Chapter 291: Great, it’s Bai Fu, we’re saved!
Although she carried the title of “Saintess” above her head, when Bai Fu thought about it carefully, she realized she had not done anything that truly lived up to that name for a long time.
Even though she no longer needed to rely on that title to attract the Players’ attention, having an extra golden signboard was always better than having none, wasn’t it?
At the very least, with version updates strengthening her, having an extra golden signboard meant she had a higher chance of receiving special enhancements.
Now, an opportunity lay before her—an opportunity that could make her “Saintess’ Radiance” shine as brilliantly as the light of the sun—and Bai Fu naturally wouldn’t miss it.
She adjusted her tone and said with deliberate heaviness:
“Civilizations that have also suffered attacks from the Apostles’ Holy City? You might not know this, but the civilization I belong to was spied on by the Apostles’ Holy City not long ago. That led to a few small conflicts, and the reason I am here now is inseparable from their transgressions.”
“There’s such a thing?”
The people of Rayas were startled, but not overly surprised, since Bai Fu had just mentioned she had fought the Apostles’ Holy City before.
Bai Fu said:
“Have you ever heard of the Ten Saints Council?”
Ruth shook her head, and the others, after racking their brains, also had no impression at all.
Bai Fu explained:
“The Ten Saints Council is an organization established by the Supremes, who are nicknamed Saints. Many years ago…”
She then recounted in detail the grievances between the Saints and the Three Universal Civilizations, the Saints’ collusion with the Apostles’ Holy City, and how the Rebirth Empire launched the Dark Zone Grand Exploration Plan to counter them.
The story was long, but Ruth and the others listened with great interest.
Three Universal Civilizations, cosmic treasures, confrontations between Supremes, the Saints and the Apostles’ Holy City being crushed twice by the Rebirth Empire after their failed schemes…
Each part was enough to stir their blood and make them long to see it with their own eyes.
In the Rayas Exile Government, the rift between the Moderates and the Iron-blooded Faction was severe. But there was one thing both sides agreed on: the Apostles’ Holy City was their enemy, and they had to defeat it to rebuild Rayas.
Now, having encountered a civilization capable of thwarting the Apostles’ Holy City’s schemes, how could they not be filled with yearning?
“If you’re willing, I can take you to the Rebirth Empire. There, you can obtain supplies. I believe the Rebirth Empire will be very interested in the intelligence you bring.”
Bai Fu extended her invitation.
Ruth did not agree immediately. She turned back to consult with the other representatives of the Exile Government, and in the end, they all agreed to take a look.
If Bai Fu truly was a good person, they would lose nothing by following her.
If Bai Fu was a false good person, a true villain, then did they even have the option not to go? After all, their strongest, Garcia, had already been crushed to death.
Thus, under the lead of Big Black Fu, the Rayas Exile Government changed course—first to rendezvous with Anya’s investigative fleet, and then together they set sail toward Origin Star.
The arrival of a refugee civilization from the Dark Zone immediately drew large crowds of onlookers on Origin Star, and after receiving the news, the Rust Legion of the Rebirth Empire also arrived.
When the Rayas people saw Origin Star wrapped in layer upon layer of artificial structures, they too grew excited.
There was no mistake—if the Rebirth Empire Bai Fu spoke of was not yet equal to the Apostles’ Holy City, it was still far stronger than their Rayas civilization!
The reason was simple: even the space fortresses they passed upon entering Origin Star, small in size as they were, contained technology Rayas had spent years trying and failing to master!
It was only at this moment that the Rayas people finally felt at ease.
“Great, it really is a Universal-level Civilization—we’re saved!”
Bai Fu only smiled without saying a word. She led the Rayas delegation to tour Origin Star, their first stop being the administrative center: Dark Night City.
The reason she brought Ruth and the others to tour Dark Night City was mainly to leave them with a good impression.
Dark Night City had been expanded upon the foundation of the former Bai Fu Town, and the entire city brimmed with Bai Fu’s presence.
At the center of the city stood a thousand-meter-tall “Statue of Bai Fu Leading Origin Star”;
Around the statue was a massive ring-shaped Exhibition Hall of Bai Fu and the Legends of the Quiet Garden;
On the roads, one could see Tiny Black Fu and Tiny Bai Fu maintaining order everywhere;
In shops and parks, street vendors sold Bai Fu-themed merchandise;
Even the trees by the roadside, when one looked up unintentionally, often had Bai Fu lanterns hanging from their branches.
