Cataclysm: Undead Dragons and Zero Empire

The Golden Hall of the Poros Global Foundation is always bathed in a warm yet distant light.

Karen stood in the center of the hall, his fingertips repeatedly stroking the remote control of the system terminal. He was reporting to the distinguished board of directors on the progress of the observation of the "Undead Dragon," his gaze occasionally falling on the image of the dragon flapping its wings.

"Distinguished board members, the battle between the Undead Dragon and the Killing Bee Swarm has ended, and all relevant data and images have been verified." The images were so clear that every inch of the insect hive that had been forcibly pulled out from the depths of the planet could be seen, with shocking energy readings marked next to it.

"Observations show that psionic energy instantly covered the entire planet, lifting the hive into space, and there are records proving that the hive mind that devoured the swarm showed signs of failure during this phase."

The board members were retrieving the keyframes that Karen had marked, while Karen gazed at the dragon shadows that were wielding magnificent power in the starry sky, knowing every detail in the data by heart.

"Distinguished board members, the advanced capabilities of 'Undead Dragon' in the field of psionic applications have been proven, demonstrating that this energy source has even broader application prospects," Karen said, turning her gaze back to continue her report with a confident tone.

Karen paused slightly. As the special envoy in charge of the "Undead Dragon" incident, he was qualified to report to the board of directors alone, with priority over all current proposals, and he had the right to make his own suggestions to the board. "Now within the galaxy, we are mutually restrained by other civilizations, and trade barriers are becoming increasingly stringent. This long-term stalemate is not conducive to the Foundation's external trade expansion."

"We control vast material resources and possess countless vassal states and colonized planets, yet we have never been able to become the sole overlord of the galaxy because we lack a decisive force, a force that can crush all opponents and break the balance. The psionic energy wielded by the Undead Dragon is undoubtedly the power to break the deadlock that we have been dreaming of."

"More importantly, this 'Undead Dragon' is different from most 'Leviathans'; it is not an uncommunicable ferocious beast," Karen said, changing the subject and presenting his key argument.

"During the initial contact, we brought gifts, but the 'Undead Dragon' did not accept them. The most likely explanation is that it wasn't that the resources we brought were useless, but rather that our current development and utilization of cosmic matter is still immature, just as a civilization that has mastered atomic energy would not covet the stone tools of a primitive tribe."

"Based on the observations, He also ignored the hives of the Devouring Swarm. During the first contact, He demanded a star map, inquired about the survival of the race named 'Zerg,' and launched an attack on the Devouring Swarm as a result."

"These objective facts fully prove that the 'Undead Dragon' was not recently created; it is interested in the ancient history of the universe and the secrets of those lost civilizations."

At this point, Karen offered his negotiation suggestion regarding the "Undead Dragon": "We can collect historical information that He might be interested in, including but not limited to archaeological discoveries from our vassal states, historical records and artifacts remaining in ruins, and even verifiable ancient legends, all of which can be presented as 'gifts'."

"Using this information as leverage, we can ask it for advice on the application of 'psychic energy' techniques," Karen described the possibilities of the future. "Once we have a higher level of psychic energy theory, combined with our existing technology, we can solve the long-standing problem of iteration, break the current stalemate, truly become the sole hegemon of this galaxy, and expand the Foundation's trade network beyond the galaxy, and even beyond the star cluster."

"This kind of deal is far more worthwhile than what we are currently concerned about in terms of the gains and losses of a war or the ownership of a resource planet."

As soon as Karen finished speaking, dissenting voices rang out in the hall. One of the directors pulled up a large amount of data and said, "Envoy Karen, have you considered the risks in your proposal? Our foundation aims to maximize profits, and proposing a deal with an unknown 'Leviathan' inherently carries unpredictable risks."

"We cannot be certain whether His will has any hidden destructive potential, nor can we be certain of our return on investment," the board member questioned Karen's proposed plan. "His use of psychic energy is far beyond our level, which is precisely the most dangerous aspect."

"Why don't we choose a safer approach, such as continuous observation, or be more aggressive and launch a surprise attack to kill it? An incapacitated experimental subject is a good one."

"Don't forget about the Star Eater. The reason we are unwilling to take action is that the benefits of killing it are not proportional to the costs, and we can predict that the benefits of killing the Star Eater will not lead to the iteration of key technologies."

"The Undead Dragon itself is a treasure trove of secrets. Reverse engineering its body can also advance our technology to a new level. As long as the plan is proper, it may very well succeed, and we will have the initiative in our hands."

His words were echoed by a few directors, while another director firmly stood by Karen, showing footage of the "Undead Dragon" defeating the main hive of the Killing Bees.

"We've never seen the full extent of this 'Leviathan,' so how can we talk about killing it?" This director was unusually lacking in the arrogance of a superior civilization, perhaps because his family's business had expanded beyond the star cluster, allowing them to witness more bizarre and powerful beings. "If the raid fails, we will inevitably face His retaliation. Have you considered that our foundation could be completely wiped out in the sea of ​​stars? This is not a matter of manageable risk, but a desperate gamble with no return."

"Moreover, the 'Undead Dragon' is not uncommunicative. We don't need to pay a high price; we just need to provide information that interests it, and we might be able to gain its help. After all, in this galaxy, which civilization can claim that its information-gathering capabilities surpass ours?"

"What we need to pursue is long-term, stable benefits, not desperate gambles."

"Instead of actively provoking an invincible opponent, we should establish a cooperative relationship with Him. Even if we don't receive any guidance, we won't lose anything."

The rotating board members sat on the high platform, silently listening to the debate between the two factions of directors. Rather than a debate about how to deal with the "Undead Dragon," it was more like another conflict of interests within the giant corporation. The directors who supported the military raid monopolized arms production, while the directors who supported peaceful exchanges were more successful in the trade sector.

After a long silence, the rotating director finally spoke to quell the discussion in the hall, "Now, let's begin the vote on this proposal," he said slowly.

The scales of the vote gradually tipped in the direction of peace, something that both the rotating director and the special envoy Karen had anticipated. After all, the foundation's core objective was to make a profit. When it was more powerful, it could act as a bandit, but when it was weak, it tended to cooperate, or even make offerings.

The rotating board of directors ultimately approved Karen's proposal. "I hereby announce that the special proposal has been approved. All departments under the Foundation shall begin collecting historical information, report to the Board of Directors, and then extend an invitation to the 'Undead Dragon' to visit our Foundation."

"Of course, we must also be fully prepared," the rotating director added, his tone tinged with caution. "We need to reinforce the defense systems of all core areas, mobilize satellite fortresses and the main fleet, and be ready to deal with any emergencies."

The rotating board member looked at Karen with a hint of expectation in his eyes. "Envoy Karen, you are still in charge of this mission. I hereby announce the board's authorization to you. You are free to act as you see fit in this matter."

In the distant starry sky, a silvery-white dragon shadow is traversing between the warp and the real universe, while an invitation from the Boros Space Foundation is on its way.