CHAPTER 382: CHAPTER 231: THE THIEF CAUGHT IN THE ACT_2

Water, minerals, metals, special elements...

Even D-level civilizations can relatively easily achieve material transformation.

However, these resources, trivial in external perception, are entirely different in Gus Land.

As a civilization of Eternal Voyage, continuously traveling, Gus Land lacks so-called resource planets within its Curvature Bubble. All resources in Gus Land are centrally gathered, and other internal powers must spend considerable wealth for trade to acquire them.

Of course, all forces can carry their own resources externally.

However, when both Curvature Engine and Jump Engine within the Curvature Bubble are unusable, this results in enormous transportation costs.

Ultimately, it might be less economical than purchasing officially from Gus Land.

This is why even minor resource transformation can serve as a probing method.

In the past year, most have believed that Human Civilization relied on resources originally carried aboard the Grotto Heaven. As an immigrant vessel, it stores large quantities of space-saving, weight-based ultra-heavy compressed elements for transformation—a reasonable assumption.

Yet, considering the Grotto Heaven’s investment in transforming market planets, even with abundant storage, a year should be the limit.

But now, the second year has passed!

The Tolan Civilization was compelled to convene another elder meeting.

"There are currently three guesses: First, Human Civilization has phase technology and elemental compression technology far exceeding our expectations, at least B5, maybe even B6 level; Second, another power is secretly providing them resources without our detection; Third, the opposition holds another powerful relic, maybe a Phase Device, or something else..." The spokesperson summarized the observations over the year.

All elders of the Tolan Civilization understood the dire situation.

This new neighbor exhibited extreme calmness. Clearly aware of the attention they receive, yet unruffled, they evidently had substantial backing.

Thus, the topic seemed to return to the initial choice.

To forcibly probe or to keep waiting?

"Probe forcefully," one elder suggested. "Have you noticed? The opposition’s resource input has a clear threshold. After this period, the input speed was three-quarters of what it was before, aligning with our predictions of their resource consumption limit. This means they indeed have the capability to acquire a large amount of resources necessary for transforming the trade market. Most importantly, if such resources can indeed be endless, they can serve as the foundation for trade market development..."

At Tolan Civilization’s level of development and elder status, facing civilization-wide issues required comprehensive consideration and weighing pros and cons.

They considered the possibility of the opposition intentionally attracting a probe, profiting through compensation thereafter, stepping over their downfall to gain.

However, even if true, what is destined to happen will eventually happen.

Moreover, from a deeper analysis, the opposition’s action of reducing resource input at that threshold can be seen, intentional or not, as a challenge.

Or rather—an invitation.

So, the Tolan elder meeting resolved, by a narrow margin, to conduct an intrusive probe!

They believed their probing would not be detected, and if it were, compensating for violating Gus Land’s rules would serve as the gift for reconciliation with Human Civilization.

Between civilizations, it’s mostly about interests, not much personal enmity.

As they made the decision, Shen Shi, ever attentive to the future, keenly sensed this moment.

"Good stuff, mobilizing all Masters of Primordial Energy, not to mention renting B6 level Primordial Energy Devices at high costs..." As Shen Shi glimpsed future events, he couldn’t help but twitch his mouth.

Sage Saint Shen Shi lost without injustice.

The Tolan Civilization truly left no stone unturned this time.

Those were B6 level devices!

Even the Future World line 2 only possessed one or two such devices, acquired at enormous costs from the Es Civilization, existing as civilization trump cards. Renting them entails unimaginable expense.

Plus, compensation.

If the Tolan Civilization’s attempt fails, the civilization’s foundation would be critically injured, alongside market share losses, hindering development significantly—even if not completely dejected, leading to decline.

If it were weaker civilizations, like the Daike Civilization, it might directly collapse, then proceed to abyss amid hostile encirclement.

This brought clarity to Shen Shi’s recognition: In this cosmos, civilization rises slowly, but failure often happens instantly.

In any case, the Tolan’s decision-making courage and decisiveness provide invaluable experience for Human Civilization.

Unfortunately, Tolan Civilization met their match.

"Iwen, lend me your strength," Shen Shi exhaled slowly, speaking to Iwen. In that moment, all billion people on the planet stood still, their eyes bewildered—their consciousness, their strength, forcibly absorbed in the Primordial Energy Device aboard the Grotto Heaven, then focused onto Shen Shi’s consciousness.

This alone would not compare to Tolan Civilization.

The opposition’s devices, personnel, and strength far surpass human side.

However, Shen Shi wasn’t aiming for confrontation.

This was a "catching thieves" game.

Regardless of a thief’s might, unless willing to escalate from burglary to robbery, if caught in the act, they face only confession to the authorities.

Escape? Where to with evidence left behind?

Therefore, upon Shen Shi’s foresight of the attack time and method, the conclusion was sealed.

"Come to think of it, the Divine Dao Civilization title is indeed handy," Shen Shi mused, allowing a thought to drift.

In future histories, Human Civilization didn’t discover Tolan’s probing, nor did Tolan find human secrets. Not due to other reasons, solely because in such future, Shen Shi lacked recurring resource acquisition ability, thus Tolan expended great efforts only to witness Human Civilization exhaust resources by year three, then trading to slow transformation efficiency.

Yet, merely undetectable probing made Human Civilization lose deterrence and mystery, eventually retreating defeated.

But Sage Saint Shen Shi, under the mantra "outcome must be understood," paid a hefty price to comprehend Tolan’s deeds.

From Divine Dao Civilization’s perspective, preserving final pride through such means is rational.

Tolan Civilization certainly wouldn’t refuse benefits freely given.

Yet who’d anticipate this information would furnish Shen Shi with a trump card to alter destiny?

Reflecting thusly, Shen Shi acted decisively; concentrating all power into a point, transforming it into an invisible golden scissor, biting fiercely!

Formless Primordial Energy collided into tangible existence.

All Tolan elders experienced violent emotional turmoil.

Not only were they discovered by humans, but irrefutable evidence was left behind!