(By the way, on the Empire forum, you can click on ads there to support the forum maintenance staff.) In the vast hexagonal hall, as spacious as an indoor sports arena, there was nothing, not even a table or a lamp, clean as if it were a bare metal box. We wandered in this empty space for a while, still unable to figure out what the so-called council was about. Just as I was wondering whether they planned to leave us here and disappear, the space around us suddenly changed. The originally bright indoor lighting dimmed in an instant, as if the voltage was insufficient, causing the light to turn yellow. At the same time, countless white dots of light appeared in the air around us, flickering like fireflies, joyfully dancing in the air and quickly converging towards the center of the room. Within seconds, these lights coalesced into a humanoid form entirely composed of energy. It was a young woman who appeared to be in her twenties, with a slightly regal and noble expression. She wore a white robe with patterns, resembling a religious outfit (naturally only white, as she was formed entirely from white light, only the lines of light and shadow distinguishing her outline). On her head was a complex crown, and she tightly held a scepter as tall as a person. From the moment she appeared, her gaze was fixed on me and Sandora. It wasn’t until the white points of light fully formed her details that she made a different move: she raised her scepter and cautiously stepped back— I can swear, her expression barely changed, as if this move was an instinct every creature should have. "Uh, so you must be the representative of the council." I noticed the atmosphere between us had shifted to one of mutual confrontation and deep wariness, so I intended to speak up to ease the tension. However, the white light-formed young woman gently shook her head before I could finish my sentence, responding with a peculiar voice layered with multiple effects: "No, I am the council." ...I found this situation incredibly strange, definitely worthy of being listed among the recent top bizarre happenings. The tall female officer who led us here mentioned we would meet the council, and I expected to see a group of gentlemen and ladies seated on high-backed chairs, maybe even a white-robed elder holding a little gavel. At the very least, there should be a roomful of people, right? Yet she hadn’t deceived us, for she did indeed bring us to meet someone named the council... "You are contemplating, hesitating, and wavering," the young woman who called herself the council frowned in confusion. "You are an Empire person but somewhat strange. You declared you would not attack our spaceships, which confounds the council as your behavior is not what we associate with the Empire. There are numerous anomalies. Are you here to kill us all? Or do you intend to start another game?" "Wait, why talk about killing right from the start," I quickly waved my hand, "Listen, we are different from those Fallen Apostles. We are the New Empire... uh, this is a long story that might be tough to explain briefly. Anyway, you can confirm that the Imperial Ships outside your fleet pose no threat. Also, regarding our identities and the transparency required between us, we can discuss that slowly now... Uh, by the way, your name is quite unique." I’m still curious about her name, worthy of being an alien from a ghost ship, even bearing the surname "Council"... "Name?" The other party looked puzzled once more, "You speak a lot, using many vague terms. You are not quite like an Empire person. I have no name; I am the council. Council is not a name; it is an identity." I was utterly bewildered, and Sandora, seeing my predicament, gently nudged my arm—perhaps she couldn’t stand me prattling on here anymore: "Ah Jun, she is a spiritual integration." "Spiritual integration?" I softly asked, a bit confused. "Similar to a Great Governor, a PL-15 life form," Sandora whispered, "I detected a lot of chaotic mental feedback around her, making it seem as if thousands of people were standing opposite us. This is a phenomenon formed by the fusion of many souls, perhaps she is a new consciousness born from the melding of multiple wills, with the new consciousness as the leader and other souls serving as a database or memory repository... That’s what my mental scanning results suggest." Understanding dawned on me, and I quickly visualized the woman in front of me who called herself council as a female version of a Great Governor, making it much easier to comprehend. "Empire person, you just probed my spiritual world," at this moment, the "council" suddenly looked up at Sandora and said. Her words were supposed to be a