Apocalypse Gachapon

Jikesu’s eyes were slightly wider than usual. Clearly, even though he had long known all this, speaking of it again still caused significant emotional fluctuation.

To be honest, Ye Zhongming didn’t quite understand this reaction. Even on Earth, there were powerful lifeforms with unbelievable abilities. Like that Sky Tree in his previous life, that covered an entire city – even level nine lifeforms dared not enter its territory.

Even now, Ye Zhongming still didn’t understand why that tree was so powerful. He could only guess it might have been a top-tier psychic lifeform, but whether that was actually true, he truly didn’t know.

Since they had some understanding, why show such fear? If they couldn’t attack the Slave Race, couldn’t they just stay far away? Let the wheel makers fight them over planet after planet!

Moreover, the spacefaring races clearly could support planets invaded by the Slave Race through various means, greatly increasing their chances of success.

To put it bluntly – just outlast them. Kill all their parasites, eliminate every batch that appears, and eventually starve the Slave Race to death.

In the beginning, perhaps many cosmic years ago, when the Slave Race first appeared, life in the universe might have been helpless against them, watching as they drained planet after planet. But over time, with the appearance of the wheel, this situation should have eased or even improved.

Yet… Ye Zhongming recalled what Jikesu had said earlier – this artificial fortress was called… Survivor No. 5.

An ominous premonition rose in his heart.

The old man had mentioned there were seven such artificial fortresses…

“So all hope can only rest on the wheel.” Jikesu leaned back limply in his chair, turning off the uncomfortable light screen before saying slowly: “The wheel has its rules. What are rules? They’re about finding the Slave Race’s weaknesses and exploiting them – that’s what we call rules.”

“Then what are these rules?” Jikesu said with some sarcasm: “Using special technology to project the will of spacefaring races through spokespeople systems onto the Slave Race’s target planets, allowing earlier preparation. Secretly giving some things to these proxies as rewards. Yet keeping themselves far away, afraid of being discovered and attacked to death by the Slave Race.”

“And then leaving everything to fate.”

Jikesu said this last sentence very gloomily, which Ye Zhongming didn’t quite understand.

“We can know the Slave Race’s path in advance, make preparations early, giving life on target planets time to respond. We can even deliver some things to these target planets. To use a saying from our home planet, we have favorable timing, geographical convenience, and human harmony. So why are you so despondent?”

Jikesu smiled, though it was still a bitter smile, with a trace of relief.

He was pleased that Ye Zhongming had used the word “we.”

“Despondent? If you knew that in all our battles against the Slave Race we’ve never won, only delayed the destruction of target planets, wouldn’t you be despondent?”

“Despondent? If you knew finding proxies and delivering supplies consumes massive energy at great cost, wouldn’t you be despondent?”

“Despondent? If you knew your home planet would eventually be destroyed, no matter how hard you try to stop it, wouldn’t you be despondent?”

Ye Zhongming’s mouth opened slightly, his eyes wide.

It had been a long time since he’d been so shocked. Back in the country, nothing had really been worth such surprise.

Favorable timing, geographical convenience, and human harmony – yet not a single victory?

With spokespeople and supplies delivered, they couldn’t even save one planet?

What kind of nonsense was this?

“I know you can’t understand, but these are the facts.”

Jikesu stood up, signaling Ye Zhongming to follow him.

“Come, I’ll show you the parasites, and then show you what resources the spacefaring races are competing over internally.”

The two reactivated their auxiliary mobility pods and, after entering headquarters, traveled for over ten minutes before reaching a downward passage leading to lower levels.

Originally, Ye Zhongming hadn’t seen any guards in this headquarters. But starting from the entrance of this downward passage all the way to the door of a massive structure, guards wearing masks were everywhere – mostly silver-masked, with gold-masked warriors at key positions.

Finally, Ye Zhongming entered this building and was shocked again.

It was extraordinarily large, completely hollow inside, forming a gigantic space where people appeared minuscule, walking on the ground.

The walls and floor were made of artistically crafted unknown materials, with many operation platforms and rest areas designed throughout.

But what shocked Ye Zhongming most wasn’t these things, impressive as they were, but rather the countless giant bubbles floating in the upper part of the massive space when he looked up.

They weren’t actually bubbles, but Ye Zhongming didn’t know what else to call them.

Through these transparent “bubbles,” Ye Zhongming could see layers of silvery-gray material inside.

“These…”

Jikesu nodded: “These are the Slave Race’s parasites.”

Approaching an operation platform, Jikesu summoned a light screen. While operating it, he said to Ye Zhongming, “Over the years, our Star-Eye Clan has collected over 400 types of Slave Race parasites. For 90% of them, we’ve identified their characteristics – growth methods, life cycles, reproduction rates, combat styles, etc.”

As he spoke, one of the large bubbles slowly descended from above. When it reached near ground level, it gradually moved toward the two of them.

Jikesu had it stop in front of them.

Up close, Ye Zhongming could see more clearly. This bubble wasn’t too large, about the size of a normal computer desk, oval-shaped, containing a layer of silvery-gray metal-like substance inside.

Under Jikesu’s control, the metal inside the bubble slowly opened, revealing a lifeform.

“This is one type of parasite. We call it Rampant Limb.” Jikesu pointed at the lifeform: “Strong, fast, cruel, bloodthirsty, omnivorous, short reproductive cycle – one of the most typical Slave Race parasite types.”

Jikesu then had several more bubbles descend, explaining each parasite’s characteristics to Ye Zhongming one by one, greatly broadening his horizons and opening a door to understanding the Slave Race.

One type Ye Zhongming recognized – those green-skinned monsters. Coincidentally, the Star-Eye Clan called them by nearly the same name.

“The types of parasites are too numerous. Our Star-Eye Clan has only mastered knowledge of a few. Other major clans may know more, but still not all.”

“And these metals encasing them are the resources the spacefaring races compete over – Moonspan Gold!”