Age of Cosmic Exploration
chapter-360

Chapter 360: Approach!

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The Hope ended up further than expected when exiting warp drive? Why did that happen?

In fact, this was very dangerous. If they could not correctly pinpoint their exit, then next time, they would exit at a dangerous location, like… running directly into a planet or the inside of a sun!

This was different from space warp. Warp drive did not enter a different dimension, it still happened in space, it merely stretched the space. Theoretically speaking, it still followed the basic rules of space travelling, and thus could run into any celestial body.

It was why AI was so important for level 2 space civilizations on their way to becoming level 3 space civilizations. Warp drive without AI was extremely dangerous, and without warp drive, how would a level 2 space civilization become a level 3 space civilization? It was all a daydream.

Due to this relationship, the exit of warp drive was important. The fact that the exit of this warp drive was further than excepted was no less serious than the disabled space warp. If they could not find a reason to explain this situation, then warp drive could not be used again.

Thankfully, the Hope was carrying human civilization, one which had a major population of scientists. Considering the fact that they had personally experienced the process and danger of space decay, a reasonable explanation arrived at Yao Yuan's and the high officials' ears in a few hours.

"First, space decay is actually our (human) scientific body's hypothesis."

This was a great physicist, Silewei, explaining the difference in warp drive navigation on stage.

"It is common knowledge that in space, all energy will naturally go from a high energy state to a low energy state. This is a universal truth of the cosmos, and if I was to use a simpler word to describe it, it would be called entropy… And when this energy level reaches its lowest level, the Academy believes it is the current cosmos. After all, this has realistic backing. The cosmos we are in has stabilized for billions of years and it can perfectly exemplify the lowest energy state of the cosmos…"

When Silewei reached this part of his explanation, there was already a representative who could not help but ask, "Professor Silewei, we only want to know why the Hope's exit is so far away from the predicted location. This is completely unscientific."

"It is scientific…" Silewei sighed. "Everything that has happened so far is scientific, but our current science still cannot explain everything; we are lacking… I was just about to explain the issue Mr. Representative brought up. Since it is our understanding that our cosmos is at its lowest energy state and thus the cosmos' stability has been preserved for billions of years, a small group of scientists hypothesize that there is a state of the cosmos that has even an even lower energy state. The cosmos we're in is merely in its 'half-decay' stay. Just like how uranium has a half-life that is several ten billion years long, the cosmos we're in is also going through a process, and when the time comes, the cosmos will naturally enter a lower energy state, becoming a 'real cosmos'!

"Then, in reality, we have seen space decay when we were in the range of the cursed planet. In other words, the process which the cosmos becomes 'real cosmos'. Of course, there are many differing opinions regarding this point. When we were back on Earth, we had a scientists who conducted thought experiments to predict this phenomenon. A real cosmos will expand at light speed to cover the whole cosmos, but what is real cosmos? It is not the supposed lowering of dimensions, it is not one-dimensional or two-dimensional, it is real emptiness; it has nothing, not even space. In fact, one can call it the origin of cosmos. The space is infinitely small, but the mass is infinitely big. In other words…

"The process of space decay might not be a giant ball that covers the whole cosmos but a mass that will pull in the entire cosmos. If it is explained in this way, then the discrepancy in the prediction of our warp drive can be explained… Because a large amount of space has been torn asunder by space decay. In other words, it is not that we have increased speed during warp drive and moved further, but the distance we need to traverse… has shortened!

"Of course, this is not something that can be felt during under light-speed travelling. Only by travelling past light-speed can this sensation of distance being shortened be felt…"

Even though the answer could not be 100 percent confirmed, it had real scientific backing behind it. This was both beneficial and harmful for the Hope. The biggest harm naturally was the increased difficulty in calculating warp drive, and the benefit was that the time needed to move from the Hope's current position to the edge of the solar system had decreased. This was what the Hope needed to do the most… to leave this solar system as soon as possible, or at least until the space warp engine could be used again!

When the discussion on warp drive ceased, there was still another issue pending, and if anything, this issue was even more troublesome than warp drive…

"In other words, there is a shelter nearby?"

Yao Yuan, Guang Zhen, and the few high officials from the Hope moved to the secret meeting room after the discussion on warp drive. Here, Blue 6 and the cosmic adapters from the vassal races stood waiting because they were there to discuss the Hope's problematic location.

"Yes." Blue 6 nodded first. "From the information preserved in their AI, we can confirm that there is a level 3 shelter in this solar system."

"Level 3 shelter?" Yao Yuan took the head of the table and asked curiously, "Now that you mention it, we had no idea that there was a grading system for shelters as well."

Blue 6 was the one who answered, "Your Highness, there is. The grade of a shelter corresponds to the civilization that built it. If it was a level 2 shelter, then it must have been built by level 2 space civilization, and so on and so forth. The purpose of grading is to exemplify its scale.

"For example, a level 2 shelter made by a conglomeration of level 2 space civilizations has the lowest reputation and defense. They are easily pillaged. Generally speaking, the civilizations that stay there are either very low tier space civilizations or civilizations that are on their last legs. While a level 3 shelter means that it definitely has the presence of at least one level 3 space civilization. This is a guarantee of reputation and standard. Many level 2 space civilizations will reside there, and with a certain payment of taxes, they will be protected by this level 3 space civilization. When other civilizations approach, they too have to pay a trade and entry fee before purchasing the supplies or visiting the place. In essence, a level 3 shelter is the most common in the cosmos and the most stable of shelters.

"Above that are level 4 shelters, but the number of those is very small. The Blue Race only knows about 3 of them, and the price for occupancy is very high. First, the race must have at least 3 cosmic adapters and a large amount of soul has to be sacrificed every 100 years. There is, of course, payment of normal taxes, but the amount is not something a level 3 space civilization could afford… Of course, with such a high payment, there is high reward as well. Level 4 shelters can be said to be the only safe havens in the wide cosmos. You might even get clues or technology parts to become level 4 space civilization, and this attracts many space civilization to migrate towards these shelters…"

Yao Yuan was in deep thought after hearing Blue 6's introduction. Then he raised his head to look around and realized that Ren Tao and Xiao Niao had already raised their heads. The three of them shared a look and Xiao Niao uttered, "In other words, we are in the range of a level 3 shelter? They should have detected us by now, right?"

Blue 6 paused for a second before replying, "Yes, we have idled in this space for several hours already, so that Shelter must have detected us by now. Of course, if we do not show any open hostility, according to our current troop number and technology level, they will not attack us without reason… A level 3 shelter still has to protect its reputation, at least while we're still near the shelter."

Ren Tao added, "The Hope's supplies are running dangerously low… If we continue another warp drive, we will most likely perish in space… isn't that right, Chancellor?"

Yao Yuan sighed and realized that everyone was looking at him, waiting for him to come to a decision.

"Yes, I understand what you mean. The Hope has reached a stage where we have to stop for supplies. Since a level 3 shelter's reputation is still considerable, then we can try stopping there for restock… Of course, I am sure everyone knows the necessary precautions…

"None of the Homo Evolutis are allowed exit or interact with anyone from the shelter, this includes myself, until the restocking is done and we have left this shelter. All external interaction will be jointly carried out by Guang Zhen and Blue 6…

"Well, let us approach and enter this shelter!"