The air inside the lab was dry, unlike the damp and cold caverns outside.

Obviously, Dr. Qiu Shiye took the ventilation issue into account, and this also relieved Ye Shi, who was worried about the leakage of the reactor fuel tank.

Helium itself is highly penetrating, so it has strict requirements for the storage environment.

Not to mention the gaps that are visible to the naked eye, even seamless glass and ceramics can be seen through.

Typically, these nuclear fuels are stored at low temperatures in high-density alloy containers.

"It's really embarrassing that guy hid the reactor so deeply......" Jiang Xuezhou couldn't help but whisper.

Searching the corridors of the laboratory with the light of a flashlight, Night Ten replied casually.

"But on the other hand, if we didn't have this experimental facility, and let that fuel tank be thrown in the forest outside, I'm afraid we wouldn't have to bother to find it."

"Are you deliberately finding fault......

"How so."

Having imagined the face of the red monkey's ass, Yashi whistled teasingly, and then returned his attention to the underground research facility in front of him.

It can be seen from the traces of artificial excavation that Dr. Qiu Shiye has indeed put a lot of effort into this laboratory.

It was probably early in the Age of Awakening, shortly after the Second Judgment Day had fallen, and he had not yet written the poem on the bridge of the Twins.

Night Ten tried to bring Dr. Qiu's perspective into the eye.

The researcher's mood at that time was probably the same as when he found his own "Tunnan", and his heart was full of surprise, ambition, and even excitement and madness.

It's not hard to imagine.

After all, not long ago, standing on the shoulders of the People's Federation, he had just discovered all the secrets that the People's Federation had never discovered-

The one that is closer to the secret essence of this planet than Gaia, called the "Tree of Insov"!

Also, that pioneer whose history is far older than mankind and who seems to have glimpsed the "nature of the world"!

This lab should be the beginning of his challenge to the fourth wall.

And when he realized his insignificance and carved that poem on the wall, it was already at the end of his life.

"There are two sets of radiation suits and an extravehicular exoskeleton in the cabinet at the entrance of the laboratory, which should have been recovered from the Twins."

The structure of the buffer cabin at the entrance of the laboratory was inspected, and Ye Shi then looked around again, and reported succinctly in the communication channel.

"By all indications, Dr. Qiu Shiye has lived here for about 15 years. Counting the time I spent with the natives, I was about 60 years old......"

If you live to be 60 years old with 0 medical conditions, you can't say whether this is a long life or not.

A hurriing voice can be heard in the communication channel.

"Leave that alone, let's find the reactor's fuel tank quickly."

"Roger, I'm looking."

Night Ten replied, and then explored the depths of the laboratory along the narrow corridor.

It didn't take much time, and with the help of the drone operated by Jiang Xuezhou, he quickly found the reactor core along the wiring structure in the laboratory.

It was a cylindrical tank, about the thickness of four or five people hugging each other, with dense pipes wrapped around it, connecting the electrical parts that had been removed from the starship.

It was as abstract as it could be, so much so that the fusion reactor was running out in Night's mind.

However, now is clearly not the time to think about what to do or not to push.

At the moment when the light of the flashlight shone on the reactor, an excited voice suddenly came from the communication channel.

"Found it! It's the thing that sticks to the round can! ”

"You mean that?"

Night Ten followed the pale blue beam of light projected by the drone and found a grip that bulged outwards in the middle of the huge round can.

The grip was attached to a metal disc the size of a basketball, embedded in the very center of the reactor tank, which appeared to be the energy supply component.

Yajuchi reached out and grabbed the grip, trying to pull it out of the reactor, only to find that the entire outer shell of the power supply parts had rusted to death on the reactor structure.

"I'll help you!"

As he spoke, the drone controlled by Jiang Xuezhou had already flown to the side of the reactor, and two mechanical cantilever shaped like switchblades couldn't wait to bounce out from under the body.

"Hum—"

A pale blue plasma plume erupted from the end of the mechanical cantilever, like a hot knife, easily inserting into the corroded crevice and cutting around the connection between the tank-like reactor and the energy-powered components.

With a clear "click" sound, Ye Shi felt the resistance in his hand drop sharply.

With a tooth-aching sound of metal grinding, he finally succeeded in pulling the energy supply out of the tank.

However, when Ye Shi saw the whole picture of the energy supply parts, his original excitement sank to the bottom in an instant.

I saw a fist-sized hole imprinted in the center of the gas tank!

The sturdy tank felt as if it had been shot and poked through the middle!

No wonder he can't pull it out!

"Good fellow...... Leaking air!? Looking at the unacceptable reality, Yashi swallowed with difficulty.

At the same time, Xiao Jiang's desperate voice came from the communication channel.

