Chapter 10 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Hence, an hour later, Shen Shi looked at the numbers in his bank card in a daze. 324,806,456 yuan! A whole 320 million yuan! Although he knew that it was easy for him to get money now, even Shen Shi had not expected it to be so easy! Most of the time in this hour had been spent on the payer¡¯s transfer. As for the rest, he only needed to give the artificial intelligence an order and it would be settled directly. It was easy and without difficulty. ¡°So, I¡¯ve become a billionaire just like that?¡± Shen Shi muttered to himself. However, he realized that he was not as excited as he had imagined. This was because compared to the more magical ¡°superpower¡±, the trading market, and the cosmic warship, having so much money did not seem a great deal. A day ago, he was still a struggling young man with millions of dollars as his lifelong goal, but today, he had already realized that money was just a number. He did not know how to deal with such a change. But¡­ He could shop to his heart¡¯s content now! ¡°Buy the most expensive luxury cars! Buy the most expensive watches! Buy the most expensive clothes! It doesn¡¯t matter if people say I¡¯m rich overnight! I¡¯m rich overnight!¡± As Shen Shi changed into the clothes to go out, he hummed a tune he had composed. He even had the feeling of Spider-Man after he was possessed by venom and turned black. It was as if the entire world was playing a music disc, and he was walking as if he was dancing. There was no need to care about the opinions of others or anyone else. On this planet, his will was a power that surpassed everything! He took a taxi and headed directly to the Rolls-Royce Experience Center in Sea City. When he was in the car, Shen Shi suddenly became quiet. He even ignored the driver¡¯s mocking words. Along the way, he only sank half of his consciousness into his personal space. The other half of his consciousness looked at the traffic outside the window. The gold coins, which had been morphed from the transformation substance, kept rolling between his fingers. In his own way, he was remembering how he felt at this moment. This state continued until he stood in front of the experience hall. The reason why he had come here first was because this was not his first time here. He had seen it once when he passed by. Whether it was the exquisite decor or the cars seen through the glass, they all gave him a sense of yearning mixed with gloominess. He yearned for the luxury of another world and was also depressed by his own ordinariness. But now. He was wearing a T-shirt that cost a few hundred yuan. With his head held high, he pushed open the closed single door and walked in. Before the salesperson could approach, he pointed at a black Rolls-Royce Phantom in the hall. ¡°I want this car. Full payment. I want to drive it away immediately.¡± The salesperson, who was about to walk over, was stunned. Even her expression had changed. Shen Shi did not know what she was thinking. Perhaps she was wondering if he had the means. However, it did not matter. He did not have to care about the other party¡¯s thoughts or the so-called car purchase process. He only needed to know that he had taken a fancy to this car and wanted to drive it away immediately. It was that simple! ¡°Sir, thank you for your love and support for us.¡± The salesperson eventually walked up to Shen Shi and sized him up carefully. ¡°However, we are able to customize the exterior color and the interior decor. You still have many other options. Do you wish to¡­¡± ¡°No need, I¡¯m in a hurry.¡± Shen Shi had already taken out his bank card. ¡°I only ask if I could collect it. If I can, I¡¯ll make payment.¡± The expression of the salesperson with exquisite makeup changed again, especially when she saw that the bank card was no different from her own bank card. However, she saw Shen Shi¡¯s expression thereafter. Calm, confident, and cold. He was either crazy or really rich! ¡°If you¡¯re certain, there¡¯s naturally no problem!¡± The salesperson shuddered and welcomed Shen Shi into the VIP room. Next, it was time to sign the contract, pay, and go through the formalities. When Shen Shi really transferred 10.2 million yuan from the ordinary card, not to mention the salesperson in front of him, even the employees in the entire experience hall were in a commotion. Usually, there would be people of ordinary backgrounds pretending to want to buy it. They would come over to ask questions, and even get into the car to experience it. However, this was the first time something like this had happened! The rich were really getting better at playing! Wearing clothes that cost a few hundred yuan and buying a car worth tens of millions, he did not even need a customization service or a car-collection ritual. He was as nonchalant as if he was buying a toy of a few yuan! However, currently, Shen Shi did not care about what the others thought. His gaze was only on his car. To be honest, black was not his favorite color. It was too calm. He preferred blue. But so what? Shen Shi knew very well that he was venting now. He vented the ordinariness of the past and also experienced the present extraordinariness more deeply. This development and change had undoubtedly been rapid. When he sat on the leather seat, touched the exquisite steering wheel, and looked up at the roof of the car, he could also say in an indifferent tone, ¡°Is this the extremely luxurious star ceiling that the others have been talking about? It¡¯s not that fantastic.¡± The salesperson standing outside the car laughed dryly and dared not say anything. ¡°How long will it take to finish the procedures?¡± Shen Shi asked. ¡°Two hours at most,¡± the salesperson said quickly. ¡°Then get me a temporary pass first. Fill the car with gas. I¡¯ll take it out for a ride. Is that okay?¡± Shen Shi looked at her. After a moment of hesitation, the salesperson nodded repeatedly. There were many kinds of power in a person. After Shen Shi had already displayed one of them, a lot of troublesome matters would become not so troublesome. Thereafter, like a parvenu, he drove a luxury car worth tens of millions to shop crazily. Branded sunglasses, branded suits, luxury watches, high-end computers¡­ An afternoon passed, and the newly bought luxury car was full of things. Shen Shi also looked brand new from head to toe. Most people who saw him would be involuntarily attracted by his aura. Men would be envious, women would yearn, and the service staff would be respectful and polite¡­ He sat alone in a western restaurant, enjoying the steak and red wine, feeling the subtle gazes of the people around him. Perhaps they were looking at his branded clothes and watch, or perhaps they were looking at his rude manner of eating without caring about etiquette. But it was still the same statement. With his means, Shen Shi did not have to bother about the gaze of others. ¡°No wonder it¡¯s said that it¡¯s difficult to go from extravagant to frugal.¡± Shen Shi looked at the red wine in his glass and gulped it like a beverage. He wiped his mouth. I can buy whatever I want and have whatever I want. This joy seems to have turned the entire world into heaven. Unfortunately, there are only three years left of such a good life. Chapter 11 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Three years was really too short. From a child entering school in the first year to him graduating junior high school in the third year, it would be three years. There was not even time for the Olympics to be held again. Even for a person¡¯s short life, this was an extremely short period of time. However, now, it had become the last happy time for humans. As the only person in the world who knew this, Shen Shi could sense the heaviness just by thinking about it. This was even when he already had a way out. The more he enjoyed what this society had brought him, the more heavy-hearted he felt. Those who were rich were always more afraid of losing than those who had nothing. Even if he could flee with tens of thousands of people into the vast universe that day and continue to enjoy his power and status there, but to be the leader of tens of thousands of people? He would only be a mayor at most. Compared to the possibility he had now, it was so small. Moreover, what about his family? Could they withstand the life of a fugitive? What kind of future would his children have? Shen Shi¡¯s thoughts were in a mess. His fork was unconsciously scratching the plate. Such an action naturally attracted the disdain of some people around. ¡°I wonder which newly rich¡¯s silly kid is this.¡± A middle-aged man in trendy wear smiled at his female companion and said, ¡°It¡¯s one thing for him to come to RESPECT alone for a meal, but he should at least abide by Western etiquette.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± The girl, who was at most in her twenties, chuckled and could not help but straighten her back. Even the movements of the knife and fork in her hand had slowed down a lot. Shen Shi had also heard this. He frowned, but before he could do anything, the screen of his phone lit up. It was a message from Aixin¡¯er. ¡°I might not be able to come tonight. I¡¯m being held back!!¡± [Sorry.jpg] ¡°You can¡¯t come?¡± To be honest, Shen Shi was looking forward to tonight¡¯s date. To him, Aixin¡¯er meant the last glory. In fact, many boys who had entered society would have such a feeling. Middle school might be the most glorious moment in their lives. At that time, as long as a boy was good-looking, had good grades, and had a sunny personality, he would be the crush of many girls. If he could play basketball well, or play the guitar and sing a beautiful song, he would be Prince Charming. Money, power, strength¡­ These were the most despairing disparities in this society. They had been suppressed to a minimum in middle school. Even people who appeared very different in society could play together happily as long as their personalities were compatible. Shen Shi and Aixin¡¯er were typical. Although this friendship of vague emotions had faded a lot after they entered university, it was still a nostalgic past. ¡°????¡± Shen Shi sent three question marks. Then he put down his phone. He was naturally a little disappointed. However, he had looked for Aixin¡¯er to vent the emotions brought about by suddenly possessing great means. After the shopping spree this afternoon, he had actually calmed down a lot. So what if she could not come? However, a series of messages was suddenly sent. ¡°Let me tell you, a friend of mine (superficial) suddenly pulled me along to see someone confess his love.¡± ¡°Later on, I discovered that I¡¯m very likely the person to be confessed to!!!¡± [Picture] [Picture] ¡°¡­¡± Shen Shi¡¯s expression was a little blank. He clicked open the photos. There were indeed many people in them. Some people were using candles to arrange a huge ¡°heart¡± on the ground, some were placing flowers, and some were controlling drones. There were even lights and speakers. It looked like a grand setting. In any case, it was a setting that ordinary people definitely could not afford. ¡°Could you have made a mistake?¡± Shen Shi tapped his phone. ¡°Impossible! I sensed something odd in my apparent BFF today! I had clearly said that I had an appointment tonight, but she insisted on dragging me along! She also refused to let me leave! Most importantly, there is someone I know here. He has been chasing me for a long time. He is a rich second generation and he is among those who set up the place!¡± Shen Shi was silent for a moment. He felt a slight bitterness in his heart. This was one of the reasons why he had chosen to stay away previously. The innocence in high school was actually a manifestation of immaturity, but people had to become mature. He pressed on his phone. This time, he typed slowly, but he still sent it out happily. ¡°Are you really not trying to show off?¡± ¡°????¡± Aixin¡¯er replied instantly, faster than Shen Shi had imagined. Then came a series of messages. ¡°First, I could tell at a glance that that person was a scumbag!!!¡± ¡°Second, there are more and more onlookers. There might even be the school leaders and teachers around. They¡¯re trying to hold me up! You know how much I hate this!¡± ¡°Third, I can¡¯t let my apparent BFF win. I won¡¯t tell you about the fighting between girls.¡± ¡°Fourth!¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t thought of the fourth.¡± ¡°In short, I have to reject him. The problem is that after I¡¯ve rejected him, this bastard will definitely use this to slander me!¡± ¡°Create a loving appearance, and then say that I was toying with his feelings or something, this little bastard would definitely do such a thing!!!¡± The corners of Shen Shi¡¯s mouth twitched when he saw the messages. He could already imagine Aixin¡¯er pressing furiously on her phone in her diva style. He had almost forgotten. This old classmate was a real diva in reality, but once she picked up the keypad and started typing, she looked completely different. Not to mention the Madman of Zaun, she was not far off. ¡°Do you need my help?¡± Shen Shi sent. ¡°How can you help? Don¡¯t you hate coming into contact with these rich second generation the most?¡± ¡°That was in the past. Anyway, I¡¯ll drive a powerful luxury car over and suppress the entire scene. Wouldn¡¯t that settle it?¡± After sending this sentence, Shen Shi¡¯s eyes lit up. Without power, one would hate to come into contact with power. But would he hate it when he had the power? Of course not! Thinking about it carefully, wasn¡¯t this glory delivered to his door? Shen Shi, who had already calmed down, was a little agitated. ¡°You mean rent a luxury car? Good idea, I¡¯ll pay! But is it too late?¡± Looking at the message from Aixin¡¯er, Shen Shi was still typing when the other party continued to send messages. ¡°No! Forget it. I won¡¯t use a luxury car. I¡¯ll just ride your little electric scooter! Dress more handsomely!¡± ¡°Your sister, I, will make you a legend in the Sea City Music Academy today!¡± ¡°That little b*tch wants to peek at my phone screen. Ok. Come quick, be bold. With your big sister, me around, you won¡¯t lose face!¡± Shen Shi read the few messages silently. Little electric scooter? Legend? He naturally understood what Aixin¡¯er meant, but it was precisely because he understood it that he felt a throbbing in his heart. If he had not had this fortuitous encounter today and did not have the power in his hands, would he have gone? Would he have dared to go? If he went, would he become a legend or a joke? He did not know. In just a few hours, it was as if he had completely left his previous self and could never go back. But he knew what he had to do now. Chapter 12 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Shen Shi deleted the entire message he had keyed on his phone. Then, he continued to punch the keys. ¡°Who are you a big sister to? Please accept reality. You¡¯re a few months younger than me, okay?¡± ¡°Wait for me.¡± After sending the two messages, Shen Shi continued to wipe his mouth. However, everyone in the restaurant looked toward the door in unison. This was because two tall people had walked in. A man and a woman. It was normal for a man and a woman to walk into such a restaurant, but the couple in front of them had a completely different style! The man was wearing a classic black trench coat. His back was straight, and he had a clean crew cut. His large sunglasses covered the upper half of his face, revealing parts that were as meticulous as machinery. Coupled with his robust frame of nearly two meters tall, he was so cold that he looked as if he had just walked out of the set of The Matrix. He was also like the mafia in movies, giving off the feeling that he could pull out a submachine gun from behind him at any moment. If the man was intimidating, then the woman was stunning. Her loose black hair hung down straight, and she was wearing a dark black dress with an inlaid white shirt that seemed to be one with her fair skin. She had lilac diamond earrings, a headband inlaid with diamonds, black stockings that wrapped around her slender and beautiful legs, and sky-high 10-cm heels. She was more than 1.8 meters tall, and it was enough to give most men an unspeakable sense of oppression. Her every move was full of extreme elegance and nobility. Even the middle-aged successful man earlier, who had been talking freely in front of his female companion, subconsciously avoided the other party¡¯s cold gaze when she looked casually at him. However, at this moment, this man and woman, who had attracted the attention of everyone in the restaurant, were walking straight toward Shen Shi. Only then did those who had sharp eyes notice that in the hand of the extremely oppressive lady was a neat suit. Could it be¡­ An unbelievable guess appeared in everyone¡¯s mind! But it was as they had thought. Shen Shi put down the napkin calmly. The moment he stood up, a burgundy suit had already been draped over him. The tall man watched behind Shen Shi like a bodyguard, his gaze lowered. The lady whom they had thought was stunning and domineering, however, was solemnly smoothing out the fine lines on Shen Shi¡¯s suit. She was respectful and docile. The man and woman that had shocked everyone present were only a bodyguard and a secretary! This strong contrast was enough to make everyone dumbfounded. The middle-aged man, who had been teasing Shen Shi for being a silly kid and for not following etiquette not long ago, widened his eyes and opened his mouth. His bewildered look was not elegant at all. However, Shen Shi did not seem to notice everyone¡¯s attention and walked nonchalantly toward the door. No, he had naturally sensed it. This was because he had used the simulation transformation substance to morph these two people! However, at this moment, there seemed to be a ball of flames burning in his chest! Today was the turning point of his fate. It was the day when he would leave the ordinary. No matter what the future held, at least on this day, he would no longer stand in the middle of the crowd like a lackey. He would no longer look up at the stage enviously, let alone fear the burning gazes of the crowd! This was because he had the right! ¡°Let me spend this day in the most ostentatious manner that¡¯s worth remembering for the rest of my life.¡± The moment Shen Shi walked out of the restaurant, he had already made a decision! ¡­ At this moment, Aixin¡¯er did not know what had happened to Shen Shi. She was standing at the entrance of the Sea City Music Academy. As one of the few music academies in the entire East Kingdom, the school entrance was actually a rather large music square. There was also a huge sculpture with a music symbol. At this moment, a group of students had already gathered noisily under the sculpture. This was naturally because of the heart-shaped candles placed on the ground, the roses blooming like a sea of flowers, the huge speakers, the huge screen, and the seven-color lights. It was obvious that someone was about to confess his love. Such an exaggerated setting was enough to make the young men and women in their prime excited. If the person who had planned such a grand setting was not someone she disliked and the person being confessed to was not her, Aixin¡¯er would also be excited. But now, she was only irritated. This was especially so when she noticed some girls had subtly surrounded her. To be honest, even though a considerable number of beauties had already gathered here, Aixin¡¯er was still the most conspicuous. She originally had stunning features. Her face was not V-shaped like that of a vixen, but it had a hint of just the right roundness. Its exquisite facial features coupled with her snow-white and delicate skin gave off a classical charm. Upon closer look, one would find her even more exquisite. She was far from what those ¡°beauties¡± with thick makeup could compare with. It was difficult to look away. It would have been fine if it was just her looks. However, with her height of 1.74 meters, she stood out from the crowd, among the group of girls. The loose beige dress could not hide her curvaceous figure. She stood there gracefully. Even though she was not doing anything, she had attracted the attention of most of the boys present. They could not hide their desire. In fact, many people had already guessed that she was the female lead today. Being so stunning, it was not strange at all that she had been pursued by the rich second generation who had even spent a great deal of money to put up such a show. Aixin¡¯er was already used to being the center of attention, so the gaze of others did not affect her much. However, beside her, there was a woman in skimpy clothes with exquisite makeup holding her arm tightly and chattering non-stop. ¡°Little Xin¡¯er, look, there¡¯s actually a box of roses!¡± ¡°Oh my god! Is that the cameraman?¡± ¡°So handsome! That guy is so handsome! He looks like someone you know, Little Xin¡¯er.¡± ¡°That row of BMWs and Audis!¡± ¡°I bet that without spending hundreds of thousands, this grand setting today would not have been possible!¡± ¡°If someone could confess his love to me like this, I would wake up laughing in my sleep!¡± Aixin¡¯er sneered and said, ¡°Since you like it so much, Little Red, why don¡¯t you take the initiative to confess first? He might take a fancy to you.¡± The girl whose real name was Cheng Hongmeng froze. She seemed to have been provoked by being called Little Red. A hint of anger could not help but appear in her brows. However, after taking a few deep breaths, she still held back. She tightened her grip on Aixin¡¯er¡¯s arm and squeezed out a sweet smile. ¡°How can that be? With you by my side, Little Xin¡¯er, I won¡¯t have a chance.¡± ¡°Then you can stay away from me. No one asks you to stick to me.¡± A hint of mockery appeared on the corners of Aixin¡¯er¡¯s mouth. ¡°Ai Xin¡¯er! Have you taken the wrong medicine today?¡± Cheng Hongmeng could not hold it in anymore. The main reason was that there were also many other girls around her, and most of them knew her. Chapter 13 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations However, Aixin¡¯er did not care about this. ¡°You¡¯re the one who has taken the wrong medicine, I believe?¡± She exerted force with her wrist and shook off Cheng Hongmeng¡¯s arm, catching her off guard. Her tone was cold with no emotion. ¡°You¡¯re about to graduate. Do you think I¡¯ll still indulge you? I¡¯ll move out of the dormitory tonight. You can continue to curry favor with your Young Master Han. Don¡¯t disturb me in the future.¡± ¡°You!¡± Cheng Hongmeng was driven mad by these merciless words. She instinctively wanted to pounce on her. The few girls around her quickly pulled her back. ¡°Sister Hong, don¡¯t be angry.¡± ¡°Calm down, you have also received a red packet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If Young Master Han blames us, you¡¯ll be the unlucky one.¡± ¡°Let me make this clear first. If beauty Aixin¡¯er runs away because of you, we won¡¯t cough out the money.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Although these people had pulled Cheng Hongmeng back in their actions, they did not show any mercy with their words. This made Cheng Hongmeng so angry that her face turned red. The makeup on her face was a little ruined, but she could not struggle free at all. They had indeed received red packets and gifts. They were in charge of bringing Aixin¡¯er here and keeping her from leaving. However, not many of them really cared about Cheng Hongmeng. It was normal for girls, especially beauties, to fight. Jealousy was the original sin, but girls also despised those like Cheng Hongmeng. Seeing that the hindrance had finally rolled to the side, Aixin¡¯er took out her phone. She saw the two messages Shen Shi had sent just now. When she saw the first message, she could not help but purse her lips and smile. When she saw the second message, she was instantly relieved. He had become bolder. He had clearly been avoiding her previously. In a while, she would mercilessly reject the person¡¯s confession and then get on the electric scooter and leave in style. It would definitely shock everyone. However¡­ Could that guy withstand such attention? Aixin¡¯er was suddenly a little worried. Just now, she had been so angry that she had not thought much of it and had asked Shen Shi to come over. But now that she thought about it, this best friend of hers from high school already had some vague feelings for her. If she were to do this tonight, how would she deal with their relationship in the future? That fellow was timid and sensitive¡­ Moreover, if she were to leave with him tonight, she would have the reputation of being innocent and non-materialistic, but what if he was retaliated against? He had even opened a store, making him an easy target. Aixin¡¯er became irritated again. In terms of sensitivity, she was actually like Shen Shi. She had learned her habit of analyzing arguments from Shen Shi. However, sometimes, the more she thought, the easier it was to be indecisive. Therefore, after hesitating for a while, she started typing on her phone again. ¡°Forget it. That scum is indeed rich and powerful. He¡¯s not to be trifled with. I¡¯ll just reject him directly. After all, I¡¯m about to graduate, so there¡¯s no need to care about how they might slander me. Let¡¯s arrange a place later. I¡¯ll come and find you.¡± After sending this message, Aixin¡¯er seemed to have heaved a sigh of relief. Her originally tensed up shoulders relaxed. She was a little melancholic. No matter how much of a goddess she was, she was still a girl. She would also look forward to a peerless hero riding a seven-color auspicious cloud to find her, like the perfect Prince Charming in movies and dramas, protecting her domineeringly, but there was no such person. Humans were always like this. The better one¡¯s conditions were, the higher one¡¯s standards would be. It was not that she had not thought of Shen Shi. Unfortunately, although it was very easy to get along with Shen Shi, that fellow was too cowardly. He did not have the courage to hold her hand. Even if he had, it would be difficult for him to face the trouble in front of him. This was only in school. After entering society, there would probably be more troubles. After all, she studied music and was destined to stand in the limelight in the future. If only Shen Shi had really become rich. Aixin¡¯er shook her head slightly and threw such an unrealistic thought to the back of her mind. Her expression turned cold again, and her heart was also cold. It was something called ¡°reality¡±, and it kept emitting a chill. At this moment, music suddenly sounded. It was about to begin. Everyone quietened down, leaving only a slight commotion. Although most of them were just watching the show, it was rare for a person to see such a commotion with his own eyes in his lifetime. The light had also been turned on with a click. It was focused on the sculpture with the music symbol, in the middle of the rose bushes. It was indeed that scum, Han Guangchao. Gasps could be heard from the crowd. Han Guangchao was wearing a white suit and holding an acoustic guitar. To be honest, if Aixin¡¯er had not vaguely seen what kind of person this guy was, she would have been surprised by his showy outfit. Being a scumbag, he was not bad-looking. However, she only had the urge to turn around and leave. With her first impressions of disgust, such a scene would only make her feel nauseated. However, the girls who had received the red packets were all dutiful. A girl beside her even advised softly, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t like him, on the account that he has spent so much money and prepared so sincerely, give him a chance and hear his confession of love. Many girls would be envious.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t want to give him any chance!¡± Aixin¡¯er resisted the urge to leave, but she also knew that she could not leave now, nor could she charge out forcefully. There were at least seven or eight girls surrounding her. She could not help but be glad. Fortunately, she had not let Shen Shi come. Otherwise, he might not be able to bring her away from this scene. They might get into a conflict. The other party was utterly despicable. She did not know what other tricks there were. Han Guangchao had already picked up the microphone. ¡°Thank you, brothers and sisters, for your support. I¡¯m Han Guangchao.¡± He played the guitar string ostentatiously and said loudly, ¡°From today¡¯s posture, everyone should have guessed what I¡¯m going to do.¡± ¡°Love confession!¡± An intense response immediately sounded from the crowd. It was obvious that ample preparations had been made today. There were even people cheering below the stage. However, Aixin¡¯er only sneered. She had already made up her mind. If the other party confessed, she would reject him directly and expose the fact that this fellow had been shamelessly harassing her. However, Han Guangchao shook his head and said loudly, ¡°No, it¡¯s a proposal!