JFWCM Chapter 75

The “Xun Yuan” (Seeking Wan’yuan)

After graduation, Yi Shang’s life trajectory diverged sharply from those around her. While her classmates methodically embarked on new lives, throwing themselves into various fields of work across the interstellar realm, Yi Shang resolutely turned down numerous offers from top interstellar research institutions. These institutions recognized her outstanding scientific talent demonstrated during her time at Xingyao Academy, offering her generous benefits and broad opportunities for development. However, in Yi Shang’s eyes, none of this was as important as finding Jiang Wan’yuan.

She locked herself in the laboratory, utilizing the profound knowledge she had gained at Xingyao Academy, and wholeheartedly devoted herself to modifying a small interstellar spacecraft. She meticulously selected each component, comprehensively and carefully upgrading the ship’s power system, navigation system, life support system, and more. She hoped this spacecraft could become her capable partner as she traveled through the interstellar realm, leading her to Jiang Wan’yuan. After countless days and nights of effort, the spacecraft was finally completed. Yi Shang named it “Xun Yuan,” a name carrying her deep longing for Jiang Wan’yuan and her unwavering determination to find her.

From then on, Yi Shang piloted the “Xun Yuan,” embarking on a solitary and lengthy quest. She traversed various star systems, like a lone traveler searching the vast interstellar space for any possible clue related to Jiang Wan’yuan. As long as she heard even a vague piece of news, she would not hesitate to adjust her course, rushing over regardless of the cost.

She visited bustling interstellar trade centers, commercial hubs where races from various planets gathered to conduct all sorts of trade activities. The markets were filled with a dazzling array of goods, including energy crystals emitting strange light, uniquely designed interstellar technological products, and various rare alien flora and fauna. Crowds bustled, and noisy sounds filled every corner. Yi Shang struggled to move through the crowd, holding Jiang Wan’yuan’s photo tightly in her hand, asking everyone she met, her eyes revealing eagerness and longing. She did not let go of any possible opportunity, carefully observing the expressions of each person, hoping to find a trace of a clue in their reactions. However, the responses she received were mostly shakes of the head and helpless gazes. Each disappointment was like a heavy hammer, striking hard at her heart, but she still did not give up.

She also visited remote and desolate abandoned planets. These planets might once have had thriving civilizations, but now only ruins remained, appearing dilapidated under the erosion of time. Yi Shang wore heavy protective clothing, painstakingly exploring the ruins of these abandoned planets. She carefully searched every stone, meticulously studying every trace of residue, trying to find any hint that Jiang Wan’yuan might have left behind. Sometimes, she would linger in front of an abandoned building for a long time, imagining whether Jiang Wan’yuan had ever sheltered from the wind and rain here, whether she had left behind any words. However, each time she started full of hope, only to end with deep disappointment.

During this solitary quest, Yi Shang became even more taciturn. She buried her emotions deep in her heart, as if locking them in an airtight box. Only in the dead of night, when the vast starry sky outside the spacecraft appeared before her like a black silk inlaid with countless jewels, would she gently open this box and softly call out Jiang Wan’yuan’s name. The sound echoed in the silent spacecraft cabin, carrying endless longing and affection. Her perseverance and persistence shone like the brightest star in the night sky.

During one journey through a dangerous interstellar area known as the “Abyss of Mist,” the “Xun Yuan” encountered a strong electromagnetic storm. Violent energy flows crashed against the spacecraft like surging waves, and alarms blared shrilly in the cramped cockpit. Yi Shang gripped the controls tightly, her knuckles turning white with effort. She stared intently at the flickering instrument panel, struggling to maintain the stability of the spacecraft.

“I can’t stop here, I absolutely can’t,” Yi Shang gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with determination. She quickly adjusted the spacecraft’s energy shield, allocating more energy to resist the electromagnetic storm. However, the power of the storm was beyond imagination, and the shield’s energy readings were dropping rapidly.

Just as the shield was about to collapse, Yi Shang spotted a weak point in the storm’s energy. She took a deep breath, and with her superb piloting skills, steered the “Xun Yuan” like an arrow toward that weak point. At the moment of passage, the spacecraft shook violently, and various instruments emitted ear-piercing screams, as if lamenting the arduousness of this journey.

Finally, the “Xun Yuan” successfully broke through the blockade of the electromagnetic storm and entered a relatively calm area of interstellar space. Yi Shang leaned wearily back in her seat, sweat soaking her back. But she had no time to rest, because she knew that every minute and every second could be crucial to finding Jiang Wan’yuan.

