261: We must fear the universe

In the silent depths of the universe, the damaged Apocalypse drifted slowly.

“Warning, warning! The ship’s hull is over fifty percent damaged, multiple power engines are damaged, energy is about to be depleted, unable to enter the preset star patrol, unable to continue sailing. Ship personnel, please perform maintenance immediately!”

“Warning, warning! No maintenance personnel detected inside the ship. Ship energy depleted. Emergency landing on the nearest planet imminent.”

Inside the Apocalypse, the ship’s intelligent system emitted a cold, synthesized mechanical voice.

After several repetitions, the Apocalypse, just a second before its energy was completely depleted, plunged into the nearest planet.

“Warning, warning! The ship has entered the planet. Due to energy depletion, the ship cannot land normally. To ensure crew safety, escape pods will be ejected in advance!”

Bang!

Bang!

Following the mechanical voice of the Apocalypse’s intelligent system, two escape pods were ejected consecutively.

The Apocalypse, after ejecting the escape pods, completely lost control and crashed into a canyon at an extremely high speed.

While the Apocalypse was crashing towards the ground, a figure in a mech suit suddenly appeared after the escape pods were ejected, gathering the two escape pods that had been ejected in different directions, and descending in the opposite direction from the Apocalypse.

Finally, the mech-clad figure, carrying the two escape pods, landed at the foot of a mountain.

Click, click.

After landing, the mech’s faceplate opened, revealing a yellow-skinned Oriental face.

It was Lin Mu.

Lin Mu dragged an escape pod with each hand, found a relatively open and flat area, and set the two escape pods down.

Then he completely exited the mech and reached out to open the escape pods.

But just as he was about to press the button, Lin Mu’s outstretched finger paused, and he tilted his head slightly, as if deep in thought.

A moment later, a blue light suddenly emitted from Lin Mu’s otherwise normal-looking eyes. It first scanned the escape pods, then found a nearby water source and scanned it, and then seemed to be recording something, as a voice emerged from his mouth:

“Blue Star time, 2:30 PM. Ship crash-landed on an unknown planet. Escape pod oxygen remaining: ninety-five percent, estimated to last two and a half days. Unknown planet’s water source contains a large number of microorganisms, unfit for direct consumption. Oxygen content in the air is extremely low, unsuitable for human survival, requiring oxygen supply equipment. Overall environment not suitable for immediate opening of escape pods.”

After recording, Lin Mu looked remotely in the direction where the Apocalypse had crashed, then looked at the two escape pods, his eyes flickering, seemingly contemplating something.

Inside the escape pods were, naturally, Lin Yang and Cang Miao.

Both of them were currently in a state of deep sleep.

However, even in a sleeping state, each breath consumed oxygen within the escape pod.

The oxygen indicator light also flickered continuously, showing the real-time consumption of oxygen.

Lin Mu watched for a few minutes, then suddenly extended his arm, from which a scanning device emerged. It scanned the surroundings, and then a crisp notification sound rang out from the scanning device: “Scan complete. No threatening organisms detected nearby.”

Upon hearing this prompt, Lin Mu turned his head and spoke to the No. 6 Peak Mech standing beside him:

“No. 6 Peak Mech, the escape pod’s oxygen consumption rate exceeds my initial estimate. I must return to the ship to find protective equipment to supply oxygen to Commander.”

“However, this location is far from the ship’s crash site. It is estimated that high-speed movement will accelerate the escape pod’s oxygen consumption, and there is also a possibility of encountering threatening organisms. To avoid accidents, I am now entrusting the escape pods to your protection. I will return as quickly as possible!”

The No. 6 Peak Mech immediately responded: “Understood. No. 6 Peak will defend Commander’s escape pods with its life, but my energy reserves are insufficient. Please be sure to return promptly. I will lose autonomous power in three hours and thirty-six minutes.”

“Three and a half hours?” Lin Mu estimated the time and slowly said, “I will return within three hours.”

“Understood. No. 6 Peak Mech’s intelligent guardian mode has been activated. I will not actively attack approaching entities to conserve energy, but I will counterattack if attacked.”

