Cosmic Demon

Chapter 228 will feature a direct confrontation with the Star God!

The silver-haired old man was Feng Wuyang, the planetary governor of Hengzhou.

He used his mental power to lift his body and slowly raise himself out of the cabin.

The magnificent robe hanging on the hanger slowly unfurled, passing through her hands and cascading down.

"Sub-worlds like the Great Universe Server are unique. They have divine pillars that establish their framework, maintain their operation, and ensure that all 'physical laws' are infinitely close to reality."

Feng Wuyang said solemnly:
"Deep within the core of Hengzhou Nova lies the 'Lord of Gluttony,' whose existence has forced Hengzhou into two shackles, preventing it from taking off."

Every governor-general was troubled by this and wanted a permanent solution to the problem.

Taijun closed his eyes in deep thought, seemingly processing data. After a while, he spoke:

"At present, the new Eastern Xia is powerless against the Star God. Even the Eastern Xia Empire, which has spread the flame of civilization throughout the galaxy, has failed to find a way to end this."

The reason why the 'Star Gods' are called 'monsters' is because, based on the parts deciphered by the Nine Marshals from the excavation of the Imperial Codex, they seem to originate from another aspect of the greater universe.

Feng Wuyang stood with his hands behind his back, his bare feet on the ground.

As his mental energy gradually receded, the array of matrix devices that stood like a forest were extinguished one by one.

There are various speculations about the Star God. Dr. Yan Tongxuan also proposed a hypothesis that the Star God is a 'natural disaster' caused by the decline of the universe.

However, before his death, Dr. Yan overturned this statement and leaned more towards the conclusion of the Imperial Think Tank: the Star God is a 'cancer cell' in the universe, constantly spreading and eroding all matter, leading everything to the worst possible outcome.

Based on current information, the Star God possesses some divine qualities, including immortality.

However, they lack intelligence, or rather, their growth cycle is extremely long.

According to the 'Sequence Chart' recorded by the Supreme Research Institute, a total of 347 Star Gods have appeared, but less than one-tenth of them have appeared in adult form.

Feng Wuyang stepped out of the room. For most of his tenure, his activities were almost entirely confined to the Governor's Mansion, or more precisely, the hillside villa behind the Governor's Mansion.

He stood in the center of the terrace, facing the cool night breeze, looking down at the front yard building nestled among the verdant mountains.

"Atai, as the oldest of Hengzhou's rising stars, you should know my predecessors. They all considered how to deal with the young Gluttonous Lord and put Hengzhou back on the fast track of development."

I remember a senior colleague who proposed a very bold idea, which involved cooperation with the Qin family.

Tai Jun frowned as he recalled, quickly retrieving the characters' dialogue and specific scenes from the vast sea of ​​data.

"Yes, Governor Lin has discussed this with Qin Shouge several times. That peerless genius from the Qin family of Yancheng has embarked on the path of cultivating the mind and almost broke through to the Manifestation stage and reached the Grandmaster level."

Governor Lin wondered, if the Star Gods' intellectual development was incredibly slow in their early years, could an extremely powerful spiritual cultivator be tasked with shattering their souls and then inhabiting their bodies…?

Tai Jun frowned even more, as if he had recalled an unpleasant scene, and hesitated before saying:

"To this end, Governor Lin privately allowed Qin Shouge to assemble a team to conduct some less-than-compliant research in order to determine the feasibility of the plan."

Feng Wuyang remained calm and did not ask any further questions, but he roughly understood what aspects were being referred to.

The study of the human body and soul inevitably involves ethical issues, and much of the information cannot even be made public.

Otherwise, it will surely cause public panic and condemnation!

"Any breakthrough?"

Feng Wuyang asked.

"All ended in failure."

Taijun replied.

Those deep eyes surged like ocean waves, analyzing the sea of ​​data layer by layer, and the result was obtained after a dozen seconds.

"There are two insurmountable obstacles. One is the immortality of the star gods, which makes their lifespan close to eternal life."

Even the early stages of life are enough to encompass countless beings in the vast universe.

Feng Wuyang sighed, recalling a joke he'd heard from his former superior while serving in the combat unit—

From birth to death, a human being is but a single breath from a star god.

Qin Shouge's plan was that the souls of all living beings were in a state of chaos from the beginning.

If he could use his own mind to simulate the soul fluctuations of the Star God, and then merge into them to become dominant, he could, in turn, assimilate the Star God.

Tai Jun explained.

"But he cannot outlive the sleeping star god. His soul will also age and die, and cannot be maintained for long. This is the first difficulty."

As for the second difficulty, Qin Shouge's spiritual realm has not yet reached the level of Manifestation, and he cannot remain in a state of perpetual non-regression. Once he delves into the Star God's sea of ​​consciousness, he cannot guarantee that he will maintain that state.

Feng Wuyang chuckled:
"To put it bluntly, these two obstacles are actually one problem. Qin Shouge is too weak. Even if he is a half-step Saint, he is still insignificant to the Star God."