After this thrilling encounter, Yi Shang cherished the “Xun Yuan” even more. She conducted a thorough inspection and maintenance of the spacecraft, ensuring that it could cope with more unknown dangers. During this process, Yi Shang accidentally discovered a hidden function in the spacecraft’s navigation system – it could track down some abnormal interstellar signal sources by analyzing specific energy fluctuations. This discovery gave Yi Shang new hope. She felt that perhaps she could use this function to find clues related to Jiang Wan’yuan.

With this new expectation, Yi Shang embarked on her journey again. Based on the abnormal signals captured by the navigation system, she headed towards a distant and mysterious planet. This planet was shrouded in a mysterious purple light curtain, surrounded by strange energy flows, as if telling of its uniqueness.

As the “Xun Yuan” approached the planet, Yi Shang felt a strong and unfamiliar energy fluctuation. She carefully passed through the purple light curtain and landed on the planet’s surface. As soon as she left the spacecraft, Yi Shang was shocked by the scene before her. Huge crystals grew abruptly from the ground, sparkling with dreamlike light, as if constructing a mysterious alien world.

Yi Shang activated the detection equipment carried on the spacecraft and began exploring this strange land. In a crystal forest, she discovered some strange symbols, symbols that were different from any interstellar script she had studied at Xingyao Academy. Yi Shang took out the analysis instrument she carried with her and tried to decipher the meaning of these symbols. After a lot of hard work, she finally managed to decipher part of the meaning of the symbols – “Forbidden land, intruders will face unknown dangers, but hope is also hidden within.”

Although her heart was full of worries, Yi Shang did not retreat. She continued to explore deeper, and in the depths of the crystal forest, she discovered an ancient ruin. The gate of the ruin was tightly closed, and the gate was covered with the same mysterious symbols as before. Yi Shang carefully studied these symbols, trying to find a way to open the gate.

At this moment, a group of agile alien creatures, radiating a faint light around their bodies, surrounded them from all directions. Their eyes flickered with vigilant light, and they made a low roar in their mouths, as if warning Yi Shang not to approach the ruins.

Yi Shang slowly raised her hands, indicating that she had no malice, but these alien creatures obviously did not intend to let her go easily. They began to attack, and beams of energy shot towards Yi Shang. Yi Shang quickly dodged, while looking for an opportunity to fight back. She used the surrounding crystals as cover, pulled out an energy dagger from her waist, and prepared to fight these alien creatures.

The battle was extremely fierce, and Yi Shang used her agility and tenacious will to maneuver with the alien creatures. In the fierce confrontation, Yi Shang discovered that although these alien creatures attacked fiercely, they seemed to follow a certain attack pattern. She gradually figured out the pattern and began to counterattack in a targeted manner.

After a bitter battle, Yi Shang finally defeated the alien creatures. She gasped for breath, looking at her wounded self, but there was no regret in her heart. She turned her gaze back to the gate of the ruins and continued to study how to open it.

Finally, in an inconspicuous corner, Yi Shang discovered a hidden mechanism. She gently pressed the mechanism, and the gate slowly opened, and an old and mysterious atmosphere rushed towards her. Yi Shang took a deep breath and walked into the ruins.

The ruins were dimly lit, and some stones emitting a faint light were inlaid on the walls, barely illuminating the way forward. Yi Shang walked carefully, every step was full of unknown challenges. Deep in the ruins, she discovered a huge crystal monument, covered with dense symbols and patterns.

Yi Shang approached the crystal monument and carefully observed the contents above. After a long time of deciphering, she finally discovered some clues related to Jiang Wan’ning’s father’s research. It turned out that Jiang Wan’ning’s father had conducted a secret research on this planet, and this research seemed to be inextricably linked to her disappearance.

According to the clues on the crystal monument, Yi Shang learned that on the other side of the planet, there was a hidden underground base, which might hide more key information about Jiang Wan’ning’s whereabouts. Yi Shang did not hesitate and immediately left the ruins and headed to the other side of the planet.

When she came to the other side of the planet, she found that it was shrouded in a powerful energy field, and it was impossible to enter easily. Yi Shang activated the detection equipment again, trying to find the weak point of the energy field. After some exploration, she discovered that there was an energy regulator at the core of the energy field. As long as she could destroy it, she could lift the blockade of the energy field.