Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 440 Peaceful Evolution
Cassandra tapped her finger in mid-air, activating a deeper display mode.

"But these are not what truly put us in a desperate situation."

The projected image began to reveal more detailed and confidential scenes:
In the depths of the void, countless silver threads intertwined like a spider web.

They connect the various planets within the star field, forming a vast network covering the entire galaxy.

At the key nodes of this network, some behemoths are slowly taking shape.

"This is the truly terrifying ability of the 'Star Domain Lord'—Beast Weaving."

Cassandra frowned and said:

"It uses the collective thought waves of the Vitals, combined with the unique 'mind crystals' in the star field, to directly weave these cosmic behemoths in the void."

As the projected image zoomed in, Ron witnessed a jaw-dropping manufacturing process:
Tens of thousands of Vitals are connected to the Unified Matrix via nerve fibers, and their brainwaves are transmitted to the telekinetic crystal nodes in the universe after being specially modulated.

These crystals act like giant amplifiers, transforming weak bioelectrical signals into powerful forces capable of manipulating matter.

Cosmic dust, meteorite fragments, and even starlight itself in the void are all recombined under the shaping of this force.

The skeleton is made of the hardest alloy, the blood vessels are conduits for flowing energy, and the nervous system is a pure network of telekinesis.

“Each of the star beasts is a direct manifestation of the will of tens of thousands of Vitals.”

Cassandra pointed to the forming creatures in the projection:

"They possess a fighting intelligence that is close to that of wild beasts, but at the same time they also have the ability to coordinate with a collective consciousness."

Ron carefully observed the structural features of these cosmic behemoths.

Each one has a different shape:
Some resemble giant whales, their bodies covered with energy cannons, releasing destructive psychic waves as they swim in the void;
Some resemble spiders, possessing countless tentacle-like limbs, and are able to grab multiple warships simultaneously in battle;
Others transcend the concept of living organisms entirely, floating in the void like living fortresses, their surfaces covered with defensive arrays and weapon systems.

The projection then switched to a recording of an actual battle:

The cosmic behemoths, like raging whales, swept across the battlefield, each charge tearing apart the shields of several wizard warships.

Meanwhile, Vital's silver warships swam around the behemoth like a school of fish, carrying out precise point-and-shoot attacks.

When the behemoth draws enemy fire, the Vital warship will launch a deadly attack from the flank;

When the warships need to retreat, the behemoths will immediately adjust their formation to provide cover for them.

Throughout the entire process, there were no orders from any commander, but every participating unit knew what they were supposed to do.

"This level of coordination..."

Ron looked at the battle logs projected on the screen:

"It has transcended the scope of military tactics and has become more like an instinctive collective behavior of a biological species."

He was reminded of the cooperative patterns of ant colonies on Earth, but the Vital people's coordination abilities were clearly much more complex and efficient.

"Do you understand now?"

Cassandra's projection slowly turned towards Ron, her eyes filled with frustration.

But what troubled her even more was the internal division within the expeditionary force.

"If the Vitals are an external threat, then the real fatal wound lies within."

The witch's voice grew even more bitter, and the projector began displaying a diagram of the expeditionary force's internal structure:

"At the military conference three days ago, the High Priestess Elizabeth of the Elemental Garden, in front of everyone, demanded a re-election of the expeditionary force commander."

Cassandra's voice was filled with anger:
Her exact words were: "A commander who cannot protect the lives of his subordinates is not qualified to continue leading this fleet."

"Melvis of the Tower of Resonance is more direct."

The projection switched to another scene, which was the flagship command center of the Tower of Tremor.

Melvis stood in the center of the bridge, issuing an ultimatum directly into the communication crystal:

"I hereby formally announce my withdrawal from the Expedition Alliance on behalf of the Tower of Thunder."

This war has completely deviated from its original purpose and become a meaningless war of attrition.

“Cassandra, your lust for conquest is destroying us all. I will no longer let the young people of the Tower of Resonance die for your ambition.”

"Although the Starhammer Clan and the Mithril Clan have not made any public statements, their actions have already spoken for themselves."

Cassandra's projector moved to the corner of the room, where a sophisticated monitoring device was placed:

"My intelligence network indicates that they are secretly stockpiling resources, preparing to evacuate at any time."

"At this rate, I will lose two-thirds of my manpower in six months at most."

Cassandra's voice turned desperate:
"By then, even if we find a way to deal with the Vitals, we won't have enough troops to carry it out."

But Ron noticed that when Cassandra described these “desperate” situations, her micro-expressions revealed some subtle details.

Whenever she mentions certain "unsolvable" dilemmas, her eyes flicker briefly, as if she is hiding some important information.

"She wasn't completely desperate; she still had some cards up her sleeve."

Ron silently analyzed in his mind:

"This kind of request for help is more like a desire to find a less costly solution."

