Chapter 874


    The second Trigold system was much more popted than the first, with threes upied at least in part. A typical terrestrial, a particr moon around a gas giant, and a rocky that had further mining operations upon it.


    There were also scouts throughout the system, though Varghese was fairly certain their own ships were not spotted. At least, the enemy didnt seem to react. It was always possible they were nning some sort of trap, trying to catch them unaware, but as long as the forces with him didnt fly too close to anys it would be difficult to catch their ships.


    Their ships picked up durable defensive formations and a significant volume of cultivators present. Without approaching closer and narrowing their scans they couldnt count specific cultivators, but if they followed typical patterns each major area had dozens of Life Transformation cultivators. Not an unsurpassable barrier, but it put them not too far behind Inistras numbers, if they didnt consider Assimtion cultivators. And while Assimtion cultivators <em>were</em> arge factor, this being just one system meant they would need significant cooperation with the Shining Cooperative if they wanted to wipe them out.


    And that was the default intent as far as Trigold cultivators were involved. Varghese didnt think that it was incorrect, either, given how this group hade to be known by them via a biological weapon of sorts. Instead, his thoughts were focused more on whether it was practical. How much of the Lower Realms Alliance would they have to call upon, and for how long?


    They moved on to another system, but instead of going deeper into enemy territory they simply movedterally. If they were spotted and their retreat cut off, the ships could probably jump past a system or two if they had to. Even so it was still better to avoid being in a position where anyone could <em>try</em> to block their retreat. They werent even close to a point where they were required to take risks. Better to maintain caution and see what they could learn before the enemy even had a proper idea that they were being watched.


    The next system was much the same. Just twos upied, with one being more of a major. Given the size of the and the quantity of natural energy, Varghese could have easily epted that it was the same. But something stuck in his mind. He couldnt quite put his finger on it.


    Upon spending some days scouting a third system, Varghese had some thoughts. He shared them with the captain of the ship he was on. They would have group discussions about gathered informationter, but they tried to avoid transmitting unnecessarily in enemy territory. Even if the enemy had no way to intercept their transmissions- unless they had been spied on quite a bit more than they thought- transmissions might still be noticed and indicate their presence.


    The Trigold Cluster isnt particrly known for diverse architecture, are they? Varghese asked.


    Theyre quite arge group in the upper realms, arent they? Xaliima replied. With hundreds or thousands ofs, I wouldnt be surprised if they had more than that many styles between them.


    Maybe, Varghese agreed. But these we havent reallye across sects, exactly. There have been members of known sects with others, all in a particr style.


    So theyve finally learned to share? Xaliima shook her head. No, shouldnt joke. I understand your feeling. Its odd. If anything, rather than too diverse the styles are too consolidated? Very few things stick out in the cities.


    Perhaps they didnt want to expose any of them as targets, Varghese said. But there are still a few clearly more fortified ces. I can only imagine they would be the important ces.


    They werent able to resolve their thoughts into anything clear at that moment, but they kept them forter. More brains could work together to draw conclusions. Maybe it would be nothing important, but someone would have to convince Varghese otherwise. It was something itching in his brain, and he was determined to scratch it. He just had to find the right thought.


    -----


    Perhaps they had been lucky for three systems, or they might have merely been unlucky once in their fourth. Either way, their record of clean escapes was broken in the fourth as they were spotted.


    Varghese could tell instantly, based on the change in how the passing ships moved. He dyed just long enough to make certain, feeling formations power up, before taking control of a particr weapon assigned to him. A sequence ofser bursts targeted different ships, tearing through their defenses towards criticalponents. Without a bound star in the system, Varghese was basically just a powerful Life Transformation cultivator with a slightly greater pool of natural energy, but he focused the power of light into the weapon, increasing its potency.


    The weapon was only barely able to withstand his power, or he might actually have gotten more out of it. Though that was unnecessary, as the initial damage caused the ships to second guess their flight trajectories. But by the time they turned to flee, the rest of the scout ships were already opening fire. Not all were able to predict the trajectories of the enemies, especially as they changed directions, but the scout ships were more than capable of winning a skirmish such as they found themselves in. They werent random ships found patrolling a system, but the best avable in the vicinity of Inistra. Unfortunately, even the best were vulnerable to unfortunate circumstances. One of them had been targeted by several enemy ships and while the scout ships were as durable as possible for their size they were focused more on speed and rapid offense. One of their ships was destroyed.


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    The small patrol fell quickly, but the battle would be noticed in a few moments if it hadnt been already. So it was time for them to turn about, unless they wanted to bet on the ipetence of their enemies.S lipping back into hiding with people actively looking for <em>them</em> instead of generically for anyone would be ten times more difficult. Better to leave before they were properly identified.


