by <unknown>
“We think so too,” Marbruce said grimly. “But in comparison, the possibility of a traitor is higher!”
Han Xiao stroked his chin and said, “If it’s a traitor, their goal definitely isn’t survival. Based on the current situation, the entire galactic society believes that we can resist the World Tree, so the traitor has other goals, such as taking revenge on you or taking advantage of the situation…”
“We know that.”
Louis’ eyes flickered with a cold light. Before this, they had already discussed the suspects. Among them, the most suspicious ones were the Super Star Cluster Alliance and the lower level Star Cluster Civilizations. Even the Beyond Grade A Association was somewhat suspicious, so the three of them were wary of Han Xiao.
Although the current favorable situation was the work of Black Star, the position that the three of them were in made them suspect Han Xiao. Even though Black Star had made so many contributions, there was still a motive…
This time, Han Xiao’s eyes suddenly flashed.
“The World Tree might have leaked this information on purpose to cause internal strife…”
However, halfway through, Han Xiao stopped and shook his head helplessly. Even if the World Tree did it on purpose, the information leak was real. Even if they guessed that this was the World Tree’s plan, they could not let go of their suspicions. This was an open conspiracy. If the information was leaked by a third party, it might have been calculated in advance. Not only did they help the World Tree, but they also used the World Tree to raise suspicion in the galactic society.
Han Xiao paused for a moment, put away these speculations, changed the topic, and said, “No matter what, the battle situation has changed. Make preparations as soon as possible to deal with the World Tree’s full invasion. This is the most important task.”
The three of them nodded.
Although the three Universal Civilizations were prepared for war in the various Star Fields, compared to the border of the Flickering World, the defense of the other areas was naturally much weaker. There were still countless planets scattered around, allowing the enemy to enter their familiar battle rhythm of ‘sustaining war with war’.
“We have to find the traitor. Since they’ve done such a thing, they will definitely do something that benefits them at some point. Sooner or later, they will be exposed,” the Pope said coldly.
“The earlier we confirm the target, the better. I will immediately order a specialized team to investigate this matter,” Louis said.
Han Xiao thought about it and said, “I need to study these encrypted particles personally. Maybe I can find some clues.”
Hearing this, the three of them exchanged looks and finally nodded.
“We can give you a portion of the encrypted particles for research. I hope you find a clue soon.”
“Sure.”
Looking at the three of them, Han Xiao knew that he was one of their suspects. He could not help but shake his head. At this time, he did not care. If he was in their position, he would not have trusted anyone either.
‘I didn’t expect the name of the version to come true so quickly. Who is the one behind this… It can’t be them, right?’
Han Xiao thought to himself. The stealthy Super Star Cluster Alliance flashed past his mind, and the figures of the Avengers appeared.
Chapter 1423: Third Party And Paying One’s Debts |
After learning about the situation from the three leaders, Han Xiao did not continue to participate in the ‘Among Us’ brainstorming of the three of them. He deactivated the remote projection and went to the frontline research facility.
As soon as he walked into the laboratory hall, he could smell anxiety and panic in the air. Countless researchers were moving back and forth, deciphering the encrypted particles.
“Your Excellency Black Star, Ruler Marbruce has given me a secret order. Please follow me.”
An officer who had been waiting for a long time immediately came forward and led Han Xiao into the corridor.
Not long after, the two of them arrived at a private laboratory. There was an expert team doing decryption work, but it was different from simply decrypting the content of the encrypted particles outside. This place was also responsible for finding the technical characteristics of the encrypted particles. The moment the door opened, Han Xiao heard the endless argument inside.
“… The structural deviation of this particle is obviously too high, forming a typical three-direction ratio with Marvir’s readings. It has the characteristics of the Karpoke warped technology and the Siber space conversion. It’s definitely based on the third theoretical model of particle space!”
“It’s just similar! You ignored the characteristics of dimension change folds and the weakening of the nuclear force. This is a technology that the three Universal Civilizations have already eliminated!”
Han Xiao turned around and saw the group of experts gathered in front of the experiment table and arguing while pointing at the readings on the apparatus.
The same theory could extend to all kinds of applications and achieve the same goal through different means. However, although some techniques were similar in their performance and final results, there were many differences in the actual usage process. If one tried to understand it in a less correct but simpler way, it would be equivalent to the same character having different ways of writing, so there was naturally more than one way to modify the particles…
By studying the characteristics of these technologies, he could reverse engineer the specific technology used by the encrypted particles. This was also the focus of the research. They were trying to reduce the scope of suspicion by using the encrypted particles’ technology. Han Xiao did not conceal his footsteps and walked over in large strides. Only then did the experts realize that there was an outsider. Seeing that it was Han Xiao, they all bowed respectfully.
He looked up at the encrypted particles floating on the experiment table and waved his hand.