¡± Instantly, the crowd was in an uproar. ¡°Propose!¡± ¡°That party is a girl from our school, right?¡± ¡°Impressive, too impressive!¡± ¡°Oh my god! This is so romantic!¡± There were even many girls screaming. Ai Xin¡¯er, on the other hand, was completely dumbfounded. However, she instinctively had a bad feeling. Boom! The light suddenly focused on her. Everyone looked over. At the same time, the projection beamed on the white screen behind Han Guangchao. With the sudden increase in the volume of the music, photos appeared one after another. Aixin¡¯er¡¯s limbs turned cold. Damn, these photos had all been photoshopped! All of them were Han Guangchao and her! Some were taken on luxury yachts, some on mountains, some in a luxury car, and some even in a villa. In the photos, she and Han Guangchao were behaving intimately. She had already understood Han Guangchao¡¯s goal. Disinformation! Creating public opinion! This person had known from the beginning that she would reject him, and his goal was not a love confession at all. What happened today had been a despicable conspiracy against her from the beginning! Chapter 14 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Aixin¡¯er was originally very famous in school. When she was in her first year of university, she was already ranked first on the school belle rankings. Moreover, she had been occupying it for a long time and was even quite famous on the Internet. And now, the entire place was in an uproar. ¡°It¡¯s really Senior Aixin¡¯er!¡± ¡°Is this for real? So the school belle Aixin¡¯er has a boyfriend?¡± ¡°Damn! Even the beauties have been taken by the rich!¡± ¡°Boohoo, I¡¯ve fallen out of love.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Surrounded by the commotion, Aixin¡¯er, who was illuminated by the light, looked a little pale. What should she do? Even if she snatched the microphone and retorted, or even started a tirade, the other party would have countless ways to deal with it. At the end of the day, public opinion was by itself a mess. With the other party fully prepared and rich, powerful, and influential, it was impossible for her to gain the upper hand in public opinion. Call the police? Sue him for spreading rumors? This was indeed a solution, but the crime of spreading disinformation against an individual was very vague. Only when the situation was serious would the criminal be detained. What was considered serious? If she really sued, the other party¡¯s family would definitely not sit back and do nothing. Could she really win in a lawsuit against such a family? Moreover, the other party¡¯s goal was probably to ruin her. Today might just be the beginning! At the end of the day, as long as becoming a pianist was her career path and the golden hall of Vienna was her life dream, it would be impossible for her to escape the influence of spotlight, fame, public opinion, and even resources! The hand holding the phone could not help but turn pale. Looking at the ¡°photos¡± of her and Han Guangchao on the screen, her stomach churned. The first time. She could really feel the huge malice surrounding her. At this moment, Han Guangchao was holding his guitar. He looked at Ai Xin¡¯er under the light and at her helpless expression. He was extremely happy! He had pursued this woman for two years and she had never treated him nicely. However, after today, everyone would know that he had played with this woman! ¡°Xin¡¯er.¡± The hideousness in Han Guangchao¡¯s heart did not show the slightest bit. He took two steps forward and his gentle voice sounded from the speaker. ¡°I know you¡¯re still angry with me, but think of the happy times we had together. Please forgive me, okay?¡± He had even stopped Aixin¡¯er from speaking first! It was obvious that he had already prepared for Aixin¡¯er lashing out. Under such circumstances, no matter how much Aixin¡¯er lashed out, many people would probably think of this as a couple¡¯s quarrel. The ¡°support¡± in the crowd also started to play its role. ¡°Forgive him!¡± It was not known who was the first to shout, but the voices started to become louder and louder! It even started to become ¡°marry him¡±! Even the girls, who had been hired, surrounding Aixin¡¯er looked at her enviously. ¡°So the two of you have been together for a long time. Seriously.¡± A girl even pouted in dissatisfaction and muttered softly, ¡°I really thought you were here to help to punish the bully today.¡± Han Guangchao picked up his guitar and said affectionately, ¡°I have a love song which I have prepared for a long time. It is to commemorate our two-year relationship.¡± He seemed to be addicted to acting! The look in Aixin¡¯er¡¯s eyes finally changed. She no longer hesitated. Call the police! Even if they could not do anything to the other party today, even if she did not have the confidence of winning over public opinion, even if she had to completely offend such a rich and powerful villain, she had to call the police! At this moment, whether it was the surrounding voices or Han Guangchao¡¯s voice, they all seemed to have become stunned. In her eyes, there was only the phone, which was the only way she could protect herself from this great malice. Then¡­ ¡°Di¡ª!¡± The loud sounds of car engines suddenly sounded! It was not just one car, but many! These sounds had even drowned out the speakers. The lights that shone over from a distance had even suppressed the lights that Han Guangchao had carefully prepared! ¡®Who is this?¡¯ Han Guangchao turned around angrily. Then, he heard a loud commotion beside him! ¡°Heavens! Is that a Lamborghini?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a Rolls-Royce Phantom!¡± ¡°Ferrari! Bugatti Veyron! Maybach!¡± ¡°Heavens, where did so many luxury cars come from!¡± ¡°One, two¡­ Damn, at least 100 million yuan is here!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Young people, whether they were rich or not, would have some understanding of luxury cars. Moreover, these rows of luxury cars were being driven openly toward them, stopping directly in the square. The front of the cars was facing them, completely surrounding the entire stage for the love confession and the onlookers! Not to mention the onlookers, even Han Guangchao was stunned. This had not been in the plan. Where did so many luxury cars come from? However, this was only the beginning of the shock! The car doors opened, and from every car alighted not the rich young masters they had imagined, but thugs in suits! They were all wearing the same black trench coats, had the same cold expression, and had the same sculpted body! More than 30 people walked toward them in unison. The impact of their advance toward them made the group of students keep retreating! The underworld? Which triad would drive luxury cars and wear suits?! They were not the Mafia! No matter what, they were certainly awesome! Even Aixin¡¯er, who was about to call the police, held her phone. She had forgotten what she was going to do. She was clearly also shocked by the scene. However, the time when her eyes really widened was when she saw Shen Shi getting out of the Rolls-Royce. That¡¯s right, it was Shen Shi! He was wearing a white t-shirt and trousers, a burgundy trench coat on his back. There was a man and a woman behind him. He looked like a domineering CEO in an idol drama, or a returning war god in a novel! His aura was fully unleashed! The originally dense crowd even involuntarily made way for him! If she had not recognized the familiar face, Aixin¡¯er would have suspected that she was hallucinating. No, she was already suspecting. ¡°Is this really Shen Shi? That diligent, timid, and sensitive old classmate?¡± Was she dreaming now? Aixin¡¯er watched in a daze. Shen Shi walked step by step toward Han Guangchao. He stretched out his hand, and the beautiful female secretary beside him handed him a microphone. ¡°Love confession?¡± He looked at Han Guangchao, and a loud voice sounded from the speakers of ten plus luxury cars. ¡°Or are you proposing?¡± He turned to look at the screen, which was still looping those photographs. ¡°The photos were really badly photoshopped.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Han Guangchao could not help but ask. ¡°Who am I?¡± Shen Shi smiled and took a step forward. His voice suddenly became heavier. ¡°You¡¯re using photoshopped photos to spread disinformation about my friend, and you¡¯re even asking who I am?¡± Suddenly, the whole place was in an uproar. A louder sound than before could be heard. This development was really unexpected. They had thought that it was a rich second generation proposing to her school belle girlfriend, but in the end, an obviously even more awesome rich second generation appeared and said that the other party had photoshopped to spread disinformation? This was simply a television drama unfolding! However, this was reality in front of them. The dozen or so luxury cars were not fake! This strong turn of events and dramatic change made many onlookers so excited that their faces turned red. They exclaimed, ¡°Interesting!¡± Chapter 15 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Han Guangchao even took a small step back involuntarily. He had also not expected Aixin¡¯er to have such a friend. He had not heard of him. That loser Cheng Hongmeng actually did not even know this! However, Han Guangchao had also noticed some of his surrounding friends looking askance at him. For today, he had called many friends. Only a few people knew about the photoshopping. He could not admit this! Bracing himself, Han Guangchao glared at Shen Shi. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? We¡¯ve been together for two years.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Shen Shi only chuckled. He raised his hand and waved. The beautiful female secretary behind him swayed her tall figure and came to the projector, which was playing the photos, and inserted an USB drive. The person controlling the projector did not dare to stop her. Soon, new photos were displayed. This caused many people to exclaim. The photos were still those photos. Han Guangchao was still Han Guangchao, but the female lead was different. There were all kinds of women, and they were all good-looking. One of the female leads was even Cheng Hongmeng. There was another commotion in the surroundings. It was not obvious when there was no comparison. With the comparison, anyone with a discerning eye could tell that these photos were obviously more natural than the earlier ones. Some of the photos only had the face photoshopped. Many people had already guessed the truth. It was unexpected that the handsome and rich Han Guangchao would actually photoshop a bunch of photos for the proposal. This was not just harassment, he was simply a psychopath! At this moment, Aixin¡¯er was trembling slightly. The rationality she was usually proud of had completely lost its effect at this moment. She just looked at Shen Shi in a daze, her mind blank. She felt that the man in front of her was so unfamiliar. And yet so powerful! How had he done this in such a short time? Han Guangchao was also thinking about this. He had dug out these photos from his ¡°secret stash¡± and stored them only in his phone. How had the other party found them? Could it be that the person who photoshopped the photos for him had been bribed? ¡°What else do you have to say?¡± Shen Shi asked calmly. Han Guangchao shuddered. He saw Shen Shi¡¯s expression. There was no anger, no arrogance, only utter contempt! It was very much like him looking at the poor with contempt! ¡°These are your photoshopped photos. You¡¯re f*cking spouting nonsense!¡± Han Guangchao¡¯s anger surged, and his expression was ferocious. He was not a person who could remain calm to begin with, and a person like him cared most about his reputation. Otherwise, he would not have done such a thing. ¡°Hehe.¡± Shen Shi chuckled. He raised his hand again. The female secretary on the other side pressed on the control another two times. Instantly, the image on the projection changed again. This time, it was a huge form. The location, name, and even time were clearly marked on it. At first, Han Guangchao did not know what this was, but when he saw it clearly, his expression changed drastically. ¡°The flights you took with these girls, the hotels you stayed in, the restaurants you went to, everything is here.¡± Shen Shi clicked his tongue. ¡°What a scumbag.¡± As he spoke, pictures appeared again. Some were of Han Guangchao holding hands with the girl as they entered a hotel lobby. Some were of them in restaurants, and some were even of them in the waiting halls of railways. Some of them were obviously surveillance videos. Now, the evidence was irrefutable! Even those who had still been skeptical earlier had no doubts now. The crowd became indignant. ¡°Where did this scum come from!¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± ¡°Damn! He¡¯s really perverted! Shameless! He even photoshopped images for a proposal!¡± ¡°Strange people are everywhere. I¡¯ve broadened my horizons today.¡± ¡°Expose him!¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the security guard? Call the police! Sue him for slander and spreading disinformation!¡± ¡°¡­¡± These people, who had exclaimed and given their well-wishes earlier, were now the complete opposite. Although public opinion could be misled, the crowd was not stupid. The reality of being deceived and used made them even angrier. If it had not been for Shen Shi¡¯s bodyguards, someone might have rushed up and beaten Han Guangchao up. Han Guangchao¡¯s expression was extremely ugly. He had already realized that there was nothing he could do to remedy the situation today. What frightened him even more was that the other party had actually investigated all this in detail! This already made him flinch. In particular, the other party¡¯s aura was really too powerful. Those luxury cars and those bodyguards, even his father would not be able to flaunt them! ¡°Alright! You¡¯re great! I admit defeat!¡± he said fiercely. He smashed the guitar on him to the ground hard and turned around to leave. Although he had been exposed, it was actually just that. It was just a little loss of reputation. He was not a public figure. Moreover, he would naturally be forgotten by public opinion after a period of time. He wanted to get out of this embarrassing place quickly. However, two burly men, who were like iron towers, blocked his path. ¡°Did I let you leave?¡± Shen Shi¡¯s faint voice sounded. ¡°Brother, what do you want? Tell me!¡± Han Guangchao turned around in exasperation. ¡°Do you still want to beat me up? Alright, go ahead and attack. If I make a sound, I¡¯ll be your son, but you have to be mindful of the consequences¡ª Ah!¡± Before he could finish, he screamed loudly. This was because a burly man in a suit behind him had twisted his arm behind his back and stepped on it, causing him to kneel on the ground. He screamed repeatedly, but he could not free himself at all. The crowd exclaimed. ¡°Have they really attacked?¡± Some people could not help but retreat. Even Aixin¡¯er¡¯s expression changed. She quickly pushed through the crowd and walked to Shen Shi¡¯s side. ¡°Shen Shi¡­¡± She had just called out a name when she stopped. This was because she realized that Shen Shi¡¯s expression was very calm. It was not an impulsive decision. ¡°On the way here, I already knew what had happened here.¡± He turned around and smiled at Aixin¡¯er. ¡°I was very indignant at that time, and my fury and hostility swelled all of a sudden. Although I had correctly guessed that you would have a lot of trouble, I had not imagined that there would even be such an outrageous thing. I had even contemplated whether I should just kill him. In any case, this would have been a very easy thing.¡± ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± These words were not spoken through a microphone, but there were gasps from the few people around who had heard them. Even Han Guangchao was shocked. He did not even care about the pain. His legs were weak and he kept trembling. This was because Shen Shi¡¯s tone was too calm when he said this! He did not seem to be saying this out of anger at all, so he seemed extremely terrifying! Who was this person? Killing people was like killing chickens. Even the burly men in suits around them had changed in the eyes of these people. Could they really be mercenaries from somewhere? Their cold temperament and their austere aura were really similar! ¡°Why, you don¡¯t believe me?¡± Shen Shi could not help but ask when he saw Aixin¡¯er looking at him in a daze. ¡°No, I believe you.¡± Aixin¡¯er¡¯s voice was feeble, as if she had no strength at all. ¡°I believe everything you say now.¡± Chapter 16 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations ¡°¡­¡± Shen Shi looked at her with a strange expression. She was still so beautiful, but after knowing her for so many years, he had never seen her with such a flushed face. Was money so charming? Shen Shi lamented in his heart. He had forgotten that the power he was displaying now was not just money. However, at this moment, he did not care about this. He just continued as if he was talking to himself, ¡°When a person is emotional, he can do anything, especially when he is capable of doing it at any moment. This is what is meant by the saying that with a sharp weapon, one¡¯s criminal intent rises. However, if it is a decision made calmly, it shouldn¡¯t be considered as being led by one¡¯s emotions.¡± Aixin¡¯er did not feel anything when she heard this, but Han Guangchao, who was kneeling on the ground, suddenly trembled. ¡°What¡­ what are you going to do?¡± His voice was trembling as he wailed, ¡°Don¡¯t do anything rash. Don¡¯t be rash. I was wrong. Really, I was wrong.¡± Han Guangchao was really terrified. People like him usually had a sense of superiority and thought about how awesome they were. However, when they really encountered trouble, they would be more incapable of bearing it than ordinary people because they had not encountered any setbacks at all. Shen Shi was annoyed. With just a thought, the burly man in the suit behind Han Guangchao pressed down on his two hands with one hand and covered Han Guangchao¡¯s mouth with the other. The wails instantly turned into whimpers. However, no matter how he struggled, that palm was like steel. It was indestructible and did not move at all. He felt a powerful force on his body, especially his chin. This posture made it seem as if only a small exertion of strength¡­ Crack! This was the sound Han Guangchao had imagined! The great fear of death had instantly smashed through all his defenses, and he was even more fearful. A fishy smell spread. Shen Shi frowned and could not help but take a few steps back. What a weak person. At this moment, he was also speechless. He could not help but feel that his rashness in the car earlier had not been worth it. In fact, what Shen Shi had said to Aixin¡¯er was true. At the peak of his anger and hostility, he really had the urge to kill without care. It was not that his anger had really reached this extent. This was simply because it was very easy for him now! And he was confident that he would not be punished. At that moment, he had even thought of killing him and waiting for the law-enforcers to come over. Then, he would gather the ¡°bodyguards¡± who were morphed from the simulation transformation substance and resist forcefully. When the conflict escalated, he would transform the simulation transformation substance into tanks, fighter jets, and even small monsters! In the end, he would take the cosmic warship out directly and shock the world! Aren¡¯t you a little too worked up? As if! When the anger gradually subsided, Shen Shi could not stand it anymore. What kind of childish thoughts were these? Even if it was to be resolved quietly, it would be easy. Was this kind of person worthy of him flipping the table? If he were to really do this, it would be an understatement to say that he was indignant because of a beauty. Back then, even King You of Zhou, who had played the prank on the vassal lords by lighting the warning beacons to make his concubine Bao Si smile, was not even fit to compare with him. No matter what the future of mankind was like, his ¡°great feat¡± would definitely be passed down for generations! Everyone had rash moments, but when one was holding a sharp blade, such rashness was especially terrifying! This was power! It was charming¡­ yet terrifying! ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t understand your thoughts.¡± Shen Shi picked up the microphone again. His slow tone seemed to be filled with endless indifference. ¡°At a small price that is immaterial to you, you can vent your dissatisfaction and hostility. As for the trouble and pain it brings to others, it is not of your concern, right?¡± The crowd gradually lowered their voices. Everyone looked at Shen Shi. Looking at this man who had power and was peerlessly domineering, ¡°Unfortunately, I have the same thinking too.¡± The corners of Shen Shi¡¯s mouth suddenly curled up slightly. Then, he raised three fingers, and his voice resounded throughout the venue. ¡°Three months! In three months, you will have nothing. What you rely on, what you care about, whether it is wealth or status, your family or your company, everything will be snatched away and destroyed. You will spend the rest of your life in endless trouble and pain. And this, to me, is only a small price to pay, which I am not concerned about!¡± Boom! The onlookers were completely shocked! How domineering! From the sound of it, not only was he going to beat the other party up, he was also going to destroy the other party¡¯s family business? He wanted to make his family bankrupt directly and also wanted him to leave with no way out? This was too brutal! However, compared to killing him directly, this method of revenge made many onlookers cheer! The tit-for-tat principle might not be supported by the law, but it would be approved by the morals of the people. Since Han Guangchao could cause pain to the others at a ¡°small¡± price, others could also deal with him at a ¡°small¡± price! However, Han Guangchao could not understand. This was because he was looking at Shen Shi as if he was looking at a lunatic. His gaze was full of deep fear. In his heart, how could Aixin¡¯er¡¯s reputation compare to his family¡¯s billions of assets? However, in Shen Shi¡¯s heart, it was enough! Even the way Aixin¡¯er looked at Shen Shi had changed completely. Her eyes were like the dew of early autumn. She asked softly, ¡°Are you really going to do this?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Shen Shi shrugged. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s very easy.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Aixin¡¯er subconsciously pinched the side of her skirt. In fact, she had also realized that she was not her usual self at all. She also wanted to stand up straight and hammer Shen Shi¡¯s shoulder with her fist like before, and then smile elegantly and confidently, and thank him or joke about something else. But she was not able to do it. As her entire body was weak, even her heart was soft. She did not even know what she was saying or doing. Her usual intelligence and rationality seemed to have lost their effect at this moment. It was not until Shen Shi pulled her away and walked out from the crowd, surrounded by a group of thugs in suits, to stand in front of the brand new Rolls-Royce that she finally regained her senses. ¡°Get in.¡± Shen Shi opened the door of the backseat for her and walked to the other side. ¡°It¡¯s still early. Let¡¯s find a place to talk.¡± ¡°Then this place¡­¡± Aixin¡¯er looked around. The others were still looking at her. The meaning behind their gaze made her face heat up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ve given you enough face today.¡± Shen Shi smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve also saved you from the fire and pulled you out of the wolf¡¯s den. You have to help me no matter what.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just afraid that I¡¯ll leave the wolf¡¯s den and enter the tiger¡¯s den¡­¡± Aixin¡¯er muttered softly. She pinched her arm, took a deep breath, and bent down to get into the car. Chapter 17 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Seeing Aixin¡¯er¡¯s actions, countless people¡¯s hearts instantly shattered. The fake one had been chased away, but a real one came. Beautiful women only belonged to the rich. They dispersed. However, most of them were still discussing tonight¡¯s matter excitedly. Although the process was a little different, in the end, Shen Shi still left behind a legend. ¡­ Under the night sky, the Rolls-Royce drove on the road. Both flanks were brightly lit, and the city at night was blooming with charm. However, Aixin¡¯er was not in the mood to pay attention to what was outside the windows. The female secretary was driving. Aixin¡¯er was sitting beside Shen Shi, fidgeting left and right. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Shen Shi was amused. ¡°You¡¯re acting like a diva, being pretentious?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tease me.¡± Aixin¡¯er rolled her eyes and muttered, ¡°I just¡­ didn¡¯t expect to encounter such a thing.¡± ¡°What kind of thing? Being photoshopped and proposed to?¡± Shen Shi smiled. ¡°Stop talking about it. It¡¯s disgusting.¡± Aixin¡¯er touched her arm, goosebumps appearing. ¡°Then, it is because you didn¡¯t expect the old school mate to be so wealthy suddenly?¡± said Shen Shi. ¡°A little¡­¡± Aixin¡¯er turned around and looked at him. She sized him up from top to bottom and then from left to right. ¡°Don¡¯t look anymore. I¡¯m Shen Shi. I haven¡¯t changed into another person or been possessed.¡± Shen Shi felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze. Aixin¡¯er took a deep breath and suddenly shouted. ¡°Ah¡ª!¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Shen Shi was shocked. ¡°Can¡¯t I vent it out?¡± Aixin¡¯er gasped as if she had finally regained her senses. She looked excited and pointed around as she asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s going on with these, this car, and those bodyguards? Even if you have struck the jackpot ten times consecutively, it can¡¯t be like this!¡± ¡°This is a long story¡­¡± Shen Yi turned his head and looked out the window. His gaze suddenly darkened as he said softly,¡±You can just think of it as I have won the jackpot. To be honest, I¡¯m a little bewildered too¡­ Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have looked for you. I really want to find someone to ventilate to. ¡± This uneasiness, this loss, this excitement. In fact, by now, Shen Shi had calmed down a lot. However, Han Guangchao¡¯s matter had brought him another emotion. Fear of power. If he had really not controlled his emotions, what would have become of him now? What would happen to him in the vast universe, even if he fled from Earth with his family and tens of thousands of people in the end? Could he really shoulder the future of those people? Being sensitive and thinking too much was actually not an advantage. However, at this moment, Shen Shi was indeed finding it difficult to control his thoughts. Just the alien invasion three years later was like a huge mountain pressing down on his heart. Then, he felt someone place a hand on his shoulder. He turned around. ¡°In short, are you worried that if one¡¯s virtue does not commensurate with his power, there will be calamity?¡± Aixin¡¯er patted Shen Shi¡¯s shoulder and gave him a bright smile. ¡°However, in my opinion, you already possess this virtue when you could think seriously about this problem and worry about it. What¡¯s left is to keep learning to enrich yourself and enable your ability to also catch up. Isn¡¯t this what you were best at in the past? After all, you have always been outstanding.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Shen Shi looked at the dazzling and beautiful Aixin¡¯er. His lost expression gradually softened. Now, he suddenly understood. What he wanted now was actually approval and encouragement. He needed someone to tell him that he could do it! Whether it was to control this power, whether it was to flee with tens of thousands of people, or even to carry a heavier burden and a greater miracle, he had the qualification and ability to try! Aixin¡¯er had indeed lived up to his expectations. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to think so highly of me.¡± Shen Shi pinched his chin and put on a smug expression. ¡°Tell me, have you already had a secret crush on me?¡± ¡°Secret crush, my foot! Thick skin! I find that you¡¯re much more thick-skinned than before!