Chapter 637: Kiss of the Subspace
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“On the way back, at first, it was as calm as before. The reality anchor isolated the subspace airflow and also protected the three of us from the subspace’s erosion.
“However, it seems that the subspace isn’t in a calm state all the time…”
Shaw’s voice was low, with a kind of agitation. “It’s like the ocean. There are occasionally extremely destructive tsunamis and hurricanes in the ocean, and the same is true for the subspace. On our way back, I saw a subspace storm that sprawled across dozens of star regions in the distance. We couldn’t evade it at all…
“Therefore, I decided to let the spacecraft directly cut across the storm. After all, there’s a reality anchor to isolate everything. In my opinion, with the sturdiness of our spacecraft, it wouldn’t be difficult to pass through this storm…
“But, I was wrong. The power of the subspace storm was beyond my imagination. The barrier extended by the reality anchor was as fragile as a soap bubble in this storm. A few days after entering the storm, it was finally overwhelmed and shattered. At the same time, it also caused the subspace energy to flow into the spacecraft…
“It was then that Gordon and Marcy collapsed because they couldn’t bear the spiritual erosion of the subspace. They lost their minds and even wanted to get up from the driver’s seat. Fortunately, I have the authority to lock them in place, trapping them in their seats.”
“So, the reality anchor is that important in subspace navigation?”
On the side, Little X thought out loud. “It seems that installing this piece of equipment in the spacecraft was a wise choice.”
“Not only that…”
Shaw smiled bitterly and nodded. “After the reality anchor shattered, the ship’s body was even intruded by something unknown. Those existences were invisible and formless, and the Black Knight guards and androids suffered heavy casualties before they could expel those existences. …”
“Enslavers?”
Upon hearing this, Little X and Chen Chen could not help but glance at each other, with a discerning expression in their eyes.
“Enslavers” was the name given to the subspace creatures in the previous “psionic boy” incident. They could infiltrate psionicists without anyone noticing and mix into the human world, collecting human internal organs and blood. Thus, a flesh-and-blood door that could cut through reality and subspace was formed.
“So, those beings are called Enslavers?”
Shaw was stunned. Although he did not understand how Chen Chen learned this information, he continued to report faithfully, “Finally, Gordon and Marcy became crazy due to the erosion of the subspace, and their bodies began to mutate. I could only disconnect their life-preserving devices and lock them in their driver’s seats.”
At this point, Shaw’s face was twisted in anguish. “They kept roaring and groaning in my ears until half a month had passed and both of them gradually died…
“Just after the two of them were dead, I thought I could’ve some relief, but I didn’t expect that the spaceship would be targeted by a more powerful existence. This opponent was extremely fast and followed closely behind the spaceship. No matter how I sped up, I couldn’t get rid of it because it followed me all the way in the path left behind by the spacecraft’s navigation…
“In this way, I persisted for three months, using that star as my navigation point to keep moving forward, and finally returned to the range of the solar system. At the moment I returned to the solar system, all the subspace air currents dissipated. This was within the range of the star’s light…”
In the end, Shaw could not help but look up at Chen Chen. “By the way, the energy that the star exuded was the same as yours, Mr. Chen…”
“I got it.”
Chen Chen nodded, without showing too much emotion. “Apart from that star, what else did you see?”
“Countless smaller stars.”
Shaw quickly replied, “There were tens of thousands of tiny stars around that star. The brightest of those stars was only one percent of that star and the dimmest was only one ten-thousandth or one hundred-thousandth of that star… These stars collectively surrounded that largest star, which was dispelling the subspace energy for them, and delineating a solar system-sized hole in the subspace.”
“Other tiny stars, huh?”
Chen Chen’s eyes glimmered with recognition. He had guessed what the stars were, but he asked again, “Are you sure you hadn’t seen these stars when you set sail more than two years ago?”
“I had not.”
Shaw affirmed. “I didn’t notice it two years ago. If I did, I would’ve remembered it.”
“Very well.”
