"The other fleets are undoubtedly planning to encircle and ambush the enemy reinforcements."
Mingna felt her own pace was too sluggish; she had overplayed her hand.
If she hadn't wasted time engaging this minor fleet and had simply followed the City of Nothingness, she would have secured intel on the M36 Star Cluster much sooner.
In truth, the communication breakdown wasn't Luna's fault—it was her own arrogance.
But she was a Divine.
If a Divine wasn't arrogant, what right did they have to that title?
"Strategos, are you perhaps overthinking this? Maybe they just haven't seized the objective yet."
Mingna was debating the next move with her Captains. They were already lagging behind; the other fleets had seized control of the surrounding star systems. There was nothing left for them to claim.
Even if the others offered her a territory, Mingna would refuse it; it would be an unbearable loss of Face.
"Impossible."
"With their capabilities, they should have secured it ages ago. Far too much time has passed."
"This enemy fleet must have intercepted the Winunder distress signal and come straight for us."
"The other Divines aren't in any rush because they have already completely suppressed the central zone."
"Once the Ynun Star Nation occupies the M36 Star Cluster, they gain a permanent foothold. If they fail to take it, Ynun loses a massive chunk of combat power and we will slowly devour them."
"The M36 Star Cluster was always intended to be the bait for this trap."
Mingna possessed a lethal insight into the flow of war.
Furthermore, she was convinced she was absolutely correct.
Bmen was merely the border of the Rusty Star Nation.
As for the M36 Star Cluster, Luna had clearly used it as a disposable asset for development while baiting the Ynun Star Nation. There was little infrastructure here precisely so its destruction wouldn't be Painful for the state.
Otherwise, logically, the M36 Star Cluster was closer to the human Civilization core. The Rusty Star Nation should have valued it, perhaps even moving their capital there.
That location would have slashed transport costs and opened massive trade routes with other powerful nations.
The current derelict state of the cluster was an intentional move by the Rusty Star Nation.
"Uh... the enemy isn't weak, and we aren't exactly invincible."
The Captains still couldn't swallow it.
Although they had intercepted a fleet, many Winunder vessels had already retreated to the M36 Star Cluster. Those ships, combined with the system's internal security, were enough to hold them off for a long time.
They had served in the five great fleets for years and never once believed they were this powerful.
"It's different now."
Mingna didn't care to explain.
She refused to let the other four Divines steal her glory.
"We will bypass the M36 Star Cluster and launch a direct ambush on the Ynun Star Nation reinforcements."
She made her choice.
The decision sent a shockwave of fear through the Captains.
Wasn't this just a elaborate form of suicide?
"Our combat strength is limited," a Captain cautioned, trying to ground the inflated Mingna.
But she didn't give a damn.
"Just do it. Launch."
"As long as we annihilate the Ynun reinforcements, their entire Nation will collapse."
Mingna's intel was limited; she didn't yet know about the two other allied fleets.
But even if she did, it wouldn't have changed her mind.
"She's insane!"
The Captains were convinced she had lost her mind. They had suspected it before, and though she'd proven them wrong then, this was different.
Her previous madness was at least within a controllable range.
This time, she was truly far gone, utterly and completely Mad.
"Strategos, I believe we should reconsider, or at least discuss this further. We still have time."
They were all wiping cold sweat from their brows, desperate to talk her down.
Mingna listened, her patience wearing thin.
In Hyperdimensional Space, few dared to question her.
But in this reality, it had happened too many times, making her tyrannical.
"Do not question my decisions, nor attempt to alter them. Your only job is to execute!"
"Do you understand?"
Her eyes narrowed into slits as she scanned the room.
The Captains felt a bone-chilling sensation crawl up their spines.
They didn't know why.
They had never felt such a crushing weight from another human being.
This was their first time.
Generally, no matter how terrifying an ordinary person's life is, their aura is limited because they haven't formed a true Self.
Self is an abstract concept.
It refers to a person's absolute perception of who they are and what they must achieve.
Ordinary people don't perceive their purpose; they just drift with the Tide of the era. Most don't even realize the tide exists.
A few who perceive it will ride the wave to the top, achieving some success.
In the Earth era, these were the great merchants and billionaires.
But only a tiny fraction could actually drive the current; they were the ones who opened the floodgates.
These were the Leaders of history.
These individuals became aware of their Self. This was a heightened Self-Awareness. They realized they could change the world and were filled with a Confidence so absolute it could be imposed onto others.
This was a true Aura.
Beside true Aura, there was the artificial kind.
