I became a god by treasure hunting after arriving 500 years early-Chapter 707 - 525: Is This Epoch, the Most Comfortable Epoch We Live In?

Lu Yuan contemplated silently for a long while, and refrained from chatting through telepathy. “Given the situation, let’s set things straight: Our plan is as follows—eight million Lanpeng people have been infected by the [Monsters]. The expert team intends to leverage the Opium Tree’s abilities to draw their consciousnesses into a Dream, constructing a stable Spiritual Network.”

“This Spiritual Network will center around the ‘Agitator,’ Jin Bote.”

“They might find it exceedingly difficult to break free of the [Monsters’] influence…”

“But if they coexist with the [Monsters] in Dream form for an extended period, will you agree?”

The [Monsters] were unlikely to release the Birdmen already under their control.

But approaching this from another angle, coexistence might indeed be feasible.

The Lanpeng people living long-term in the Dream, with their intellect and creative abilities intact, could still generate a minuscule amount of ‘Luck.’

If the [Monsters] could tolerate such an arrangement, the outcome would clearly be much better.

This was also a result acceptable to the Lanpeng Civilization—a nuanced hope for a revival rather than outright extinction.

The five thousand awakened Blue Peng Survivors who had joined humanity would also feel a stronger sense of agency upon learning their fellow kin were still alive.

“This idea… does seem to have a chance of success.” The Strangers pondered for a moment. “But you must realize, everything decays over time.”

“Without upkeep, your Spiritual Network won’t last long before being breached by the [Monsters].”

“Are you planning to leave your [Demon·Opium Tree] here on the prairie? Would you even be willing to do that?”

This was indeed a pressing issue.

The Conch had been discussing solutions with him for quite some time before reaching a conclusion.

Lu Yuan proposed: “The Lanpeng Civilization still has three to five thousand Civilization Points left, a massive reserve of Ideal Energy. If used to sustain the Dream and gradually nurture the [Monsters], it should last until this Epoch’s closure. That should work, right?”

“Oh, are you actually willing? That’s three to five thousand Civilization Points we’re talking about!”

“Whether we’re willing or not doesn’t matter…” Lu Yuan sighed in exasperation.

“It’s not even our money anyway. If it’s spent, then so be it.”

“Additionally, we’ll apply technological methods to bridge the Dream and reality.”

“This would allow them to manipulate robots within the Dream and intervene in the real world, enabling them to handle their own maintenance work.”

“In fact, even you six could join the Dream, so you wouldn’t have to endure such stifling lives anymore…”

“Your physical bodies could lie underground, while your minds and consciousness could be uploaded into the Dream.”

“At least you’d have the Lanpeng Civilization to boast with, play games with, and engage in social activities. Although the Lanpeng Civilization doesn’t exactly qualify as a normal civilization anymore… This is the best compromise we can offer. Seniors, what are your thoughts?”

These words struck deep into the hearts of the Strangers.

They exchanged glances, each showing a flicker of interest.

Old Deng and the others feared neither death nor hardship.

What they truly dreaded… was profound loneliness.

In those moments of sudden awakening from the bizarre world, when memory was lost, surrounded only by unthinking companions and enduring the anguish until an Epoch’s end… they felt an indescribable solitude.

Should there be a civilization to converse with, even in the confines of a Dream, this Epoch could at least offer some semblance of enjoyment.

“We… will think this over seriously.” The Big Crystal Man nodded.

“Very well, I won’t disturb you any further.” After presenting his suggestion, Lu Yuan cupped his hands and turned away.

The hall remained silent for a long time, with the only sound being steady breathing.

After a while, the Old Snake Man’s smile widened as he whispered, “This time, we’ve stumbled onto an opportunity!”

“See? I told you this Third-level Civilization is our lucky star.”

“Stop spending your days trying to suppress the younger generations! You’re all too old to be consumed by jealousy—it’s downright embarrassing!”

Everyone was stunned. Wasn’t it the Old Snake Man who initiated the suppression earlier? Now he had the audacity to pin it on them?

The older they got, the thicker their skins seemed to become!

Frankly, when they realized they couldn’t outpressure this youth, their mindset began to shift.

This youngster’s foundation was so extraordinary that those ordinary civilizations that climbed through the ranks of time—even the Fourth-level Civilizations—were outmatched by him.

In fact, were any of the Peak Civilizations of previous Epochs endowed with such Luck?

