Time flew by. In the more than one hundred years after the comprehensive upgrade, Tom still maintained his past routine of widely disseminating probes, tracking the Grey Worm Civilization’s possible route, and conducting large-scale scientific research tasks.

One day, Tom suddenly received a gravitational wave communication signal with a built-in dictionary.

After deciphering it and reading the content, Tom fell into deep thought.

"The Orion Civilization, Sagittarius Civilization, Dust Civilization, Blazing Light Civilization, and Tanros Civilization jointly announce to all civilizations above Dark Energy level in the Milky Way:

For a long time, the Destroyer Civilization, relying on its more advanced war technology, especially the strategic weapon ’Cataclysm of Destruction,’ has been conquering and exterminating other civilizations throughout the Milky Way, which all civilizations consider their home, committing countless crimes.

Including Space-level existences such as the Perseus Alliance, Red Star Alliance, Space-level Demonic Eye, Space-level Star Beast, as well as dozens of Dark Energy level civilizations and hundreds of gravitational wave civilizations, all perished at the hands of the Destroyer Civilization.

Their methods were cruel, and their crimes were heinous, utterly outrageous.

The Milky Way is the common home for all forms of existence and all levels of intelligent beings. At this moment, the actions of the Destroyer Civilization have seriously threatened the survival of all intelligent beings, including our five Space-level civilizations.

Among our five Space-level civilizations, the Orion Civilization and Sagittarius Civilization are orthodox intelligent civilizations;

The Dust Civilization is a silicon-based Parasitic Disaster;

The Blazing Light Civilization is an energy-based life form;

The Tanros Civilization is a Mechanical Disaster.

We, the five Space-level civilizations, representing all types of intelligent beings in the Milky Way, have decided to form the Milky Way Alliance to resist the Destroyer Civilization, and we hereby call upon all civilizations throughout the Milky Way at or above the gravitational wave level to bravely step forward and jointly protect our right to exist, and jointly resist the tyrannical actions of the Destroyer Civilization.

Regardless of your form of existence, whether you are an orthodox intelligent civilization, or a Star Beast, Mechanical Disaster, or Demonic Eye, Parasitic Disaster, or energy-based, whatever it may be, within the Milky Way Alliance, you will find a corresponding Space-level civilization that represents your right to exist. At this moment, we should all abandon past disputes, uphold the concept of unity, and fight against a common enemy, standing together to confront our foe.

If you do not step forward and contribute your strength now, and if the Destroyer Civilization ultimately wins, then one day, the light of the Cataclysm of Destruction will also bloom in your civilization’s stronghold.

This is not alarmist talk, but a real and present threat. It is well known that the Destroyer Civilization has always pursued the extermination of all other intelligent beings and the sole domination of the Milky Way.

The Destroyer Civilization will not spare any intelligent being!

We, the five Space-level civilizations, hereby solemnly pledge: we will use our own strength as a guarantee to ensure that every civilization that joins the Milky Way Alliance, regardless of your form of existence, as long as you harbor the belief of jointly resisting the Destroyer Civilization, will not be discriminated against, nor will you be threatened by intelligent civilizations of other forms of existence.

Furthermore, after we defeat the Destroyer Civilization in the future, our five Space-level civilizations will jointly lead the situation in the Milky Way, ensuring that every civilization in the Milky Way can coexist peacefully, and based on the magnitude of their contributions in the fight against the Destroyer Civilization, allocate corresponding territorial ranges and provide corresponding high-level technology to assist in their development.

All intelligent compatriots who call the Milky Way home, the moment to decide the future fate of all of us has arrived.

To survive or to perish, the decision rests in our own hands.

If you and your civilization are willing to bravely step forward and use your strength to secure a future for your civilization, then please gather at the following total of 154 coordinate points based on your current location. Our Milky Way Alliance has already deployed reception fleets there.

Once gathered, we will integrate you into corresponding ’nations’ based on your different forms of existence, and collectively plan the future development of the war.

At each coordinate point, we, in the name of the Milky Way Alliance, guarantee the right to exist of every civilization and every form of intelligent life.

Finally, we once again call out, compatriots, step forward!"

...

Tom’s expression gradually became solemn.