Artificial Aura is not generated by the person, but by the fear and submission of those around them.
For example, an ordinary person standing before a wealthy man feels tension. That is a form of Aura.
But a truly confident person wouldn't feel a thing.
However, a true Aura could suppress even the most confident individuals.
For Mingna, a Divine, this was a natural phenomenon.
Her voice, cold and unshakable, left the Captains speechless.
"Fine. We do it."
The meeting was over.
The Captains relayed the orders to the ranks below.
It caused a total uproar.
The soldiers thought exactly like their leaders: this was Impossible.
Ambush the Ynun reinforcements?
God only knew how many warships the Ynun Star Nation would send.
It would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot—a total overestimation of their own strength.
Even with their recent victory, they weren't that arrogant.
When the news broke, they assumed the high command had finally snapped.
"How could they approve this strategy?"
"Did the Strategos even read this?"
"Our superiors are a pack of Incompetents!"
"How much Arrogance does it take to make a call like this? I don't want to Die."
"Uh… is it possible this was actually the Strategos' own choice?" one soldier muttered.
Gachi, knowing his Strategos was a Divine, understood the matter was settled.
His mission was simple: Slaughter as many enemies as possible. So far, he hadn't had the chance to go all out.
He backed this order 10,000%.
To him, the Battlefield only meant one thing: Slaughter.
He might later have a chance to slaughter enemies and secure a high evaluation, which would be a massive asset for the more grueling missions ahead.
"This is getting worse. The Strategos must be drunk on her last victory. Who's going to talk sense into her?"
Gachi's words didn't settle anyone's nerves; instead, they fanned the flames of their anxiety.
For them, the logic was simple.
If these were just orders from the Captains, there was still a chance for an amendment.
But if the Strategos had spoken.
Then it was over!
They couldn't resist; they could only march into whatever fire she had built for them.
"The Strategos' decision can't be that reckless, can it?"
"The previous Strategos toyed with the enemy, leading them in circles. I bet she has another Plan this time."
"Why would the Strategos lead us to our deaths? Exactly. The elites have their own logic; we can't even begin to guess it."
To Gachi's shock, the tide of public opinion shifted.
The previous war had proven the Strategos' sheer genius to the rank-and-file, cementing their trust and making Mingna their absolute priority.
This time, the entire Fleet accepted the order faster than anyone anticipated.
They moved with lethal efficiency, cutting straight through the M36 Star Cluster.
...
Following the Fourth Fleet's maneuver, the Strategos of the other fleets received the data.
They all understood exactly what Mingna intended to do.
She wanted to hijack their mission and snatch a higher score for herself.
However, they didn't lift a finger to stop her.
To them, the conflict wasn't worth the cost.
They were supposed to be co-operating on this mission. If they devolved into infighting, the losses would be catastrophic.
No Divine was to be trifled with.
A Divine was not so easily killed.
But should they just let Mingna pass without a toll?
Wouldn't that make them look incompetent?
The four Divines simultaneously applied pressure on Mingna, forcing her to concede some spoils.
This pressure was the price of peace.
Mingna was direct, handing over a cache of materials. These assets were highly valuable within Hyperdimensional Space, redeemable for Ability Currency, or used to forge devastating Weapons.
As a small tactical trade, Mingna made the compromise.
After all, this was a minor mission with mediocre rewards. Watching a group of billionaires kill each other over a hundred dollars would be insane.
Once they had their cut, the four Divines made one final demand: she must resolve the issue perfectly, and not a single shred of information could leak.
Mingna agreed.
She was slightly puzzled by the request.
There was clearly something hidden here that she didn't know.
She wanted to dig for the truth, but time was a luxury she didn't have. She would have to solve that riddle later.
Aboard the St. Anthony.
Mingna waited in her quarters, a living area furnished with sofas and a coffee table arranged in overlapping squares.
But the sleek coffee table wasn't for tea; it served as a 3D Holographic Projection, displaying the complex data Mingna was crunching.
With the trade-off settled, Mingna knew the other Divines wouldn't interfere. She felt a wave of relief.
It was time for the next phase of the plan.
How to crush the strong with the weak.
She knew that the war waiting for her was, on paper, a suicide mission.
In a head-on collision, they had zero chance.
Even with an ambush, the odds of winning only climbed from 0.1% to 5%—nowhere near her standards.
But she already had a strategy in mind.
At that moment, the door hissed open.
Two people, walking as one, entered the room.
Mingna dismissed them, her eyes locking onto the young man standing before her, a man who barely dared to draw breath.