question, yet her tone was calm as if stating a fact, as though she believed Sandora doing so was a logical act for an Empire person, "What did you find?" "Your spirit... no, you yourself should be formed from countless fused souls, correct?" Sandora appeared slightly surprised that the other could be aware of her mental exploration, but she didn’t show it, calmly offering her conclusion instead. "Correct, I am the council, the Yunade Council. I am 23,500 Yunadeans." "Yunadeans?" I unintentionally repeated this somewhat familiar term, then suddenly recalled it had recently been mentioned by that young soldier named "Jin." Realization struck me, "Ah, I understand now, you are..." "Yunade High Race, surviving 23,500 after your massacre. We fled our home universe aboard the last void-drifting ship of our homeworld, sacrificing our bodies using the Yunade High Race’s special talent to ensure continuity. The survivors relinquished self-will to merge into one, becoming the race’s final council. I... we managed to survive in the void environment even after the energy on the void-drifting ship was exhausted until joining this exile fleet. This is the council’s history. To avoid unnecessary complications, the council deemed it essential to explain these matters to you. Now, regarding the mentioned topic, the council feels it necessary to reconfirm one thing with you—are the Empire people ready to massacre us again? If so, when does the slaughter begin?" We couldn’t help but exchange glances; we were now faced with a tricky problem: the other party clearly believed the appearance of the Imperial Fleet before them was to continue the pursuit and, based on that, all of our actions were preparations preceding a massacre. They didn’t know that the New Empire and the Fallen Apostles were entirely separate entities, nor were they judging targets based on the "Infection Abyss." "We’ve said it, the Imperial Army holds no hostility. We’re not the same as those Fallen Apostles hunting you," I scratched my head and added, "So, do you believe us?" "Evidence is zero," the council shook its head as expected, "There isn’t any substantial proof." Google seaʀᴄh novel•fire.net "Haven’t you noticed we’re not influenced by the Abyss?" Qianqian jumped up face-to-face with her, reckoning it might be fun to speak , but it frightened the council into retreating several steps: "Being unaffected by the Abyss only proves your life forms are normal; it can’t verify your behavioral tendencies. After the catastrophe, all records regarding the Xyrin Empire have been reset. The council cannot verify the truth of anything you claim, nor do we know the motivations of your actions. Besides, you’re not entirely free of Abyss reactions; she has a marked Abyss Power." While saying this, the council pointed towards Sandora, and a massive holographic projection appeared behind her, showcasing the Imperial Fleet stationed outside the ghost fleet. "In your fleet, there are units with Abyss reactions. Some ships are identical to the Imperial Battleships that once attacked our homeland..." She referred to Visca’s specialized warships. Visca had modified her ships using her controllable Abyss Power, allowing the mass production of controlled Abyss Battleships due to the self-replicating nature of this power. Now, these mass-produced elite ships were evidently mistaken by the ghost fleet as those that had once destroyed their homeland. But even if they weren’t there, the "Imperial Fleet" would still remain the core issue: In the council’s eyes, the Imperial Fleet was the executioner, indistinguishable and relentless. Sandora sighed, knowing that relying on language and weak evidence could not prove anything now. The integration formed by tens of thousands of souls had had an almost unchangeable impression on the Empire since the destruction of their homeland, and we clearly did not have enough substantial evidence to overturn their thoughts. "So why did you let us in?" Sandora looked at the other’s glasses, "I used my spirit to communicate with you, only to get an affirmative answer, but you didn’t explain. I thought you could distinguish between the Fallen Apostle and the Imperial Army." "The Council doesn’t know what the Fallen Apostle is, nor what the New Empire is, but your behavior is indeed unusual. Allowing you to enter was merely out of curiosity—also, based on the energy scan of you, the Council concluded that no resistance methods could stop you from entering the fortress core. To avoid premature casualties, we allowed you to enter." After all this time, that’s how it is. Sandora’s face clearly showed a bit of displeasure: "Alright, since you persist in identifying the Imperial