Chapter 119: Beast Infection

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

Physical experiments, unlike personnel management, couldn’t be rushed by force—at best, careful planning and precision could reduce errors and repetition. Lu Yao faced a stubborn problem: the readings from his large-scale new energy experiments were wildly unstable, fluctuating up and down. Near the Temporal Current test site alone, five explosions had already occurred.

The blasts destroyed the makeshift cosmic experiment platforms and gave Federation Academy researchers firsthand evidence of the energy’s incredible power. Safety protocols were immediately heightened. All ships near the experiment source were replaced with unmanned drones. Yet even with human error minimized, the readings remained volatile.

Lu Yao couldn’t identify the cause and had to keep repeating experiments. Funds drained rapidly. Mo Feng, far away on New Blue Planet, sent him a tearful scolding about the excessive spending.

“Exploring a new power source always demands a huge investment,” Lu Yao stated matter-of-factly.

“Yes, but… but…”

“What is it?” Lu Yao asked. “The Hephaestus organizers promised to cover all expenses. You don’t need to worry about money.”

“They did promise, and the military funded it too,” Mo Feng replied, voice tinged with mischief and concern. “But don’t forget the other sponsor—Helios Group. They made their fortune in energy. Although your Gravity Conversion research isn’t public, top-level figures already know. Maybe that’s why Helios’s stock has been sliding. Your new energy might become a competitor, yet they still have to fund your project. They’re dragging their feet, which I can understand. Just… don’t overspend.”

“I’ll try. It’s not something I can control,” Lu Yao muttered. Mo Feng sighed. “Stock drop aside, Helios has also had a series of transport ship explosions near your experimental zone. The news keeps making headlines. It’s a huge problem for them.”

A sharp ringing hit Lu Yao’s mind, like a steel string vibrating violently in his brain.

Transport ship explosions… where had he heard that before? What happened during the blasts?

He asked instinctively, “What were those ships carrying?”

“Helios energy, fully loaded.”

“Specifically?”

“Hmm… mostly No. 72 Mechanical Energy Liquid, with some miscellaneous energy ores.”

A steel chord seemed to snap into place in his mind, reverberating back and forth. Previous explosions of Helios’s No. 72 Mechanical Energy Liquid had also occurred near Villeau Void—the same incident that had affected Zhou Yunchen.

“Mo Feng, send me the full details of the explosions, immediately.”

“Ah? Did it affect your experiment area?”

“I don’t know. Possibly. Also, get me the monitoring data from the blast sites—I can use it.”

Mo Feng’s expression shifted; he realized Lu Yao’s experiments had truly been affected. “Anything else?”

“Keep it secret. Don’t let anyone know I’m accessing this data.”

After ending the call, Lu Yao strode toward the energy section of the cosmic experiment platform. Like Distant Star, this site used highly purified red crystal fluid, extremely sensitive to the altered molecules of No. 72 Mechanical Energy Liquid. Even minor radiation anomalies could distort instrument readings.

Two attendants were casually drinking tea in the security room, overseeing energy storage. AI handled most tasks, leaving them little to do. Suddenly, they saw the Chief Engineer approaching, his presence exuding icy authority. One attendant flinched and spilled his tea, frantically wiping it up while the other saluted.

“Chief Engineer Lu, what brings you here? Has… something gone wrong?”

Lu Yao’s gaze froze him. Coldly, he said, “Supervisor Mo says the base is short on funds. They plan to reduce new energy allocations. I came to check if the reserves are sufficient.”

Surprised, the attendant stammered, “Y-yes, please proceed.”

Lu Yao didn’t enter, instead pulling up AI inventory records inside the security room. “Hera Red Crystal, WE23, 903 Liquid Hydrogen—consumption is high.”

“Yes, these are frequently used,” replied the attendant. Lu Yao ticked off a few more high-cost items. “If anyone requests these, substitute them with lower-grade equivalents. Consider this my order.”

“Understood. We’ll handle it.”

Before leaving, Lu Yao glanced at the sealed alloy doors. “Lower the isolation lead plates. Prevent cosmic rays from mutating the energy—don’t waste it.”

