"Don't forget that there's still the multiverse, the Flood, and Earth," the mental devil said.
"Every single goal is enough to inspire the civilization of mankind to continue fighting for ten thousand years."
"They're too far away. Those goals are too far away."
Li Yao said, "Even the most fundamental task of 'crossing the black wall' might not be accomplished in another five thousand years without the intervention of external forces and the coincidental technological explosion.
"Human beings are prone to laziness. When you know that all the missions have been accomplished, that all the threats before your eyes are gone, and that you will have to work for at least five thousand years to see the result of the next mission, and that the result is not necessarily correct, and that the next threat may be billions of lightyears away or even too far to be measured in terms of 'lightyears', will you still work hard and burn everything you have to fight for it?
"Aren't the residents of Guang Ming City also shouldering the great mission of 'reviving the civilization of mankind'? However, the mission is too magnificent, too far away, and too heavy. It's so far away and heavy that they don't even know how to begin. In the end, haven't they gradually given up and forgotten about it?
"That's human nature. It is impossible to ask everybody to abandon the happiness in this world and pursue the hope that there is only a one percent chance of finding it after thousands of years."
"Those who are born in worries will die in peace. Those who are born in peace will die in worries. It is the same for both individuals and civilizations."
After saying that, the mental devil suddenly laughed. "Therefore, this is the significance of the existence of the 'extraterrestrial devils', especially the extraterrestrial devils like me who like slaughter and destruction best. At first, you were very resistant to me, but on second thought, if there is no slaughter and destruction, and you don't know the methods and significance of battle, what will the civilization of mankind be like?"
Li Yao was dazed for a long time. He stared at the residents of Guang Ming City in midair who were as clumsy as giant balloons with balloons tied to their waists. They were smirking and hitting each other with cakes. Some of them even had their pet dogs ride on their backs. It was almost impossible to tell whose pet was whose. Some of their friends, or even strangers were taking pictures of their hilarious scenes and transmitting them to the 3D light beams on the glass walls of the skyscrapers and even the cabin walls. Everybody was commenting on them, offering flowers, and adding decorations. They seemed to be very proud and amusing.
Li Yao felt a chill in his heart for no reason.
"Although I have tried my best to stop every war in the sea of stars, hoping to bring eternal peace, what you said … does seem to make sense. It is true that I have never considered what eternal peace will bring to the civilization of mankind."
Complicated and profound ripples spread out deep inside Li Yao's soul. He mumbled, "I suddenly understand what the Nuwa Clan did years ago.
"It must be noted that, although we objected to the Pangu people's approach in seclusion years ago, the Nuwa Clan's approach of unleashing their feelings and desires to the maximum and marching out of the Pangu universe in a hurry to start a civil war seemed … seemed a bit too radical.
"The Pangu people's concerns were not entirely unjustified. The universe outside of the Pangu universe was too vast, the multiverse was too dark, and the enemy behind the Flood was too strong. It was indeed possible that they would get themselves killed if they took action in a hurry without making full preparations.
"Why couldn't the Nuwa Clan wait another thousand years or even ten thousand years patiently, when the Flood gradually ebbed and the conditions were more mature, before they seized the leadership of the Pangu civilizations' alliance in a more peaceful way and launched a new expedition? Wouldn't it have been better?
"In the past, when we discussed the issue with Long Yangjun and Boss Bai, we all believed that the Nuwa Clan was deeply attracted by the voices from beyond the Pangu universe and the calls of the 'ghosts' of the civilizations that were swallowed by the Flood. They were mired in the swamp of zeal and could not free themselves.
"But today, after seeing the mental outlook and the way of life of the residents of Light City, I suddenly had a new idea.
"Perhaps, the Nuwa Clan also knew that their actions at that time were too rash, radical, and risky. The hope was slim, and they would've been doomed if they failed.
"But they didn't have a choice.
"The growth and continuation of a civilization have cycles. The growth of a civilization is like a boat sailing against the current. It is impossible for a civilization to develop steadily for ten thousand years.
"If the Pangu civilizations' alliance hid in the Pangu universe in peace for ten thousand years, fifty thousand years, or even a hundred thousand years according to the ideas of certain people of the Pangu people, it would've been impossible for them to maintain the most advanced technology and the aggressive spirit of a hundred thousand years ago. They would've only become fat, poor bugs, like the residents of Light City, who were physically adults and mentally babies!
"When a civilization does not have internal and external troubles, or when the internal and external troubles will not arrive until tens of thousands of years later, it will perish sooner or later. It was exactly because of that that the Nuwa Clan realized the logic that the Nuwa Clan had to march out without bothering about anything, even raising a civil war to 'wake up' part of their compatriots and remind them not to forget their destiny!"
