The overlord of the gods is interrogating the alien female spy.

　Before leaving, the prophet and Chen Lingxu inquired about their upcoming journey.

　"Yes. We originally planned to go straight there. But now, we've decided to slow down and see what's worth exploring in the surrounding star systems."

　"Oh, so that's the coordinate. Then let's go check out the other coordinates. After you've explored this coordinate, we can arrange to meet again and discuss the information we've gathered."

　"Of course. See you next time, prophet."

　. "

　"Okay! See you next time, my friends."

　Back on the bubble, Precys did not immediately go to rest, but instead fell into deep thought beside the remaining device.

　"What's wrong, Xiao Pu? Do we need to take a test?"

　Looking at this little glutton, Chen Lingxu felt that the mother and daughter were cut from the same mold.

　"Um...no, I think...no. If we use this, we won't have any more..."

　Precys's thoughts could not be concealed and were fully received by Chen Lingxu through empathy.

　Chen Lingxu gently embraced the girl and held her hand.

　"Hmm... If you need, I can install a bionic human body module or perform a bio-machine conversion."

　The Imperial Federation possesses the technology to turn robots into 'humans' and to make humans resemble 'machines'.

　Chen Lingxu could certainly install or even modify the corresponding modules to satisfy Prisus.

　"No... If that's the case, it will make me feel like... Ah Xu has really become my toy. With this device... I can merge my soul with Ah Xu's... I can get a prosthetic body implanted."

　The girl's words made Chen Lingxu shake his head in affection. Although the Imperial Federation possessed such technology, these people were very protective of their bodies, and unless absolutely necessary, no one would use prosthetics to compromise the integrity of their physical form.

　This girl, for his sake, wanted to turn herself into a 'machine'.

　"A soul... Precyth... Do you believe I possess a soul?"

　"Of course...I believe it..."

　"In that case, let's give it a try. Let's see if we can achieve that level of fusion without this device."

　Is that possible? But how do I do it?

　Precys sat on the bed, cradling his head and gazing into his eyes.

　When Chen Lingxu grasps the thread of empathy and forges it, he can touch the other person's soul.

　"Ugh... Slow down... Ah Xu... If this continues... little bubbles will start to appear..."

　Chapter Twenty-Two: The Lumberjacks - The Forest - The Wild Beasts

　Good morning, Priscilla. Our journey continues. Shall we go out exploring today, or create new audio?

　"I'll do whatever you say, my beloved phone."

　"Let's go explore the new planet I just discovered; it looks like it would be very interesting."

　After leaving the interstellar market, the little bubble, under Chen Lingxu's control, wandered around on its way to the coordinates.

　There are almost no large bodies of water or rainfall, the temperature difference between day and night is huge, and the vegetation is sparse. However, as long as there is a moderate amount of rainfall, the desert can become vibrant. On this desert planet, there lives a kind of giant desert worm that dissolves upon entering water. However, Chen Lingxu investigated for a week but still couldn't find out how they obtained their nutrition.

　Except for the relatively temperate equatorial regions, most of the surface is covered by permafrost. Although a stable biosphere exists, vegetation is mostly limited to tundra planets of mosses and lichens. There are no large creatures, but thousands of echinoderms have appeared, and they look quite grotesque.

　A mountainous world filled with a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere, countless towering mountain ranges cover the planet's surface. These continuous mountain ranges divide the oceans, leaving only numerous lakes frozen in the valleys due to the extremely low temperatures created by snow-capped peaks year-round. But beneath the thick ice layer, liquid water still exists, enough to even fish!

　The humid, rocky world with a thick nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere experiences dramatic climate changes. The dividing line between the dry and rainy seasons is clearly visible from space. Most of the continents are covered with lush vegetation. On this rainforest-filled planet, there lives a giant mosquito whose distorted appearance after sucking its fill of blood almost made Chen Lingxu lose his paintbrush. Precys would rather die than leave the spaceship.

　A rocky world with a highly toxic atmosphere, where no advanced life form can survive. Even scattered metal will be corroded at an extremely fast rate. After leaving, it cost another 500,000 credits to repair the small bubble in the ship's hull. It is the least recommended place for interstellar travel.

　There are also planets that have almost melted. The atmosphere on them is extremely thin, or even non-existent. Due to continuous volcanic activity, magma surges wildly on the surface, creating spectacular scenes.