He activated the "Hermit's Insight" in an attempt to capture more details.

In her extraordinary vision, Cassandra's emotional spectrum presents a complex spectrum of colors.

The gray of despair certainly exists, but there is more of an anxious orange-red and an expectant pale blue.

This emotional balance suggests someone seeking a better alternative rather than someone truly in a desperate situation with nowhere else to turn.

In fact, Cassandra did have a final trump card up her sleeve.

Deep within her storage space, besides the already used "Luxury" card, lay another power card—the golden "Kill" card.

"If the Kill Card is used to eliminate Azalos, the Vital's collective command system will be paralyzed for at least several months."

She mentally calculated the feasibility of this plan:
"Taking advantage of this gap, I can use the ultimate weapon in the clan's treasury to directly rewrite the fundamental laws of the Vital system."

However, this approach also comes at a huge cost.

On the other hand, once this level of power is used...

Some of the "promises" I made to my ancestors will become invalid, and the situation will completely spiral out of control.

As her ancestor, Hector was very clear about the character of his descendant.

Greed, cunning, and an unwillingness to easily relinquish any advantage are all traditional traits ingrained in their blood.

It was precisely because they saw through her "false despair" that they ignored her pleas for help.

Meanwhile, Ron gradually pieced together the truth by observing the contradictions in Cassandra's micro-expressions, body language, and words.

"What she wants is not a solution, but a solution with less cost."

The leader of the conquest faction wanted him to take the risk and provide a solution for the expeditionary force.

She herself, however, kept her trump cards in reserve for unforeseen circumstances.

"If my suggestion works, she can solve the problem without using up her trump cards;
If her suggestions fail, she can resort to her last resort.

"Trying to transfer all the risks out... that's incredibly greedy. No wonder he's a practitioner of 'The Star Eater's Ramblings'."

Having understood Cassandra's true intentions, Ron scoffed inwardly and began to adjust his approach.

“Master, I understand your predicament.”

His wording became more cautious:

"This is indeed an unprecedented challenge that requires innovative solutions."

"I'm willing to try to offer some advice, but one thing must be made clear."

I can only provide theoretical analysis and possible directions; I do not undertake any specific implementation.

This statement disappointed Cassandra, but it wasn't unexpected.

The prerequisite for being a smart person is not to treat others as fools...

“Of course, I understand.” She nodded.
"With your current level of strength, you are indeed not suitable to participate in a war of this scale."

“Furthermore,” Ron continued:

"Because my understanding of the specific situation of the expeditionary force is limited, I need to obtain certain internal intelligence and resource support in order to conduct effective analysis."

His proposed terms made Cassandra hesitate noticeably.

However, considering the current predicament, they ultimately chose to agree.

"Sure, I'll arrange for a dedicated intelligence officer to provide you with the necessary information, but this information is highly classified..."

“I understand the boundaries,” Ron replied succinctly.

In fact, he had already begun to recall his research on the simulation device and the inspiration he had gained from the information Cassandra had presented.

The characteristics of the Vital civilization—collective consciousness, bio-electric waves, telekinetic crystals, star weaving…

These keywords quickly combined in his mind, vaguely forming a fuzzy idea.

"If my theory is correct..."

Ron mentally organized the chain of logic:

"While the Vital people's collective consciousness network is powerful, it also means that there is a possibility of single points of failure."

He needs to use divination to clarify the specific direction of implementation.

“Master, before I can offer any specific advice, I need to perform a divination.”

Ron looked around the room: "You should have complete divination equipment here, right?"

"of course."

Cassandra's expression turned somewhat awkward:
"However, my talent for divination is quite limited. I can only obtain information through rather... crude methods such as blood sacrifice."

She waved her hand to activate a hidden area on the other side of the room, where a complete set of professional divination equipment was displayed.

"These devices should be enough."

Ron examined the various instruments on the divination table and nodded in satisfaction:
"Give me an hour, and I will do my best to find a way to solve the problem for you."

………………

Twelve small obelisks, each representing a different constellation, were placed around the altar.

The top of the obelisk is inlaid with a prophetic crystal, which emits a dreamlike colorful light when illuminated by magic.

A faint scent of "True Vision" permeated the air.

This precious incense can dispel the interference of false prophecies and make the diviner's consciousness more acute.

However, it also attracts some less friendly "viewers".

Ron could feel the malicious gazes peering into his eyes from the void.

"The equipment is in good condition."

He inspected the various divination tools and nodded in satisfaction:

"Although there are remnants of blood sacrifice, the basic functions are all complete."

Ron began setting up the scene.

First, place your astrolabe in the center of the altar.

Then he took out three star crystals that he had already established a connection with, corresponding to the Hermit Star, the Scholar Star, and the Observer Star, respectively.