His frame was rigid, his gaze glued to the 3D Projection on the table, terrified to look at her.
Mingna noted the slight, involuntary tremor in his limbs.
"I've reviewed your file, Gachi. Whether that's your real name or not, that is what I will call you."
"Sit!"
Indeed, the one Mingna had summoned was Gachi.
Mingna was pathologically sensitive to anyone within Hyperdimensional Space. Since becoming a Strategos, she had been hunting for anomalies within her own Fleet, knowing she couldn't see everyone at once.
If a spy from the Ynun Star Nation appeared—another Divine lurking in her shadow—she could be destroyed in a heartbeat.
It was her occupational hazard.
And sure enough, she had caught a fish.
Even if it was just a small one.
"No, I... I wouldn't dare!"
Gachi was being honest. He didn't dare lie or move; a single mistake here meant eternal damnation.
"Tell me, what is your Mission?"
Mingna could be erratic, but she didn't waste that side of herself on ants; it was beneath her dignity. Right now, she looked composed and lethal, leaning back on the sofa with her legs crossed and arms folded, dissecting Gachi with her eyes.
Gachi dared not hide a thing.
"To kill enemies. If I kill 10 of them, the Mission is a success, and I can return."
Such a primitive task made Mingna think back to her own past.
"Then, congratulations. This Mission is as good as done."
"But first, you are going to do something for me."
Mingna went straight for the throat.
Gachi stood there, frozen like a statue.
Mingna stood up and closed the distance. A fragrance radiated from her that nearly made Gachi lose his mind. It was a scent that seemed to transcend biology.
But Gachi was paralyzed by terror.
A Divine was powerful, but that power brought him no comfort—only pure horror.
"That... that is my... Honor!" Gachi stammered.
"Good."
Mingna reached out with a slender hand. Her skin turned translucent as she touched Gachi, tracing a wound onto his flesh. She leaned down and blew a soft breath against the cut. Gachi felt a strange, electric itch, and a symbol began to form.
Divine Seal.
It was the only thing he recognized.
Those granted a Divine Seal received a Divine Blessing.
He checked his attributes, and a new line had appeared.
[Divine Seal (Spirit King Mingna): You are a blessed Divine. All attributes increased by 1000%.]
[Skill: Spiritization. You can transform into a Spirit, gaining the power to manipulate all Energy within a 10 km radius.]
[Skill: Elemental Summon. You can transform into an elemental body to attack.]
[Skill: Divine Descent. You can act as a vessel for a Divine. You temporarily gain a Divine Body and 10% of their attributes.]
[Skill: Grant Grace. You can spread Divine Faith. Reach follower tiers of 10/100/1000... to receive Divine Rewards.]
[Skill...]
A flood of upgrades left Gachi's brain short-circuiting.
A single Divine Seal had made him ten times more powerful.
In this moment, he felt like a god. Every previous struggle seemed pathetic.
What shocked him more was Mingna's identity as a Spirit King.
That was a top-tier Bloodline.
The woman before him was a titan among the Divines.
He thought he had finally won at life.
But he didn't expect Mingna's next sentence...
...
Ynun Star Nation.
A new fleet was forged.
Named Helion.
The Helion fleet embarked, carrying the star nation's last hope. In total, 110,000 ships and 1,646 warships—this was over 80% of the Ynun Star Nation's current combat strength.
If this fleet failed, the entire Ynun Star Nation would collapse, eventually being annexed and utterly destroyed by its neighbors.
This was a desperate gamble.
And the commander of the Helion fleet was still Binom.
Binom sought to wash away his humiliation and seize an opportunity for the Ynun Star Nation to turn the tide of the war.
To this end, he had retreated to develop an entirely new strategy to solve the current M36 star cluster problem and the overall war situation.
"After we reach the M36 star cluster, we will first deploy some fleets to more distant star systems to cause disruption, disorienting the enemy's judgment. Then, we will take down this star system in one swift move."
"Why this one?"
"Because this star system is precisely in the same direction as a key star system, both pointing towards the Saintees Star Nation. We need to make the Saintees Star Nation believe we have recaptured the M36 star cluster, drawing them in."
"As long as the Saintees Star Nation arrives, they will join the battlefield."
"This is just the first step. We need to let the Saintees Star Nation fight the enemy first, drawing most of the enemy's firepower. Then, we will tear open gaps throughout the M36 star cluster. The entire predicament of the M36 star cluster will then be resolved, and the enemy will be forced to retreat."
"Next, we will use the M36 star cluster as a springboard, uniting the hai armies to launch a direct attack."
