Swallowed Star: The Zerg Overlord

Chapter 106: Virtual Universe

"We are about to arrive at our destination, Qiu Long Star. Let's proceed according to plan," Qin Mu said to a tall, thin, middle-aged man dressed like a butler, wearing black-rimmed glasses. The man, named Li Xingtao, was one of the leaders of the fifty-member Earth delegation, second only to Jia Yi.

"Understood!" Li Xingtao replied solemnly.

Although his strength was only at planetary level two, Li Xingtao was a genius in administration, economics, diplomacy, and even scientific research. While Jia Yi was the nominal leader of the Earth delegation, Li Xingtao was the one handling the practical operations.

Over the past few days, Qin Mu had familiarized himself with all the members of the Earth delegation, particularly those with expertise in scientific research. Besides being a warrior and a spirit master, Qin Mu was also a top-tier researcher in biology.

The plan was simple: they would pose as members of a wealthy family, using the luxurious Black Dragon Mountain X81 spacecraft and the Silverium Guards to create an impressive facade. The Earth delegation would act as attendants, handling various tasks. To avoid any slip-ups, the delegation had undergone specialized training based on the information provided by Babata.

As they spoke, the Black Dragon spacecraft accelerated toward Qiu Long Star. Through the external simulation, they could clearly see the planet approaching. The atmosphere of Qiu Long Star was unique, with colorful gas clouds flowing visibly, making the planet appear stunningly beautiful from a distance.

"Beep!"

"We have received the docking signal," the spacecraft's AI announced. "The spacecraft will follow the signal and dock at Zone C of the planet's spaceport."

Following the signal, the spacecraft slowly descended toward a massive silver city below. The spaceport was vast, filled with countless ships of various sizes, from small ones measuring tens of meters to massive ones spanning over ten kilometers.

"Is this Qiu Long Star?" someone murmured in awe, feeling as though they had stepped into a science fiction movie.

The sky was filled with ships taking off and landing, with over a hundred ships descending alongside the Black Dragon spacecraft. Despite the large number of ships, the process was orderly and efficient.

As they had learned from the information provided by Babata, the ruler of Qiu Long Star was a domain lord. Unless a sector lord or higher arrived, even domain lords would show respect by following the docking signals.

The Black Dragon spacecraft slowly descended into Zone C of the spaceport. The spaceport was divided into sections based on the class of the ships, with Zone C reserved for Class C ships and battleships. The strict hierarchy was evident even in something as mundane as docking.

The hatch opened.

"The gravitational pull here is about three times that of Earth," Qin Mu noted as he stepped out of the spacecraft, feeling the difference in gravity.

Behind him, Hong, Lei Shen, Jia Yi, and the others followed. Li Xingtao stayed close to Qin Mu, playing the role of a dutiful attendant.

As the spacecraft docked and the hatch opened, a green-skinned, two-and-a-half-meter-tall man with two curved horns on his head flew over. He wore a gray uniform and spoke fluent universal language.

"Respected sir, welcome to Qiu Long Star. The docking fee for your Black Dragon Mountain X81 spacecraft is 600 Black Dragon coins per year. For periods less than a year, the fee is still 600 Black Dragon coins. Here is your docking card," the man said politely, handing over a silver, semi-transparent card with a "C" emblem.

Without needing Qin Mu to speak, Li Xingtao stepped forward, accepted the card, and handed over a Ganwu coin. "Keep the change," Li Xingtao said in fluent universal language.

"Thank you, sir," the green-skinned man said, his eyes lighting up with gratitude as he respectfully stepped back.

As he watched Qin Mu and his entourage fly into the sky, the man couldn't help but feel envious—not of Qin Mu, but of Li Xingtao. Despite being only at planetary level two, Li Xingtao had the privilege of casually using Ganwu coins, a luxury the green-skinned man, a planetary level nine warrior, could only dream of.

In the Black Dragon Mountain Empire, one Ganwu coin could be exchanged for 1,000 Black Dragon coins, but the reverse was not possible. On the black market, it would take nearly 2,000 Black Dragon coins to obtain a single Ganwu coin. Ganwu coins were a symbol of status on Qiu Long Star.

Moreover, the green-skinned man had noticed the three Silverium Guards accompanying Qin Mu. These were high-tech robots, perfect for bodyguards, capable of protecting hundreds of people when enlarged. The rest of the entourage appeared to be servants, further reinforcing the image of Qin Mu as a scion of a powerful family.