¡± Aixin¡¯er was furious. She raised her chin, and the skin on her slender neck was delicate and fair, like that of a proud swan. ¡°You¡¯re clearly the one coveting me. Do you think I don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°If I do not covet, am I still a man? Don¡¯t you know your own charm?¡± Shen Shi said indifferently. He was not embarrassed to be exposed. Aixin¡¯er was right. He was indeed much more thick-skinned than before. Or rather, it was actually not thin to begin with, but he did not have much confidence in the past. But it was different now. Money was a man¡¯s courage, let alone power. On the other hand, Aixin¡¯er was a little embarrassed by what had been said. For matters of the heart, whoever wanted to keep his face would be embarrassed. However, this teasing had made the atmosphere much more harmonious. It had erased the unfamiliarity from having not seen each other for a long time. It was as if they had returned to their high school days, where they were playful, pure, and sincere. ¡°Where are we going now?¡± Aixin¡¯er turned around and looked out the window. Her slender fingers tapped gently on the window. She was still in an excited state. Shen Shi naturally noticed this detail. It was the action of playing the piano, indicating that she was in high spirits and wanted to play the piano. After some thought, he asked, ¡°Are you still going back to the dormitory tonight?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Aixin¡¯er turned her head and shrank her neck, looking inexplicably weak. He had not thought about it at first, but the posture of the great beauty Ai, who used to have the demeanor of a diva, really made Shen Shi a little excited. His gaze involuntarily shifted down, past the soft curves, and stopped at her waist. At this moment, she was wearing a loose dress, so nothing could be seen. However, Shen Shi knew very well how slender Aixin¡¯er¡¯s waist was. Her piano teacher had even lamented that she was more talented at dancing than at the piano. However, all along, Shen Shi had felt that she was talking nonsense. Aixin¡¯er¡¯s beauty was not just her slender waist. With her figure, no matter what dance she did, she would always have a seductive air. It was better to play the piano, she was so dignified and elegant. As he stared blankly, Aixin¡¯er could not stand it anymore. ¡°I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t have any crooked thoughts.¡± She crossed her arms over her chest and said incoherently, ¡°I know your mother.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Shen Shi looked at her speechlessly. This warning was ultimate. The ambiguous atmosphere vanished instantly. ¡°Is there a need?¡± Shen Shi leaned back in disinterest. ¡°It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t seen it before.¡± ¡°That¡¯s different.¡± Aixin¡¯er¡¯s face turned red. ¡°What¡¯s different?¡± ¡°In the past, you didn¡¯t have the guts to do anything else! Now, you¡¯re very bold!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Shen Shi was powerless to refute. However, he was not one to admit defeat. He leaned back in his seat and said lazily, ¡°Since you¡¯ve said so, let¡¯s be bolder and go directly to the hotel.¡± ¡°Yes, Boss.¡± The female secretary driving in front actually responded. ¡°Wait, no, no, why are you behaving like this!¡± Aixin¡¯er was really panicking. She was stammering as she spoke. ¡°Aren¡¯t you too anxious? Don¡¯t you know? We have to go on a few dates at least, watch a movie and have a meal. Hey! Are you listening to me¡­¡± Chapter 18 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations No matter what Aixin¡¯er said, Shen Shi just looked at her lazily, as if he would not listen to her. To be honest, it was very interesting. It made him calm down completely. In fact, for a person of his personality, he needed some other things to adjust his mood from time to time. Otherwise, it would be very easy for him to go into a dead end, especially when too many things had happened at once and the impact was too great. It was not until Aixin¡¯er was so anxious that she was about to cry that Shen Shi realized that he had gone overboard. He quickly said, ¡°Alright, look outside.¡± Aixin¡¯er turned around. Only then did she realize. At some point, the car had already left the lights of the streets and was driving on the coastal road. As far as the eye could see, the light from the street lamps was reflected on the night sea. Further away, stars dotted the sky. There was a mystery and magnificence that could not be felt in the day. Aixin¡¯er could not help but be stunned. After four years of school in this city, she had never been to the beach at night. ¡°At this time of the night, the beach is still very lively.¡± Shen Shi was also looking out of the window. ¡°Many people would be here. There would be buskers, beach volleyballs, grilled skewered meats, and so on. When I first came, I wanted to bring you here if I had the chance. Unfortunately, I never had the chance.¡± Aixin¡¯er seemed to have finally reacted. She wiped her eyes and raised her hand to hit him. She said angrily, ¡°You¡¯re too bad. Do you know that you scared me to death just now?¡± ¡°How have I frightened you?¡± Shen Shi chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve become bad just because I¡¯m rich? Or do you think I treat you like those girls who become casual when they see money?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Aixin¡¯er did not say anything. Shen Shi was right. If he had really brought her to the hotel just now, she would be very sad. Although Shen Shi was indeed shockingly charming tonight, ¡­ he also made her a little afraid. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this.¡± Shen Shi stopped smiling and looked at her calmly. He said slowly, ¡°You¡¯re different. You have my past. No matter what my future will become, I hope this past can exist.¡± Aixin¡¯er¡¯s gaze was touched. She understood what Shen Shi meant. He was also afraid, afraid of himself in the future. ¡°I understand.¡± Aixin¡¯er nodded instinctively and said gently, ¡°I¡¯ll guard it for you.¡± Shen Shi smiled. He had looked for Aixin¡¯er today because he wanted to share his surging emotions with someone. But he now discovered that this girl, who had always been stunning, might bring him other surprises. The car stopped. ¡°Let¡¯s walk.¡± Shen Shi was the first to get out of the car. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a surprise for you.¡± Aixin¡¯er did not understand, but she was also looking forward to it. She was wearing a pair of flat shoes and standing beside Shen Shi, who was wearing a suit. They looked indescribably compatible. Soon, she saw the ¡°surprise¡± Shen Shi had mentioned. A silver piano! It was placed in the middle of the beach under the lights. A group of curious tourists had already gathered in the vicinity, but they were stopped by the bodyguards. ¡°Please.¡± Shen Shi raised his hand elegantly and smiled. ¡°So much has happened today. You really want to play the piano, right?¡± Aixin¡¯er looked at the beautiful piano in a daze and then turned to look at the smiling Shen Shi. Her lips moved. But she said nothing. Instead, she hugged him tightly, and let go immediately. She walked excitedly toward the piano, her footsteps filled with joy. Shen Shi recalled the softness of that moment and looked at Aixin¡¯er, who had walked away to hide her shyness. The smile on his face became broader. He walked over unhurriedly and passed the bodyguards under the gaze of the onlookers. He sat beside the piano, facing the sea. This was the exclusive seat he had prepared for himself. Then, the cheerful and melodious ¡°Io Ti Penso Amore¡± sounded slowly in the sea breeze under the night sky. Shen Shi narrowed his eyes in enjoyment. Although it was not as ostentatious as overturning the world, this beautiful music was worthy of his dream-like day. He wondered if people would still have the mood to listen to music in the future 3,000 years later. They should have. After all, they had never given up on pursuing the past. The bell at midnight sounded in the midst of the music and complicated thoughts. ¡­ The song finally ended. Aixin¡¯er came to the side of Shen Shi who was in his suit. ¡°Are you tired from playing?¡± Shen Shi asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Aixin¡¯er¡¯s face was rosy, and the ends of her hair were stuck to her face because of the thin beads of sweat. ¡°Have you enjoyed yourself?¡± Shen Shi asked again. ¡°Thoroughly!¡± Aixin¡¯er nodded empathetically. ¡°Let¡¯s go to a hotel then.¡± Shen Shi looked at her mockingly. However, he did not see the panic he had imagined. Aixin¡¯er rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°You want to use the same move on me twice?¡± ¡°¡­How boring.¡± Shen Shi pursed his lips. ¡°Is your interest in watching me cry?¡± The veins on Aixin¡¯er¡¯s forehead bulged, but she laughed first. She picked up the water bottle beside Shen Shi and took a big gulp before exhaling fiercely. ¡°I might not forget this day for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Shen Shi shrugged, stood up, and took two steps in the direction of the sea. At a spot where Aixin¡¯er could not see, his gaze was deep. ¡°Just now, I¡¯ve thought some things through¡­ There are some things only I can do. If I give up without doing anything, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll regret it one day.¡± Aixin¡¯er looked at his back view and opened her mouth. In the end, she only asked softly, ¡°Will it be dangerous?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± The corners of Shen Shi¡¯s mouth curled up. ¡°It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know how cowardly I am. I won¡¯t do anything dangerous.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll support you, although I might not be able to help much.¡± Aixin¡¯er pouted and muttered, ¡°You won¡¯t even tell me what it is.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Shen Shi laughed and waved his hand. ¡°Let them send you to a hotel. Five-star, presidential suite. Don¡¯t wait for me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you, my ass!¡± Aixin¡¯er spat and flicked her long hair coolly. She walked away without looking back. She did not know what else was going on with Shen Shi. However, she knew that all she could do now was to pray and wait. Thinking of this, she could not help but touch her burning face and held her chest. She could feel her pounding heartbeat. Although she refused to admit it verbally, her body¡­ disappointed her! Her face burned even more. ¡­ Shen Shi watched as Aixin¡¯er got into the car and left. The detector morphed from the simulation transformation substance had confirmed that there was no one else nearby. With just a thought, the lights, which had been on all night on the beach and on the road, seemed to have been tampered with and went out. Shen Shi turned around. He had indeed thought some things through just now and made a decision. Therefore, it was time. He boarded his personal cosmic warship! Chapter 19 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Ever since the trade Shen Shi made with the future in the morning, he had been in the limelight for the remaining half of the day, as well as the night. In the past, the scenes could only be imagined in his mind. No matter how illogical they were, they had become reality today. And all of this was because of the mere 38 tonnes of simulation transformation substance. Transforming into bodyguards, secretaries, and luxury cars, being able to completely control the Internet, whether it was to make money, hack into transportation systems, tamper with surveillance cameras, or even add license plate information, all these were easy. He was also able to reveal the secrets anyone had hidden on the Internet at will. With just a thought, the rest would be resolved by the control program of the simulation transformation substance. It could even be said that with this alone, he could call the shots in this society, and do what he wished on this planet. However, the simulation transformation substance could not compare with the cosmic warship at all! It was specially made for migration in the universe! It could comfortably sustain the life of 10,000 people and had the battle strength and defense that were not considered weak in the galaxy! To put it bluntly, just this cosmic warship was enough for him to rule this planet! Power, status, beautiful women, and money would be within easy grasp! However¡ª Shen Shi had always been instinctively wary and uneasy of such great power. Because he knew very well. If it had not been for the constant warning about the alien invaders three years later, and if it had not been for the fact that he still had some sobriety, he would have long been lost in this power. Tonight¡¯s short surge of hostility was the best proof of this! To ordinary people, rationality might not be able to suppress emotions. Everyone knew about being rational, but it was still common for villains to become arrogant after having gained power. Shen Shi was already outstanding among ordinary people, but he was not so outstanding that he could remain calm even with such power in his hands. Therefore, he had even thought of temporarily sealing the warship, but he was still hesitating. But now, he had another decision! ¡°Aixin¡¯er is right.¡± Shen Shi looked up at the starry sky and muttered to himself, ¡°The fact that I am able to realize the problem of virtue not commensurating with power and be wary of it means that I already have the virtue to control this power. Next, I have to believe in myself, restrain myself, and then let myself grow up as soon as possible!¡± In the next moment, the warship in his personal space had appeared on this quiet and dark beach! However, there was only a sudden gust of wind. This was because the entire cosmic warship was still in the state of optical invisibility! However, Shen Shi could still clearly sense its existence through his personal terminal. ¡°Let me board the warship.¡± With just this order, an invisible force enveloped his body. It made his body slowly rise into the air. The technology 3,000 years later was actually more exaggerated than Shen Shi had imagined. For example, at this moment. The principle of this kind of technology, which could accurately bind a force field invisible to the naked eye to a small place, was impossible to understand. It could even impersonate a supernatural person with psychokinetic power. At least, if someone were to remain here at this moment, he would see a man slowly flying into the night sky under the watch of a group of burly men in suits. Would his first reaction be to think that this was a cosmic warship? No, he would be so afraid that he would suspect the return of spiritual power. Even Shen Shi also felt a sense of novelty at this moment. He could not help but be excited. It was not until it had sunk into a stretch of ripples that the huge black ball suddenly appeared in front of him. Smooth, mysterious, huge¡­ This was his cosmic warship! It was even more shocking than what he had seen in the virtual trading market! Just as Shen Shi was thinking about how to get in, the outer chassis, which was already gradually approaching, suddenly rolled like a viscous liquid. As if the water surface had been split open, a clean gap was formed, and a gentle light like the sunshine in spring seeped out. Shen Shi was dumbfounded. This metallic chassis was actually liquid?! Fortunately, there was no one else at this moment. Otherwise, Shen Shi¡¯s widened eyes and gaping mouth would not have been impressive. But at this moment, who cared? Shen Shi had already fallen completely into shock and excitement. Every unexpected aspect brought him great satisfaction! This was because everything was his! It was not until he had completely entered the gentle halo of the light and the entrance was sealed again that Shen Shi felt like he was standing on solid ground again. He was standing on a white floating platform about four to five square meters. In front of him was a white spherical space. It was not small, about the size of a medium-sized warehouse. Apart from the clean and tidy curved wall, which was emitting this gentle light, there was nothing else. At this moment, a voice message was suddenly transmitted to Shen Shi through his personal terminal. ¡°Welcome back, Captain. I¡¯m your warship assistant, the central AI of the Vogt.¡± This voice was a gentle female voice. ¡°As this is your first time aboard the warship, do you want me to activate the ghost to explain to you?¡± ¡°Ghost?¡± Shen Shi was stunned. It was really strange for the word ¡°ghost¡± to suddenly appear in such a place full of technology. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I couldn¡¯t find a more appropriate description from your usual language.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Alright, Shen Shi knew that this was still the fault of the times. It was just like some specific words in modern times. If they were to be spoken in ancient times, it would definitely confound people. Thereafter, one could only use some words like ghosts and deities to make sense of things. However, he still maintained a strong curiosity. ¡°Activate it.¡± ¡°Please confirm my image.¡± An image appeared in Shen Shi¡¯s mind. It was an image he had subconsciously imagined. Aixin¡¯er. Damn, the beauty Aixin¡¯er had a strong presence in this aspect. With a thought, he erased this image directly. After all, it was strange to use a familiar person¡¯s image as the image of an AI. He thought for a moment. A person with short gray hair, a gentle face, who is physically fit, wearing a dark-tuxedo butler suit with a snow-white shirt and gloves, the image of an old butler with an elegant demeanor, one who is stern and capable appeared in his mind. It was not known how he had done it. He had clearly not thought of the details, but the details displayed were exactly what he wanted. He could not be more pleased. ¡°Confirmed.¡± Shen Shi thought for a moment and said again, ¡°Name him Sebastian.¡± This was the name of a character in an anime. It was quite similar to this image. Shen Shi did not think too much about it and used it directly. In the next moment, the old butler, who had one hand behind his back and the other holding his chest, appeared in front of him. ¡°Sebastian greets Master.¡± He bowed slightly. From his expression to his actions, he was lifelike. This shocked Shen Shi. Wait a minute¡­ ¡°It¡¯s a three-dimensional projection, right? It looks real.¡± Shen Shi seemed to have regained his senses. He stretched out his hand as if he wanted to shake it. However, an extremely real sense of touch came to his hand! Chapter 20 - Consciousness Information System Technology Chapter 20 Consciousness Information System Technology At this moment, Shen Shi even felt his hair stand on end. Goosebumps appeared on his body. This was because he could not understand at all! ¡°In such a short period of time? A person has been created? And one that appeared in an instant?¡± And this cold touch¡­ The word ¡°ghost¡± surged into his mind. In that instant, he even felt that his world view was swaying! ¡°Master, your heart is racing, you are agitated, and your consciousness is unstable. Do you need help?¡± Sebastian looked a little worried. ¡°¡­No.¡± Shen Shi panted slightly and shook his head. He was just a little frightened by the appearance of the ¡°ghost¡±. This was an instinct brought about by past knowledge. If something with an obvious technological style had appeared, even if one could not understand it, one would not have such a feeling. But now, he just wanted to say that this was not science! And definitely not futuristic! ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± After calming down a little, Shen Shi asked impatiently, ¡°Could ghosts really exist?¡± ¡°I¡¯m extremely sorry, Master. I don¡¯t understand what you mean very well.¡± Sebastian bowed slightly, and his every move was competent and experienced. ¡°However, this body is based on the combination of consciousness and information shaped by original energy. Your sense of touch actually comes from the transmission of information. For this kind of technology, the best word I can find in your vocabulary is ghost.¡± Combination of consciousness and information. Such a technical description made Shen Shi calm down a little. He had already realized. The so-called science actually represented a research attitude toward unknown phenomena. In other words, even if there were really ghosts, they might have already been thoroughly studied in the future. Currently, Sebastian who was in front of him was the best example. However, Shen Shi could not help but ask, ¡°Do ghosts exist on this planet?¡± At this moment, he really wanted to know if those mysterious things he had heard of in the past were true. Sebastian was silent for a moment. He was a simulation of the central Al of the warship, and the warship naturally had the capability of information warfare. Therefore, in just an instant, he had collected and analyzed a large amount of information from the world¡¯s network. Then, he said, ¡°Master, according to the preliminary intelligence collection and analysis, the technology of the consciousness information system on this planet is still in the primitive stage, and the supporting technology is also insufficient. The probability of a composite of consciousness and information appearing in this civilization is less than one in three billion.¡± ¡°Phew¡­¡± Shen Shi heaved a long sigh of relief. ¡®It¡¯s good that there isn¡¯t any.¡± If not, then the ¡°ghost¡± Sebastian had mentioned was not the ¡°ghost¡± he knew. The fear instantly lessened. However, Shen Shi was also curious about the consciousness information system technology Sebastian had mentioned. After all, at this moment, the most important thing for him to do was to understand this spaceship as soon as possible, and then grasp the current situation of the interstellar society, and even grasp information about the future. Only when his knowledge reserves met the standards of the people of the future would he not have to be so circumspect when trading. He was worried that his words and actions would expose his background and affect the transaction. When Shen Shi asked, Sebastian did not answer directly. Instead, he bowed again and said, ¡°Master, the Vogt has a complete basic information vault. You can obtain more detailed answers from the information vault for your questions. This requires your authorization.¡± Information vault? Shen Shi recalled that this seemed to be the gift the collector gave him at the end of the transaction. He suddenly realized that this information vault might be the most valuable thing to him! ¡°Permission granted.¡± Shen Shi could not wait to know more. ¡°Yes!¡± Sebastian raised his hands. In an instant, the environment changed. Three-dimensional images appeared. It was as if he was still in the virtual trading market. It made Shen Shi wonder if this was real or virtual. Until the voice came with the scene. [The consciousness information system technology can also be called the original energy system technology. Together with the macro technology and the micro technology, it is also called the three directions of the development of the cosmic civilization with infinite possibilities.] (The origin of its development came from the inquiry of intelligent life forms into the essence of consciousness.) [In the initial stage, most intelligent civilizations will think that the essence of consciousness comes from the macroscopic expression of the rules of movement of microscopic particles. However, in the second stage, the researchers will find that the operating rules of microscopic particles under the influence of consciousness do not conform to the basic theorem of microscopic technology.] [In the third stage, consciousness will be studied in depth as a subject independent of matter.) [In the fourth stage, it is assumed that there is an unknown energy level in consciousness, original energy. This stage is the beginning of the application of consciousness information system technology.] [In the fifth stage¡­) An endless stream of voice introduction appeared, as well as various corresponding research scenes and experimental scenes. It was as if Shen Shi was watching a popular science movie about interstellar society, but there was nothing interesting to speak of. The information contained in it, with his thinking ability, could only make him dizzy. He could not understand most of the content. And some things that he could understand a little brought great mental stress. For example, if a living individual was replicated exactly from the most basic particle that could be determined, this other individual produced as such would manifest a completely different consciousness even if in the exact same environment as the original. In Shen Shi¡¯s opinion, this was simply a philosophical problem. If someone identical to me could be replicated, is that person me?¡± Most people would think not. The result of the experiment was the same. Then, there was a further experiment. If your consciousness was uploaded to the virtual network, was the consciousness running in the virtual network still you? The fantasy of uploading one¡¯s consciousness to the Internet was also present in modern society. Therefore, if he became a pile of electronic information, would what was reborn be him really? In particular, Shen Shi had experienced virtual reality. When he was trading in the virtual market, he felt that half of his consciousness was still in his body, and the other half was in the virtual market. What was going on? It was fine if he did not study it in detail, but when he did, it simply exploded! In the end, Shen Shi gave up probing. Humans¡¯ understanding of the world was only a drop in the ocean of the entire universe. Disregarding everything else, the simulation transformation substance was like an immortal magical power to him. Probing this without the mind of scientific inquiry was simply asking for trouble. ¡°In short, there is such an original energy that can achieve this kind of effect before one¡¯s eyes, right? It¡¯s enough that I know this.¡± Shen Shi heaved a sigh of relief and gave up on thinking deeply. However, he suddenly thought of something and could not help but ask, ¡°By the way, I remember that there is a so-called ¡®energy room¡¯ in the warship? Is that where the original energy is produced?¡± This energy room was on the first page of the long ¡°explanation manual¡± of the warship. Therefore, Shen Shi still had an impression. However, at this moment, he was also a little curious. Since original energy had come from consciousness, then where did the original energy on the warship come from? Chapter 21 - Materials for the Origin Energy Battery Chapter 21 Materials for the Origin Energy Battery ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Sebastian bowed slightly. ¡°However, you might be a little uncomfortable with the existence of the energy room.¡± Just this sentence made Shen Shi¡¯s expression change slightly. A guess suddenly flashed across his mind. Staring intently at Sebastian in front of him, he asked word by word, ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°This is based on my understanding of you, Master.¡± Sebastian maintained his apologetic posture. ¡°In order to serve you better, I need some time to understand you. I¡¯m sorry for making you uncomfortable earlier.¡± Although the central AI of the warship could make a conscious connection with its master through his personal terminal, this connection was passive and cautious. Therefore, no matter how advanced an AI was, it would take a certain amount of time to nurture a tacit understanding. At this moment, Sebastian already had a certain understanding of Shen Shi. For example, he had re-evaluated his sensitivity to emotions. If it were now, he would not have said the word ¡°ghost¡±. Shen Shi also understood this. However, after a moment of silence, he said slowly, ¡°Take me there.¡± This was his warship. He could allow himself to be uncomfortable, but he could not allow himself not to know it well enough. This determination, which was based on the desire to control, was also conveyed to Sebastian. He bowed again. ¡°As you wish.¡± The floating disc under his feet automatically started to operate. Shen Shi did not sense the existence of inertia. This magical experience washed away some of his uneasiness. After all, he was here this time to understand his warship well. After passing through a membrane that was emitting a gentle light, he arrived in front of a metal door in the blink of an eye. ¡°So fast!¡± Shen Shi was shocked again and could not help but ask. ¡°Is the speed of movement in the warship so fast? Or is the energy room not far from the entrance?