“Alright, stop arguing. Let me see what’s going on.”
“Please let us know if you need anything.”
The group of experts had no objections and retreated to the side, obediently giving up the experiment table behind them.
Black Star was not only the strongest individual strength in the Galaxy that was on the same level as the three leaders, he was also one of the best scientists. These researchers had always admired Black Star, and a small portion of the people present were his worshippers. These normally esteemed high-level researchers were all willing to be his assistants.
Han Xiao looked at the readings and studied the encrypted particles from head to toe. He quickly analyzed the data in his mind and locked onto a few technologies.
As far as he knew, these technologies seemed to be used by members of the Super Star Cluster Alliance. Of course, he could not rule out the possibility of other organizations imitating them.
‘According to normal judgment, the Super Star Cluster Alliance is now even more suspicious, but it could also be a deliberate framing… In this case, it’s more like a traitor in the galactic society.’
With a thought, Han Xiao released his Mechanical Force and connected it to the encrypted particles. He then activated (Bold Explorer).
Buzz!
Han Xiao’s vision suddenly changed, and he arrived at a research institute with different styles. Many researchers were working.
A huge device was spinning. Particles were opened in low dimensional space and recorded into information. Then, they were restored and turned into encrypted particles that were injected into three white cylindrical containers.
He could not control his vision and followed the three white tubes closely. The white tubes were placed into a suitcase and sent into a groove of a material transmission device.
The next moment, his vision turned once again, and he had already arrived at a secret underground base. He saw another material transmission device, and with a flash of light, the white suit
case was sent over. A few life forms walked up and opened it, revealing the white tubes inside.
This time, his vision changed again, and he came to a space in the universe. A blue and black wormhole opened up in front of him, and three white tubes were thrown in. They passed through the colorful space tunnel and flew out from the other end of the wormhole. Then, the three white tubes suddenly burst out with heat, releasing a wave of energy, and all the encrypted particles inside were thrown out.
In the last scene, a World Tree exploration team shrouded in green light appeared in the distance.
The illusion stopped, and Han Xiao’s vision returned to normal.
“It seems like these encrypted particles appeared from nowhere till they were intercepted by the World Tree…”
Han Xiao’s eyes sparkled.
Although the illusion provided by (Bold Explorer) did not involve a specific location, Han Xiao was almost certain that this was a third party’s doing. There was no other reason other than the researchers in the illusion were all unfamiliar species that he had never seen before. Among the people who received the white suitcase, there was a race that should have disappeared long ago.
“The Lorese people, the intelligent species of the Lore Civilization… The Lore Civilization, the loser of the exploration era, was destroyed by the three Universal Civilizations. It should have been exterminated…”
Han Xiao took out the information and started to think
From the looks of it, the Lore Civilization had survived, and their goal should be revenge. They were not fighting alone and had even found helpers. Those intelligent species had never appeared in the history of the three Universal Civilizations, so they should be foreign civilizations.
According to the detailed information within the encrypted particles, this foreign civilization should have been lying in wait in the explored universe for many years without being discovered.
‘Tsk, another old enemy of the exploration era. The three Universal Civilizations are constantly paying their debts for their past deeds…’
Han Xiao subconsciously rubbed his fingers.
In the World Tree War in his previous life, this foreign civilization did not appear and did not seem to have interfered with the direction of the war. Now, however, they took the initiative to backstab the three Universal Civilizations. Maybe it was because this foreign civilization’s situation was different in different timelines, or maybe it was because the situation in his previous life did not require them to interfere… Of course, Han Xiao was not sure if this foreign civilization took action in his previous life. The players did not have the relevant information.
“Seeing that the three Universal Civilizations have the upper hand, they want to destroy our strategy, shatter our advantage, and help the World Tree invade us… They want to take revenge on us, but they also want to take advantage of the situation. They want to hide in the dark and watch the tigers fight each other while they snipe for profits. Tsk, quite malicious.”
Han Xiao guessed the motive of the foreign civilization while thinking of a solution.
Although he had confirmed that it was a third party, he did not know their location, so he could not follow the clues. If he searched with great fanfare, it was very likely that the foreign civilizations would withdraw all their spies and cut off all clues.
Furthermore, without evidence, it would not be easy to convince the three big hooligans. Although with his position, even without evidence, the three Universal Civilizations’ leaders would still take his words seriously, now that even he was suspected, the credibility would naturally be reduced. The three big leaders would at most be skeptical.
[Information Form Obliteration) could see the connection threads, but this was a destructive ability. It could not see the specific situation and could not trace the source. Even if this batch of encrypted particles was wiped out, the World Tree’s side most likely had others, and the situation could not be resolved. After all, this ability wiped out ‘individuals’, not ‘concepts’ and ‘collective body’. It would not be that if it killed one or two humans, the others would forget about the entire human race.
