These two rocky planets, after several hundred million years, might eventually accumulate enough mass to reach the size of Earth. They could then develop their own atmospheres, possess abundant liquid water, and perhaps a comet might even deliver the seeds of life to them, who could say for sure? The future holds infinite possibilities and countless hopes.
Xiao Yu’s massive fleet slowly entered this stellar system and set up camp around the planet closest to the star.
“The Molian Civilization remains a powerful rival. Even though I now possess spatial weapons, facing them still doesn’t guarantee an easy victory. To prevent unforeseen setbacks, I’d better upgrade the performance of my current fleet.” Xiao Yu contemplated in silence. “Hmm… the research on negative matter has made a breakthrough. A ship-mounted negative matter cannon might be developed within fifty years. Once I have that, I’ll be capable of combat under faster-than-light conditions. Crushing the Molian Civilization will be a trivial matter.”
He was carefully calculating, trying to determine the optimal course of action.
Beyond that, there was the issue of how to utilize the corpse of the Level 4 Alien Beast. Weighing a full one trillion tons, it could theoretically be used to build several hundred Nation-Class starships. But clearly, that wasn’t necessary. Producing too many Nation-Class ships would consume an enormous amount of time, and even if they were completed, Xiao Yu didn’t have enough computational power to manage them all.
On the other hand, if he didn’t use it, carrying such a massive burden would seriously hinder Xiao Yu’s mobility. Hiding it somewhere also left him uneasy.
Never before had Xiao Yu felt so conflicted, so trapped between choices, simply because he had too much material.
“Hmm… current research into Alien Beast biological tissue suggests that under certain reactive conditions, a large mass of beast flesh can shrink by a factor of ten to a hundred, while its material properties are further enhanced. However, it seems that different types of Alien Beasts require different reaction conditions. So be it, I’ll have Luka Four handle this research. If we can convert one trillion tons of beast flesh into just one hundred billion tons of superior-grade material, it would make things much easier. Whether for starship construction or storage and transport, everything would become more manageable.”
After weighing the situation, Xiao Yu made his decision.
As for the billion tons of wreckage from the Level 6 battleship, Xiao Yu hadn’t yet decided how to utilize it. He had no interest in using it to build more Nation-Class ships with current technology. He preferred to wait until his technology advanced further, then use the fragments to construct ships with even greater performance.The three spatial weapons built inside the small universe were not discarded. Xiao Yu had brought them out as well. He planned to retrofit them and install them on his current Nation-Class ships. After all, spatial weapons were his most powerful arsenal.
Under Xiao Yu’s command, the scientists, who had just enjoyed a few months of rest, returned once again to their intense research. Developing the ship-mounted negative matter cannon became the highest priority. Meanwhile, under Luka Four’s leadership, the team researching material property enhancement through mass reduction continued their work in earnest. Luka Two led a group of psychosocial scientists into Xiao Yu’s conference room for yet another meeting.
Xiao Yu began, “The reason I’ve gathered you here today is to discuss something with you.”
“What are your thoughts on establishing a military?”
“A military?” The scientists from the psychosocial division looked at each other in confusion. For a moment, none of them understood what Xiao Yu was intending.
“Yes, a military.” Xiao Yu repeated with a nod.
“If we were to establish a military… what would its responsibilities be?” one of the psychosocial scientists cautiously asked. “Internally, we don’t need a military, security robots are more than enough to handle everything. Externally? It doesn’t seem like we need one either. What military force could possibly match your level of absolute control, Master?”
Xiao Yu knew this wasn’t the scientist trying to flatter him, what it said was simply the truth. Because that was the reality, backed by immense computational power, Xiao Yu could precisely control the fleet to perform a wide range of tactical maneuvers such as attacking, encircling, retreating, pursuing, and more. These warships were essentially extensions of Xiao Yu’s own body. Would there ever be a situation where controlling one’s own arms resulted in imperfect command?