He knew very well that, just as the Recorder Civilization had said, the subsequent impact of the Destroyer Civilization’s brazen arrival and destruction of the Star Beast Disaster was gradually emerging.

He just hadn’t expected that, besides the Recorder Civilization, there were actually five Space-level existences hidden in this Milky Way...

Now, they were all forced into a desperate situation, having to abandon their past mindset of minding their own business, and even putting aside old grievances, incorporating existences like the Mechanical Disaster and silicon-based Parasitic Disaster into the alliance.

As for energy beings, Tom wasn’t entirely clear. But he thought they should correspond to non-physical existences similar to Electromagnetic Creatures and the Gravity Life of the Green Light Clan.

Strictly ensuring the right to exist for all forms of existence, and strictly prohibiting internal strife... this truly found the greatest common denominator for almost all forms of existence in the Milky Way.

And, even if the Destroyer Civilization is defeated, the Milky Way Alliance will continue to exist and lead the situation in the Milky Way? To determine the post-war distribution of benefits based on contributions in the fight against the Destroyer Civilization?

If they refuse to step forward, then, once the Destroyer Civilization wins, they will eventually face extinction. And if the Milky Way Alliance wins, it’s clear that such civilizations will undoubtedly be at an extreme disadvantage in the post-war distribution of benefits.

From front to back, left to right, this Milky Way Alliance left almost no choice for gravitational wave and Dark Energy level civilizations; they could only obediently join.

Only...

The Milky Way Alliance just so openly announced the coordinate gathering points? Aren’t they afraid of the Destroyer Civilization showing up and eliminating the threat in advance?

After careful consideration, Tom realized again: "I’m afraid they really aren’t afraid..."

Since the Milky Way Alliance made this arrangement, they must possess corresponding intelligence. And this intelligence, perhaps... the Destroyer Civilization is also intentionally promoting the formation of the Milky Way Alliance...

Each civilization is better at hiding than the last, searching everywhere in this Milky Way like looking for a needle in a haystack. It takes who knows how many years to find a civilization and then destroy it. The efficiency is too low. How can it compare to all civilizations gathering together and being wiped out all at once?

Now that you want to gather, I’m too happy to interfere. How could I possibly interfere? If I were to destroy one gathering point, I’m afraid all those other gathering points, all those civilizations, would scatter.

The Milky Way Alliance needs more civilizations to gather to provide stronger combat power, and the Destroyer Civilization needs more civilizations to gather to annihilate them in one fell swoop. Both sides are mutually promoting each other, so the establishment of this Milky Way Alliance truly has all the advantages of timing, geography, and human cooperation.

The only thing is, is the Destroyer Civilization truly that confident?

Although you possess the strategic weapon Cataclysm of Destruction, known as the ’nation killer,’ in the past, you have only ever confronted the combined forces of the Red Star Alliance and Space-level Demonic Eye, two Space-level existences. This time, however, it is a coalition of five Space-level civilizations and an unknown number of Dark Energy level and gravitational wave civilizations.

After carefully analyzing the situation, Tom finally made his choice clear.

"I will not participate in this Milky Way Alliance. I don’t need any post-war benefit distribution or high-level technological support; I can achieve technological development on my own.

At worst, I’ll find a corner of the Milky Way, not communicate with anyone, and just develop slowly on my own.

I don’t care about the overall situation of the Milky Way; I only care about ourselves, only about Human Civilization. My only goal is to uncover the truth of humanity’s demise and avenge it.

However... although I won’t join the Milky Way Alliance, will the Grey Worm Civilization?"

After careful thought, Tom realized that the Grey Worm Civilization probably would join the Milky Way Alliance!

Under the greater cause of abandoning old grievances and fighting a common enemy, what does a mere Demonic Eye count for?

The Milky Way Alliance can even incorporate the Mechanical Disaster, silicon-based Parasitic Disaster, and energy beings into its ranks!

Given that the Space-level Demonic Eye has been destroyed and the Demonic Eye Civilization has lost the protection of high-level combat power, if the Grey Worm Civilization refuses to join the Milky Way Alliance, then no matter which side ultimately wins, the Grey Worm Civilization is almost certainly doomed!

The Grey Worm Civilization also has no way to hide and develop on its own like him.