As No. 6 Peak Mech spoke, it extended its arms, cradling the two escape pods protectively, as if guarding infants.

Lin Mu confirmed the time with No. 6 Peak Mech, then turned and rushed towards the canyon where the Apocalypse had crashed.

No. 6 Peak Mech, meanwhile, shut down its main power engine to reduce energy consumption, found a relatively hidden location, and waited in place, guarding the two escape pods.

At the same time, shortly after Lin Mu departed, a few ships suddenly appeared not far from No. 6 Peak Mech’s location and began approaching it.

Inside the main vessel of these ships, an old man who appeared to be around sixty years old sat in the main seat, looking at the latest scan report of this planet. A few gleams of pleasant surprise appeared in his eyes, and then he turned his head and spoke to a man around twenty or thirty years old beside him:

“Li Mu, well done. The resources on this newly discovered mineral planet are very abundant. If we can fully mine and utilize them, our Li Clan will not have to worry for a hundred years. I’ll make sure you get a great merit for this.”

The young man called Li Mu immediately rubbed his bald head, which had no hair, chuckled, and said, “Uncle Li Shan, I was just lucky to discover it by chance. Since you happened to be nearby, I called you over to take a look.”

Li Shan smiled slightly and said, “Very good. It can be rated as an S-class mineral planet. Now, we just need to confirm that there are no other threats on this planet, and then we can start mining.”

As he spoke, he looked at a mountain range not far below the ship and said, “The largest rare material mine you mentioned is in this place below, right?”

“Yes, Uncle Li Shan.”

“Then let’s land. We’ll go down and confirm it. If there are no issues, contact the clan to apply for ownership with the Federation to prevent it from being seized by others,” the elder Li Shan slowly said.

The young man Li Mu, upon hearing this, showed a hint of pain and said, “Uncle Li Shan, is that really necessary? This planet is so remote; if it weren’t for chance, it wouldn’t have been discovered at all. If we confirm ownership with the Federation, we’ll have to hand over thirty percent of the entire planet’s mineral resources as a certification fee. Wouldn’t it be better if we just accelerated the mining?”

Upon hearing this, Li Shan’s eyes instantly became incredibly serious: “Li Mu! There’s one thing you must remember! The reason we can develop safely now is entirely due to the Federation’s protection. As a price, paying fees to the Federation is mandatory and absolutely necessary. This money must not be saved under any circumstances!”

“This…”

Li Mu scratched his bald head again, wanting to say something more, but Li Shan directly interrupted him: “This is a principle, and it’s a bottom line! If we want to safely mine the minerals on this planet, we must obtain certification from the Federation! You cannot have any Luck mentality (wishful thinking)!”

“But, Uncle Li Shan, there’s no one else here at all. I really think there’s no need to waste a huge amount of resources for nothing…” Li Mu said weakly.

“Li Mu!”

Li Shan instantly stared into Li Mu’s eyes, saying very seriously:

“You think this place is too remote, and you just happened to discover it by chance, but since you could discover it by chance, it’s not guaranteed that others won’t discover it by chance. You must remember that in the boundless universe, any small probability event can happen. You must never have any intention of taking shortcuts!”

“We must revere the universe!”

“Yes, Uncle, I remember…”

Having been reprimanded, Li Mu dared not retort and was about to say he remembered.

But before he could finish his sentence, a piercing alarm suddenly blared on the ship.

“Alarm! An unknown mech and two suspected escape pod devices detected in the target landing zone!”

Along with the alarm, an image was also transmitted.

The mech in the image was none other than No. 6 Peak Mech.

“…Hmm?!”

Looking at No. 6 Peak Mech appearing in the scan image, Li Shan’s expression instantly changed drastically.

Li Mu’s eyes also widened instantly, looking at the transmitted image in disbelief.

He had just sworn that there couldn’t be anyone else here, but in the blink of an eye, he was proven wrong!

Looking at the sharply designed mech in the image, the entire bridge became completely silent.