As the group flew through the sky, they marveled at the breathtaking scenery. The sky resembled a thin layer of purple gauze, while the distant horizon turned blue. The beauty of the planet left them in awe.

Due to the presence of fifty attendants with strengths ranging from planetary level one to two, their progress was slow, allowing Qin Mu to leisurely admire the numerous castles they passed, each measuring 9.8 kilometers in length and width. These castles were considered luxury properties on Qiu Long Star.

After flying for over ten minutes, they passed through an area densely packed with smaller castles. According to the information they had, these one-kilometer-long estates were the cheapest residential properties on Qiu Long Star, each costing over ten billion Black Dragon coins. Their entire fortune might not even be enough to purchase one of these estates.

Although the information they had was from 50,000 years ago, the universe changed very slowly. For empires and organizations that had existed for billions of years, 50,000 years was but a blink of an eye.

After nearly half an hour of flying, they finally arrived at their destination: Qiu Long City. This massive city, with a history of three million years, spanned nearly 6,000 kilometers in length and width. The city's walls were pitch black, stretching endlessly into the horizon. The walls stood 120 meters tall, with intricate dragon carvings adding another few hundred meters to their height. The city's ancient, majestic aura was overwhelming.

Entering the city through a massive gate nearly a kilometer wide, the group found themselves in a bustling metropolis. The city was a dazzling mix of architectural styles, with a diverse array of humanoid races walking the streets. The weakest among them were at the Planetary level, while Star-level individuals were a common sight.

Despite their awe, the group remained composed, careful not to appear out of place. They were like country folk stepping into a grand city for the first time.

Upon entering Qiu Long City, Qin Mu's auxiliary computer automatically received a communication code. He quickly contacted the planet's service number to locate the Black Dragon Mountain Empire's administrative building on Qiu Long Star. Obtaining citizenship was their top priority.

After receiving the address, the group flew another two hundred kilometers to reach the administrative building, a grand structure featuring a massive black dragon coiled around a mountain.

***

Obtaining citizenship was a smooth process. Not only did Qin Mu, Hong, Lei Shen, and Jia Yi successfully acquire Black Dragon Mountain citizenship, but all fifty members of the Earth delegation also became citizens of the empire.

With their new citizenship, the next step was to open accounts in the Virtual Universe Network. This was one of their primary objectives. By accessing the Virtual Universe Network, Earth would be able to connect with all human civilizations and races in the cosmos, marking a crucial step in integrating with the universe.

After successfully opening their accounts, the group didn't rush to handle other matters. Instead, they checked into a luxurious hotel and immediately logged into the Virtual Universe Network.

In the hotel room.

"Connecting to the Virtual Universe..."

A deep, resonant voice echoed in Qin Mu's consciousness as his vision faded into darkness.

***

When his vision cleared, Qin Mu found himself standing in an ancient city. The streets were paved with large, neatly cut stones, and the people walking by were of various races, heights, and appearances. Most wore simple gray clothing, and each person had a small sprite sitting on their shoulder.

Suddenly, Qin Mu appeared in the middle of the bustling street, dressed in plain gray clothes with a tiny sprite perched on his shoulder.

"So, this is the Virtual Universe?" Qin Mu muttered, looking around.

"First, I need to contact Hong, Lei Shen, Jia Yi, and Li Xingtao."

In the Virtual Universe, the entry point was random, and the group had been scattered across different locations. However, they had added each other as friends during the account setup process. Although they were all on the Black Dragon Mountain Island, a region on the edge of the Ganwu Continent in the Virtual Universe, the distances between them were vast.

Despite being called an "island," Black Dragon Mountain Island was larger than any planet in the real universe.

In the Virtual Universe, they could communicate remotely or pay to teleport and meet in person. This virtual space was a hub for the elite of the cosmos, even more vibrant and bustling than the real world. Here, one could engage in financial transactions, martial arts training, shopping, gaming, dining, and learning—virtually anything imaginable.

As long as you had the money.

"Let's proceed according to plan. First, gather basic intelligence. Some of our information is outdated," Qin Mu said after pulling everyone into a group chat.

"Understood. The intelligence team is already on it," Li Xingtao replied.

In the Virtual Universe, communication was secure, and there was no need for secrecy. The Virtual Universe Company prided itself on not monitoring or leaking any user's information.

***

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