Chapter 1018 Breaking the Fourth Wall!
Chapter 1018 Breaking the Fourth Wall!
The air in the laboratory is very dry, completely different from the damp and cold cave outside.
Obviously, Dr. Qiu Shiye has considered the ventilation problem, which also relieved Ye Shi who was worried about the leakage of the reactor fuel tank.
Helium itself has strong penetrability, so it has strict requirements for the storage environment.
Not to mention the gaps visible to the naked eye, even seamless glass and ceramics may pass through.
Normally, these nuclear fuels are stored in high-density alloy containers under low temperature conditions.
”It’s really hard for that guy to hide the reactor so deep…” Jiang Xuezhou couldn’t help but complain in a low voice.
Searching in the corridor of the laboratory with the light of a flashlight, Ye Shi replied casually.
”But think about it from another angle. If there was no experimental facility, and the fuel tank was left in the forest outside, I’m afraid we wouldn’t have to spend that effort to find it.”
”Are you looking for trouble on purpose…”
”How could that be?”
Having imagined the face that was as red as a monkey’s butt, Ye Shi whistled teasingly, and then turned his attention back to the underground research facility in front of him.
From the traces of artificial excavation, it can be seen that Dr. Qiu Shiye has indeed devoted a lot of effort to this laboratory.
That was probably in the early days of the Awakening Era, not long after the second Judgment Day came. At that time, he had not yet written the poem in the bridge of the Gemini.
Ye Shi tried to put himself in Dr. Qiu’s perspective.
The researcher’s mood at that time was probably the same as when he discovered his own “Tunnan”, full of surprise, confidence, and even excitement and madness.
This is not difficult to imagine.
After all, not long ago, standing on the shoulders of the Human Alliance, he had just discovered a secret that the Human Alliance had never discovered with all its efforts –
the existence of the “Tree of Insof” that was closer to the essence of the secrets on this planet than Gaia!
And, the pioneer whose history is far older than that of human beings and who is suspected of having glimpsed the “essence of the world”!
This laboratory should be regarded as the beginning of his challenge to the fourth wall.
When he realized his insignificance and carved the poem on the wall, it was already the end of his life.
”There are two sets of radiation protection suits and an extravehicular activity exoskeleton in the cabinet at the entrance of the laboratory, which should be recovered from the Gemini.” After
checking the buffer cabin structure at the entrance of the laboratory, Ye Shi then observed the surroundings and reported concisely in the communication channel.
”All signs indicate that Dr. Qiu Shiye has lived here for about fifteen years. Counting the time he lived with the natives before, he was probably around 60 years old…”
Living to 60 years old with no medical conditions, Ye Shi couldn’t say whether this was considered longevity.
An urging voice came from the communication channel.
”Don’t worry about these for now, let’s find the fuel tank of the reactor as soon as possible.”
”Got it, I’m looking for it.”
Ye Shi replied, and then explored deeper into the laboratory along the narrow corridor.
It didn’t take too much time. With the help of the drone operated by Jiang Xuezhou, he quickly found the core of the reactor along the wiring structure in the laboratory.
It was a cylindrical tank, about the thickness of four or five people hugging together, with densely packed pipes wrapped around it, connecting the power components removed from the starship.
It was as abstract as it could be, so abstract that the fusion reactor almost lost its status in Ye Shi’s mind.
However, it was obviously not the time to consider whether it was cool or not.
At the moment when the flashlight shone on the reactor, an excited voice suddenly came from the communication channel.
”Found it! It’s the thing inserted in the round tank!”
”Are you talking about this?”
Ye Shi looked along the light blue beam projected by the drone and found a handle protruding outward in the middle of the huge round tank.
The handle was connected to a metal disc the size of a round basketball, embedded in the center of the reactor tank, which seemed to be a power supply component.
Ye Shi stretched out his hand to grasp the handle, trying to pull it out of the reactor, but found that the shell of the entire energy supply component had rusted to the reactor structure.
”I’ll help you!”
As he said this, the drone controlled by Jiang Xuezhou had already flown to the side of the reactor, and two mechanical cantilevers shaped like switchblades could not wait to pop out from under the body.
”Buzz–”
A light blue plasma plume spurted out from the end of the mechanical cantilever, like a hot knife, easily inserted into the rusted gap, and cut a circle along the connection between the tank-shaped reactor and the energy supply component.
With a clear “click” sound, Ye Shi felt the resistance on his hand suddenly decrease.
With a tooth-grinding metal friction sound, he finally succeeded in pulling the energy supply component out of the tank.
However, when Ye Shi saw the full picture of the energy supply component, his originally excited mood sank to the bottom of the valley in an instant.
I saw a fist-sized hole printed in the center of the gas tank!
The solid tank body was like being hit by a cannon, pierced through the middle!
No wonder he couldn’t pull it out!
