204: Chapter 204 Warp Drive Engine? Then we can go visit someone.

Inside the command room of the luan niao starship, the atmosphere was as heated as a pot of boiling water.

A massive holographic star map hovered in mid-air, its dim blue light casting shifting shadows across Jiang Chen's face. He stood before the map with his arms crossed, his gaze scanning the twinkling stars like a lion patrolling its territory.

Academician Chen Shuyin, Zhao Gang, as well as Grand Commander Lei Zhen and the scientist Zero—who had just been drafted from the Wasteland—all gathered around, holding their breath as they awaited the next instruction from their "Captain."

"Old Chen, since the engine test was successful, our operational radius can no longer be limited to the small puddle that is the Solar System."

Jiang Chen extended a finger and swiped sharply across the holographic star map. The map instantly zoomed out, crossing the boundaries of the Solar System to lock onto a region of space 4.2 light-years away from Earth.

Following his movement, a planet emitting an eerie purple light was magnified, hovering before everyone's eyes.

"Remember this?" Jiang Chen turned his head to look at Academician Chen Shuyin, a smile full of ambition and greed curling at the corners of his mouth. "The 'dowry' Wanqiu gave me. That treasure planet hiding fifty billion tons of gold and an ocean of liquid Helium-3—S-778. Before, it was something we could see but not touch, leaving us only able to swallow our saliva in envy. But things are different now."

Jiang Chen rubbed his hands together excitedly, pointing at the planet: "In the past, even if we used our fastest rockets to fly there, it would take at least tens of thousands of years. By the time we arrived, my ashes would probably have turned into fossils. But now!"

He slammed his hand onto the console, his voice rising an octave. "With the warp drive, with this luan niao starship capable of exceeding the speed of light! Old Chen, calculate it for me—how long will it take us to get to this planet now?"

Academician Chen Shuyin pushed up her glasses, her fingers tapping rapidly on her portable data pad.

Within just a few seconds, she reached a conclusion, though the number felt somewhat unreal even to her.

"If the stability of the warp bubble is maintained at 15% output power, flying at the relative speed of light tested just now..." Academician Chen Shuyin took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in her heart, and slowly uttered a timeframe. "Not considering interference from gravity wells along the way, we only need... one month. To be exact, twenty-eight days and fourteen hours."

"One month?!"

Zhao Gang's eyes instantly widened larger than a bull's, his rough voice echoing in the command room: "Boss! Are you saying that if we take this ship, we can fly to a place four light-years away in just one month? This... this is even faster than taking a slow train from Tianhai to Xinjiang!"

"Never seen anything like it, have you?"

Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow smugly, walking over to pat Zhao Gang on his sturdy shoulder. "This is the charm of the interstellar era. Never mind the Centaurus, as long as there's enough energy, in the future, I'll take you all to the center of the Milky Way Galaxy for a barbecue, no problem!"

He put away his joking expression and turned to face everyone in the command room, his eyes instantly turning cold and resolute. The majesty belonging to the "Father God of the Wasteland" and the "Technological Overlord of Earth" was released without reservation at this moment.

"Comrades, prepare to get to work."

"We have already cleared the map of Earth, and we've played with those people from the Eagle Nation until they've lost their temper. Squabbling with them every day is too boring. Since we have a sharp weapon in our hands to cross the galaxy, we must go see the outside world."

Jiang Chen pointed to the purple star on the holographic star map and issued the mobilization order for the expedition:

"This time's target: Alpha Centauri System, S-778 resource planet!"

"In name, we are going to receive my wife's dowry and incidentally engage in some interstellar development. But in reality..." Jiang Chen licked his lips, revealing a sinister, scheming merchant's smile. "Since that star region could nurture a high-level civilization like 'The Sweepers,' who knows if there might be any native inhabitants on that planet? Or if there's some undiscovered indigenous civilization hiding there?"

"If there are, we'll engage in some 'diplomacy' with them. If they are hospitable, we'll trade fairly; if they don't understand the rules..."

Jiang Chen sneered, his gaze sweeping over the rows of red buttons on the console representing the planet-killing main cannons and antimatter bombs: "Then we'll use the main cannons of the luan niao starship to teach them what interstellar etiquette is!"

"Yes! Captain!"

Zhao Gang and Grand Commander Lei Zhen roared in unison, both warmongers flushed with excitement, itching to rush out and fight aliens right now.

The atmosphere of the entire command room was instantly ignited.

Everyone was busy preparing for this interstellar expedition that was about to change human history. Various orders were transmitted through communication channels to every corner of the base, and the massive war machine began to rumble into motion.

"Old Chen, you hurry up on your end too..."

Jiang Chen turned his head, preparing to instruct Academician Chen Shuyin to prepare the scientific research equipment for the expedition.

However.

He hadn't finished his sentence.

Academician Chen Shuyin, who had been standing by the console and calmly analyzing data just a moment ago, suddenly swayed uncontrollably. Her face, which was already somewhat pale, instantly lost all color, and even her lips turned deathly white.

"Jiang Chen... I..."

Academician Chen Shuyin murmured weakly, and the data pad in her hand dropped to the floor with a "clatter." Immediately after, everything went black before her eyes, and she collapsed straight toward the cold floor like a marionette that had lost its support.

"Old Chen!"

Jiang Chen's pupils constricted, and his heart skipped a beat.

He didn't even have time to think; his body, relying on the instincts of his genetic enhancements, rushed over like a bolt of lightning. At the very last moment before Academician Chen Shuyin was about to hit the floor, Jiang Chen scooped her limp body into his arms.

The touch felt ice-cold.

"Old Chen! What's wrong? Wake up!" Jiang Chen anxiously patted her cheek, but the person in his arms showed no reaction, her eyes closed tightly, her brows furrowed in pain.

"Medic! Get the damn medic!"

Jiang Chen roared hysterically toward the door while holding the unconscious Academician Chen Shuyin, his voice filled with unprecedented panic. This woman was his scientific brain, and more importantly, an indispensable bond in his life; she absolutely could not have anything happen to her!