"How so...... Isn't it good to plug in the reactor? What the hell broke it through?! ”

That was their only hope of going home.

Without the fuel to open the hyperspace shipping lanes, they would have to spend the rest of their lives in this world five light-years away......

"Don't despair, there may be spare fuel...... At least now I know what the tank looks like. ”

Looking at the empty jar in his hand, Ye Shi was also panicked, but he still took the time to comfort Jiang Xuezhou, and then continued to search nearby.

Hard work pays off.

After searching for a while, he found an identical gas tank underneath a folding bed!

"There's another one here!" Ye Shi screamed in surprise, and then overturned the folding bed with both hands, and moved out the gas tank that was pressed underneath.

I don't know what Dr. Qiu Shiye thought in his head, and he actually used this precious nuclear fuel as a stool for the bedboard.

Is this guy planning to use this method to awaken psionic energy?

But wouldn't it be too stable to use helium three as a radioactive source......

Seeing the gas tank in Ye Shi's hand, Jiang Xuezhou, who was sitting on the synchronous orbit bridge, rekindled a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

Flying to the side of Night Ten, the pale blue scanning beam was quickly projected onto the tank from the transmitter under the camera on the airframe.

Restraining his fluctuating emotions, Jiang Xuezhou took a deep breath and said.

"Tank integrity...... 100%。 ”

"Fuel Remaining ......"

“0。”

"Gan!" Hearing the last "0", Ye Shi almost didn't choke on his own spit, but still asked without giving up, "Could it be that the test was wrong?" ”

Jiang Xuezhou: "Impossible...... Helium 3 liquid helium is lighter than helium 4, if you don't believe yourself. ”

Night Ten was silent.

The main thing is that he doesn't count this thing either.

After a few moments, a gentle sigh came from the communication channel.

“…… In fact, it is also obvious, if there is still fuel left, how can that Dr. Qiu Shiye throw it under the bed board like garbage. ”

This time, the voice coming from the communication channel was much calmer than before.

There is no greater grief than death.

Although Jiang Xuezhou admitted that he was a little excited when he first saw the gas tank, it turned out to be just an unrealistic fantasy.

After a pause for a few seconds, Jiang Xuezhou suddenly changed to a relieved tone.

"Well, think about it...... It's nice to spend the rest of your life on this planet with you. ”

"What are you talking about, we just agreed to go to the edge of the universe to take a look." Ye Shi couldn't help but complain.

Why did this guy suddenly use the tone of the finale.

He hasn't given up on treatment yet.

"Haha...... yes, it's a pity. ”

Ye Shi could feel that there was a little loneliness in his relieved voice.

It was clear that she was genuinely interested in the proposal she had made, and not just to match herself.

Thinking of this, the corners of Ye Shi's mouth couldn't help but curl up with a smile.

"My gut tells me that our story doesn't end there."

Jiang Xuezhou teased.

"Oh? Can the Spirit tell you? ”

"You should be the one."

Yashi smiled mysteriously, and then cast a confident gaze around.

It didn't really have anything to do with psionic energy, it was just a keen perception that brought him a strong sense of disobedience and caught his attention.

The not-so-spacious laboratory was pitch black, with only the flashlight in his hand and the light from the drone beside him being the only source of light.

But—

Even though the black hand here couldn't see his fingers, it was as clear as day in his mind.

He memorized everything he saw from the moment he entered the lab, and sorted out every clue.

And those clues that he ignored were also completely clear at this moment.

"There are two triangular hangers in the cabinet at the door, corresponding to the only two sets of protective clothing. Both suits were in the cupboard, indicating that he had not left. ”

“……”

There was silence in the communication channel, save for the rustling of electricity.

Obviously, Jiang Xuezhou didn't understand what he was saying, and it took a long time before he took over the conversation and said.

“…… You want to say he's still in the lab? ”

Night Ten calmly analyzed.

"It should be accurate to say that Dr. Qiu Shiye's last moments in this world were spent in the laboratory."

Jiang Xuezhou sighed and said.

"I think it's a bit far-fetched to make such an inference just because both suits are in the closet, what if he just didn't wear a chemical suit?"

It is true that no remains of his have been found in the remains of the Twins, but that doesn't say anything, and it is still possible that he could die anywhere in this forest and valley.

Besides—

Do you know where that guy died and what's the point?

The key is nuclear fuel.

That's what they really need.

Ye Shi smiled faintly and continued.

"If he's going out, he's going to wear it...... As for why, you'll know why I said that if you've been on the ground and seen it. ”

All of the local natives' accounts of the ancestors seem to be inseparable from "power armor".