”Oh my goodness… It’s leaking!?” Looking at the unacceptable reality, Ye Shi swallowed hard.
At the same time, Xiao Jiang’s desperate voice came from the communication channel.
”How could this happen… Isn’t it inserted into the reactor fine? What on earth pierced it?!”
That was their only hope to go home.
Without the fuel that can open the hyperspace channel, they can only spend the rest of their lives in this world five light years away…
”Don’t be desperate yet, there may be spare fuel here… At least now I know what this gas tank looks like.”
Looking at the empty tank in his hand, Ye Shi was also panicking, but he still took the time to comfort Jiang Xuezhou, and then continued to search nearby.
Hard work pays off.
After searching for a while in the experiment, he really found an identical gas tank under a folding bed!
”There’s another one!” Ye Shi exclaimed in surprise, and then he flipped the folding bed with both hands and took out the gas tank underneath.
I don’t know what Dr. Qiu Shiye was thinking, he actually used this precious nuclear fuel as a stool to pad the bed.
Is this guy planning to awaken his psychic power in this way?
But using helium-3 as a radioactive source is too stable…
Seeing the gas tank in Ye Shi’s hand, Jiang Xuezhou, who was sitting on the synchronous orbit bridge, rekindled a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
He flew the drone to Ye Shi’s side, and the light blue scanning beam quickly projected from the transmitter under the camera on the body to the tank.
Restraining his fluctuating emotions, Jiang Xuezhou took a deep breath and said.
”The integrity of the tank… 100%.”
”The remaining fuel…”
”0.”
”Fuck!” Hearing the last “0”, Ye Shi almost choked on his own saliva, and still asked unwillingly, “Could it be a wrong measurement?”
Jiang Xuezhou: “Impossible… Liquid helium composed of helium-3 is lighter than that composed of helium-4. If you don’t believe it, just weigh it yourself.”
Ye Shi was silent.
The main reason was that he didn’t know how to calculate this thing.
After a while, a leisurely sigh came from the communication channel.
”… In fact, it’s obvious. If there is still fuel left, how could Dr. Qiu Shiye throw it under the bed like garbage?”
This time, the voice coming from the communication channel was much calmer than before.
There is no greater sorrow than a dead heart.
Although Jiang Xuezhou admitted that he was a little excited when he first saw the gas tank, it turned out that it was just an unrealistic fantasy.
After a pause of a few seconds, Jiang Xuezhou suddenly changed to a relieved tone.
”Well, actually if you think about it carefully… it’s not bad to spend the rest of my life with you on this planet.”
”What nonsense are you talking about? We just made an appointment to go to the edge of the universe to take a look.” Ye Shi couldn’t help but complain.
Why did this guy suddenly use the tone of the finale?
He hasn’t given up treatment yet.
”Haha… Yeah, it’s a pity.”
Ye Shi could feel that there was a little loneliness in the relieved voice.
It can be seen that she is really interested in the proposal he made, not just to cooperate with him.
Thinking of this, Ye Shi couldn’t help but smile.
”My intuition tells me that our story doesn’t end here.”
Jiang Xuezhou teased.
”Oh? Did the psychic tell you?”
”Just take it as it is.”
Ye Shi smiled mysteriously, and then cast a confident look around.
That actually had nothing to do with psychic power. It was just that his keen perception gave him a strong sense of disobedience and attracted his attention. The
not-so-spacious laboratory was pitch black, with only the flashlight in his hand and the light from the drone beside him as the only light sources.
However,
even though it was pitch black here, it was as clear as day in his mind.
He remembered everything he saw from the moment he entered the laboratory, and sorted out every clue.
And those clues that he had ignored also became completely clear at this moment.
”There are two triangular hangers in the cabinet at the door, corresponding to the only two sets of protective clothing. Both sets of protective clothing are in the cabinet, which means he has not left.”
”…”
There was silence in the communication channel, only the rustling sound of electricity.
Obviously, Jiang Xuezhou did not understand what he was saying, and it took a long time before he took over the conversation.
”…Do you want to say that he is still in the laboratory?”
Ye Shi analyzed calmly.
”The accurate statement should be that Dr. Qiu Shiye spent his last moments in this world in the laboratory.”
Jiang Xuezhou sighed and said.
”I think it’s a bit far-fetched to make such an inference just because two protective suits are in the closet. What if he just didn’t wear a chemical protective suit?”
The remains of the Gemini did not find his remains, but this doesn’t mean anything. He could still die anywhere in this forest and valley.
Besides,
what’s the point of knowing where that guy died?
The key is nuclear fuel.
That’s what they really need.
Ye Shi smiled faintly and continued.
”If he goes out, he will definitely wear it… As for why, as long as you come to the ground and see it, you will know why I say so.”
All the records of the local natives about the ancestor seem to be inseparable from “power armor”.
