"Your theory is too arbitrary!"
Li Yao said solemnly. "I believe that the primeval people a hundred thousand years later should be different from the early wise men a hundred thousand years ago. Otherwise, wouldn't our evolution have been in vain? The primeval people, who boasted remarkable technology and wisdom, should've developed a higher level of morality and universal social law so that multiple civilizations could coexist peacefully. That's what a god-level civilization should pursue! "
"Arbitrary?"
The voice said coldly, "Don't forget that the communication between civilizations is two-way. War is the best catalyst for a civilization to catch up. Although the alien species and the low-level civilizations seem weak, they also boast immeasurable potential. It's just that they haven't been activated because they were never needed before.
"Right now, after the conquest of the primeval people, the potential and desires of all the surviving alien species and the low-level civilizations have been completely activated. They are also likely to learn everything about the advanced civilizations from the captives of the primeval people and the war machines that they have seized. They can see the direction of their evolution clearly.
"From the wise men who wielded bone spears and stone axes to the primeval people who dominated the sea of stars, it only took us hundreds of thousands of years. Who knows if the alien species that are born with powerful techniques can have a 'mutation' in tens of thousands of years and improve their civilization by hundreds of levels and become our great enemy again?
"Don't say that it's impossible. Only tens of thousands of years ago, the primeval people were nothing more than pitiful worms lurking on the tentacles of the void hunters and around the breath holes of the giant crab on the hill. Who could've thought that we would completely knock down the dominator in the past after only tens of thousands of years?
"If we don't stomp on them right now and make sure that the dominators in the past can never rise again, who knows if they will repeat our rise and overthrow the reign of the primeval people again? By then, the primeval civilization probably won't get a second chance. "
"Well —"
Li Yao was rendered speechless for a moment.
"Besides, in what way exactly do you want to 'coexist peacefully' with the alien species and the low-level civilizations?"
The voice asked. "It must be noted that when the order of extinction was about to be issued, the primeval civilization had already conquered countless prosperous universes, destroyed the nests of thousands of alien species and the temples of the low-level civilizations, and reproduced on a large scale in the natural paradises, becoming the rightful owners. Are we supposed to return the new worlds that billions of warriors have sacrificed their blood and sweat to their original owners? How is it possible? However, how can we talk about peace if we don't return the conquered territories?
"Even if the living space can be negotiated, what about the lives that have been lost? Many species have lost more than half of their population in the war. How can such a bloody feud be repaid? How can we forget it?
"Should we say to the alien species and the low-level civilizations that are full of hatred, 'I'm sorry that we destroyed your home, killed your family, and erased your brilliant civilization. But it's all in the past now, and we can lay down our weapons and talk about peace now. Although we are not going to return your home to you, and it is impossible for us to resurrect your family members who have died miserably, we can prepare a new reserve for you in the desolate land where resources are scarce. You can absolutely start a new life there. As long as you do not try to develop a more advanced civilization in case you create weapons that can threaten us, we can absolutely turn a blind eye to you and turn a blind eye to you?'
"Do you want the primeval civilization to become such a hypocritical 'cosmic police'?
"Or should we perform some sort of mental castration on the alien species and the low-level civilizations, modify their brains and nerve clusters, and even change their physiological structure, force them to forget the past, and transform them into something more docile, cute, and non-aggressive with our moral standards and social laws, eventually turning them into something like a pet dog so that they can live 'happily' with us?
"Of course, in an ideal world, we shouldn't have launched a war of conquest against the Universe Ocean in the first place. Then, there would be no bloody feud that can never be resolved, and it would be possible to reach 'peace, communication, and development'. However, if we don't launch a war, where will the living space come from? How will the humiliation of our race be washed away? How will the glory of the past be reclaimed?"
Li Yao thought for a long time but did not know what to say.
"Admit it. Aggressiveness and the desire to conquer are the most precious things of a civilization. A civilization that loses aggressiveness and the desire to conquer is like a mule or a pet dog that has been castrated. It has no dignity, no pride, and no meaning of existence. Compared to depriving a civilization of its aggressiveness and reaching a false peace through brainwashing, it is much more satisfying and dignified to simply destroy the civilization," the voice said.
The voice said, "Natural selection, survival of the fittest. Such laws still apply in the universe. We and them have no other choice."
"What if —"
Li Yao took a deep, deep breath on the level of his soul. "What if I don't want to choose the Mass Extinction Order?"
