277: Returning home wounded and embraced by the "veil"

The journey home felt a hundred times longer than the journey here.

"Qianlong" was like a dying silver fish that had been mauled by a giant beast, dragging its battered body as it stumbled forward through the silent starry sky.

The light of its thrusters was as dim as a candle in the wind, and with every tiny adjustment in attitude, the hull emitted teeth-grinding metallic groans and the hissing sound of energy leaks.

Although its deep blue "dragon eye" was still lit, the light was unfocused, like a wounded person who was exhausted to the limit but forcing themselves to stay awake.

The atmosphere on the bridge was heavy, but not hopeless.

Everyone was busy handling various trivial but necessary "life-saving" tasks.

Senior Brother Li and Senior Brother Zhang were like two old craftsmen patching up a dilapidated house, cursing as they carefully directed "Qianlong's" dwindling repair energy and spare parts to deal with the dense red alarms and yellow warnings on the monitoring panel.

"The leak in the No. 3 energy conduit is temporarily sealed, patched with the last of the 'Flowing Silver' gel; I can't guarantee it will make it home... but it'll have to do, as long as it doesn't kill us."

"The big gap on the port side is propped up from the inside with an emergency armor plate; it looks ugly, but at least the wind (energy turbulence) won't blow in."

"Thrusters? It's good enough that they can still push us; what more could you want? Use them sparingly, don't try any fancy maneuvers; we're in interstellar wheelchair mode now."

Wang Wu and Xiao Wu became "Qianlong's" "nurses."

Wang Wu constantly checked the signal strength of the "spore" beacons along the way, ensuring they didn't deviate from the invisible safety corridor extending from the base's "starlight gauze curtain."

Xiao Wu kept speaking softly to "Qianlong" through the sensor nodes, helping it distract itself from the pain and weakness.

"Almost there, almost there. See that potato-shaped meteorite ahead? Once we pass it, we'll be in the 'suburbs' of the 'starlight gauze curtain,' and we'll be home soon."

"Senior Sister Mu will definitely have a way to fix that hole in your belly; she's great at Alchemy, so treating this little 'flesh wound' will be no problem. Maybe she'll even get you some 'supplements' to make you grow stronger."

"We owe you this time, really. If not for that last 'Divine Dragon Tail Whip' of yours that broke those damn chains, we would've died back there. When we get back, I'll have Zhao Iron Pillar give you extra rations... uh, although I don't know what you eat, I'll just reward you properly anyway!"

[Home... almost there...] "Qianlong's" mental response was weak, but filled with longing and a trace of relief, [Zhao Iron Pillar... big guy... will he... praise me?]

"Praise! Definitely! He was so anxious in the comms earlier he almost flew over himself, but Senior Sister Mu held him back. He must be waiting at the base entrance right now!" Xiao Wu quickly replied.

Wen Youyi sat in the main seat, eyes closed, adjusting his breathing, while his Mental Energy maintained a basic connection with "Qianlong's" consciousness, feeling every "heartbeat" (energy pulse) and "breath" (Star Pattern rhythm).

He reviewed every detail of the skirmish in his mind: the bait disguised as a mineral vein, the precise double trap (spatial adhesive net + dark gold chains), the fearless "Swarm" with simple collective intelligence, and that desperate struggle in the blade forest...

This was not an accident, let alone a natural phenomenon.

This was a systematic, targeted, and malicious defense/hunting System.

The goal was clear—to capture, extract from, and eliminate intruders possessing the energy characteristics of the "Star People" (pure starlight).

It was just like a spider web waiting for flies, only this "web" was more intelligent and brutal.

"'Reapers'... they really are like ghosts that won't leave." A deeper chill settled in Wen Youyi's heart.

They had inherited the legacy of the "Star People," and also this "hatred" and "pursuit" that had spanned endless years.

The road ahead was destined to be accompanied by these malicious entities hidden in the shadows of the starry sky.

Time passed bit by bit, and in the background of the starry sky, the familiar outline of the wreckage gradually became clear.

Ahead, in the area gently shrouded by the "starlight gauze curtain," one could vaguely see a faint, silvery halo like the mist of dawn.

"Entering the outer perimeter of the 'starlight gauze curtain'!" Wang Wu said excitedly, "Signal is clear! The base is guiding us!"

Sure enough, in the void ahead, several pre-deployed "sentry dumplings" simultaneously lit up with soft guiding beams, marking out a "starlight Avenue" directly to the base's dock for "Qianlong."

When "Qianlong" finally trembled as it crossed the boundary of that invisible "starlight gauze curtain," everyone on the bridge, including "Qianlong" itself, felt as if they had suddenly fallen from the cold, deep Universe into the warm, safe, and vibrant embrace of home.

That ubiquitous, gentle, and pure starlight fluctuation, like a mother's hand, gently brushed over every wound on the hull, bringing comfort and nourishment.

At the gaps in "Qianlong's" damaged armor, the leaking energy flow slowed significantly, and it even began to reverse, absorbing the abundant starlight energy in the surrounding environment for basic replenishment.

Its deep blue "dragon eye" also seemed to brighten a little.

[Home... back... comfortable...] Its consciousness carried deep exhaustion and a reliance that had finally relaxed.