In fact, if you think about it carefully, what those natives see may not necessarily be "power armor", but it may also be a combination of exoskeleton + protective clothing.

But one thing is undeniable.

That is, all the "ancestors" hardly show their true faces, and whenever they travel, they will always wear clothes or armor that cover their whole body.

As for the reason, it is actually very simple......

"This forest is full of all kinds of poisonous insects, didn't we see them when we first landed?"

Jiang Xuezhou was stunned.

"Ah...... However, isn't it hot to wear such a thick protective suit? ”

Ye Shi said with a faint smile.

"The protective suit comes with a heat dissipation and ventilation module, although it is a little troublesome, but it is better than being bitten by a poisonous insect or even bitten to death."

The local natives may not be affected by the poisonous insects, after all, they may have been accustomed to breeding here for so many years.

But for the crew of the Twins from Earth, those poisonous insects are annoying, if not deadly.

“…… But what good is it for us to know this clue? Jiang Xuezhou muttered in a low voice.

Ye Shi glanced around at the pitch-black surroundings and continued in a gentle tone.

"How could it not be useful? This is obviously a clue. ”

"We have conclusive evidence that Dr. Qiu spent the last moments of his life in the laboratory, but his body could not be found in the laboratory."

"So here's the problem......"

"Where did he go?"

The air was as silent as death.

It took a long time before the sound of swallowing saliva came from the communication channel.

"What do you say...... How do I feel cold in my back. ”

"You feel cold in the sky with a hammer."

Ye Shi complained angrily, and then walked to the desk and whiteboard on the side.

On the whiteboard were some scribbling and altering calculation formulas, probably drafts made by Dr. Qiu Shiye.

He couldn't understand what the formulas meant, so he took a picture with the battle recorder and turned his gaze to the stack of papers on the table.

Because of the baptism of time, those papers have been yellowed.

But even so, Night Ten could barely make out the notes that remained on the mutilated pages.

He was completely absorbed in the mutilated threads.

And at this moment, the power given to him by the psionic energy worked a miracle once again.

In the impenetrable void, Dr. Qiu Shiye seemed to come to life, stood beside him, and picked up the pen that had been covered with dust......

That face was full of piety.

Even after hundreds of years, Ye Shi still saw that face clearly.

In the blink of an eye, he sat down at the table and meticulously wrote on his experimental notes.

"They all said I was crazy...... But I think they're really crazy. We have never been closer to the door to the truth, and someone has found it for us! ”

"All we need to do is open the box that has already been opened once...... I've even found it and it's right under our feet! ”

His mouth was babbling.

Standing behind him, Ye Shi kept repeating his muttering.

Jiang Xuezhou, who was watching from the sidelines, was confused.

She couldn't see what Night Ten saw.

The picture in her eyes was completely different, and Ye Shi, who was standing in the drone lens, seemed to be crazy, chattering to a few mutilated pieces of paper.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm reading the words he left in his notebook......"

Ye Shi replied casually, and then continued to concentrate on the experimental notes on the table, and the time-spanning virtual image sitting in front of him continued to write.

That's not the mental state of a loser, it's more like a seeker who has come to the end of a labyrinth.

It's completely different from what he imagined!

After discovering "Him" and realizing that he was just a mural on the wall, Dr. Qiu Shiye did not collapse at once, but devoted himself more selflessly to the unfinished business!

Even now he realized that behind the fourth wall was not what he had imagined.

Even if he had realized that even seeing the Creator did not mean that he could become the Creator......

Night Ten suddenly thought of Dora, the temple maid of the Doma tribe.

It was also at this moment that he finally thoroughly comprehended Dr. Qiu Shiye's mental state.

Death is a matter of day!

He eventually walked out of the mural that trapped him and became a cloud in the sky!

"I made it! I found it! Hahaha......" The old man sitting in front of the desk suddenly laughed, and then stood up from the experimental table energetically.

Excited like a child, he hummed a tuneless tune and touched the reactor in the laboratory.

It was a reactor he had pieced together from materials taken down from the starship, and it wasn't just a reactor.

Night Ten learns his movements, even a smile and even a little song out of tune.

As if he had gone mad, he went back to the reactor and slammed the depleted gas tank into the cylindrical metal tank.

"Click-"

There was a slight thud, and the gas tank was stitched together with the patchwork reactor.

"What are you doing?" Looking at the night ten who had gone crazy, Jiang Xuezhou asked nervously.

Ye Shi didn't answer, just reached out and operated on the dashboard on the side of the metal can, as if someone was telling him what to do.

Finally putting the last button back in place, he took a deep breath and released his power armor, his feet on the icy rocky ground.

