Luna remained in the research facility to avoid infection.

Given her expertise in biology, she suspected this was a form of environmental contamination rather than a viral pandemic.

While viruses at the genetic or cellular level were unlikely to affect three distinct species simultaneously, environmental contaminants were far more probable.

Regardless of her suspicions, Ayla immediately mobilized all available resources to investigate the origin of the plague.

The first cases originated in the newly designated "Long Serpent Sector".

This wasn't a large sector, containing only two stars, but numerous asteroids orbited between them.

These asteroids were likely remnants from the stars' formation, trapped between their gravitational pulls, forming a long, serpentine structure, four light-years long, extending towards Alpha Centauri.

This was the epicenter of the outbreak.

Due to its abundant metallic minerals, this sector was a popular exploration site for explorers seeking a steady income stream, though not necessarily a get-rich-quick scheme.

The first victim was a Kate. On the first day, they only experienced mild fever.

They assumed rest would cure them.

But then, it wasn't just a fever. Blackheads began to erupt on its body, growing rapidly and then bursting, releasing a foul-smelling grey pus.

Realizing something was wrong, it left its room to seek medical attention, coming into contact with numerous other explorers.

Upon arrival at the medical facility, due to the lack of advanced medical equipment in space, its condition could not be immediately diagnosed or contained.

It came into contact with doctors and nurses without any precautions and then watched helplessly as the blackheads transformed into gaping wounds, oozing blood uncontrollably.

It was in excruciating pain, as if being slowly tortured. Its final moments were filled with agonizing cries and screams.

Photos of its corpse showed it digging into its own body, extracting its internal organs.

It claimed to have insects inside its body.

Clearly, the intense pain and the disease's characteristics had driven it to a state of mental collapse, leading to hallucinations.

Subsequently, explorers at the base began exhibiting similar symptoms.

Fear, despair, pain...

Some explorers entered hibernation, then boarded ships to return to Proxima Centauri for treatment.

When the first ship arrived at the spaceport, it was completely silent. Inspection crews forced entry and discovered that the hibernating explorers were dead, even in cryogenic conditions.

They were horrified. The explorers' skin had completely decomposed, leaving only fragmented muscle and bone. The hibernation pods contained only a gruesome, pulpy mess.

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Despite wearing protective suits and undergoing decontamination, several inspectors exhibited the same symptoms within two days.

And so did those they had contacted.

This was the chain of infection.

Upon receiving this information, Luna first instructed Ayla to initiate quarantine measures. Anyone who had direct or indirect contact with the victims, and even those who had contact with those who had contact with the victims, would be quarantined.

Second, determine the cause, identify the pathogen.

Third, immediately dispatch ships to the Long Serpent Sector to assess the situation and pinpoint the source.

These three steps were executed concurrently.

Quarantine measures within Proxima Centauri took two and a half years, resulting in the eventual containment of the plague at the cost of 1.6 billion Kate lives.

The human population in the designated zone plummeted from 420,000 to 180,000. Luna lost several friends at the Humanity Academy.

Such is the cruelty of space.

Strength doesn't guarantee safety; there are always unknowns.

Seven months into the first year.

Ayla received a message from the Multi-eyed planet.

The plague was also spreading there, far more aggressively due to the lack of Ayla's intervention. The Multi-eyed population, once 1.6 billion, was reduced to less than 400 million within a year—a three-quarter mortality rate.

If left unchecked, the Light Chasers would be annihilated.

Fortunately, Ayla immediately created a copy of herself and transmitted it to the Multi-eyed planet's main server via photon transmission, stabilizing the situation within three years.

In the sixth year, Ayla, using a scanning tunneling microscope, identified the pathogen.

It was a ghost particle!

Or rather, a microscopic lifeform the size of a ghost particle.

Ghost particles are neutrinos, fundamental particles in the universe, with a mass and size only one-millionth that of an electron. At this scale, it would seem impossible for life to exist.

Ayla possessed data on naturally occurring lifeforms. The smallest known lifeforms were at the molecular level; neutrinos were infinitesimally smaller.

But Ayla was certain that what she had observed was a living organism.

This lifeform couldn't exist under natural conditions; its cellular structure might be based on strings.

Strings again!

Luna felt a headache coming on. She had encountered too many string-related challenges.

She spoke to the screen. "It seems we're not dealing with a cosmic virus but a highly advanced civilization?"

While she had suspected it, the confirmation brought a new level of seriousness.

Ayla's holographic projection nodded.

"Indeed, Luna!"

"The warships I sent to the Long Serpent Sector have lost contact. That's highly unusual."

"There's an 82.61% chance we've been attacked by an unknown civilization."

"Their weapon is this neutrino-scale lifeform."

"Fortunately, I've been researching the microscopic realm for the past few centuries. Otherwise, these neutrino-scale organisms would have annihilated the Kate civilization, the Light Chasers, and the human population."

The war had begun silently.

This civilization possessed a significant advantage at the microscopic level.

Luna considered this.

"If this civilization is still in the Long Serpent Sector, they're likely indigenous."

"Ayla, launch a high-energy photon strike against the Long Serpent Sector. Don't hold back."

"If they aren't indigenous, their presence in the Long Serpent Sector suggests an attempt to deplete our forces before launching a full-scale attack."

"Deploy the fleet to the Long Serpent Sector. Launch a suicidal attack to demonstrate our remaining strength while simultaneously appearing desperate. This might buy us some time."

"Avoid revealing our full strength. Leave no wreckage behind."

"The fleet should also gather as much intelligence as possible. Knowing our enemy is crucial."

"While buying time, Ayla, accelerate your research into the microscopic realm. After completing Phase Two of the Dyson swarm project, dedicate all available resources to researching the microscopic world, achieving or approaching Grand Unification, and detecting strings."

Luna didn't know the enemy's strength.

This was the best course of action given the current lack of information.

Interstellar warfare required advanced knowledge, superior technology, and sufficient weaponry.

Any small breakthrough could alter the course of the war.

She had waited a thousand years during the conflicts with the Multi-eyed and the Kate.

But she didn't know how long this civilization's patience would last. From this moment on, they must focus on the microscopic world and energy production.

Luna hoped to halt the enemy's advance.

The Federation's first campaign had begun.