He moved swiftly to the instrument observation zone, requested the latest data, and instructed the staff to replace high-purity red crystal fluids and other costly energy supplies.

Soon, Mo Feng’s compiled data arrived on Lu Yao’s personal AI assistant. The files still bore the Space Planning Department watermark. Lu Yao activated the security protocol and compared the new energy readings with the data from the Villeau Void incident, where Zhou Yunchen’s mecha navigation had been disrupted. Deus’s calculations revealed… a striking overlap of the curves. Helios Group… could this have been intentional? Or just a coincidence?

Lu Yao couldn’t fathom Helios’s motive. If interfering with the new energy experiments could be attributed to business competition, why tamper with Zhou Yunchen’s navigation systems as well?

Uncertain, Lu Yao spent three more days in the Temporal Current, confirming that isolating the high-concentration red crystal radiation stabilized the energy readings.

The breakthrough sent the research staff into jubilant celebration. Papers and notebooks flew into the air; even Federation Academy professors congratulated Lu Yao. Yet he didn’t relax. His brow remained furrowed, lost in thought.

“Chief Engineer Lu, is something wrong?”

“No… nothing,” Lu Yao shook off his trance. “I was just thinking… about my cat. I didn’t bring him. Now that the experiment has reached a milestone, perhaps I should go check on him. Professor Wang, you’re returning to New Blue Planet to report the results?”

“Yes, monthly reports as per regulations.”

“I’ll go back with you.” Some matters were too sensitive for remote communication. He needed to discuss them face-to-face with Chang Jian and Zhou Yunchen.

As the spacecraft departed the Temporal Current experimental zone, its trajectory passed near the site of the energy transport ship explosions. From an immense distance, Lu Yao could still see bright flames roaring in the cold void of space. The interstellar firefighting teams were still engaged in clean-up and containment.

Each transport ship carried thousands of tons of energy liquid, plus expensive equipment, with total valuations exceeding a billion starcoins. If these incidents were deliberate, the cost of this “game” had already surpassed tens of billions.

Worldly money burned ruthlessly in the empty expanse of space. Yet compared to the gargantuan capital of Helios Group, it was like a tiny wave in the ocean—glinting briefly in the sunlight, stinging the eye, then vanishing without a trace.

The profits generated from supplying energy to billions across the Federation had already exceeded the limits of human calculation. Only a supercomputer of immense processing power could keep track of the calculations for the shadowy tycoons behind the scenes.

Lu Yao closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat, attempting to rest, but the blazing point of the transport ship’s fire still pressed like a needle against his eyelids, refusing to fade.

After landing on New Blue Planet, Lu Yao only had time to send a brief message to Zhou Yunchen and Chang Jian confirming his safe arrival, before he followed the established schedule to the Federation Academy to report on experimental progress.

Once Lu Yao finished his segment and stepped down from the podium, the next young researcher began presenting. He stood at the side of the stage, scanning the densely packed audience.

Most attendees were experts in physics, astronomy, and energy, including a few researchers from Helios Group. Lu Yao glanced toward them, noting their relaxed expressions—not the least hint of concern that their research directions might be replaced.

After the report, the Q&A session began. The first questioner had just finished posing his question when a sudden commotion erupted in the crowd. The young researcher froze, confused. Had his question been too naïve?

From the stage, he cast a helpless look toward his mentor—but the mentor had no time to respond, eyes wide in disbelief as he stared at the urgent alert that had popped up on his personal AI assistant.

Lu Yao had received the same message. Unlike the standard sensational news push the others received, Chang Jian had sent him a terse note through the emergency channel:

“Three hours ago, Erians attacked the Bogra system, Ishihara star. Beast infection confirmed.”

At that moment, the large screens hanging in the conference hall switched to live news feed. Chaotic, bloody scenes filled the display, overlaid with the frantic voices of field reporters.

“Ishihara Star is under assault by Erians. This is footage captured from the front lines by our correspondent. This marks the first time that Erians have been observed near the Federation star cluster center. According to preliminary estimates, before the star police could neutralize them, they had already destroyed half of the livestock on this agricultural world.”

The camera panned over mangled animal corpses, torn into unrecognizable chunks. Blood soaked the once-teal fields into deep crimson.

 

 

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