¡± ¡°Only you have the right to the exclusive passageway,¡± Sebastian replied. This was actually to allow the captain to quickly inspect the entire warship. It was also to prevent the warship from being invaded by outsiders. Whether it was to attack or to retreat, it would maximize the safety of the captain. Shen Shi could only say that the products of the future world were more comprehensive than he had imagined. However, at this moment, his gaze was on the metal door in front of him. ¡°Can you open it?¡± he asked. This was the first door he had seen since he boarded the warship. ¡°Your will is everything,¡± said Sebastian. The incomparably thick door slowly opened. Shen Shi saw a flash of light behind it, accompanied by a smell that burned the air. He did not ask what it was. He only looked inside the door. It was a cold and strange room. A pile of black ¡°canisters¡± were densely packed together, and there were also many exposed pipes. The reason why it was strange was because there were strange patterns slowly changing on the walls and even on the ground. Shen Shi had only looked at the patterns a little longer, and he felt dizzy. It was as if he was looking at hypnotic patterns. He quickly looked away and stopped paying attention to the patterns. His senses instantly improved. Could this be the discomfort Sebastian had mentioned? Shen Shi heaved a sigh of relief. He placed his gaze on the ¡°canisters¡±. ¡°What are these?¡± he asked as he walked in, his footsteps a little more relaxed. ¡°Original energy batteries,¡± Sebastian replied, but he did not follow him in. He immediately said, ¡°Master, it¡¯s best if you don¡¯t get within 40 centimeters of the original energy battery. Your consciousness may suffer an impact.¡± Shen Shi subconsciously stopped in his tracks. However, he had already sensed it from this distance. Coldness, despair, suppression¡­ and also confusion and fear. The emotions that kept surging in from outside were like a fog dissipating in the air, enveloping him bit by bit. His expression changed. This feeling reminded Shen Shi of the time in the virtual market when the collector could not control his emotions and launched a consciousness attack. Although it was a completely different feeling, and although this was far inferior to that of the collector then, still¡­.. ¡°What exactly¡­ is inside?¡± Shen Shi¡¯s throat rolled, and his expression was a little terrifying ¡°E-5 original energy batteries,¡± Sebastian replied as usual, but the tacit understanding which had begun to develop had worked. He seemed to suddenly understand what Shen Shi meant and continued, ¡°The raw materials came from an intelligent civilization called the Middleton civilization. They were the fifth generation of individuals from the E-class civilization after they had been incorporated into the Mulder System.¡± Shen Shi was silent. Although he did not know what kind of civilization the so-called ¡°Middleton¡± was, the words ¡°intelligent¡± and ¡°individuals¡± were enough to show that what was in the canister was an intelligent creature! An intelligent creature like humans! It had been locked in here as a ¡°battery¡±, and it was forever diffusing this mood of despair! Shen Shi held his breath and pursed his lips. He did not say anything but turned around and retreated. There would not be any thought of ¡°letting it out¡± and asking for trouble. However, he was still enduring some indescribable emotional impact. It was not until the door was closed that he heaved a sigh of relief after a long while. ¡°What is the Mulder System?¡± he asked. ¡°Explain it in a way I can understand.¡± ¡°You can understand it as a powerful interstellar society system.¡± Sebastian¡¯s tone slowly slowed down. ¡°In this system, the highest level is the ruling individual, the ¡®Rancher¡¯. All the civilizations below are divided into seven levels, sorted by letters. G-class is the lowest. They are usually the primitive races that have been invaded, captured, and bred by force.¡± Rancher! Shen Shi had heard this term from the collector. The original phrase was, ¡°No civilization in the territory of the Rancher would dare to sell the migration warships to us.¡± Why were they afraid to sell them? Thinking about the alien invasion three years later, some logic seemed to be clear. Shen Shi turned around and stared intently at Sebastian. ¡°Tell me, what grade are humans? I give you permission to search for the answer from the independent information vault!¡± ¡°They¡¯re D-class, Master,¡± Sebastian replied quickly. ¡°Will they be made into original energy batteries?¡± Shen Shi asked again. ¡°Every twelve years on the mother planet, they¡¯ll have to hand over enough benefits. Otherwise, 5% of the number of individuals will be taken away as punishment.¡± Sebastian¡¯s tone became gentler. It was obvious that the deepening tacit understanding had already let him know how much discomfort these words would bring to Shen Shi. However, this time, Shen Shi did not sway his body. This was because he had already guessed this answer. ¡°No wonder¡­¡± he said softly. It was no wonder that more warships and more powerful ones could not be bought. No wonder the collector had said those words. In the end, 3,000 years later, humans still did not have true strength. Chapter 22 - 3,000 Years of Human History Chapter 22 3,000 Years of Human History Above his head, this vast and boundless starry sky was more dangerous and cruel than humans had imagined. It was as mentioned in the video Shen Shi had first seen. (The Earth Star Era has ended. The dark Starry Sky Era has begun with an all-out invasion war.] It could be that in the beginning, humans, as a primitive race invaded by force, were only of the lowest G-class. One by one, people like him were stuffed into those black canisters as ¡°batteries¡±. They were sold and used. Even ¡°consciousness¡± and ¡°emotion¡± were just tools. In the span of 3,000 years, from G-class to D-class, what had humans gone through? What price had they paid for this? Shen Shi did not dare to think or know. But he already understood. When a race was labeled as a ¡°slave¡±, it was difficult to find a place to live, even in the vast starry sky. One could only pray that they could escape to a place where no one could find them. Then, they could lower their heads, bend their posture, and live a completely isolated life of fear. However, it was ironic when he thought about it. Even in the future 3,000 years later, humans would not be truly powerful or even free. 5% of the population would be threatened every 12 years! However, because of such a cosmic warship, he had come to the point where he had to do his best to restrain his inflated emotions. In the final analysis, it was still because his current situation, vision, and temperament were too weak. It might also be extremely difficult for the rich who were decked in gold and silver, but the poor would scream excitedly if they picked up a small piece of gold. Even now, he still had the thought that it might not be bad to flee to a deserted place with tens of thousands of people and live dishonorably. After all, this was already much better than the outcome of the billions of people who remained here. Isn¡¯t it so? However, although this was reasonable, there was obviously a difference between leaving without trying anything and leaving after trying. Even though Shen Shi had wanted to escape from the beginning and had traded for the cosmic warship to escape, he still had the urge to give a good fight. ¡°Even the Rancher doesn¡¯t have the ability to cross over 3,000 years,¡± Shen Shi muttered in his heart. If his ability and ambition could be increased to a certain extent, perhaps he would not only want to change the fate of modern human civilization, but also the fate of mankind 3,000 years later! In the next moment, without going through Sebastian, he gave the order to the central AI in his mind. Shen Shi¡¯s figure had already arrived in a huge room in an instant. This was the captain¡¯s room. It was also the largest room on the entire migration warship. It seemed to be empty, but it was equipped with the effect of simulating everything. With an invisible force field and information based on original energy, it turned the ¡°nothing¡± here into ¡°everything.¡± At least at this moment, as Shen Shi walked, sunlight, the beach, the sea, and even the gentle sea breeze appeared in this room. Shen Shi was full of praise. It was not an exaggeration to say that technology could change one¡¯s life. Currently, in the entire human society, he was the only one who could have such a dream-like technological experience. But he did not come to enjoy it all. He sat down directly on the beach chair and naturally adjusted himself to the most comfortable position. ¡°Let¡¯s start with 3,000 years of human history.¡± In an instant, screens of light appeared in front of him. Yes, Shen Shi was here to learn. What Aixin¡¯er had said was not bad. Since he had recognized his shortcomings, he had to work hard to learn and grow. Shen Shi now knew what the ¡°independent information vault¡± given to him by the collector was. It was a backup of information, a part of the public information of the future human society. In present terms, it was a partial backup of online information. Of course, the information about the human society of the future world was divided into grades. Important information would not be made public. At this moment, what he had was only some public information of the lowest level of authorization. But it was enough for now. Shen Shi clearly understood that the first thing he had to do was to understand the interstellar society and the future 3,000 years later. This was not just to widen his horizons, but also to prepare for the next transaction. The Time Diamond was most probably the greatest fortuity for him and the entire human society. As the information he wanted to know kept appearing, Shen Shi gradually became immersed in it. At this moment, he had not made up his mind if he should do anything. However, he believed that his future self would provide the answer. This was his confidence in his ability to grow! The effect of learning on a warship was even more exaggerated than he had expected. It was not just because of the comfortable environment. It was more because the existence of original energy could actually greatly enhance his mental state. With just ten minutes of rest, it was as if he had slept for ten hours. He was full of energy. There was also a corresponding way to relieve physical stress. And the central AI would always, at the most appropriate time, change the environment, adjust the content of learning, provide delicacies, and play music to maintain his state of mind for a long period of time. If he had such an effect when he was studying back then, not to mention getting into a better university, Shen Shi was confident that he could even embark on the path of scientific research and become a renowned researcher! In addition to the effect on learning, information of the future had also brought him great shock. This was the period 3,000 years later which humans could not imagine no matter what. Encountering the invasion of an interstellar nomadic fleet, which was rated E-class in the Mulder System, humans had no choice but to surrender in just a week. Then, they fell into the darkest 600 years. A large number of people were captured directly to be used as energy batteries, sold, or handed over. The rest of the population had completely fallen into the fate of being bred. They could only live in a ¡°room¡± the size of a coffin. They were injected with liquid nutrients to be kept alive; their genetic material was extracted for reproduction, and they were restricted from learning any knowledge. They were being fed with a false history and past. They could not even compare with livestock. However, the invaders did not allow humans to die emotionally or even become numb because only the most intense, deepest, and most highly-spirited consciousness was the best ¡°battery¡±. Therefore, the invaders had been giving humans false hope and allowing the resistance to exist in order to nurture the best energy batteries. In the 600-year history of resistance, what Shen Shi saw was only deeper despair. To a certain extent, human civilization existed only in name. And the turning point in this darkest history had appeared in the 573rd year of the Starry Sky Era. Over a long period of time, the huge benefits built on the blood and tears of humans had also brought disadvantages to the invaders. The internal differences became more and more serious, and external crises also followed. This intelligent race that had invaded the humans was actually not a high-class existence in the galaxy. They were also full of flaws. In the 573rd year of the Starry Sky Era, the leader of the invaders, an individual named Oakley, died on the battlefield on an alien planet. In a short period of time, this E-class race of the Mulder System, which was not considered powerful, was even torn apart in the fight for benefits. As the target of their fight, the humans seized the opportunity. Although they had not escaped from the control of the Rancher in the end, they had escaped the fate of the most tragic G-class. Chapter 23 - Enjoying the Growth Chapter 23 Enjoying the Growth In the independent information vault owned by Shen Shi, there was actually not much information about these 600 years. The reason was due to the lack of historical information. During that period, humans did not have the ability to record more details. However, he was still deeply shocked. Because all of this was real. It was countless times more brutal than any cruel war in the history of mankind! Just through the residual images, Shen Shi could feel the impact on his heart. The mere empathy from being human was enough to make him extremely furious! This kind of anger was far beyond the anger brought about by people like Han Guangchao. In particular, when Shen Shi saw the huge ¡°breeding farms¡± and the humans locked in cages of coffin size, he could not help but feel lingering fear. Three years later, he would only be 25 years old. However, if the Time Diamond had not appeared and there was no black market trading platform of the future, he would also be one of these humans. No, he might be one of the 800 million people who had died in the war, or he might be directly made into batteries and sold, just like the black canisters in his warship. In comparison, the ones who had been sacrificed might be the happiest. Even after he had roughly understood the history of these 600 years, Shen Shi was still in a daze. Fury and hostility would always subside. But there were some things that would remain. Even when Aixin¡¯er called, Shen Shi had not regained his senses. He answered the call in a daze. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Aixin¡¯er was very sharp. ¡°Nothing,¡± Shen Shi said subconsciously. Then, he slowly exhaled and rubbed the bridge of his nose. ¡°I¡¯ve been studying all night and have not recovered.¡± ¡°That extreme?¡± Aixin¡¯er seemed to be frightened, but she did not doubt Shen Shi¡¯s words. She only said worriedly, ¡°Although I don¡¯t know how much pressure you¡¯re under, there¡¯s still a long way to go. Don¡¯t overexert yourself.¡± ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry. I couldn¡¯t sleep last night.¡± Shen Shi shook his head and regained his senses. He looked at the time. ¡°Are you calling me for lunch? But I may not have time now. I¡¯ll be quite busy during this period of time.¡± ¡°Oh, alright, I¡¯m just letting you know. I¡¯m going back to school to practice the piano.¡± Aixin¡¯er grunted twice, and then she could not help but fall silent. Clearly, she had not called just about this. Shen Shi could also tell. ¡°If you have something to say, just say it,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s not like you to dawdle.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s dawdling,¡± Aixin¡¯er retorted, but her voice kept becoming softer and softer. In the end, she even muttered, ¡°I just want to ask what our relationship is now.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling guilty after staying in the presidential suite for a night?¡± Shen Shi could easily hear the meaning in her words, and his lips could not help but curve. ¡°You still have the cheek to say this!¡± Aixin¡¯er¡¯s voice became louder and she was a little angry. ¡°I thought it would be a few thousand at most, but this is 40,000! Let me tell you, our relationship is at most a little ambiguous now. It¡¯s not time for me to casually spend so much of your money!¡± At 40,000 a night, the presidential suite was almost the peak in the country. Aixin¡¯er¡¯s family background was not bad, otherwise, she would not have the means to learn the piano. However, she would at most have 10,000 yuan a month for living expenses. To use 40,000 yuan all at once on a hotel stay was indeed too luxurious for her. Most importantly, she indeed had a very good impression of Shen Shi now, but the more this was the case, the more she did not want to spend Shen Shi¡¯s money. At the very least, she could not spend it casually and matter-of-factly! They had not interacted much in the past four years. If she became like this when Shen Shi turned rich, what would he think? ¡°We used to be a little ambiguous.¡± Shen Shi did not mention money. He just teased, ¡°I thought we were just friends.¡± ¡°Damn you! I¡¯m serious!¡± Aixin¡¯er was furious and said word by word, ¡°If I, Aixin¡¯er, wanted luxury, I would have had rich men deliver it to me. However, I have not done this in the past, let alone in the future. Therefore, I will return this 40,000 yuan to you. Don¡¯t think I¡¯m pretentious. I wouldn¡¯t stand on ceremony with you on this if it had cost a few thousand yuan.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Shen Shi did not say a word. Hearing the silence on the other end of the line, Aixin¡¯er bit her lower lip and did not say anything No matter how rational a woman was, she was just as sensitive when faced with someone she really cared about. After a while, Shen Shi¡¯s gentle voice could be heard from the phone. ¡°It¡¯s my fault this time. Just take it that I¡¯m suddenly rich and want to show off. However, there¡¯s really no need to return the money. No matter what, we are still close friends. There¡¯s no need to be so distant. If you really feel bad, give me a present later, one that is sincere.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Only then did Aixin¡¯er smile. ¡°I guarantee you¡¯ll be pleased!¡± At the end of the day, what she cared about was not money. ¡°It¡¯s settled then. I¡¯ll ask you out for a meal and a movie some time later. You¡¯re not allowed to refuse. You said so yourself last night.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Aixin¡¯er blushed a little. She had obviously remembered what she had said last night and quickly hung up. She remained where she was for a while; her expressions were rich. For a while, she gritted her teeth, giggled foolishly, and was worried and conflicted. It was as if she had fallen into it. However, she did not know that Shen Shi had seen her current appearance. With a thought, the nano observation device, transformed from a simulation transformation substance, became a part of the corner of Aixin¡¯er¡¯s blouse again. ¡°Just this once. I can¡¯t use it like this again in the future,¡± Shen Shi muttered to himself, but he kept a smile on his face. After shaking his head, he continued to look at the information in front of him. To be honest, if it had been him yesterday, he would have run to look for Aixin¡¯er by now. But now, this impulse had subsided a lot. It was not that he did not want to, but he understood what was most important now. The tragic future, which encompassed billions of people from the entire human race, unfolded in front of his eyes. In the face of such a huge and tragic proposition, his horizon, his understanding, and his frame of mind had actually grown rapidly without him knowing Moreover, Shen Shi enjoyed this process of knowing nothing, and then gradually understanding and gradually mastering. He was even a little addicted. His gaze landed again on the information before him. The more he understood the misery of this fate, the more he understood that he had to grow! In the ten days after this, he really did not leave the Vogt. He only called Aixin¡¯er occasionally, and most of the time, it was Aixin¡¯er who took the initiative to call. He had not watched a movie once, and he only had dinner twice. It made Aixin¡¯er doubt her charm. She was even a little worried. She wondered if she had been played with. However, Aixin¡¯er was the person on this planet who could sense, most intuitively, the changes in Shen Shi in the past ten days. Chapter 24 - Shen Shis Astonishing Growth Chapter 24 Shen Shi¡¯s Astonishing Growth This was their third meal together in a Chinese restaurant that was not particularly luxurious, nor ordinary. A single private room. The amount of food was not wasteful. At this moment, Shen Shi was no longer wearing his flashy and expensive burgundy suit. He was only wearing casual clothes that cost a few thousand yuan, and he did not have a bodyguard or secretary beside him. However, compared to him more than ten days ago, he had an indescribable aura. It was enough to make it difficult for anyone to ignore him. Where did this aura come from? Aixin¡¯er had really observed and studied him seriously. It was mainly his gaze, expression, and behavior. His gaze was not as emotional as when they met more than ten days ago. Even the occasional daze and bewilderment had disappeared, replaced by a mountain-like composure. It was as if nothing could easily provoke his emotions again, the same for his expression. Most of the time, he only had a faint smile. As for his demeanor, it did not seem to have changed much, but there was a calmness that came with strength. All together, one could not help but have an intuitive feeling that this person was not simple. It was not just Aixin¡¯er. When she came in just now, the manager of this restaurant had even personally served her. His attitude was especially amiable, and he had even given them a signature dish for free. Thinking about it, it was unbelievable! Aixin¡¯er even doubted her life. How could a person change and grow so much in such a short period of time? ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Shen Shi put down his chopsticks and suddenly turned to look at her. ¡°Although I know I¡¯m very handsome, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m so handsome that you won¡¯t even eat.¡± If it had been before, when Shen Shi said such things, he would definitely have a smug expression. But at this moment, he only smiled. There was a hint of a smile in his deep eyes, as if they could speak. Aixin¡¯er blushed and looked away in embarrassment. She did not retort as usual. She did not speak, but Shen Shi smiled and said, ¡°Are you surprised by my change?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Aixin¡¯er nodded repeatedly with a hint of surprise. ¡°How did you do this? If it were two weeks ago, I wouldn¡¯t have recognized you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just thought some things through and made up my mind.¡± Shen Shi smiled and skipped the topic. ¡°Alright, eat quickly. It won¡¯t taste good when it gets cold.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Aixin¡¯er did not squirm even though Shen Shi was looking at her openly. Although the current Shen Shi had an astonishing aura, she would not be timid when it came to etiquette. However, only Shen Shi knew the actual reason for his change. Learning during this period of time was only one aspect. However, learning was more about obtaining knowledge and broadening one¡¯s horizons. The reason why his external aura was so striking was because he had started to try to train his ¡°original energy¡±. Currently, he had already understood that the so-called original energy, in the modern understanding, was a special power based on knowledge and special power based on mysticism, information science, philosophy, idealism, and so on. At the core, it revolved around ¡°consciousness¡±. Of course, at this moment, Shen Shi was far from being qualified to come into contact with the true power of original energy. Even the humans 3,000 years later were just starting out. He had only used an unique original energy picture to train his temperament. It was a little like meditation, but it was clearly of a higher level. Before this, he had not imagined that there would be such a picture. With just one look, it was immediately imprinted in his mind. It was as if it was alive, slowly changing, but he could not forget it. According to the explanation he could understand, this was a kind of mental virus invasion. To treat consciousness as a computer that could process information, participate in calculations, and deepen learning, this picture used the visual effect to implant the unique information contained in it into consciousness for training. This phenomenon was actually very common in modern society. At this moment, in Shen Shi¡¯s opinion, the repeated propaganda slogans, the viral spread of the memes, and even news that had the capacity to lead one¡¯s thoughts and even some so-called ¡°hypnosis¡± methods could all be regarded as a kind of mental virus invasion. Of course, the level of application was very basic. It was far inferior to the picture Shen Shi had found in the independent information vault. According to the historical records of the future, in the 600 years of humanity¡¯s darkest period, the invaders had used similar methods to continuously stimulate the human spirit to achieve the effect they wanted. Even the use of the energy batteries was also based on a more violent invasion of consciousness. The greater purpose of the spaceship having an energy room was also to resist such an attack. This also gave Shen Shi a higher understanding of the danger level of the galaxy. Even his consciousness had the possibility of being used and attacked. However, recognizing the cruelty did not prevent Shen Shi from using this power. Instead, it forced him to master it as soon as possible and become stronger. After she had enjoyed the perfect meal and given good reviews, Aixin¡¯er looked at Shen Shi and asked, ¡°Are you still going to study later?¡± Although she did not know what kind of knowledge Shen Shi was going to learn, she could tell that he had indeed been studying recently. The last time she had felt this way was when she was in high school. After Shen Shi had made up his mind, in two years, he had literally gone from a student who was still a wandering undergraduate to one qualified to compete for the top ten outstanding students in the country. This was not considered shocking, but it was definitely considered a strong will. ¡°Why? Are you lonely?¡± Shen Shi teased. ¡°Cut it out,¡± Aixin¡¯er chided. Then, she said proudly, ¡°My enthusiasm for practicing the piano is not much less than yours for studying. Work hard and grow. It¡¯s never a bad thing.¡± Yes, Aixin¡¯er had always liked those who were motivated. Otherwise, she would not have been so close to Shen Shi when they were studying. However, Shen Shi shook his head and stood up. He smiled and said, ¡°Then you should have married a scientist and stayed in the laboratory for 24 hours. Unfortunately, I¡¯m destined to be a capitalist. From today onwards, we will take a temporary break. I¡¯m preparing to work on a business for a few days.¡± ¡°What business?¡± Aixin¡¯er¡¯s eyes lit up. The driven type could also be said to be the ambitious type. With ambition in his heart, he would work hard for it. The fervor, passion, and struggle that erupted during this process was what Aixin¡¯er liked the most. ¡°You¡¯ll know when the time comes. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be shocked.¡± Shen Shi smiled and did not explain. ¡°It¡¯s good that you have a goal.¡± Aixin¡¯er looked happy. ¡°Yesterday, our dean even asked about you. I didn¡¯t know what to say. After all, you didn¡¯t even tell me where the money had come from.¡± Chapter 25 - Targeted by Some People Chapter 25 Targeted by Some People ¡°Your dean asked about me?¡± Shen Shi was stunned. ¡°It¡¯s all because of what happened that night. You¡¯ve made such a big scene. The entire school has known about it in these few days. Fortunately, it hasn¡¯t been spread outside the school or online.