Those who face the wall, but are in the Nascent Soul stage.

Chapter 301 What does it mean that Earth has an older brother? (6k)

"Welcome to the Wallfacer for his guidance on our work at the Grand Ring!"

On the ring road, Luo Ji looked at the blue flags waving everywhere he passed, his expression slightly embarrassed.

Fortunately, he has a thick skin and had been to the United Nations before, so walking in the middle of the red carpet wasn't a problem for him, and he quickly adapted.

sides.

The herbivorous dinosaurs waved a blue flag with their tails or other body parts. This was not a purely Earth flag, but rather a blue flag with the silhouette of a small dinosaur added to it.

This flag signifies that the Devouring Ring has been formally incorporated into the sphere of influence of the human-dominated solar system.

The dinosaurs quickly adapted to their new role as defeated dinosaurs. Since most of the cruel, tyrannical, and virtuous noble carnivorous dinosaurs had died out, the herbivorous dinosaurs did not harbor much hatred towards humans.

Even with the ruling class almost wiped out and the loss of the rentier class, the herbivorous dragons' quality of life has improved several levels. Various production activities are being restored, and with the super grass transplanted from the dragon humans, food is at least not a problem.

At least you don't have to worry about being eaten by a carnivorous dragon at any time.

Da Shi, who had always been by Luo Ji's side, was nowhere to be seen. The Devouring Civilization had used the Beautiful Dragon Plan, having the young and beautiful dinosaurs entertain Shi Qiang and send him away ahead of time.

Shi Qiang seemed to have no resistance to those fair-skinned and beautiful lizards. At this moment, besides the two human generals, the only other person accompanying Luo Ji was the giant tyrannosaurus.

Commander Carl of the Great Ring.

As the leader of the Devouring Civilization, Karl also has a certain influence in the human world. He has even been invited by the United Government to visit Earth and give a speech on topics such as dragon friendship.

Moreover, according to rumors, the first dinosaur messenger to arrive on Earth, Big Tooth, was Carl's nephew.

During his trip to Earth, Carl had a private encounter with a large, white, and plump dinosaur that had been kept in captivity by humans. Dinosaurs have long lifespans, living for over two hundred years even without genetic modification, and this dinosaur, being well-cared for, has survived to this day.

According to a human journalist's recollection, Carl once asked Big Tooth, "Do you want to come back to the Great Ring with me?"

Big Tooth lay on the fat dragon sofa, using a toothpick to stick a medium-rare steak into his mouth and humming contentedly, replying to the uncle: "I am so happy here that I don't even think about going anywhere else."

Carl was furious and whipped his tail around and drove off. (Note: This is a modern idiom, meaning the same as "to turn and leave in a huff.")

As the leader of the Devouring Civilization, Karl, this Tyrannosaurus Rex, is also highly recognized by humans. First of all, the Dragon Society, to which Karl belongs, represents a progressive force within the Devouring Civilization.

Dealing with progressive forces is much simpler than dealing with those corrupt, consuming emperors.

In the two years following the war, Karl also kept some of the remaining military forces in the Devouring Ring in check, strictly adhering to the human 'harmless' transformation of the Devouring Civilization, such as cooperating with the human garrison to disarm, destroy nuclear bombs, dismantle the Sun Spear, and abandon the construction of the shipbuilding home port.

It can be said that the dinosaurs' cooperation and docility left humans feeling almost bewildered.

Even some radicals no longer have any reason to shout "those who are not of our kind" anymore.
After entering the asteroid belt orbit, the Great Ring quickly and unconditionally opened its network, market, and interstellar port, indicating its determination to settle in the solar system.

On his way to Dahuan, Luo Ji naturally studied the local customs and current situation of Dahuan. For some reason, he always felt that Dahuan had a sense of being fearless and emboldened.

Although the dinosaurs seem to be giving up, they don't seem to be worried about the future. It would be one thing if the herbivorous dinosaurs were short-sighted, but the elite dinosaurs, led by the large dinosaur beside them, are all still alive.

Is it really just Luo Qing's suppression?
Luo Ji felt like there was a tangled mess inside him, but he couldn't find the thread.

On the red carpet, the enormous Tyrannosaurus Rex walking alongside Luo Ji spoke, saying in standard modern language:
"I was shocked to learn that Mr. Luo Ji recently became a prospective god. Devouring Civilization should have sent an envoy to congratulate him, but unfortunately, Devouring Civilization does not yet have independent diplomatic autonomy. According to the defeat agreement, Devouring Great Ring will only be able to obtain the status of an independent economic entity at least 30 years after the war, and will only be able to obtain the rights of a human sovereign state at least 50 years later. Therefore, I was unable to attend the congratulations in person. I hope Mr. Wallfacer will forgive me."

