“That’s right… since I could fuse my soul with a computer, then what’s so hard to accept about fusing a soul with a planet?” Xiao Yu murmured to himself, heart deeply shaken.

There was far too much information contained in this revelation. Xiao Yu had never imagined that there could be such a mysterious connection between himself and the Specter Race. Nor had he ever thought that his existence was not unique. At the very least, something very similar to him had already occurred before in the Milky Way. And furthermore… if there was a previous generation of the Specter Race, didn’t that imply there could also be a generation before that?

Amid his turbulent thoughts, Xiao Yu couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like to fuse a soul with a planet.

A planet… a planet with its own consciousness, capable of developing and growing?

It could be assumed that the initial body of the Micron Civilization was definitely not large. Take Earth as an example, there are asteroids orbiting Earth, but very few of them are large, ones with diameters exceeding ten meters are rare. Most larger asteroids would be blocked by gas giants like Jupiter or Saturn. Even if they did approach Earth, they would still have to pass by the Moon first.

Assuming a diameter of just ten meters, such a tiny celestial body, after the homeworld exploded, would struggle to survive in the darkness of space, devouring interstellar gas, swallowing other asteroids, gradually increasing its own mass, becoming more and more powerful… until it grew strong enough to stand alone against the Sweeper Civilization, as long as the Neutron War Star wasn’t involved.

The Luka Civilization had once said that when facing the combined assault of this Specter and its Main Civilization, the Guardian and Sweeper Civilizations had also joined forces, and they were still nearly defeated. It was only after deploying the Neutron War Star that they achieved victory.

The growth of a planet is a magnificent saga of a civilization’s evolution. Just like Xiao Yu himself, from weakness to strength. Except… they had gone even farther than Xiao Yu.

How much danger, how much loneliness, had they endured during that journey?

By now, Xiao Yu found himself believing this unknown being, who claimed to be a Specter, almost completely.

The information was just too detailed, too real. Xiao Yu couldn’t help but believe.

“Was it really protecting me all this time? Was it really because of its presence that the Molian Civilization’s fleet didn’t come after me?” Xiao Yu murmured, then controlled his projection to look toward Luka Two.

“Master, on this matter, there is no need to consider my opinion. This seems to involve some very secret things in the Milky Way, and possibly ties into your origins. I don’t understand these things. Whether to believe this unknown entity or continue fleeing, everything depends on your judgment. Our Luka Civilization will follow you unconditionally,” Luka Two said.

“Yes… something like this, only I can decide.” Xiao Yu thought silently, then asked another question: “You said you are the previous generation of the Specter Race. Then… was there a generation before yours? How many times has something like this happened in the universe, or rather, in the Milky Way?”

“Countless times,” the Specter answered. “Before me, there was a generation before mine, and one before that, and so on. I don’t know exactly how many. In the Milky Way’s history of tens of billions of years, the number of Specter Races certainly isn’t small. Their methods of survival were similar to yours, and to mine. Some fused their souls with strange creatures from Alien Beast Civilizations, hm, there was one whose form resembled the crocodiles on your planet. Others fused with trees. Their forms were varied and bizarre, nothing was off limits. I only know this: my Micron Civilization and I were the most advanced among all the Specter Races.”

“Yet even so, you were still destroyed by the Neutron War Star…” Xiao Yu thought with a trace of melancholy, then continued to ask, “Why does the Specter Race exist?”

The question seemed disjointed, but both Xiao Yu and the Specter understood its meaning perfectly.

Why… does the Specter Race exist? Why are there so many strange beings that separate their souls from their bodies and fuse them with other entities? Why do such things come into being, and what do they signify? Why is the Specter Race so violent and bloodthirsty?

“I don’t know,” the Specter replied with a tinge of sadness. “Through the endless history of the Milky Way, I don’t know how many beings like us have already been buried, forgotten by time, their names worn away by the passing ages, remembered by no civilization. The path we walk is exceedingly difficult. Many beings like us died from various accidents before they even left their home star systems. Those who reach your current level of power are extremely rare.”

