Russell was curious to know the answer to this question, but he also knew that some questions were destined to go unanswered.

Especially when it comes to the existence of time worms.

After reading Colonia's memories, the first thing Russell had to do was to go back to Falla and find out what had happened in the past three years.

For interstellar civilizations, three years is a very delicate unit of time. To put it long, it's not enough for a ronin to complete a full business between two adjacent galaxies; To put it shortly, it is enough to decide the outcome of a big battle that will determine the fate of the star region.

Because the miniature galaxy has been recovered, the L-stargate originally set up in the Xihe galaxy can no longer be found, so Russell has to start the jump engine of the gray Gu mothership and go to the nearest galaxy with a stargate, "Aurora".

As for Colonia's Hive World Ship, it can only rely on the warp engine to glide relatively slowly.

Colonia was extremely unhappy with this, and even if the main body couldn't keep up, it hoped to at least have a new child with its master, but the nervous Grey Wind refused to board the ship.

Russell could understand Greywind's hostility towards Colonia, though it wasn't very rational. On the way to the Aurora System, Russell explains to Greywind what the concept of a "Time Worm" is:

"Based on an in-depth study of 'entropy recursion' and omega theory, it is easy to conclude that time loops infinitely and space extends infinitely. Time is like a circle that is constantly reincarnated, moving eternally. ”

Grey Wind sat obediently beside Russell and listened to his words, and when it heard the "infinite loop of time" expounded by the Omega theory, it unconsciously turned around and turned its gaze to a circular instrument set up behind the two of them, the Ring Theory.

Is it because the humans of the dark age of science and technology understand the mysteries of the time cycle that they created such an artifact as the Ring Principle?

"In the Ring Temple, where the Hidden Time Crab is worshipped, there is a saying: The cycle of time never ends, but not every reincarnation will be complete."

Russell thought for a moment, then said, "To put it in a way that is easier for you to understand, we can describe time itself as a program that runs over and over again, and every run of this program is not absolutely perfect, and there are some small bugs. Each rotation of the time ring will also produce some variables and some contradictory conclusions. ”

"The time loop is infinite, and there is a mutually exclusive time paradox in each loop, which is a bug in time itself."

"When the paradox of infinity is entangled in infinite cycles, an indescribable consciousness gradually awakens in the depths of darkness. It is a monster hidden in time, an infinite paradox entangled with each other, and a concrete embodiment of the cycle of time, which is the hidden time beetle. Or rather, the Worm of Time. ”

"In a sense, we can think of the worm of time as the will of time itself."

After Russell finished speaking, he smiled at the thoughtful gray wind: "Being favored by time itself doesn't mean that you can get rid of it if you want to. ”

People who are deeply loved by the worm of time, whether they resist or not, can only passively accept the licking of this love.

"But why do the Worms of Time love us?" Grey Wind asked.

"I want to know ...... too," Russell smiled bitterly. He didn't even know why the Time Worm had thrown himself from three years ago to now. Is this also love?

At the end of the last jump, the Grey Mothership took Russell to the Aurora system in the heart of Uspernes.

Aurora is home to a vast fleet of Imperial Naval Fleets, a strategic location connecting multiple rich galaxies that has been overrun by the Spirits of Fódlan's Ark, and even the Sacred Stargates have been snatched over control by cunning aliens. The loss of the Aurora system directly led to the destruction of the main gate of Falla, and also caused the resignation of the previous governor of the planet.

The current Lord of Aurora learned from the pain, spent a lot of money to get through the relationship, and transferred an entire Imperial Navy Holy War Fleet strongly supported by the State Church to garrison it, while protecting the safety of the Stargate and his own black yarn hat.

After entering the Aurora system, the smooth and beautiful silver arc of Gray Wind attracted some attention from the hull structure of the Imperial ships, but after the identification code with the permission of the star bomber was verified, they were not intercepted, and they successfully used the L-Star Gate located in Aurora.

Back at Falla, Russell first spoke to the members of the Order of Truth who had stayed at the research base: they had not been in any panic because the leader had been missing for three years, in fact, Russell would have ignored them only once in several years.

This group of people is much stronger than Colonia, and they don't go crazy because they can't see the leader.