"That's an interesting speculation," the mental devil said.
The mental devil said, "The evolution of any civilization is never smooth sailing. In many cases, when you know that there are tigers in the mountain, you will have to take the 'most thrilling leap' to face the bottomless abyss. After you leap over it, your civilization will continue and reach a higher level. But if you fall into the abyss or do not dare to jump, the result will be the same. The civilization will perish instantly or gradually. It is just a matter of time."
"Yes. I thought that we had thousands of years to develop slowly and establish an expedition army unhurriedly before we explored the extraterrestrial domain ten thousand years later."
Li Yao said, "But now that I think about it, if the Federation, the Imperium, and the Holy League settle their conflicts and the Pangu universe is united, it will take a thousand years to establish an expedition army and break the black wall, and it will take ten thousand years to establish an expedition army and break the black wall. How will the civilization of mankind develop in the nine thousand years that seem peaceful and pose no threat?
"Will the new generation of human beings who are born with no worries have the unique awareness of crises that the 'old human beings' who have been polished in the war years have?
"Will they understand schemes, betrayals, bloodshed, cruelty, extermination, sacrifice, dedication, and so on?
"Will they understand the destiny of the civilization of mankind and why we have to break out of the black wall and face unpredictable dangers?
"Will they be willing to devote their entire life and all their happiness to a magnificent plan whose outcome will not be seen until ten thousand years later, and whose outcome may very well be a catastrophe?
"If the Flood does break the black wall one day and invades the Pangu universe, will the human beings ten thousand years later greet it with chainswords and storm bolters, or will they open their arms and welcome it with flowers and cakes like the residents of the City of Light?"
"Therefore —"
The mental devil said, "The Nuwa Clan in the past thought exactly the same as you did. They believed that a long wait would only wear away the will of all their compatriots and corrupt their most precious souls. In order to wake up their compatriots, they had to break out of the city first!
"Even if only one starship broke out of the city, even if it left the mark of 'intelligent life in the Pangu universe' in the multiverse beyond the black wall, it might be detected by the Flood. Then, the entire alliance of Pangu civilizations would have no choice but to devote all their wisdom, courage, fire of life, and infinite resources to the magnificent plan of 'expedition to the extraterrestrial lands'. After all, they would still be stabbed regardless of whether they extended their heads or retracted their heads!
"Ha. It suddenly occurred to me that Boss Bai probably had the same idea, too.
"You know that, long before the truth of the multiverse was fully discovered, he had already made up his mind to march out on his own and conquer the four-dimensional, five-dimensional, six-dimensional, seven-dimensional, and eight-dimensional universes.
"At first glance, his idea was very reckless and reckless. He did not care what kind of disastrous consequences would be brought to the people of the Pangu universe if he was exposed. Don't forget that his beloved son was still with the people who stayed here!
"Was it just arrogance and stupidity? I don't think so.
"Boss Bai was the 'Pirate Potentate' who swallowed Yan Xinjian's remaining soul. His understanding of humanity couldn't have been much worse than Jin Tuyi's. Perhaps, he had already deduced how the civilization of mankind would degenerate once it lost threats and opponents.
"That was why he was determined to break out of the city without caring about the cost. Not only was he fulfilling his dream of being the strongest space pirate in the multiverse, he was also looking for new opponents and threats for the civilization of mankind, which were enough to trigger our deepest courage and wisdom to crazily evolve, devour, and grow stronger!"
"Isn't it too unbelievable?"
Li Yao said, "Is it as unbelievable as you make it sound?"
"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but even if Boss Bai didn't think of it, you should think about it carefully. Don't let the entire Pangu universe end up like Eternity Light," the mental devil said.
"We are going to explore Earth anyway. We have to break out of the city no matter what!"
"I-I don't know."
Li Yao was of a mind to scratch his head hard. "I do not want to be hasty and violate the law of evolution, but I do not want to watch the civilization of mankind lose its drive and sense of purpose and sink into the honey of mediocrity without knowing it while doing anything about it …"
"Aya!"
The mental devil interrupted him. "Why are you guys who claim to be decent always so wishy-washy and hesitant? Are you going to —"
Li Yao said, "You want to be a good person, but you also want to be a good person, don't you?"
"Huh?"
The mental devil said, "How can you say that about yourself?"
"After all, you will say it even if I don't say it."
Li Yao said, "Such an important decision cannot be decided by my opinion alone. You'd better listen to your wife's opinion and let the parliament make a democratic decision. You can even hold a referendum or something. We'll all be the scapegoats, and nobody will be blamed if we're screwed, right?"
"Fair enough. So, let's focus on capturing Lu Qingchen, the king of puppets!"
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