The crystal is suspended in a specially made crystal pillar, and the light spots inside move slowly like living things.

Finally, light more "True Vision Incense" to bring the divination environment to its optimal state.

Just as he was about to begin the formal divination, some unexpected events occurred.

The storage bag at his waist suddenly began to vibrate violently, and something "living" inside was struggling desperately to get out.

"This is……"

Ron turned to look at the storage bag. It was securely sealed with the most tight seal, so how could there be anything wrong?
The next moment, a polygon ignored all the seals and automatically popped out of the storage bag.

It is precisely the "paradoxical die".

The six-sided die traced a parabola in the air and landed precisely in the center of the altar.

The moment the dice landed, the magic field in the entire divination room underwent a dramatic change.

The originally stable energy flow began to distort, forming a vortex centered on the die.

The paradoxical die began to spin on its own, faster and faster, until it became so fast that it could only be seen as a blurry shadow.

Even more bizarrely, the numbers on the die began to change wildly.

Sometimes it shows "1", sometimes it shows "6".

Sometimes, multiple numbers may be displayed at the same time, as if multiple probabilities exist simultaneously.

Each change in the points is accompanied by a slight distortion of reality.

Ron saw visible ripples in space around the dice, as if an invisible hand was kneading the very fabric of reality.

The flow of time also becomes unstable, sometimes suddenly accelerating;

Sometimes it slows down, and even the dust in the air seems to freeze in mid-air.

"This kind of power..."

Cassandra's projection widened its eyes:

"It must be the Paradox Dice... the key item on our ancestor's path to becoming king!"

The dice continued to spin, and the surface changes became even more complex.

Sometimes, numbers that don't exist at all will appear, such as "0" or "∞".
Sometimes the points will appear to flow, like liquid slowly flowing on the surface;
On one occasion, Ron even saw the points turn into a blinking eyeball.

Finally, after nearly a minute of frantic spinning, the dice slowly came to a stop.

It finally stopped at the number "6".

The six dots create a visual effect of an infinite loop.

Each point is a miniature vortex, seemingly containing an infinitely deep space within.

Looking at it for a long time can give you the illusion that you are about to be sucked into it.

When the dice come to a stop, the divination environment has also undergone a dramatic change.

The previously vague divination information became exceptionally clear, like a clear blue sky after the smog has dissipated.

The probability distribution in the hourglasses around the altar showed a clear bias.

The sand grains, which were originally randomly distributed, began to rearrange themselves according to a certain pattern, forming an orderly pattern.

These patterns change like a living map, showing the probability weights of various possibilities.

In addition, there are those invisible threads that originally required the diviner's spiritual guidance.

Now they are also beginning to intertwine actively, weaving precise prophetic patterns.

These patterns present a three-dimensional structure, like a palace made of pure information.

"The resolution is a bit too high..."

Ron frowned as he looked at the scene before him:
"It's almost equivalent to directly watching a video recording of the future."

With the enhancement of the Paradox Dice, his astrological skills were boosted to an unprecedented level.

Not only can you see the possibilities of the future, but you can even feel the emotional nuances and subtle details of each possibility.

Cassandra's projection approached the altar.

Thinking of the Absurd King's indifferent attitude towards his plea for help, and then seeing that the other party had actually bestowed the weapon of kingship upon Ron.

"Our ancestors actually passed on such an important legacy to you..."

There was a hint of resentment in her voice:
"This shows that his expectations of you far exceed my expectations."

With the added power of the paradoxical dice, clear prophetic images begin to appear in the divination space.

A colossal hive, strangely fused from steel and flesh, appeared in Ron's "vision".

Its internal blood vessels run like cables through the metal, nerve fibers intertwine with data lines, and the beating of the heart provides life to the entire structure.

Inside the hive, countless worker bee-like figures mechanically repeat the same actions.

Their faces are all exactly the same, without any individual characteristics.

Every individual is performing the exact same task: receiving information, processing information, and transmitting information.

Like a gear in a giant machine, precise and efficient, but also monotonous and cold.

But right at the heart of this perfect order, a colorful crack appeared.

The crack, as vibrant as a rainbow, contrasts sharply with the monotonous surroundings.

The crack continued to widen, and with each inch it widened, more worker bees stopped their mechanical movements and began to stare in bewilderment at the strange light.

Some worker bees even began to leave their posts and slowly approach the crack.

Then comes the second image.

In the deep sea, a large pod of whales is swimming together.

Their swimming routes form complex and beautiful geometric patterns, embodying the harmonious beauty of collective wisdom.

But suddenly, countless glowing jellyfish appeared in the seawater.

These jellyfish emit a mesmerizing fluorescence, some as deep as the starry sky, some as fiery as flames, and some as vibrant as a rainbow.