“I bring up this proposal based on the following reasons.” Xiao Yu said. “First, communication distance limitations. Without any relay stations, given our current level of technology, the effective range of superluminal communication is around twenty-two light-years. That number isn’t actually very large. So, what if, in a future war, we need to strike targets beyond that distance? As for intelligent programs, I don’t trust them. No matter how refined they are, they can’t reach the level of true intelligent life. That’s the first reason. The second is based on a recent scientific discovery. Luka Three previously reported to me that it discovered a method of interfering with superluminal communication. Although, at this stage, the interference can only cause slight disturbances and poses no real threat, I still consider it a danger. Because we have no guarantee that other civilizations don’t already possess this capability. If superluminal communication is disrupted, our fleet would instantly fall into disarray. The third reason is that our current society is facing a severe population surplus. A large number of ordinary individuals without scientific talent are consuming enormous resources, yet they contribute nothing. I believe this is an extreme waste. Organizing them into a military force, training them into soldiers, would not only resolve this social issue but also expand the size of our fleet.”
“Those are my three reasons. I’d like to hear your thoughts.” said Xiao Yu.
This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment idea for him. Back when he had considered using ten million Dwarves for biological experiments in the small universe, the seed of this idea had already been planted. Over time, Xiao Yu had gradually refined and expanded the concept.
The biggest constraint on the scale of Xiao Yu’s fleet had always been a lack of computational power. But with a large number of soldiers, Xiao Yu could construct many ships that required only minimal computing resources to operate as part of his combat forces. And with well-developed intelligent program restraints in place, he could minimize the chances of military rebellion.
“I believe this is absolutely necessary.” Luka Two said. “In fact, there’s another benefit that perhaps you haven’t considered, Master. It’s the advancement of military theory. The appearance of a large number of soldiers will undoubtedly lead to the emergence of military leaders with genuine talent. These individuals will greatly enhance the quality of our warfare doctrines. In future large-scale wars, it won’t be like now, where a bunch of half-baked minds try to draft battle plans. Let professionals handle professional matters, that’s the path of sustainable development.”
“Very good. Does anyone else have a differing opinion?” Xiao Yu asked.
“No,” the scientists all shook their heads. The establishment of a military would also bring them significant benefits. At the very least, it proved one thing, Xiao Yu was gradually lowering his guard against them. Their standing within the fleet’s complex system was steadily rising.
“Very well. Let’s begin discussing the structure of the military.”
Establishing a military wasn’t something that could be accomplished by mere words. How to conduct recruitment, how to alter the current social structure to allow a smooth transition, how to train the forces, how the military would coordinate with Xiao Yu, logistics, what types of ships should be used, and how much control ship commanders could realistically exert over the warships, these were all topics that needed discussion.
The more intelligent a ship was, the fewer people it needed to operate. But according to Xiao Yu’s estimates, to get a County-Class ship moving and combat-effective using soldiers alone, at least two hundred personnel would be required, no fewer than that. And that was based on the intelligence level of the Luka species. If it were the Dwarves, that number would increase tenfold.
The intelligence of the Dwarves was also rising quickly under Xiao Yu’s modification. Within two hundred years, they were expected to reach the level of the Luka, or at least be close. By that time, the Dwarves would be able to contribute to the advancement of Xiao Yu’s technology.
“I intend to use this opportunity to launch a comprehensive reform of the social structure. In the future, the number of intelligent beings under my command will only continue to grow. Their position within the fleet and the role they can play will only become more prominent. Under such conditions, our current social model is becoming outdated.” Xiao Yu said. “I plan to fully relinquish control over civilian sectors. I’ll gradually withdraw from areas like food and textile production, handing those over to the intelligent beings to manage and control on their own. This will save my computational resources while also creating a large number of employment opportunities. With tasks to do, society will stabilize from the ground up.”
“But one thing must never change, the supremacy of science, and the supremacy of education. I need you to guide public opinion and steer the cultural direction of society.”
After a long discussion, Xiao Yu delivered the meeting’s conclusion.
“I expect all of this to be completed within two hundred years. The social reforms must be fully implemented, the military must be structured and combat-ready. Naturally, I’ll provide full support throughout the process. Hmm… let’s establish a Military Committee, attached to the Social Committee. Luka Two, you will serve as Chairman of the Military Committee.”