Chapter 22: A Miraculous Epic Beyond the Local Universe

What Buweiro meant was that humans should stop the war, develop technology together, and upgrade to a primary civilization, so that they can share the blessings with the Alliance. I nodded to show that I understood, and then thought of the previous question:.

"Earlier, you mentioned that there were five major unified eras in the Milky Way. Which five empires were they, and when did they occur? Does the later Star Federation Union's Super Civilization have any connection to the earlier unified empires?"

"Ah, the origins, formation, development, wars, fusion, rise, fall, and existence of each of the five empires in the galaxy—there's so much to say about it. It cannot be summarized in just a few words like human history. I won't go into detail right now. To truly understand all of it, even a lifetime wouldn't be enough.  

Here's what I'll do: I'll request the Alliance to upload the entire history of the five empires' rise and fall into nano-chip Xiaomeng inside your body. After you leave, the Alliance won't take it back. Whenever you have time, you can read it. Some of the information will even include images and videos. Whenever you close your eyes and focus on it, the data will appear in your mind. It's far more immersive than reading a book or listening to me speak. Later, if you wish—or if humanity wants to see it—you can share it."

Buweiro's proposal made me ecstatic. My initial instinct was to refuse, thinking that one shouldn't accept favors without offering something in return. The Alliance had already been courteous enough to me. But when I thought about the temptation of their technology, I couldn't resist. After all, as a messenger for the Alliance, I was performing a small duty. Once I realized that, I stopped hesitating, nodded repeatedly, and expressed my gratitude.

Buweiro smiled and continued, "Now, let me tell you this: The fifth generation of galactic empires passed away 3.1 billion years ago. Since then, no unified galactic empires have emerged. This has lasted to the present day.

The history of the five galactic empires—16 billion years of development — has allowed all subsequent civilizations in the galaxy to see many truths, or perhaps better put, the absolute principles. They understood that building a galactic empire is not necessary. It is better to foster the integration and joint development of all races.

After all the civilizations in the galaxy reached the level of Intermediate Civilization, they would begin to explore the vast universe. This is the true essence of travel, learning, and progress. As the ancient Chinese saying goes, it's the real meaning of 'free and easy'—living freely and unrestrained. This is why no more galactic empires have appeared since then. Once civilizations develop to the level of Intermediate Civilizations, they all seek to leave the galaxy, causing the galaxy to gradually become quieter, losing the bustling vibrancy of the past.

Later, our ancestors—the civilizations of Earth, Mars, and Venus—emerged. After a long period of struggles and battles, they eventually became Advanced Civilizations. They traveled to the center of the galaxy, where they met with other like-minded Advanced Civilizations. Together, they learned from each other and formed the first Super Civilization: the Star Federation Union. This term represents the unity of all races through peaceful integration, not the centralized authoritarianism of the past empires. The rules of the galaxy established by the Alliance have stood the test of time and remain peaceful to this day, proving that a united, integrated galaxy is the kind of life all races desire."

After listening to Buweiro's introduction, I thought to myself, "The galaxy is much quieter now, without the previous bustling activity. But now that there's the Super Civilization of the Star Federation Union overseeing everything, it's much more peaceful! This is a good thing, as it prevents wars between powerful civilizations. If it spreads here, the Solar system will suffer.

While I was lost in thought, Buweiro spoke again, "Brother Ji Wufan, the Alliance has agreed to my request. They have consented to leave the nano-chip in your body, giving you access to a vast amount of reading material. Consider it our gift of gratitude to you. This nano-machine includes space and dimensional technology that is beyond the reach of your current human technology. Only when you reach Primary Civilization level will you be able to detect it. You'll only need to focus your mind when you need to access the information."

"Ah, thank you, Buweiro! And thanks to the Interstellar Alliance for such an incredible gift of knowledge! I will definitely read it when I have time." I said, unable to suppress the joy inside me. I thought to myself that I'd now have the chance to study and escape my dependence on my phone, filling in the gaps in my cultural knowledge.

If Buweiro were a beautiful girl, I might have hugged and kissed him to show my gratitude. But I quickly restrained myself, controlling my excitement, and then asked:

"Earlier, you mentioned the rise and fall of each generation of galactic empires. What does that mean? Does every galactic empire ultimately face destruction? Why is that the case? As you said, the highest rulers of each empire are some of the strongest Advanced Civilizations. How could such powerful civilizations go through cycles of rise and fall like kingdoms or dynasties? And what truths did they come to understand that made them see things in such a profound way? Please, tell me in simple terms. The truths they realized must be extraordinary!

Also, you mentioned that once civilizations in the galaxy reach the intermediate level, most of them leave to explore the vast universe. Have any of those civilizations returned? If so, could you briefly share some interesting stories from their journeys? I'm very curious to know what kind of incredible epics exist outside of our local universe."

Buweiro smiled and responded, "Ah, many great questions. Let me start with the cycle of rise and fall of the galactic empires. The reason each galactic empire eventually collapses is not due to external enemies but due to the inherent limitations of centralized rule. The more advanced a civilization becomes, the more it needs freedom and exploration. A central, all-powerful empire restricts that freedom, causing its own eventual downfall.

The most powerful civilizations, despite their immense strength, are still bound by the natural order of things. Even the greatest empires in history fell when they failed to evolve and adapt. This cycle of rise, dominance, and collapse is part of the cosmic law. Those who understood this law chose to abandon the empire model and embraced a more harmonious form of cooperation and unity among races, which is what led to the creation of the Star Federation Union.

The 'truth' that these civilizations realized was that integration, cooperation, and mutual respect among all races were the keys to long-lasting peace and progress. The creation of the Union is the ultimate realization of this truth. As for the civilizations that left the galaxy, some of them have indeed returned after their journeys. However, it is rare, and the stories of their experiences are diverse. Some discovered new dimensions, others encountered entirely different forms of life, and a few became part of inter-dimensional collectives.

The experiences of these civilizations are vast and varied. While many have chosen not to return, a few have shared their stories with us. These stories are full of wonder and cautionary tales. However, since the Star Federation Union oversees the knowledge and the integrity of the galaxy, such details are shared only selectively.

I will tell you one interesting story of a civilization that traveled far beyond the Milky Way. This civilization discovered a dimension where time flows differently—where a single day could pass like a thousand years, and a thousand years could pass like a single day. They learned much about the nature of time and existence, but they could never truly return to their original form, as their experience had altered their perception of reality forever.

This dimension, like many others, is not something humanity can comprehend yet. However, once your civilization reaches an intermediate level, you will begin to grasp these mysteries for yourselves. Until then, these stories remain for the most part hidden, awaiting the day when humanity can understand them."

I listened in awe, my mind racing with the possibilities of what lay beyond the galaxy and what humanity might one day discover.