"I don't understand what you're saying," the snake's expression shifted, and with a disappointed sigh, she added, "You don't seem to understand us, or perhaps I haven't expressed myself fully."
"You once fought for humanity, yet now you do things that kill humans. Doesn't that negate all the blood shed in the past? You claim humans are barbaric, committing genocidal massacres on alien planets, but now you're causing Stellar Sickness and providing intelligence to aliens to incite large-scale wars. Isn't this causing widespread suffering? You constantly speak of nobility and greatness, but in the end, it's all for the selfish interests of the artificial humans. Your words are filled with deep-seated grievances, but those reasons are quite childish. If the Galactic Separatist Alliance was established for the reasons you stated, it would be a colossal joke." Jiang Ye's demeanor was calm. "I never expected you to be such a disgrace."
"Then what are we supposed to do?" the snake questioned coldly. "After enduring all the injustice and humiliation, should we continue to be human slaves? Are artificial humans inherently inferior? You, on the other hand, are such a noble true human!"
"Don't be so emotional when you think," Jiang Ye tapped his temple with his hand, staring at her calmly. "You were never slaves; you are a part of human society, merely born differently. When artificial humans were first revealed, it was normal for there to be voices of opposition. Many people weren't simply discriminating against you; the greater reason was fear, fear of the unknown."
"As far as I know, you were still in hibernation during that era," the snake retorted, unwilling to back down. "History is a very real memory for me. I know what it was like back then. I saw artificial humans jump from the sixtieth floor, shattering into red pulp all over the streets. I've seen human children spit at us. You haven't seen it with your own eyes, so you have no right to speak."
"If you only believe what you see, magicians and con artists would surely adore you," Jiang Ye picked up his teacup and leisurely blew on it before taking a couple of sips. "Your correct choice would have been to remain within human society, instead of fleeing to alien planets to establish some darn terrorist organization. It's that simple. You took the wrong path, and you're getting closer to the edge of the cliff. The Mil people will perish, and all alien civilizations that oppose humanity will perish. There is nothing in this world we cannot defeat. When all your support is gone, how long can you last?"
"So, we should stay in human society and be subservient?" the snake sneered. "I'm afraid we wouldn't even be considered lower class; we're simply not seen as human at all. Mr. Jiang Ye, you probably don't know that some people would rather die than live like dogs."
"You're getting agitated again," Jiang Ye poured a glass of water and pushed it towards her, casually unlocking her handcuffs.
"Of course, there was discrimination at first, but you would have gradually integrated into human society, like wine mixing with water. If you felt injustice, you could have protested peacefully, promoted your contributions online, told your stories to those around you, marched in the streets, or staged sit-in protests. You could have made movies, written novels, or created games; there are too many ways to express the demands of artificial humans. At the very least, even if all these peaceful protests failed and the divide persisted, you artificial humans could form families with each other, establish your own companies to earn money, live separately, and life could still go on."
"But why become terrorists? Once this path is chosen, people will only summarize you with one sentence: 'Those who are not of our kind have different hearts.' Everyone will say that artificial humans are indeed not our own, and although they helped fight in wars, they immediately defected once they knew their identity. They are ungrateful wretches who can never be raised properly," Jiang Ye said. "If everyone thinks this way, then all those artificial humans who sacrificed themselves back then died in vain."
The snake trembled all over. "What you say sounds nice, but humans will never accept artificial humans!"
"Young people shouldn't speak so absolutely. Do you know the proportion of artificial humans to the total population on various planets? Do you know that many wealthy businessmen, high-ranking officials, and artists are artificial humans or their descendants? Do you know how many humans and artificial humans walk hand in hand into civil affairs bureaus every day across the universe to receive that bright red marriage certificate?"
"The new generation of artificial humans has completely integrated into society and is living very well, living like flowers."
"Only you lot, a bunch of fools, stubbornly plan a counterattack in desolate, harsh lands, like stubborn, naughty children who haven't grown up, like paranoids escaped from a mental hospital."
"The artificial humans of today are leading the charge in all walks of life, achieving great success, and living happily. Some of them know their identity, while others don't, but no artificial human sympathizes with you, nor do they understand you. If donating money could completely eradicate the Galactic Separatist Alliance, I bet artificial humans would eagerly donate. You think you represent the dignity of artificial humans, but in everyone else's eyes, you are just a bunch of lunatics."
Jiang Ye took another sip of tea. "You don't need to look so disbelieving. To tell you the truth, I have several acquaintances and friends who are artificial humans. Many important industries on Jiang Ye Star are monopolized by artificial humans. I'm giving you a clear path now: cooperate with me, repent, and start anew. I can arrange household registration for you on Jiang Ye Star, not mentioning your identity, and let you live a normal life. The life of fighting is exciting for a while, but won't you get tired of it after a long time? You still have to live, right? Smell the flowers, see the sun, wander through the vegetable market. Don't you want such a life?"
The snake's eyes reddened at a visible rate, then she burst into tears, shaking her head frantically.
"I'm not asking for your answer now. Changing your mindset is difficult, especially when you've been fighting for a hundred years and lost so many companions. It's even harder to change," Jiang Ye stood up. "I'll give you some time. Go back and think about it carefully. Contact me again when you've figured it out."
He walked to the door and paused. "Oh, right, don't be lazy. Think it through quickly. First, write a report about the Stellar Sickness and send it to me, then try to persuade your friends. Tell me your conditions, and I'll listen. Show me your sincerity first."
Late that night, just as Jiang Ye lay down in bed, his phone vibrated. The snake's files had arrived.
[The Stellar Sickness plan consists of a total of 5 stages.]
[Stage One: Deploy covert action teams on major planets to secure operational funds, establish false identities, fully integrate into the local environment, and gather relevant intelligence. Assassination of key figures or creation of events to confuse public opinion are permissible.]
[Stage Two: Locate remote areas and, with the assistance of Mil Military Industry's equipment, secretly excavate underground fortifications. The fortifications must reach a depth of 20 kilometers and require over four months of excavation.]
[Stage Three: Install warp equipment in the underground facility to teleport Stellar Algae into the sun's interior. After absorbing sufficient energy, warp back to the underground warehouse for preservation using insectoid biological containers.]