#1071 - Chapter 1071 Tribute, the threat of a 4.8-level civilization! Full system upgrade?
Chen Hao was stunned.
What did 'here again' mean?
The memories he had imported included not only the Toad Clan's technology but also various common knowledge and secrets.
Relevant memories surfaced in his mind.
Cloud River Star.
A large, habitable planet that was once home to a low-level civilization. Later, the universe entered a period of destruction, and more and more civilizations' home planets were destroyed…
When there were countless habitable planets in the universe, no one cared about Cloud River Star.
But!
When countless planets were destroyed and the number of habitable planets sharply decreased, the surviving intermediate civilizations would inevitably fight for habitable planets.
Why did the Toad Clan use an energy membrane to create a small world?
Why not just take over a habitable planet?
Because among the intermediate civilizations, the Toad Clan was relatively weak and couldn't seize a habitable planet!
In the past countless years, Cloud River Star, which had not been destroyed, was a target of contention for multiple civilizations, changing hands several times.
Now…
The fact that it could still firmly occupy Cloud River Star after changing hands multiple times was enough to show its strength.
The alien universe had a detailed classification of civilizations.
Those below Level 2, lacking interstellar colonization capabilities, were all low-level civilizations. Levels 2 to 6 were intermediate civilizations, and those above Level 6, capable of traversing multiple star systems, were categorized as advanced civilizations.
The Toad Clan was only Level 3.1, belonging to the lower end of intermediate civilizations.
In contrast, the civilization controlling Cloud River Star…
Level 4.8!
What did that mean?
Hai Yina was only using Chen Hao, and the technology she gave him was limited to just enough to deal with the current enemies; she wouldn't give him top-tier technology.
The gene screening - space lock technology was just above Level 4.
Against a Level 4.8 civilization…
It was completely ineffective!
Why was Cloud River Star coming to his door?
The higher the level of civilization, the stronger its interstellar colonization ability, and the larger its colonies, the more people it had.
The more people, the more consumption.
The problem was.
Before the white hole appeared, there were plenty of planets and resources in the universe.
For high-level civilizations, they were almost inexhaustible.
But…
The white hole jets destroyed the vast majority of celestial bodies. Now, the entire star system was dilapidated, and the white hole jets were still constantly appearing. Once a certain area of space was destroyed… all that was left was chaotic energy.
Even the strongest civilization couldn't harness that energy.
In other words.
As the white hole jets increased, the usable resources would become less and less, and to feed countless people…
On the one hand, they desperately collected resources.
On the other hand…
They robbed!
When the universe entered the late stages of destruction, the law of the jungle was brought to the extreme.
Either hand over resources, and I'll be your boss and protect you.
Or.
I'll destroy you!
Usually, as long as you were willing to hand over resources, there wouldn't be a disaster: for higher-level civilizations, having a group of lackeys to find resources and supply them to enjoy the fruits of their labor was always better than working hard themselves.
The Toad Clan had been paying tribute to Cloud River Star.
It's just that…
The other party was demanding tribute more frequently!
The Prince Toad Clan member hesitated, but ultimately could only nod: “Yes!”
After it left, Chen Hao frowned deeply.
Not all civilizations in the alien universe, like the Toad Clan civilization, had gains in another universe.
Given the rule of one-way travel, matter could only enter the Toad Clan's universe from the universe where Earth was located, and this universe had no way to actively establish a connection with the universe where Earth was located.
Why could the Toad Clan build a black hole?
Many years ago, when the Hunter Civilization was doing artificial wormhole experiments, a collapse occurred, connecting to this universe.
To put it bluntly.
You had to encounter another universe, just as someone's artificial wormhole collapsed, and seize that moment of collapse.
This probability…
Approached zero infinitely!
The Toad Clan had hidden the secret of the black hole; other civilizations didn't know about it.
Previously, with the Hunter Civilization providing supplies, even if the Toad Clan paid tribute to Cloud River Star, life was still relatively comfortable.
But now?
There was no supply of Life Essence!
Cloud River Star was 'demanding debts' more frequently!
He wanted to use the Toad Clan as a starting point to conquer all directions and seize high technology.
If they continued to pay tribute…
Once resources were not enough, the Toad Clan would not be able to survive, so how could they help him conquer?
Not paying tribute?
They would be directly destroyed by Cloud River Star!
Data showed that most of the resources the Toad Clan collected outside through conventional means were given to Cloud River Star as tribute, which was not enough to maintain their survival—they had been able to survive until now by relying on Life Essence to supplement their insufficient resources.
And currently, the remaining Life Essence, without the supply from the Hunter Civilization…
Could only last for three years at most…
“Emperor!”
Just as he thought of this, the Prince Toad Clan member came in again: “Those bastards from Cloud River Star are demanding that we hand over resources… increasing it by 30%!”
What?!
Chen Hao's expression was obviously not good.
He had just been thinking that the remaining Life Essence could last for about three years.
Once the 'protection fee' was increased by 30%…
A little over two years?
“If this continues… how can we survive?!” The Prince Toad Clan member collapsed.
“I said.”
Chen Hao glanced at it: “As long as you follow my orders, not only will you not be in danger, but you will also live very well—30%? Then let it be 30%, let's see if they have the life to enjoy the next tribute!”
In fact, there was no need to worry at all.
He had used the artificial black hole to establish a passage connecting two universes.
That passage couldn't go in reverse?
But!
Materials from the universe where Earth was located could be continuously transported to this side, so there was no need to worry about the Toad Clan starving to death.
The problem was…
Chen Hao couldn't accept paying tribute!
…
He stayed at Shenzhou Institute of Technology for two days.
In those two days, he poached a full thousand people, and then started a new round of research and development.
First, Qian Lao and twenty others used the preliminary research on reverse engineering given by Hai Yina to try to expand in the direction of weapons.
The luck factor was too great, and it would be difficult to achieve results in the short term.
Second, the new weapons given by Hai Yina.
There was a complete set of complete data, and there were no problems at the research and development level; all that was needed was to turn the technology into a physical object.
It's just that…
Compared to the space lock, these two weapons were more difficult and required a higher foundation.
The so-called foundation included both basic theoretical science and basic manufacturing systems.
This was also the purpose of poaching people at Shenzhou Institute of Technology.
He didn't just poach over a thousand people?
Encompassing China, underground alien civilizations, countless scientists, professors, and young geniuses, all were invested in various basic upgrades.
In short.
He wanted to raise the overall level of technology, from the current maximum of only 1.5, to the level of the Toad Clan.
That was around level 3.1.
No longer simply improving a certain field or a certain technology as before.
But a fundamental improvement of Chinese civilization!
Including the knowledge taught in schools.
Including the industrial and manufacturing systems.
Including scientific research hardware and software, as well as the scientists themselves.
For example, if you let a junior high school student do a university experiment, not only would there be a gap in knowledge, but the experimental tools would also be those of junior high school, wouldn't the difficulty be extremely high?
But if you let a high school student use high school experimental tools to do the same experiment…
The difficulty would definitely be reduced.
This time.
Chen Hao wanted to raise the entire Chinese civilization!
At the same time, he absolutely could not accept another tribute.
There were only a little over two years left!