The Rayas people were dumbfounded.
Damn—it turned out the Bai Fu they had met was such a legendary figure?
On the way to Origin Star, they had already tried to imagine Bai Fu as being as formidable as possible. But only after visiting the Exhibition Hall and conversing with locals through special translators did they realize that the Bai Fu in their imagination wasn’t even one-tenth of the real Bai Fu!
From being the savior of a backward civilization that could not even fully control its own homeworld, to becoming the pillar relied upon by a Star-system-level Civilization, to a strategist steering the outcome of interstellar civil wars, to the respected partner of Universal-level Supremes.
Step by step, Bai Fu had walked forward, with unshakable steadiness—and she had accomplished it all in less than twenty years!
Inspiring—so damn inspiring!
The gazes Ruth and the others cast upon Bai Fu were as if looking upon a deity.
Their admiration for Bai Fu surged like an endless river. Along with reverence, they also felt fortunate—fortunate that it was Bai Fu they had encountered.
Had it been another arrogant collaborator of the Rebirth Empire instead of Bai Fu, forget Garcia—even they would likely have already become corpses by now, rather than touring Origin Star and seeking the Rebirth Empire’s aid against the Apostles’ Holy City.
After giving the Rayas delegation a heavy shock, Bai Fu discussed matters with the Sword Emperor and the Master of the Whirlpool, who were in charge of regional defense around Origin Star, to urgently report these developments to the Imperial Senate.
Normally, discovering a civilization in the Dark Zone was nothing noteworthy to the Senate. But if this civilization possessed intelligence on the Apostles’ Holy City, that was different.
The Empire immediately convened a remote meeting.
Participants included the Emperor, members of the Senate, most trusted Domination-level and Supreme-level partners, and representatives of the Rayas civilization.
During the meeting, the Empire questioned the Rayas delegation in detail about their experiences and the specific strength of the Apostles’ Holy City.
The Rayas had not been dealing with the Apostles’ Holy City for very long—not yet even twenty years. But much had happened during that time. While the Apostles’ Holy City raised dogs within Rayas, some of Rayas’ ambitious individuals tried infiltrating the Holy City to uncover its true nature.
The process was difficult, but Rayas still managed to obtain considerable intelligence.
The Apostles’ Holy City was a special religious civilization, formed by the union of seven smaller civilizations that all worshipped the God of Psionics.
Each of the seven civilizations built a Grand Cathedral. Though called cathedrals, they were in fact man-made wonders serving simultaneously as administrative, military, and religious centers, each even larger than most gas giants.
The leaders of the cathedrals were known as Candidate Apostles, while the leader of the entire civilization was called the Supreme Apostle.
Every Supreme Apostle was chosen from among the seven Candidates, and the vacant Candidate position would then be filled by someone else within that cathedral.
Of note was one strict requirement: to become a Candidate Apostle, one’s strength must reach the Supreme level.
“How many Supremes does the Apostles’ Holy City have in total?”
Ruth shook her head.
“The exact number is unclear, but what we do know is this—each Grand Cathedral has at least three Supremes. The Third Cathedral has birthed six Supremes in recent years! Beyond the seven Cathedrals, the Inquisition and the Hall of True Spirit also each have Supremes stationed there. Taken alone, their power is not weaker than any one Cathedral.”
“！”
Even knowing that the Apostles’ Holy City, as the main antagonist of Version 3.0, could not be simple, Bai Fu was still shocked after hearing Ruth’s words.
By her estimate, the Apostles’ Holy City had at least thirty Supremes—and likely more.
Damn.
No wonder they had the confidence to stand against the Three Universal Civilizations simultaneously.
The Rebirth Empire’s Domination-level and Supremes together only just exceeded thirty.
Although she had recently helped the Empire strengthen many of its top fighters—such as Dmitry and Zhongxiao, who had already completed their third divine metamorphosis—the Empire still seemed lacking when compared to the Apostles’ Holy City.
Only a united front of all Three Universal Civilizations could hope to contend with the Apostles’ Holy City. But could they truly unite?
Bai Fu was not sure.
While she pondered this, the Shepherd Heinz asked:
“What is the current strength of the Apostles’ Holy City’s strongest?”