¡± Aixin¡¯er did not care much. However, Shen Shi narrowed his eyes. That day, he had pursued publicity to vent his emotions. There were actually many loopholes in what he had done. Even if they were filled, it would be the same. It might even cause the loopholes to become larger. After all, these were ten over luxury cars whose origins could not be traced. There were ten plus bodyguards whose backgrounds could not be traced, but the license plates of the luxury cars had all been recorded by the traffic system. He had even deliberately controlled the spread of this matter on the Internet. To put it bluntly, if someone with the ability were to pay attention, it was inevitable that the loopholes would be discovered. The simulation transformation substance could invade the Internet, but it had not reached the point of distorting one¡¯s memory. In that case¡­ Some nano-grade detectors, which could not be detected by the naked eye, continued to spread out as the simulation transformation substance morphed. Coupled with the huge calculations from his personal terminal, it only took a short while for Shen Shi to understand. He had indeed been targeted. This was normal. He had already threatened to bankrupt the entire family and had even caused such a huge commotion. It was impossible not to investigate him. However, it was not a big deal. What he had done that day had been a little crude, but from the beginning to the end, Shen Shi had not thought of concealing his strength or putting an act. And now that he had a plan and had decided what he wanted to do, there was even less to worry about. Currently, the officials could not figure out the reason behind his actions. They were only investigating and did not dare to do anything. They could not keep an eye on him either. After some time, they would not be able to do anything. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Aixin¡¯er could not help but ask when she saw Shen Shi suddenly in a daze. ¡°Nothing.¡± Shen Shi was not prepared to add to her worries. He just smiled and asked, ¡°Are you still practicing the piano tonight?¡± ¡°Why? Are you lonely?¡± Aixin¡¯er returned Shen Shi¡¯s words with a smile. ¡°Yes, indeed.¡± Shen Shi was not afraid at all. He stretched out his hand to her. ¡°Accompany me for a walk down the street, hand-in-hand.¡± This made Aixin¡¯er a little embarrassed. After a long while, she blushed and stretched out her hand. ¡°Shopping is fine, but don¡¯t buy me too expensive a gift. I haven¡¯t even prepared the gift you want.¡± ¡°Alright, you can pick one for me.¡± Shen Shi smiled. ¡°Alright, I don¡¯t even want to complain about your taste in clothes. Leave it to Big Sister me. I promise I¡¯ll give you a new look!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the big sister? I have already said that I¡¯m older than you. Do you want to see my ID?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a modal particle. Why do you always care about this, literal guy!¡± To be honest, Shen Shi enjoyed the process of spending time with Aixin¡¯er. In the past, when he was studying, his gaze was only on her beautiful face, her great figure, her piano aptitude, and her grades. Just these alone were enough to make any adolescent youth fall in love. However, when he entered university and tried to open his own store, he came into contact with all kinds of people. Only then did he know how rare such a girl was. Capability, self-restraint, personality, looks¡­ Like a stream in the forest, lively and dynamic, clear and moving. Shen Shi had always felt that it was lucky to be able to encounter such a girl as his first love. At this same moment, just after they had left the restaurant, two people were watching them from a black car not far away, the window through which could not be seen clearly. The person in the passenger seat picked up the walkie-talkie. ¡°Captain Cheng, the target has gone out. He didn¡¯t take a car. It looks like he¡¯s taking a walk after dinner.¡± ¡°Understood. Continue to keep an eye on them and be careful not to be discovered.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After turning off the walkie-talkie, he could not help but complain to his partner, ¡°It¡¯s not that we haven¡¯t seen public displays of affection before, but the standard of this pair is really high. One practices the piano for ten hours a day, and the other reads in the hotel all day long. When they get together, they are also gentle and restrained. If all the young people in our country are like this, why should we worry about our country not being strong?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because they are of a high caliber. Not to mention anything else, how many of such a beautiful girl can you find?¡± The partner did not move at all. His gaze was still fixed on Shen Shi, who was walking slowly on the road. ¡°And, your eyesight needs to be improved. This man is not simple at all.¡± ¡°Is there a need for us to keep an eye on them? We still haven¡¯t found those ten over luxury cars and those bodyguards.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not all.¡± His partner narrowed his eyes, and he sounded a little surprised. ¡°From the information, he was just an ordinary university student eleven days ago. He opened his own small shop and had even taken out a loan. But look at him. He doesn¡¯t look rich at all from head to toe.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± The other person had also realized this. This was actually the first time they had seen Shen Shi. After all, Shen Shi spent most of his time reading in the hotel. However, if they took out the information from the materials, or even the past photos and videos to compare with, it would be easy to tell the difference. In particular, about ten days ago, this person carried a conspicuous flair. But now¡­ His gaze was calm, his expression was calm, and his posture was calm. Even though he was holding the hand of a beautiful woman, his sight was rarely affected. It had to be known that although it sounded easy to look straight ahead, it was really not easy to do so. Even an old star who was used to standing in front of the camera would have his eyes wander sometimes. It was even more difficult in a relaxed environment, but this young man in his early twenties in front of them had done it. Not to mention anything else, just this aura alone was not something that could be nurtured so easily. ¡°Perhaps he is of high caliber to begin with,¡± the person in the front passenger seat said softly. ¡°Perhaps.¡± The person in the driver¡¯s seat nodded. However, at this moment, their bodies stiffened at the same time. This was because Shen Shi, who was not far away, suddenly turned around and looked at them. He was smiling and looked calm. However, at that moment, they had the feeling that Shen Shi had locked eyes with them. Shen Shi quickly turned around and continued to tease Aixin¡¯er with a smile, as if nothing had happened. Only the two of them were left looking at each other, doubting their lives. In fact, Shen Shi had definitely discovered them. That glance was also intentional. One of the reasons was that he had heard the conversation between the two. The second was that since he had already been targeted, he did not mind adding a little more mystery before the plan officially commenced. Of course, in moderation. He did not have any ill will toward these people and was still quite respectful. After all, when he was an ordinary person, the stable environment he lived in relied on the protection of these people. However¡­ To him, the term ¡°heroes¡± was not something to be nostalgic about. Shen Shi sighed in his heart and let the thoughts in his mind fade. He enjoyed his date wholeheartedly. Chapter 26 - Letting Humans Know the Universe Chapter 26 Letting Humans Know the Universe As the saying went, the gentle love of a woman is a hero¡¯s tomb. Although Shen Shi was not a hero, he had felt the weight of these words. The delicate and beautiful face was in front of him. Every frown and smile emitted an astonishing charm. When their palms touched, there was a tenderness, and he could feel the warmth of moisture. Most importantly, the throbbing of the teenage years was surging continuously. The closer they got to each other brought an unspeakable joy to this moment. It was originally an unattainable moonlight, but at this moment, the moonlight was in his hands and the soft jade was in his arms. How many men could withstand such temptation? However, The changes brought about by the original energy became obvious. In the past, he would have liked nothing more than to be with Aixin¡¯er 24 hours a day. Many heroes had lost themselves to love. Shen Shi did not have such a strong restraint. But now, no matter how stirred he was, he was firmly restrained by the ¡°patterns¡± in his mind in a special domain of his heart. Not only did it not reveal too much on the surface, it was also constantly reminding him of the difference between controlling emotions and being controlled by emotions. ¡°How magical¡­¡± Shen Shi muttered. ¡°What¡¯s magical?¡± Aixin¡¯er tilted her head and looked at him. Her straight long hair swayed gently with this action, glowing charmingly under the street lights. ¡°It¡¯s almost time.¡± Shen Yi did not answer. Instead, he raised his wrist to look at the time and smiled. ¡°Are you renting a house yourself now? Let me send you there.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s only nine o¡¯clock.¡± Aixin¡¯er pursed her lips, her eyes revealing some reluctance. It stirred his heart. Unfortunately, at this moment, Shen Shi¡¯s gaze was clear, and his expression did not change at all. He only smiled and explained, ¡°I still need to do some planning when I get back.¡± ¡°Alright¡­ then.¡± Aixin¡¯er was obviously a little disappointed, but when she looked up again, she regained her poised posture and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m indeed very happy tonight. Although you have become a little unfamiliar to me, ¡­¡± She let go of Shen Shi¡¯s hand and took a few steps back. She placed her hands behind her back and sized him up. The corners of her mouth curled up. ¡°Men are a little mysterious, but they¡¯re more charming.¡± Shen Shi only smiled. After letting his mind separate from his emotions to a certain extent, he was able to see many things more intuitively and more clearly. For example, to a girl like Aixin¡¯er, a sense of mystery that she could not see through was indeed more attractive. This was because she was smart enough to at least think she was smart. A smart person would always be more interested in the unknown. Thinking of this, Shen Shi could not help but sigh again. The original energy was really magical. Although it could not increase his intelligence for the time being, just the fact that it could allow him to control his emotions was enough to allow him to be reborn. He would surpass most of the young people in this world and be considered a dragon among men. At ten o¡¯clock in the evening, after sending Aixin¡¯er back, Shen Shi also returned to the hotel. Ever since he had money, he had moved here directly. Not to mention the luxurious facilities, the private butler of the hotel was also able to easily settle all kinds of trivial matters. Whether it was eating or what he wanted, he only needed to inform him. On the first day of staying here, Shen Shi had already been amazed by this meticulous service more than once. But now, at least on the surface, he was extremely calm. After instructing the butler not to disturb him for the night, Shen Shi sat directly on the sofa, and images began to appear in front of his eyes. These were projected directly into his mind from his personal terminal. And what appeared in the scene was an endless universe. Yes, at this moment, the Vogt had already arrived in outer space. In the past ten days, Shen Shi had not just been learning. He had also thought seriously about what he should do specifically for the alien invasion three years later and whether he could change the future of all mankind. Although some questions still had no answers, However, some thoughts had already been confirmed This was why he had told Aixin¡¯er that he planned to do some ¡°business¡±. ¡°Putting aside all the unimportant factors, reasons, and excuses, there is only one thing that is really important.¡± His gaze gradually changed, and he said to himself, ¡°As a conscious human, in this vast universe, my interests have long been tied to the interests of the human race.¡± It was time for all mankind to reacquaint themselves with this universe again and realize that humans were not the only intelligent life forms in the universe! And how weak they were! The planet called Blue Planet where Shen Shi was in had hundreds of countries of various sizes, but the internal situation of the entire human race could be summarized in one sentence. The world had been divided into three. The East Kingdom, which was located in the east, the Western Alliance, which had risen in the past two hundred years, and the Holy Nia Empire, which was located in Europe. Among them, Nia was an old empire on the decline. The Western Alliance was in the prime of its life, and the East Kingdom was gradually rising. The other large and small countries were all attached to the three major powers of mankind. Between them, it could be said that there was conflict and cooperation, hostility and peace. In recent years, with the development of technology, the three major powers had begun to invest their competition and development in outer space. Nia, which had the weakest technology, had chosen to cooperate with the Western Alliance to develop space technology together. The East Kingdom was unwilling to be left behind. Three years ago, they had also built a space station independently. Until now, the space station of the East Kingdom had already received more than 20 astronauts, one followed by another. Tian Shaohui was one of them. Being selected as a permanent astronaut of the space station at the age of 26, Tian Shaohui was indeed outstanding. He also had a burning dream of space in his heart, which had supported him for a long time. And now, it was the seventeenth day since his dream of space had been realized. ¡°Reporting to the Control Center! Connectivity established! The image is clear!¡± Tian Shaohui floated in front of the space window and spoke to the camera. His voice was sonorous and robust. ¡°Alright, can you hear me?¡± The screen in front of him displayed the scene from the ground control center. ¡°Yes, your voice is very clear. It¡¯s not distorted,¡± Tian Shaohui replied. ¡°That¡¯s good. In a few days, you will be conducting an online live broadcast in space. There must not be any problems with the equipment.¡± The tone from the control center had also become relaxed. ¡°How are things? Are you nervous? That is a live broadcast to the entire country¡¯s audience.¡± ¡°I am not nervous.¡± Tian Shaohui seemed very confident and was even full of anticipation. ¡°I¡¯ll let the entire country experience the beauty and wonder of outer space! This place is full of mysteries and unknowns. Trust me, this will definitely be a perfect live broadcast!¡± ¡°Hahaha, your enthusiasm is what we value¡­ What is that?¡± The person in control was suddenly shocked. Chapter 27 - Mysterious Alien Visitor Chapter 27 Mysterious Alien Visitor Originally, behind Tian Shaohui, there was a space window. Through the window, the azure Blue Planet could be seen. This was also the important content reserved for the live broadcast a few days later. It allowed one to experience the magnificence of the Blue Planet and the vastness of the universe. However, at this moment. Behind that window, there was a huge black ball in synchronous orbit with the space station! ¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯ No one knew how the black ball had appeared, but this sudden change stunned everyone who saw it. And the control center gradually rose to a clamor. ¡°That seems to be a black ball?¡± ¡°Could it be a satellite from another country?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s possible!¡± ¡°Quick, inform Chief Engineer Lu!¡± ¡°Tian Shaohui, can you see this ball? Can you describe it?¡± Someone seemed to have thought of something and asked quickly. After all, it was not as clear through the camera as the naked eye. ¡°I can see that it¡¯s a black ball. It¡¯s very close, and it¡¯s almost the same speed as the space station!¡± Tian Shaohui¡¯s voice was not as strong as before, and there was a hint of nervousness. There were many magical things in outer space. For example, the ¡°wonderful auditory hallucinations¡± described by the seniors. However, the black ball in front of him was definitely not among them! ¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯ This question appeared in everyone¡¯s mind at this moment. Some people had a terrifying guess, but they dared not say it! Finally, the person in charge of the entire space station project, Lu Yuejie, Chief Engineer Lu, rushed over. At first glance, he saw the black ball in the scene. Compared to the others who were panicking, he was much calmer. He had to be calm. ¡°Can the radar on the space station detect that black ball?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already checked. There¡¯s nothing on the radar,¡± Tian Shaohui reported immediately. At this moment, the six astronauts on the space station had all taken action. It could be seen with the naked eye, but there was nothing on the radar? Everyone in the control center could not help but hold their breath. They did not even dare to say a word. Some of them kept breaking out in cold sweat, and their bodies were trembling ¡°There¡¯s also a telescope on the space station. Tian Shaohui, go and observe it, and then report immediately!¡± Chief Engineer Lu spoke again. ¡°Yes!¡± Tian Shaohui immediately took action. The telescope on the space station was actually used to observe far into outer space, but with some adjustments, it could also be used at this moment. Tian Shaohui¡¯s voice was soon heard. ¡°It¡¯s a black ball. It looks very smooth on the surface and has a metallic luster. Wait-¡± He suddenly exclaimed, ¡°That looks like a layer of liquid. I can vaguely see a flow.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Chief Engineer Lu could not sit still anymore. ¡°I¡¯m sure!¡± Tian Shaohui replied affirmatively. Despite his mental fortitude, his words were also trembling. In the control center, there was even more commotion. ¡°Good heavens!¡± The radar could not detect it. There was a metallic luster on the surface, as if there was liquid flowing¡­ All of this seemed to be pointing to a fact. This was the creation of an intelligent life, and it was definitely not from humans. This was because human technology could not do all this. In other words, this was very likely an alien visitor! Thinking of it this way was simply a reconstruction of his worldview! This was because humans had just begun exploration into outer space. The so-called aliens represented the absolute unknown. The mere fact that the other party had the ability to reach the Blue Planet meant that their technology had surpassed theirs! What kind of life did the other party have? Where did it come from? What level of technology had it attained? What did it want to do? Was this black ball some kind of weapon, probe, or messenger? At this moment, these people felt as if they had suddenly left their familiar home and stepped into the darkness of a forest. Everything was unknown, and there was danger everywhere! ¡°Quiet!¡± Chief Engineer Lu shouted, suppressing the noise. Then, he said in a low voice, ¡°Activate the confidentiality procedures. No one is to leave this place or communicate with the outside world. The security department is to maintain order. If the situation changes, inform me immediately!¡± With that said, he left in a hurry. This was no longer something he could handle. He had to report this! The people who had stayed in the control center looked at each other. Many of them were pale. They could not imagine that it was clearly an ordinary day, but such a dream-like change had suddenly occurred. In fact, the entire history of mankind and the future of mankind might undergo a huge change from this day onwards! At this moment, someone suddenly exclaimed. ¡°It¡¯s moving! It¡¯s moving!¡± This person was already a little incoherent, but everyone who looked at the large screen exclaimed. This was because the black ball, which had been relatively still with the space station, suddenly moved. The speed was not fast. However, this movement caused the hearts of countless people to tremble. Originally, some people still had the fantasy that this black ball might be some unknown natural phenomenon in the universe, or perhaps it was just a special meteorite. However, at this moment, this action, which went against the law of orbit, tore this fantasy into pieces! This black ball must have engine power! It must be some kind of technological creation! Therefore¡­ it was most likely from an alien planet! The six people in the space station had tense expressions. All of them widened their eyes and stared fixedly at the black ball. At such a close distance, they did not believe that the black ball had not discovered them. And if it were to attack¡­ In the vast universe, there was only one outcome waiting for them. The people on the ground were also nervous! If that black ball had attacked the space station, it meant that this alien visitor had ill intentions toward humans! At least, it had not come with the so-called peace! However, under everyone¡¯s nervous gaze, the black ball did not approach the space station or launch any attacks. Instead, it only circled around slowly and left the orbit directly. It flew in a certain direction and left the observation range of the space station. This made many people heave a sigh of relief. It was only then that the six astronauts in the space station suddenly realized that their bodies were drenched in sweat. The youngest, Tian Shaohui, clenched his fists tightly. He was not afraid of death. As an astronaut, as the vanguard of the country and of human exploration of the universe, he had originally put life and death on the line. However, he was indeed afraid just now. He was afraid that the mysterious and unknown alien visitor had ill intentions toward humans. But no matter what, from this moment on, the outer space, which he originally had infinite yearning for, had a shadow cast over it, although it remained mysterious and extraordinary to him. Chapter 28 - Conference on an Unknown Existence Chapter 28 Conference on an Unknown Existence Shen Shi was naturally not deliberately scaring people. He did not have such a vicious interest. Even if he did, it would not become reality so easily when he could control his emotions. The reason why he had shown himself was to see what kind of attitude the current upper echelons of humanity had when faced with the unknown alien visitor. Would they face it cautiously or be careless? Would they be fearful, or joyful? Would they be confident or humble? Would they cooperate, or would they fight separately? These reactions would determine his next move. Although Shen Shi had decided to do something for humanity and his future, he had to be wary of the existence of idiotic teammates. Even the race that would invade humanity three years later would be destroyed by internal strife, allowing humans to ¡°turn the tables¡±. From this, it could be seen that some of the characteristics of intelligent life were common. In addition, he had already made up his mind that no matter what, he must not expose the Time Diamond that could cross 3,000 years. That was a miracle that had never happened in the entire universe. Once it was exposed, the outcome would be unbearable for Shen Shi and humanity. This also meant that he could not reveal everything openly. He had to think of a way to gain the upper hand! ¡°Next, let¡¯s go to the International Space Station and also around the satellites of various countries.¡± Shen Shi¡¯s instructions were conveyed to the Vogt. Naturally, on this day, a great shock appeared in a certain circle around the world! Through Sebastian¡¯s surveillance of the global network, Shen Shi could clearly see that the upper echelons of various countries had held an urgent meeting. Some small countries that had rented satellites had even caused a certain level of upheaval. However, the three major powers reacted quickly and suppressed the news completely at the same time. No traces of it were allowed to be exposed to the public. To them, this was clearly the right thing to do. Whether the arrival of the alien was for peace, war, or some other purpose, the news of the appearance of the alien alone might have a great impact on the world order. Under such circumstances, the upper echelons of the human race quickly established a connection at a speed that even Shen Shi had not expected. A special team led by three countries and participated by more than ten countries, including several famous great scientists, was officially established within a day of the discovery of the black ball. They even vigilantly cut off all the Internet connections related to this team. If it had not been for the fact that Sebastian had discovered it early and that Shen Shi had let a portion of the simulation transformation substance be smuggled over and transformed into a nano-monitor, he would not have been able to know the reaction of this team. At this moment. This team had already gathered on a warship in the open sea. ¡°I won¡¯t say anything else. Everyone knows the reason for setting up this Conference on an Unknown Existence. Let¡¯s share the information first.¡± The first to speak was Chief Engineer Lu from the East Kingdom. Yes, he was also a member. Immediately, a video appeared on the screen in front of everyone. It was the video of the discovery of the black ball on the space station of the East Kingdom. ¡°We have already confirmed that the place where the black ball first appeared was less than ten kilometers away from our East Kingdom space station. Even though the video was accurate to the lowest frame rate, we did not find out how it appeared. Moreover, the black ball had remained relatively still with the space station for a period of time. We have calculated that this was definitely intentional!¡± ¡°That¡¯s indeed the case.¡± A scientist from the Western Alliance immediately said, ¡°Have you guys noticed that the black ball has been in the same place outside the window view during this period of time? You know, the space station is flying at a speed of 8,000 meters per second!¡± These words made many people¡¯s expressions sink slightly. Those who were not scientists could clearly hear the meaning of this sentence. The black ball had deliberately remained still with the space station. It could even be said that it had deliberately exposed itself within the space station¡¯s observation range. ¡°It¡¯s the same situation in the International Space Station.¡± The representative from the Nia Empire also took a deep breath. ¡°We discovered that the black ball had appeared directly outside the space window of the International Space Station. It could be seen directly with the naked eye. It remained for 32 seconds before it left.¡± The astronauts of the International Space Station were so frightened that they even prepared to take the return capsule to Earth on the spot. Piecing together the situation from many satellites, a guess that was close to reality had already appeared in everyone¡¯s mind. ¡°That black ball¡­ is telling us,¡± a representative said slowly in an extremely dry voice, ¡°it¡¯s coming.¡± It was a little ironic. Countless scientists had tried all kinds of methods to prove the existence of extraterrestrial life. All kinds of movies related to extraterrestrials had been continuously released worldwide, and they were enduring. Over a long period of time, countless ¡°alien fans¡± had even emerged. However, when the alien really crossed the endless galaxy and appeared before them, it brought unspeakable fear. This was also another kind of pseudo fanaticism. But this was normal. The unknown itself meant fear. ¡°The question now is, what should we do?¡± The representative from the Western Alliance said. ¡°Should we establish a connection or be prepared for hostility? Moreover, we have to try our best to evaluate its technological level.¡± ¡°It¡¯s necessary to be vigilant, but we definitely can¡¯t fire the first shot!¡± The representative of the East Kingdom immediately said with a serious expression. ¡°You have to know that if one black ball can come to the Blue Planet, then hundreds, tens of thousands of black balls can come!¡± This was a very simple logic. Even if this black ball could not conquer the Blue Planet, the real horror was the civilization behind it! Just the fact that the black ball could reach the Blue Planet meant that the other party¡¯s technology was at least space technology, far surpassing that of humans! ¡°I think the first thing is to establish contact.¡± ¡°We can send a radio wave or use pictures and other methods to communicate.¡± ¡°Peace must be fought for!¡± ¡°No matter what, this is the first time humans have come into contact with extraterrestrial life.¡± ¡°We know almost nothing about the universe!