"Based on current data, the Rusty Star Nation has deployed all five of its fleets here. So, solving the M36 star cluster problem is equivalent to solving half of the Rusty Star Nation."
"After that, it will be Flaorse's turn to exert its power."
Binom laid out the plan with cold precision, and every detail was debated endlessly.
Almost every month throughout this journey, they held a meeting to confirm new information transmitted from the M36 star cluster and remained ready to modify tactics at any time.
All Captains and Commanders were grave; they knew this was a decisive battle.
Over a hundred years had passed on this journey.
They had not relaxed for a single second.
Every ship and warship was under strict military management, enforcing shift regulations, establishing two fleets to take turns conducting observation and reconnaissance at the front. The entire fleet's detectors were constantly active, ignoring energy consumption; absolute caution was paramount.
Even the fleet itself was widely spread out, not clustered together, protecting the core area. Some Fields were activated; as soon as enemy warships appeared, the Fields would interfere with these ships, causing energy disruption and temporary weapon incapacitation.
Binom traded luxury for efficiency; this fleet was absolutely the Ynun Star Nation's highest combat-strength fleet.
Even within the fleet, fighters were constantly practicing flight, back and forth, at every moment.
This was a completely different state compared to the previous disarray. To say the difference was like heaven and earth was an understatement.
"Even the Federation fleet might not be so disciplined."
No one who saw the current state of the Helion fleet failed to exclaim this.
Everyone's confidence in this war had greatly increased.
If even this couldn't defeat the enemy, then how terrifying was the enemy?
Binom also repeatedly built confidence in his soldiers.
He described the enemy as petty individuals who only knew how to sneak attack. These were lies for the ordinary soldiers. For the high command, of course, it was a different tone; he let his subordinates know where the enemy's horror lay, keeping them on extreme alert.
...
Deep space.
100,000 ships sailing.
A terrifying Field enveloped a radius of 2,000 AU. Any wandering celestial body entering this Field would be detected, and any uncertain targets would be shattered by high-power energy blasts.
This was a long, grueling journey.
Even with strict regulations, it wasn't as disciplined as ground armies, especially for soldiers.
Soldiers in this era were generally more relaxed because most jobs were replaced by machines. This was inevitable; machines were more precise and efficient.
Before any soldiers noticed, the machines had already detected a life form entering the fleet's cosmic range.
It moved at a low speed, its entire body having cooled down, having spent an unknown number of years in interstellar space.
When the alarm sounded, the entire fleet was on high alert. They used a Tractor Beam to guide the individual into the ship.
"First, have the people on the ship assess it. No need to bring it onto the warship."
Binom was sufficiently respectful of the enemy's threat.
He believed the enemy could attack them through any means.
On that ship, after assessment by research personnel, this individual was from the Saintees Star Nation and appeared to be a soldier.
"How would someone from the Saintees Star Nation appear here?"
"Does it still have vital signs?"
The ship replied.
"There are no injuries on this person. It must have activated Freeze Mode before its Mecha's energy ran out. Perhaps we can try to revive it."
Mechas rarely used dark energy, so if they were wandering in space, Mechas couldn't acquire much energy.
"Wake it up, pay close attention, don't let it make any sudden moves."
For the entire fleet, this could only be considered a brief interlude.
The fleet continued its journey.
However, due to some malfunction in the Freeze Mode, although the individual's body was intact, its neural signals were almost depleted, indicating extreme consciousness dispersion.
After nearly 700 days of treatment with the ship's medical equipment, the individual finally awoke.
Upon waking, it immediately stood up, eyes wide, looking around.
"Who are you people?"
He was on extreme alert, his body tensing into a combat stance, only to realize he was covered in tubes. His mecha had already been stripped away.
"Stay calm, warrior of the Saintees Star Nation. We belong to the Ynun Star Nation. You are currently aboard our vessel."
The man scanned his surroundings.
The first thing he saw was a blinding, pristine white.
It was the sterile environment typical of a treatment ward or a high-end biological laboratory.
Every piece of equipment was white—a shade so pure it lacked any hint of impurity, whiter than fresh snow.
Even the medical staff wore specialized mechas in that same snow-white hue. The only break in the color was the insignia etched into the metal.
It was a blue longsword with a guard shaped like wispy, ethereal grass.
The prisoner's vigilance spiked: "You're from the Ynun Star Nation?"
"Give it up. I won't tell you a damn thing."
With a look of cold resolve, he immediately tried to interface with his auxiliary brain, as if inviting death itself.
