Liu Hui’s heart immediately jumped when he heard Alexander say there was trouble on his end, but he quickly soothed him, “My dear Alexander, don’t panic yet. Tell me slowly what exactly happened over there.”

Alexander initially appeared quite frantic, but upon seeing Liu Hui, he seemed to find his anchor, gradually calming down to say, “Respected Teacher, the Guardian Army of our Church of Light engaged in a fierce armed conflict with the regular forces of the Elven Principalities beyond the mountains while occupying a large human settlement.”

Liu Hui felt a surge of tension and quickly inquired, “What exactly happened? Who won between you? And what were the subsequent developments?”

Alexander replied, “Our Guardian Army was in the process of taking over a large human settlement when we ran right into the regular forces of the Elven Principalities beyond the mountains. These Elven troops were also there to execute a mission at this human settlement. Upon encountering our army, they immediately became entrenched and unwilling to yield; things escalated rapidly, and a fight broke out. In the end, we annihilated the majority of the Elven Principalities’ regular forces, including their commanding General, who was killed by our men in the battle.”

Liu Hui asked, somewhat perplexed, “This was merely an unexpected skirmish between your two sides, and moreover, you were victorious in the end. Why then are you acting so distressed?”

Alexander gave a wry smile and explained, “If this were just an ordinary war, it wouldn't matter much. But the crux of the issue lies with the commanding General of that Elven army. That General was the Prince of the Elven Principality he belonged to, the direct heir to their throne, who would one day inherit the crown. Our forces were unaware of this situation at the time, which is why we killed that Prince during the engagement. Furthermore, when the Elven army routed, our troops did not pursue the fleeing Elven soldiers, allowing quite a few of them to escape. We only later discovered the gravity of our blunder through interrogating the Elven soldiers we captured—we had mistakenly killed their Prince. By that time, the fleeing Elven soldiers had long since vanished without a trace, impossible to chase down now. They will certainly carry the news of their Prince being killed by us back to the Elven Kingdom. The assassination of an Elven Prince by our hand is a major incident; how could their nation possibly let this slide? They will surely mobilize a massive army to wipe us out.”

Only then did Liu Hui understand: Alexander’s army, acting in ignorance, had killed the Prince of the Elven Kingdom beyond the mountains, and now Alexander feared retribution.

Understanding the whole story, Liu Hui also felt a massive headache brewing. Alexander had killed the heir apparent; this enmity between the two sides seemed irreconcilable. Yet, Alexander represented Liu Hui’s massive interests in the Magic Plane; the Star Group had achieved its current scale largely due to Alexander, meaning Liu Hui absolutely could not abandon him.

So Liu Hui asked, “My dear Alexander, when you interrogated those Elven soldiers, did you glean any useful intelligence?”

Alexander nodded, “We did obtain some useful information from interrogating those Elven soldiers. But it is precisely because of that useful information that I felt frightened in the first place!”

Liu Hui felt a bit surprised, wondering why the usually fearless, passionate youth Alexander was showing fear, so he asked curiously, “What kind of intelligence did you actually receive?”

Alexander sighed, “According to the captives’ accounts, this Elven Principality beyond our mountains is called the Xiling Kingdom. Although it is a minor principality ranking lower among the Elven nations, it possesses vast territories and a large population. Their elite military forces number over one million, in addition to countless second-tier troops, bringing their total army strength to over three million. Moreover, these armies have extensive combat experience from constant skirmishes with other principalities, making their fighting capabilities extremely formidable.”

Liu Hui frowned slightly and asked, “This Xiling Kingdom has such a massive army? Just how powerful are the soldiers within their ranks?”

Alexander stated, “In the Xiling Kingdom’s military, the lowest rank for both soldiers and mages is Level Seven. Their soldiers and mages are highly trained, coordinating flawlessly, often unleashing astonishing combat power. In the recent engagement with them, although our Guardian Army routed the Elven forces and killed their Prince, the contingent led by that Prince numbered only five hundred men, while our army comprised a massive force of fifteen thousand. Yet, even with such a vast disparity in military strength, in the battle against them, we managed to kill only four hundred of their soldiers and capture twenty-five; the rest scattered and escaped, preventing a complete annihilation.”

Liu Hui was shocked; he, too, was staggered by the combat prowess of the Xiling Kingdom’s army. He hadn't expected them to utilize Level Seven warriors as common soldiers. He then asked, “And what is the status of your Guardian Army’s strength?”

Alexander replied, “Respected Teacher, since you began providing us with a massive supply of Cultivation Cushions, the cultivation speed of our Church of Light army has accelerated significantly. In just over three months, the Church of Light has produced five thousand eight hundred Level Seven warriors and mages, over six hundred Level Eight warriors and mages, and even twenty-four Level Nine warriors and mages. As for myself, I have reached the level of a Level Ten Mage.”

