Chapter 35: A Person’s Race, Section 4

Time passed slowly, and the sweat from his black hair soaked his spacesuit. Taking deep breaths, he grew increasingly dissatisfied with his own stamina.
It was just a few kilometers of climbing—why was it so difficult? It hadn’t been like this on Earth before. He must have relied too much on his mech, causing him to neglect physical training. Damn it, it was an unforgivable mistake. Black Hair raised his head again to confirm his target, filled with resentment.
Still, he had set the bar too high. Climbing thousands of meters under everyone’s gaze required effort far beyond what most people could imagine. Though the mountain seemed simple, it was incredibly steep. Along the way, there were many nearly vertical rock faces. He had to avoid surveillance from above while moving as fast as possible—the difficulty was immense. Naturally, his physical strain was enormous. To put it mildly, his current efforts already exceeded what humans could possibly achieve. And yet, he wasn’t satisfied?
“Creak…” His toes touched a slightly raised rock, allowing him to stabilize himself against the cliff face. He took a deep breath, and by the time he exhaled, his body had become much slimmer. Then, with a slight push of his fingers against the rock, he slipped into a crack nearby.
This was a resting spot he had spotted earlier—a narrow crack just a few dozen centimeters wide. Normally, it wouldn’t even be wide enough for one person, but with some manipulation, he could fit inside. The crack was deep, offering a rare dark area on the island—perfect for hiding from the omnipresent light orbs above. Black Hair knew he needed to rest here for a while to regain enough strength before moving on.
He had already climbed half the distance, getting closer to that mirror-like rock wall, with fewer and fewer resting spots left. After calculating, he realized that aside from where he was now, he probably had only one more resting spot available—and it wasn’t even on the optimal route. If he wanted to use it, he would have to take a detour and climb an extra distance.
More and more light orbs floated in the air. Black Hair guessed it was because those “angels” who guarded the resting spots had returned, making the path ahead even harder—especially near that rock wall, where numerous light orbs gathered. It was almost impossible for him to slip in under their watchful eyes.

However, he had no choice. He only hoped that entering wouldn’t cause too many abnormalities… Kurokami sighed again, growing less hopeful about this idea. He closed his eyes slightly and tried to rest. Soon, his rapid breathing stabilized, and his tense muscles regained their strength. Though still wet all over, his physical condition was undoubtedly at its best.

As for his soaked clothes, Kurokami couldn’t do anything about them. The spacesuit had an automatic adjustment system, but he had to conserve energy and couldn’t use it. He could only let the clothes stick to his body—slippery and uncomfortable.

Reaching out again, Kurokami took advantage of the brief moment when the light sphere above him dimmed to dash forward, climbing swiftly upward. His freshly rested body possessed terrifying strength; with each push, he would soar more than two meters like a rocket. If not for the need to hide his presence, his speed would have been even faster. Visibly, the distance between him and the stone wall was shrinking rapidly.

After a short rest, Kurokami made up his mind. He decided not to use the last resting spot but to rush straight for his target. This way, he could save at least five minutes and greatly reduce the chances of being discovered.

His limbs moved quickly and powerfully as he approached the stone wall like a gecko, using his camouflage to hide his movements. Just as he was about to reach it, a slight energy fluctuation came from above. A cold glint appeared in Kurokami’s eyes as he immediately stopped moving, remaining motionless like the surrounding rocks. At the same time, a giant “angel” flew past him toward the other side of the island.

So close… Kurokami wiped the cold sweat from his brow, still shaken.

There had been no warning before that “angel” passed by, and the unusual space here prevented any warning from air circulation. He had almost revealed himself. If not for the natural energy fluctuations of those “angels,” he might have lost everything.

But now… Kurokami looked up again, a hint of pride in his eyes.

It seemed nothing could stop him now.

After half an hour of climbing, the mirror-like stone wall was just a short distance away. Although there were still many light spheres around, Kurokami had figured out their flight patterns. According to his calculations, between each interval of five minutes when they crossed paths, there would be less than three seconds when they turned their backs on the wall. That was the opportunity Kurokami needed.

