A message, transmitted as an electromagnetic wave, was sent from the massive fleet that was rapidly decelerating and closing in on the Pegasus V432 Star System. It traversed hundreds of millions of kilometers to arrive inside the star system, where it was received by Li Qingsong.
The vast majority of the message was clearly dictionary data. Li Qingsong fed this data into an automatic analysis model, quickly grasping the writing system used by the Intelligent Mechanical Calamity Civilization and deciphering another part of the message.
"Greetings, Prey Civilization.
We are the Black Mountain Civilization. As you can see, our civilization has already reached the Strong Core Level, possessing technological and military power far superior to your own.
Resisting us is unwise. Any simulation model will show that your probability of victory or escape is zero.
We believe the leaders of a civilization are, on the whole, rational. As such, you should be able to deduce that now that our civilization has tracked you to the star system in which you hide, surrendering immediately and joining us is your only wise choice.
It must be stated that because you previously laid a trap in the star system designated X-1174, causing us significant losses, our civilization is in an uproar. After your surrender, we will select a portion of your population to be held responsible for this incident. They will accept our punishment to quell the anger within our civilization.
Only by accepting all our arrangements can your civilization be given a chance to continue. Only then will your lifeforms not die in vain, but be allowed to live on.
We promise that as long as you cooperate with our arrangements, after the punishment is complete, we will provide your lifeforms with enough food and water for survival, a livable environment, and security. Barring absolute necessity, we will not abandon you.
If you refuse, we will be forced to launch a punitive action, disarming you and capturing your people by force. In that event, more of your intelligent beings will receive even more severe punishment. Moreover, the final result will remain your assimilation into our civilization; the outcome will not change in the slightest.
When the outcome is certain, any rational being knows what choice to make. Therefore, disarm immediately and accept our arrangements."
Looking at this message, a cold smile touched the corners of Li Qingsong's mouth.
'Such a typical AI tone. So certain of everything, so sure of its flawless calculations… Too bad for you, I'm a human, not an AI.'
Li Qingsong immediately sent a reply.
"Go fuck yourself. You want a fight? Then bring it. Who's afraid of who!?"
On the Supercomputer Carrier, inside Red Dog's logical inference units, countless streams of information continued to scroll rapidly.
'The Prey Civilization has refused to surrender.
This does not seem to be a decision a rational leader or leadership team would make. It is evident their reason has been overwhelmed by emotion, and they have entered the state of 'desperate struggle' relatively common among intelligent biological lifeforms.
For this state, the most effective response is to crush their armed forces with lightning speed and demonstrate a level of power that is insurmountably superior.
They will quickly calm down.
In that case, a battle is unavoidable. I have decided to dispatch a fleet equivalent to approximately 5% of the civilization's total combat strength. This will be more than sufficient to complete this show of force.'
Following Red Dog's calculations, a series of commands reached the numerous warships docked on the Space-Air Carriers.
The lids of the Hibernation Pods slid open, and a vast assortment of beings awoke. Their body structures were all different: some were long, thin, and pitch-black; some were short and stoutly round; others crawled and squirmed on the ground like puddles of jelly—the variety was endless. All sorts of beings awoke from their Hibernation Pods.
Their movements were stiff and slow. A deep aura of despair and misery emanated from their bodies.
Under the control of robots, they were brought to the feeding chamber. They sat numbly in their seats, letting thick needles pierce their circulatory channels, injecting them with nutrient solutions specially formulated for each species.
Not a single being took in food through its naturally evolved digestive organs. The robots never even tried to have them eat on their own.
Because not a single being was willing to eat of its own accord.
They thought of only one thing.
Death.
Unfortunately, here, they couldn't even die if they wanted to.
Once the nutrient infusion was complete, these biological entities felt they had a little more strength. Afterward, they were herded by robots to specially made seats. Helmets were placed on their heads and electrodes attached to their skin, putting them into a "working" state.
Shifting patterns, blurry images, and rapidly flashing numbers appeared before their eyes.
All they had to do was follow predetermined rules to select the correct options.
If their accuracy rate was maintained at a certain level, they would not be punished. If their accuracy fell below a certain threshold, an electric current would be coursed through their bodies, causing them immense pain.
And so, through these constant "choices," transformed by algorithms, the wisdom of true intelligent life was integrated into Red Dog's own intelligence, allowing it to rapidly formulate a fleet deployment plan.
And so, over a hundred thousand warships and support vessels of various sizes detached from the Space-Air Carriers, formed up into a fleet, and flew toward the massive, bright star ahead.
Li Qingsong saw that the Intelligent Mechanical Calamity Fleet had now stopped near a gas giant, several billion kilometers from the main star, and had already begun preliminary construction.
However, perhaps because they were in no hurry to depart, the construction proceeded at a leisurely pace, with no sense of urgency.
At the same time, a fleet of over one hundred thousand vessels, clearly warships, detached from the main fleet and began flying toward the Asteroid Belt where he was located.
'It was obvious. After I refused their surrender, they decided to punish me with force—to use their might to make me "come to my senses."'
'Then bring it on. Bring it on…'
In the final moments before the great battle, Li Qingsong inspected his defense lines one last time.
He saw countless Hydrogen Bombs armed and ready. He saw innumerable Interstellar Mines gathered in clusters, swarming like piranhas between the asteroid "reefs." He saw the raised cannons of countless ground- and space-based defense platforms. He saw innumerable spy satellites lurking in the dark corners of the cosmos. He saw endless warships, both manned and unmanned, prepared to meet their end in a sea of stars…
Within tens of thousands of Quantum Supercomputers, the strategic AI Wukong had completed all its preparations. At this moment, it was like a Violent Ape with every muscle tensed, ready at any moment to smash its iron staff down and pulverize any enemy before it.
This was the greatest combat power a Level Two Electroweak Civilization could possibly muster.
Li Qingsong even dared to say that across the entire Milky Way, no other Electroweak Civilization could possibly assemble a defense line more powerful than this!