Chapter 919: Chapter 919: Sailing Through the Abyss
"Abyss, this starship was once used to... probe the Abyss Gate!"
Sandora’s expression was solemn, her words decisive.
Perhaps the impact of this news was so immense that I couldn’t initially react, just subconsciously responded with an oh, until a few seconds later, I realized what an outrageous thing Sandora had just said, and suddenly exclaimed, "Wait, sailing inside the Abyss Gate?! You said this thing sailed inside the Abyss Gate?!"
"That’s the only possibility," Taville swiftly operated the holographic projection, dividing the scanned image of the spaceship debris into several areas and continuously zooming in, until every detail of these areas was clearly visible, "As a moderately sized starship, it has too many unnecessary defense devices, and almost all of these devices are designed for conceptual damage. The so-called conceptual damage refers to a form of attack that departs from material or energy or any form of tangible damage, affecting the target with intangible forces. Void, Abyss, Divine Power, and many special powers owned by the Emperor are all forms of conceptual damage. The easiest example for you to understand right now is Grandma Chen Qian’s Curse Power, which is one of the strongest forms of conceptual damage. The number of devices on this starship to defend against conceptual damage far exceeds the necessary amount, and they’re obviously not prepared for combat... theoretically, that’s the case."
Taville concluded the starship was used to face the Abyss environment from a theoretical perspective, while Sandora’s assertion was more determined and straightforward: "I feel it has a connection with the Abyss."
"It has an Abyss reaction?!"
I was immediately shocked, subconsciously wanting to discard those debris pieces — of course, it was just a fleeting thought. Based on Sandora and Taville’s calm demeanor now, I knew Sandora meant something else. It’s just that the danger level of the Abyss is so high; ever since we started, up to the foreseeable future, it’s inevitably our most dangerous enemy, so you can’t help but feel tense when you hear about it.
"Not an Abyss reaction," Sandora gently shook her head, then raised her slender, white arm, and in the next moment, black flames and dense smoke engulfed half of her body. One of the girl’s hands transformed into a giant black claw, exhaling Abyssal Intense Flames filled with a dangerous aura. She gestured towards the two debris pieces with her claw and then said softly, "It’s a very subtle feeling. Taville didn’t find an Abyss reaction from the debris, but the Abyss Power within me resonates with this debris, as if finding a companion... I guess these debris pieces were just purified. In the past, this starship definitely sailed in an environment filled with the Abyss, and this journey lasted for a considerable amount of time. Long-term contact with the Abyss environment, no matter how many defense facilities there were, it was hard to completely avoid the influence, so it has now become a mutated substance filled with affinity for Abyss Energy, although data shows that every piece of metal is indistinguishable from ordinary interstellar alloy, yet I can feel its stirrings against the Abyssal Intense Flames."
"Honestly, I’m completely confused in this regard," Taville looked at me apologetically. Normally full of confidence, the bespectacled lady now showed a rare sense of defeat, "The research institute has been unable to decipher the mutation occurring in Sandora, nor can I analyze the scientific basis for her intuition regarding these two debris pieces, but it should be accurate. Now we can theorize: This starship debris was designed for exploring the Abyss Gate and successfully executed missions in the Abyss Gate for a period. The exact reason for its destruction remains unclear, it could be the effect of the Abyss or destruction due to war. Theoretically, that’s the case."
After hearing Taville’s statement, I shifted my gaze to the massive metal debris floating in the space. It appeared lifeless, its silver-grey armor layer forcefully torn apart, revealing deep channels and mechanical structures inside, indistinguishable from normal spaceship debris. If not for Sandora’s mutated Talent Ability sensing residual Abyss aura, perhaps no one would have guessed this thing once sailed in the Abyss Gate—of course, until now, guesses about "sailing in the Abyss Gate" remain unproven, but based on Taville’s theoretical deduction and Sandora’s intuition, we might as well believe this assertion. Perhaps this explains why the Fallen Apostle Fleet endured such massive losses to seize this ancient relic. Though unknown what research the starship conducted back then, it must hold significant meaning.
"What exactly is the Abyss Gate? Just that black sphere kind of thing?"
I suddenly asked Sandora.
The Abyss Gate, we often mention this term, and I’ve personally witnessed a real Abyss Gate, yet regarding its essence, there seems to be no precise explanation. The impression of the Abyss Gate is a pitch-black sphere, like a Black Hole, with absolutely smooth edges and symmetrical shapes, neither material nor energy, and not even a space phenomenon. All known descriptive methods in the Multi-universe fail to define the Abyss Gate, hence the words ’Abyss Gate’ became its entire description.
The only person I know who went into the Abyss Gate and came out alive is Sandora, so I want to hear what the Abyss Gate she witnessed firsthand looks like.
"A black sphere?" Sandora shook her head, "It just looks like a sphere, but in reality, the Abyss Gate is a plane: it is a circular plane that is always at a ninety-degree angle to the observer’s line of sight. For every observer, the Abyss Gate presents itself at a different angle, and it changes with the shift of the external perspective, which is why you have the illusion that the Abyss Gate is a black sphere."
