The Pinnacle Genius Battle concluded.
Following Venerable Gu Lun, who hosted this Pinnacle Genius Battle, the Immortal Team Leaders from the 1004 Universe Country also departed one after another.
However, Geniuses like Ender, who had just entered the Core Region of the Virtual Universe Company, remained there because staff members had called them, stating there was something to discuss.
A moment later.
In the Central Square, Conference Room 2, Ender and 1000 other Geniuses sat.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all. Let me introduce myself; my name is Che Ke."
An elder, over three meters tall with white hair and beard, stood at the front of the conference room, smiling: "Because our Virtual Universe Company will arrange spaceships specifically to pick you up, please write your accurate planetary addresses on the papers in front of you so we can retrieve you."
Upon hearing this, Ender picked up a pen and paper and wrote down his address: "Ganwu Universe Country, Molten Rock Star Field, Redstone Galaxy, Molten Rock Emperor Star."
All 1000 Geniuses were writing.
Suddenly, someone asked loudly: "Is it really necessary to go through so much trouble? Wouldn't it be more convenient to just tell us the assembly point, and we can take our own spaceships there?"
Someone else echoed: "Exactly! We can take our own spaceships."
"Because the journey spans many Universe Countries and is extremely, extremely far, and many civilian spaceships in the Dark Universe are slow, it would take a very, very long time to reach our company's Universe Headquarters," Che Ke explained from the front of the conference room: "To save your time, naturally, our Virtual Universe Company will specially arrange the best spaceships to pick you up!"
"Among the 1000 individuals present today, the one farthest from our Virtual Universe Company's Universe Headquarters is approximately 1.6 billion light-years away." Che Ke smiled, "The distance ratio between the Dark Universe and the Original Universe is 1:10,081,000. Even traveling at 1 times the speed of light in the Dark Universe, it would take about 160 years to arrive."
As his words fell, the previously lively conference room instantly quieted down.
Someone lamented: "1.6 billion light-years away, requiring a 160-year spaceship journey—that's too far!"
It was indeed very far, but this was also because the Universe was simply too vast.
For example, when Ender was in the Stellar Training Camp, sometimes a single mission required ten days to half a month of travel to the mission location. This was merely space travel within the Molten Rock Star Field, and it should be noted that the Molten Rock Star Field only has over four hundred galaxies!
And this was just a Starfield!
Above Starfields, there were even larger "Star Regions," and every Universe Country's Star Region was incredibly vast! It was not an exaggeration for the farthest Universe Country from the Headquarters to be 1.6 billion light-years away.
"It's not that simple!" After filling out his address, Ender leaned back in his chair and shook his head slightly. "The spaceships sent by the Virtual Universe Company to pick up core members are all F-class, and they are specially customized F-class models."
"Even for a Marquis-level Immortal, acquiring such a high-grade F-class spaceship would be enough to deplete most of his wealth."
Che Ke smiled: "It's not impossible for you to travel to our Virtual Universe Company Headquarters in your own spaceships, but there are 3 major drawbacks."
"1. The speed is slow, requiring too much time."
"2. For such a long journey, the energy consumed by the spaceship is astonishing."
"3. And most importantly, flying in the Dark Universe is not safe in some special areas. There will be Star Pirates, and even raids from other races. For everyone present, safety is very important."
"Currently, the best civilian spaceships in the Dark Universe only reach a few times the speed of light, so long-distance travel still takes a very, very long time."
Upon hearing this, some Geniuses who were knowledgeable nodded slightly in agreement.
Reaching the speed of light in the Original Universe, according to its operating Laws, would directly teleport one into the Dark Universe.
In the Dark Universe, there is a lower speed limit but no upper limit. As long as your spaceship can withstand it, you can constantly pursue the highest speed—1 times the speed of light? 2 times? 3 times?
As long as your spaceship is good enough, you can achieve that speed in the Dark Universe.
