Chapter 187

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Chapter 187: The Atmosphere of Crisis

After a brief moment of losing composure, Marshal Iron Blood did not dwell on whether a Military leader had leaked the information.

That was the only possibility he understood.

But he could not let such doubts arise.

These doubts would create an irreparable rift within the united Senior Military Officials.

He stared intently at Kong, his sharp gaze seeming to penetrate Kong’s very soul.

"The council is strengthening cooperation with our allied tribes, using both sides’ strongest reconnaissance methods to study the contents of our Military high-level meeting together?"

"Is the next step going to be, as some citizens worry, to gain immortality and powerful treasures from the strongest of various tribes, slowly integrating the Federation of Humanity into the allied tribes, making the Federation a vassal and second-class citizens?"

He didn’t actually believe that the old foxes in the council would betray the supreme interests of the Federation of Humanity.

Since its development, the Federation had established an extremely strict evaluation system.

The chairpersons and the speaker of the council had risen through layers of political maneuvering and secret assessments.

They would use their power for personal gain, benefiting their families and consortiums.

They would also check and balance each other, suppressing their opponents.

However, in the grand scheme, they would absolutely prioritize the supreme interests of the Federation of Humanity.

Even if there were occasionally leaders who, after climbing to high positions through secret assessments, underwent drastic changes and no longer adhered to the belief that the interests of the Federation were paramount, they would be swiftly attacked by the other leaders as soon as they surfaced.

Because of this, over the thousands of years that humanity had risen in this star system, various tribes had often plotted against the council and Military leaders.

Yet, whether it was the council or the Military, there had only been leaders who were assassinated or had their minds forcefully controlled by special means; there had never been a true surrender of any Military leader to the various tribes.

Still, knowing all this, Marshal Iron Blood unhesitatingly placed the blame squarely on the council.

He had to do so.

"The Marshal misunderstands. I did not say this to sow discord or create suspicion; the council has no intention of infiltrating the Senior Military Officials."

Speaker Kong slowly shook his head, speaking in a calm tone: "I have already stated my purpose. I have some news to share, and now is the time for you all to know it. What I said earlier was just to show you some evidence."

Marshal Iron Blood and the fourteen Military leaders frowned slightly.

No one spoke, waiting for what came next.

The implication of this statement was undoubtedly to inform them that the council possessed power that the Military was unaware of.

This power could even reach a level that allowed them to eavesdrop on the contents of the Military high-level meetings.

If this were true, it seemed even more troublesome than having a traitor within the Military’s ranks among the council.

These Military leaders were not inclined to see any unforeseen variables arise.

A power that could potentially surpass the strongest of the various tribes was undeniably a huge variable.

Even if this variable came from the council, they did not wish for it to emerge.

Because humanity was currently in a favorable position and did not need any altering influences.

Speaker Kong continued: "A long time ago, someone proposed the ‘Cosmic Exploration Plan.’ However, to avoid attracting unpredictable entities, this plan has been continually rejected and shelved by the council."

"One hundred years ago, after that great defeat, the council decided to initiate a trimmed version of the ‘Cosmic Exploration Plan’—the ‘Distant Alliances, Close Strikes Plan.’"

"At that time, the situation for humanity was extremely grim. No matter how the council studied and strategized, they could not find a solution to prevent various tribes from slowly encroaching and assimilating us."

A Seven-Star General exclaimed, "Are there really powerful races beyond our star system?"

Kong nodded, "After nearly forty years of secretly starting the ‘Distant Alliances, Close Strikes Plan,’ warships discovered races stronger than humanity."

"This is also the reason why the council forcefully suppressed Yi Tenglóng sixty years ago."

"Ordinary people do not know, but you should be aware that Yi Tenglóng’s rise was actually supported by our council in the shadows."

"A figure in the Military, who possesses strength, brutality, military talent, charisma, and leadership, can delay the decline of humanity."

"After discovering the feasibility of the ‘Distant Alliances, Close Strikes Plan,’ the council adjusted their strategy to prolong the decline of humanity and delay the emergence of a coalition from various tribes."

"Secretly aligning with the Ten-Armed Tribe, Frenzied Tribe, and the Duke of the Undying Race began during that time."

The fifteen Military leaders remained silent.

Indeed, the upper echelons of the council were all a group of old silver coins.

When needed, they supported in secret.

When not needed, they straight-up backstabbed.

They could be sure that Yi Tenglóng suddenly brandishing the banner to overthrow the council and establish an empire was definitely a scheme orchestrated by the council behind the scenes.

Otherwise, with Yi Tenglóng’s intelligence, he wouldn’t have launched an attack without fully grasping the Military’s real power.

Kong continued without acknowledging the leaders’ thoughts, "Twenty years ago, after continuous searching and filtering, the council finally determined a distant alliance target—the Tree-Dwelling Tribe!"

"To be precise, it is to affiliate with the Tree-Dwelling Tribe. Their strength surpasses imagination. In fact, humanity doesn’t even have the qualification to depend on the Tree-Dwelling Tribe."

"The Tree-Dwelling Tribe looks down on humanity and even the resources of this star system. The only thing that piques their interest, and makes them willing to send envoys to investigate the Federation of Humanity, is our space jump technology."

Marshal Iron Blood frowned and questioned, "Why does your council think the Tree-Dwelling Tribe is worth depending on, rather than inviting wolves into our home?"

Kong replied calmly, "The Tree-Dwelling Tribe also competes for resources, but they take a more gentle approach. Their innate ability gives them a profound understanding of causality."

"This causality can be understood as one of the heavenly laws mentioned by Yi Chen. The Tree-Dwelling Tribe entirely follows the principles of causality: sowing melons yields melons, every cause has an effect."

"When they conquer other races and seize resources, they plan ahead."

"They spend an extremely long time creating causality between that race and themselves, cutting off the luck of that race, before taking action to conquer it."

"Even in conquest, they leave a space for survival, much like how Yi Chen treats fierce beasts within his territory, rather than exterminating opposing races like many others."

"For those willing to ally with them and able to assist the Tree-Dwelling Tribe, they will go out of their way to support them and eliminate causality."

Marshal Iron Blood and the other leaders fell silent. If the council’s investigation materials were true, the Tree-Dwelling Tribe could indeed be the best ally for the Federation of Humanity during this perilous time.

A Seven-Star General seemed to recall something and could not help but ask, "Will illusions of Yi Chen appear during the heart tribulation, and is it hard to break through? Is that also the causality mentioned by the Tree-Dwelling Tribe?"

Kong nodded, "This is also why I attended this meeting. According to the Tree-Dwelling Tribe’s envoy, we secretly learned from Yi Chen, and as a whole, we have raised our power, which has already created significant causality with Yi Chen."

"To gain Yi Chen’s acknowledgment and allow him to absorb the merits and luck of the Federation of Humanity is the fundamental way to resolve the causality we share."

"Paying tuition is merely a temporary solution."

"The Peak of the Ninth Level of Spirit Consciousness is a hurdle, or you could say a red line."

"If we never gain Yi Chen’s acknowledgment, and he does not absorb the merit and luck of the Federation, the Tree-Dwelling Tribe’s envoy asserts that as more and more geniuses use temporary solutions to forcefully break through the heart tribulation illusion and cross the red line, the accumulated causality between our Federation and Yi Chen will soon result in calamity."

"The merit and luck can be simply understood as fortune."

"The calamity can be understood as adverse side effects that bring disaster to our Federation."

Marshal Iron Blood and the Military leaders were all dumbfounded.

This information far exceeded their understanding.