"Huh? Is that possible?"
I find it a bit hard to imagine: a circular plane appearing in space isn’t difficult to understand, like a piece of paper standing upright in front of you, but for it to be a plane in front of every observer is unbelievable. If that’s the case, what’s the difference between it and a sphere?
Hearing my confusion, Sandora explained: "For the observer, there’s no difference, but for the world, a plane is a plane, and the fact cannot be changed. A single-angled observer will never realize whether the black shadow in front of them is a sphere or a plane, unless you can gaze at the Abyss Gate from all dimensions of the present world. So in ancient times, the Empire also always thought the Abyss Gate was similar to a black hole."
"Presenting face-to-face in any perspective but essentially being a plane," I could only accept this not-so-easy-to-understand concept, "which means for countless observers, the Abyss Gate has countless faces... Alright, let’s not discuss this for now, what exactly is inside the Abyss Gate? Sandora, you’ve been inside, is it another space?"
"Inside the Abyss Gate..." Sandora showed a look of recollection, then an odd expression appeared on her face, "It cannot be measured by common sense, and lacks proper adjectives. After entering the Abyss Gate, perhaps you do feel like you’re in a dark space, but this ’space’ is filled with a sense of discord. Matter is no longer matter, energy no longer energy, and everything you know exhibits properties unknown to you, including yourself. In the endless darkness, you can sense countless things, vast, bustling, constantly changing, as if walking through a lively market with your eyes closed... well, that’s the only way I can describe it. The feeling is too bizarre. Inside the Abyss Gate, time doesn’t pass, or it’s passing but you can’t integrate into the Abyss Gate’s time system. As the only alien in the ’gate’, the Abyss Gate repels you, various strange illusions begin attacking the invader incessantly... well, that’s all I can say. My situation was quite chaotic at the time, my memory may still be somewhat biased, but inside the Abyss Gate is indeed a chaotic ’space’, things with physical forms can enter, but coming out isn’t so easy."
Again, a heap of vague knowledge that makes my head spin, but I know it’s not because Sandora is unwilling to explain more clearly, it’s just that something like the Abyss Gate simply can’t be understood with the concepts of an orderly world, and aside from experiencing it firsthand, I’m afraid no one can accurately describe what such a place is like. Of course, normal people likely wouldn’t have nothing better to do and jump into the Abyss Gate.
Seven hundred thousand years ago, Visca fought fiercely with the Imperial Army at that time, and after the battle, she seized this spaceship in front of us, but it’s uncertain whether this spaceship was torn into two during that year’s fierce battle, or it had already become like this—it’s also very possible that if this spaceship was an experimental sample back then, it might have been split in two when it was dragged out from the Abyss Gate, with Visca capturing someone’s specimen. As for the motive behind that girl seizing a specimen, we don’t need to consider it, seven hundred thousand years ago Visca didn’t need a motive for anything she did.
"At that time the Old Empire hadn’t perished, and the X plan should have been underway, didn’t expect that there were already people researching the Abyss Gate in such a radical manner back then," Sandora whispered to herself as she looked at the spaceship debris, "Perhaps this research vessel is also one among many research projects of the X plan."
"Speaking of which, I forgot to ask just now," I suddenly remembered something and said to Taville, "why haven’t you dismantled this spaceship yet?"
In usual times, with the work efficiency of the Imperial demolition team, this kind of research sample would have been taken apart long ago, how could it still look like when it was first dragged back now?
Taville seemed to have anticipated I would ask this question and immediately brought up a battleship scan labeled with many critical points, replying: "Your Majesty, we encountered difficulties when disassembling the sample, I’m afraid these two debris pieces cannot be broken down simply by violent means."
I roughly glanced at the warship’s scan chart. Although the complex structure was dizzying, I could just about make out a nested energy system, extending from the reactor at the front of the warship to the point where the ship was cut in half, and then the remaining energy pipes on the other piece of debris extended to a sealed chamber—not reaching the engine, indicating that this energy system was not part of the ship’s propulsion but a separate large device.
"The debris contains a complex energy circuit that provides additional power to its core research section. Currently, this circuit has been cut in half along with the disintegration of the warship. The worst part is, this system was likely charging before it was cut off, and it’s filled with high concentrations of Ghost Energy. The damage to the middle section of the warship triggered automatic safety measures, sealing off all energy networks in segments to prevent active energy from leaking into nearby sensitive equipment. Now, seventy thousand years later, these safety locks have all broken from constant internal energy shocks..."
"So, you’re saying..." I seemed to understand.
