Chapter 79: The Wanderers

"Hello."

Receiving the message, Yao Yuan couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Although he had no idea how the other party had acquired their language and mastered it so quickly, those two words clearly conveyed goodwill.

It seemed the visitor was friendly; perhaps there was a real possibility for communication.

"Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"I am Yao Yuan from the Xingyuan civilization. May I ask how I should address your people?"

The other side seemed to pause for a moment before a reply arrived.

"I am the captain of the Wanderer, you may call me Number 4563."

Yao Yuan was taken aback; he hadn't expected the name to be a string of numbers.

He quickly adjusted his mindset. After all, every civilization had its own unique naming conventions; for a captain, a number might be more significant and representative than a name.

With respect, Yao Yuan replied, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain 4563."

"Our Xingyuan civilization is curious about your ship's arrival. May I ask why you have come here?"

After hearing Yao Yuan's question, information from 4563 came through the communicator.

"We are wanderers of the cosmos, and it is a joy to receive a message of goodwill from an advanced civilization."

"We have wandered for a long time, gathering information about all manner of things in the universe. I would like to request an opportunity for rest and recuperation, in exchange for information and technology."

A civilization wandering through the universe?

Yao Yuan furrowed his brow, then contacted Qu Shixin to report the situation.

Upon hearing Yao Yuan's message, Qu Shixin pondered and said, "This is a rare opportunity. Our Xingyuan civilization has always upheld openness and inclusiveness. If they are willing to share their knowledge and experience, we would be happy to offer assistance and support."

"But caution is always wise. To prevent this from becoming another Earth civilization, try to communicate remotely for now. I'll inform the other Divine Attendants and report to our mentor."

Yao Yuan gave an awkward smile and agreed, then continued to send messages to 4563.

"Captain 4563, we require some assurance before agreeing to your request. Could you show us a sign of your goodwill?"

"No problem."

Suddenly, a request appeared on the screen—4563 was initiating a video call.

After accepting the call, Yao Yuan saw a creature with blue-green skin appear on the display. Its face was somewhat smooth, with four eye-like organs opening and closing continuously, but it seemed to have no mouth.

"What do you need from us to show our sincerity?"

The other party spoke the Xingyuan language with surprising fluency. Though the words were full of good intent, the voice itself was devoid of emotion, creating a striking contrast.

"Also, allow me to apologize for accessing your electronic systems without permission. It was only to acquire your language, to make communication more friendly."

"If this was offensive, I am truly sorry."

4563 had four torso-like limbs; besides the two main arms, two smaller limbs waved constantly as he spoke.

Yao Yuan grew serious. If the other party could slip into the Xingyuan civilization’s network and glean language knowledge without a trace, then in their eyes, the network was utterly defenseless.

If they harbored any ill intent, this would be extremely dangerous.

4563 seemed to sense Yao Yuan's silence. He stood up, and the device transmitting the video feed floated up as well. He began walking through the ship.

"To prove myself, I can be open."

"On our side, there are only the weak."

The video feed wove through the ship’s interior, and Yao Yuan was dazzled by the variety of alien species on display.

There were not only soft-bodied creatures resembling jellyfish, but also aquatic beings living in tanks.

In the cramped space, a few bird-like aliens flew about, and there were shell-covered creatures that vaguely resembled humans.

"If possible, I am willing to trade anything for supplies."

"We have jumped an unfathomable distance."

"We have never deceived intelligent civilizations with lies."

"But if ever offended, we do not fear confrontation."

4563 continued to display the lively scenes within the ship, expressing both goodwill and an unyielding stance against malice.

Yao Yuan understood the situation and sent everything to Qu Shixin, then continued to chat idly with 4563.

...

Before long, Qu Shixin and Ye Lian arrived together.

Originally, Ye Lian had been on Tianyan Star, but since it was currently closest to Tianhai Star, she hurried over as fast as possible to take charge.

Meanwhile, Qu Shixin received a reply from Shen Xing.

No need to ask for approval—they were to handle it themselves.

Qu Shixin had already reviewed all the information Yao Yuan sent before arriving. After exchanging a glance with Ye Lian, he nodded, then went straight to the communicator.

"Captain 4563, we are very interested in your civilization."

"We hope to learn more about your journey through the cosmos, and of course, about the technology and knowledge you possess."

Captain 4563 let out a deep, mechanical laugh that came through the communicator to everyone in the room.

"Our story is long and complicated."

"But I am happy to share it with you."

Since a consensus had been reached, contact could now proceed.

Qu Shixin sent the coordinates of Tianhai Star to 4563, who replied that they would use jump technology to arrive soon.

While waiting for the Wanderer to appear, Qu Shixin deployed a multitude of probes into the cosmos, monitoring for any disturbances.

After a short while, space itself seemed to twist, and a massive ship appeared outside Tianhai Star. At the same time, a message came through the communicator: 4563 would be landing on Tianhai Star with a small shuttle.

A small vessel detached from the Wanderer, heading toward Tianhai Star, landing at the site Qu Shixin had designated. The hatch slowly opened, and the towering figure of 4563 emerged.

Qu Shixin and the others were already waiting. As 4563 appeared, they stepped forward to greet him.

"Hello, and welcome to Tianhai Star of the Xingyuan civilization."

Qu Shixin instinctively reached out to shake hands, but hesitated, preparing to withdraw.

After all, it was their first meeting with another friendly civilization—they had little experience.

He suddenly realized that this gesture might mean nothing to the other party, or worse, might be insulting in their culture.

But before he could pull his hand back, a limb resembling an insect’s jointed appendage gently touched his hand.

"Hello. It is my honor to visit the Xingyuan civilization."