Chapter 16: Accident and Request for Help!

The pulse propulsion engine is also called the pulse jump engine.

It is a short-distance space jump engine.

Like the pulse propulsion engine module carried by Xu Zi'an, the maximum power is only 1 light-year at a time...

It is considered the lowest-grade kind.

And because the evolved Blue quality was outstanding, it was actually improved from 1 light-year to 1.2 light-years.

And there was surplus kinetic energy to propel the main cannon’s pulse-penetrating warheads.

Long-distance space jumps require the installation of more advanced quantum jump engines.

But that thing is too big, and it’s not something a scout ship can install at all; it’s something that at least a cruiser can install.

That thing, one jump starts at tens of thousands of light-years, which is far from comparable to pulse jumps.

For this voyage, Xu Zi'an would probably need to perform 18 pulse jumps to arrive.

He drove the *Cui Can* to the open area of the solar system, aimed in the direction of the UV Ceti star system route, and started the pulse jump!

At the tail of the *Cui Can*, below the two super-light-speed engines, the rectangular engine nozzle, which had been kept in a stalled state, suddenly burst out with incomparably violent power.

Inside the narrow cockpit, the optical brain’s prompt was also synchronizing—

[Preparing for pulse jump, this jump distance is 1.2 light-years]

[Jump countdown...]

[10——]

[9——]

[……]

[1——]

[Jump initiated!]

As the final sound faded away.

The space outside the composite window appeared to twist and distort.

The starship *Cui Can* leaped toward the target destination at an incomparable speed.

It took only about thirty minutes or so.

The distorted space around them suddenly returned to normal.

When they looked out the window again...

The familiar Solar System had long since vanished, leaving only the distant, twinkling river of stars and the endless, deathly silence of the deep void.

The universe.

It is filled with burning passion.

But it is equally filled with profound loneliness.

The universe is simply too vast.

So vast that countless billions of races and innumerable life forms live within it simultaneously.

Yet they still occupy only an imperceptibly small, tiny fraction of the whole.

Most regions are nothing but dead, silent deep space.

Looking back.

At a terrifying distance of 1.2 light-years, the massive Solar System had already become a tiny speck of light.

Only at this very moment did Xu Zi'an truly feel the extreme insignificance of humanity.

He looked around with interest, waiting for the cooler to chill the pulse propulsion engines.

There were no planets nearby, nor any signs of danger.

The closest planet was a world nearly half the size of the Moon—

Because it rotated on its own axis and did not orbit another planet, it was classified as a planet, even if it was smaller than the Moon.

Overall, it looked like an ordinary, desolate planet with nothing special about it.

But as someone with a strong sense of curiosity, Xu Zi'an activated the detection radar, preparing to scan it.

A beam of azure light flashed out at light speed, soon enveloping the planet.

Quickly, the information was transmitted back, and the light-brain displayed the planet's data—

[Unknown Planet]

[Rich in common ores such as copper, iron, and gold]

[Contains trace amounts of rare material: Star-Glow Crystal]

Seeing the transmitted information, Xu Zi'an smiled.

This was all within expectations.

In some news reports, one often hears of someone accidentally discovering a super-precious mineral vein or a heaven-defying treasure on some planet, becoming rich overnight...

Xu Zi'an did not believe he possessed that kind of luck.

As for the Star-Glow Crystal...

It was indeed a very rare material, similar to a diamond in transparency and hardness, but it emitted a faint, self-generated fluorescence.

But in such trace amounts... he would probably have to strip-mine the entire planet just to get a few pounds?

The cost of mining would be enough to buy a ton.

At this moment, the cooling was complete; restart!

After several subsequent pulse jumps.

Xu Zi'an gradually lost the excitement and curiosity he had felt at the beginning.

Surrounded by unchanging darkness and loneliness, it was truly hard to maintain much curiosity.

Jump after jump.

Just as he reached the sixth jump, only two light-years away from the target system...

An accident occurred.

In the universe, accidents are everywhere, especially in the Age of Interstellar Great Navigation.

Accidents are truly countless.

Not long after the sixth jump was completed, while he was quietly waiting for the pulse engines to cool, a 'crackle-crackle' sound suddenly erupted from the communicator!

Xu Zi'an's expression shifted, and he immediately became vigilant.

First, he checked the detection radar...

There was no response.

He looked around, but apart from a few lonely planets and patches of asteroid belts, there seemed to be nothing unusual.

But the next second!

'Crackle...'

"Help..."

'Crackle...'

After a few bursts of static, the voice became clearer.

"Cui Can, save me!"

A young woman's voice rang out urgently from the communicator, filled with panic.

"You..."

'Crackle...'

"What kind of piece-of-junk communicator is that... uh, sorry, sorry, Cui Can, please save me!"

The woman spoke in frustration, but realizing the communication had stabilized, she hurriedly apologized and pleaded for help from Xu Zi'an again.

Xu Zi'an's old face flushed red.

What kind of communicator?

It was a communicator Laozi dug out of a trash heap on a junk planet years ago!

So what!

It's not like it doesn't work!

He coughed lightly and immediately asked: "What's the situation on your end? Describe it in detail!"

Xu Zi'an remained deeply vigilant.

In the universe, danger and traps are everywhere.

A society ruled by law only exists within the regions of planets where large human civilizations reside.

In the desolate deep space of the universe...

How safe could you possibly expect it to be?

The news had reported more than once that many people had been deceived by fake distress calls.

Only to find, upon arrival, that the other party was a group of interstellar pirates in disguise.

Xu Zi'an naturally had to be cautious.

The other party clearly understood Xu Zi'an's concerns.

She immediately said urgently: "I am from the Earth Federation's Moon, Heavenly Palace City.

I have been attacked by interstellar pirates; the enemy has two primary biological scout ships and four primary mechanical scout ships!

We can simultaneously initiate an SOS emergency audit with the Federation; the Federation will definitely approve it for me!"

Hearing the other party say this.

Xu Zi'an's vigilance dissipated quite a bit.

At the same time.

The blood in his body.

Began to boil!