A typical C-class spaceship has a maximum speed of 1.5 times the speed of light in the Dark Universe. Even at that maximum speed, traveling 1.5 billion light-years in the Dark Universe would still take 100 years of continuous flight.
Beep!
"Collection complete."
Rays of colored light fell on the papers in front of each person, and then a screen appeared at the front of the conference hall. On the screen was a huge Star Chart, alongside some complex numerical symbols and so on.
After glancing at the Star Chart, Che Ke turned to the 1000 Geniuses and smiled: "Everyone, the addresses you wrote have all been recorded. Based on your 1000 different geographical locations and our spaceship resources, the optimal pickup plan has been calculated."
"How long will it take us to fly to the company's Universe Headquarters?" many people below couldn't help but ask.
"Because the distances vary, the speed of the arranged spaceships will also differ, but we can guarantee that you will all arrive at the Headquarters on the same day." Che Ke smiled, "The estimated time consumed is about 3 years."
"3 years?"
"That short?"
"How is that possible? How fast would that spaceship have to be to travel 1.5 billion light-years in three years?" Many of the 1000 Geniuses present were shocked.
"Our Virtual Universe Company will arrange F-class spaceships for everyone without exception." Che Ke smiled: "And these are not easily purchasable F-class spaceships, but rather… special model F-class spaceships from within our Virtual Universe Company, with technological content far exceeding the F-class spaceships of various Universe Countries."
Silence.
Stillness.
Dumbfounded.
Many of the 1000 Geniuses present were startled by the Virtual Universe Company's immense wealth and power!
They all knew that E-class corresponded to World Masters, and F-class corresponded to the lofty Immortals.
Now, the Virtual Universe Company was dispatching 1000 F-class spaceships at once, and these were F-class spaceships with technological content surpassing those of other Universe Countries. How could this not shock them!
"As expected of the Virtual Universe Company, ranked among the top two of the five Leviathans of Humanity." Manle of the Barbaric God Clan exclaimed: "I've long heard from my Imperial Father that, in terms of technological prowess, the Virtual Universe Company is the leader among the five Leviathans of Humanity."
Just as Manle said, among the Human Race, when it came to technology, the Virtual Universe Company was number one!
Even across the entire vast Universe, among countless races, those capable of matching the Virtual Universe Company in technology were few and far between. Perhaps only a few abnormal races like the Mechanical Race.
"Mr. Che Ke, can we buy these F-class spaceships?" someone asked.
"These are internal items of our Virtual Universe Company. As core members of our Virtual Universe Company, you can, of course, purchase them. However, they can only be for your own use and cannot be resold… If you wish to sell them, you must sell them back to our Virtual Universe Company."
Che Ke smiled: "It's just that F-class spaceships are too expensive; many Immortal beings cannot afford them. Everyone, please don't rush; Cultivate diligently, and perhaps when you become super powerhouses of our Virtual Universe Company in the future, the company might directly provide you with a free F-class spaceship."
Upon hearing this, many Geniuses in the conference room curled their lips.
Super powerhouses? Provided with an F-class spaceship?
That's quite a grand promise!
"A quick announcement for everyone." Che Ke smiled, "The prize money for the top one thousand in the Genius Battle is currently being distributed. You can check your accounts when you return later."
"As for now, you may all disband and return. Our Virtual Universe Company will send out special letters later, notifying you of the exact pickup time. Please be prepared at the locations you wrote down, so we don't fail to find you."
Che Ke finally suggested: "I advise everyone to spend time with your family and friends, as you will soon be leaving your hometowns for a long time."
The lively conference room suddenly fell silent.
Indeed.
They would have to leave their hometowns for a long time. This journey to the Virtual Universe Company's Universe Headquarters alone would take three years, and that was with the Virtual Universe Company dispatching precious F-class spaceships specifically to pick them up. It had to be said that, facing the vast Universe… the time consumed by travel alone was astonishing.
Figures disappeared from the conference room one by one. Everyone left… The moment he left, Ender returned to the Molten Rock Secret Realm in the Virtual Universe.