　The system features three stars, a binary sun, and even two planets that are satellites of each other and tidally locked.

　A dozen galaxies, hundreds of planets, and years of companionship make this journey an unforgettable adventure.

　"The coordinate system we're looking for is just ahead. Precyth."

　"I know you're excited. We're about to go on an adventure."

　However, when the spaceship arrives at the target star system and finds the coordinates, there may not be any planets there.

　The tiny bubble passed through the asteroid belt, revealing a desolate landscape. This place may have once been a thriving planet. But now, a massive energy surge had ignited its core, leaving only countless scattered rocks floating in space.

　"What else could exist? Will we end up like this...?"

　Gazing at the ruins left after the collapse of civilization, Precys felt as if endless nothingness was flowing before her eyes.

　"Pureseth."

　"Ah... Ah Xu, did you say anything? I suddenly had a flash of inspiration and didn't hear you."

　Holding her hand, the genuine warmth from the loved one beside her dispelled the emptiness she had been gripped by. Turning her head, she realized...

　He smiled.

　"Let's go and meet up with the prophets. They're in a nearby galaxy."

　"okay."

　Are you going to see that girl?

　Precy could sense the undisguised affection her beloved machine had for the other. However, this affection was different from hers; it was simply the affection one has for a child… Ah, that lively little penguin was indeed more like an adventurous girl than a burdened PhD from the Federal Academy of Sciences, which made her undeniably likable.

　So... there's nothing to worry about, right?

　"Huh? What's wrong?"

　Chen Lingxu had just set the flight path when the girl next to him pulled him aside.

　"I want it."

　Looking at the presumptuous Prisus in front of him, Chen Lingxu sent an OK emoji.

　The tiny bubble floated in space for two natural hours before accelerating again and beginning its transition.

　"Here I am! Over here!"

　In the years since we last met, the Prophet's ship has been upgraded several times, from a large shuttle to a light frigate, a destroyer, and now it has become a light cruiser several hundred meters long. The shuttle can dock with it, so they no longer need to communicate via video while floating.

　"And there are workshops? Research teams? Who pays their salaries?"

　There was a team of hundreds of people on the ship, and Chen Lingxu was visiting the ship with the prophet.

　"Of course it's the federal government. You didn't know, did you? The Anjou ruins contain a lot of technology. We also discovered a super-large ruin where the Anjou and some other civilizations gathered, and the biotechnology inside is astonishing."

　"And in a few years I'll have another battleship. It'll be a kilometer long. I'm going to name it the Rhodes Island! You absolutely have to come visit then!"

　Over the past few years, we've relied on the gradually built-up satellite network for communication. In this remote area, the signal is still poor and often lags. Now that we've finally met again, the little penguin is so excited, chattering away nonstop.

　"By the way, did you find anything at that coordinate point?"

　Chen Lingxu shook his head and sent a helpless shrug emoji.

　"When we arrived, all that was left was a fragmented asteroid belt. The small bubble wasn't a dedicated research vessel, so we couldn't check if any information had been left behind."

　"I see... Well, let's go take a look later. Where are you going next? Would you like to come with us?"

　"Let's continue our journey, exploring new galaxies. We plan to take a break in the tenth year of this trip. There's still a year left."

　"Ten years..."

　Although technological advancements have significantly extended the overall lifespan of citizens in the Imperial Federation, ten years is still a long time; Friston's grandson is already in a relationship.

　"We've known each other for ten years already, Ah Xu."

　Although we only met twice, we have maintained contact for ten years. With the support of the star network, we can sometimes hold mock meetings and meet in person. Our relationship has not only not diminished, but has actually strengthened.

　"Yes, I've changed my modules several times."

　"After all, that's what interstellar exploration is like. There are unknowns everywhere, and opportunities and dangers are always by your side."

　The prophet thought for a moment, then stood on tiptoe and patted his chest.

　"Hmm? What task do you need me to do?"

　She looked the same as when they first met, as if the organization had made a decision.

　"We've also obtained a new coordinate. It's only twenty light-years away. Do you want to go?"

　"Hmm? Where is that place?"

　"I speculate that it is the last refuge of the Anjou people, located in the system of that neutron star. We originally planned to go there after you had explored the ruins and integrated the information."

　"Hmm... okay. We'll go take a look first. We'll let you know when we get there."

