Chapter 654: Chapter 474: Panic, Death Warning!

Lu Yuan, noticing that everyone seemed confused, put it more gently: “It’s just friendly sparring, there’s no need to bear any consequences regardless of winning or losing.”

“You all need to understand, our ultimate goal is to explore the Snake-man Palace! How can we not compare the combat strength of our soldiers when drones can easily be interfered with?”

“This reasoning… seems to make sense.” The many diplomats finally agreed.

Lu Yuan gazed at the distant grey sky, sighing inwardly.

He could not tell too many people the secret; he had to muddy the waters as much as possible.

Does [Demon] really exist?

…

For the Lanpeng Civilization, the first exchange of conversations could be described as perfect; everything was within their expectations.

Both sides started with self-introductions, then exchanged their respective literary works and electronic products.

Literary works allow the contemplation of a civilization’s ideology and social development status.

As for electronic products, they reveal even more about the status of technological advancement.

Cultural exchange, after all, should slowly increase mutual understanding. The ice-breaking trip alone would last several months or even half a year–after all, as long as that Snake-man Palace was left untouched, this vast prairie posed no risk, and everyone had plenty of time.

“Human Civilization… Ideal Technology…”

Prince Jin Bote was quite satisfied with the current progress.

He idly toyed with a tablet computer given by the humans.

In terms of computing power, this device was miles behind their products; the gaming graphics weren’t much either, and compared to their holographic image games, it was like a hundred-year-old antique toy.

However, it did use a lot of engraving technology, and it could even interact with one’s own mind – wherever the mind pointed, the screen would automatically respond.

This brainwave interaction feature was very advanced indeed; to realize it with Materialism Technology, it would require considerable expertise in the field of brain implants, such as inventing neural science chips–a product that the Lanpeng Civilization had not yet developed.

Therefore, Idealism does have its unique advantages, requiring less from the industrial chain but more from human resources.

“It seems that Human Civilization’s Idealism Technology truly has its unique aspects.”

“Indeed it does.”

“However, these functions can also be achieved through Materialism Technology. We don’t need to envy them… With just a few hundred more years of development and a large enough population, we can recreate the splendor of our mother civilization!”

This was a massive research institute, where many experts and scholars were studying the trinkets gifted by humans.

Some were excited and agitated, while others were silent.

The Lanpeng Civilization had encountered a formidable rival, one with a completely different technological tree, bringing them an inexplicable sense of loss.

This was normal.

The technology tree that one had researched painstakingly and taken pride in, only to find that the other party also possessed it–and even realized it in a simpler way!

In such a scenario, feelings of vexation mixed with embarrassment are bound to arise, as if the other side had cheated by taking a shortcut to achieve good results.

Of course, the vast majority were able to control their emotions; after all, they were the elite of the entire Lanpeng Civilization, with everything centered on the interest of the civilization!

Even learning from the other party, drawing on their strengths to offset weaknesses, could be possible, right?

“Your Highness, this book describes a certain fantasy humans have about cosmic civilizations; they regard the universe as a Dark Forest.”

“Yet, it also contains long passages praising love and extolling the Holy Mother, along with a fair amount of criticism towards the Human Government, indicating substantial civil-official conflicts and that their ideology is subordinate to economic conditions.” Prince Jin Bote’s important staff member, White Eagle, had skimmed through a novel called “Three-Body” in just tens of minutes.

“As for this ‘Eternal Donkey’ book, it’s nothing special… It’s all about fantasies of alien civilizations; I think it’s worthless.”

This young staff member is too smart, proficient in quantum reading.

Born a commoner, with a clean identity, unentangled in complex interests.

What’s more crucial is that he’s powerful!

He is already a Level Four Warrior without needing too many resources, which speaks volumes about his Superior qualities.

Level Four, that is currently the highest level in Lanpeng Civilization, and as for advancement to Extraordinary Level, naturally, the information was found in the relics of the past.

Even more, White Eagle possesses a Divine Skill called “Bullet Time”!

This ability is incredibly strong, able to amplify his own perception of time, useful in learning, working, fighting. His social skills are also exceptionally sharp. Over the past few years, he has resolved several political adversaries.

Even someone as suspicious and temperamental as Jin Bote couldn’t help but develop a fondness for talent, gaining a trace of trust for him.

“Oh? So what is your conclusion?”

“It means that their ideology might be similar to that of the Qiaxi Clan…”

“I’m more than 95% certain, they are another Qiaxi Clan!” White Eagle concluded decisively.

“The Qiaxi Clan” was a neighbor during the interstellar era, with whom there was considerable electromagnetic wave communication–ideologically peculiar, with a mix of Holy Mothers, environmentalists, animal lovers, and warmongers all on one planet.

Such civilizations are actually the majority in the universe; their ideologies depend on the economic situation–peaceful during good economic times, internal chaos during bad ones, or they export conflicts and even wage external wars when things go south.

In contrast, the ideology of the Lanpeng Clan is relatively stable. As long as the noble class’s blood is superior, society will not collapse; the commoners, realizing their place, can endure a lot.

Once the nobility’s bloodline is no longer superior, that’s when contradictions arise.

“I see. I think I understand how to deal with humans now. In general, the likelihood of war-mongers is low and their demand for benefits is high, is that right?” Jin Bote pretended to be excited, and slapped the table.

“Indeed so, Your Highness!” White Eagle agreed.

“Very good, continue to find more clues then.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

Jin Bote turned his head, picked up a cup and took a sip of the drink, his heart pounding “thump thump” violently!

A strange occurrence happened once again, that feeling of impending doom grew even closer, as if strangling his throat!

That “premonition” ability actually began to activate passively!

In the depths of his mind, bizarre imagery emerged: he found himself thrown into an inexplicable place, dark and gloomy, submerged by a sticky liquid all over his body.

He felt the cold, the pain, the despair, the wailing…

Skin, flesh, and even soul were dissolving rapidly!

What kind of situation was this… The world was reduced to a dim, murky darkness, Prince Jin Bote was utterly unable to comprehend that abyssal despair, without a chance to resist…