While they weren’t entirely clear on the trajectory of Peak Civilization development, they suspected—or rather, hoped—that these old epochs didn’t fare as well.

“Could the Ninth Epoch really be birthing a monster, stacking immense quantities of Luck onto an individual?” one Stranger murmured uneasily.

“What if he dies—won’t all be wasted?”

After a moment of silence, the Crystal Man sighed: “Not necessarily. The Ninth Epoch’s World Will knows its life is fleeting, and that it inherited a mess. Perhaps creating a few ‘monsters’ is its only hope for salvation.”

“Whether they’re good or bad will be determined in time.”

“Even monsters require growth. If exposed prematurely, they’ll still die against formidable foes.”

In this world, the truly terrifying presence wasn’t the [Ghost].

It was the other entities, those endowed with wisdom…

“Perhaps, in this era, they’ve already begun emerging…”

At this point, the atmosphere grew frigid again, permeated by a faint despair.

The foggy future left them uncertain, unable to discern the path forward.

The Crystal Man sneered: “This is the Ninth Epoch’s matter. If the Epoch perishes, what does it have to do with us? We’ll simply die along with it.”

“Then let’s have the [Monsters] help him relocate. Keep everything under wraps for as long as possible.”

“Agreed.”

The six Strangers, still capable of influencing the [Monsters] as former Great Spirit Rhythmers, held onto a sliver of their ancient sway even as they resembled ordinary mortals now.

That said, each manipulation carried immense risk. Their choices had to map to the [Monsters’] intrinsic desires, or else their souls risked being devoured in an instant.

“As for his Dream plan, what’s your take?”

“Of course, we support it!” These fellows gleefully rubbed their hands together, ready to start gaming.

Six members—two teams—three-on-three!

“Perhaps… this Epoch might actually be the most leisurely Epoch we’ve lived through yet?”

“Speaking of which, there’s also wealth. Honestly, each of us has a bit—keeping it serves no purpose… Why not…”

This Exotic Realm, once bustling with numerous Strangers, harbored an esteem tied to their civilizations. Wealth accumulated accordingly.

Being a sanctuary for advanced civilizations escaping destruction, its trading markets proved inexhaustible.

Over time, fortunes grew vast, especially as the number of Strangers dwindled to only six now.

Legacy after legacy amassed wealth, which seemed to grow ever more useless.

“Hmph, you’re mistaken. These assets are our bargaining chips for negotiating with him!”

“Wealth, it can’t be handed over easily! If gained effortlessly, will it even be cherished? No matter how promising he looks!”

“Forget about it, game time. Let’s not chat economics.”

The room erupted into spirited laughter.

…

As Old Deng and the rest seriously mulled over how to give humanity a boost, Lu Yuan embarked on his journey once again.

He had plenty on his plate: first leading a sizable force to the Lanpeng Civilization’s Quincy City, excavating their hibernation chambers.

This gigantic interstellar city, home to countless cutting-edge technologies, was—without exaggeration—centuries, perhaps millennia ahead of humanity in the material domain!

Human soldiers worked fervently with raw enthusiasm, itching to dig up all the computers and mechas buried within.

“Lu Ying, can you… slow down a little?” Lu Yuan nervously appealed to the Treasure Hunting Team with their feverish expressions, lowering his voice. “These are someone else’s treasures; let’s not get too excited, it’s unseemly for our image.”

The team burst out laughing.

Clearly, with the Lanpeng Civilization still boasting survivors, wouldn’t its possessions be their “treasures”?

“Great Commander, shall we move slower then?”

“No, hurry it up.”

Knowing that over five thousand Blue Peng Survivors remained, Lu Yuan had them join in the operation immediately.

Given the circumstances, all assets of the Lanpeng Civilization would evidently belong to humanity—it wasn’t feasible to generously return them to just over five thousand survivors.

Yet winning over the hearts of these individuals wasn’t straightforward. The three thousand Divine Skill users alongside nearly two thousand experts posed a unique challenge in blending into human civilization.

Such exotic minds were immensely valuable—the knowledge they possessed had the potential to tremendously propel Green Grass City forward!

After lengthy deliberation, Lu Yuan addressed the Birdmen: “We will assist in creating a Dream space to save your kin as much as possible…”

“From now on, they’ll live within the Dream permanently.”

“If you wish to enter the Dream and reunite with your relatives, we won’t impose restrictions; you are welcome to join them.”