Even if this Architectural Civilization had not made this request of Xiao Yu, Xiao Yu would still inevitably have done this anyway. Xiao Yu had to thoroughly investigate this virtual life civilization in order to confirm whether or not he was truly unique in the universe. If there really were many civilizations in the universe similar to himself, then his subsequent development strategy would have to be adjusted.
Besides that, extremely advanced computer technology was also something Xiao Yu was determined to obtain. Not to mention that if he agreed to this condition, the Architectural Civilization would also offer up all of its own technology.
In terms of both emotion and reason, Xiao Yu had no choice but to agree to this request. Xiao Yu would be the greatest winner in this incident and would reap the most benefits. The only thing worth worrying about wasâŠ
âI do not know whether I can win this war. If I win, I will once again enter a stage of major development. If I lose, I will have nothing left.â Xiao Yu sighed inwardly.
âAccording to past patterns, after our escape this time, this virtual life civilization will need at least one thousand years before it can find us again. So during this thousand-year period, your civilization can make some preparations for warâŠâ the Architectural Civilization said. âWe will provide you with the technology of our Architectural Civilization, but sorry, our research strength will not participate in any technological research and development activities inside your civilization.â
âA thousand years of preparation time? That is already enough.â Xiao Yu said. âI understand your difficulties. Just leave the matter of war to me. You do not need to involve yourselves too much in it. Since you are a non-war-type civilization, it is best to stay a little farther away from warâŠâ
Toward interest-based, non-war-related civilizations, Xiao Yu naturally held a degree of goodwill. Of course, the microscopic civilization was not included in this. Once they had provoked Xiao Yu, the destruction of a few civilizations was only a trivial matter.
A transaction concerning the fate of three Level 7 Civilizations was concluded in this calm atmosphere of conversation. And the only thing maintaining the validity of this transaction was the fragile trust between them. There was no doubt that in this transaction, Xiao Yu occupied the initiative. As for the Architectural Civilization, it seemed to have only this single path to choose. Even knowing that the risks were enormous, they still had to make a choice and gamble on this.
In this regard, the Architectural Civilization perfectly carried out the principle of employing someone without doubting them. Since they had chosen to trust Xiao Yu, they trusted him without reservation. After Xiao Yu proposed that he wished to visit the interior of the Architectural Civilizationâs great building, the Architectural Civilization agreed to the request with a very straightforward attitude.
âThis is the great structure into which our civilization has poured millions of years of effort.â Before the humanoid robot Xiao Yu had sent, the reception personnel sent by the Architectural Civilization spoke with full pride. âWhen it comes to architecture, there is no civilization in the universe that can stand shoulder to shoulder with us.â
What appeared before Xiao Yu was an astonishing scene.
A star appeared before Xiao Yu, and the position where Xiao Yu stood was before a huge floor-to-ceiling window at the end of a corridor. Behind Xiao Yu stretched endlessly a cluster of buildings filled with a sense of modern technology, gigantic structures like skyscrapers soaring into the clouds. There was no doubt these were buildings, yet in terms of architectural art, they were absolutely not the same as the buildings in Xiao Yuâs fixed concepts.
Architectural art here seemed already to have developed to its pinnacle. Compared to these clusters of buildings, the habitat Home ship series, which Xiao Yu had once been proud of, or the building clusters on the inhabited planets within his small universe, were all as simple and laughable as tree huts built by primitive people. The buildings before Xiao Yu had already gone beyond the stage of expressing art solely through outward form. They seemed to pursue something called harmony more than anything else. Within these clusters of buildings, every street, every cornice, every color blended seamlessly with the surrounding environment. They were one whole.
This was only a tiny miniature of the Architectural Civilizationâs architectural art. According to the reception personnel, this city was merely a settlement within the civilization used for low-level civilizations to reside in. It had only a serial number. It was not even worthy of having a name.
The Architectural Civilization seemed to have adopted a strategy similar to that of the Guardian Civilization. There were also numerous civilizations under the Architectural Civilizationâs command, but unlike the Guardian Civilization, the Architectural Civilization did not impose restrictions on these civilizations, did not limit their communications, did not limit their development, and certainly did not limit their freedom. Before these civilizations, the Architectural Civilization seemed to be nothing more than a simple benefactor.