Chen Chen nodded and looked at Shaw in front of him with appreciation. “I’m very satisfied with your performance. Not only did you complete the task, but you also opened up countless experiences and knowledge for us humans in your long voyage. Just based on this, your contributions are boundless!”
“You’re too kind!”
Shaw quickly lowered his head, emotions swirling in his eyes.
“Okay, you may go. Have a good rest during this time. Don’t forget, your life has just begun.”
“Yes!”
Shaw withdrew gratefully.
After Shaw had left, Chen Chen slowly fell into contemplation while Little X waited silently at one side.
“If my guess isn’t wrong, those tiny stars should represent the other psionicists.”
After a long while, Chen Chen suddenly said, “There are currently more than 100,000 psionicists in the world, which is similar to the number of stars described by Shaw.”
“It would appear so for now.”
Little X chuckled. “But in this case, psionicists are inextricably linked to the subspace and this even includes you. Psionicists can form projections in the subspace? I don’t know if this is a good thing or not.”
“It’s probably not a good thing.”
Chen Chen said powerlessly, “It seems that I was still reckless back then. I’m afraid it was the emergence of psionicists that led to us humans becoming entangled with the subspace. The incidents that have occurred in the past few years are probably all related to psionicists.”
“This is something that can’t be helped.”
Little X hurriedly comforted him. “Who would’ve thought that psionic powers with such seemingly huge potential could hide the secret of subspace? We can only say that the appearance of psionicists has pros and cons… Now what I’m more puzzled about is, why didn’t Shaw see the subspace projection when he left, but only saw it when he came back?”
Hearing this question, Chen Chen said without thinking, “Remember the first psionicist born by childbirth? That psionicist was born on Mars and the day he was born was the day the Blacklight set sail into the subspace?”
“Ah!”
Little X immediately got it. Indeed, after being injected into the human body, the L compound developed by Blacklight Biotechnology had a certain chance of passing on the psionic gene to any future offspring. However, the fact was that during that time, no one gave birth to any offspring with innate psionic powers. At that time, Chen Chen thought that the L compound was defective.
It was when the Blacklight officially set sail, when Chen Chen was strolling in Ares Science City, that he suddenly sensed the subspace presence. After investigation, he discovered that the first natural psionicist had been born in a local hospital!
“At that time, a vague speculation occurred to me…”
Chen Chen continued to say in a low voice, “It’s like the beginning of a certain omen. From that day on, natural psionicists began to appear gradually. Although it no longer made me feel that I was watched by the subspace, it still made me increasingly certain about that speculation.
“Later, even some ordinary people who had not been injected with the L compound began to awaken their psionic powers one after another, including the ‘psionic boy’ incident that we’d gone through before. Although there were very few of these people who awakened their acquired powers, these signs all pointed to a terrible omen…
“That is — perhaps it was because human beings took the initiative to enter the subspace, which finally led to the formation of a certain close relationship between the subspace and humankind!”
“You mean, ever since we’ve officially started the era of emigration with the help of the subspace, human beings have formed a special connection with the subspace?”
Little X said thoughtfully, “Cause and effect?”
“I don’t know what kind of connection that is or what mechanism is used to make the connection, but humans and the subspace have indeed been formally connected from that day on.”
Chen Chen replied, “That’s to say, since that day, the psionicists around the world and I began to create projections in the subspace, so that was why Shaw could escape from the subspace using our projections.”
Little X fell silent suddenly.
“Okay, let’s not talk about this for now.”
Chen Chen shook his head, “There’s no turning back and it’s too late to regret it anymore. If we humans want to escape from the solar system, we must use the subspace and my various methods have simply hastened all this. Conversely, it’s Shaw who’s proved to be a surprise.”
“Shaw is indeed a talent.”
Little X had to sigh after hearing this. “After this experience, we can fully train him and let him play a greater role in our interstellar voyages.”
“Although there are recordings, it’s difficult to describe his experience to outsiders.”