Tai Jun remained silent.

Although active consciousness can be considered part of "life," the word "artificial" must be added to it.

Under the most basic logical premise, Taijun can only act like a machine, responsible for execution rather than thinking.

The war between the Eastern Xia and the Star God lasted for countless millennia.

The former achieved a partial victory, but was overthrown by its own kind, who then established a new regime.

The latter, having failed, lies dormant in the planet's core, awaiting its awakening.

It's hard to say for sure who will be the ultimate winner.

"On the macroscopic scale of the universe, apart from gods, all life appears insignificant and humble. The Nine Marshals are so outstanding and have such extraordinary talent that they have been able to stand for nine thousand years. They are few and far between."

Feng Wuyang steered the conversation back on track, placing his hands on the railing.

"To possess the body of a star god and become a demigod from a 'human' is too far-fetched. You must be a spiritual manifestation and have a long lifespan to complete the long 'incubation period'."

This is equivalent to requiring you to be both a martial god and a grandmaster of the mind, but even at that level, why would you still need to covet a star god's body!

Tae-gun suddenly wanted to cover his ears, because he could completely guess what Bong Moo-yang was going to say next.

"In retrospect, my strategy was clearly more reasonable and had a greater chance of success."

Feng Wuyang was smug. He logged into numerous accounts simultaneously on the Great Universe Server, nurtured each "account," and then engaged in team battles and national wars.

After expending countless efforts, they finally formed a "Fengtian Army".

"After four national wars, I have determined the direction of the great expansion of Hengzhou. With the mobilization of nearly 400,000 troops, we can stop the energy blockade at the critical point where it is completely broken."

Feng Wuyang returned to the house and had Taijun throw out the sand table model.

He then outlined two battlefronts, one to the west and one to the east.

"Based on the previous large-scale reclamation, it can be roughly determined that the Lord of Gluttony is encased in the core of the earth. His juvenile body is approximately 530 million square kilometers from the central city to the westernmost fortified city."

He happens to have two hearts, one located in the highly polluted area on the western front, and the other in the highly polluted area on the eastern front.

Feng Wuyang marked the two locations with red warning signs, and then said:

"I have decided to invest 150,000 on the western front and 200,000 on the eastern front, and only 19 'soldier-level' super machines will be deployed to be responsible for clearing and advancing."

I've rehearsed this four times! This is the closest possible 'offering' to satisfy the Lord of Gluttony, to make Him open His eyes!

Tae-jun really wishes he were human, and that he were deaf.

Looking at this planetary governor, who was hailed as the least ambitious of all the rising stars in Hengzhou, Tai Jun said expressionlessly:

“Your Excellency, do you know that if these words are made public, you will be warned by the court, and even if you are the governor of the planet, you will be placed on the ‘watch list’ as a result?”

They referred to the citizens of Dongxia as 'sacrifices' and waged war in order to complete the 'sacrificial act'.

This falls under the category of actions by the Chaos faction. New Eastern Xia has a zero-tolerance policy towards this.

Feng Wuyang nodded, looking relaxed. "Governor, are you aware that, as an active consciousness nurtured by the original text, I also act as a third-party 'supervisor' to some extent, meticulously recording all orders issued by each governor?"

Taijun continued.

"For example, Governor Lin, because he tacitly allowed Qin Shouge to participate in unethical and illegal experiments, was tainted and did not retire perfectly."

"And this matter was reported by me to the central government in the capital."

Feng Wuyang raised an eyebrow, but a smile still lingered on his lips.

"Atai, are you saying all this because you want me to take back what I just said? But as an active consciousness governed by logic, it is your duty to record the words and actions of the planetary governor."

If I were to withdraw my request, would you be willing to delete this 'file' that should be kept?

With his tall crown and long robe, the ancient-looking Thai king's jaw tightened, a testament to how even an active consciousness with virtually no emotional fluctuations could be forced into such a state.

This shows just how "bad" this governor was.

"All consciousnesses nurtured by the original texts are governed by the most fundamental, primordial logic. I am no exception."

But you can order me to delete it, Your Excellency; you have that authority.

After gritting his teeth, Taijun said helplessly.

Did you remind Governor Lin of this?

Feng Wuyang continues to challenge the bottom line.

"No, Governor Lin doesn't care."

Furthermore, I want to clearly inform you that I will truthfully report your words and actions to the court.

Unable to endure the "torture" any longer, Taijun finally spoke with a livid face.

Feng Wuyang seemed to have received a satisfactory answer and laughed heartily:

"That's right! Never try to be lenient towards humanity by bypassing the fundamental logic!"
Even if we can be considered 'friends,' we shouldn't. This is my advice to you, Atai.

After solemnly finishing his words, he paused, gazing at the enormous sand table meticulously arranged and repeatedly calculated.

He said in a deep voice:
"I know perfectly well that the cost of growth, the growing pains of change, the structural upheavals... all come at the cost of sacrificing the voiceless interests of the underprivileged in order to achieve some kind of 'great feat.' But I truly have no choice but to do so!"