The Architectural Civilization provided a safe environment, provided a relaxed atmosphere, and placed no restrictions whatsoever on these dependents. In Xiao Yuâs view, this was a very difficult kind of behavior to understand. The Guardian Civilization provided protection to the civilizations under its command at the cost of stripping away those civilizationsâ development potential and squeezing their labor. So why did the Architectural Civilization act this way?
Xiao Yu did not believe there could exist such a benevolent civilization in the universe, but Xiao Yu did not directly raise this question to the Architectural Civilization. Instead, he searched for the answer through the materials he collected himself. Yet Xiao Yu ultimately failed. No matter from what angle he tried to explain it, he could not make sense of why the Architectural Civilization was so benevolent.
In the end, Xiao Yu asked this question directly to the reception personnel beside the robot.
âYour civilization is unquestionably a great civilization, and your kindness is admirable. But we are puzzled. Why do you so selflessly provide such thorough protection to so many low-level civilizations without asking for anything in return? As far as we know, in a universe governed by the principle of the dark forest, this kind of behavior is extremely rare. What is it that you pursue?â
After hearing Xiao Yuâs question, the reception personnel of the Architectural Civilization froze for a moment, then burst into laughter and said, âPursue? We pursue nothing. Of course, our civilization is not as benevolent as you imagine. The reason we take in so many low-level civilizations to live inside our structure is based on a very simple reason. If such a great building were left empty, would that not be too regrettable? We spent millions of years of effort to create it, not in order to leave it vacant. The great achievement of our civilization needs many intelligent beings to appreciate it, to marvel at itâŠâ
Xiao Yu froze slightly, then immediately shook his head and smiled bitterly.
âIt seems I judged a gentleman with the heart of a petty man⊠I thought about it for so long and gained nothing, yet I never expected that the final reason would be this simple.â
It was just like when you write an article you consider peerless, or wear a piece of clothing you consider extraordinarily handsome, you always hope more people will see it and praise you. The Architectural Civilization had the same mentality. For a structure this great, if no one came to appreciate it, would that not be too regrettable?
âA desire to be acknowledged and appreciated has created the one and only paradise beyond the world in this universe. Tens of thousands of civilizations live here in peace and equality. With the protection of the Architectural Civilization, they do not need to worry that their civilizations will be exterminated the next day, nor do they need to worry that the intelligent beings of their civilizations will freeze or starve to death the next dayâŠâ Xiao Yu thought silently. He turned and bowed solemnly to the reception personnel of the Architectural Civilization beside him.
âWhat are you doing?â The intelligent being responsible for reception in the Architectural Civilization asked with some confusion.
âPlease accept the respect of our Divine Ark Civilization toward your civilization.â Xiao Yu answered very seriously. âOur civilization has walked through too many dark events along the way. Here in your civilization, I have seen warmth and hope that I have not seen for a long time. This is the greatest structure in the universe. In order to protect this structure, our civilization is willing to fight until the very last moment.â
At this moment, Xiao Yu had already made up his mind. Even if in the end he gained nothing at all, he would still do his utmost to defend this structure.
That intelligent being responsible for reception simultaneously performed the highest ceremonial gesture of its own civilization.
âOn behalf of our Architectural Civilization, I likewise express our respect to your civilization. In you, we have seen noble spirit. Whether the final result is victory or defeat, our Architectural Civilization will become the most loyal ally of the Divine Ark Civilization. Thank you.â It said solemnly.
âI believe we will definitely achieve final victory.â Xiao Yu said with a smile.
Xiao Yuâs gaze once again turned to the outside of the enormous floor-to-ceiling window. Out there was a star, and several planets were orbiting around it. This immense window, so vast that it could not be described, separated the modern city behind Xiao Yu from the boundless starry sky outside, yet it appeared so harmonious, without the slightest sense of unnaturalness.
âThis is a star captured by our civilization. We placed these stars inside our structure to provide habitats for those civilizations that like stars.â the Architectural Civilizationâs reception personnel said. âWithin the entire structure there are more than one million stars. They are the lamps of our architecture. According to different elemental compositions, as well as volume, mass, and other indicators, they have also been assigned different uses. Around some of them, life can reside, while others have been placed in the category of scenic areas.â
âWe have even transported more than a dozen black holes, along with a certain number of white dwarfs and neutron stars, into our structure.â it said with full pride.
But Xiao Yu had already subconsciously ignored what it was saying. Xiao Yuâs gaze had been completely drawn to the star before him. Because Xiao Yu suddenly realized that this star, captured here by the Architectural Civilization, was simply too familiar to himâŠ