But his body was shattered, and his internal electronic systems were fried. An agonizing pain ripped through him. He began bleeding from every pore and collapsed onto the floor.
"What... what did you do to me?" He glared at them with pure hatred.
The Ynun Star Nation personnel exchanged looks, silent and indifferent.
Binom, who had been watching from the shadows, finally stepped forward: "Don't be so tense. The Ynun Star Nation and the Saintees Star Nation made peace ages ago. Are you a ghost from the Kobia Flux War 18,000 years ago, or the Notting's Pillar War from 11,000 years back?"
Those were the two greatest bloodbaths in history, every bit as massive as the current war against the Rusty Star Nation. Both had been desperate struggles that ended only because neither side could deliver the killing blow.
The bleeding man on the floor looked up and rasped, "What year is it?"
Binom gave him the answer.
"Year 227815 CE."
The man's eyes went wide.
"It's that time again."
Despite the revelation, he remained guarded, refusing to say another word.
This stalemate lasted over a month. After endless explanations, the man began to believe the two nations were now allies, but the hatred burning in his eyes was too deep to be faked.
...
Deep within the warship.
Binom questioned the soldiers who had been monitoring the prisoner.
"Does he seem like a problem to you?"
The soldiers nodded in unison.
"The man is pure venom. He hates us to his core. It would be safer to just kill him now and bury the trouble."
Binom brushed the suggestion aside.
"My concern is his identity. Is there any doubt who he is?"
The soldiers thought it over.
"Unless he's the greatest actor in the galaxy, the story holds up."
"Officer, we still have his mecha. We can just pull the data directly from the suit."
Binom already had.
He had confirmed everything.
The mecha's logs identified the man as Gachi, a Phalanx Master level officer of the Saintees Star Nation. He wasn't top-tier brass, but his status was far above any grunt.
In star nations like theirs, officers were almost always nobles with tangled political webs.
The data suggested Gachi came from a minor skirmish.
While history only recorded two Great Wars, Binom knew there were countless small-scale slaughters that never made the official reports.
In one of those nameless battles, Gachi's family had been wiped out. His hatred was justified.
"Don't kill him."
"He's a useful piece, especially in a war like this."
Binom wasn't being merciful; he just saw a tool with potential. He had no heart for soldiers from a rival nation.
The men didn't need to understand Binom's endgame. They only needed to obey.
The only issue was the prisoner's will.
"Even if we don't execute him, he seems hell-bent on suicide."
"Should we put him back in cryosleep?"
Binom shook his head.
"Just keep him in chains. Pump him full of sedatives and nutrients every day. Keep him alive."
"And make sure he's covered in needle marks. Don't let those wounds heal."
"Don't lose sleep over him; he's just a small gear in the machine. Get back to your posts. I want you alert. If I catch you slacking, there will be hell to pay."
The soldiers stiffened and barked, "Yes, sir!"
Nobody noticed.
Aboard that ship.
The restrained Gachi was slowly, methodically, breaking his chains.
As an agent of Hyperdimensional Space, his bag of tricks was deep.
As he worked, Gachi went over his mission.
He had originally assumed a Divine as powerful as Mingna would simply crush the enemy on the front lines. Most soldiers took a Divine's power as a given—absolute destruction for anyone in their way.
But he was wrong.
Even Divines played dirty.
And he was the weapon for their dirty work.
He was there to rot the army from the inside out.
Whether he succeeded or died trying was entirely on him.
Mingna gave no guarantees.
To that Divine, he was just a pawn to be moved and discarded.
It was his greatest luck, and his worst nightmare.
As a Survivor, he couldn't skip a death-penalty mission. If he died here, he was gone for good.
But if he survived, the rewards were god-like.
The favor of a Divine—a prize everyone dreamed of. That Divine Seal could push him to the level of a Quasi-Divine, giving him a shot at true godhood.
He had no complaints. This was his test. He felt an uncontrollable surge of excitement.
POP!
With a sound like a bursting bubble, Gachi shattered his restraints.
But regardless of the angle, he remained motionless in his seat, still appearing to be under total control.
This was Gachi's signature move: the cicada shedding its skin.
In essence, it was a specialized form of cellular replication.
He had forged an identical replica of himself to stay behind and draw fire, while his true body was free to slip away into the dark.
Once he broke the shackles of control, Gachi entered a cloaked state. It was a basic form of optical camouflage, nothing particularly high-end.
Fortunately, he was on a civilian transport. Had this been a frontline warship, such a primitive trick would never have fooled the main server.