The entrance to the base's dock was already open, brightly lit inside, with figures moving about.

Zhao Iron Pillar's burly figure was indeed standing at the very front, with Mu Wanqing beside him, along with the anxious consciousness fluctuations of the "heart module," and even many "little bean sprouts" gathered nearby, emitting "ripples" of concern and welcome.

"Qianlong" used its last bit of strength to adjust its posture, aimed at the entrance, and slowly glided in.

When its battered hull finally came to a complete stop in the familiar dock berth, everyone on the bridge let out a collective sigh of relief, their nerves, which had been taut for nearly two hours, suddenly relaxing, leaving them almost collapsed.

As soon as the hatch opened, Zhao Iron Pillar rushed in first. Seeing that Wen Youyi and the others were pale and exhausted but unharmed, he let out a huge sigh of relief, then looked at the damage and alarms all over the bridge, his face twisting in pain: "Oh my goodness... what kind of suffering did you go through! Those damn metal lumps! Don't let me catch them!"

Mu Wanqing followed closely with the medical and maintenance team. Without a word, she first stuffed a "Origin-Returning Pill" that nourished the mind and replenished Origin Qi into everyone's hands, then immediately began checking "Qianlong's" injuries.

"The external injuries are severe, but the core module and ship spirit consciousness have no irreversible damage; it's the best of a bad situation," Mu Wanqing diagnosed quickly. "It needs a large amount of pure energy immersion and 'Flowing Silver' nutritional supplements, and the key damaged areas need replacement or deep repair of the Star Pattern structure. It'll probably have to 'lie' in the dock for a while."

The "heart module" sent a wave of pain and pride: [Little brother... brave... rest well... I will help you... watch the home.]

A group of "little bean sprouts" also gathered next to "Qianlong," extending their small silver tentacles to gently touch the relatively intact parts of the hull, conveying simple thoughts of "comfort" and "admiration."

Xiao Wu quickly translated: "They're saying, 'Brother Qianlong is so amazing, he brought us home even though he was hurt,' and 'Get well soon, and take us to play.'"

"Qianlong" lay quietly at anchor, accepting the care and "treatment" from its "family," its deep blue "dragon eye" blinking slowly, conveying the thought [Thank you... everyone... I'm okay...], weak but filled with warmth.

Returning to the base's main control room, Wen Youyi did not stop to rest and immediately summoned the core members for an emergency meeting.

He recounted in detail the entire experience of the "Anvil" encounter, the enemy's characteristics, the trap analysis, and their final narrow escape, without holding anything back.

As he described it, the expressions of those present became increasingly serious.

"Traps... Swarm... targeted hunting..." Senior Brother Li turned pale. "This is no longer an accidental event; this is a premeditated 'anti-theft System'! Specifically targeted at people like us who carry the scent of the 'Star People'!"

"Furthermore, the follow-up data transmitted back by the 'spore' network shows that the energy disturbance in the 'Anvil' area did not subside after we left, but instead shows signs of spreading." Wang Wu pulled up the data. "That area is very likely a 'Swarm' nest, or at least an important operational stronghold."

Senior Brother Zhang pushed up his glasses, his gaze sharp behind the lenses: "The more troublesome thing is that this encounter proves our previous activities may have already attracted the attention of these 'Scavengers.' They can set ambushes and pursue, which means they possess a certain ability to learn and remember. 'Anvil' is not too far from our base; could they... follow the vine to find the melon?"

This question made everyone's heart tighten.

Wen Youyi was silent for a moment, then slowly said: "We must take this possibility seriously. Therefore, our strategy needs to be adjusted."

"First, the defensive strength of the 'starlight gauze curtain' must be maintained at a high level long-term. At the same time, we must develop more aggressive 'repulsion' or 'purification' methods; we cannot just rely on passive defense."

"Second, suspend all direct exploration of 'Anvil' and similar high-risk areas. Reconnaissance missions will shift entirely to more covert and safer long-distance 'spore' deployment and passive information collection."

"Third, the repair and reinforcement of 'Qianlong' is the top priority. The problems exposed and experience gained from this actual combat must be immediately applied to the upgrade of 'Qianlong' and the future design of 'hope.' We must build a starship that can fight, can take a hit, and can run."

"Fourth," he looked at everyone, his tone heavy, "Everyone must be prepared for battle. The journey home through the star sea is not a romantic trip. It is a war, a war against the shadows left by the 'Reapers,' a war against unknown dangers. We must become stronger."

After the meeting ended, Wen Youyi walked to the dock alone, looking at "Qianlong," which was being wrapped by countless maintenance "Bean Sprouts" and streams of energy light, receiving treatment like a critically ill patient, a thousand emotions surging in his heart.

This time, they survived by luck, relying on "Qianlong's" tenacity, the wisdom of their companions, and the timely help of "home."

What about next time?

He looked up at the starry sky outside the dock, which was gently protected by the "starlight gauze curtain" but also isolated from the outside world.

Inside the "starlight gauze curtain" is home.

Outside the "starlight gauze curtain" is the battlefield.

They must make their home stronger as soon as possible, and they must sharpen their blades for battle as soon as possible.

Because the shadows have arrived, and the journey home... is destined to be accompanied by blood and fire.

(End of Chapter)