    However, they didnt just abandon the survivors of the destroyed ship nor did they want to leave their technology to be salvaged in some manner. While the various ships coordinated to pick up their own cultivators- even without special gear they could survive in the vacuum of space for a surprising duration- Varghese exited the ship to make use of his maic abilities. He pulled together the various scraps into a single heap. That might be enough to make learning much useless, but he wasnt done. He melted everything he could, the remains of the formations resisting him for a few moments. Then he flung the ball of scrap out of the system towards a random star.


    It might be tracked down if they had anyone watching, but the enemy cultivators in the patrol were being dealt with just as they picked up their own. The less the enemy learned, the better.


    To avoid the enemy learning too much, their escape route wasnt directly towards Inistra. Instead, they moved towards the gctic south and a little bit east, towards systems they knew to be unupied but had marked as practical to replenish their ships. They used abination of gaseous fuels and condensed natural energy, and while they could make do with just one of those they were more efficient with both. Then again, if they were ever truly without natural energy things had gone horribly wrong.


    -----


    They hadnt looked back after fleeing the system. No ships had been marked asing after them, but they still didnt truly rest until they were several systems and more than a weeks travel away. Only then did they begin a circuitous route back towards home.


    Still, at least away from the enemy they could openly discuss what they had learned. Varghese called for a meeting, and images were projected from each ship as captains and other qualified personnel joined.


    Varghese wasnt interested in who- if anyone- was responsible for them being spotted. That was something that would be analyzed so that they could make sure it didnt happen again, but it wasnt his job.


    We gathered quite a bit of information, Varghese said. I would like to try to make something practical of it. Beyond mereparisons of military force, I mean. We can glean little about their overall power from engaging with a single patrol. I imagine we dont have any expert architects among us, but feel free to correct me if I am wrong. Either way, I felt there was something strange about the buildings we have seen. This is time to either confirm my intuition or rebut the thought with practical knowledge.


    I read your argument previously, said one man. I dont know if your insights have any substance to back them up. Picking a few styles for each doesnt seem unreasonable, given the level of direct control we know they exert over their people.


    Varghese nodded. He supposed he <em>had</em> been considering people had the freedom to choose. And that they would have more diverse cultures, outside of the particrities sects tended to require for growth of their disciples.


    That may be so, said one woman. But the spacing was odd. Too many empty, unused plots ofnd. We didnt get close enough to determine conclusively, but I would postte that they <em>were</em> used previously.


    What would that imply? Xaliima asked.


    Destroyed buildings that werent rebuilt, the woman said. For one reason or another. Perhaps they were unnecessary for the poption. Or perhaps the original poption was gone.


    Varghese frowned. Do you think they reced another poption?


    While we tend to know them as infiltrators, the woman began, In none of these ces did we see them hiding or living among any significant poption of those outside of the Trigold Clusters factions. They openly upy theses. Quite different from what we know, but it has already been postted that they would be the result of a different sort ofrge scale testpared to the infiltrations and invasions.


    It was a disturbing and unfortunately easily believable thought that they might have conquered each of the systems that they had seen- most likely only the terrestrials had been upied, though there was no certainty that some others had not developed space travel as well in the current region.


    The first man spoke up once more. I do find myself somewhat convinced by that line of reasoning. Though arger scale analysis of the data we have collected will most likely be necessary. Even then, we will likely be unable to conclusively determine it.


    Varghese nodded. But his instincts told him that was what hed been leaning towards. It only made him all the more eager to kill them but given what they had seen already, they had to think very carefully about engaging inrger scale hostilities. The Lower Realms Alliance alone should be able to dominate them in battle, but not without cost. How much of their poption and effort were they willing to spend on the war? How many deaths would be eptable?


    But that was just based on direct conflict. If they fought smart and took their time, they might do significantly better. But they hadnt even seen the enemys core worlds. If they were significantly more powerful well, Varghese might have to call upon Anton after all. And that would be a shame, pulling him away from making peoples lives better just to kill. Though of course, not having the Trigold Cluster around would probably be better for people.


    Then there was the possibility of just not fighting them. Varghese didnt like that at all. But waiting a couple decades for an influx of Assimtion cultivators in the Shining Cooperative? That might be worth it.


    Assuming they were willing to wait that long. Because the Shining Cooperative certainly wasnt any more fond of the Trigold Cluster, and they had suffered much greater losses to the mold on attack on Mazlerth. And it could reasonably be called an attack instead of just an unfortunate circumstance with what they knew now.