"Then —"
The voice asked, "Do you have a better way?"
"No."
Li Yao said, "I'm not a wise man who has foresight, nor am I a leader who cares about the universe. I'm just a common human being. I can't think of a better way, but I'm not willing to make the … worst choice, either. It's like I would rather starve to death than kill my own kind and eat their meat even if I can't find anything to eat."
"But those alien species and low-level civilizations are not our kind at all," the voice said.
"If it's understandable that you are unwilling to give up billions of your kind on Earth in your first mistake, your persistence right now is completely unreasonable. Are you going to project your brilliance like the Virgin Mary to things like the 'Void Hunter' and the 'Mountain Giant Crab'? Even the hideous monsters that look like devils are targets of your overflowing sympathy?"
Li Yao was silent.
He did not know what he was persisting in, either.
Perhaps it was because he had been an orphan since he was young. Although he seemed to enjoy the adventures on his own, he was scared of loneliness deep down in his bones.
He liked the joy of being surrounded by his family and friends, and he liked the feeling of fighting for them even more!
The universe was so vast, dark, and cold. If only the civilization of mankind existed, wouldn't it be too lonely?
Only one civilization exists in solitude. Who is this civilization going to show all its brilliance to? What was the significance of the civilization's persistence, progress, creation, and prosperity? Even if such a civilization could exist forever, would it really be "happy"?
However, the voice did have a point. The war had already broken out, and the wounds had already been inflicted. At the very least, the war was not evil at all from the beginning. Even someone as stubborn as Li Yao could not say that the Primeval Clan's struggle to seize a living space for themselves was wrong.
The war had already reached the point of extinction. The seeds of anger, hatred, and suspicion had been implanted in the hearts of all the survivors. How could the dark forest that was tied up by the chain of suspicion be resolved?
Li Yao could not solve the mess at all.
The voice was unexpectedly silent for a long time. When it appeared again, it seemed to be somewhat tired.
"Excuse me. I just used a lot of computational ability to deal with the affairs of other 'test fields'," the voice said.
The voice said, "Another tester has failed."
"What!"
Li Yao was so alarmed that he almost jumped to his feet. "Who is it? Is it —"
"Rest assured. It is not your own kind. It is the member of the Nuwa Clan named 'Dragon Lotus Seed'."
The voice said, "The subspecies named 'Nuwa Clan' is quite similar to the aggressive and ambitious spirit of the Primeval Clan. It is a pity that they are too carefree and sentimental, and they lack the coldness and tenacity to survive no matter what. In the end, they were annihilated by the counterattack of the alien species."
Li Yao had mixed feelings.
Mie Zhongdao and Dragon Lotus Seed, the two commanders of the Pangu Clan and the Nuwa Clan, were both godlike figures. If it were a different time and situation, they would've been unparalleled experts who could've fought three hundred rounds with him.
He did not expect that they would die so quickly and miserably in the ultimate test.
"Then …"
His mouth was dry, and he did not know whether or not he should ask. He did not know if the voice would answer. "How are my own kind?"
"Rest assured. So far, your own kind have performed quite well. After all, you are 100% members of the Primeval Clan in terms of genes, too, except that all your abilities have not been activated yet."
The voice said, "Two of the testers performed particularly well. They are very likely to pass the test and receive the heritage of our race."
"Really?"
Li Yao was delighted. "Which two are they?"
"Using your appellations …"
The voice said, "They are 'Lu Qingchen' and 'mental devil'."
Li Yao: "What?"
"Especially Lu Qingchen."
The voice could not hide its satisfaction and appreciation. "Compared to you, he is almost a natural-born leader. He is a commander who led his people to lurk and grope in the darkness for ten thousand years before he soared and conquered the universe. During the entire process of evolution and conquest, he barely made any mistakes and did not need my advice at all. Even before the test system gave him the two strategies of 'abandon 95% of the earthlings' and 'Mass Extinction Order', he had already thought of them on his own. Also, he was more thorough and resolute than we were. The strategies and arrangements that he demonstrated in the war of conquest proved that he was absolutely capable of making good use of our heritage. He was one of the most suitable candidates to resist the 'Flood' in the end.
"The mental devil is not bad, either. Although it is not as good as Lu Qingchen in terms of the big picture and commanding ability, it is better than him in terms of schemes and brutality in tactics. He did not make any mistakes, either. He made the choice of 'abandon most of the earthlings' and 'Mass Extinction Order' without any hesitation.
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