Bai Fu pricked up her ears. This was critical.
Ruth replied:
“I don’t know. I only heard that the current Supreme Apostle is about to transform into the Eternal Child. But I don’t know what this Eternal Child actually is.”
In the virtual conference room, almost everyone frowned.
The Eternal Child?
They did not know what that was either.
But for the Supreme Apostle to hold that position steadily, he might well have undergone four divine metamorphoses—or even five.
After the most venerable elders privately exchanged a few words with the Emperor, the meeting was declared over. In the meantime, they instructed the Master of the Whirlpool to escort the Rayas delegation to the Imperial Capital Star for further confirmation.
The Rayas people could not help but feel uneasy.
Would they truly obtain support from the Rebirth Empire?
Bai Fu deliberately held a farewell banquet for them, gathering many Players to witness it.
She knew very well the Rayas delegation would not gain much. The Empire would not immediately declare war on the Apostles’ Holy City, nor would it send troops to aid Rayas. The Empire had never been sentimental.
Of course, to show gratitude for the intelligence provided, the Empire would certainly grant Rayas a settlement, along with some funding and resources.
But this was not what the Rayas people hoped for.
They would soon feel disheartened by the delays and evasions—and at that time, it would be her turn to step in.
The opportunity came sooner than Bai Fu had expected.
Barely a month later, the Rayas people, filled with disappointment, began considering leaving.
The most intense reactions came from the Iron-blooded Faction, but even the Moderates were dissatisfied. Though they had found a Universal Civilization, their situation still hadn’t improved.
They could understand, but they could not wait. The longer it dragged on, the more danger their people captured by the Apostles’ Holy City faced. They no longer wanted to waste time on the planet assigned to them, waiting for an uncertain future. They planned to seek aid from the Supernova Legion and Titan Industries instead.
“I think you’d better not waste your time. Your fate in the Supernova Legion or Titan Industries will not be any better than here in the Rebirth Empire.”
Bai Fu leaned against the wall with her arms folded, speaking to Ruth as she approached from afar.
Ruth was silent for a while before saying:
“We have to try. Only by trying can we know whether the path is passable. If nothing works, we plan to continue our previous idea—contacting other civilizations also attacked by the Apostles’ Holy City.”
Bai Fu nodded.
“I can help you.”
“Hmm?” Ruth froze.
“What did you say?”
Bai Fu said:
“I said I can help you. But let me make it clear—even I cannot persuade the Rebirth Empire to send troops to rescue your people right now. Nor do I have the power to free them myself. However, I can help you contact other civilizations. I can provide you with urgently needed resources. And as for dangerous matters, I can have the Undying Ones who follow me handle them. With this help, perhaps your chances of saving your people will be a little higher.”
Ruth’s mouth fell open.
She wanted to ask why Bai Fu was willing to help them—to help to this extent.
But she quickly recalled what she had seen in the Exhibition Hall, and what she had heard over the past days from ordinary folk and the Undying Ones about Bai Fu.
Was it really so hard to understand?
No, not at all.
Because this “human” before her was Bai Fu!
Would a Saintess like Bai Fu step forward to help without reason?
Ruth was deeply moved, and hurried to inform the others.
In that instant, the hundreds of thousands of Rayas refugees erupted in cheers.
“Great, it’s Bai Fu, we’re saved!”
【Your Reputation with the [Rayas Exile Government Faction] +350】
【The [Rayas Exile Government Faction]’s Favorability toward you +500】
Prompt after prompt appeared.
Bai Fu smiled and nodded.
Very good. Now she could seize the chance to lead the formation of the anti–Apostles’ Holy City alliance Rayas sought.
She did not believe the alliance could truly inflict great damage upon the Apostles’ Holy City. But that was unimportant. What mattered was that she did it.
This was something that, once done, would be seen as profoundly great.
And from the Players’ perspective—if an NPC was doing something so great, didn’t that make her a protagonist?
By gathering countless Players in the name of greatness, once they all rallied around her, for the sake of the game’s health, even if she had not been great before, the Developers would ensure she became as great as possible.
“Win!”
Days later, Version 2.2 finally came to an end after a long run, and Version 2.3 arrived with the server downtime update. Along with it came the strengthening Bai Fu had long anticipated.
“At least let the Version 2.3 trailer officially acknowledge me this time, right?”