The news reached Zhong Yun, and one saying suddenly surfaced in his mind: what must divide must unite.

The expansion of humanity is endless; they conquered the land, they conquered the seas, they conquered the sky, and now, they were preparing to conquer the entire universe.

Before, Zhong Yun had no channels for information and was unaware of what was happening, seeing only higher civilizations incessantly eradicating intermediate and lower ones, as if injected with adrenaline.

It was only after meeting Hong Yuting that he understood the reason.

Just a few years ago, three Arbitration States of the Grand Universe Federation simultaneously broke the shackles of several millennia, advancing to the Fifth Stage of a Higher Civilization.

This was profoundly shocking news for the civilized universe. The balance of power, established over thousands of years, had been shattered, sending immense tremors throughout the civilized cosmos.

Soon after, the remaining ten Arbitration States reacted, retracting their deployed forces from various star sectors and adopting a defensive posture.

The ten Arbitration States were each worried about their own survival, leaving them no time to maintain order in the civilized universe. To counterbalance the three newly minted top-tier powers, the ten nations formed a defensive and offensive alliance.

And the Grand Universe Federation, the supposed guarantor of cosmic order, consequently disintegrated.

The "Hunting Operation"—that infamous action that shattered universal order and plunged the civilized universe into an unprecedented dark age—was spearheaded by none other than the brilliant monarch of the Andu Empire.

In an instant, all higher civilizations began to emulate this trend, frantically plundering every resource and utterly devastating weak, newly emerging civilizations.

Within just a few years, the entire universe was dragged into the abyss of war. Now, the higher civilizations themselves had finally ignited the flames of conflict, signaling the imminent arrival of a dark, chaotic era for the civilized universe.

"Why did the Red Feather Federation fall so quickly?" Hong Yuting was perplexed. The Red Feather Federation's leadership wasn't foolish; in the current climate, they surely would have heavily garrisoned their core planets. Their strengths were comparable, so even a surprise attack by the Nuotan Empire shouldn't have yielded such spectacular results.

"There's nothing strange about it," Zhong Yun said calmly, lifting his teacup, blowing gently on the surface, and draining it in one gulp.

Hong Yuting's eyes brightened, and he pressed, "Brother Yun knows the reason?"

Zhong Yun didn't play coy. "Either the Red Feather Federation has an internal traitor..."

Hong Yuting nodded inwardly. He had considered the possibility of spies, but such a grand maneuver—bribing key military officers across fifteen planets—was terrifyingly ambitious. Moreover, many critical positions within those armies were filled by members of powerful aristocratic families. If these families defected, it would be an absolute disaster for any nation.

"What else?"

"Or, the Nuotan Empire has somehow discovered many of the Red Feather Federation's secret teleportation points," Zhong Yun said lightly, though this suggestion made cold sweat bead on Hong Yuting's forehead.

Historically, there were numerous examples of defeat due to an enemy gaining control of secret jump gates. However, mapping those hidden locations was a grueling, time-consuming task. The territory of a Higher Civilization nation was unimaginably vast; a single teleportation point wasn't just a needle in a haystack—it was like trying to locate a single-celled organism in the ocean. To find one, even with tens of thousands of years of continuous effort, required a substantial stroke of luck.

The historical method for discovering these hidden gates relied on star charts passed down from ancient times. Most of the known ancient star charts currently in circulation were sourced from the "Golden Ruins."

Hong Yuting hadn't considered this avenue simply because the Andu Empire hadn't engaged in large-scale warfare for a long time, and his own expertise lay elsewhere. Nonetheless, he understood the dire consequences should the Nuotan Empire seize control of the Red Feather Federation's secret teleportation network.

The Red Feather Federation was in grave danger.

"Then what do we do?" Hong Yuting grew restless when considering their own predicament.

"What else can we do? Wait," Zhong Yun replied, seeming entirely detached, his demeanor unchangingly placid.

Seeing his complete lack of anxiety, Hong Yuting felt a measure of admiration. If the Red Feather Federation refused to let them leave, they might well perish along with it. During wartime, no one cared about one's origin; anyone perceived as a threat would be eliminated. The fate of the Andu Empire's Princess G'an, captured by Zhong Yun in the Hongxianfa Federation, served as a stark reminder.

Upon learning of the war between the Nuotan Empire and the Red Feather Federation, the members of the Andu Empire grew deeply worried. A conflict involving a nation of such size would normally drag on for decades, even a century. If the Red Feather Federation insisted on keeping them confined, would they be stuck there for generations? For the younger generation with aspirations for leadership within their families—like Gu Yue, Lan Ling, and Hong Yuting—this prospect was utterly unacceptable.