¡± The intense discussion gradually started. All kinds of situations and suggestions were listed and analyzed. Shen Shi listened carefully. He could not help but sigh. The wisdom of humans could not be underestimated. Even the representatives sent by the Western Alliance, which had given him a very bad impression in the past, displayed the qualities an elite should have. Previously, as a ¡°little commoner¡±, he had been too narrow-minded. Among the upper echelons of the human race, there were naturally many ¡°idiots¡± who had been affected by emotions, interests, opinions, positions, arrogance, and so on. However, there was no lack of true elites. In the future, he would have to deal with these people. He had to open his eyes wide and distinguish them clearly. Chapter 29 - Black Balls Reply Message Chapter 29 Black Ball¡¯s Reply Message Fortunately, Shen Shi was still confident. Perhaps his birth had determined some of his shortcomings, but the foundation he had now determined his extraordinariness. In an interstellar world where even emotions could be controlled, what could not grow? At that moment, Shen Shi focused his attention on the discussion of the team. He turned the simulation transformation substance into a notebook and recorded all the key contents and categorized them. It had to be said that some aspects had indeed broadened Shen Shi¡¯s horizons. In the eyes of ordinary people, the Western Alliance and the East Kingdom were basically enemies. To a certain extent, they had already broken away from the ¡°quarrel¡± aspect. However, it was not until this moment that Shen Shi discovered that there were still many collaborations between the two countries. The Western Alliance and the Nia Empire seemed to be a pair of close brothers, but there were also many conflicts of interest between them. Faced with the mysterious alien visitor, the black ball, the three major powers each had their own thoughts under the premise of major cooperation. Some of these things might never be known to ordinary people. Shen Shi was amazed. Between individuals, love and hate might dominate, but between groups, there were mainly interests. Unknowingly, a day and a night passed like this. This conference on extraterrestrial visitors had finally produced some results. It was not just a preliminary agreement for various kinds of cooperation, but also a decision to take the initiative to probe the purpose of the black ball. After the decision had been made and with the permission of their superiors, the large radio telescopes on the Blue Planet sent a wireless signal directly toward the black ball. The contents of the signal had also been carefully designed. It included sounds, pattern codes, text codes¡­ All the information expressed one word in every possible way they could imagine. Peace! At this moment, the Blue Planet was like a toddler learning to walk. Faced with a huge creature hidden in the black fog, their every move had to be very careful. Otherwise, no one knew if this huge creature would suddenly reveal the tip of the iceberg and crush them to death. And Shen Shi also felt that it was about time. From the standpoint of the upper echelons of the human race, they naturally did not want the public to know that an alien had come to the Blue Planet This would bring chaos to order. To them, the best situation was undoubtedly for the alien to establish a stable connection with the upper echelons of the various countries, secretly providing technology, high-tech, and so on. They would then release them bit by bit and convert them for civilian use. However, There was no time! If there had been no alien invasion, perhaps Shen Shi would have become the male lead of an urban black-technology novel as these people had imagined. He would have brought out all kinds of future technology and made his country stronger bit by bit to benefit mankind. However, in the face of the impending invaders, Shen Shi knew very well that what he needed was not cooperation on a certain level, but the efforts of all mankind! Perhaps the news of the aliens¡¯ existence would bring some temporary chaos to order. However, if they could not resist the invaders, most people on this planet would not even be qualified to cause chaos! Hence, not long after, the research team in the open sea suddenly learned shocking news. ¡°What did you say?¡± The representative of the Western Alliance, a man named Willard Richard, almost jumped up from his seat. He stared at the messenger in front of him with wide eyes. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± The messenger touched the sweat on his forehead, with the same life-doubting expression. It could be seen that he had maintained this expression for a long time. The rest of the messengers from the other countries were in a similar situation. In order to prevent the alien from possessing powerful electronic invasion technology, all signals on their warship had been blocked. To obtain news from the outside world, they could only send messengers through the surrounding warships. This was the case for all the countries. Clearly, they had all received the same message. That ¡°black ball¡± had replied! Not long after they had sent the radio signal to the black ball, it replied! And it also used the same radio wave! It had even used the reply code of the Blue Planet! However, it was different from what they had imagined. This reply was not only for them, but also for the entire world! ¡°Regarding the wireless signal emitted by the black ball, we have already compiled it in various ways, but this is to be on the safe side to prevent the rest of the information from being hidden in this signal. However, it only has one sentence. To be precise, it has three words.¡± The messenger from the East Kingdom also told the East Kingdom¡¯s representative with an incredulous expression, ¡°I have returned! Yes, it¡¯s these three words, and they are in the East Kingdom language. The code used is also the most commonly used text message code in our East Kingdom! Most importantly, just ten minutes ago, these three words appeared on all the televisions and all the web pages in the world! The entire process lasted for half a minute. We could not understand this invasion method at all! And we could not stop it!¡± The representative of the East Kingdom, Todd, was a man in his forties. He was not fat but was rather well-built. However, at this moment, sweat was constantly breaking out on his forehead. It was obvious that he had also realized what this situation meant. The alien did not plan to hide its arrival! ¡°Is it really these three words? The same for the other countries?¡± He got to the point. ¡°It¡¯s the same message! I¡¯m referring to the text!¡± the messenger replied. Todd took a deep breath. There were so many countries in the world and so many languages, but the alien had used the East Kingdom language and even said the words ¡°I have returned¡±. Moreover, it had directly hacked into television and the Internet? Could the alien above have come to the East Kingdom before? Or could this be a message to a certain person in the East Kingdom? The black ball not only displayed its crushing electronic invasion ability, it also made its voice heard by the entire world! What was it trying to do? What was the meaning of ¡°I have returned¡±? Todd couldn¡¯t care less. He opened the tablet sent by the messenger. There was more detailed information on it, including many videos and photos. Originally, the television was playing normally. Even if it was an Internet television, in an instant, the scene changed and the three standard East Kingdom characters appeared. The webpage was the same. The three large characters were written in the most obvious font! When the 30 seconds were up, it immediately returned to normal. There was no doubt! Not only was the other party extremely familiar with the media methods of humans, it was also announcing its existence to the Blue Planet in such a method! Chapter 30 - A Day remembered by Humans Chapter 30 A Day remembered by Humans There was already a commotion on the Internet. Countless netizens were discussing this phenomenon. ¡°Is this some kind of a show? These three big characters have appeared on all the websites!¡± ¡°What show can have so much power?¡± ¡°Damn, what a powerful hacker. He has invaded the entire network, even television!¡± ¡°I can say responsibly that no hacker in the world is able do this!¡± ¡°Should we care what the words ¡®I have returned¡¯ mean?¡± ¡°It might be an electronic spirit! It entered the world of electrons after death! It has returned!¡± It was obvious that the netizens in the East Kingdom were not aware that this incident was global. Even if they had not received the news yet, Todd was certain that the people from the other countries would be even more shocked! Especially since the entire world had published these three East Kingdom words! At this moment, there were probably already many people shouting things like ¡°East Kingdom Hackers¡± invading on a large scale. However, none of this was important. What was really important was the black ball, or rather, the purpose of those aliens! First, it took the initiative to expose itself to them, and then it made its voice heard in public. ¡®What next?¡¯ What else would it do next? Just when Todd was also lost in his thoughts, Willard had already brought the representatives from the other countries to him. ¡°Mr. Todd,¡± Willard¡¯s expression was solemn. ¡°You should already know the situation. Now, on behalf of more than ten major countries of the international community, I am questioning you. We seriously suspect that the East Kingdom has hidden important information from us. This is extremely irresponsible behavior to all of humanity!¡± ¡°Stop stirring up trouble here, Willard.¡± Todd looked at him disdainfully. ¡°I can say responsibly that we have shared all the information we know in a way that is responsible toward the entire human race. On the other hand, the satellite videos you have taken out is less than one-tenth the number taken by your satellites. I have to suspect you of hiding important information.¡± ¡°Then how do you explain that the alien is using your language?¡± Willard pressed further. ¡°How would I know?¡± Todd said unhurriedly. ¡°Perhaps it is because our alien friend thinks that the East Kingdom language is more suitable as a representative language of humanity, or perhaps it is because our alien friend prefers the culture of our East Kingdom. After all, everyone on the Blue Planet knows that we have the most wonderful, most dazzling, and most far-reaching cultural heritage among the entire human civilization.¡± ¡°Then how do you explain the words ¡®I have returned¡¯?¡± Willard emphasized. ¡°Perhaps our alien friend had come to our country before,¡± Todd continued to make light of the situation. ¡°But we really do not know anything!¡± ¡°We still don¡¯t know if the alien is friend or foe, but you keep calling it your alien friend. Could it be that your East Kingdom has actually submitted to the aliens long ago? Was all this actually planned by all of you?¡± A representative of a small country standing behind Willard could not help but jump out and accuse. ¡°Before we know if it is friend or foe, shouldn¡¯t we reach out to our alien friend in a peaceful manner? Isn¡¯t this the common tone we have just set? You have also signed it, or do you hope that it is not our alien friend but our alien enemy? Can you represent your country¡¯s attitude?¡± Todd frowned slightly and threw the ball back mercilessly. ¡°You¡­!¡± This series of exchanges made Shen Shi click his tongue. When ordinary people saw such a scene, they could not imagine that just ten minutes ago, Willard and Todd were shaking hands warmly because of a collaboration agreement. They were chatting and laughing, and their relationship was harmonious. However, ¡°It¡¯s about time.¡± Shen Shi muttered to himself. He did not plan to lay the groundwork for too long. The next step had already begun. In less than ten minutes, another helicopter used for communication had sped up and arrived. Many of the messengers were sweating profusely as they rushed to their representatives. Before anyone could get close, they started to shout from afar, ¡°They¡¯re here! They¡¯re here!¡± Everyone¡¯s expression changed drastically. Clearly, in this situation, ¡°they¡± could only refer to aliens! ¡°Speak slowly, don¡¯t rush.¡± Willard even supported the messenger from the East Kingdom, who had charged forward in front, and said in broken East Kingdom language, ¡°Where have they gone?¡±. The messenger looked at Todd and saw him nod. Under everyone¡¯s gaze, he said slowly and clearly, ¡°Half a minute ago, the black ball monitored by the satellite fell directly toward the Blue Planet and then disappeared in the clouds. It was as if it had completely disappeared. However, its trajectory before it disappeared was straight. The target destination is here!¡± With this sentence, many gasps were immediately heard all around. The representatives of some small countries had already started to panic. Was this the target destination? The aliens knew they were here discussing? Why had they come? ¡°There¡¯s no need to panic.¡± Todd frowned and looked around. He said in a low voice, ¡°If the aliens really want to use force on us, can we hide from them by going elsewhere? Moreover, from the looks of it, it is more likely that the aliens are not hostile to us!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Willard looked like he was trying hard to remain calm. ¡°It¡¯s better that they¡¯re here. This might be the beginning of the fifth category of contact.¡± In the past, some scholars had divided the possible contact with aliens into nine categories. The fifth category referred to, in a certain sense, humans taking the initiative to make contact with alien creatures or both sides establishing a conscious and voluntary bilateral contact. This was undoubtedly the way humans hope to make contact currently. Just as Willard finished speaking, everything around him suddenly darkened. Everyone was stiff. Without looking up, they could already sense the huge object in the sky from the shadow on the ground! There was no sound of the engine starting, nor was there a violent wind caused by the air waves. The huge black ball was like an illusion. It had arrived in front of them so suddenly and silently! Even when one looked up, one could see it very clearly. The black outer body, which had a metallic luster and seemed to be flowing slowly like liquid, was also incomparably huge. It was at least a kilometer in diameter and was like a tall mountain in form. Coupled with the mystery and unknowns it possessed, even though they were surrounded by more than ten warships of different models, they did not feel safe at all. In front of this huge thing, everyone was completely engulfed by a great shudder! This was an alien existence! Just its descent, this day would be remembered forever in the history of mankind! They also did not know what they would face next! After all, everything earlier was just their speculation! Chapter 31 - Welcome to the Blue Planet Chapter 31 Welcome to the Blue Planet In fact, the warship had not come directly to the open sea as Todd and the others had thought. Instead, it arrived in Sea City first and picked up Shen Shi quietly before coming here. Originally, Shen Shi had no intention of contacting the upper echelons of the human race now. However, his observation today had given him a rough understanding of the people on this ship. Being able to participate in this conference on the appearance of the black ball as representatives of the various countries and even sign several collaboration agreements indicated their status and authority. Moreover, after witnessing the power of these elites of mankind, Shen Shi also realized that he could not let them be too well-prepared. Such a contact outside the other party¡¯s plan would make it easier for him to take the lead in the contact. Yes, Shen Shi¡¯s work flow had a strong sense of purpose. Exposing the warship to the space station and the satellites was to test the reaction of the upper echelons of the human race and send a message to the entire world to show that he did not plan to hide. What was really important next was the first contact which would determine the fate of all mankind! At this moment, Shen Shi was sitting in the captain¡¯s room. Through the projection from his personal terminal, he could still clearly see the reactions of the people outside. Even though they were all elites, the gap was still obvious when faced with such an unprecedented situation. The ones who had the most outstanding performance were Todd and Willard. Currently, the blocking of signals on the warship had long been lifted. Everyone was actively contacting their respective countries. Compared to the panic of the others and even the incoherent speech of a few people, the reports from the two of them were the clearest and most concise. They had even put forward their views and raised their requests. Then, they successfully obtained the right and authorization to make first contact with the ¡°aliens¡± on behalf of their respective countries. ¡°Let¡¯s start. Follow the plan.¡± Shen Shi said slowly, having already adjusted his state. The energy patterns in his mind kept appearing The original energy on the warship kept surging into his consciousness with the help of the warship¡¯s AI. It allowed him to maintain a high level of consciousness and even strengthened every bit of control over his body. If it had not been for this, he might not have dared to come into contact with these human elites so quickly because he had been too easily seen through in the past. ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Sebastian bowed slightly. As a warship AI, he actually did not have any personal emotions, but during this period of ¡°familiarization¡±, he was already able to carry out Shen Shi¡¯s instructions perfectly. At this moment. The outer armor of the warship started to flow slowly. Like water that had been parted, an entrance appeared. This change was naturally discovered by the representatives of the various countries below. Immediately, some people became even more flustered. ¡°Calm down and mind your image!¡± Todd emphasized and said to the people around him, ¡°All of you are the representatives of humanity at this moment. Don¡¯t behave in any rude way!¡± Willard was even more direct. ¡°Whoever ruins this contact will await the revenge of the entire Western Alliance!¡± This sentence had obviously worked. Some of the overly nervous people pinched their arms or thighs hard to force themselves to calm down. At this moment, an invisible force field covered their bodies. It was clear that they could sense the existence of gravity, but it was as if they had lost gravity. They slowly flew up towards the entrance that was emitting white light! ¡°Incomprehensible!¡± A scientist carefully stretched his limbs, his face full of shock. ¡°I can¡¯t feel how the force works!¡± He did not feel the buoyancy lifting him from the bottom to the top, nor did he sense the pull from above. The only thing he could sense from his body was the gravity of falling, and even things like clothes and so on. He did not feel suspended at all. But they just flew! A scientist even let go of his pen and watched helplessly as it fell. So, how did they fly? All the scientists looked blank. This was already beyond their comprehension. Todd, who had secretly seen these reactions, emphasized the importance of ¡°aliens¡± in his heart again. Among the instructions he had received from his superiors, there was the rule that he should try his best to understand the technological strength of the aliens. From the tip of the iceberg they have seen, it could only be described as unfathomable! Even he, who had been trying hard to calm down, started to become even more nervous. Regardless of whether the aliens ¡°appeared¡± to be friendly, human history had already shown more than once the consequences of natives encountering ¡°civilization¡±. They were now the natives! Regarding this, Willard undoubtedly had a deeper understanding. Therefore, he looked even more nervous than Todd. In this increasingly tense atmosphere, they finally arrived in front of the entrance. Looking at it up close, they could even sense the shock coming from it. The entire mountain-like huge black ball floated steadily in the air without making a sound. It did not even have the slightest tremor! In comparison, human planes could not even be considered to be ¡°flying¡±. When the people at the front began to submerge in the entrance emitting a faint white light, Todd subconsciously tidied his clothes. He entered immediately thereafter. When he passed through, he did not feel anything. After passing through, his eyes opened up. They had come to the empty area where Shen Shi had once entered. ¡°This should be the docking bay,¡± Chief Engineer Lu whispered in Todd¡¯s ear. ¡°A place to park a smaller aircraft.¡± Todd nodded slightly. Only then did they realize that they were still floating They could clearly sense the gravity and know the orientation. ¡°Everyone, welcome to the Vogt.¡± Fluent East Kingdom language was suddenly heard. Everyone was shocked. When they saw the ¡°persons who had spoken, they could not help but hold their breaths. This was a ¡°creature¡± with snow-white skin, a slender and sculpted body, and was more than two meters tall. It had six limbs, and its lower body looked no different from a human¡¯s legs. However, there were two arms on each shoulder. One pair hung down naturally, and the other was raised. Is this an alien? The alien actually spoke the East Kingdom language?! Although it looked completely different from a human, it did not look ugly. Even its face, which was covered in some white jade-like crystals, gave off a symmetrical beauty. Not to mention that strong and slender body and the exquisite clothes. While Willard and the others were still in a daze, Todd, who was already prepared, had already stepped forward. He bowed slightly. ¡°On behalf of the people of the Blue Planet, welcome to the Blue Planet.¡± The corners of Willard¡¯s eyes twitched slightly. He was extremely vexed. He had beaten him to it! ¡°Moreover, this fellow is too shameless. Can you represent the people of the Blue Planet? Have you consulted the Western Alliance?¡± Unfortunately, he was still a step slower after all. No matter how stupid Willard was, he would not fight with Todd for it on such an occasion. Moreover, he was not stupid. As for the others, they could only try their best to maintain a friendly smile because not many of them could understand the East Kingdom language. Chapter 32 - They Look Delicious Chapter 32 They Look Delicious Countless people had already regretted not learning the East Kingdom language, but who could have imagined that the aliens would actually be communicating with them in the East Kingdom language? Even a movie would not dare to act it this way! After Todd had spoken, there was no response for a long time. Even Willard could not help but hold his breath. Under such circumstances, the other party¡¯s slightest reaction could only make them think more! This was also the first time Willard felt the diplomacy of a weak country. In contrast, Todd seemed much calmer. He still maintained his bow. After a while, a slow voice came from ahead. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this when we see the captain. I¡¯m not qualified to accept your welcome on behalf of the Vogt.¡± Although it was a calm tone, Todd and Willard could sense his nonchalant attitude from the tone. Was the person in front of them just the crew of this spaceship called the Vogt? Since the other party had mentioned the ¡°captain¡±, it meant that there was a clear hierarchy and a ruler on this spaceship! Todd and Willard looked at each other. They were not sure if this was good news for the Blue Planet or bad news for humans. Because compared with dealing with a group, interacting with individuals undoubtedly had more uncertainty. To put it bluntly, if the other party¡¯s technological strength was really terrifying to a certain extent, then even a captain would have a status that was not inferior to an emperor on the Blue Planet! He could all affect billions of people according to his preferences! Todd and Willard became even more cautious. Their bodies had already been inexplicably pulled toward the other party slowly. Behind the other party, there was also a huge pale-white light screen. This ¡°alien messenger¡±, who was obviously different from humans, seemed to be a little quiet. It stood in front of everyone with its back facing them. It had no intention of speaking again. This disappointed Todd and Willard, but they dared not say anything until they passed the light screen. In front of them was a not-so-narrow passageway. It was almost as wide as a three-lane road with translucent doors on both sides. Behind the doors was obviously a room. Todd took a closer ¡°glance¡± and his chest tightened. This was because behind those ¡°doors¡±, there were actually many living beings! Most importantly, although it was just a glance, he could clearly see that the shape and appearance of those living beings were not the same as the alien in front of him! Was there more than one alien race on this ship? Or was there more than one alien civilization? Todd had already started to feel a sense of trepidation, and so did Willard. This was because they could understand what this meant! This meant that in the vast universe, which humans still did not know about, there might be a huge interstellar society that included countless races and civilizations! And now, humans were stepping into this society in an incomparably weak posture. If this was really the case¡­ Then, they could only pray that in this interstellar society, there was an order with peace as the foundation. Otherwise, to the weak humans, it would be hell! This was because even if one civilization had good intentions toward humans, it was impossible for all civilizations to be the same. As long as one civilization had ill intentions toward humans and took action, it would be a great calamity for humans! ¡°Are these the natives of this planet?¡± A voice suddenly interrupted Todd and Willard¡¯s thoughts. Everyone looked ahead in unison. It was an alien creature standing in front of a certain ¡°door¡±. It was completely different from what he had seen earlier. Its lower body had eight tentacle-like limbs. Its upper body did not have hands, only a long, protruding head. There were no eyes on it, only a round, squirming mouth. He could clearly see rows of sharp and hideous teeth inside. It had the ugly and hideous alien look in the movies! ¡°Tsk, tsk.¡± The ferocious-looking alien let out a low and sinister voice. ¡°They look very delicious.¡± A long tongue stretched out from the mouthpiece with green mucus and swung gently. Some of the timid people among the human team trembled violently. Even Todd and Willard froze. Although they could not see where the alien¡¯s eyes were, they seemed to be able to sense a moist and greedy gaze sweeping over them. It was as if the worst had already happened! However, just as their mood was sinking into the abyss, the guide with white skin in front of them said in a low voice, ¡°Priestley, don¡¯t tease them.¡± ¡°What does it matter, Harvey?¡± The feeling of being stared at receded like a tide. The alien creature named Priestley wiggled a few tentacles and laughed. ¡°Look at their reaction. They¡¯re so cute. How long has it been since we saw such pure natives? I bet they definitely believed us just now.¡± Those who did not understand the East Kingdom language still tried their best to maintain a smile, but their posture was stiff. Even though they did not understand, they could sense the mockery in its tone. Those who could understand could only remain completely silent. Even Willard, who was essentially arrogant, could only clench his fists slightly at this moment, but he still had to squeeze out a smile. As they heaved a sigh of relief, they also came to a realization. Aliens¡­ They seemed to be different from what humans had imagined. Their words and actions seemed very similar to humans. However, it was precisely because of this that they were even more dangerous! It could only be said that humans understood themselves the most! ¡°Priestley!¡± The guide called Harvey lowered his voice, but said in a cold tone, ¡°Do you need me to remind you who the ¡®native¡¯ you last saw was?¡± The words seemed to have suddenly got caught in Priestley¡¯s throat. Todd and the others could even clearly see the tentacles, which had been flying continuously, tremble violently. Then, as if they had lost all their strength, they fell to the ground. ¡°Um¡­ I haven¡¯t finished my work.¡± The alien creature, which had been mocking Todd and the others earlier, could not even say a word now. It scurried back into the door behind it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him.¡± Only then did Harvey turn around and look at Todd and the others with his eyes that were also as white as white jade. He said, ¡°The Vals have always been brutal and they have ill intentions toward all living creatures except themselves. They are not targeting you. Moreover, on this spaceship, he can only joke.