Chapter 56: The Wormhole Takes Shape

The wormhole could form at any moment. Originally planning to return and rest, the two of them changed their plans immediately. They had tents set up nearby and sent a message to the commander, urging him to drop everything and come at once.

The location wasn’t too far from the capital, so the commander should be able to make it in time.

There was also their mecha.

Previously, under Xi Ming’s guidance, Shi Chan had already repaired the mecha’s external shell, but many auxiliary systems were still damaged. Right now, they couldn’t afford to care about those; as long as the mecha had protective functions, it would suffice.

Shi Chan and his team’s sudden change of plans naturally caught Jugu’s attention. After carrying out Shi Chan’s instructions, someone casually inquired about the reason.

To be honest, they had gotten along quite well with Jugu during this time. Shi Chan saw no reason to hide it and directly explained that a wormhole was about to appear here. Though they had no idea where it led, it might be their only chance to return home. Therefore, they had decided to leave through the wormhole.

“That sounds dangerous,” Cheng San instinctively found the plan unreliable. “You were already badly injured when you arrived through a wormhole. This one…”

“We have to go back, regardless,” Shi Chan replied. With that, there was nothing more to say.

It wasn’t difficult to understand. If Jugu people were stranded in a foreign country, their foremost desire would be to return home. The same held true for those stranded on another planet.

Within a day, Commander Liang Yongqing had rushed over. But he wasn’t alone—he brought along a group of elderly scholars with eyes ablaze with curiosity.

Wu Hongyuan, who went to inquire about the situation, returned with a troubled expression. “These people are top experts in their fields. When they heard about the wormhole, they insisted on seeing it for themselves.”

Shi Chan frowned. “I can’t protect them. My abilities can shield the mecha, and inside, apart from Xi Ming and me, we can maybe fit the commander. But I can’t take anyone else.”

“…That’s not the issue,” Wu Hongyuan said hesitantly. “They mean to go through directly.” Life and death be damned.

Shi Chan fell silent. Perhaps he shouldn’t have spoken about the wormhole so casually.

“You don’t need to worry about that,” Wu Hongyuan assured him. “We’ll keep them from getting too close. Even being able to observe it from the side is a rare opportunity.”

Wu Hongyuan wasn’t the type to sacrifice himself for scientific curiosity, but he respected those who would. Still, he had orders to follow. If Jugu’s top scientists were lost all at once, their country’s development would suffer. After all, even with new technologies in hand, they still needed people to research and apply them. If they couldn’t, Jugu would only become vulnerable to other nations.

“This is your problem to deal with,” Shi Chan said indifferently. “The wormhole should take a few more days to stabilize. No one should approach it, and there must be no weapon fire.”

While the formation of a wormhole was irreversible, accidents could still happen. If anything went wrong, they would lose their chance to go home.

“I’ll handle it,” Wu Hongyuan promised.

The sudden emergence of the wormhole caught them off guard. They felt unprepared, their plans disrupted.

The only thing they could do now was strengthen themselves. Over the next few days, Shi Chan meditated inside a tent, striving to adjust his state to its peak.

Meanwhile, Jugu was in turmoil. Scholars continued to insist on exploring the wormhole. The discussions and debates stretched into the night, and eventually, even the government wavered.

After all, if that alien commander had survived his passage through the wormhole without any special protection, could they not do the same? Could this not be their chance to see the vast interstellar world?

The thought was intoxicating, like a dangerous drug—known to be perilous, yet impossible to resist.

“I’m not afraid to die. I want to go!” someone finally declared.

One after another, more voices joined in.

By the time Shi Chan’s group was waiting for the wormhole to stabilize, Jugu had secretly prepared an entire “suicide squad.”

“What did you just say?!” Shi Chan raised his voice upon hearing the news. “So you mean to say that after we go in, you plan to send a whole group in after us, even if it means certain death?”

Shi Chan understood these people had their beliefs, but he still disapproved of their reckless actions. Trying to suppress his anger, he reasoned, “You have to understand, with your current level of technology, if you continue developing, you will one day reach the stars.”

Living meant a future with endless possibilities.

Even in the interstellar age, wormholes remained a mystery. Given their planet’s current scientific progress, even if they all jumped in, their limited understanding of physics meant they were unlikely to gain anything meaningful.

“But this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us,” a member of the wormhole project countered. “We’re not leaving recklessly. Over the past few days, we’ve made our preparations and said our goodbyes. Our departure will not impact Jugu or this planet.”

Among them were only five scientists. The rest were young volunteers—including Xu Lin.

These people weren’t aged scientists nearing the end of their lives, seeking one last truth.

Shi Chan looked at Xu Lin.

Xu Lin met his gaze, his decision firm. “I want to see that unknown world.”

Not for his country. Not for the world. Just for himself.

He wanted the possibility of an unknown future—one where he might perish in space or arrive at a wondrous destination.

Shi Chan stared at them. The words of dissuasion caught in his throat.

“…It’s your choice,” he finally relented. “Make sure to prepare proper protective gear. At least wear the newly developed defense suits. Also, see if you can use airtight, reinforced pods for additional protection.”

That was all he could do. If he had the strength, he would look after them during the journey. Beyond that, he could guarantee nothing.

The wormhole project members accepted his advice and began preparing.

The next day, as the wormhole stabilized, Shi Chan could clearly feel a faint, familiar pull emanating from it.

It was strange yet familiar.

Taking a deep breath, he looked at the now-ethereal space ahead. “Ming-ge, get inside the mecha. Once I’m sure it’s stable, we’ll leave.”

He glanced at the twenty-person team standing ready and, with a sigh, quietly reinforced their equipment with protective formations, hoping it would offer some safeguard.

Five minutes later, Shi Chan entered the mecha, piloting it toward the wormhole. Behind him, Jugu’s volunteers, packed two per protective pod, were sent through using massive mechanical arms.

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K32 Planet, Nico State Outskirts.

A thin young boy ran toward a landfill, his hands clenched into fists inside his pockets.

He reached a corner filled with junk and whispered, “Hui Hui! Come out to eat!”

Cautiously, he took out the crumbs he had gathered and placed them in a relatively clean plastic box.

After a moment, a gray-furred creature peeked out from between the garbage, sniffing the air before slowly crawling out.

Just then, a sharp voice interrupted, “You little thief! Stealing food to feed an animal?!”

The boy’s face turned pale as a furious woman hurled something at him. But before her rage could escalate—

BOOM—

The ground trembled. Two massive objects crashed down.

A stunned Shi Chan climbed out of his mecha, pulled the unconscious woman from the wreckage, and turned to the tiny, cowering boy.

At that moment, a small, dusty creature darted toward him. Shi Chan caught it in his arms, voice filled with disbelief and joy.

“Rong Feifei!”

The creature trembled in his embrace, letting out tearful whimpers. “Wu wu…”

Shi Chan’s eyes softened. “So it was you who guided us home.”