"It means we cannot safely relieve the pressure on these more than two thousand now isolated energy networks," Taville spread his hands, "unless we can find the original design blueprint of this ship, determine a safe passage, and then send personnel inside the ship to release the pressure from the six main energy pipes. Otherwise, dismantling recklessly will nine times out of ten lead to damage to the sensitive equipment in the research ship. After all, it’s not a warship but a scientific research ship, and its most crucial equipment is all very fragile, especially the database. As long as that thing is destroyed, the debris immediately becomes a heap of scrap metal."
Taville went on to explain the difference between dismantling a research ship and an ordinary warship sample, and I understood the challenges the technicians were facing.
Deconstructing a sophisticated scientific research vessel is different from dismantling a brawny warship, because the most valuable parts differ. The latter’s valuable parts might be its weapon systems, armor, or advanced Shield Generator, but the former’s most valuable parts are the fragile and sensitive database or various sensors, and their tolerance to harsh environments is, of course, vastly different. The warship debris we captured had already undergone a massive explosion. Most of its internal sensors are likely already done for, and even the intact ones are in a precarious state. To make matters worse, these two pieces of debris still contain a large amount of energy!
Ordinarily, a spaceship would not retain energy in such a fragmented state, but it’s special. Its special mission in the Abyss Gate allows it almost to continue operating in its broken state—at least its energy system can do so despite being severed into two parts, and after seventy thousand years of long energy release, the starship debris’s energy network still retains eighty percent of active Ghost Energy. Now all the energy switches inside the debris are offline. Using conventional methods to dismantle it easily leads to a runaway of all energy networks, like pulling a handful of sand from a shaky sand tower. If you don’t know its current balance point, touching any energy switch spells disaster.
Under the suppression of various energy Restraint Devices, the runaway of the energy network might not completely destroy the debris, but those sensitive databases and research equipment certainly won’t be saved.
"Do you have a specific plan?"
I saw that although Taville’s expression wasn’t great, he was serious rather than hopeless, so I asked.
"There is a plan, but... it might take some time," Taville rapidly adjusted the images on the nearby holographic projection, "I intend to try the Energy Raider—if we place a set of Energy Raiders on every energy node of the debris and then activate them simultaneously, we might be able to relieve the pressure on all networks without disrupting the debris’s energy balance. But this needs to be done slowly, with the Energy Raider operating at minimum output to ensure the Ghost Energy network doesn’t collapse and damage other equipment, and setting up the Energy Raider also takes time. Theoretically, that’s the plan."
"Then let’s go with that. We can’t get our hands on the design blueprints from back then," I nodded, seeing Sandora’s expression, she probably thought the same, "The Fallen Apostle has lost a main fleet after all, and such a big commotion has already attracted the attention of the Divine Race. They won’t make any big moves for a while. We also need time to replenish our forces, so you have ample time."
Taville saluted, "Your will!" Then the mass projection gradually dissipated into the air.
"You know, Ah Jun, I have a feeling," now that only Sandora and I were left, she simply leaned into my embrace, rubbing her face against my chin affectionately, "It’s as if we’re about to uncover an earth-shattering truth... The Old Empire conducted too many shocking studies in their final days. Every project in the X Plan looks chilling now, but creating a scientific research ship capable of sailing through the Abyss Gate... It seems even the Divine Race hadn’t been this crazy. I don’t know whose handiwork it was, but it definitely ties in with the sleeping of the Empire... This feeling is strong, and the intuition of the Soul Taker has always been very accurate."
I agreed, then suddenly felt like teasing, so I hugged Sandora’s soft body from behind and gently kissed her earlobe.
Instantly, the girl in my arms shivered involuntarily, then twisted, her head hitting my chin hard: "What are you doing, so suddenly."
I chuckled twice, "Nothing... just suddenly wanted to say thank you for all your hard work all this time."
Sandora turned her head, her pretty face filled with confusion, "Huh? Ah Jun, you suddenly became poetic?"
When alone, the proud and cold Queen is actually just a slightly clingy and silly girl, and I’m not usually accustomed to sudden affectionate teasing, so now Sandora seemed a bit at a loss.
Perhaps it was my long talk with Bingdisi this morning that made me suddenly think a lot, so I felt it necessary to properly thank Sandora as well, and also relayed our morning conversation—about how a Leader should fulfill their responsibilities, and how I as an Emperor should position myself, as a chat with Sandora.
"Oh, a long talk with Bingdisi," after hearing what I said, Sandora didn’t care much about the ’leader theory,’ but showed a subtle suppressed smile, "Most of what she said makes sense, Ah Jun, you really shouldn’t handle everything personally but should be a beacon-like leader. However... she actually didn’t tell you the truth about some things."
I: "Huh?"
"It’s about how God typically ignores prayers from the Lower Realm. In fact, with the Divine Race’s special Racial Talent, handling those prayers isn’t difficult, even Dingdang has this ability."
I felt like I’d been emotionally deceived by a certain female hooligan...
"Bingdisi doesn’t quite like dealing with prayers from the Lower Realm because they always sound like complaint calls—that’s the truth." (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to visit Qidian () to cast your recommendation votes, monthly tickets, your support is my biggest motivation.)