Kurokami waited patiently. At the moment when the opponents crossed paths again, he suddenly leaped up like a cheetah that had been lurking for a long time, rushing forward in an instant!!
Now was the time!!
His strong muscles granted him extreme strength, and short-distance sprints were his forte. In an instant, his speed reached its peak. The sudden shift from extreme motion to extreme stillness was so abrupt that a row of hazy afterimages appeared behind him. In those mere three seconds when the “angels” crossed paths, he successfully covered a distance of a hundred meters and arrived at the huge mirror-like stone wall. Without hesitation, he stretched out his left hand and placed it on it.
What!?
His pupils contracted sharply—the expected ripples did not occur. The cold touch told Kurokami that this stone wall was not an illusion but a real entity. In an instant, he was stunned, his expression filled with disbelief.
Had he made a mistake in judgment? All his efforts over such a long time would be in vain? Then, the overwhelming “angels” would tear him to pieces, just like those Moor giant ships?
A complex mix of emotions swept through Kurokami’s mind, causing him to lose his composure for the first time, even halting his movements. The three seconds he had been waiting passed in an instant, and the “angels” behind him had already turned half around.
Time seemed to freeze here.
In that brief moment, it felt as though Kurokami had gone through countless years. He watched helplessly as the “angels” turned around, watched as brilliant golden light burst from their blank faces, watched as they rushed at him, and then… watched as everything in front of him turned into nothingness. Then, darkness enveloped his vision.
In the darkness, Kurokami suddenly heard a hoarse voice.
“Welcome to my home, stranger. My name is Henry, and I am the master of this place. I suppose you must have come to see me. I’ve been waiting here for a long time too…”
A strong sense of dizziness overcame him, and Kurokami lost consciousness.
……
While Kurokami was unconscious, on the other side of the universe…
A huge silver-white building floated alone in the starry sky, surrounded by ships of all sizes. Among them, a pure white Trisolaran ship stood out sharply. With its willow-leaf shaped hull, smooth lines, and the unique design of three hulls, it captured everyone’s attention. Amidst this fleet of various ships, it resembled a proud swan, standing out from the rest.

This is the reception station of the First Corridor. Ships of all sizes come here to wait for clients. Just like railway stations on Earth in the past, as the transportation hub of the Moor Empire, the spacetime corridors bear the burden of almost all ultra-long-distance shipments. Thus, there are many merchants who thrive around these corridors. Generally speaking, this place serves as the location for the first delivery. Goods transported over long distances can be transferred here directly, reducing risks for sellers and allowing buyers to make more profits.

However, today, the fleet gathered here has a different vibe. Many observant merchants noticed that, in addition to the distinctly recognizable Swan Warship, there were also many Moor giant ships at the periphery of the fleet. These most powerful warships of the Moor Empire lay quietly in space, neither approaching nor departing, showing no interest in the gathering of merchants. It seemed as though they were waiting for something. Moreover, they weren’t clustered together but were divided into several factions, each with clear boundaries, staying to themselves.

Seeing this, the merchants couldn’t help but marvel in awe. But living in a militaristic country like the Moor Empire, they weren’t unfamiliar with the display of power by Moor giant ships. Besides, the Moor Empire had strict regulations to protect merchants. Generally, unless there was a crisis in their domain or temporary requisition for military purposes, the Moor military would never trouble these merchants. So they weren’t worried. They merely whispered among themselves, speculating about the purpose of these giant ships.

As time passed, bursts of white light would occasionally erupt from the reception station. After each burst, a fleet of varying sizes would appear out of thin air. At such times, the merchants would swarm over like bloodthirsty leeches. Ships of all sizes crowded together, so densely that it was chilling. But this time, after the intense white light, instead of rushing over, they scattered apart as if by some unspoken agreement.

Within the white light, a narrow, willow-leaf shaped red spaceship came into view. At its bow, several curved symbols made everyone pale with fear. For they all knew that these symbols were the unique language of the Moors, indicating the purpose of the ship. Translated, it meant…

An emergency communication ship! Grade… top-tier!!