Chapter 677 - 576: Rational Races
Chapter 677: Chapter 576: Rational Races
Jeming didn’t waste any time.
As soon as he exited the virtual space, he immediately opened the Spiritual Link and used his Spiritual Power to transmit his discovery—the information beings’ plan to use contract backlash to annihilate the Expeditionary Army—to all the High Tier Wizards present.
"What?!"
"Using the contract..."
"Damn it!"
"So that’s what they were planning!"
Waves of shocked Spiritual Fluctuations exploded among the crowd.
Martin’s face turned ashen in an instant.
As an Eighth Level Wizard, he understood that contract’s terror better than anyone.
It was a rule branded into the depths of every Wizard’s Soul, personally established by a Ninth Level Wizard and backed by the entire Wizard Civilization.
Once the backlash was triggered, everyone present, himself included, would have their Life stripped away in an instant.
Even if he had means of resurrection, he absolutely wouldn’t escape.
Because this was a verdict stemming from the power of a Ninth Level Wizard, sealing off all possibilities of resurrection.
Cold sweat slid down Martin’s forehead.
Not just Martin—those Seventh Level Wizards and Sixth Level Wizards nearby all had deathly pale faces at this moment.
Some subconsciously took a step back, some reached for their own heads, as if to confirm whether that contract inside their Souls, in their Sea of Spirit, was still there.
The news quickly spread throughout the entire Expeditionary Army.
Soon after, every Wizard who learned of it couldn’t help but feel a wave of lingering dread.
Or one could say...fear!
Then that fear turned into extreme rage.
"Slaughter them!"
"Leave none alive!"
"Those damn things!"
Countless roars rang out at the same time.
Gray flames, twisted information, rampaging Elements—various attacks were instantly charged up, ready to pour down on that dense mass of information beings.
Just then...
A vast voice abruptly rang out in this space.
It was exactly the same voice Jeming had heard in the virtual space earlier—no emotion, no fluctuation, only absolute calm.
But this time it was no longer reverberating directly in his mind; it spread through the entire Information Plane and into the ears of every Wizard.
"We concede."
"We are willing to become your subordinate race."
All the Wizards froze mid‑action.
Jeming was stunned.
He looked toward that sea of informational light, toward those densely packed information beings.
They were no longer retreating, no longer attacking, merely floating there quietly, as if awaiting the verdict of fate.
They surrendered?
So fast?
But after only a brief moment of thought, he understood.
The information beings were inherently extremely rational existences.
They had no individual consciousness, only collective interest.
For them, Emotions such as anger, hatred, pride simply didn’t exist—there was only the optimal solution.
Previously, after gathering intelligence on the Wizards, they’d planned to use contract backlash to wipe out the enemy and preserve themselves.
Now that the backlash had failed and the enemy was already at their doorstep, the information beings that understood Wizard power knew that continued resistance would only lead to the extinction of their entire civilization.
Surrender, instead, was the most rational choice.
"..."
Martin fell silent for a moment.
The anger on his face gradually receded, replaced by a kind of calm.
It was a strange calm, like the sea after a storm—seemingly placid, yet hiding something unfathomable in its depths.
"Fine...since that’s the case, I accept your surrender."
He spoke.
Everyone present also understood their commander’s decision.
Jeming instinctively looked at the Wizards around him.
Those Wizards who had just been roaring, raging, preparing to wipe out the information beings were now showing subtle changes in their expressions.
Their anger was fading, reason returning; the ferocity on their faces slowly smoothed into calm.
No one opposed Martin’s decision.
No one even looked surprised.
A peculiar feeling welled up in Jeming’s heart.
"How to put it...this is what Wizards are..."
If it were the army of another civilization, facing an enemy that had just tried to wipe them out in one stroke, even if the other side surrendered, they definitely wouldn’t stop immediately when holding absolute advantage.
At the very least they’d kill some to vent their anger, at least exact some revenge, at least make the other side pay a price—or use it to establish authority and ensure no further resistance—even if the enemy was an absolutely rational species.
But Wizards wouldn’t.
Because they were too rational.
So rational as to be almost inhuman.
Their rage was real, their fear was real, their urge for revenge was real.
But in the face of "maximizing benefits," all of that had to step aside.
Having confirmed the traits of the information beings, the Wizards present unanimously agreed that accepting surrender, incorporating this race, and gaining their technology and resources was the optimal solution.
Revenge?
That would only make the benefits already in hand fly away.
Jeming was silent for a few seconds, then let out a soft sigh.
"Seen this way, these information beings really are very suitable as the Wizards’ dependents."
He muttered.
The same rationality, the same inhumanity.
Only the information beings were born this way, while the Wizards had forged it through later Cultivation.
The Magic Network Terminal suddenly vibrated.
Jeming lowered his head to see that the Expeditionary Army’s command center had issued a string of new missions.
[Mission List Updated]
[Mission 78‑001: Assist in handling the surrender of the information beings and tallying their individual numbers]
[Mission 78‑002: Participate in analysis of the information beings’ social structure and research their entropy reduction Cycle principles]
[Mission 78‑003: Enter the core region of the Information Plane and establish a long‑term observation station]
[Mission 78‑004: ...]
Lines of missions, from simple to complex, from low risk to high risk, all‑inclusive.
Each mission was marked with its corresponding Military Merits reward.
Having gone through several similar situations already, Jeming skillfully tapped one at random.
[Mission 79‑015: Assist the information beings in redeploying the outer defense network]
[Mission Content: Establish a joint defense system in the outer region]
[Requirements: Logistics Department Wizards preferred; experience in Array construction required]
[Reward: 80,000 Low Level Military Merits]
Jeming raised his brows slightly.
Looked like an easy job.
He clicked "Accept."
[Mission accepted successfully]
[Please report to the core area of the forward outpost within three days]
Jeming put away his Magic Network Terminal and looked up toward that distant sea of informational light.
The information beings had already begun to move.
They were redeploying, adjusting positions, waiting for the Wizards’ arrangements.
Throughout the process there was no chaos, no dissent, like a precision machine executing preset programs.
And the Wizards, as a matter of course, started directing and ordering these information beings’ actions; from either side, there was no sign that just seconds ago they’d been on the brink of tearing each other apart.
This abrupt, bizarre feeling—if some being from another civilization saw this scene, they would almost instinctively feel fear.
But Jeming, long used to it, withdrew his gaze and turned to walk toward the forward outpost.
Receiving a civilization meant plenty of work to do.