No matter how high the internal organization of the Demonic Eye Civilization, it is ultimately an orthodox intelligent civilization’s mode of existence, with a considerable degree of internal friction, and its decisions cannot be as decisive as his own.

Once the Milky Way Alliance wins the final victory, and the entire Milky Way is brought under unified management, they won’t be able to hide for too long.

Even if the Destroyer Civilization ultimately triumphs, they will most likely not escape.

Of course, if Tom were to face the Destroyer Civilization, he would most likely not escape either, but at least there would be a higher hope. And, if the Destroyer Civilization ultimately triumphs, then even if he joined, it wouldn’t change anything.

"But if the Grey Worm Civilization is going to join, regardless of whether I join or not, I’ll have to go to those gathering points to check it out.

Even with the Milky Way Alliance’s order against internal strife, I should at least find the Grey Worm Civilization first. As for how to act later, I’ll adapt as needed."

Having made up his mind, Tom immediately changed the fleet’s course, heading towards the closest of the announced gathering points.

That gathering point was about 2,000 light-years away from him. Calculating by his and the Grey Worm Civilization’s speeds, the Grey Worm Civilization was most likely also closest to that location. If they were to join the Milky Way Alliance, they would most likely go there as well.

2,000 light-years would take approximately 450 years to reach.

So Tom continued his usual technological research process, embarking on another long journey.

Time flew by. Tom made significant technological progress and underwent another comprehensive upgrade, instantly boosting his warp travel speed to over 5 times the speed of light, reaching 5.2 times the speed of light. At this point, the distance to the gathering point was no longer far.

Tom already knew that the upper limit for gravitational wave civilization’s warp travel speed was 10 times the speed of light. And now, since his speed could reach 5.2 times the speed of light, it meant that his technological level had truly reached the mid-gravitational wave stage, no longer just barely making it as before.

In terms of true combat power, even if he were to face a peak gravitational wave civilization, while he would likely still be defeated, he would most likely be able to protect his intelligent life forms and his scientific data.

This gave Tom a relatively strong sense of confidence.

"At this moment, there are still 200 light-years to the gathering point. At this distance, the number of civilizations converging from all directions should already be quite significant, right?"

Tom exerted himself to improve his gravity manipulation precision, reducing the external influence of his gravitational distortion of space, while simultaneously increasing the deployment of various probes, carefully observing the surrounding environment to see if any other civilizations appeared.

Upon this investigation, as expected, Tom immediately detected more than ten spatial curvature fluctuation signals.

However, these signals all had one thing in common: they were extremely faint, not only impossible to pinpoint precisely but also impossible to completely distinguish from the background environment.

By probability, about half of these gravitational wave fluctuation signals scattered within a few dozen light-years corresponded to genuinely existing civilizations. But Tom couldn’t distinguish which were artificially generated and which were background interference.

"Everyone is truly in agreement..."

Tom sighed.

He knew that the gravitational wave fluctuation signals he emitted would likely appear the same in the eyes of other civilizations.

The massive fleet continued to advance at high speed. When only 85 light-years remained to the final gathering point, Tom halted his progress and disengaged from warp travel.

At this moment, in the vast void where no macroscopic celestial bodies existed within nearly ten trillion kilometers, Tom’s fleet silently lurked.

Not only did they strictly prevent any electromagnetic radiation leakage, but even the exteriors of all spacecraft were coated with highly light-absorbing materials, doing their utmost to hide themselves.

However, at the same time, the various probes released into the surrounding environment increased once again, meticulously searching the detailed conditions of approximately 1.5 trillion stars within a radius of about 100 light-years, totaling about 4.2 million cubic light-years, but no traces of any civilization had been found in the short term.

Tom knew that at this moment, there must be many gravitational wave and Dark Energy level civilizations, very likely including the Grey Worm Civilization, hidden in this starfield.

But clearly, in this matter, other civilizations once again made the same choice as Tom: hide themselves and search for others.

Although most civilizations had already decided to join the Milky Way Alliance, it was always good not to rush out, but to first observe the environment and the direction of the situation.

Of course, in this process, Tom had a greater advantage. Because his industrial capacity was stronger, he deployed more probes, making it easier to find other civilizations.

Time thus slowly passed. During the long search, Tom had not yet found any gravitational wave or Dark Energy level civilizations, but he made another surprising discovery.