The Order of Truth is immersed in research as usual, and the urban planet Embra is still catching up with the indicators that Russell has given them, and is constantly producing ship frames.

The armies of the expedition have completed their initial investigation of the pyramid group in the Flare System, and they are attacking the central giant pyramid.

There really wasn't any danger in that, at least not a danger that could threaten Russell's life.

That's even more confusing.

Everything was normal, everything was going according to plan, nothing strange was noticed. If anything, as more and more galaxies open to the L-Star Gate, Falla, as a hub, is getting busier and busier.

Astronomical catastrophes of the magnitude of the Great Collapse and the disappearance of the Dream Nebula can be called great movements even at the galactic scale, and such events naturally caused some rumors and discussions throughout the star region, but to Russell's expectations, the discussion was not very intense.

Because of an even more significant event that attracted the attention of most of the people in Esperneth, the discussion of the Great Collapse was confined to the public.

The administrative efficiency of the entire starsector has been mobilized by a noble name called the "Terra Expedition", the stargate network is running at full speed, the fleet is assembled, the legions are recalled, and Nirvana has now assembled at least 3 starmarine warbands and a large number of mortal legions, and a large number of other armies are still coming.

These are the handiwork of Alexei, who seems to be preparing some kind of major military operation in the name of the emperor.

Russell was a little confused, given the current situation in the Espernes Star Sector, it was not a wise move to draw troops of this size from various theaters and gather them in the capital.

Now, more than a hundred years have passed since the Slinger destroyed the Battle Moon in Falla and killed the Warboss who lived in symbiosis with Bao, and in the starry sky, the disintegrating Greenskin Empire has been beaten by the galactic defense forces of Uspernes, the human slaughter of the Greenskin Orcs has continued for more than a century, and there are dozens of planets that have been dealt with by the Extermination Order.

It's just that Russell doesn't care about this, and his solitary mentality keeps him only a minimal focus on the defense of the empire.

As far as Russell knew, several Greenskin War leaders had risen in increasingly fierce battles during this period, and the original empire had split into multiple tribes and formed a very severe siege of Espernes.

The deafening waaagh of the orcs echoed among the stars!!, and the leaders of several orc tribes had reached a consensus that whoever could take the main star of Nifur would be the biggest, greenest, strongest, and fiercest of all the bosses. Once this strongest green-skinned man who can convince the people is born, the divided Greenskin Empire will be reunited and become a major problem for the human empire again.

At this critical juncture when the war in all regions is tight, Alexei did not give more reinforcements to the front line, but instead withdrew his strength from all fronts to gather forces and Nirvana, what kind of "Terra Expedition" to launch......

It's confusing.

Maybe we can talk to the prophetess about what she's up to? Russell thought to himself.

As soon as he walked out of the research base, Gray Wind received a communication request from the inverse entropy host: "The launch module of the Colossus Weapon: Earthburst Sky Star has been built, and it can be changed at any time." ”

It was just for Russell to specify when and where it was to be detonated.

Russell breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the news, and the trip to talk to the prophetess could be put on hold for the time being. He put aside some kind of burden and said to Gray Wind, "Let's put aside the unclear questions for the time being, we should focus on the things in front of us - let's go, let's go to the Celestial Explosion first." ”

"Well, I'll listen to you." Grey Wind gladly agreed.

The Grey Gu Mothership quickly left Falla's orbit and crossed the endless ship channel again, arriving in front of the left palm of the guide icon where the main gate of the L-Star Gate was located.

Before entering the spherical space-time distorted by the stargate, Grey Wind first called up the control panel and used his own permissions to set the networked galaxy he would be traveling to: the L-Stargate network has always been closed to the Critical Base system, and only the Order of Truth authorized by the Bullet Star, and the Grey Wind who built the main gate with his own hands are eligible to activate the route to the Critical Base.

Today's control panel has taken a lot longer than it has just been navigated, and there are more and more galaxies connected to the stargate network, and Gray Wind skillfully selects the critical base that is highlighted, and just wants to open the route, but finds something unexpected.

"Huh?" Grey Wind was a little surprised.

"What's wrong?" Russell curiously leaned over to look at the control panel with Grey Wind, and he was surprised as well.