"We all misunderstood...... Dr. Qiu's research doesn't end there. ”

"What are you talking about, how am I ...... Getting more and more incomprehensible? Jiang Xuezhou's confused voice came from the communication channel.

Ye Shi knew very well that when she was confused, her confusion was actually the confusion that Dr. Qiu Shiye encountered in the early days of his research, and it was also the confusion that normal people would have.

If she had awakened her psionic powers, it might not have been so incomprehensible.

“…… This reactor is not meant to maintain power to the laboratory, or more than that. ”

"And what is it?!" Jiang Xuezhou asked incomprehensibly.

Yashi said in a convicted and speechless tone.

"It's a miracle."

Jiang Xuezhou stared at the screen stunned.

"Strange, miracle?"

At ten o'clock in the evening, I bowed my head.

"It's a ...... The perforator is a miracle created by the will of the 'mortals' and the gods. It can pass through the void, through the 'window of vision', or the 'fourth wall'. ”

Jiang Xuezhou's brain was blank, and the whole person was stunned in front of the holographic screen.

"Break...... The fourth wall?! ”

Yashi nodded slightly, a meaningful and complicated expression on his face.

His kindness to the world led Him to choose to take Him away in the end, just as we did Dora. Whether or not that's what she wants, we've got to give her a choice...... I think the echoes of His stay in this universe think the same way. ”

The information that psionics can exchange must be mutually agreeable to both parties.

And at this moment, he finally truly understood the sentence he left behind-

"It's not like you haven't succeeded."

As he spoke, Yashi removed the nuclear battery of the power armor and guided the nuclear battery that he pinched on his fingertips to release a terrifying electric current.

The scorching energy gathered in the air into a crackling arc of light, and the blinding light made it impossible to meet the eye.

Although this energy is only a drop in the bucket compared to the energy required to open the hyperspace channel, it is enough to power this "mini-level" perforator!

All he needed was a hole the size of a hair, and he didn't want to destroy the planet.

The restless stillness made every hair and sweat float up all over his body.

The drone floating on the side fell to the ground out of control, and intermittent exclamations were heard in the communication channel.

"You're ...... Do...... What?! ”

Channeling that terrifying current into the reactor in reverse, Night Ten said in a gentle tone.

"I'm showing you ......"

"This perforator can not only fold the mass and energy in this universe into the light of another universe, but also expand the light from the other universe into energy or mass...... It's like taking apart a folded paper airplane,"

He's not kidding.

Under his guidance, the perforator, built a century ago, was successfully activated, and successfully drilled a small eye into the fourth wall that could never be broken, allowing the light of another universe to shine through.

In another universe, it was just a tiny beam of light, too small to even be caught with the naked eye, so small that it couldn't even illuminate a speck of dust.

However, when it fell into this universe, the dusty light turned into a giant in an instant, and released a terrifying energy that was enough to burn the entire planet!

Luckily, there was a suitable container waiting there just where it fell.

The "battery" that was plugged into the reactor and could never be recharged was filled in an instant......

The sparkling light faded out.

The drone, which had fallen to the ground out of control, floated back up and flew to the front of the reactor.

Once again, a pale blue scanning beam shone onto the metal casing of the gas tank.

And this time, Jiang Xuezhou was completely shocked.

"Helium III...... This is...... How?! ”

Helium four combines with protons that come from an unknown number of places and becomes helium three again......

How is this possible?!

Her head was like a stick, and she was stunned in place, unable to say a word with her mouth open and closed.

The universe has undergone entropy reduction, from disorder to order, and physics has once again disappeared in front of her......

Maybe it's not enough to have a diplomat with psychic powers, they also have to go to Earth and tie up a few physicists on board.

Listening to the muttering on the other end of the communication channel, Night Ten gently pulled the fully charged gas tank from the "Vision Perforator".

"Anyway, the fuel to go home is there...... And theoretically, how much and how much. The only risk is that frequently borrowing energy from another world can attract things that get stuck in the wall, so it's better to use less or less. ”

Exactly how Dr. Qiu Shiye completed the device remains a mystery.

Even with His help, it is surprising enough to be able to do such a thing.

After a pause, Night Ten continued.

"As for how the hell is that...... I think we could study this subject in a century. ”

——

(Thanks to the leaders of "ice_Ω" and "|badass|" for their rewards!! There are currently two thoughts on the new book, and I would like to hear everyone's opinions. A cyberpunk, mechanical ascension, set in a massive cyberized boulder city, with a focus on combat and prosthetics, as well as "psionic energy" as a golden finger. Another idea is to weave through the game world in groups, digitize the starry sky, and inherit the forum and part of the setting of the book's official website. One is probably going to be plot, and the other is probably farming. The third idea is still in the works...... ）

(End of chapter)