At present, no matter how one looked at it, teaming up and acting together was the safest course for Xiao Yu and his Specter companion. But the Specter’s answer was somewhat unexpected to Xiao Yu.

“The reason is very simple…” the Specter companion sighed. “The existence of the Specter Race is too unique. In this galaxy, we are basically hunted by everyone, whether technological civilizations or alien beast civilizations, they are all enemies of the Specters. Among them, some are extremely powerful, like certain ancient Level 5 civilizations or fearsome Level 6 civilizations… When danger arises, I have my own ways to escape. Once I’m discovered, I can still flee using these methods, but you do not have such means. That is why I refuse to act together with you, because my presence would expose you, and once exposed, I would have no way of taking you with me during an escape.”

Xiao Yu fell silent. What the Specter companion said was indeed a contradiction that could not be resolved. Because of the special connection between them, if they were exposed and unable to escape, the only possible outcome would be Xiao Yu’s death, which in turn would cause the Specter companion to perish as well, just like the old Specter had died.

Such an outcome was unacceptable. But if they separated, there would be no such concern. Xiao Yu could disguise himself as a technological civilization, and that disguise would not be easily uncovered. The Specter, on the other hand, could rely on its own methods to evade pursuit.

After thinking for a moment, Xiao Yu said, “But we can’t stay apart like this forever. Ultimately, we must unite, combine our strength, establish our great reputation in this galaxy, uncover the mysteries of our existence, solve the mystery of humanity’s destruction, and rescue the members of our race who have fallen into the hands of other civilizations and been turned into experimental tools.”

“Yes, that is our mission,” the Specter companion replied. “We must unite, just like how our Specter elder ultimately allied with the Micron Civilization. But our union cannot happen now. Only when I’ve mastered the remaining two forms of matter and advanced to Tier-Four Specter, or when you’ve mastered space technology and advanced to a Level 6 Civilization, and no longer need to fear other civilizations, can we truly unite.”

“Alright. For now, this seems to be the only way.” Xiao Yu spoke with some regret. “Is there anything I can do to help you? I’ve already researched ordinary matter, antimatter, dark matter, and negative matter. If you need it, I can provide you with all my research data.”

“No need,” the Specter companion replied. “The evolutionary path of the Specter Race is completely different from that of technological or alien beast civilizations. Your research holds no reference value for me. On the contrary, during my confrontation with the Specter elder, I’ve gained many insights. I have a feeling that soon I will master the third form of matter and advance to Tier-Three Specter. At that point, no civilization below Level 6 will be able to threaten me.”

“I see…” Xiao Yu paused briefly and said slowly, “Perhaps during your encounters with the Specter elder, it was actually using constant pressure as a way to secretly teach you about the Specter Race’s path of evolution. It… was truly a great being. It poured so much effort into us, and yet we misunderstood it at the beginning.”

“It’s not our fault,” the Specter companion said softly. “Without using that method, it would have been unable to achieve its goal of teaching you. The Specter elder was a great being. It was killed by the Neutron War Star and the Sweepers. As repayment, we must grow stronger and destroy the Sweeper Civilization.”

“We will inherit its will,” Xiao Yu declared firmly.

“Yes. Well… if there’s nothing else, I must go.” The Specter companion spoke somewhat sorrowfully. “My existence is far too conspicuous. I could be discovered by other civilizations at any time and hunted down. If that happens, my presence would bring danger to you.”

Xiao Yu remained silent. The presence of a Specter was indeed far too obvious. At the very least, the Specter detection technology that originated from the Guardian Civilization had already spread to most civilizations. Xiao Yu himself currently possessed such a device.

This instrument could detect any Specter within one light-hour. Who knew if other civilizations had even more advanced detection methods? If the Specter was detected, tracked, and hunted, the consequences would be dire.

“Alright… but there is one more thing.” Xiao Yu spoke hesitantly, “Take a look at this fallen kin. Do you have any way to bring her back to life…”

Xiao Yu transmitted the data of the Earth girl to his Specter companion. This data contained the girl’s current physical condition along with some of Xiao Yu’s biological research materials.