In fact, if you think about it carefully, what those natives saw may not necessarily be “power armor”, but may also be a combination of exoskeleton + protective clothing.
But one thing is beyond doubt.
That is that all “ancestors” almost never show their true faces. As long as they go out, they will definitely wear clothes or armor that cover their whole body.
As for the reason, it’s actually very simple…
”This forest is full of various poisonous insects. Didn’t we see them when we just landed?”
Jiang Xuezhou was stunned.
”Ah… But, isn’t it hot to wear such a thick protective suit?”
Ye Shi said with a faint smile.
”The protective suit has its own heat dissipation and ventilation module. Although it is a bit troublesome, it is better than being bitten or even killed by poisonous insects.”
The local natives may not be affected by poisonous insects. After all, they have been accustomed to it after living and breeding here for so many years.
But for the Gemini crew from Earth, those poisonous insects are annoying enough even if they are not fatal.
”… But what’s the use of knowing this clue for us?” Jiang Xuezhou muttered in a low voice.
Ye Shi looked around the dark surroundings and continued in a gentle tone.
”How can it be useless? This is obviously an incredible clue.”
”We have solid evidence to prove that Dr. Qiu Shiye spent the last moments of his life in the laboratory, but his body cannot be found in the laboratory.”
”Then the question is…”
”Where did he go?”
The air was dead silent.
After a long time, a sound of swallowing saliva came from the communication channel.
”What you said… Why do I feel a chill on my back?”
”There’s no way you’ll feel a chill in the sky.”
Ye Shi complained unhappily, then walked to the desk and whiteboard beside him.
There were some calculation formulas written on the whiteboard, which were probably the drafts made by Dr. Qiu Shiye.
He didn’t understand what those formulas meant, so he just took a picture with the combat recorder and cast his eyes on the pile of papers on the table.
Due to the baptism of time, the papers have turned yellow.
But even so, Ye Shi could barely see the notes left on the incomplete pages.
He completely immersed his attention on the incomplete clues.
At this moment, the ability given to him by psychic power once again created a miracle.
In the nothingness that could not be penetrated by sight, Dr. Qiu Shiye seemed to come alive, stood beside him, picked up the dusty pen…
That face was full of piety.
Even after hundreds of years, Ye Shi still saw that face clearly.
In a blink of an eye, he sat at the table and wrote meticulously in the experimental notes.
”They all say I’m crazy… but I think they are the real crazy ones. We have never been so close to the door to the truth, and someone has even found it for us!”
”All we need to do is open the box that has been opened once again… I have even found it, it is right under our feet!”
He kept muttering.
Ye Shi, who was standing behind him, kept repeating his muttering.
Jiang Xuezhou, who was watching from the side, was confused.
She was operating the drone and could not see what Ye Shi saw.
The picture in her eyes was completely different. Ye Shi, who was standing in the drone camera, seemed to be crazy, muttering to a few incomplete papers.
”What are you talking about?”
”I’m reading what he left in the notebook…”
Ye Shi replied casually, and then continued to concentrate on the experimental notes on the table, and the virtual image that crossed time sitting in front of him continued to write furiously.
That was not the mental state of a loser, but more like a seeker who had reached the end of the maze.
It was completely different from what he imagined!
After discovering “Him” and realizing that he was just a mural on the wall, Dr. Qiu Shiye did not give up, but devoted himself to the unfinished business even more!
Even though he had realized at this moment that the fourth wall was not what he imagined.
Even though he had realized that even if he saw the Creator, it did not mean that he could become the Creator…
Ye Shi suddenly thought of Dora, the temple maid of the Doma tribe.
It was at this moment that he finally understood Dr. Qiu Shiye’s mental state.
I would rather die than hear the truth in the morning!
He finally walked out of the mural that trapped him and became a cloud in the sky!
”I succeeded! I found it! Hahaha…” The old man who was bent over the desk suddenly laughed out loud, and then stood up from the experimental table in high spirits.
He was as excited as a child, humming a tuneless little song, and touched the reactor in the laboratory.
It was a reactor he had pieced together using materials dismantled from the starship, and it was not just a reactor.
Ye Shi imitated his movements, even his smiles and even the tuneless little song.
He seemed to be crazy too, and returned to the reactor, fiercely inserting the exhausted gas tank into the cylindrical metal tank.
”Click–”
A slight sound came, and the gas tank was tightly sewn and integrated with the reactor that was pieced together.
”What are you doing?” Jiang Xuezhou asked nervously, looking at Ye Shi who was obsessed.
Ye Shi did not answer, but just stretched out his hand to operate the dashboard on the side of the metal tank, as if someone was telling him what to do.
Finally, he put the last button back in place, took a deep breath, removed the power armor, and stepped on the cold rock ground.
”We all understood it wrong… Dr. Qiu Shiye’s research has not stopped here.”