Liu Hui chuckled, “It seems your cultivation speed has indeed increased greatly. Previously, you barely had many Level Seven warriors and mages, and only you and that Beiju Chief were Level Eight. To have so many high-level warriors and mages now is impressive. What is the organizational structure of your army?”

Alexander explained, “The Church of Light now maintains three regular armies, each comprising a total of fifteen thousand personnel, which I refer to as ‘Divisions.’ Each Division is commanded by a Level Nine warrior. Below him are fifteen Level Eight warriors or mages, who in turn command thousand-man platoons. Each platoon is subdivided into ten hundred-man squads, led by two Level Seven warriors or mages. Beneath them are ten ten-man teams, whose captains are all Level Six warriors or mages. Calculating this, one of our Divisions contains one Level Nine warrior, fifteen Level Eight warriors or mages, three hundred Level Seven warriors or mages, and the remainder are Level Six and Level Five warriors and mages.”

Liu Hui asked, “Is this the entirety of your military might?”

Alexander responded, “Aside from these three regular armies, we also maintain the Beiju Knights, which consists of five hundred Level Eight warriors. Those Beiju Beasts acting as their mounts, after cultivating the simplified Light Battle Qi, have all increased their strength to Level Eight or above. Therefore, this Beiju Knights unit is the strongest fighting force in the Church of Light. Additionally, we have organized the Light Mage Corps, the Dark Mage Corps, and the Priest Corps. Following these are our reserve armies, though the soldiers in the reserves are all below Level Five and cannot yet be deployed to the battlefield; they are currently only fit for logistical duties.”

Liu Hui nodded secretly; Alexander did possess some military acumen, managing to organize his forces so quickly. He even had distinct branches of service, reserves, and logistics. However, constrained by the current population under their control—barely three million people—even if all were soldiers, they would only match the Xiling Kingdom’s forces at best.

Liu Hui inquired, “Which unit engaged the Xiling Kingdom’s army? What were their losses in that engagement?”

Alexander replied, “That unit was one of our three regular armies, designated as the ‘Light Division Three.’ In the battle against the Elven army, they suffered over three thousand casualties, with more than four thousand wounded. Fortunately, those wounded were immediately treated by the priests in our accompanying Priest Corps, suffering no major lasting harm. The majority of those killed were low-ranking soldiers below Level Six. Nevertheless, our losses were still quite severe; ‘Light Division Three’ is combat ineffective for the time being and cannot fight again soon.”

Liu Hui gasped inwardly, shocked by the vast disparity between Alexander’s army and the Elven army. Fifteen thousand men attacking five hundred opponents resulted in over three thousand enemy kills and still allowed the enemy to escape. Although Alexander’s soldiers’ cultivation speed had drastically increased, yielding over six thousand Level Seven and above fighters and mages, just thinking about the Xiling Kingdom’s three million-plus army, one could surmise their numbers of Level Seven and above combatants easily surpassed three million. The thought alone left Liu Hui feeling utterly drained.

“My dear Alexander, what exactly is the power ranking system in your world? I’m becoming quite confused,” Liu Hui asked.

“Teacher, the power structure in our world is divided into twelve levels for both warriors and mages. Levels One to Three are Junior, Four to Six are Intermediate, Seven to Nine are Advanced, and Ten to Twelve are Saint level. Anything above Level Twelve is considered Divine, existing only in legend,” Alexander explained.

Liu Hui finally gained a clearer understanding of the power levels in the Magic Plane. He had previously thought Alexander reaching Level Ten was formidable, unaware of the numerous higher tiers that existed above him.

“My dear Alexander, how do you plan to deal with the current situation?” Liu Hui asked.

“Teacher, the power gap between us and the enemy is currently too great. My thought is to temporarily yield and avoid their main force. We should relocate the headquarters of the Church of Light deep into the mountains, so the Elven armies cannot find us. Once we become stronger, we can fight our way back,” Alexander stated with resignation.

The Church of Light headquarters was located in that great canyon. After more than two years of development, the canyon had become extremely prosperous. Its location was excellent—surrounded by mountains on three sides with only one exit, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack, an ideal strategic location. Were it not for the threat of the Elven army, Alexander would never have considered leaving.

Liu Hui was startled. Strategically, Alexander’s decision held no flaws. But if Alexander left now, what about the poppies he had planted in the canyon? What about the Skinning Trees and the Stinky Trees? And that super warehouse—it held a crucial role in Liu Hui’s future plans; if lost now, would they ever recover it? Moreover, retreating now—how would the devoted followers of the Church of Light, deeply influenced by its doctrine, view this strategic retreat? If they began to doubt the existence of the Light God and their faith wavered, this group, unified by religion, might instantly disintegrate.