Chen Chen nodded. “Next, X, make arrangements for Shaw to be an instructor of subspace navigators. Let him pass on to them his experiences in subspace navigation. We need to cultivate more subspace navigators… Besides, I’ve heard that he still has his parents?”
“Yes.”
Little X replied, “He sneaked into Gambia, Africa after he murdered people in a fit of rage and lost contact with his parents. His parents still don’t know anything about him.”
“Then, let him return to Oceania to visit his family.”
Chen Chen said decisively, “It’s such a waste to not return home after one has made something of oneself. I think he should be missing his parents too. For him to work for us more loyally, make it happen.”
“Got it, leave it to me.”
Little X replied.
…
Shaw came to the residence arranged by Blacklight Biotechnology — a single-family villa located at Walvis Bay Lagoon in the Eco Science City.
This was a medium-sized villa with an area of 3,000 square meters. There were three living rooms, six bedrooms, and more toilets than the number of bedrooms.
In addition, the villa also had a huge courtyard. One end of the courtyard extended directly into the lagoon, making the villa a picturesque, high-end sea view residence.
“This place…”
Shaw looked at all this, mouth agape and dumbfounded. “Is it for me?”
“Yes, this ocean view villa is completely yours, Mr. Winfred. This is the company’s transfer agreement and this is your real estate certificate.”
A middle-level manager of Blacklight Biotechnology spoke with a hint of envy in his eyes, but he still smiled and said, “However, according to the contract, you cannot resell the villa. If one day you don’t want to live here anymore, you can only sell it to the company, and the company will buy the villa again at one-half of the market price.”
Shaw nodded. Indeed, almost everyone who got to live here was a high-level executive of Blacklight Biotechnology. Since this was the core hinterland of Blacklight, it was natural that they would control the influx of outsiders and not allow private resales.
As for it being bought back at only half the market price, Shaw also understood. Land in today’s Eco Science City was worth its weight in gold, and Walvis Bay was the core area of the Eco Science City because of its beautiful scenery.
He could imagine the frightening price that a lot like this could fetch. Moreover, it would not have many buyers. The company was already being generous in reclaiming the property at half the market price.
“In addition, the company has issued a document. The position we have assigned to you is… Oceania Branch Company Supervisor.”
The manager opened the cover of another document and immediately displayed an astounded look. “This… Mr. Winfred, this is the first time I’ve heard of this post. From what it says, your role seems to be to supervise the senior executives of the company in Oceania to see if they are corrupt or accepting bribes.”
“What?”
Shaw raised his head abruptly at this, an incredulous glint in his eyes. “But…”
“I hear that you still have family over there?”
The middle-level manager guffawed. “It seems that the company is very considerate toward you.”
“But! But my identity in the outside world is still a fugitive!”
Shaw quickly explained.
“I know your previous status, you were a Delta-level subject after all.”
This middle-level manager was also a member of God’s Forbidden Zone. Now he proudly said, “But this is nothing. Your current position is higher than mine. So even if you used to be a fugitive in Oceania, it doesn’t matter. After all…
“The person to be arrested is a fugitive named Shaw Winfred. What does it have to do with you, the supervisor of Blacklight Biotechnology’s Oceania Branch?”
Hearing what the other party said, Shaw was stunned.
“Hahaha, it seems that you haven’t recovered from this surprise.”
The manager smiled kindly. “I have done everything they asked me to do and I’ll be going off now. Mr. Winfred, I wish you a happy move!”
With that, he turned around and left the courtyard of the villa, leaving Shaw who was still in a daze to soak in this wonderful news.
“I, I am free?”
Shaw raised his slightly trembling hands and held up the documents in disbelief. Even if they had transferred this villa to himself, it would not have made him so overwrought, but he did not expect that this company would give him such a huge surprise…
Thinking of this, Shaw’s heart churned with a hundred emotions. He used to resent Chen Chen for making him risk his life, but at this time, that resentment had long since vanished like smoke, and only deep gratitude remained in his heart.
“Father, Mother, it’s been four years… How are you doing?
“I can come home…”