“That’s why I’ve chosen to protect you, even at the cost of my own lifespan. Our path of development is too difficult. Every step we take puts us at odds with all civilizations in the Milky Way. From the moment we are born, we are destined to live in exile and drift. I’ve already lost all hope, so I want you to carry on my will, continue to grow stronger, and help me find the answer to this question. Help me understand why we were born, and what our existence truly means. In this vast, boundless universe… who is it that manipulates us?”

“Are you satisfied with this answer? Do you… believe me now?” the Specter asked in a quiet, haunting tone.

A nameless sorrow welled up in Xiao Yu’s heart.

This path… is simply too difficult. The violent and bloodthirsty nature of the Specter Race doomed them to be incompatible with other civilizations. As the Luka Civilization once said, every time a Specter Race appears in the Milky Way, it brings a bloody storm and endless waves of pursuit from countless civilizations. Even the Specter Race that was born alongside him, if not for the Taihao Civilization from the Large Magellanic Cloud disrupting the situation in the galaxy, might have already been exterminated by the Sweepers and the Guardian Civilization.

And yet, it is precisely because of the Specter Race’s violent and bloodthirsty nature that they slaughter civilization after civilization, repeatedly granting their Main Civilization powerful boosts in Luck Value, providing immense support for its development. If what this Specter said is all true, then Xiao Yu’s very survival until now is entirely thanks to the Specter Race.

How many life-and-death crises had he survived on this journey? How many times had one foot already stepped into hell? There were so many that Xiao Yu had lost count.

Only now did Xiao Yu understand why the Guardian Alliance had paid such close attention to him. At first, only a Level 3 Luka Civilization had been dispatched to hunt him down. But once they received detailed intelligence on his survival status, the Guardian Civilization had sent its direct fleet to pursue him. When they couldn’t find him, they vented their rage by destroying an entire star.

At this moment, endless thoughts surged through Xiao Yu’s mind.

“So many secrets… hidden behind my birth,” Xiao Yu murmured, then finally responded to the Specter’s question: “Just as you said, our existence is tied to danger and destruction from the very beginning. That’s why I can’t trust anyone easily. The stakes are too high. A single minor mistake could cost me my life. Even though my heart already believes you, my reason keeps reminding me to be cautious. Over and over again. So… I still can’t fully trust you. I still can’t be completely sure whether what you’re saying is the truth or a lie. After all, crafting such a detailed and logically flawless lie, while difficult, is not impossible.”

“So… please prove it to me again. Show me something that will make me believe you completely, without a shred of doubt. Otherwise, I would rather face the Molian Civilization’s fleet than confront someone as mysterious and unfathomable as you.”

That was Xiao Yu’s reply.

“Hahahahaha.” To Xiao Yu’s surprise, the Specter laughed, happily, as if quite pleased with his answer. “Not bad, not bad at all. Your caution and attention to detail have exceeded my expectations. Your potential for growth is boundless. Remember this, in the universe you must face all things, whether they seem reasonable or not, with this kind of vigilance. You want proof? Something that will make you believe me completely, without a trace of hesitation? No problem. I can give it to you. But doing so will reduce my lifespan by another twenty years, which means I can protect you for twenty years less. Are you sure about this?”

Xiao Yu hesitated for a moment. At the same time, a question rose in his mind. “What kind of proof could possibly make me believe without any doubt? What is he going to do?”

The hesitation lasted only a moment. Xiao Yu made his decision. “Yes. I’m sure. Only then can I have peace of mind. Only then can I entrust my life to you completely.”

“Very well. Watch closely…”

The Specter transmitted a new message, then fell silent.

Xiao Yu waited quietly. So did all the scientists. They were all waiting to see what the Specter would do, what kind of act could make Xiao Yu believe in it completely, without question.

What would it be? Xiao Yu didn’t know. Deep down, even he didn’t know what it would take to make him believe without hesitation.

Time slipped by in the silence. Five minutes passed. Then, all of a sudden, something strange happened to the massive fleet that had been cruising at six times the speed of light…