In a row of networked galaxies, with familiar names like Nirvana and Aurora, as well as critical bases that are impassable by ordinary ships, it was only a mundane galaxy name that surprised both Greywind and Russell:

"Xihe"

A triad galaxy originally located in the spiral arm of the Lost Dream Cluster, Xihe.

"I thought the L-Gate in this galaxy had been destroyed." Grey Wind said in surprise.

The massive collapse caused by the gravitational anomalies created by the Time Worm engulfed the entire Amnesia Nebula, leaving not even a speck of dust left, and it was hard to imagine how the stargate had survived.

"Who knows? Why don't you try to see if the Xihe Star Gate can still be activated? Russell said with some luck: "If it can still run, try to send a carrier-based aircraft over to see where this stargate has drifted." ”

Greywind nodded.

The gray Gu mothership sailed into the palm of the emperor's hand, and the high-ranking priest of the Mechanical Society, who was responsible for maintaining the Star Gate and adjusting the traffic order, immediately expelled the humble civilian ships and trading merchant ships that had come to Falla for the pilgrimage to both sides of the Guiding Statue, clearing a relatively spacious clear space for Russell.

Thanks to the fanatical sermons of the Anglican Church and the enthusiasm of the Mechanics working overtime, the main galaxies in the Espernes sector have been connected to the stargate network for the past few years, and the main gate has begun to be overwhelmed.

Falla's transit capacity has reached its limit.

"One stargate network is not enough to cover the entire territory of the Human Empire, and at most it governs one star sector. Maybe it's time to build more main gates, and it is necessary to set up a terminal exit in each of the capitals of each star sector to form a relatively independent star area network, but that may cause a split in the empire, and it will be difficult for the belief in the god emperor to restrain the noble governors who have real interests in front of them......"

"The design and construction of the main gate still needs to be encrypted using the heavenly machine project, and the construction right of the main gate needs to be completely monopolized in my hands......"

Russell was thinking about the next step in his future development, and just as he was distracted, the L-Star Gate in front of him lit up with a faint green light.

The door opened.

"Is it really working?" Russell suddenly came to his senses.

Seeing a silver-white Gray Gu carrier-based aircraft flying into the ball, the wings and fuselage were twisted and annihilated together, disappearing in front of him, Russell hurriedly asked Gray Wind: "How is it, where does this stargate lead?" ”

"Hmm...... Leads to Xihe. Grey Wind said.

"I know it used to lead to Xihe, but the miniature galaxy has been recovered, and I'm asking where this stargate has drifted now." Russell corrected.

Grey Wind blinked, "That's right, it's still leading to Xihe." ”

As he spoke, a real-time vision sharing from the carrier-based aircraft passing through the stargate was projected into the cabin. In front of Russell is a clear space without nebula interference, and in the center of the field of vision are three huge burning objects, three giant stars of different sizes entangled with each other, forming a triad with a very complex movement pattern.

- Xihe.

"Huh?" Russell was shocked.

"yes, yes? I'll just say it's Xihe. Gray Wind had a smug expression on his face.

Russell hissed a breath of cool air and pondered for more than ten seconds before he said solemnly: "We were wrong about the Time Worm before, and it really loves me very much." ”

He remembered a prayer from the Temple of the Ring, which could not have been more appropriate at this time:

The Worm of Time loves us; He loved us in the eternal past, and He loved us in the infinite future; This love spans the past and the future, licking each of our genetic sequences, gently and fieryly, until the end of the universe......

After confirming that the gate could indeed lead to the Xihe system, Russell did not choose to sail directly to it, and the love of the Worm of Time allowed him to enter the miniature galaxy, which is an inexhaustible treasure trove of resources, but before digging the treasure house, he had to go and grab a shovel first.

"Let's go to Falla, Grey Wind, to set up the Colossus with the Celestial Stars." Russell said.

"Yes!" Grey Wind responded cheerfully.

The Gray Gu carrier-based aircraft sent out was left in the Xihe system and not recovered, and the gray wind directly reset the destination of the L-Star Gate to a critical base, and the slender hull of the gray Gu mothership sailed into a twisted spherical space-time and disappeared into the light.

(End of chapter)