¡± Chapter 33 - This is the Truth of the Universe Chapter 33 This is the Truth of the Universe ¡°Mr. Harvey, can I call you that?¡± Todd said. Since this guide had taken the initiative to speak, if he did not know how to make conversation with him, he would not be an elite. And this time, the alien named Harvey did not respond with silence. ¡°Sure.¡± Although it was just one simple word, it was enough to make Todd and Willard happy. Being willing to talk to them was at least a form of friendliness. Moreover, they really needed to know the information on this spaceship now. ¡°Mr. Harvey, why are all of you communicating in the East Kingdom language?¡± Willard spoke, voicing his greatest doubt. If this was because these aliens wanted to communicate with them more conveniently, there was no need for them to also use the East Kingdom language for conversation among themselves. ¡°This is not a bad language, especially when it comes to expressing emotions.¡± Harvey continued to lead the way. This explanation clearly could not explain why they also used the East Kingdom language among themselves. However, Todd did not ask further. Instead, he asked another important question. ¡°I noticed that there seems to be more than one race on your spaceship?¡± When he asked this question, Willard, who was about to continue to ask about the East Kingdom language, also shut his mouth, as this was indeed an important question. It concerned the other party¡¯s background. It was also related to the interstellar society that might exist in the universe. The appearance of this spaceship and the aliens before them had already revealed a huge and mysterious extraterrestrial society to them. At this moment, what they were most concerned about was not the question of the existence of aliens, which already had the answer, but what the interstellar society was like, which would determine the future of mankind. This was because Todd and the others knew very well. Whether humans were willing or not, from this moment on, they had actually stepped into interstellar society. They had stepped into the Starry Sky Era. ¡°The Vogt did not originate from the civilization of a particular race, but from a corporate civilization.¡± ¡°Corporate civilization?¡± Todd and Willard looked at each other. At this moment, they were suddenly incomparably glad that the aliens had used the language of the East Kingdom. Otherwise, it was impossible for them to grasp such important information through such simple communication! In the interstellar society, there were also corporations! Since it was a corporation, it was understandable that there were so many aliens of different races on the spaceship. Those should be employees hired from different racial civilizations! Coupled with what Harvey had said to Priestley earlier and the message ¡°I have returned¡±, a speculation that made Todd a little happy came to his mind. There might be humans on this spaceship! And they were from the East Kingdom! In fact, their status might not be low! Just as Todd and Willard were about to continue asking, Harvey suddenly stopped in his tracks. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± He turned around and made room. ¡°The captain is waiting for you.¡± In front of them was a light door. They were about to see the real ruler of the spaceship, and he could most probably be even the representative of a corporate civilization. Whether it was Todd or Willard, they all straightened their posture and even got the others to tidy their clothes carefully. Just before entering, Todd seemed to have suddenly remembered something. Facing Harvey, he said solemnly, ¡°Humans will always remember Mr. Harvey¡¯s kindness to us. Howevera€ Mr. Harvey, before we meet your captain, is there anything you can teach US?¡± Upon hearing this, Willard¡¯s eyes lit up. He was impressed by Todd. This was such a smart question. Standing here, this sentence could be understood as asking if there was anything to pay attention to when meeting the captain, but it could also be understood as ¡°What can you tell us ¡®natives¡¯ when facing this universe?¡± The former meant that the question they asked would not seem presumptuous, and if the latter was answered, they could very likely obtain vital information! It might even be an advice for humans to survive in this universe which had become completely different! Harvey did not remain silent. After thinking for a while, he said slowly, ¡°There¡¯s a saying among humans that those who fall behind will be beaten. This is the truth of the universe.¡± As soon as he said this, Todd and Willard¡¯s hearts sank. The initial joy immediately vanished. They had indeed received the ¡°advice¡± they had wanted, but this advice did not seem ideal. If they had fallen behind, they would be beaten up? There was no doubt that in front of this civilization which had long stepped into the universe, humans were incomparably backward! Finally, Todd bowed slowly to Harvey. ¡°Thank you for your guidance.¡± Then, he walked into the light door. After a white stream of light had streaked across his eyes, his vision suddenly became clear. Even though Todd was already prepared for the various scenes that might appear, he could not help but take a deep breath. Gasps kept coming from behind him. Every human who came in, their eyes widened and they were trembling all over. It was no wonder they had such a reaction. This was because what was in front of him was not a ¡°room¡± at all, but a huge world! They were stepping on soft sand. Above their heads was the blue sky. As far as the eye could see, there was a vast sea. They could even hear the sound of waves rolling. What greeted them was the sea breeze with a hint of saltiness. Seagulls could even be seen with the naked eye circling the sky. No matter how one looked at it, this was a seaside that was incomparably real! Spatial teleportation? Or was this a three-dimensional projection? A scientist squatted down trembling and grabbed a handful of fine sand. The weight, the touch, everything here was extremely real! ¡°Let¡¯s go. Watch your manners,¡± Todd said softly to the people behind him. After taking a deep breath, he led the way toward the sea. An umbrella and two beach chairs had already been placed there. Although they had already guessed it, when Todd and the others got closer, they could not help but tremble. They felt that all of this was unbelievable! This was because there was a human lying on the beach chair in the center! Yes, a human! He was wearing sunglasses and a colorful beach shirt, revealing his fair skin. No matter how one looked at him, he was a human, a yellow-skinned human! Is this the captain of this alien spaceship?! At this point, if someone had told them that all of this was just a dream, Todd and the others might believe it! Someone had even pinched themselves hard. The pain told them that all of this was real! ¡°Sit down. There¡¯s only one chair. The rest, sit on the ground.¡± Shen Shi took off his sunglasses and looked at them. His tone was casual, but it seemed unquestionable. Chapter 34 - The East Kingdom is My Hometown Chapter 34 The East Kingdom is My Hometown There was only one chair. Todd immediately reacted and sat down, facing Shen Shi. However, he naturally could not lean back casually like Shen Shi. Instead, he sat up straight. He also instructed the others to sit on the beach. Willard and the representative of the Nia Empire, who did not understand the East Kingdom language, vaguely realized what this chair meant. Willard was especially vexed, but he dared not show it at all. He had no choice but to sit down on the spot. Shen Shi¡¯s human form had indeed shocked them greatly, but they did not become too relaxed because of this. What they had witnessed earlier had already brought great stress to these people. As the first batch of humans to board the alien spacecraft and come into contact with the aliens, they almost subconsciously maintained a high level of concentration. Shen Shi saw their reactions and nodded to himself. Humans would fear the unknown. In order to prevent these people from relaxing and underestimating him after knowing his human identity, and even losing control of their greed, Shen Shi had made many preparations. Those aliens had all been morphed from the simulation transformation substance. Each of them was an alien template recorded in the control program of the simulation transformation substance. From the form to the racial characteristics, they were all identical to reality. This was the inspiration he had received when he was supporting Aixin¡¯er. Since he could use the simulation transformation substance to transform into bodyguards and a secretary and fake the identity of a super rich second generation, why couldn¡¯t he morph aliens and fake an interstellar identity that would shock the world and gain the initiative for in-depth communication? One had to know. The same gun, in the hands of ordinary people, would have its authenticity questioned, but in the hands of the police, it would be completely different! The same sentence, spoken by ordinary people, would carry a completely different weight when spoken by the richest person! As for the past which Shen Shi could easily investigate on the Blue Planet, that was even easier. Shen Shi was worried about his family on the Blue Planet, so he had left a virtual person to replace his identity and live on the Blue Planet. This was reasonable! He did not even care about that show-off more than ten days ago. He merely wanted to flaunt his wealth in front of his first love. As long as his identity was successfully established, no one could imagine that it had only been ten days since he obtained all this. Moreover, whether it was the information he had or the gun in his hand, they were all extremely real! This was the greatest confidence! ¡°There¡¯s no need to guess. I¡¯m a human.¡± Shen Shi heaved a sigh of relief in his heart, but there was no change in his expression. He continued to speak in a casual tone, and no smile could be seen on his face. These words immediately caused a commotion. Even those who could not understand the East Kingdom language had received a whispered explanation from those who could. The shock was almost indescribable. Even though they had seen Shen Shi¡¯s appearance, most of them were actually speculating if this was a disguised form to communicate with them. After all, in comparison, the captain of the alien spaceship being a human was even more unbelievable! But now, the other party had personally admitted that he was a human! ¡°Pardon me for asking.¡± Todd suppressed the excitement in his heart and asked carefully, ¡°Sir, are you from the East Kingdom?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Shen Shi nodded gently. ¡°The East Kingdom is my hometown.¡± It was actually true! The people from the East Kingdom in the team became excited. Chief Engineer Lu even clenched his fists tightly! The captain of the alien spaceship was from the East Kingdom! Those who were not from the East Kingdom, including Willard, could not help but look at Todd and the others with envy. How could they not be envious? Just because the man in front of them was from the East Kingdom, all the aliens on the spaceship were speaking in the East Kingdom language! That was not the point! What was crucial was the obvious huge benefit enough to drive all humanity crazy! They had come all the way here, witnessed, and experienced countless unimaginable technologies. Any leak was enough to change this world completely! The value of this spaceship alone was unimaginable! Needless to say, these were most likely just the tip of the iceberg! At this moment, there was only one thought in the minds of Willard and the others. The East Kingdom¡­ might be about to conquer the world! No way! Willard gritted his teeth and revealed the most sincere smile in his life. He praised Shen Shi in his awkward East Kingdom language, ¡°For Sir to be able to achieve such an achievement, you have already surpassed all the great men of the past and present! This is the pride of all mankind! I can already imagine how many people in the world would be crazy about Sir¡¯s return¡­¡± A series of enthusiastic praises were hurled out one after another as if they did not require any thinking. Even Todd could not help but curse him in his heart for being shameless. However, just as Todd was about to thicken his skin and say something nice, he noticed that despite Willard¡¯s constant flattery, the expression of the man in front of him did not change at all. Even his gaze did not waver. Incredibly profound! Deep! Instantly, his heart trembled. He immediately realized that even if the man in front of him was really human, he was definitely not like an ordinary person! To be able to control such a huge spaceship in the vast universe as a human and manage so many aliens of different races, how could he be simple?! Such flattery was probably meaningless. The slight relief Todd had felt when he learned that the captain in front of him was from the East Kingdom disappeared instantly. He even paid more attention! Willard had also realized that his words had no effect at all. As he groaned in his heart, he relied on his tough thick skin to stop calmly, as if nothing had happened. Shen Shi took in their subtle reactions and could not help but rejoice. Everyone loved to hear good words, especially flattery from such a foreign elite. It made him even happier. However, he definitely could not let these people mobilize his emotions easily. The sense of mystery had to be established! This was the reason why it was difficult to be an emperor. Even if he was powerful, his words and actions would be constantly analyzed. If he was not smart enough and could not grasp the overall situation, he would be used, restrained, and even manipulated. Thanks to the original energy! Shen Shi¡¯s thoughts were running wild, but with the help of the warship¡¯s original energy, he did not reveal anything. He stretched out his hand, and a cup of fruit tea with lemon instantly appeared in his hand. There were also clear ice dews hanging. ¡°Actually¡ª¡± He picked up the fruit tea and took a sip. He said unhurriedly, ¡°I originally had no intention of meeting you guys, nor did I have any intention of coming back. I had even created a simulation to replace me early on. After all, the universe has its environment and rules. I have already adapted to it, and the Blue Planet has its own rules. Coming back here might not be a good thing for me, for you, and for the Blue Planet.¡± Chapter 35 - The War Is Coming Chapter 35 The War Is Coming When he said this, Shen Shi¡¯s gaze revealed a hint of the vicissitudes of life. This was naturally intentional. Under the influence of original energy, this hint of the vicissitudes of life was naturally noticed by everyone. They could even imagine how difficult and dangerous it would be for a ¡°native¡± from the Blue Planet to survive in the universe. Moreover, those who were more sensitive, such as Todd and Willard, could undoubtedly sense the deeper meaning behind Shen Shi¡¯s words. Indeed, his return might not be a good thing. As the other party had said, the universe had its rules. Perhaps this rule was barbaric and brutal, or perhaps it was unbridled and unrestrained. For such a person returning to the Blue Planet with incomparably powerful technology and even martial strength, could the laws and morality, and the rules and order of the Blue Planet still restrain him? What would happen if someone was stupid enough to offend him or even attack him? If he wanted to rule the entire world, to be an emperor, to be a dictator, could anyone stop him? There was also the possibility of an alien interest group behind him¡­ They had no choice but to think about these things in detail. This was because ever since this spaceship had descended upon the world and announced the existence and strength of the alien civilization, the fate of mankind and the future of mankind had already stood on the dividing line. Falling into a bottomless abyss and flying into the clouds might all just be separated by a line, a thought! Perhaps Shen Shi¡¯s words were a reminder to them. Todd became more and more cautious. The image of Shen Shi in his mind had changed again and again. Not only was his background mysterious, his experience was mysterious, and he was powerful; his thoughts were also mysterious and unfathomable. However, he naturally would not show these worries under such circumstances. This was because whether he was worried or not, this man had already arrived! ¡°Sir, I have a different opinion on this statement.¡± Todd carefully chose his words and smiled. ¡°To the people of the East Kingdom, no matter how exciting the outside world is, our hometown will always have a special meaning.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Willard was much more direct. ¡°The Blue Planet will always be your hometown, Sir. Forever!¡± At this moment, the closest relationship they could establish with Shen Shi was on the two aspects, ¡°hometown¡¯ and ¡°race¡±. And this topic was what Shen Shi needed! This time, he was silent for a long time. It was not until Todd and the others started to feel uneasy that he said slowly, ¡°You¡¯re right. This is my hometown. After all, I also have my family and my longings.¡± Todd and the others heaved a sigh of relief. However, they heard Shen Shi continue, ¡°Therefore, I had no choice but to come back¡­ At least, I had to take away the people I cared about and escape from here.¡± Suddenly, the atmosphere changed. Not to mention the few people who could understand the East Kingdom language, even those who could not understand could sense the change in the atmosphere. They looked blankly at the people from the East Kingdom beside them and saw their suddenly stiff expressions. In fact, even Todd¡¯s smile froze. He wondered if he had heard wrongly. Just now, had the other party really used the word ¡°escape¡±? Escape from the Blue Planet? Why? For some reason, a chill seemed to be crawling up one¡¯ spine from the bottom of one¡¯s feet. It was as if it wanted to devour all the warmth. However, before he could continue to ask, Shen Shi continued, ¡°I know that humanity¡¯s exploration of the universe has just begun. You guys know almost nothing about the deeper universe, but,¡± He shook his head and seemed to sigh silently. ¡°The universe is not as beautiful as you think.¡± Gulp. Many people could not help but swallow their saliva and reveal bewildered expressions. These words were almost obvious. Todd recalled the advice the alien named Harvey had given him before he came in. Those who had fallen behind would be beaten. The bad feeling in his heart was almost at its peak! ¡°Sir, what do you mean by this? Can you elaborate?¡± He sensed his voice trembling involuntarily. ¡°To put it simply.¡± Shen Shi¡¯s dark eyes swept across them, and he said slowly and clearly, ¡°An alien nomadic fleet has discovered and is targeting the Blue Planet. In at most three years, an alien invasion war will sweep across the entire Blue Planet.¡± Boom! Everyone who could understand this sentence felt a loud bang in their heads! Alien invaders! After knowing the existence of aliens, what were humans most afraid of? It was alien invaders! In the history of mankind, the fate of some natives who had been invaded was still vivid in their minds. The huge technological gap had brought about the outcome of one side being powerless to resist. What about the technological gap between humans and the alien invaders? This could be known by looking at everything before them. There was so much technology involved which humans could not even understand or imagine. Even elites like Todd and Willard were pale and in a daze. The fear in their hearts could not be expressed in words! The worst situation had really happened! ¡°Sir.¡± Todd stared fixedly at Shen Shi, barely remembering his mission. He only stammered and asked, ¡°Is the news accurate? ¡°When I received the news, that interstellar nomadic fleet had already set off,¡± Shen Shi said slowly. ¡°By three years, I mean the time the fleet is on the way. The reconnaissance troops might have already arrived.¡± This was a deduction based on the level of the navigation technology of the invaders. Although the humans of the future knew very little about the history that had been sealed and deleted, they still had a deep understanding of the invaders whom they had resisted for 600 years. This was also one of the reasons why Shen Shi had decided to do something. As for whether the invaders would come¡­ In fact, Shen Shi had also fantasized that that part of history was not the future of their world. Unfortunately, as time passed, the connection that existed between him and Time Diamond seemed to be deepening. Therefore, there was a feeling that he could not explain clearly, but certainly existed. It was telling him that the future of this world would be the future of the Blue Planet! These words had undoubtedly shattered the last fantasy of Todd and the others. Peace was about to disappear, and the war¡­ There might not even be any suspense, they are bound to be defeated. The war, which was far more brutal than past wars, was imminent! That would mean countless sacrifices and endless pain. It might even be the end of all mankind! Chapter 36 - A Chance of Victory Chapter 36 A Chance of Victory It was different from the novels and movies that had already been written countless times and filmed repeatedly. When it really became a reality, everyone would all be terrified. This was because there was no protagonist in reality, let alone a miracle! ¡°Sir!¡± Todd¡¯s voice even started to become hoarse. His eyes were slightly red as he stared intently at Shen Shi and asked word by word, ¡°Is this invasion war really unstoppable?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Shen Shi was silent for a moment before he shook his head. ¡°There are many unimaginable powers involved behind this.¡± ¡°Then please tell us, Sir! Which powers are they!¡± Todd sounded determined. He seemed to have regained his composure for a moment. Willard also stared intently at Shen Shi. This surprised Shen Shi. To be honest, he was the first to see those images. When he learned of this news, his heart was filled with despair. If it had not been for the support of the Time Diamond and the trading market of the future, he could not imagine how desperate and devastated he would be. Is this the quality of an elite human? Shen Shi¡¯s heart could not help but light up. What he was most worried about was that humans would lose the will to resist. If this was the case, with his strength alone, even if he had the Time Diamond and the trading market of the future 3,000 years later, he would not be able to do anything. ¡°Are you guys really prepared?¡± Shen Shi said meaningfully. ¡°Knowing more might lead to greater despair.¡± ¡°Even if we are in despair, we can¡¯t change anything.¡± Todd clenched his fists and slowly exhaled. He laughed at himself. ¡°Ever since we realized the existence of aliens, we have long considered the worst possibility of an alien invasion. However, even if it really happens, what can we do except resist with all our might? Moreover¡ª¡±. At this point, he paused and looked at Shen Shi again. There seemed to be an inexplicable light in his eyes. ¡°Humans are not entirely ignorant about the universe, the galaxies, and the enemies, right?¡± Being looked at like this, Shen Shi immediately reacted. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± His appearance seemed to have given them a life-saving straw! A human had obtained a spacecraft in the universe and even managed so many aliens of different civilizations and races! He had even known in advance that the Blue Planet would be invaded and had rushed back to inform them! If this was not a life-saving straw, what was? With Shen Shi around, it was already much better than being suddenly invaded! However¡­ Even though he was already prepared, Shen Shi still felt an indescribable pressure being stared at by such a gaze. After a moment of silence, he said slowly, ¡°I¡¯ve been back for about ten days.¡± Todd, Willard, and the others were stunned, but they did not say anything. Instead, they listened carefully. Shen Shi¡¯s expression still did not change much, but his tone had started to calm down. As if he was talking to himself, he said, ¡°I had only wanted to fetch my family and leave quietly, but before that, I could not help but experience a life I had not experienced on the Blue Planet in the past. I came into contact with some people I thought I would never come into contact with again.¡± Todd and Willard¡¯s eyes lit up. They looked at each other. They could all see the surprise in each other¡¯s eyes. It was obvious that the reason for this meeting was probably related to the person whom the other party had said he would not come into contact with again! This meant that the important man in front of him still had feelings for humans! ¡°When I realized that¡­¡± Shen Shi looked at them calmly, and his expression seemed to soften,¡± I might like my life on the Blue Planet more, I decided to fight, as far as possible, for a chance of victory for all of you and for mankind.¡± This was the one! They had finally received an affirmative answer and understood the other party¡¯s attitude. Todd and Willard were so excited that they were almost trembling! When they learned of the alien invasion, even though they were not completely sure if the news was true, they were also in despair. However, the despair had come from the news given by Shen Shi, so did hope! ¡°Sir, as long as you¡¯re willing to help us, we definitely won¡¯t disappoint you!¡± Willard even said impatiently. What he was most afraid of now was that the other party would really take his family and friends away. Then, the humans who had stayed on the Blue Planet would have no choice but to welcome the invaders without knowing anything about the enemy or even the direction! He just wanted to think about that situation. He felt his entire body tremble. ¡°If I¡¯m disappointed, it means that the humans have been defeated.¡± Shen Shi glanced at Willard and said calmly, ¡°You will lose everything.¡± And I could still escape. The reason why he had said those words earlier was not only to endorse his actions more than ten days ago, but also to draw closer to humans. The mystery needed to be built, and the background even more so. However, Shen Shi did not want to be completely separated from humans. If he were to really change the future, he would still stay on the Blue Planet. Therefore, he also needed to show his human side and his bond with humans. It was quite appropriate to care about one¡¯s family and first love. However, it also required good balancing. He could do his best to change the future, but he could not shoulder all the responsibility and pressure. This was not a question of whether he was willing to bear it. It was because he clearly understood that when everyone thought you were a hero, any failure would become a sin. ¡°If there¡¯s a chance, I believe we¡¯ll definitely seize it. This is for the future of mankind!¡± Todd said seriously, his eyes bright. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡± Willard nodded repeatedly. As for the others who could understand, most of them were panting continuously under the intense fluctuations. Their gaze and emotions had become extremely complicated. ¡°I hope you can still be so optimistic after knowing the exact situation.¡± Shen Shi did not care. He just raised the cup of fruit tea in his hand again and took a sip. As if he had moistened his throat, he said slowly, ¡°This universe is far grander than human imagination.¡± It was like a grand opening. Everything around them, whether it was the blue sky, the rising and falling sea, or even the soft beach beneath their feet, started to distort and then receded like a tide. The vast and boundless universe slowly appeared. What came into view were stars. When had everyone been in the universe personally? At that moment, all of them were attracted by this incomparably magical scene. Chief Engineer Lu was so excited that his entire body was trembling. Even though he had already realized through gravity and the sensation below him that everything in front of him was only an illusion and not the real universe, so what? Chapter 37 - Hence, they perished Chapter 37 Hence, they perished As the person behind the exploration of the universe, how could he not have a love for the universe? How could he not have the dream to go to the universe? Originally, this was a delusion that he would not be able to realize in his lifetime, but now, it had been realized in another way! The others might not have the same feelings as Chief Engineer Lu, but they were also amazed by the incomparably realistic environment and the powerful technology on this spaceship. One of them seemed to have realized something. He reached into his pocket and was shocked. He had grabbed a handful of sand and placed it in his pocket just now. However, at this moment, it had disappeared without a trace! He was dumbfounded. Recalling the real touch of the sand just now, he could not help but be in a daze. What was real? What was fake? However, the power of alien technology had just begun to show. ¡°The entire universe is an endless sea of stars.