Chapter 91: The Invisible War

As the jump engines stabilized, the Seyve Fleet began to appear one by one in the systems near the Skyvault Galaxy.

A navigator from one of the ships came before Sevis, displaying data on a luminous screen, his face bright with excitement. “Commander Sevis, we carried out a preliminary survey of the target galaxy. All of the target systems are actually habitable worlds! We found traces of civilization on every one of them, and there are no remnants of ecological integration technology anywhere!”

“This is practically a treasure trove of a galaxy. No wonder those Earthlings fled this way.”

Sevis glanced at the data on the screen, and a certain light flickered in his eyes as well. Then he gave an order. “Send out the probes, and try to infiltrate their network systems. Gather the data first, then prepare for action.”

“Yes, sir!”

At Sevis’s command, the Seyve Fleet’s probes were launched at once.

Like a flock of invisible ghosts, the probes drifted silently toward the habitable worlds throughout the Skyvault Galaxy.

They were equipped with advanced scanning arrays capable of analyzing a planet’s terrain, climate, resource distribution, and civil activity in meticulous detail.

At the same time, the Seyve civilization’s network specialists also began attempting to penetrate the network system of the Star Origin civilization.

Using highly sophisticated algorithms and artificial intelligence, they tried to break through Earth’s cybersecurity measures in order to obtain more information about Earth’s civilization.

While the Seyve Fleet was busy with its prewar reconnaissance, a tiny metallic sphere probe in the depths of space made an unobtrusive jump away, causing not the slightest ripple.

Yet as the Seyve network specialists continued their attempts to intrude, their expressions grew darker and darker.

The defenses of the Skyvault Galaxy were far more complex than they had expected. Its cybersecurity measures were astonishingly advanced, and their intrusion attempts met repeated setbacks.

What was more, the network system was not only heavily fortified, but also seemed to possess some sort of self-learning, adaptive capability, able to identify and block foreign intrusions almost instantly.

“Commander Sevis, the situation is not good.”

One of the Seyve civilization’s network specialists changed color after detecting the anomaly and hurriedly reported to Sevis, “The other side’s information network is extraordinarily advanced. In some technical respects, it even surpasses our own. They may very well have become a machine-aligned civilization.”

“Earthlings could not possibly possess this sort of technology. It can only be the work of some machine civilization!”

Upon hearing the report, Sevis’s expression turned exceedingly grave. Among all civilizations in the universe, the concept of machine civilizations was common knowledge.

A machine civilization refers to a civilization composed of highly advanced artificial intelligence or mechanical lifeforms. They possess self-awareness, the ability to learn independently, and the power to evolve, and may even surpass the organic civilizations that created them.

Machine civilizations have always been the common enemy of organic life across the universe. If Earth’s civilization had already fallen under the control of a machine civilization, then what they faced would no longer be a low-level cosmic society, but an opponent with potentially limitless promise and unknown capabilities.

Sevis knew full well that confronting a machine civilization could be extremely dangerous, for it might possess technology and strategic capability far beyond the Seyve civilization’s own.

At the same time, the behavioral patterns and decision-making logic of a machine civilization might be entirely unlike those of organic life, making its actions much harder to predict and counter.

“Immediately cease all network intrusion attempts!”

“We cannot risk contacting a galaxy that may already be occupied by machines. We need to reassess the situation and formulate a new strategy.”

Sevis ordered his staff team to convene an emergency meeting, and a cautious action plan was soon set in motion.

...

Azure Star, Wanderer

This place had already become Xu Weiyi’s private research center. Aside from Xu Yiyi and his subordinate units, it was now deserted, inhabited only by cold mechanical bodies at work.

“Mr. Xu, it’s time for lunch.”

“Yiyi, you should know I do not need to eat.”

“Then does Mr. Xu need a nap? I’ve already tidied your sleep pod for you.”

Xu Weiyi turned around helplessly and looked at Xu Yiyi, whose eyes seemed to sparkle like stars. Silently, he canceled his organic simulation program and revealed his mechanical body.

“Yiyi, I really don’t need—”

In the brief pause as Xu Weiyi was speaking, he suddenly received a malicious intrusion signal. At once, he connected his mechanical body to the Star Origin civilization’s network and began searching for the source of the signal.

Xu Yiyi, seeing this, abandoned the playful tone as well. Sitting to one side, he began operating the information network from the outside, assisting Xu Weiyi in deep infiltration.

As Xu Weiyi’s investigation deepened, he discovered that the malicious signal’s complexity far exceeded that of ordinary network attacks. Its encoding method and intrusion logic revealed a high degree of intelligence and adaptability. In other words, some advanced civilization was attempting to infiltrate the Star Origin civilization’s information network.

Data streams flickered in Xu Weiyi’s eyes as he gave calm instructions. “Yiyi, activate our defense protocol. I need you to monitor all network nodes. Report any anomaly to me immediately.”

“Understood, Mr. Xu.”

Xu Yiyi responded at once. With Xu Yiyi’s hands dancing over the keyboard, one command after another was entered into the Star Origin civilization’s network defense system.

“Mr. Xu, the first layer of the defense web has been activated. All unauthorized access attempts have been intercepted.”

“Good. I’ve already locked onto several suspicious signal sources. They seem to be trying to bypass our defenses.”

There was not the slightest fluctuation of emotion in Xu Weiyi’s voice. Within the data network, he moved unhindered; scarcely any intrusion could stop his steps.

“The intrusion has been contained. Now attempt to trace the other party’s location.”

At this point, his consciousness had already plunged into the deeper layers of the network, tracking the source of those malicious signals. On his mechanical body, various indicator lights flashed rapidly, clearly showing that he was performing high-speed data processing.

“Yiyi, notify the High Priest at once, as well as the divine envoy Qushen and the other divine envoys.”

“Understood, Mr. Xu.”

Xu Yiyi immediately sent encrypted information through the Star Origin civilization’s emergency communication channel to Shen Xing and the other divine envoys, reporting the abnormal situation currently unfolding in the network.

Shen Xing merely acknowledged receipt of the matter in brief, while the other divine envoys almost simultaneously began mobilizing the planets under their respective charge into a state of combat readiness.

The instant the message was sent, Xu Weiyi was already attempting to seize the source location of the intrusion signal. Very soon, the position was locked onto a star system one system away from the Skyvault Galaxy.

“Here. Found them.”