Led by Qin Lianbai, a few individuals began networking within the Red Feather Federation, attempting to pull strings to secure their departure. Among the Andu delegation, perhaps no one harbored deeper resentment than Qin Liuxing; the Red Feather Federation was responsible for his sister's suicide, and to him, the more Red Feather citizens who perished, the better.

Currently, the body of the second Miss Qin was preserved in a crystal coffin, a vessel identical to the one Zhong Yun had used for Yu Daoqing.

Zhong Yun remained mostly secluded with Qin Liuxing in the room where the coffin was kept, rarely venturing out. However, Hong Yuting brought new information daily.

Qin Lianbai and his group's efforts proved fruitless, likely because the war effort had become so desperate that wartime protocols were strictly enforced. Officials from the Red Feather Federation revealed that both the Freedom and the Fairness had been requisitioned by the military, indicating the ferocity of the fighting.

Based on the battle reports they received, the Red Feather Federation's fleet was retreating consistently. In just ten days, the Nuotan Duchy's warships had pushed to the second defensive line. Once that line was breached, they could carve out a significant portion of the Red Feather Federation; nearly one-fifth of its territory faced imminent collapse.

This outcome astonished everyone. The Nuotan Empire's military capability was proving far greater than anticipated, hammering the evenly matched Red Feather Federation into near helplessness. While the initial surprise attack might explain the beginning, the subsequent fighting was a direct war of attrition, yet the Red Feather Federation showed no capacity to counterattack effectively.

Although the scenario Zhong Yun predicted—Nuotan forces emerging from hidden jump points within the Red Feather Federation to wreak havoc—had not materialized, the combat prowess displayed by the Nuotan army suggested that conquering the Red Feather Federation was merely a matter of time.

Still, even a broken ship retains some structural integrity. Zhong Yun trusted that the Red Feather Federation, as a Phase Two Higher Civilization, must possess some hidden reserves. In a final, desperate counterattack, the Nuotan Duchy might yet pay a heavy price.

As the war continued, the Red Feather Federation's war machine began operating at full capacity. The group from the Andu Empire was largely forgotten; the Federation simply lacked the energy to monitor them closely. Beyond ensuring basic living supplies were delivered, the officials assigned to them grew fewer and fewer, eventually dwindling down to just two low-ranking officers.

This lack of oversight inadvertently granted the Andu delegation much greater freedom; they could leave their quarters without being followed.

Despite being in a state of war, daily life on the capital planet hadn't been significantly impacted. Once a civilization reached the higher tiers, even devastating wars rarely necessitated belt-tightening, especially in prosperous locales like the capital. Aside from ubiquitous war propaganda plastered everywhere, commerce continued as usual, and couples were still falling in love.

The Andu delegation gained a real glimpse into the life of the Red Feather Federation. Despite their advanced technology, one rarely saw towering superstructures here. If not for the countless flying vehicles crisscrossing the sky, one might mistake the cityscape for that of a lower-tier civilization. One shouldn't assume that Higher Civilizations are filled with ultra-futuristic metal architecture; conversely, this environment was remarkably organic. Aside from necessary ornamentation, metallic components were scarce. The guiding philosophy of life in a Higher Civilization was 'naturalness'—maintaining the natural landscape as much as possible—lending the environment an almost primeval feel, an echo of returning to simplicity.

The only clear indication that they were in a Higher Civilization was the omnipresent Virtual Network, woven into every corner of the planet. No matter where one stood, a simple vocal command could summon the network, allowing for any operation or fulfillment of any desire, even generating a virtual companion for a stroll.

Walking through the streets, Zhong Yun felt an inexplicable chill, recalling the Earth film The Matrix. The environment around him was startlingly similar to the construct. The key difference was that the people here were real, and they understood the distinction between what was virtual and what was actual.

Hong Yuting and the others were accustomed to such systems, though the Andu Empire lacked the capability to generate virtual objects anywhere.

Zhong Yun quickly finished his brief tour and returned. His primary goal had been to witness the social structure of a Higher Civilization, which had indeed broadened his horizons. However, he had no inclination for sightseeing now; for some reason, he harbored a persistent feeling of impending doom. Since his significant advancement in strength, his intuition had become exceptionally sharp.

He dared not disregard his premonition. Prudence was paramount; he needed to prepare thoroughly to have countermeasures ready should an extremely dangerous situation arise.

Currently, his fate was tied to Hong Yuting’s. He found an opportunity to caution Hong Yuting, suggesting that changes might occur within the Red Feather Federation and urging caution. Hong Yuting, by nature a cautious man, noted the noncommittal yet extremely serious tone of Zhong Yun's warning. Knowing that Yun Zhongyu never spoke without cause, he immediately became vigilant and also warned an elder of the Hong family who had accompanied Zhong Yun.

First publication