The whales' attention was drawn to these beautiful creatures, and they began to chase after their favorite jellyfish.

The originally unified swimming formation began to disperse, with each whale choosing a different direction.

As time went on, the jellyfish's luster grew brighter and brighter, eventually reaching a dazzling level.

The intense light blinded the whales, preventing them from sensing the location of their companions.

The collective swimming effort completely collapsed, and each whale became lost in the illusions it was chasing.

An ancient and enormous world tree reappears in the imagery.

The tree's roots penetrate deep into the earth, extending to the very core, drawing nourishment from the deepest layers of the earth.

These roots represent a solid foundation, traditional values, and collective beliefs.

But strange changes began to occur.

Suddenly, countless mirrors sprouted from among the branches and leaves of the tree.

Each mirror reflects a different dream:

Some are illusions of power, some are temptations of wealth, some are oceans of knowledge, and some are pure paradises of lust.

These mirrored dreams spread rapidly like a virus, with more and more leaves being replaced by mirrors.

And when the trees begin to "view" these false beauties, their root systems begin to undergo terrible changes.

The roots, which originally drew nourishment from the real world, began to try to obtain "nourishment" from the illusory mirror world.

But false things cannot provide real nutrition, and the roots begin to rot and turn black.

The final image is of countless rays of light converging like rivers, forming a dazzling river of light.

This river represents a unified will, concentrated strength, and common goals.

All the light rays flow in the same direction.

But when this river of light reached a certain point, it miraculously split apart.

The once unified river suddenly split into countless small tributaries, each flowing in a different direction.

Some tributaries meander and twist, like trails for exploration;
Some tributaries rush and surge like an adventurous journey;

Some tributaries flow quietly, like streams in deep thought;

Other tributaries appear and disappear intermittently, like traces of a dream...

Once all four images were fully revealed, Ron began to use his knowledge and intuition to interpret them.

Based on our previous understanding of the Vital civilization, these symbolic images begin to reveal deeper meanings:
"The imagery of a beehive..."

He spoke to himself, his own understanding gradually seeping in:
"Steel represents the extreme rationality and discipline of the Vitals, while flesh and blood symbolize their biological nature. The mechanical behavior of worker bees is a reflection of their collective consciousness."

"And that colorful crack..."

A smile crept across Ron's lips:
"This means that we need to introduce elements of 'irrationality'."

Their collective consciousness, while efficient, lacks change and innovation.

If we can provide sufficiently attractive 'irrational' stimuli...

“The imagery of whales is even more direct.”

He continued his analysis:

"The collapse of collective behavior stems from the temptation of individuals pursuing different goals; the jellyfish glow represents something tempting enough to divert collective attention."

"Moreover, the temptation must be diverse, because each whale chases different jellyfish."

The imagery of the ancient tree reminded Ron of the fundamental characteristics of the Vital civilization:

"The rotting of the roots suggests the need to fundamentally shake their spiritual foundation, while the mirrored dream symbolizes the temptation of the virtual world."

"If we can immerse them in false mental experiences, we will gradually weaken their ability to recognize reality."

The final image of the river of light indicates the specific implementation strategy:

“The division of uniform light into tributaries means that a variety of alternative pathways need to be provided.”

"Instead of using a single virtual experience, we build multiple different types of virtual environments to meet the personalized needs of different Vitals."

When all the clues came together, Ron finally arrived at the complete solution:
"Take advantage of the spiritual deficiencies of the Vital civilization!"

He stood up excitedly, his eyes burning with the fire of wisdom:

"While their collective consciousness is strong, it also means that individuals lack independent spiritual experiences."

They have never experienced truly personalized entertainment and spiritual fulfillment!

This is a brilliant discovery.

The Vitals pursued efficiency and unity, but this extreme collectivism also resulted in a barren spiritual world.

Although their brains are highly developed, they are mainly used for information processing and collective coordination, and rarely for personal imagination, creation, and entertainment.

"Virtual technology can provide them with an unprecedented spiritual experience."

Ron began to devise a concrete implementation plan:

"Based on my improved abyss simulation device, I will build a large-scale online virtual environment."

“Leveraging the Vitals’ natural hunger for novel experiences, we designed highly engaging virtual content.”

"Start with simple entertainment and gradually provide more complex and personalized experiences."

"Design different virtual branches for Vitals with different personality traits..."

Cassandra listened to Ron's analysis and became increasingly excited.

The ingenuity of this plan lies in the fact that it does not directly attack the military forces of the Vitals, but rather infiltrates them on a cultural and spiritual level.

If successful, it might even lead the Vitals to give up resistance and embrace the virtual world.

"This idea... is indeed feasible."

"The Vital people's collective consciousness pursues efficiency, but it also suppresses individuality. If their suppressed individual needs could be released..."

"But how exactly should it be implemented?"

(End of this chapter)