The dinosaur's words contained a lot of information.

First, there are the titles used to refer to deities.

Because Luo Qing's act of fighting while carrying Pluto left a deep impression on almost all the dinosaurs, he was revered by them as a god or a deity.

This title did not attract human attention. In fact, Luo Qing's identity as a 'cultivator' had long been privately rumored to be that of an 'immortal,' and there's not much difference between an immortal and a god.

The vast historical records of dinosaurs, spanning 6500 million years, are so numerous that humans have no way of accessing them and can only input them into mosses for analysis and summarization. The records of various gods are also abundant, but most are from literary works or religious accounts, and the few fragmentary descriptions of gods rarely capture human attention.

Having a long history also has its downsides, namely that you simply cannot trace back to events from hundreds or tens of millions of years ago.

No wonder the dinosaurs always said 'history is meaningless'; remembering too much really does have no meaning.

Faced with Tyrannosaurus Karl's polite words, Luo Ji did not rush to reply. He looked at the boundless mountains covered with super grass on the inner ring, and at the herbivorous dragons who acted as a welcoming team, waving blue flags and then unable to resist taking a bite of grass and pretending nothing had happened. He was somewhat tempted.

He replied very formally:
"Commander, there's really no need for you to personally greet me. I heard there's a meeting coming up at Jupiter Space City. Shouldn't you head over there first?"

Karl let out a laugh that was hard to contain: "Mr. Luo Ji, there's no rush over there. Your powerful human fleet is in the middle of rehearsals and drills. The guests from Trisolaris haven't even arrived yet. I'm just a leader of a defeated civilization. I'm not in a hurry to go. In comparison, you, as a prospective god, are the one that the Devouring Civilization should treat well."

“I am not some prospective god. I believe you have heard of the concept of cultivators. I am just a minor cultivator. I came here mainly to talk to you about the past of the Devouring Empire.”

"The past of the Devouring Empire?" Karl asked, somewhat puzzled. "I think all our historical and technical data are already open to humanity. The Great Ring is now more of a tourist destination, so why would you need to make a trip there yourself?"

Luo Ji spoke eloquently, starting with the relationship between humans and dragons, and extending to many other matters.

In the next 10 minutes.

Luo Ji probed the dinosaur about many things, such as the history of the Devouring Empire, but the dinosaur seemed to have guessed what Luo Ji wanted to ask and kept giving evasive answers, never giving a satisfactory response to Luo Ji.

This Tyrannosaurus Rex is a dragon with a mind of its own.

The two human officers accompanying them were completely confused.

What are they babbling about—the relationships between civilizations in the universe, whether dinosaurs were attacked by a third civilization while eating planets—what are they even talking about?

Soon, Luo Ji and Karl arrived at their destination.

"The 'Light Cone' observation system, the most powerful optical telescope ever built—should I tell Mr. Logitech about its 700,000-year history of change?"

"No need, I already knew a lot when I came here."

Observing the Trisolaran world through the light cone telescope is everything. After humans arrived in the Great Ring, one of the things they had to do almost became a tourist attraction and a check-in point, but Luo Ji was clearly not that bored.

After the two accompanying human officers left, and the nearby dinosaur waiters also left, Luo Ji sat on the sofa, facing the giant dinosaur alone, and got straight to the point.

"Commander, what do you think of the strength of the Devouring Empire? Please share your opinion."

Karl stared with his golden vertical eyes: "Mr. Luo Ji, I think the answer to this question is already there, isn't it? The Devouring Civilization was a powerful civilization. It conquered countless civilizations over the past tens of millions of years. From any perspective, the Devouring Empire was once extremely powerful. It just so happened that it encountered humanity."

Karl smiled slightly: "Or perhaps it just so happens that we encountered humans protected by a god. Of course, the Solar System Fleet is also very strong, and the Devouring Empire admits that it is no match for them."

Upon hearing this, Luo Ji shook his head: "Commander, I think you should know about the recent news that historians saw the Earth hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of years ago through historical data from the light cone telescope, and were moved to tears by it."

Carl nodded: "That's true."

Luo Ji continued, "According to your historical records, you only confirmed the existence of intelligent life on Earth through traces of large-scale human constructions during the Shang and Zhou dynasties in China, which is the Bronze Age. That's only about five or six thousand years ago. Don't you think it's incredible that humanity developed to the point where it could directly defeat and devour empires in just five or six thousand years?"

"Is it that humanity is too strong, or that the Devouring Empire is too weak?" Luo Ji asked calmly.

Karl's expression was somewhat unnatural: "Mr. Luo Ji, I believe you came here not just to satirize our civilization."

Luo Ji's words were harsh: "It has nothing to do with sarcasm. It is really nothing to be proud of that a civilization that has been operating for 6500 million years has been defeated by a civilization that has been developing for about six or seven thousand years since the Neolithic Age."