Army as coming to wipe you out, and insisting that we few are here to entertain you, what do you plan to do next? If we really launch an attack, are you planning to arrange a counterattack right in front of me?" "Yes, the Exile Fleet has prepared all self-destruct commands, there’s no need to hide it. I believe everything is exposed in your sight. The Exile Fleet will engage in a direct battle with the Imperial Army. There’s no opportunity and necessity for planning; we will self-destruct before being entirely destroyed. If the whole Exile Fleet self-destructs at once, you will suffer significant damage." We were all simultaneously stunned: What kind of gutsy statement is this! Big Sister couldn’t help but laugh quietly. She looked at the Council with a strange expression, as if she had a thousand words of ridicule and didn’t know where to start, only mumbling a sentence: "What’s the point? These civilian ships and a few warships can’t beat our regular army, and the Imperial Army hasn’t even fired a shot yet. Why don’t you believe that we truly won’t harm you?" "It doesn’t matter," the Council was calm and indifferent, "Your actions have nothing to do with us, our counterattack has nothing to do with you." I realized that the person in front of me might be the most gutsy person I have ever seen, her style likely fits well with Bingdisi. The situation now is really quite bizarre. Look, the Imperial Fleet is stationed at the outer layer of the Ghost Fleet, in a posture of swarming over the enemy, while the Ghost Fleet, silently arrayed tightly before us, each ship has removed the safety valve from its reactor. The crew of the latter firmly believes a decisive battle is imminent. Yet the leaders of the two fleets are now standing face to face chatting in this hall. We believe ourselves to be coming in goodwill, while the other side firmly believes the Imperial Army is crazy. I feel that the current state is certainly not a combat state, but it’s hardly peaceful either. The most frankly absurd fire line crisis in history might be one : one side is merely passing by, while the other is strapping explosives, and meanwhile, both leaders are still chatting! "Have the fleet withdraw, leave the Ghost Fleet’s space region." I suddenly sighed and used the Spiritual Link to give Sivis a direct command. From the command chain came the surprised communication from the fleet commanders. Though this order was executed perfectly, Sivis couldn’t help but confirm with us once again, then Sandora and I together repeated the order: The Imperial Fleet is to retreat into the Void, completely out of sight from the Ghost Fleet. While on the surface this seems a bit risky, after the Imperial Fleet withdrew, only a few of us were left here, possibly including the small squad of Heroic Combat Soldiers led by Vega. Yet outside, there were tens of millions of Ghost Fleet ships, which weren’t just cannon fodder of ordinary civilizations we encountered before. Even if they can’t match the Imperial Battleships, such large numbers, if they really pounce to cause trouble, even our family might not be spared. But with Lin Xue’s prophecy, I believe there shouldn’t be any incident. These refugees, although determined to perish with the Imperial Fleet, lack the will for proactive attack. It’s a typical psychological state of refugees: When pushed to extremity, they might fight desperately, but if there’s a glimpse of hope, they won’t put their group at fatal risk. Moreover, the most important fact is that if the situation gets wrong, we’re not too hard to evacuate. Though we might not be able to handle such a huge Ghost Fleet, complete annihilation of the enemy and a safe retreat are two utterly different concepts. Worst comes to worst, I have Dingdang in my pocket, which pretty much serves as a Resurrection Coin storage... "We’ve expressed our sincerity," I shrugged at the "Council", "Of course, you may also think the Imperial Army is numbing you, gearing up for a destructive attack later. I know you’ll definitely imagine the worst possible scenarios; fleeing for so many years, a lack of insight may have indeed fostered nerves that are overly vigilant, but we’ve at least expressed our sincerity. Can’t you answer a few questions now?" The sudden full withdrawal of the Imperial Army clearly surprised the "Council" as well. I couldn’t see traces of her communicating with the outside, nor do I know what reaction the Ghost Fleet has now. But evidently, she could instantly learn the outside situation. A few minutes later, she nodded: "The Imperial Army Fleet has returned to the Void. You are... really strange." "Of course, we’re strange. We’ve said many times that the New Empire