But the interior of this vessel was relatively crude.
Ultimately, an entity as massive as the Federation never used mere ships as primary combat assets; ships were for civilians.
On the Star Nation side, almost every vessel was a civilian modification. Many were self-produced using ancient, outdated blueprints, and no internal detection equipment was ever installed, as it would only drive up the cost.
This was the core of Gachi's confidence.
He waited for the door to cycle open. Two men entered, pumped a fresh round of nutrient solution into his replica, and left. Gachi slipped out behind them, abandoning his observation room.
Initially, he hadn't expected to be thrown into absolute imprisonment. After all, the Saintees Star Nation and the Ynun Star Nation were now in a cooperative alliance. He had expected preferential treatment, which would have actually made his mission much harder.
If he could move freely, he could see too much.
Being a prisoner meant there were far fewer eyes on him and significantly less trouble.
Stalking the corridors, Gachi hunted for an isolated target. He shadowed his prey, then directly spiritized the man. He quantized and devoured the target's energy, sliding into the man's mecha and replacing him entirely.
In the heartbeat of the transformation, Gachi also fried the mecha's chip, locking the suit into a fixed default state.
Gachi didn't know his new identity, nor did he care.
His purpose for this body-snatching was singular: to talk to the other soldiers.
Life on a Star Nation ship offered zero entertainment. Some men would crawl into cryosleep, but regular training was a mandatory grind.
So, while the ship was packed with bodies, very few were actually active.
Gachi stepped into a cabin.
The room was a kaleidoscope of neon, humming with a distinct bar atmosphere.
In truth, this was one of the few escapes on the ship—a place to drink, talk, and kill time. It even offered some machine-related services.
Gachi scanned the room; there were about 2,000 people here, and the place was loud.
He casually pulled up a seat.
And ordered a drink.
Then he just listened to the men around him.
"Tnngq, this is pure hell. Every single day it's just training, training. I've been in this damn place ten thousand times, and now I feel absolutely nothing."
"Why are there no games on this tub? Even the warships have some basic sims."
"My system games are worn out. Just looking at the loading screen makes me want to vomit."
"Sigh, it's just boring."
"I wish the Nearest Immortal would just dump me on the battlefield already. This is no place for a human being."
"..."
In the middle of the noise, Gachi caught a few names: "Nearest Immortal," "Despairing Buddha," "Wild Beast God." These were all faiths.
On the Star Nation side, various religions were a plague, existing only to provide a hollow spiritual comfort.
Within the Rusty Star Nation, there were several famous factions, but those were official, chained by the state. Factions were dangerous; they stirred up emotions and led to internal unrest.
The Ynun Star Nation's beliefs were more chaotic, crawling with magical elements. Ynun itself claimed to be the "Supreme, Encompassing, Myriad Immortals, Boundless Dao Origin God"—a title so long it was a joke—calling itself the ancestor of all things.
Logically, this kind of belief had no business in a technological age.
But if you looked at it from a different angle, it made perfect sense.
It was a massive, system-wide role-playing game.
Everyone accepted their own identity and the roles of others. They were all playing a game.
The core of this game was emotional expression and resource exchange.
Even a broken game, as long as there are enough players, is a good game.
At this moment, faith was that game.
Of course, some got too deep. They got obsessed with the game, genuinely becoming their characters until they couldn't claw their way out.
Most of these people were the exploited, the bottom rung of the faith.
Gachi gauged their level of desperation, then spoke up: "Bored?"
"You could always join our Heavenly Spirit Sect. We believe in the Energy Buddha."
"The Energy Buddha says: all things have spirits, all things are spirits, and we, the intelligent beings, are the kings of those spirits. As primates, we can command them all. It is only because the sentient beings are lost and do not understand their own instincts. If you develop those instincts, you can reach the heart of the sect and command all spirits."
What he was selling wasn't faith. It was a new way to play the game.
When the crowd heard this, they swarmed him, asking, "How do you command all spirits?"
Gachi looked at the hungry crowd and held out his hand.
His hand began to fade, slowly turning translucent until it vanished entirely.
The crowd leaned in, eyes wide. Indeed, it was gone.
As they questioned him, Gachi said, "My hand is right here, but it can also be anywhere. For example, to touch your head, to pull your hair, or even to touch you…"
Those who were spoken to felt as if they had been physically touched. They all expressed absolute amazement.
This might have been a kind of magic, or perhaps a kind of technology.
But for them, it didn't matter. They were hooked and wanted to know the principle behind it, and that was enough.