　Since he had nothing else to do, and Chen Lingxu had been exploring space for so long but had never seen what a neutron star looked like, this was a rare opportunity, so he figured he might as well take a look.

　"Let's rest here for a while. I'll have Ed upgrade the bubble for you so we can observe the neutron star up close."

　Neutron stars have extremely high densities and gravity far exceeding that of other stars. They also possess extremely strong magnetic fields and radiation. With its current capabilities, the small bubble can only wander around the edge of the galaxy and cannot get close.

　"Thank you very much, Xiao Yu."

　The other three met again at a private meeting convened by the prophet. Precys, who had come to catch up with old friends, followed Lu here. Upon seeing Chen Lingxu, he jogged over to him and sat down next to him.

　However, her expression was somewhat confused, and her thoughts were being conveyed to Chen Lingxu through empathy.

　"Don't worry about that, Priscilla."

　The crisis facing the Imperial Federation, the remains of the Anjou civilization after its demise, and the uncertainty of the unknown universe... plunged this sensitive girl into despair.

　"I'm still here with you."

　"Um……"

　Holding his hand, Precys breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the peace and fulfillment of having someone to rely on, and no longer so afraid of those things.

　"Ahem, Ashu, Prestis. Next, I will tell you about the Imperial Federation's records and understanding of that unknown adversary. But don't take it to heart."

　If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up; if anyone is to worry, it's the federal officials above the prophets.

　"Just like my most"

　Just as initially conceived. Imagine our river system as a forest. In this forest are countless trees, some already many years old, some just sprouting saplings, and others merely seeds. Occasionally, birds will perch, insects will infest the trees, and the trees will compete for sunlight and nutrients, causing others to wither and die. Sometimes, other trees will bear fruit, sharing it with the young saplings to provide nourishment for their growth. But none of this is surprising; after all, they are just trees.

　"But on the other side of the forest lived a lumberjack. After waking up, he would take his axe and go into the forest to cut down trees that met the requirements. Whether the tree was lush or slender, whether it had been growing for many years with its roots deeply embedded in the earth, or whether it had just sprouted from the soil and had not seen the sun or enjoyed the rain for many days."

　"I have a question."

　Chen Lingxu raised his hand, and the prophet teacher allowed the student to speak.

　"Since it's a forest, and there are birds and insects, why are there no wild animals in it?"

　To the Imperial Federation, rebels are ants, warp wildlife are birds that happen to stop by, and unknown destroyers of civilizations are lumberjacks. So, who is playing the role of the beast in the forest?

　Why don't the wild animals in the forest drive away the loggers who are so recklessly destroying the forest environment?

　“A very good question. But…”

　The prophet shook his head.

　"I don't know. At least, in our river system, there are no wild animals that can drive away, harm, or even kill loggers."

　Do other river systems exhibit this phenomenon?

　Are the lumberjacks targeting a civilization within this one galaxy, or a civilization across the entire universe?

　If it's the latter, then there's no need for any discussion; let's just lie down and wait to die.

　"Hmm. That's a good question. Perhaps once we develop a drive that can traverse millions of light-years between galaxies, we can visit my neighbors and see if they have the same problem."

　"But my answer is still the same: I don't know. Ah Xu, my theory may have been wrong from the beginning, or perhaps only part of it is correct."

　"Our civilization may possess a territory spanning thousands of light-years and the resources of hundreds of star systems, but compared to this galaxy, our civilization is as weak as an infant. Our technology may only be what we perceive as powerful. In the face of a true war between civilizations, no one knows whether we will be the invincible Anjou or a pitiful civilization destroyed in the Anjou war."

　"I can't give you a definite answer... The only thing we can do is to build up the soil for our seeds before the loggers wake up, so that they can avoid being cut down and can sprout again."

　"My friend, perhaps a long time from now, we can still lie in the sunshine and discuss these interesting questions together. By then, I might be able to give you an answer."

　Chapter Twenty-Three: The Last Anjou People

　“A-Xu…”

　Even after leaving the prophet's ship and sailing through the universe again, Precys was still somewhat downcast.

　"Prismus, let's go on vacation. Remember that ocean planet we saw before?"

　It's not a planet where feathered serpents exist, but another ocean planet where the turquoise waters, surging and bathed in the glow of the setting sun, create a breathtaking scene.