“So this is one of our kin? Our kin look like this. She is beautiful. The moment I saw the body of one of our kin, my concept of aesthetics finally became clear. But unfortunately, Main Civilization, even though I greatly wish to bring her back to life, I don’t have that ability. In the Milky Way, races that possess souls are extremely rare. Death caused by the loss of a soul is entirely different from other forms of death,” the Specter companion said with some regret. “However, there may be one possible method. You… can create a new soul for her. I will split off a blank fragment of soul from myself and give it to you. Using this blank soul as a vessel, you can rewrite her memories into it, and perhaps she can live again.”

“Is that so… this method might be worth a try. Although I currently lack the ability to modify souls, as my technology advances, one day I will accomplish it. No matter the cost, I will bring her back. She is my kin; she has endured far too much suffering. Now that I have some strength, I cannot let her continue sleeping like this,” Xiao Yu said, while silently pondering.

“Her memories… perhaps I can extract them from her brain. The question is only when I will gain that ability.”

“Yes. Every life of our kind is a priceless treasure that must not be abandoned,” the Specter companion said. “I have already separated a piece of soul from myself, at a strength suitable for one of our kind. Keep it safe… I must leave now. My companion, my comrade, farewell. Farewell.”

As the Specter spoke, its body swirled like a whirlwind, circling once above the ship where the Molian prisoners were being held, then gradually moving away. On that ship, all the Molian prisoners had collapsed to the ground, their lives extinguished.

“A brief reunion, a hasty parting. Farewell, farewell. One day we will grow strong enough to no longer fear these countless threats. Farewell, farewell.”

With some sorrow, Xiao Yu bid farewell to his Specter companion. He watched the signal representing the Specter’s presence gradually weaken and finally disappear, feeling a deep sense of loss.

“Our next reunion… who knows how long it will be,” Xiao Yu sighed, then quickly returned to his work.

The battlefield cleanup needed to proceed. There were far too many ship fragments scattered across the battlefield, and any one of them might contain intact devices, and any of those devices could potentially hold technologies that would give Xiao Yu a major leap in power. All of it needed to be recovered.

Beyond battlefield cleanup, there were repairs, modifications, and upgrades for his own ships. And there was one more task, returning to the star system to search among the debris of the destroyed planet for the body of the elder Specter, the Specter Heart.

Xiao Yu still didn’t know exactly what the Specter Heart was, but from what the elder Specter had said, he knew it might be connected to the remains of the Micron Civilization, which very likely held the key to defeating the Neutron War Star.

Such an important object needed to be secured as quickly as possible.

Aside from all this, Xiao Yu was also contemplating another matter: his future path of development.

Having reached his current level of technology, Xiao Yu was beginning to sense the greatest limiting factor in his scientific progress, a shortage of intelligent beings. While he possessed immense computing power, computation alone was not omnipotent. His computing power reached full potential during war, but while it was valuable in research, it wasn’t everything.

“After I recover the Specter Heart, I’ll flee to a safe enough distance… then I’ll search for a low-level civilization. I’ll cultivate scientists of my own and have them serve me.”

With this in mind, Xiao Yu quietly made his decision. While plundering advanced civilizations brought enormous returns, the risks were too high. Controlling a low-level civilization and cultivating scientists himself might be more troublesome, but the gains would be steady.

It was much like the difference between hunter-gatherer and agricultural civilizations. Evolving from a hunter-gatherer model to an agricultural one was progress.

The battlefield cleanup took Xiao Yu a full three months, even though he worked as quickly as possible. Had he cleaned thoroughly, it would have taken several years. Finishing his work hastily, Xiao Yu piloted his fleet toward the star system.

Looking at the chaotic mass of fragments, the devastated star system, and the massive red giant in the distance, Xiao Yu was filled with emotion, but also with determination.

“Forward. No one can stop my steps…”