"How did you do that?"
Gachi said, "Just join our Heavenly Spirit Sect. These are just minor matters."
"You can not only transform into all spirits but also gain a more powerful physique."
This was to further increase the attractiveness of the offer.
At this time, everyone thought Gachi was talking about a kind of fitness method. They found it interesting. With technology so advanced now, what method could possibly enhance the physique?
If it was ordinary exercise, that would be a bit deceptive, and they could choose to leave right then.
If it was a kind of potion, then they might reluctantly stay. After all, this Heavenly Spirit Sect was also investing heavily.
No matter what, finding enjoyment was not a loss.
"I'll join."
"I can join too."
The crowd eagerly signed up.
Not many, just a few people.
For Gachi, this was just the beginning.
People of this era, although highly intelligent, were still very easy to deceive.
Such problems arose because scams are divided into high, middle, and low tiers. Low-tier scams are, of course, like phone scams, filtering out easily deceived groups for fraud, usually starting with nothing.
Mid-tier scams utilize physical objects for deception. Mostly, they give you something, exaggerate its qualities, and then make you believe in it, like health products.
High-tier scams, however, exploit your perceptions for deception.
The more intelligent a person, the stronger their perception.
Why did many high-achieving students in the Earth era get scammed, and in considerable numbers?
It was because high-achieving students themselves had extreme trust in their own perceptions. If you followed their logical perception, found flaws in it, and magnified them, then this high-achieving student would be led by the nose.
For example, a scammer publishes a paper and boosts its citation count to 100. Then, this paper is very likely to be considered correct by some graduate or doctoral students whose fields are not so strong, or whose experimental conditions are not so adequate.
This kind of high-level method can be said to be effective in a hundred uses, a hundred trials, a hundred successes.
Gachi was using this method now.
A few small tricks made others believe that even if they joined, it wouldn't get out of their control. Then these people would naturally fall for it.
Gachi had done similar things in other worlds.
For him, these were simply second nature.
After attracting the first group, Gachi didn't rush to spread the word. Instead, he stabilized this first group, drawing them into the game and allowing them to receive positive feedback from the game.
Simple positive feedback was directly giving money. Complex positive feedback involved some gameplay mechanics.
Gachi had Mingna's Divine Seal, so he didn't need to consider the latter, complex gameplay mechanics. He simply granted these individuals the relevant identities.
He also took the opportunity to test whether Divine power could be used in reality.
He led this group of people into a room.
Gachi had them set up a formation, calling it a ritual to invite the Buddha.
After inviting the Buddha, everyone would receive attention.
Gachi drew a complex formation, then began chanting, asking the crowd to close their eyes.
He performed some ghostly charades, sprinkled some liquid on a few people, and then had them open their mouths to drink the remaining liquid.
The crowd followed the game rules.
Everyone was calculating in their hearts: if nothing changed too much the first time, then they wouldn't come next time. People were clever.
But Gachi wouldn't make such a mistake.
After half an hour of murmuring, he suddenly let out a strange cry and shouted, "From now on, you are disciples of this Buddha's Buddhist sect!"
"This Buddha grants you the Great Vehicle divine abilities. Remember your mission: widely recruit worthy individuals!"
Having said that, Gachi's whole body trembled and returned to its original state.
Then he said to everyone, "It's done. You have received the Buddha's approval."
In fact, a piece of information appeared in his vision.
[Successfully used "Grant Grace" to convert 7 junior believers.]
The others stood up doubtfully.
"That's it?"
They didn't feel any sudden changes.
Gachi said to them, "Now, imagine your body is not flesh and blood, but spirit, pure energy!"
Spiritization was one of the basic operations for followers of the Spirit King.
They wouldn't possess the same outward presence as him, but they could vaguely tap into this ability.
If they couldn't, then the Spirit King's influence in reality would be ineffective—an almost impossible outcome, as all of this was orchestrated at Mingna's behest.
Following Gachi's words, the 7 individuals complied.
Then, they actually felt their bodies lighten. Looking at themselves, they realized they had begun to turn translucent, though the transition was not yet complete.
"This…"
The state was magical; they had never witnessed anything like it.
But they were certain this was no illusion; it was genuinely happening to their physical forms.
Gachi saw their shock, and a smile crept onto his face.
"You can also test your physical qualities—try punching, running, anything."
The 7 men did as instructed.
They all discovered that their physical attributes had indeed completely improved.
Upon realizing this, their eyes burned with greed as they looked at the small cup in Gachi's hand, which still held a trace of liquid.
