Upon seeing a beam of light that did not originally belong to this small universe suddenly enter it, Xiao Yu understood completely. Everything became clear.
āSo that is how it is. The Python Alien Beast was only a sacrifice. Although the Python Alien Beast is renowned for its intelligence, it is, in the end, merely an alien beast. Compared to the Guardian Civilization, the gap is not small. Now it has been schemed against by the Guardians.ā Xiao Yu thought to himself, then once again maneuvered ten million warships to break away from the main battlefield and rush toward the other end of the Guardian Civilizationās small universe, where light from another universe was coming through.
At the first instant he saw that light, Xiao Yu understood what the Guardiansā most deeply hidden trump card was. This trump card was not one that could recover the battle or change the situation, but one to preserve the fire of their civilization in a moment of life and death. It was another small universe. This small universe was smaller than the Guardian Civilizationās primary small universe and had always been hidden behind it, which was why Xiao Yu had not discovered it.
Its distance from the Guardiansā primary small universe must not have been far, so a Space Bridge could conveniently be erected between the two to keep them connected. The current situation clearly meant that the Guardians had linked that small universe with this one and were preparing to evacuate their people and materials into that small universe to preserve the seed of their civilization.
The facts were exactly as Xiao Yu anticipated. His detection instruments informed him that within the Guardiansā stellar ring, a great number of habitation ships, industrial ships, and supply vessels were filing into the Space Bridge, retreating into the other small universe. It was certain that in that reserve small universe there were already sufficient stars and planets prepared in advance for the Guardiansā populace to use.
After the battle collapsed on all fronts and even the ultimate trump card, the iron sphere, was destroyed, the Guardians finally retreated. Xiao Yu knew that whether it was the Radiance or the tens of millions of warships the Guardians left here, they were all rear guard forces. When Xiao Yu sent ten million ships to attack the Guardiansā evacuation fleet, his inference was confirmed.
The Radiance, which had been entangled with Xiao Yuās conventional fleets, instantly withdrew from the battlefield and charged toward those ten million ships. At the same time, all the Guardian warships remaining here launched a frenzied attack, straining to delay Xiao Yuās fleets and buy time for their people to escape.
The Python Alien Beast was in a life and death crisis. Under the Micron corpseās assault, its life was like a wavering candle flame in a rainy night, liable to be snuffed out at any moment. It kept pleading with the Radiance for rescue, but the Radiance ignored it completely. The Radiance abandoned its life, choosing to block Xiao Yuās intercepting ships rather than come to its aid.
In that moment, the Python Alien Beast finally understood. It understood that it had been used by the Guardian Civilization. In that instant, like the Python Alien Beast itself, it had become a sacrifice of the Guardians.
āGuardian Civilization, save me. You cannot abandon me. If you save me, once I recover I can still wield immense combat power to fight for you. Do not abandon me. Come save me now.ā The message released by the Python Alien Beast was filled with pleading.
āDid you not say the iron sphere still had a hidden trump card? As long as I and your Radiance emerged together to stop the Divine Ark Civilizationās conventional fleets, the iron sphere would have the power to destroy the Micron corpse. But where was the iron sphereās hidden trump card? Why was the iron sphere destroyed by the Divine Ark Civilization? You even hid another small universe. Are you going to abandon me and flee alone?ā
At that moment, Xiao Yu grasped the Guardiansā entire plan. From the beginning, the Guardians had known their civilization was doomed to defeat. They had long planned to flee and were even willing to abandon the Radiance in order to do so. The Python Alien Beast was merely a pitiable dupe. Seeing the Radiance go out to battle with it, and deducing that the Guardians could not possibly abandon the Radiance, it was completely reassured. The reason was simple. As long as the Radiance was not destroyed, it was unlikely to be in danger, and if the Guardians would not abandon the Radiance, how could they abandon it. So it agreed to fight despite its severe injuries, because it did not wish to see the Guardians destroyed. After all, the star route was in the Guardiansā hands.
