The moment they met, the group of humans from the Kawi Civilization stood frozen for several seconds.
When they snapped out of it, the one with the highest status among them took a proactive step forward.
"Welcome, members of the Zerg civilization."
His mood as he spoke was incredibly complicated.
This was because several terrifying insects were currently crouching behind Xia Jin.
For instance, the hydralisks.
Their towering forms looked as if they had crawled straight out of hell.
Xia Jin tilted her head and gave a small smile. "I didn't expect you to be a human species."
"Haha, likewise... I didn't expect to see such a beautiful girl. But tell me, are you a multi-species alliance?"
"No, you're mistaken. I am of the same race as these creatures behind me. What you see is merely an outward appearance."
Xia Jin raised her arm, and her fingers transformed into eerie flesh right before their eyes before returning to normal.
The Kawi people: "..."
Likely shocked by the display, their expressions became somewhat strained.
However, there were still two whose attraction to Xia Jin didn't waver in the slightest; they remained deeply captivated.
As it turned out, species with similar appearances likely shared similar aesthetics.
"I heard you mention that the Kawi Civilization is part of the Starsea Alliance. Could you tell me more about it?"
"Of course. Please, come aboard our ship and have a seat."
Xia Jin nodded and followed them inside.
Many present felt a sense of unreality. Even between civilizations within the same alliance that had communicated for a long time, such intimate contact was still difficult to achieve.
Even between human civilizations, the probability of war often exceeded that of dialogue.
In truth, this group should be thankful that Xia Jin wasn't the previous Overlord.
Otherwise, weapons would have been unleashed the moment they met.
Invited into a cabin, Xia Jin took a seat.
Standard starships would use acceleration to simulate a gravity field.
In this way, the beings inside the ship would feel as if they were standing on solid ground.
"The Starsea Alliance is a broad interstellar organization comprising over two hundred civilizations. The members are diverse, and two of those civilizations are human species."
"Generally speaking, the relationships between such civilizations aren't very close, are they?" Xia Jin asked.
"Correct. Our closest ties are actually with those two human civilizations. The reality is that even when races are very similar, friction and conflict are hard to avoid. But overall, within the Starsea Alliance, the interests of human civilizations are aligned. There are also a few other civilizations we get along well with, but the Starsea Alliance is strictly hierarchical."
The last sentence was less of an explanation and more of a hint or a warning.
It implied that they might be in trouble—this place was very close to the Starsea Alliance, and the Kawi were among the weaker, lower-status members.
"I see."
Under a giant alliance, if the Zerg and the Kawi Civilization were to go to war, the Zerg would likely face the risk of being targeted by the other civilizations as well.
No matter how loose an alliance was, it was still an alliance. Even if the probability was one in ten thousand, if they united, their strength would be terrifying.
But...
If they didn't act, given the Zerg's current situation and their proximity to the Kawi Civilization, the probability of coming to the Starsea Alliance's attention was very high.
The other party's meaning was clear: the Kawi Civilization was at the bottom and needed to huddle for warmth. Since the Zerg had just arrived and were an isolated civilization, it would be unwise to start a conflict. It would be better to join their small clique and secure a place within the Starsea Alliance.
"The Zerg are not opposed to contacting your civilization, but if both sides are to exchange further, it must be done through higher-ups. I wonder what position you hold within the Kawi Civilization and whether you are authorized to represent your civilization in discussions with us?"
"I am the commander of this interstellar exploration fleet. In this regard, I do have some authority. I have the right to communicate with my superiors, so communication between both sides can be relayed through me."
"Excellent. I believe there is potential for cooperation. I'm sure the Zerg Queen would be happy to pursue mutual development and benefit with your civilization."
Mutual benefit, my foot. Xia Jin didn't even believe her own words as she said them.
But she liked this kind of exchange.
It was classic human thinking.
In fact, if many civilizations in the universe could not eliminate one another, the final result was often the formation of a massive and complex social structure.
Suspicion was everywhere, but cooperation sometimes occurred on the surface.
Interstellar space was vast; sometimes a single war could last for many generations.
In such a universe, anything could happen. Therefore, the current situation was nothing particularly unusual.
"In that case, our side will send a representative to your civilization next time. If luck permits, I might even come in person."
"You would be most welcome," the Kawi man nodded.
It was absurd, but at that moment, he was wondering if there was reproductive isolation between the Kawi and the girl before him.
She was just too cute, honestly.
Rate on N.U.
