Xin Yaoqiao walked back to her room alone to rest and adjust her state before the attempt on death. At a time like this, feeling a bit of embarrassment, excitement, or shyness was no bad thing—it helped dilute the fear.
Yet fear inevitably remained, growing heavier and darker as her thoughts wandered further.
Even though humanity and this world had carried on beneath the shadow of "death" and "destruction" for so long, and Xin Yaoqiao herself had always stood at the vanguard of the resistance, when it came to truly facing death alone at the threshold, her courage still fell short.
This was not something that could be overcome by sheer resolve or willpower alone.
As a researcher, she lacked actual combat experience and had far too rarely stared death in the face.
Through an experience like this, Xin Yaoqiao began to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of Qingzi's battles—because this was the life he had faced again and again, without end.
Shutting the door, there was no one left to witness her state.
Xin Yaoqiao's body trembled slightly. A sense of helplessness welled within her, and she even felt like crying.
Burying her face in her hands, she tried desperately to calm down and regain her composure.
Regarding this attempt, there was nothing in terms of professional expertise she could prepare, nor any way to do so. What Xin Yaoqiao needed now was to get herself into good physical and mental shape.
She was not left with much time. All these adjustments and preparations had to be finished before Zhe Qiuhong arrived.
***
At roughly the same time, at the airship base of Azure Headquarters on Blue Star.
As Zhe Qiuhong led her assistants and relevant equipment toward the medium airship meant to take them to the Miracle Space Station, she caught sight of Chairman Kemore, to her surprise.
Accompanied by several core committee members, he was standing on the launch field.
Zhe Qiuhong assumed they had come to see her off and perhaps offer some parting instructions or requests.
That, however, was not the case.
Beside the airship her group was about to board, another large source energy airship was slowly closing its hatch.
As the people aboard were hidden from view and the airship began its pre-launch sequence, Chairman Kemore finally turned around.
Seeing that they had made eye contact, Zhe Qiuhong took the initiative to halt.
"It's a team from the Airship Research Institute, along with some outstanding scientists from relevant disciplines," Chairman Kemore said as he walked toward her. "They're departing for Mars shortly."
Sending a research team to Mars? So soon? Zhe Qiuhong thought to herself that this seemed rather rushed, but her face remained entirely impassive as she nodded.
She figured the chairman had probably just come over to say hello and mention it in passing.
Surprisingly, Chairman Kemore stopped right before her and asked of his own accord, "Doctor Zhe, what do you think Miwang might have said?"
"I don't know," Zhe Qiuhong shook her head honestly.
"Indeed. We don't know whether Major Xin will succeed, we don't know what Miwang actually said, and we know even less whether what humanity will face as a result is a morning illuminated by the light of hope, or a nightfall descending all the swifter." Chairman Kemore tilted his head up, looking at the sky—or perhaps into the depths of the universe in his imagination—before continuing, "Regardless, every preparation humanity can make is now of utmost urgency."
"Yes, Mr. Chairman." Zhe Qiuhong was suddenly reminded of the "Voyage" dream she had kept hidden in her heart for so long, and the so-called "Spark" project.
She guessed that the time to lobby for it was drawing near.
Yet, at least, not right now.
"Their purpose on this trip is specifically to study the super traction field. Compared to the one at the South Pole, the super traction field on Mars is preserved far more completely," Chairman Kemore said, as if in ordinary conversation. "That is the highest level of source energy technology currently accessible to us."
"It is," Zhe Qiuhong agreed solemnly.
The traction field represented a source-energy-based space transition or space jump technology—science far beyond humanity's current imagination.
Once humanity mastered it, whether for the war itself or for the concept of some humans exploring the universe to find a new home as a fallback, it would exert a decisive impact.
Perhaps one day, humanity could achieve an interstellar migration for a portion of its people through this, escaping the extinction of their species, Zhe Qiuhong thought.
