Cataclysm: Undead Dragons and Zero Empire

A pale blue light filled the entire laboratory, and there was an indescribable, almost deathly coldness in the air.

The constant temperature system has precisely controlled the room temperature within the range most suitable for the Foundation's main race, but every researcher who steps into this place will still subconsciously wrap themselves tighter in their uniforms, as if an invisible chill penetrates their skin and resides in their blood vessels.

Karen stood beside the circular observatory, his yellowish-green skin taking on an almost grayish-white hue under the dim blue light, and the lingering solemnity between his brows suggested he was utterly exhausted.

His gaze was fixed on a small, irregularly shaped metal fragment, no bigger than the palm of his hand, placed in a container in the center of the observation deck. Its surface had a dull, ashen sheen, as if it had lost its luster.

This is a representative sample selected from the ruins of the City of a Thousand Stars. It was once an alloy plate that supported the structure and was strong enough to withstand the bombardment of the fleet. But now it is like a piece of rotten wood that has been stripped of all its essence, as if it is no longer a piece of metal.

"Your Excellency, Special Envoy."

A hoarse voice sounded beside Karen. The speaker was the chief expert in charge of the laboratory and the Foundation's most authoritative scholar in the field of materials science and psionics. However, at this moment, his voice was filled with a kind of bewilderment that was almost collapsing as he projected a series of data in front of Karen.

"We have increased the accuracy of our observations to the limit of what the Foundation's equipment can achieve, and we have even used the observation instruments authorized by the Hamborghini Convention, but... we still can't find anything."

With a deep sense of powerlessness, the chief expert magnified the observation screen, moving from the macroscopic metal fragments all the way down to the microscopic level.

The instruments showed that the basic particles that make up this alloy are still moving steadily according to the basic rules of the universe, which is completely in line with common sense, and the interactions between various particles are all normal.

"You see, Your Excellency, from a microscopic perspective, there is no problem at all," the chief expert said, manipulating the observation screen to clearly display every detail to Karen.

"The microstructure of this alloy is no different from that of brand-new alloys from the same factory that we have in our warehouse."

Karen understood why the chief expert was so desperate. The conflict between scientific perspective and visual observation was so bizarre and mind-blowing. Everything was normal at the microscopic level, but at the macroscopic level, in the eyes of these living beings, the alloy was completely "dead".

"At a macro level, it has lost all its properties," the chief expert said, directing the camera to the tests the alloy had undergone.

"It no longer interacts with anything, so we can't make it levitate or move, and even its mass is being lost in a way we can't understand," the lead expert explained. "We've tried everything we can think of, and there's no way to restore its original properties."

"This piece of metal is like... Your Excellency, please forgive me for saying this inappropriately, but I really feel that this piece of metal is like it's dead."

Karen finally spoke, her tone devoid of emotion, "What's your conclusion?"

"We have no conclusions, Your Excellency," the chief expert said with a wry smile, shaking his head with bloodshot eyes. "We can't even find the mechanism by which it was affected. The flames released by the undead dragon... which we tentatively call 'death fire', did not damage its physical structure, nor did they leave any energy residue on it."

"All we can think of are conceptual things, but they are all vague and ethereal. The rules of the universe can indeed be arbitrarily modified, but we still cannot understand such changes."

Karen understood what the expert meant. He had seen countless ultimate weapons from advanced civilizations, which seemed to modify the rules of the universe like creators. Although he didn't understand the underlying principles, at least the results were understandable, such as rounding up pi.

However, the effects of the Deathfire of the Undead Dragon on matter are incomprehensible.

This power has exceeded the Foundation's understanding of the scientific boundaries, and could even be said to have entered the realm of theology.

Karen felt only helplessness. Those pampered old guys on the board of directors only saw the loss of their interests, the need to maintain their position in the river system, and the authority of the Humboldt Consortium.

However, when faced with the undead dragon, they labeled it as the enemy of the galaxy, but never considered whether such an existence was truly something they could fight against.

Karen has been trying her best to prevent the Foundation from sending a fleet to participate in the offensive against the Undead Dragons, so at least until now, the Foundation has not directly confronted the Undead Dragons.

"Continue the research," Karen said, turning her gaze away from the alloy. "No matter what method you use, no matter how many resources you need, contact me immediately if you find even the slightest clue."

"Yes, Your Excellency," the chief expert replied hastily, bowing deeply, even though he knew in his heart that the task was almost impossible to complete.

Karen said nothing more, turned and left the laboratory. The heavy door closed behind him, shutting out the deathly silence and bewilderment inside.

As if he had left behind that piece of metal scorched by the fires of death, the lights in the corridor seemed much softer, illuminating his somewhat lonely figure.

This is a temporary headquarters. After the destruction of the City of a Thousand Stars, the board of directors moved a large number of core institutions here. It is a star fortress hidden inside the asteroid belt.

The defense system built here was built at almost no expense, even more rigorous than that of Thousand Star City, with surveillance everywhere. After the destruction of Thousand Star City, the old guys on the board of directors became increasingly suspicious and cowardly, even monitoring their own people in the inner circle at all times.

Karen was well aware that the position the board had assigned him was restrictive in many ways. The board had already passed a formal resolution forbidding him from making any further attempts to contact or communicate with the Undead Dragon. All his research had to focus on how to fight against and eliminate the Undead Dragon.

But they didn't know that Karen had never given up, or rather, she simply didn't care.

He turned into a secluded corridor, opened a hidden door leading to a cramped, private space—a secretly constructed safe house known only to his trusted confidants.

However, when it comes to this, which board of directors didn't have their own agenda when building this star fortress? There must have been a bunch of unmarked, secret construction sites in that blueprint.

Karen's trusted secretary, Lia, was already waiting at her desk and immediately bowed when she saw the envoy enter.

"Your Excellency, Special Envoy," Lia said softly, "the latest information you requested regarding the Undead Dragons has been compiled."

"Speak," Karen said, sitting down. The exhaustion that had accumulated like a mountain finally showed itself at this moment. He hadn't closed his eyes for too long. Even his genetically optimized body couldn't withstand the long working hours that required even machines to be repaired.

Leah nodded and projected a series of holographic images. The images showed star systems that had been completely destroyed. The once bustling pirate strongholds were now nothing but endless desolation.

"From the Doomsday event until now, the Undead Dragon's pacification of the Pirate Alliance has never ended; it is always searching for the next star system to belong to the Pirate Alliance."

"The pirate alliance fleet suffered heavy losses, and a considerable number of its affiliated forces were completely wiped out. Intelligence indicates that a large number of the remaining forces have gathered in the pirate king's lair outside the river system."

Karen looked at the images of planets and fortresses completely consumed by the flames of death, and he was not surprised by the outcome at all.

When the Undead Dragon decides to kill, no force in the entire galaxy can stop it. The Pirate Alliance is doomed to destruction.