"Prepare to initiate the jump,"
The elderly, infirm, and weak aboard the luxury liner were in their respective rooms. Lu Yan and the bald man were in the cockpit, steering with solemn expressions.
The bald man's voice, amplified by the broadcast system, reached every corner of the luxury vessel. The crew members continued their work, unconcerned about any impending trouble.
They had often performed jumps before, whether during travel or escape. This journey was as commonplace as any other, merely a small side dish for all the crew members.
Lu Yan, however, sitting in the auto-pilot cockpit, felt differently.
The bald man stood to one side, his calloused fingers pointing at the screen before him. "Look, there's a new wormhole here. If we fail to jump successfully, we might be pulled into it and fall into temporal chaos. Shall we abandon this mission and report it truthfully to Lu Mingming?"
Lu Yan asked, "How much fuel and energy do we have left?"
The bald man took out the chart he was holding and placed it on the table, analyzing it for Lu Yan. "Over 80%, more than enough for the safety system's auto-activation. But I still feel uneasy..."
Contrary to his rugged appearance, the bald man was a meticulous and cautious person.
"Proceed. With me here, no one will be harmed. I hope we make it in time. The worst-case scenario is landing in Sin City."
Lu Yan gave the command, but remained in the control room, his calm, unblinking eyes fixed on the approaching wormhole.
In the room.
"Everyone, please locate the safety room in your respective cabins. We are about to initiate the jump."
Fortunately, a small sticker on the room walls indicated the location of the safety room.
Lu Mingming, holding Hong Yu, opened the hidden passage in the wardrobe. A fully transparent, semi-enclosed crystal capsule lay quietly at the very back.
The crystal capsule was filled with various nutrient solutions, with a breathing mask placed beside it. Anti-collision and protection systems were also installed around it.
Lu Mingming changed into the special attire, donned her helmet and breathing mask, and then did the same for the little cub, holding it in her arms as she attempted to lie down in the safety chamber together.
It felt like being in a coffin...
Lu Mingming had a sudden thought, allowing the nutrient solution to slowly submerge her from her ankles to her chest, and finally cover her entire head, as she sank into the light, floating aquatic environment.
I hope this journey goes smoothly, and we can safely reach Blue Star.
Lu Mingming made a silent wish.
A sealed window faced the safety room, and the dreamlike scenery of the starry sea slowly receded.
Time ticked by, and the vast expanse of stars gradually lost their original form, becoming like meteors sliding backward. This indicated the liner's forward speed.
At the same time, the liner's increasingly high operating frequency began to synchronize with Lu Mingming's breathing.
Even though it wasn't the actual jump yet, the extreme speed made Lu Mingming's heart pound. She felt as if an immense weight was pressing down on her back, making it difficult to breathe.
Her face turned pale, and she unconsciously bit her lip. A thin layer of sweat broke out on her temples, dampening her hair and sticking it to her face.
The colors of everything she saw seemed to accelerate, regressing into small blocks of color, or distorting into black and white patterns.
The little cub in Lu Mingming's arms was also not faring well.
Hong Yu, who was already prone to seasickness, clutched Lu Mingming's slender arm tightly.
Droplets of sweat appeared on the little one's nose. The dizziness made him curl up in discomfort.
He, who had once been the leader of his clan, had never endured such suffering.
Outside the ship, many crew members who had been working stopped, huddled on the ground, and tried to find something to hold onto to stabilize themselves.
"What's going on? Is the jump this unstable this time?"
"Quick, find a place to hide. I hope we don't encounter that 5% crisis..."
"Please, I haven't earned ten million star coins yet, I haven't even used the money to get married. I absolutely cannot die!!"
While they were speaking, the broadcast from above announced: "Everyone, prepare yourselves. We will reach the jump point in ten seconds. Ten, nine, eight..."
As the bald man's voice sounded, it provided a sense of stability for everyone.
Lu Mingming hugged Hong Yu tighter, comforting herself: Just ten more seconds and we'll be safe. Keep going.