"What no one expected was that it actually possesses a communication function as well," Zhe Qiuhong brought up of her own accord, thinking of the other capability of the traction field that had just been discovered.
"Indeed!" Chairman Kemore smiled, seemingly trying to appear at ease. "Perhaps it is time to have a word with their leader, wouldn't you say? After all, this war has been fought for a hundred years, yet we still have no idea where they are."
Zhe Qiuhong did not smile. "To explore the possibility of peace? But resources mean life and death."
"Yes. That is why we are thinking that if communication truly can be achieved, perhaps we can find a way to intimidate them. With our warriors defeating their vanguard forces time and again, slaying Daies, and even a Putaer, I believe that Miwang ought to worry and ponder whether this species and civilization—once weak in their eyes—has suddenly made an explosive leap forward," Chairman Kemore said solemnly.
The chairman seemed to be growing increasingly optimistic—and not just that, but filled with lofty ambition.
Hearing this, Zhe Qiuhong's interest was thoroughly piqued. This was precisely the cosmic civilizational ecology that she and the Voyage organization had always yearned for, always wanted to explore and understand the most.
"Actually, I've always wanted to know whether they truly carried out such a massive species migration due to resource depletion as we surmised, or whether they were threatened by an even more powerful civilization and forced to flee."
Having said that, a rare flicker of excitement surfaced in Zhe Qiuhong's eyes. She did not care what manner of horror and despair lay behind such a conjecture; she only yearned for more of the universe's civilizations and ecology to unfold before her eyes.
Unfortunately, there was no time to continue the conversation. Zhe Qiuhong glanced sideways toward the lowered hatch of the airship nearby, signaling that her party needed to board.
"Of course." Chairman Kemore gestured invitingly with an open hand, adding in an earnest tone, "Please do everything within your power, Doctor Zhe. We all dearly hope that the voice which will represent humanity in the future—expressing our will to fight and issuing an intimidation to Miwang—can come from Major Xin."
Zhe Qiuhong looked at him and said, "I will."
With that, she led her team members past the chairman and his companions, walking toward the docked airship not far away.
"Wait," Chairman Kemore spoke up suddenly from behind. By his tone, it sounded as though he had abruptly decided to reveal something of immense importance.
Slightly surprised, Zhe Qiuhong halted and turned back.
"Mr. Chairman?" she asked.
"Doctor Zhe, do you know why we have suddenly come to place so much trust in you?" Chairman Kemore asked.
Just today, he and the Council of Elders had taken the initiative to invite Zhe Qiuhong to participate in the highest-level classified conference, and just now he had spoken to her of these matters.
"Because the moment victory was won on Mars, the last divide between us ceased to exist," Chairman Kemore continued.
Zhe Qiuhong vaguely sensed what Chairman Kemore was about to say. Struggling to contain a surge of emotion, she quickly clenched her hands into fists.
"If everything proceeds along its current trajectory, we will reap a vast quantity of resources on Mars, including several Great Spike motherships. You may begin preparations to depart. Whether what follows is breathing room for humanity to develop or an immediate plunge into an even greater war, go—take a portion of humanity with you and begin exploring an interstellar exodus, or rather, carry out that plan known as Spark."
Chairman Kemore said, "We have decided to treat your plan as another possibility for humanity and put it into practice as soon as possible. Humanity can no longer afford to hesitate and wait."
Chairman Kemore, who moments ago had given Zhe Qiuhong an impression of optimism, had suddenly displayed the most pessimistic attitude.
It seemed contradictory, yet on further thought, entirely reasonable.
"Are you not afraid, Mr. Chairman, that what we want is merely a selfish escape?" Zhe Qiuhong asked after a moment's hesitation.
"No, and there is no need to worry about that," Chairman Kemore said with a bitter smile. "Once you depart, you will have no need to obey, and you may be as selfish as you wish. But if conditions permit, please do your best to let those of us remaining on the ground know whether hope still exists in another direction."
Chapter 927