¡± Shen Shi¡¯s unhurried voice sounded slowly. ¡°No one knows how many lives have been born in the universe, how many civilizations there are, and how many unknown existences there are. However, there will always be some civilizations which have gradually developed that will start to build spaceships and explore the universe.¡± Everyone who could understand the East Kingdom language could not help but tense up. They listened carefully, unwilling to miss a word! Those who could not understand could only pray softly and let the people from the East Kingdom translate for them. This was because everyone knew that the captain in front of them, this man, was unveiling a corner of the incomparably mysterious universe for them! ¡°When these civilizations begin to increase in number and come into contact with each other, what will happen to them?¡± Shen Shi looked at everyone present. He did not seem to be just explaining. Chief Engineer Lu quickly reacted and replied, ¡°Will they gradually form a unique interstellar society through constant probing, cooperation, and war?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± Shen Shi nodded. In an instant, this universe flowed rapidly, as if it had crossed an infinite distance in an instant. A huge bright yellow planet appeared in front of everyone. Some people could not help but exclaim. It was so huge. There were even six satellites orbiting it. And it also had a huge yellow star! A spectacular scene that could only be seen in the vast galaxy was coming at them! ¡°This is Planet Wo, which is currently known to me. It is the mother planet closest to the Blue Planet that has nurtured a civilization. It is only 18 nodes away,¡± said Shen Shi. Some people were keenly aware of the information contained in Shen Shi¡¯s words. What he knew currently meant that even Shen Shi was not sure if there were other civilizations within this vast range, and a node was undoubtedly a unit of distance! Todd and Willard memorized this information. They looked at their excited scientists and seemed to understand why the other party had brought these scientists along. This was because even the most basic science contained a lot of precious knowledge and information that were extremely valuable to humans! ¡°The civilized race on Planet Wo are intelligent creatures who call themselves ¡®Wos¡¯. Their development is almost 800 years faster than the current human race.¡¯ With Shen Shi¡¯s words, dense space stations began to appear one after another around Planet Wo. In fact, huge metallic immigrant cities had even begun to appear on the six satellites! Even if Shen Shi had not said it, they could roughly guess how the period of 800 years had been computed. It was 800 years from the development speed of humans today! When they saw the cosmic warships of various shapes appear, there was inevitably some commotion among the crowd. Humans had just stepped into the universe, and the other party already had such a huge cosmic warship? Does this mean that the other party already has the ability to invade them? Are they the invaders mentioned earlier? Shen Shi was as if he had not heard the commotion. He only continued, ¡°Just like humans, after the Wo people had started to step into the galaxy, they continued to spread outward. They started to leave the galaxy, and also tried to explore more domains. They were also trying to find the other living beings and civilizations in the universe. After developing the warp engine and achieving sublight speed travel, it took them hundreds of years to find a planet which they named ¡®Ha¡¯ only six nodes away from them.¡± The galaxy started to flow again. This time, everyone was stunned again. This was because an azure planet had appeared in front of them. At first glance, they almost thought that this was the Blue Planet! ¡°Planet Ha, as you can see, has an ecological environment that is highly similar to that of the Blue Planet. There are oceans, lands, forests, and even¡­ civilizations have not developed yet.¡± The screen was enlarged. Everyone seemed to have experienced a dreamlike transmigration. As the environment changed, they landed on Planet Ha. A planet full of life appeared in front of them. There was a huge creature that looked like a dinosaur. There were all kinds of strange plants that had never been seen before. There was even a change in the climate. Lightning roared in the sky, and heavy rain representing the water cycle poured down. Some of the scientists were extremely excited! Wasn¡¯t such a scene and such a planet what humans had been searching a long time for? Just the news of its existence was enough to cause a huge wave among all of humanity! In fact, this wave was enough to accelerate the development of space technology by at least a hundred years! This was because migrating here would become the greatest dream of mankind after the continuous destruction of the environment of the Blue Planet! still¡­.. They suddenly realized. The Wos had already discovered this planet. ¡°Sigh.¡± Chief Engineer Lu subconsciously sighed. Then, as if he had returned to reality from his delusions, his face was filled with self-mockery. They were about to be invaded by the alien fleet, yet he was still dreaming. Unfortunately¡­ if only they, the space workers, had discovered this planet earlier. Then, at least, they would be able to push the development of space technology further. ¡°The exploration fleet of the Wos had discovered this planet.¡± Shen Shi¡¯s unhurried voice continued, ¡°They were overwhelmed with joy and they immediately prepared to send a message back and launch a large-scale migration to develop everything on this planet.¡± Willard could not help but nod slightly. If it had been the humans, they would have done the same. However, he did not know why Shen Shi had told them all this. Could this civilization closest to the Blue Planet be the invaders? And Shen Shi, he picked up the cup of fruit tea in his hand again and took a sip. Then, he continued to speak slowly in a tone that sounded like he was telling a story. ¡°Hence, the Wo civilization perished.¡± Chapter 38 - Its Time to Give Some Hope Chapter 38 It¡¯s Time to Give Some Hope ¡°I Silence. It was as quiet as death. Willard¡¯s mouth fell open, and his eyes bulged. There was still confusion in his gaze. What was he doing? What had he heard? Was there a long paragraph missing? How could such a civilization, which had developed a powerful cosmic fleet, perish just like that? ¡°The real name of this planet is Darcy.¡± Shen Shi pointed at the planet in front of him, which seemed to be more prosperous and full of life than the Blue Planet. ¡°Indeed, it does not have a developed native civilization but it already belongs to an interstellar society.¡± With just this sentence, the others already understood what Shen Shi meant. They looked at this beautiful, healthy planet, which was extremely suitable for life, and their gaze changed. It was no longer the same yearning as before. Instead, there were traces of fear and trembling! It already had a master, and just by being discovered, it had destroyed a powerful civilization that had stepped out of its mother planet and become a powerful interstellar civilization! And the scene circulated. Once again, it returned to the Wo people¡¯s mother planet. This time, what everyone saw was dead silence. There were no more spaceships flying around. Even the extremely developed space stations had stopped operating. The huge and magnificent space cities no longer emitted light. No one knew what had happened to the civilization of the Wo people. In fact, it did not seem like there had been much destruction. However, one could imagine. Shen Shi¡¯s light-hearted words, as if an unimportant little animal had died, contained much despair! In the universe, a huge civilization with countless lives was actually so insignificant? ¡°Sir.¡± Todd suddenly noticed something important in Shen Shi¡¯s words. He could not help but ask, ¡°Is there more than one interstellar society?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Shen Shi nodded. The description ¡°an interstellar society¡± had appeared in his words just now. This was naturally not a slip of the tongue. ¡°In human civilization, society is an aggregate of people of a certain class or range. The combination of individuals has a certain relationship and are linked accordingly. They cooperate with each other to achieve a certain goal.¡± Shen Shi explained as if he was reciting from a book. Then, he said, ¡°It¡¯s the same for interstellar society. The ¡®individuals¡¯ in it are of different races and different civilizations.¡± Todd and the others seemed to have understood. Shen Shi had already said this in the beginning. The so-called interstellar society meant that more and more civilizations had begun to step into the universe and start to meet in the galaxy. Then, through constant probing, cooperation, and even war, they gradually formed a society. Clearly. The Wo civilization was such an unlucky civilization that had barged into this interstellar society formed by an unknown number of civilizations. And what they had encountered was war! Todd had realized something. He took a slight breath and could not help asking, ¡°Could it be that the civilization that wants to invade us is also from this interstellar society?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Shen Shi nodded gently. The interstellar society he was referring to was actually the Mulder System, with the Rancher as the top of the pyramid. The one who had occupied the Planet Darcy and conquered the Wo civilization was a level-3 civilization in the Mulder System; it was a C-class civilization. Even in the universe 3,000 years later, even though they belonged to the same system, this civilization still brought great fear to human civilization. This could be clearly seen in the information vault. After all, it was the closest to the Blue Planet! And Shen Shi¡¯s affirmation had undoubtedly caused a huge uproar in everyone¡¯s hearts again, bringing with it an increasingly heavy despair. As Shen Shi had said at the beginning, the more one knew, the more despair one would feel! In their hearts, they already had a general concept of an interstellar society. It was a huge thing formed by an unknown number of civilizations! Even the Wo civilization, which had developed hundreds of years earlier than humans, had been so easily annihilated. What could humans use to resist? On what basis could they resist? Some people had despair on their faces. Their eyes were red and their faces were pale. As long as one was not carefree and had long given up hope on the world, there was no one who was not afraid of the arrival of the apocalypse or afraid of losing everything before them! However, Todd still maintained a trace of rationality. At this moment, what was holding him up was still Shen Shi¡¯s words. Give the humans a chance of victory! ¡°So, we still have a chance, right, Sir?¡± Todd stared intently at Shen Shi. As soon as he asked this question, everyone, including Willard, stared intently at Shen Shi. Shen Shi was silent for a moment. Then, he nodded affirmatively. ¡°That¡¯s right, there¡¯s a chance!¡± If there was no chance at all, he would not appear. This opportunity was a judgment made after he had learned more information about the future! ¡°Phew¡­¡± Even Todd seemed to have let out a sigh of relief. He took a long breath and felt his limbs go weak. It was good that there was a chance! He could already imagine the chaos it would cause when these words and news reached home. However, as long as there was a chance, he would believe it! Despair would not become the main tone! ¡°If the one invading the Blue Planet was the civilization that destroyed the Wo civilization, I would not have appeared in front of you,¡± Shen Shi said directly. ¡°I will take away everyone I care about, perhaps some souvenirs, and some humans as tinder. Then, I will leave decisively because there is no point in staying.¡± Todd lowered his gaze slightly. He understood that the other party was making his attitude clear. The other party could help them, but if things became impossible, he would not stay and perish with humanity. However, Todd did not think there was anything wrong with this. This was because the other party had said that he would take away the human tinder! If it really reached that level, when humans had no choice but to perish, the human tinder would be hope! As someone from the Western Alliance, Willard did not think anything was wrong. He even muttered to himself in a low voice, ¡°God wanted to destroy the world and had ordered Noah to build an ark¡­¡± His eyes became brighter and brighter, and he excited! was even faintly Even though Willard was not a devout believer, at this moment, the appearance of Shen Shi was very similar to that of Noah, who had built the Ark! Shen Shi glanced at him. He had naturally heard that whisper. still¡­.. If it was just to be ¡°Noah¡± once, he would not have to appear at this moment. He had already given enough despair. It was time to give some hope! ¡°What I have told you just now happened 700 years ago,¡± Shen Shi said again. He raised his head and looked at the planet in front of him. ¡°The Wo civilization is gone, but the Wo people are not extinct.¡± Chapter 39 - The Corporation Named Star Ocean Chapter 39 The Corporation Named Star Ocean The civilization had been destroyed, but the people still existed? Todd and the others could not understand for a moment. However, they instinctively realized that this was definitely not something good! ¡°Benefits are also the main theme in interstellar society. War is just a method to obtain benefits, and intelligent creatures have a certain value in the interstellar world.¡± Shen Shi straightened his back and swept his gaze across these people one by one. He said slowly, ¡°Whether it¡¯s humans or the Wo people, the reason for the invasion lies in these benefits. Of course, weakness is still the original sin.¡± Everyone who could understand this sentence opened their mouths slightly in a daze. It was as if the endless universe around them had become an abyss that had fallen into hell. In the information era, who did not know that a man¡¯s wealth was his own ruin? Even though not all alien civilizations were brutal and warlike by nature, and even though there were still peace-loving civilizations, when it came to the fight for benefits, the entire universe would definitely be drenched in blood! Especially when these benefits even included intelligent life itself! If one did not fight for benefits and work hard to become stronger, one would be the benefits being fought over and invaded! ¡°It¡¯s actually so¡­ dark.¡± Chief Engineer Lu¡¯s body swayed slightly, as if he could not accept that the universe that he and countless astronauts loved immensely was covered in endless bloodshed. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Shen Shi glanced at him. ¡°The essence of the universe is darkness. Before the birth of a peaceful order, any place is bound to be chaos and darkness.¡± This logic was so simple that even a junior high student who had studied history could understand. How could everyone present not understand? The reason why it was so painful and uncomfortable was because this was not in line with the current interests of the people of the Blue Planet. It would even bring endless danger to the Blue Planet, to humans, and to themselves. However, even though the end of the world would eventually come, in the moment before its arrival, humans would still have to face everything Therefore, Shen Shi did not give them buffer time. Instead, he continued, ¡°In fact, this interstellar society has already formed an order that maximizes benefits. More than 99% of the individuals in the Wo civilization have been reduced to spoils of war. That was the outcome countless times more despairing than that of slaves. However, there were still 1% of them who were ¡®pityingly¡¯ bestowed with a shred of freedom. They became a part of this interstellar society, becoming hyenas, wandering endlessly in pursuit of a salvation that could never be reached.¡± The scene changed again. A completely different fleet slowly sailed out from the mother planet of the Wo people. Metal and flesh intertwined, turning into each other¡¯s cages. Just by looking at the hideous appearance, one could sense endless pain. It was as if they had fallen into hell and turned into demons that were burned by flames all day long. Then, they madly vented their pain on everything they saw. Everyone seemed to have understood something Todd stared fixedly at the fleet. These were very likely the invaders! No matter how pathetic their history was, no matter how much pain they were in now, they were the enemy of humanity! ¡°This is the enemy the Blue Planet is going to face.¡± Shen Shi¡¯s words confirmed everyone¡¯s guess. He was also looking at the fleet and continued, ¡°The Wos can no longer be called a civilization. Their technology has been replaced from head to toe. The original technology tree, the original culture, and the legacy have all been completely destroyed. The so-called interstellar nomadic fleet refers to the fleet that has forever lost its mother planet and lost its future. It will forever wander in the galaxy, invade, and eventually perish.¡± They were the hyenas of the Rancher. Shen Shi was the same as the people in front of him. The more he understood, the more he could sense the cruelty of the universe. Destroying civilization and enslaving the citizens was not the end. They would also give false hope and let you struggle to survive in a pain that was worse than death. What was the difference between the future humans and this fleet? They would also lose the past and lose the future! ¡°Sir, is their current technology stronger or weaker than before they perished?¡± Willard asked in the East Kingdom language with a clear accent. Born in the Western Alliance, he was obviously more realistic. He did not care at all how tragic the history of this fleet was. He only cared about how powerful the enemy was! ¡°There¡¯s not much difference from humans,¡± Shen Shi replied, glancing at him. Willard was silent for a while. There was indeed not much difference. Humans did not even have a cosmic warship! And the enemy had an entire fleet! However, he seemed to have thought of something, and his eyes, which had just dimmed, lit up again. ¡°Compared to the power you, Sir, belong to?¡±. he asked. This question was quite direct, but Willard could not care less. He was eager to know where the hope was! Todd also looked at Shen Shi. They had not forgotten that the alien who had led them in earlier had said that this spaceship belonged to a corporate civilization! Faced with this question and the cautiously expectant gaze of these people, Shen Shi fell silent. He naturally understood where the hope was. According to the classification of levels in the Mulder System, the humans in the future 3,000 years later would be D-class, while the invaders three years later would only be E-class. This was hope! However, the problem was that it was unlikely for him to obtain the full support of the entire civilization in the future just by relying on the antique trade on the black market. The black market was a black market because it could not be made public. The future humans were also closely monitored. They were not even qualified to own a migration spaceship. Could he change the future by relying on limited transactions? Shen Shi was indeed confident, but he was not 100% sure. However, Hadn¡¯t he already decided to give it his best shot if he had the chance? ¡°I belong to a corporate civilization called the Star Ocean. To be precise, it can also be called an interstellar society,¡± he said. This was obviously a translated name. Just one sentence was enough to surprise some people in front of him. They now understood the weight of an interstellar society. That was a force that any new civilization that had stepped into the universe could only choose to integrate or destroy upon encountering! And the man in front of him, who was very likely the only hope for humanity, had actually found such a backer? ¡°Don¡¯t be happy too soon.¡± Shen Shi shook his head and continued to throw out the excuse he had already prepared. ¡°It has already been described as a society. You should be very clear about the meaning behind this. Although the Wo people are only an inconspicuous fleet in the other party¡¯s society, I have only just started the Star Ocean. However¡­ a corporate society is ultimately different from a livestock society.¡± Chapter 40 - Fortunately, He Appeared Chapter 40 Fortunately, He Appeared In order to be able to ¡°reasonably¡± take out items for trading under the premise of hiding the Time Diamond, Shen Shi had been racking his brains during this period of time. As he ran a script-killing game studio, he was exposed to all kinds of brainstorming. Hence, a fictional ¡°Star Ocean Corporation¡± was eventually born. Therefore, Shen Shi¡¯s background gradually became clear. A lucky person on the Blue Planet had been absorbed by such an interstellar power by chance, and in just a few years, he had become the captain of a warship. After knowing that the Blue Planet had been targeted, he returned and eventually decided to think of a way to help his mother planet and his race. As long as this identity, background, and experience were deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, Shen Shi would be able to have a transcendent status. Even if he successfully survived the crisis three years later, he would still be able to maintain his status. He had no intention of getting involved in managing politics. However, he did not want to lose his active right one day. He wanted more to have a bright future of his own. And when he threw out this ¡°setup¡±, Todd and the others in front of him finally saw hope and light. Todd could not help but ask, ¡°Do we have to pay a price for your help?¡± Since it was a corporation, it¡¯s all about profits first! Therefore, it was something easy to think of. However, Shen Shi shook his head. He said directly, ¡°The corporation knows very little about the other party, and vice versa. This is a stage where we have to be extremely cautious. Moreover, humans are too weak, so weak that even if we give our all, we might not be able to impress the corporation.¡± The expressions of Todd, Willard, and the others froze. They opened their mouths but found to their dismay that they could not find a reason to refute. At the end of the day, everything about that corporate interstellar society had been obtained from Shen Shi. Even though Shen Shi had told them a lot today, they knew too little about the universe and these alien powers that were far stronger than humans. The only thing they could understand was their own weakness. Humans were too weak! At this moment, Shen Shi¡¯s calm voice sounded again. ¡°Humans are too weak. There are no benefits for the corporation to intervene and protect them. However, I have applied for a loan from the corporation in the name of establishing a branch company.¡± He needed an explanation that did not seem too easy to explain what he would obtain from the future through trading to avoid too high expectations and unlimited demands. Since it was a corporation, a loan would be a good excuse. Upon hearing this, the eyes of Todd and the others became wide. Some of the people who were still sitting cross-legged even jumped up. A suppressed commotion also appeared among the crowd. Some people who did not understand also hurriedly asked the people from the East Kingdom beside them, wanting to know what this mysterious man in front of them had said. When they understood, they looked at Shen Shi excitedly. It turned out that this was the ¡°chance for victory¡± the other party had mentioned in the beginning! They had thought that it was help from the other powers, but they had not expected it to be a loan. But¡­ Would this work? ¡°Didn¡¯t he say that there were no benefits the humans could offer to let the corporation intervene to protect them?¡± Willard could not wait to ask what he was most worried about. ¡°Sir, loans in the galaxy would also need to be evaluated.¡± This was something that could be easily thought of. Whether it was a loan, or a high-interest loan, the greatest or even the only benefit, could only be obtained after it had been paid back. If something happened that could not be salvaged, there would not be benefits but losses! Therefore, as long as it was for the sake of benefits, it was impossible not to evaluate the risks of getting it back! And the current situation on the Blue Planet¡­ Although they did not know the evaluation criteria of the corporate civilization mentioned by Shen Shi, in the eyes of Willard and the others, it was obviously very risky. Under such circumstances, the loan¡­ However, Shen Shi glanced at him and calmly said, ¡°The preliminary evaluation has ended.¡± ¡°It has ended?¡± Willard could not help but exclaim. Then, he realized something, and a dazed look appeared on his face. Clearly, if the evaluation had failed, there would not have been today¡¯s meeting! ¡°The target of the evaluation is not you guys, but me,¡± Shen Shi explained calmly. ¡°They have evaluated how likely I am to escape from this crisis and whether I have the intention to perish together with my race. As long as it is confirmed that I can be safe, the ¡®mortgage¡¯ for this loan is my future.¡± With that said, everyone immediately understood. This was different from what they had thought. This was actually a personal loan! The way they looked at Shen Shi changed again. All of humanity combined would not be able to obtain any support at all. However, the man in front of them had relied on his future to obtain such a loan that might allow humanity to be victorious! Such weight!! Although they did not know why the man in front of them had such weight, at this moment, many people became glad again in their hearts. Fortunately, he had appeared! ¡°Sir, this act¡­¡± Even Todd clenched his fists and kept breathing to adjust his mood. He was a person who could remind himself to remain calm in times of danger. However, the impact today was too many and too great! An alien spaceship had appeared in front of them! A person from the East Kingdom had returned from the distant galaxy! There was news that the alien invaders were about to invade the Blue Planet! And there was also a glimpse of the bloody universe that was the tip of the iceberg! All of this had torn him, as well as everyone present, apart! What it had brought was a great fear for the future! And now. Hope and light were already in front of them! His lips trembled slightly, as if he wanted to say some words of thanks. However, in the end, he stood up and bowed deeply to Shen Shi. Otherwise, it would not be enough to express his gratitude at this moment! Although the other party¡¯s expression was mostly indifferent, and although the other party¡¯s words were not friendly, in the end, it was the man in front of him, this person from the East Kingdom, who had forcefully torn open a crack in the abyss of despair and let a ray of light shine in. For this alone, he was worthy of the gratitude of everyone! At this moment, it was not just Todd. The others gradually quietened down. Then, from Willard to Chief Engineer Lu and then everyone else, they all bowed deeply to Shen Shi. This was their collective gratitude. Perhaps, this also represented the gratitude of all mankind! And Shen Shi silently accepted this bow! His expression still did not change much, but if one were observant, one would be able to notice that Shen Shi¡¯s back had straightened for a while. This gratitude lasted for a while. When everyone sat down, they all had a feeling that the atmosphere between them and Shen Shi had become much more relaxed. However, at this moment, for the first time, there was an obvious change in Shen Shi¡¯s expression. He became extremely serious. ¡°Since I¡¯ve decided to help humans and my mother planet, I won¡¯t hesitate anymore.¡± Shen Shi¡¯s gaze became sharp. He stared intently at everyone, especially Todd and Willard. He emphasized, ¡°But I¡¯m not the only one in this crisis. I hope that all mankind can cooperate fully for their own fate, their future, and everything! Otherwise, I won¡¯t hesitate when I have to give up!¡±