Karl said unhappily, "You seem to have overlooked the existence of human quasi-gods. A quasi-god who can propel a planet with his own power is something the Devouring Civilization cannot contend with. Do you humans really think you can defeat Luo Qing?" Luo Ji exposed its self-consolation: "Before Luo Qing made his move, the Great Ring didn't gain any advantage in its battle with the Solar System Fleet, did it? Is it something to be proud of to fight a civilization that has developed for thousands of years to a standstill?"

Karl's vertical pupils contracted slightly: "Mr. Luo Ji, I have heard about the Wallfacers and have great respect for your position, but I think you might as well speak your mind here, in the absence of the Sophon and a third party."

Shortly after the Great Ring entered the asteroid belt, humanity shared information about the Trisolaran world with the dinosaurs, resolving their long-standing mystery about why humans were so militarily powerful. As the commander of the Great Ring, Karl naturally already knew of the existence of the Sophon.

Luo Ji stated bluntly: "You also know about sophons, and naturally you also know that the Trisolaran world has experienced more than three hundred cycles of civilization. Each cycle signifies a restart of civilization, or even a process of species re-evolution. And I just witnessed the environment of the Trisolaran planet on the light cone telescope. I've been wondering, even the Trisolarans were able to develop into a highly technological civilization with sophons and interstellar fleets in a relatively short time after hundreds of destructions, so why did the dinosaurs remain unchanged despite their tens of millions of years of development?"

Karl stated directly, "I acknowledge that the Devouring Empire is a deformed civilization, and the organization I previously belonged to has always been dedicated to changing its deformed civilization ecosystem. It is precisely this deformed ecosystem that has limited the Empire's development and caused it to stagnate for tens of millions of years. Is that reason enough?"

"That's enough." Luo Ji nodded.

He continued, "But I have a question. A civilization naturally has the potential for a technological explosion. Both humanity and the Trisolarans have proven this. Humanity's technological explosion since the Industrial Revolution has allowed humanity to quickly enter the interstellar age. Even a deformed empire should have experienced a technological explosion, after all... 6500 million years. With time, the necessary grinding should have taken place."

Karl calmly said, "During the Devouring Empire era, the reactionary rule led by successive Devouring Emperors restricted technological development. The carnivorous dragons were obsessed with the pleasure of eating, and even if a scientist genius occasionally emerged among the herbivorous dragons, he would be quickly stifled. The long-term reactionary rule stifled the Devouring Empire's hopes for a technological explosion."

Luo Ji said disappointedly, "Is that all?"

Carl said sullenly, "You look disappointed?"

Luo Ji said, "I really thought there was something like a sophon that limited the technological development of the Devouring Empire... or that an advanced civilization had imposed restrictions on you."

Karl shook his head: "No advanced civilization has ever imposed restrictions on us."

Luo Ji asked, "So you admit that you did indeed come into contact with an advanced civilization?"

Karl: "..."

Luo Ji: "How advanced are the advanced civilizations you've come into contact with?"

Karl was silent for a moment, then told Luo Ji, "The advanced civilizations we've encountered... possess the ability to travel at the speed of light."

Luo Ji nodded: "Light speed travel. Humanity still doesn't know how to make a massive object travel at the speed of light. This is a technology beyond human comprehension. From this perspective, this civilization is indeed very advanced. I'd like to know what these advanced civilizations think of the Devouring Empire?"

Karl didn't want to answer the question at all, but he suddenly forgot Luo Ji's true identity at this moment... A faint pressure from the Foundation Establishment stage was revealed.

Facing the Tyrannosaurus Rex, Luo Ji gently emphasized, "This is part of the cultivation plan, so please answer truthfully."

Who knows what skills Luo Ji learned during his three days with Luo Qing? Karl suddenly recalled the terrifying rumors he had heard from humans about cultivators who could search souls and memories.

"Those advanced civilizations are very friendly, very friendly to the Devouring Empire."

Carl told the truth.

Luo Ji then asked, "The Risk Eliminator civilization is also very friendly to humans. Have you ever come into contact with the Risk Eliminator civilization?"

Karl shook his head: "The Devouring Empire understood the dangers of vacuum decay a long time ago, and has never built a super-powerful particle collider. The current Large Ring Collider is actually made up of segments, not connected as a whole."

Luo Ji asked again, "Are all advanced civilizations friendly to you?"

Karl avoided Luo Ji's gaze: "At least that's how it is, based on what the Devouring Empire has come into contact with."

Luo Ji clicked his tongue in amazement, "Then these advanced civilizations should be well aware of the crimes committed by the Devouring Empire, right? Didn't these highly moral advanced civilizations conduct a just trial against the Devouring Empire for its crimes?"