The next second, the bald man's tone changed drastically, followed by the crisp knocking sounds echoing from the broadcast, and the bald man's forced calm reminder.
"There's an emergency situation! Listen to my orders, all crew members enter the underground safety room. The wormhole ahead is unavoidable, and we are about to change the original jump route!"
Her words were quickly cut off by the spatial distortion, leaving behind the faint sound of crackling electricity from the busy system.
The crew members, facing imminent danger, dropped all pretense and ran with all their might towards the underground safety room to escape.
Lu Mingming's breath caught. Her thoughts became strangely calmer.
She gently patted the cub's back to comfort him and tried to gaze out at the scenery.
The stars, which had lost their usual silvery glow, were no longer recognizable. They seemed like a ribbon stretched into a line, or a sharp sword shooting forward. Everything appeared to be torn and elongated by an invisible giant hand.
It feels so uncomfortable.
Lu Mingming clenched her cold palms, feeling like she was on a seven-hour enclosed business trip. The air was so scarce it made it difficult to breathe. Simultaneously, the vibration frequency of her heartbeat, matching the accelerator, made it feel as if her entire heart was trying to violently leap out of her chest.
The two conflicted, doubling the discomfort.
The little cub burrowed deeper into her arms, wanting to hide against Lu Mingming's chest.
"Don't be scared, your sister is here."
Lu Mingming half-closed her eyes. The ceiling lights turned into blurry white masses.
She bit her tongue lightly, trying to stay conscious, but unfortunately, she couldn't overcome the discomfort of her first jump.
"Hello, due to the captain's mental overload and subsequent loss of consciousness during piloting, the system's automated safety mode will now be implemented. Please ensure all personnel on board are in a safe position. We will proceed with the second jump plan shortly. Three, two, one..."
A violent shaking ensued, more intense than any series of 360-degree roller coaster turns.
Before losing consciousness, Lu Mingming heard the broadcast report:
"Jump successful... Beep—Beep— Detection of an attacking species in the safety room. Destruction order issued. Three, two, one... This safety room has been successfully deployed."
In the rapid loss of gravity, Lu Mingming fell into a deep sleep.
"Miss, hello? Miss, are you alright?"
A voice entered Lu Mingming's mind, awakening her dormant consciousness.
Lu Mingming slightly opened her eyes. Her gaze finally settled on a woman before her—the woman had dark, aged skin and wore clothes made of coarse linen.
Had she... returned to ancient times? Why did she not dress like someone from the interstellar era at all...
"Thank goodness, you're finally awake."
The woman smiled innocently and brought a bowl of hot water, placing it on the bedside table.
"Drink some water."
The woman reached out, her strength not insignificant, and easily supported Lu Mingming's thin back, helping her sit up. She then spoon-fed her hot water, bit by bit.
The water relieved her dry mouth, but Lu Mingming still felt groggy. An invisible weakness permeated her from the soles of her feet to her limbs, and her spiritual sea felt empty. A ringing sound seemed to persist near her ears.
Lu Mingming looked up. The room was extremely simple, with only a wooden bed and a few cardboard boxes for storage.
She lowered her head and thought quietly for a moment, confirming that she had never been in this unfamiliar environment. She softly asked, "Where am I...? I remember... I think I was in a competition... then I got on a ship and encountered a wormhole..."
Lu Mingming's eyes showed confusion and bewilderment.
"This is my home, rest assured."
The woman put down the bowl and found two soft pillows to prop Lu Mingming up.
Seeing Lu Mingming's dazed expression, the woman said with pity:
"I can tell you've come from elsewhere and met with misfortune. Alas, it's fortunate you met me. Seeing you lying pitifully outside the city forest, and seeing that you, like me, are a pure-blooded human, I saved you."
"You are a pure-blooded human?"
The last sentence caught Lu Mingming's attention, and she quickly asked, "Is this Blue Star?"
The woman shook her head with a wry smile. "This is Sin City."