Section 23
"A widespread Stellar Glow will erupt in the Junk Star Belt on February 8th, which is next Thursday. The primary affected areas will be Junk Stars 6, 9, and 13. As there are no shipping lanes in this zone, it will not impact general civilian travel. However, to avoid unnecessary losses, the Environmental Department will cease waste disposal onto the aforementioned three junk stars. The government urges all citizens to reduce waste output to support the Environmental Department's efforts."
Stellar Glow?! Ye Zhong felt as if he had been struck by a blunt weapon, almost unable to stand steady!
He couldn't help but let out a bitter smile. After struggling for so many years in this godforsaken place, he never thought he would ultimately fail to escape the hand of fate.
The Stellar Glow has devastating lethal power against living organisms. It's like a comb, sweeping through its affected range over and over again, filtering out and eliminating all life.
Ye Zhong, utterly dejected, jumped out of Mu's cockpit.
As soon as Ye Zhong emerged, Mu exclaimed urgently: "Bad news, the pulse signal has been cut off!"
Ye Zhong shrugged, too disheartened to care.
Ye Zhong and Mu were completely cut off from the outside world. Ye Zhong lay lazily in his chair. Somehow, his mind quickly calmed down. Thinking about how he had managed to survive on this junk star for so many years, now that this day had arrived, he wasn't exactly afraid. Having hovered between life and death countless times over the years, he had become quite indifferent to death. He just felt a deep sense of helplessness. He had tried so hard to live, and had always believed he could control his own destiny. But when fate truly played its joke before his eyes, he realized how insignificant and微不足道 he was, which filled his heart with a profound sadness.
Mu remained silent, but the flickering light in his eyes indicated his optical brain was operating frantically.
The two were quiet, neither speaking. In the darkness, only Mu's electronic eyes flickered incessantly, creating a somewhat eerie atmosphere!
Early the next morning, Mu woke Ye Zhong.
As soon as Ye Zhong woke up, he instinctively prepared to start his physical training. But then it struck him that his life would be over in a few days. No matter how well-trained his body was, it couldn't withstand the Stellar Glow. Instantly, he lost all motivation to train.
Mu called Ye Zhong over: "Ye Zi, there's something I need to tell you!"
"What is it?" Seeing Mu Shang's seemingly solemn expression, Ye Zhong found it somewhat amusing. Still, it was a relief that Mu wouldn't have to die with him. The Stellar Glow doesn't affect non-living objects. Ye Zhong felt slightly reassured about that. However, Mu would now have to endure the very loneliness that Ye Zhong himself had suffered through here. Suddenly, he felt curious about what Mu would be like when lonely!
Mu spoke, his tone unusually serious: "Ye Zi, based on my calculations, we still have a chance of survival!"
Ye Zhong was skeptical: "A chance? What chance? What's your plan?"
Mu said: "Escape this planet."
Ye Zhong had the impulse to feel Mu's forehead to see if he was overheating: "Mu, you're not so excited that your optical brain has short-circuited, are you? Escape this planet? How? We don't have a starship. If I could have escaped, I wouldn't have stayed in this godforsaken place long ago."
Mu replied calmly: "I've performed calculations. Although I have no practical experience with space travel, theoretically, there is a certain possibility!"
Ye Zhong: "Theoretically? What do you mean?"
Mu explained: "I've conducted simulation calculations. There exists a probability of successful escape!"
Ye Zhong stared intently at Mu: "How high is the probability?"
Mu said calmly: "Fluctuating between 20% and 47%."
Ye Zhong rubbed his chin, thinking: "Hmm, that probability is indeed quite low."
Mu asked: "Your decision is?"
Ye Zhong swung his arm decisively, without hesitation: "We gamble! Of course we gamble! It's better than waiting to die!"
Mu Shang said indifferently: "Good."
Ye Zhong looked at Mu: "Actually, you don't need to take this risk. The Stellar Glow won't harm you! You could just leave me be."
Mu Shang said coldly: "According to value theory, this is the optimal value choice."
Ye Zhong smiled and shrugged: "Whatever you say. So, what do we need to do now?"
Mu Shang said: "Repair the cockpit. Replenish energy. I need a lot of energy."
The two gathered all the energy cells at the fastest speed possible and connected them to the solar collection panels.
Ye Zhong sat inside the cockpit. On the left bulkhead was a hole the size of a palm, its edges clearly showing the scorch marks left by a laser weapon hitting metal. Ye Zhong said dejectedly: "This spot is hard to repair. Mainly because we lack materials and tools!"
Mu said: "If this isn't properly repaired, the probability of you surviving inside is zero."
Ye Zhong was taken aback, then frowned bitterly, thinking desperately for a solution. Materials, materials... he muttered incessantly. The metals in the junk piles were far from meeting the requirements for interstellar travel. What could they do?
The material needed high strength, good toughness, strong impact resistance, and preferably be in sheet form, as he had no processing tools!
Suddenly, an idea lit up in Ye Zhong's mind. He knew where to find such a thing!
Mu sped swiftly past one junk mountain after another. Ye Zhong, sitting in the cockpit, enjoyed the thrill of high-speed flight, but the wind howling through the hole like a bellows instantly shattered his enjoyment.
Mu Shang asked: "Are you sure the thing you mentioned will work?" His tone was full of doubt.
Ye Zhong said hesitantly: "It should work... I remember that thing couldn't even be pierced by Wen Ni's bone knife."
What Ye Zhong was referring to were the scales of the Iron Python Lizard. The Iron Python Lizard was the apex of the food chain on this junk star, ferocious by nature, and immensely powerful. Most troublesome was the scales covering its entire body. These scales were extremely tough, virtually impenetrable.
Ye Zhong had once accidentally discovered the lair of an Iron Python Lizard but never dared to act. Wen Ni definitely couldn't withstand a single blow from its tail, thick as a water bucket. Ye Zhong had once witnessed this very Iron Python Lizard annihilate a pack of Red Salamanders in less than three minutes. It had charged through recklessly, invincible and domineering, its overwhelming power deeply imprinted in Ye Zhong's memory. The Red Salamanders' claws, capable of tearing metal, left no marks whatsoever on the Iron Python Lizard's body. This left an extremely deep impression on Ye Zhong, who was watching the battle at the time. So, when he thought of high-strength materials, he immediately remembered the Iron Python Lizard's scales.
As they approached the Iron Python Lizard's lair, Ye Zhong signaled Mu Shang to slow down.
The tip of the seven-meter-long titanium pole had been sharpened to a fine point, gleaming with a cold light.
The Iron Python Lizard was indeed in its lair, leisurely tearing at a Red Salamander. Red Salamander meat was very delicious, the Iron Python Lizard's favorite food. Ye Zhong knew well how tasty Red Salamander meat was, but it was hard to find, and not something to be trifled with. Only the Iron Python Lizard could disregard the Red Salamander's fearsome lethality and treat it as prey.
Mu Shang flew towards the Iron Python Lizard calmly and steadily. Ye Zhong couldn't help but feel greatly excited. This was a clash between the two most powerful beings on Junk Star 6. How could Ye Zhong not be thrilled?