What crime are you referring to?

"Isn't the destruction of countless planets and the life within them a crime?"

Karl shook his head: "I'm sorry, this is hardly a crime in the universe. If you ask me why, I can hardly explain it to you."

Luo Ji: "It's not hard to explain. Less civilization means more resources, right?"

Karl squinted at Luo Ji.

Luo Ji sighed softly, "But if we calculate it this way, the Devouring Empire is the one that wasted the most resources, and should also be the first to be retaliated against by the advanced civilization. I am very puzzled as to why the Devouring Empire has wandered for 6500 million years without being attacked by any advanced civilization. The only reasonable explanation I can think of is that the Devouring Empire is actually acting as a black glove for the advanced civilization to clean up those lower civilizations. But my explanation still has many loopholes, and I can't even explain it myself... These loopholes have led me to an absurd idea, that is, the Devouring Empire is actually a civilization that is being kept by the advanced civilization."

Luo Ji exhaled and slowly said, "One, a domesticated pet."

Karl tried to do something, but the extremely strong spiritual pressure of the Foundation Establishment stage directly suppressed it, rendering it unable to move.

It tried to explain something, but Luo Ji shut it down.

Luo Ji continued, "No matter how absurd this conclusion is, this is the only explanation I can give myself right now. You don't need to rush to defend your civilization. After all, at this moment, the Great Ring has already integrated into the human world, and it seems to be integrating quite well. Your master hasn't shown any signs of coming to save you. Moreover, with the help of external forces from humanity, the Great Ring has also achieved civilization normalization, which is a good choice for devouring civilizations. We all come from the same Earth, we're all brothers."

After saying that, Luo Ji waved his hand and lifted the suppression of Karl.

Karl was panting heavily, and his expression showed no hatred, but rather a sense of relief.

“You are a smart person, Wallfacer Luo Ji. I have heard about your casting spells on stars. You are the smartest person on this planet.”

“I am not.” Luo Ji shook his head and sat back down in his seat. “Previous people have already summarized the problems. I am just a problem solver who tries to deduce unknown results based on known conditions.”

The divine worm Luo Qing you mentioned is currently in seclusion. He should have sensed this hidden threat earlier than I did, and is trying to resolve these contradictions by increasing his own power as much as possible.

Karl stated bluntly, "The god who devours the Empire's faith will arrive in the solar system. Although I don't particularly like this god, and I hope that the Great Ring can stay in the solar system for a long time to recover its strength, I must admit that your god is likely no match for our god, and the Great Ring may very well continue its wandering journey under the god's will."

Luo Ji accepted it calmly: "It's okay. If Luo Qing is gone, I'll still be here. If I'm gone, there are others. There are many smart people in this world, and many Wallfacers. Someone will always survive."

"There is hope as long as someone is alive."

"Living doesn't mean having hope. Do you know why the giant rings set the solar system as their target for consumption?"

"Oh? Isn't it because the solar system is rich in resources?" Luo Ji asked rhetorically.

"In terms of resource abundance, the region nine light-years away from Earth at that time was no less resource-rich than Earth. Why didn't we choose that, but instead chose the solar system? Do you really think the dinosaurs had no feelings for their home planet?"

Luo Ji vaguely realized that something was wrong.

"What's the meaning?"

"That god once issued a decree, ordering Da Huan to go to the solar system to welcome some respected elders, in the name of the youngest son of the Sixth Earth, to help those elders complete their final retirement work."

What is the Sixth Earth?

Luo Ji was dumbfounded.

"As the name suggests, within 200 light-years of Earth, there are six Earth-like planets. These six planets were seeded with complex amino acids 5 billion years ago, and these seeds of life created the vibrant life on these planets. Dinosaurs, ants, and humans all originated from these complex amino acids. Now, this elder who seeded the amino acids has reached the end of its civilization's lifespan and needs to retire. Since planets 2 through 6 have been destroyed in the attack, only Earth 1 and Earth 6 remain. The ruler of Earth 50, that wealthy progenitor, only drove away those elders a few hundred thousand years ago. Now, those elders are heading to the solar system, along with some refugee ships from Earth 6. Our Devouring Empire's original purpose was to receive them."

After Karl finished speaking in one breath, his expression was extremely pleased.

"This is the main reason why the dinosaurs chose the solar system as their target."

"And then?" Luo Ji forced himself to calm down.

Karl sneered: "You'd better pray that humanity has the ability to properly resettle those refugees from Earth One and those elderly people, especially the elderly, who are receiving a lot of attention. Counting the Trisolarans who are spying on the solar system and the gods of the dinosaurs, the real excitement in this solar system is about to begin. You humans, just wait and see, the good days are yet to come!"

(End of this chapter)