Chapter 35: How Long Has It Been Since You Last Saw Wild Geese?

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Yesterday I took a day off. I’ve read all of your comments, dear readers. To respond to everyone’s support, today I’ll make up for it with six chapters. In the future, if I take leave, I’ll make an announcement in the author’s note at the end of the last chapter and in the comment section. If you notice there’s no update, feel free to check there. Thank you all for your support! You can always leave questions or suggestions in the comments, and I will respond!

After more than three centuries of distant travel, the Pioneer Fleet of the United Earth Federation finally arrived at the edge of the great star system where Skyvault Star was located. Now, only thirty thousand light-years separated them from Skyvault Star. In other words, the Earth Federation’s fleet had entered the net of surveillance that Shen Xing had meticulously woven.

The moment the three magnificent, technologically advanced spaceships appeared, Shen Xing was instantly on high alert. Faced with these unexpected alien visitors, he dared not relax for even a second. Recalling the mysterious visit of the metallic sphere last time, Shen Xing was keenly aware of the potential dangers this encounter might hold.

He immediately released his consciousness, creating an invisible pure consciousness entity in the vacuum of space. This was a new application of his mental abilities that he had developed—he could extend a portion of his consciousness outward. While it didn’t have many practical uses, it enabled him to conduct reconnaissance within the range of his awareness.

A torrent of questions surged in Shen Xing’s mind, mingling with an intense curiosity: Where did these ships come from? What kind of intelligent beings controlled them? How did they differ in appearance from humans? What stage had their society and technology reached? Why had they come near Skyvault Star? Did they come with peaceful intentions, or were they hiding hostile ones?

Full of questions and speculation, Shen Xing’s spiritual senses quietly penetrated the hull of the spaceships. His probing went smoothly, encountering no resistance, triggering no alarms, and escaping the notice of those on board.

Shen Xing allowed himself to relax ever so slightly, but his vigilance remained. He knew this was not only a potential crisis, but also an opportunity—one that could bring new knowledge and technology to Skyvault Star and drive the further advancement of civilization.

He would have to proceed with caution, ensuring the safety of Skyvault Star while also attempting to uncover the secrets hidden behind these mysterious visitors.

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For thousands of years, Shen Xing had devoted himself to fostering and advancing the prosperity of human civilization on Skyvault Star. He had carefully selected and trained six disciples, imparting to them divine arts, precisely to prepare for possible encounters with extraterrestrial beings.

Judging from the grandeur and advanced design of the two ships before him, the civilization they represented had likely reached a level of technology and knowledge that would inspire awe among the people of Skyvault Star. If their intentions proved hostile, Shen Xing would need to make a swift decision: Should he strike first, or try another strategy—perhaps using his countless astral avatars to attempt a forced capture and learn more?

Confronted by such an advanced civilization, Shen Xing rapidly weighed how best to ensure both the benefit and safety of Skyvault Star’s inhabitants, while maintaining his own advantage.

He directed his consciousness first into the core area of the ship—the command bridge, where the crew operated the vessel with focused diligence.

As Shen Xing’s consciousness observed the crew, he was momentarily stunned. The intelligent beings piloting the ships looked astonishingly similar to humans. His thoughts churned; every answer only gave rise to more questions.

Is it possible that intelligent life throughout the universe tends to evolve into similar forms? Or is there some universal law at work that he has yet to understand?

He was absorbed by this startling discovery, lost in contemplation. Could it be that, despite coming from different worlds, the paths of life’s evolution might share certain commonalities?

This possibility sparked deeper questions in Shen Xing about the diversity and unity of life in the universe.

As he was lost in pondering the evolution of life, a clear conversation abruptly sounded from the bridge, pulling him out of his reverie.

“Commander, in three hours we’ll reach the outer space of the target planet!”

A crew member in a blue uniform was reporting to a stern-looking man, whose features were as sharply defined as a sculpture, his posture upright and commanding. His uniform was immaculate, adorned with insignia indicating his rank, giving him an air of dignity.

“Deploy the scout ships and probes. Shut down the main engines and run a full systems check.”

“Yes, sir!”

Wei Wensu gazed into the profound depths of space, speaking either to Alibert beside him or perhaps muttering to himself.

“Since we acquired antimatter propulsion, humanity has never travelled so far among the stars.”

“If we hadn’t been forced to the edge, why would we ever have left our home?” Alibert replied, operating a virtual console, his tone tinged with emotion.

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“Commander Wei, how long has it been since you last saw wild geese on Earth?”

“Wild geese are waterfowl of the genus Anser in the family Anatidae, now classified as critically endangered. They usually gather in flocks by the water, fly north to breed after the spring equinox, and head south to overwinter after the autumn equinox.”

“Are you quoting the textbook?”

“What I mean is, I haven’t seen wild geese in a very long time—at least three hundred years.”

“Do you think wild geese ever miss their original homeland?”

“To survive, they don’t need to yearn for home—they only need to seek it.”

Having spoken, Wei Wensu turned away from the ship’s main viewport and sat down in a nearby chair, pulling out a bottle of oddly colored liquid and downing it in one gulp.

“I’ve always thought these nutrient solutions taste terrible, but you drink them without a change of expression,” Alibert said, spreading his hands as he began directing the others at their stations.

Meanwhile, invisible and listening nearby, Shen Xing’s consciousness suddenly trembled at these words.

That was—Chinese! The accent was so pure, so familiar, it seemed to have been summoned directly from the depths of his distant memory.

Shen Xing’s consciousness jolted, followed by a wave of intense dizziness; his spiritual form wavered unseen. It was as if his consciousness melted into the surrounding space, yet the sudden sound of his native tongue sent ripples through him.

His vast, starry awareness was rendered blank by the shock, all thoughts frozen in that moment—not merely from the joy of hearing his mother tongue, but from the countless memories and emotions it carried.

Mountains and rivers of Earth, bustling cities, the familiar faces and warm greetings—all flashed before his eyes.

A surge of indescribable emotion flooded Shen Xing: a deep longing for his homeland, an endless nostalgia for times gone by.

His consciousness yearned to reach out to these people from Earth, to hear their stories, to share his own.

In that instant, Shen Xing nearly forgot where he was, forgot that he was now a being far beyond the confines of flesh. He wanted only to bask in the comfort of that sudden, familiar voice, to let his soul find a shred of solace.

Yet as this emotion grew, it began to spill over from his main consciousness to his other avatars.