Chapter 182 - 181: Dire Straits
In that moment, all of Li Qingsong’s earlier excitement vanished, replaced by an unparalleled solemnity.
The Clone from the Solar System had reestablished its conscious link with him, which clearly meant that the Clone had been awakened.
’The automated program I set was designed to awaken the Clone only upon detecting an unexpected situation, such as the arrival of an external fleet.’
’This must mean something has happened in the Solar System.’
As he thought, once the connection was restored, images and information from the Clone in the Solar System began flooding into his mind, transmitted via a method Li Qingsong couldn’t begin to comprehend.
Li Qingsong saw a dim star appear on the telescope’s observation interface.
The star was unremarkable, like any of the countless ordinary stars. But Li Qingsong knew that no star had existed in that position before!
’It’s obvious what it is.’
It was the engine exhaust of a fleet, just like when he had first seen the Blutuk Fleet! Furthermore, the exhaust was directed toward the Solar System; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to see it. And that meant it was decelerating as it faced the Solar System—its final destination was the Solar System!
Through the telescope’s observations, Li Qingsong quickly determined the current velocity and acceleration of this dim point of light.
The final data left Li Qingsong stunned.
The observations showed that the point of light’s velocity relative to the Solar System was approximately 220,000 kilometers per second, a staggering 73.3% of the speed of light!
Furthermore, the point of light was decelerating at a rate of approximately 0.8 meters per second squared. Based on this deceleration rate, by the time it reached the Solar System, its velocity would have dropped to about 1,000 kilometers per second.
A velocity like that was practically equivalent to being stationary within the Solar System.
At present, it was still about 3.2 light-years from the Sun. In another 8.8 years, it would reach the Solar System.
’My telescopes in the Solar System can see this fleet’s engine exhaust from 3.2 light-years away...’
’Just how bright is this fleet’s deceleration exhaust?! And how highly focused must it be?’
’The level of technology implied by the engine exhaust alone is so advanced it’s almost beyond my imagination.’
’And... a deceleration rate of 0.8 meters per second squared?’
’When my fleet left the Solar System, our acceleration was a mere 0.04 meters per second squared! This fleet’s rate is twenty times our own!’
’The number 0.8 meters per second squared doesn’t sound like much. Even my most outdated Warship could easily exceed that tenfold.’
’But I can’t forget, this is the acceleration rate for an entire, massive fleet—tens or even hundreds of millions of ships of all sizes, all acting in perfect coordination.’
’That’s completely different from the acceleration rate of a single vessel.’
’Take my fleet, for example. A single Mercury-class Warship can reach a maximum acceleration of tens of meters per second squared. But as a migration fleet of over a hundred million vessels, our maximum acceleration is only 0.04 meters per second squared.’
’It wasn’t for lack of trying; it was simply impossible to go any faster.’
’How difficult is it to coordinate a fleet of a hundred million ships? The difficulty is so immense that if the acceleration were any higher, we’d lose all cohesion.’
’And yet, this fleet can decelerate at 0.8 meters per second squared...’
’The level of technology this implies is staggering—even more staggering than the fact that I can see its engine exhaust from 3.2 light-years away.’
Now, a fleet possessing technology so advanced he could barely imagine it was heading for the Solar System.
’It has to be the Intelligent Mechanical Calamity the Blutuk People warned me about!’
At this moment, even though Li Qingsong was already in the Oriental Star System and the Intelligent Mechanical Calamity was heading for the Solar System, he did not dare let his guard down for a second.
The reason was simple.
’Since the Intelligent Mechanical Calamity has now reached the Solar System, it means the decoys—the empty ships the Blutuk Civilization used when they fled the Blutuk Star System—failed to completely throw it off their trail.’
’The decoys must have had some effect, or the Intelligent Mechanical Calamity wouldn’t have taken so long to arrive. But it did arrive eventually, which means their effectiveness was limited!’
’They could only buy a little time, at best.’
’So...’
’If the Blutuk Civilization’s decoys only bought them a little time and couldn’t shake the Intelligent Mechanical Calamity’s pursuit...’
’...what hope do my own decoys, which I set up in the Solar System using the exact same methods, have of succeeding?’
’Impossible!’
’I’m almost certain that once the Intelligent Mechanical Calamity reaches the Solar System and runs its scans, best-case scenario, it will take them some time to eliminate the other decoy trails before coming to the Oriental Star System. Worst-case scenario, they won’t waste any time at all and will come straight here to capture me!’
’And... I can’t forget, there are 16.8 light-years between me and the Solar System, which means the communication delay is also 16.8 years.’
’The information I’m getting from the Clone right now was sent 16.8 years ago!’
’Based on the Intelligent Mechanical Calamity Fleet’s deceleration rate, they should have reached the Solar System long ago. For all I know, they’ve already finished their scans and are hurtling toward the Oriental Star System right now!’
’With their acceleration of 0.8 meters per second squared and a top speed of 74% of light speed, it would take them only 35 years at most to cross this vast distance—a journey that took me centuries!’
An icy dread filled Li Qingsong’s heart.
’My many large-scale scientific installations have only recently been completed. This period of focused, all-out technological development has only lasted for two short years, and now I have to stop? Before we’ve even managed to produce a single significant breakthrough?’
’But what choice do I have? At this moment, what else can I do but run?’
’It’s a good thing the first thing I did after arriving in the Oriental Star System was to fully repair the fleet and restock our long-haul supplies. That’s the only reason we can even consider an immediate escape. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to leave even if we wanted to.’
But...
’Do I really have to just turn tail and run like this?’
Li Qingsong’s mind raced.
’The Intelligent Mechanical Calamity has tracked us to the Solar System. It’s almost guaranteed to come to the Oriental Star System next. Even if I flee to another Star System, there’s a high probability it will just follow me there, too.’
’What’s more, the Intelligent Mechanical Calamity is more than ten times faster than my fleet. Even if I run as fast as I can—doing nothing at each star system but refueling and immediately jumping to the next—they’ll almost certainly close the distance and eventually catch me.’
’The rest of my life would be spent just running.’
’After all, you can’t develop new technology when you’re constantly on the run.’
’Running now, in a panic, would only delay the execution. It wouldn’t change the final verdict: death.’
’So...’
’I can’t just run.’