Thus, for both public and personal reasons, Alexander could not retreat now. Liu Hui began to rally Alexander’s spirits, laughing, “My dear Alexander, you really don’t need to worry. As long as your Teacher is here, I will certainly help you defeat these Elven armies. Just as I told you, you are descendants of the Light God, and the Light God will surely bless you with victory.”

Hearing Liu Hui’s words, Alexander’s eyes instantly filled with hope. How could he forget that he still had the help of this mysterious Teacher? With this Teacher’s assistance, he had completed countless tasks that seemed impossible, succeeding every time. Although he now faced the pressure of the powerful Elven forces, perhaps with the Teacher’s aid, a chance to defeat them existed.

“Respected Teacher, please help us this time. If the Church of Light loses this headquarters, the progress we have painstakingly built will dissolve, and we will become homeless wanderers again, bullied by other races,” Alexander suddenly knelt before Liu Hui.

Liu Hui smiled gently, “My dear Alexander, rest assured, I understand your meaning, and I will help you. I will prepare the necessary items immediately and then contact you.”

Liu Hui shut off the Plane Exchange Device, exited the basement, thought for a moment, and then, with a heavy heart, headed to the Star Science Research Academy.

Although Liu Hui had boasted to Alexander that he had a way to help them resist the Elven armies, in truth, he felt uncertain. That was why he intended to find Chen Changsheng to gather some information and see if his plan could succeed.

The Magic Plane faced its greatest crisis yet, one that not only affected the survival of Alexander but was directly tied to the continued development of the Star Group. Therefore, Liu Hui absolutely could not fail this time; he must help Alexander weather this difficulty.

Liu Hui found Chen Changsheng in his office. Coincidentally, An Qi was also there, and they seemed to be discussing something.

Liu Hui awkwardly greeted An Qi. Ever since they had been intimate again last time, Liu Hui had intentionally avoided An Qi and kept out of her sight, so he was surprised to run into her in Chen Changsheng’s office today.

An Qi looked at Liu Hui with a hint of reproach. Any woman, after being kissed repeatedly by the same man, would develop some peculiar feelings for him. So when An Qi noticed the glove Liu Hui was wearing, a look of deep disappointment flashed in her eyes.

Chen Changsheng asked, “Boss, did you need something from me?”

Liu Hui stammered, “Yes, there is something,” but then looked at An Qi.

Chen Changsheng paused, then quickly said, “Boss, Miss An Qi is reporting something to me right now. Perhaps you could listen in, so I don’t have to report it to you separately later.”

Liu Hui smiled, “If that’s the case, I’ll listen then.”

Chen Changsheng prompted An Qi, “Miss An Qi, please continue.”

So An Qi composed herself and said, “As I was saying, to expedite our future research progress, we began assembling our own supercomputer three months ago. And as of now, we have finished assembling it.”

Chen Changsheng asked in surprise, “You actually managed to assemble the supercomputer?”

An Qi confirmed, “Yes, through our unremitting efforts during this period, we completed the assembly of our own supercomputer yesterday. Testing its computational capacity, we found its processing speed reached ten quadrillion operations per second.”

Chen Changsheng sighed, “Although this supercomputer’s processing speed isn't ideal, it is still a supercomputer, and there should be room for improvement later.”

Liu Hui was confused and asked, “Dean Chen, isn't a processing speed of ten quadrillion operations per second already quite remarkable? Then what is the speed of the fastest supercomputer in the world?”

Chen Changsheng was about to give Liu Hui a general science lesson when he suddenly recalled what An Qi had just said. He asked suspiciously, “Miss An Qi, did I mishear? Are you certain you said ten quadrillion operations per second, and not ten trillion operations per second?”

An Qi nodded, “Dean Chen, I confirm that the processing speed of our supercomputer is ten quadrillion operations per second.”

Chen Changsheng abruptly pinched his lower lip hard, and the sharp pain made him yelp, leaving him looking quite flustered.

Liu Hui asked in bewilderment, “Dean Chen, what are you doing? Why the sudden commotion?”

Chen Changsheng exclaimed excitedly, “Boss, I’m testing if I’m dreaming! You heard clearly, didn't you? Miss An Qi said she assembled a supercomputer with a processing speed of ten quadrillion operations per second, right? And I just missed hearing one ‘trillion’ and thought it was just a very ordinary supercomputer!”

Liu Hui nodded, “Yes, I heard ten quadrillion operations per second. What’s wrong?”