The new Eastern Xia has reached a critical juncture where it must make a choice. If it goes to the right, it will continue to rely on the support of the gods, and the flame of civilization will hardly ever shine. If it goes to the left, it may return to the imperial era and be trapped in endless expeditions and expansion.

As the old era gives way to the new, Hengzhou, as a border region and the first line of defense, will face only two outcomes if it fails to achieve rapid development.

Either the Star God awakens, turning the land into a 'fallen zone,' or it is burned to ashes by war, forcing it to repeat the pioneering days of the past.

Feng Wuyang stood in the spacious hall with its circular dome, his expression solemn, and his words were firm and powerful.

Rather than explaining to Tai-jun, it was more like reaffirming his own beliefs:

"I have been in Hengzhou for many years and have also seen other administrative planets."

In developed areas like Haizhou, Yuezhou, and Suzhou, very few people are born without knowing what a cell phone, telephone, or the internet are, let alone watching old movies from the last era on a video recorder with an outdated screen.

Let alone the children of Old Factory Street, even those from the urban area would probably find it hard to understand why an expensive "interplanetary trip" is considered a "vacation" or a "summer camp."

The Thai king remained silent.

As an active consciousness, it is sometimes difficult to truly understand the rich and delicate emotions of humans.

For example, right now.

Tai Jun couldn't understand where the Governor's resentment and indignation came from.

That's always been the case with Xinghai!
Various classes have never been eliminated.

Every civilization has its "poor" and "rich," "strong" and "weak."

Inherent unfairness pervades every corner of the universe.

Is there anything wrong with this?

For once, Tai Jun's deep eyes revealed a hint of doubt.

"Eastern Xia should not be like this, at least the new Eastern Xia established by those supreme heroes should not be like this."

Feng Wuyang remained silent for a long time, his voice tinged with weariness.

"My grandfather was born in the early 9th millennium. He was from Hengzhou, while I grew up in Suzhou, which is known as the Star of Water and Marsh. I learned to swim, catch fish, and pick lotus roots from a young age."

My grandfather loved to sit on a small stool by the door and watch the sun go down.

He told me that the sunset in his hometown was different; there, as far as the eye could see, there were vast plains.

The setting sun, like a bride in her red wedding dress, is both vibrant and chilly.

I first came to Hengzhou when I was twenty-six years old, when I was with the army.

Do you know how astonished I was? In the ninth millennium of the new Dongxia, how could there still be shantytowns and low-rise houses?

When I came back a second time, I was already fifty-nine years old and had taken office as the planetary governor.

Hengzhou remains unchanged, as if sealed in the torrent of time, maintaining its original state regardless of external changes.

Feng Wuyang raised his eyelids, and a powerful force seemed to burst forth from his straight but aged body.

It reminded Taijun of the coal in Hengzhou mining area, the crude oil in Liaozhou, and the mountains and forests in Mengzhou... It was a very primitive and ancient atmosphere.

"The new Eastern Xia established by the Nine Marshals once addressed hundreds of millions of citizens in the thirty-two administrative districts in front of the White Jade Palace in the capital, which was known as the 'Land of Ascension to Immortality'."

We will explore a path to the freedom and liberation of all living beings, and to eliminate all oppression and exploitation in the new Eastern Xia.

I have always followed this principle in my studies, military service, and service to the country.

If the Star God is hindering Hengzhou, then I will find a way to deal with the Star God.

As Qin Shuai wrote in "On the Transformation of Civilization," those who are concerned with both the beginning and the end, and who are overly concerned with their reputation, will not accomplish anything.

In this great expansion, I will pierce the two hearts of the 'Lord of Gluttony,' awakening this monstrous creature that has slumbered for five thousand years.

Taijun sighed again, feeling more helpless today than in the past two millennia.

"Without the Star God, can Hengzhou truly revitalize itself by breaking the blockade? Your Excellency, have you considered that Dongxia, having lost the Nine Marshals, might not be able to achieve this..."

Before Tae-gun could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Bong Moo-yang.

His gaze was fixed intently on the slumbering Lord of Gluttony, who occupied a large part of Hengzhou and exuded the terrifying influence of a demigod.

Like the fluctuations of gravitational tides, it continuously gives birth to retinues and lower-level creatures.

If it weren't for the fact that they were scattered everywhere, densely packed, like the blocking nodes of the stars.

It's hard to imagine what Hengzhou will become.

"That's none of my business. Each generation has its own things to do."

Feng Wuyang grinned and said:

"My role as governor is solely to deal with this guy."

As for the future of Hengzhou, I'm almost gone to the stars, so I won't be able to see what it will become.

Let those young sparks burn and illuminate the way.

Tai Jun felt an unprecedented sense of helplessness.

This is the most unambitious planetary governor.

He's gone mad and wants to confront the Star God directly and fight Him in person!
(End of this chapter)