”What are you talking about, why… I don’t understand more and more?” Jiang Xuezhou’s confused voice came from the communication channel.
Ye Shi knew very well that when she was confused, her confusion was actually what Dr. Qiu Shiye had encountered in the early stage of his research, and it was also the confusion that normal people would have.
If she had also awakened her psychic power, perhaps it would not be so difficult to understand.
”…This reactor is not used to maintain the power supply of the laboratory, or it is not just that.”
”Then what is it?!” Jiang Xuezhou asked incomprehensibly.
Ye Shi said in a tone of certainty and speechlessness.
”It’s a miracle.”
Jiang Xuezhou stared at the screen blankly.
”Strange, miracle?”
Ye Shi nodded.
”This is a…perforator, a miracle created by ‘mortals’ through the will of ‘gods’ and gods. It can pass through the void and pass through the ‘window of vision’, or the ‘fourth wall’.”
Jiang Xuezhou’s mind was blank, and the whole person was stunned in front of the holographic screen.
”Break…the fourth wall?!”
Ye Shi nodded gently, with a meaningful and complex expression on his face.
”His kindness to this world made Him choose to take him away in the end, just like we took Dora away. Regardless of whether that is what she wants from the bottom of her heart, we must give her the opportunity to choose… I think the echo He left in this universe also thinks so.”
The information that can be exchanged by psychic energy must be mutually recognized by both parties.
At this moment, he finally understood the words He left behind in a true sense –
”It’s not like you haven’t succeeded before.”
While saying this, Ye Shi removed the nuclear battery of the power armor and guided the nuclear battery held in his fingertips to release a terrifying current. The
hot energy gathered into a crackling arc in the air, and the dazzling light made it impossible to meet its sight.
Although this energy is only a drop in the bucket compared to the energy required to open the hyperspace channel, it is enough to drive this “mini-level” piercer! All
he needs is a hole the size of a hair, and he doesn’t want to destroy the planet.
The restless static electricity made every hair and sweat hair on his body float.
The drone floating nearby lost control and fell to the ground. Intermittent exclamations came from the communication channel.
”What… are you… doing?!”
Guiding the terrifying current to penetrate the reactor in the opposite direction, Ye Shi said in a gentle tone.
”I’m demonstrating to you…”
”This perforator can not only fold the mass and energy in this universe into the light of another universe, but also unfold the light from another universe into energy or mass… just like unpacking a folded paper airplane,”
he was not joking.
Under his guidance, the perforator built a century ago has been successfully started, and successfully drilled a small hole in the absolutely unbreakable fourth wall, allowing the light from another universe to pass through.
In another universe, it was just a tiny beam of light, so small that it could not even be captured by the naked eye, so small that it could not even illuminate a speck of dust.
However, when it fell into this universe, the dust-like light suddenly became a giant and released the terrifying energy that was enough to burn the entire planet!
Fortunately, there was a suitable container waiting quietly at the place where it fell.
The “battery” that was inserted into the reactor and could never be charged was actually filled with energy in an instant…
The shining light gradually went out.
The drone that had lost control and fell to the ground floated up again and flew to the front of the reactor.
The light blue scanning beam once again shone on the metal shell of the gas tank.
And this time, Jiang Xuezhou was completely shocked.
”Helium-3… How… did they do it?!”
Helium-4 combined with protons that came from nowhere and turned into helium-3 again…
How the hell is this possible? !
Her head felt like it was hit by a stick, and she stood there in a daze, opening and closing her mouth but unable to utter a word.
The universe has experienced entropy reduction, from disorder to order, and physics has disappeared in front of her again…
Perhaps it is not enough to have a diplomat who masters psychic power, they have to go to Earth and tie up a few physicists on board.
Listening to the mumbling on the other end of the communication channel, Ye Shi gently pulled the fully charged gas tank off the “Event Perforator”.
”Anyway, we have the fuel to get home… and theoretically, we have as much as we want. The only risk is that frequently borrowing energy from another world may cause something to get stuck on the wall, so it’s better to use it as little as possible.”
How Dr. Qiu Shiye completed this device is still a mystery.
Even with His help, it’s amazing that he could do such a thing.
After a pause, Ye Shi continued.
”As for how this was done… I think we can spend a century studying this topic.”
——
(Thanks to the leader “ice_Ω” and “｜坏蛋｜” for their rewards!!! I currently have two ideas for the new book, and I want to hear everyone’s opinions. One is cyberpunk, with mechanical ascension, and the background is set in a huge cyber-boulder city, focusing on combat, prosthetics, and “psychic power” as a cheat. The other idea is to travel through the game world in groups, digitize the starry sky, and inherit some of the official forum and settings of this book. One is probably plot-oriented, and the other is probably farming-oriented. The third idea is still being conceived…)
(End of this chapter)