In fact, the effect of (Information Form Obliteration) was very ‘precise’, and it would not have much effect on the Information Form of anything else other than the target’s. Therefore, the effect of this move would be quite peculiar when it targeted the split parts of a whole body.
If he used (Information Form Obliteration] on this part of the encrypted particles, Han Xiao estimated that the three leaders would remember that he had taken some things to study, but they would forget that he was studying the encrypted particles. Furthermore, the experts present would not remember what they were studying, and these machine readings would also be erased.
If he ‘erased’ the other encrypted particles that the three Universal Civilizations had intercepted, Han Xiao felt that the result would probably be that the three Universal Civilizations had forgotten about the existence of the encrypted particles, but remembered that ‘something’ had exposed the presence of a spy leaking information. As for the World Tree, they would remember that they had given ‘something’ to the three Universal Civilizations, but they would forget that they had handed over the encrypted particles. However, they would not forget about the encrypted particles in their hands.
Han Xiao had made a hypothesis before. If he used (Information Form Obliteration) to deal with the entire World Tree Civilization, the reaction of the three Universal Civilizations would most likely not be ‘what have we been doing all these years’, but ‘we defeated a Universal Civilization with difficulty, but we can’t remember what that civilization is called’.
Therefore, (Information Form Obliteration] had a very good effect on individuals with different Information Form, such as living beings. However, when dealing with individuals with a large collective body (such as a grain of sand in a desert, a gun in a batch of standard firearms), the Information Form gap could be deduced by logic… For example, if the experts forgot what they were researching previously, but came to the experiment hall and saw others studying the encrypted particles, they could also deduce that they were probably researching this before.
However, even if you used logic to deduce that, (Information Form Obliteration) was still in effect, you would subtly have memory deviations, quickly forget, subconsciously ignore, common sense errors, and so on. It was just like when you thought of something, you would suddenly forget it and would not be able to recall it no matter what. This kind of situation was not uncommon. It was also like when you believed that the temperature of a normal person’s bath was eighty degrees instead of forty degrees, there would be a common-sense deviation that you would not be able to detect, or it would be like the legendary war of ’99…
‘In any case, I have to find a way to capture this group of lurkers. Currently, I can only use conventional methods to collect intelligence in secret. It’s best to monitor the artificial intelligence in the quantum network… They will most likely continue to observe the follow-up effects of this ‘borrowing knife to kill others’ tactic. Seeing that the three Universal Civilizations are suffering, they probably did not retreat.
Sigh, it would be great if we could retrieve the World Tree’s Information Form Warning Network. This thing is simply a black technology to prevent the territory from being infiltrated.’
Han Xiao shook his head helplessly. Compared to the World Tree, the territories of the three Universal Civilizations were like a sieve. Other people could enter and exit as they wished, even leaving something behind. The three Universal Civilizations would not be able to discover it in a short period. It was simply the standard model of a victim.
He stroked his chin and pondered.
The World Tree and the third party’s goal was to cause internal strife in the galactic society, so the most important thing now was to not let the enemy’s plan succeed. Since the infiltrators could not be found in a short time and the three Universal Civiliza
tions’ suspicions could not be dispelled, it seemed like they could only start with the suspects.
“It seems like the three Universal Civilizations are most suspicious of the Super Star Cluster Alliance, and they happen to be cooking other plans in secret. However, I have yet to find out what’s going on… If this causes a misunderstanding between the two sides, I’m afraid both sides will suffer heavily.”
Han Xiao was helpless.
In the past, he had always cheated the Super Star Cluster Alliance, and it was not the first time they had suffered for no reason. However, it was the opposite now. He had to think of a way to reduce their suspicion so that they would not become scapegoats…
Indeed, one had to pay for everything they have done!
Chapter 1424: The Face of the Pugilist |
In the next few days, the World Tree Army laid low and did not launch any attacks on the Flickering World border or the shallow layer dimensions. They did not exert any pressure, and the flames of war were briefly extinguished. However, the strategic command center of the three Universal Civilizations did not relax at all. The atmosphere was as though they were still fighting intensely, and they knew that this was only the calm before the storm.
The armies that were originally stationed in the various Star Fields for emergencies were put to use. They all entered war mode and patrolled the areas they were in charge of.
The encrypted particles had leaked the star maps of the entire explored universe, including countless spatial coordinates. There were too many routes that the enemy could choose, and they could invade from anywhere.
Han Xiao sent most of the Mechanical Oracles to the main universe to increase the number of high-level combatants. Originally, the three Universal Civilizations had the upper hand in terms of individual strength, but if the World Tree invaded all the territories, the effect of the high-level combatants would be completely different from a frontal battle. The high flexibility would bring about a powerful destructive force, and the battlefront would be split into countless sections. As the defending party that had no choice but to surround and intercept the enemy, their Beyond Grade As would not be enough.