They assumed that liquid was a type of medicinal potency.
There were many drugs that enhanced physical qualities. While not overly expensive, they were certainly not cheap either.
Especially for them.
As soldiers, they had already been injected with the finest gene-modifying drugs in the army. Their physical qualities were already at the upper limit of their innate talent.
But this substance could actually raise that ceiling. It was either a forbidden drug or a completely new category of potion.
Forbidden drugs would typically ravage the body. They used their mechas to scan themselves but found no damage; on the contrary, they felt unexpectedly better.
Upon careful analysis, they discovered their genetic structure had been altered.
The answer was clear.
It was a type of high-end genetic drug.
And that made it even more valuable.
Gachi saw the hunger in their eyes.
"As long as you join the Heavenly Spirit Sect, a ritual will be held annually to grant you this enhancement."
"This is Grant Grace."
"If you can recruit more followers into the sect, once you become deacons, you can perform the ritual every three months. As elders, you can perform it every single month."
He was painting a vivid picture of future benefits.
Everyone knew the game he was playing.
But they all found it very interesting.
Not only could they obtain these upgrades, but they could also join this new form of advancement entertainment.
For them, why not?
And they, of course, considered why Gachi was doing this.
Their answer was simple.
He was just like them!
Seeking pleasure.
Using money to find entertainment—isn't that what life is about?
Gachi, as the sect master, gained the greatest pleasure, so naturally, he paid the higher price.
This game, seemingly illusory, was in fact deeply rooted in reality.
After the first step succeeded, Gachi didn't push further immediately.
He hid himself.
Then, he would appear once a year to perform the rituals for everyone.
Due to the existence of the ritual and the precise genetic changes, the number of soldiers joining the Heavenly Spirit Sect exploded, quickly breaking a thousand.
This was a massive number for a single ship.
But Gachi felt this was far from enough.
He needed communication between ships. He began to appoint deacons, sending them to other vessels to continue recruiting for the sect.
This newly established Heavenly Spirit Sect quickly caught the attention of the officers, but to them, this was just a new game, a fresh pastime. They didn't interfere.
Because of this, the Heavenly Spirit Sect continued to swell, as the cult truly provided tangible enhancement.
Most previous religious movements only allowed a small core group to receive substantial rewards.
This had led to a common saying: "iron-clad priests, flowing believers."
Everyone was originally just looking for fun, but if the end result became a chore, they were naturally not willing to stay.
So, even in a star nation like Ynun, where sects proliferated, the number of people genuinely staying in these organizations was never high.
However, the appearance of the Heavenly Spirit Sect broke this rule.
They couldn't figure out who had the immense financial resources to fund this.
But that wasn't their concern.
As long as they gained the benefits, they would play this game for as long as they wanted.
Thus.
More and more people joined the Heavenly Spirit Sect.
The numbers even surpassed a terrifying ten million.
Even for the entire fleet, ten million was a significant percentage, enough to stir the entire armada.
The advantage of numbers was not the essence of this game; it relied on powerful cohesion, whereas the other tens of millions were just scattered fragments.
However, Gachi would not rely on numerical superiority to disrupt the fleet's order.
That was too low-level.
And too easily suppressed.
It wouldn't achieve the desired effect at all.
If everyone believed, then why not introduce something more mystical?
Of course, the so-called mystical was actually a facet of technology.
Including his own methods of transmission.
The abilities these believers gained, based on Gachi's understanding, should have originated from the surrounding main servers.
It wasn't his own research, but information circulating within Hyperdimensional Space.
Some sought the origin of the energy they gained and traced it back to the main server.
That is to say, Hyperdimensional Space was not a real physical space, but what existed inside it was real. How Hyperdimensional Space's abilities could be transferred to reality was something people in the earliest days couldn't figure out.
So some offered bounties to understand these mechanics.
Initially, the bounty was only a few thousand ability currency.
However, as time passed, more influential figures joined in, and the bounty exceeded 1 million ability currency, prompting many to take desperate risks, eventually discovering the truth.
Things like large-scale energy conversion simply couldn't exist in reality; it consumed too much power.
So the main server wouldn't grant every person these abilities. Instead, it would create a mass illusion, making everyone in a system believe an event was real. Then, wasn't that event essentially real?
The people killed in the illusion were truly killed. The people injured in the illusion were truly injured. The people who survived, survived. That was enough to pass off the fake as real.
This kind of thing gave a sense of being manipulated.
But for those within Hyperdimensional Space, they were already living under manipulation, so they were completely indifferent.