Chapter 216: Chapter 158: Star Realm Tunnel

In this vast universe, the most critical reliance for interstellar travel is the Star Realm Tunnel.

A single Star Realm Tunnel connects two star systems, compressing distances that span hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of light-years into a journey of just a few days, at most around a month.

Cosmic ships, starships, that possess the capability to enter a Star Realm Tunnel essentially enter a state of hyperspace upon doing so.

The normal state of travel for a starship in the cosmos is to navigate at sub-light speed within a star system, from one jump point to the next, then into a Star Realm Tunnel, arriving at another star system, and finding the next jump point…

This necessitates the use of star charts, as well as navigators.

These individuals are trained spiritual energy practitioners.

Only they are capable of distinguishing the exact locations of Star Realm Tunnel jump points in the void of space, guiding the ship through the tunnel to the other side.

Thus, the so-called star charts also become meaningful.

Star charts display the many star domains connected through Star Realm Tunnels. Two physically adjacent star systems could be vastly different in reality. Perhaps two physically close star systems, only tens of light-years apart, but without a direct Star Realm Tunnel connection, require traversal through several tunnels for travel, making them effectively distant from each other; whereas two physically distant star systems, tens of thousands of light-years apart, may be connected by a Star Realm Tunnel, making them adjacent on the star chart.

Within the Human Empire, the physical distance between star systems doesn’t matter much. Without the Star Realm Tunnels, relying solely on the ships’ own propulsion at sub-light speed, even the closest stellar communications are unrealistic.

Of course, physical distance cannot be entirely disregarded. Some monsters and demons truly manage to endure countless years of time, slowly flying through the cosmic void, and indeed emerge from it.

Within the territorial divisions of the empire: Cosmos Domains, Star Domains, Star Sectors, Star Systems, these four structures are all based on the star chart. The dense network of Star Realm Tunnels, like a massive web, connects the entire empire’s territories.

Within the Rage Owl Star System, there are three Star Realm Tunnels. Tunnel One connects to the Korolya Star System, Tunnel Two to the Heijian Star System, and Tunnel Three, instead of connecting to the Tianma Star Sector, connects to the neighboring Divine Steed Star Sector. Both the Tianma Star Sector and the Divine Steed Star Sector belong to the Dragonhawk Star Domain and are under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Cosmos Domain.

Wang Jiarong’s merchant fleet had just come from Tunnel One, having wrapped up a deal in the Korolya Star System.

Originally, her travel plan did not include a stop at the remote Rage Owl Star, but wasn’t it Yelisia who had conveyed her cousin’s needs to her?

After pondering a bit, taking a detour to the Rage Owl Star System, then heading to the Heijian Star through Tunnel Two, and finally returning to Korolya III before going back to Capital Wing Star didn’t seem to pose a major problem.

Covering extra distance, visiting two more planets, she shouldn’t come out at a loss—she might not earn much, but she decided to consider it supporting her cousin, whom she hadn’t spent little time messing around with during their childhood.

From the Korolya Star System to the Rage Owl Star System, the fleet would spend five days traversing the Star Realm Tunnel. Nothing significant occurred during the first four days, as the usual bizarre scenes outside the windows passed by, but in reality, as long as one didn’t leave the range of the ship or recklessly send out any probes or the like, there wouldn’t be any danger.

However, on the fifth day, the navigator aboard the “Beautiful Girl” reported a message: they had detected an anomalous signal in the Star Realm Tunnel, seemingly a fleet was following right behind them, also traversing the same tunnel.

This unsettled Wang Jiarong greatly.

The tunnel from Korolya to Rage Owl was desolate, not a busy space route; the empire didn’t even bother with building any checkpoints at the jump points on either end.

Beyond the desolation of Rage Owl Star, this situation had already persisted for over a hundred years.

Aside from her fleet, who else would traverse this place?

Heading to the neighboring Divine Steed Star Sector?

That wasn’t likely either; the prosperous Nest Capital World Korogia had a direct route to the Divine Steed Star Sector. No one would travel through Rage Owl Star to reach Divine Steed Star Sector, as taking such detours and incurring higher costs was not something people did.

So what was the situation with this fleet?

In interstellar travel, any anomaly demands vigilance.

Even within the empire’s Cosmos Domains, safety isn’t truly guaranteed.

Pirates are the most common threat, but threats originating from other alien species are never lacking.

The empire refers to all non-human species as aliens and is committed to eradicating all intelligent species other than humans.

Not to mention, navigating through Star Realm Tunnels one often encounters… supernatural occurrences. For instance, a derelict ship stranded inside a tunnel, dozens or hundreds of people disappearing from a ship during a voyage, or sometimes unexpectedly gaining dozens or hundreds more…

These incidents have even become somewhat commonplace.

And now, being acutely aware that not just one ship, but an entire fleet was behind them, sharing the same Star Realm Tunnel, they couldn’t afford to be anything but cautious.

After completing the Star Realm jump, they didn’t dare to linger, choosing to immediately switch engine modes and gradually accelerate, striving to reach the upper limit of sub-light speed towards Rage Owl Star.

Wang Jiarong was aware that Yelisia’s cruiser was docked in orbit around Rage Owl Star. After joining with the “Quintet,” her merchant ships would have strong protective safety.