It never imagined that in order to flee, the Guardians would even abandon the Radiance. It turned out that both the Radiance and itself were pawns pushed out by the Guardians, cast aside so that most of the populace could escape. Under the obstruction of the Radiance and itself, along with the greater part of the Guardiansā military strength, most of the Guardiansā people would be able to flee.
āRest easy and die. The star route is not yet fully constructed. The energy of the star route is insufficient to support you fleeing with us.ā The Radiance answered quietly. āOur Radiance will remain with you. We will die together. Do not worry. If our people of the Guardian Civilization successfully escape, our civilization will erect statues for you and worship you forever, in commemoration of your great contribution to our civilization.ā
āWhat does the existence of your civilization have to do with me. You vile liars. You deceived me. May you die badly. Divine Ark Civilization, stop attacking me, spare me, and I will join you to strike the Guardian Civilization.ā Upon hearing the Radianceās answer, the Python Alien Beast roared in frenzy.
āYour sordid affairs have nothing to do with me.ā Xiao Yu replied coolly. āYou will die, and the Guardian Civilization will be exterminated by me as well. I can destroy you with my own strength. I do not need your help. So obediently die under the Micron corpseās assault. Specter, do not relax. I want you to kill the python within ten minutes.ā
āRest assured. No problem.ā The Specter companion replied.
By this time, the Radiance, leading its remnant fleet, had already blocked the ten million ships with which Xiao Yu intended to intercept the Guardiansā evacuation fleet. Strictly speaking, Xiao Yu indeed could not spare forces now to pursue the evacuating fleet, but he was not concerned. Killing the Python Alien Beast and harvesting its flesh, destroying the Guardian Civilization and seizing its technology, then killing the trillions of intelligent beings of the Guardians to enhance the Specter companionās ability had been Xiao Yuās plan all along. Xiao Yu had ample time to complete this.
Kill the Python Alien Beast, then capture the Radiance. Although these would cost Xiao Yu some time and allow the Guardiansā reserve small universe to escape some distance, Xiao Yu was confident he could catch up.
āDo not kill me, do not kill me. I can submit to your Divine Ark Civilization and devote my strength to fighting the Sweepers Civilization for you. I possess some top secret information about the Sweepers Civilization. If you spare me, I can tell you all of it. Do not kill me. I am of great use. Killing me and using my flesh to build warships is not what best serves your interests.ā The Python Alien Beast struggled to fend off the Micron corpseās attack while roaring madly.
Its appearance now was utterly wretched. In just this short time, the Micron corpse had rammed at least three more huge holes through its body. The Micron corpse had been trying to strike a critical part of its body, analogous to a human head. If that part were struck, the Python Alien Beast would die. But the Python Alien Beast kept resisting with all its might, willing to sacrifice other parts of its body to keep the Micron corpse from hitting that spot. Yet its resistance was weakening. Judging by the current situation, it would die in at most ten minutes.
āI do not trust you, nor am I interested in spending immense effort to monitor you after subduing you. I can tell you plainly. I have no interest in you. I am only interested in your flesh. So I will kill you. No argument of yours will change my mind. Do not waste your effort. Death is your best destination.ā Xiao Yu said coolly.
āI have existed for tens of millions of years. My history is longer than that of the Guardian Civilization. I am not willing to die like this. I am not willing.ā The Python Alien Beast roared wildly, lashing the Micron corpse with its massive body. But the effect of its blows on the Micron corpse was not to swat it away, but to suffer yet another hole punched through it by the Micron corpse.
The Micron corpse gathered itself for another attack. The Python Alien Beast could not flee and had to curl its body once more, using the rest of its body to block the Micron corpseās strike at the critical point. But it moved too slowly. Before the other parts of its body could interpose, the Micron corpse slammed into it.
The Python Alien Beast let out an earth-shaking roar. This roar did not propagate as sound waves, yet it still possessed terrifying lethality. Xiao Yu saw that under this roar, countless fragments of warships and celestial debris nearby were shattered at once, reduced to the most thorough dust.
But the roar did not last long. After the Micron corpse burst out from the other side of the Python Alien Beastās body, the earth-shaking roar ceased.
Xiao Yu knew it was dead.
[T/N: Chapter 705: Death of the Python]