and the Fallen Apostle are two different concepts," Sandora muttered while covering her forehead. "Alright, do you have any means of directly reading a large amount of information? I want to send you some data. It’s hard to explain verbally; your Spirit Barrier seems to forbid connection." The "Council" nodded, and a universal data platform rose from the ground in front of her which looked very similar to the model used on Imperial Starships. She informed us that she could read data terminals of Imperial standard, but the decoding table was somewhat outdated, still adhering to the Old Empire Era’s rules. So Sandora spent a minute upgrading the "Council"’s decoder, and I suddenly felt scene resembled when I upgraded my Storm Player software... While Sandora was exchanging data with the Council, I contacted Vega and her team, who were waiting on the "back" of the metal sky several kilometers high, knowing they had already assembled with several other reconnaissance teams, currently stationed in a large metal cavity. So far, they hadn’t encountered any other guards of the Planet Fortress, but Vega reported having noticed several times obscure scanning feedback waves, clearly not just a group of Starship Soldiers was staying near them. However, unlike the two reckless soldiers we had encountered, the Starship Soldiers Vega encountered dared not act rashly, possibly due to receiving a strict order from their superiors. After all, the energy reactions on us few had enough to signify top-level Xyrin Apostles’ identities. Now with a vast cluster of forces capable of destroying heavens and earth residing in their HQ, I believe under such circumstances, any officer with an IQ higher than a table wouldn’t dare let their subordinates open fire provocatively. Hence, the two groups awkwardly confronted each other, both knowing each other’s existence clearly, but pretending not to notice the opposing party. Vega expressed in the Spiritual Link her feeling that the situation was terrible, evidently showing how Armored Scorpion’s nerve constitution wasn’t particularly suitable for such missions requiring calmness and endurance. Raven 001 subtly conveyed her hope to me to have a fight with Vega: Scorpion Sister struggled under pressure by honing her blade on her shell, finding it drivingly frustrating... I think it’s a huge mistake to have these two treasure players executing a mission together while leaving the only possible mediator, Ola, on the ground. A few minutes later, Sandora and the "Council" completed the data exchange, the data exchanged I was aware of—the process of Old Empire’s fall and detailed information about the New Empire. Including our identities, of course. "This is surprising intelligence, I find it hard to believe," the glow on the "Council" flickered erratically, the little Qijing playing nearby immediately stopped and flashed along with her frequency, "Emperor, highest leader of the Xyrin Empire, we cannot ascertain a place an Imperial person occupies within your entire governing system, but any Xyrin Apostle could never falsify such a topic, so your identity need not be doubted, which makes your words highly credible. It’s perplexing to me that so many advanced leaders of the Empire come here—if your information is entirely accurate, then the New Empire should be in the critical phase of revival now. Xyrin Apostles wouldn’t waste time. According to the recorded rules of the Imperial Army’s actions, you would strike entirely to destroy those who had contacted your territory, the ’Ghost Fleet’, to improve efficiency, rather than spend time here where the highest leader meets me personally." I was left speechless looking at Sandora, who awkwardly smiled and nodded slightly. Alright, it seems that in the Old Empire Era, Sandora would have really made that decision: no matter who was opposite, confirming they already threatened the Empire’s rule, she’d directly swept through them first. In this respect, the "Council" before me understood the Empire better than I did; indeed worthy of a survivor struck hard by the Empire. "You don’t know enough about the New Empire, thus coming to such judgment," Big Sister warmly smiled, "I believe now Xyrin Apostles have realized there’s actually another effective method to quickly revive the Empire: friends—now you’ve comprehensively understood our origins and the history of both New and Old Empire, after the fall of the Old Empire, all Xyrin Apostles of the New Empire went into deep standby. The ones who attacked your homeland were actually Abyss Army. Now as an exchange, can you tell us your past?" (To be continued. If you work, you’re welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)