Chen Changsheng was overjoyed, “If that’s true, then our Star Group possesses something truly magnificent, Boss! Do you know which computer is currently the fastest in the world?”

Liu Hui scratched his head and admitted honestly, “No, that’s why I just asked you.”

Chen Changsheng beamed, “Boss, the fastest computer in the world right now is Japan’s supercomputer, the ‘K computer,’ which holds the title of the world’s fastest with a speed of 8162 trillion operations per second. But even Japan’s supercomputer is incomparable to ours, because our processing speed is twelve thousand times faster than theirs!”

Liu Hui nodded and said, “That’s good; it seems our supercomputer is far more powerful than Japan’s. But what significance does this actually hold?”

An Qi suddenly interjected, “Liu Hui, the significance of our supercomputer is enormous. Its computational capability, vastly exceeding all other supercomputers worldwide, allows us to solve more large-scale, complex scientific research problems in a shorter time frame.”

Liu Hui clarified, “Are you saying that with this supercomputer, its extremely strong processing power will further enhance our research capabilities? Is that what you mean?”

Anqi and Chen Changsheng exchanged a look, both feeling a touch of melancholy that their supercomputer had been so casually dismissed by Liu Hui as merely a faster version of a standard computer.

After a moment of thought, Anqi asked, "Liu Hui, have you ever heard of the Japanese supercomputer named the 'Earth Simulator'?"

Liu Hui pondered for a moment, then replied with a hint of shame, "I think I've heard of it, but I don't know the specific details."

Anqi explained, "Japan's 'Earth Simulator' was completed in 2002. At that time, its processing speed reached forty trillion operations per second, making it the fastest supercomputer in the world. The reason the Japanese called it the 'Earth Simulator' was because they inputted sufficiently detailed data about every aspect of the Earth into it. This data was incredibly comprehensive and complete; once integrated within the 'Earth Simulator,' it was essentially equivalent to reconstructing a virtual Earth inside the computer, which is why the Japanese gave it that grand name."

Liu Hui asked curiously, "If the Japanese simulated a virtual Earth in their supercomputer, what purpose did they have for doing that?"

Anqi patiently elaborated, "The Japanese certainly had their plans. They simulated a virtual Earth within the supercomputer that was almost indistinguishable from the real Earth, allowing them to conduct various experiments on it. For instance, they could study how abnormal atmospheric circulation would affect global climate; whether strengthening crustal activity would cause earthquakes; or if a temperature rise in a certain location would lead to a typhoon. Because the computational power of their supercomputer was so formidable back then, they could derive a wealth of crucial data from this virtual Earth. Subsequently, when they inputted environmental data changes occurring in the real world into the 'Earth Simulator,' the supercomputer, by simulating this data within the virtual Earth, could predict the future development of real-world environmental conditions with remarkable accuracy. Consequently, the Japanese applied the 'Earth Simulator' to forecasting issues like global warming, typhoons, and earthquakes. The predictive results derived from this 'Earth Simulator' were exceptionally high, allowing them to prepare for disasters in advance and mitigate significant losses."

Liu Hui was utterly stunned, never having imagined that such a powerful supercomputer had ever existed, let alone being used for such applications. If his own supercomputer's speed was twenty-five million times that of Japan's 'Earth Simulator,' then his machine must be vastly superior, right?

Anqi continued, "Unfortunately, Japan's 'Earth Simulator' suffered because its calculation speed couldn't keep up, coupled with severe data deficiencies. Therefore, it was restricted to calculations concerning global warming, typhoons, and earthquakes, unable to truly simulate the Earth's actual state—a reality that didn't quite match its magnificent title. Our supercomputer’s processing speed has reached one hundred quintillion operations per second, far surpassing every other supercomputer in the world. Only our machine can truly claim the title of 'Earth Simulator'."

Liu Hui was overjoyed, exclaiming, "Then we can accurately predict situations related to climate change, typhoons, and earthquakes from now on?"

Anqi shook her head. "Those applications are merely the minor specialties of my supercomputer. The true purpose for which I assembled this machine goes beyond predicting climate and earthquakes. My ultimate goal is to be able to simulate the entire environment of the real solar system, and through massive computations, predict every movement within the solar system to provide technical support for our 'Mars Project.' If I were to name our supercomputer, I would call it the 'Solar System Simulator'."

Thanks to reader Tianxin Bugai Yi for the monthly ticket support. Thanks to reader DJy for the reward. A new month has arrived. Qian Yu Chuhai has never explicitly begged for votes before, but this time I will follow the trend and ask for everyone's monthly tickets and recommendation tickets for support. I hope those who are able will contribute more so that Qian Yu Chuhai can create his work with an even more joyful state of mind. With your attention and support, this book will become increasingly brilliant. Thank you.