Sister dear!
Such a familiar address made Bubble’s heart feel soft and tender; she had never heard such a lovely voice in her life. Ah, Chishiki is so adorable...
"H-hello!" Bubble looked up, unsure of how to even arrange her expression.
Chishiki appeared at ease.
"Hey, I really want to sit in front of Sister dear." Chishiki said with a smile.
"Please, sit down." Bubble took a deep breath, her heartbeat quickened.
"Tell how your day was, Sister dear, I feel like we haven’t spoken in years, not since we parted at Jialong Slope." Chishiki rested her cheeks in her hands, looking at Bubble with shining eyes.
"I... I have nothing much to say, just reading and doing experints." Bubble murmured.
"Please!" Chishiki leaned forward, holding one of Bubble’s hands, and said passionately, "I’m eager to know everything about you, Sister dear!"
Bubble widened her eyes, almost stunned, soon deeply moved.
Soone willing to care about everything about her was truly wonderful! It felt like a dream co true.
Observing Bubble’s reaction, Chishiki felt everything was under control.
Bubble was very noticeable in the crowd, with green hair and green eyes, and not the kind of natural erald green from dye, but an oily green as if soaked with radioactive fluorescent material, to be honest, not appealing.
A child like this must be the target of disdain, neglected from a young age, and her arrival was nothing short of a blessing, Chishiki thought. Bubble would certainly be easy to win over, and once gained, she would be loyal because she couldn’t afford the price of losing a friend.
"Please speak." Chishiki gently sat back, her eyes bright, seeming eager to understand.
And finally, Bubble had soone to confide in, her heart surged with emotion.
"I mainly study... spatial magic formulas. I want to understand how different worlds connect, how I can enter the gaps, and then go to another world, or another planet. That way, it solves a lot of problems; Dad wants to study well so that even in the scariest situations, I can teleport myself away." Bubble slowly said.
"What kind of scary situation?" Chishiki asked.
"I an, in the future I might... might disappear, like a beam of light flashing through deep space, I might shatter into pieces, I don’t know. Dad won’t tell , but I often dream of the truth. Maybe, maybe I am like fireworks." Bubble said sadly.
"Hmm..." Chishiki pondered.
"At least that’s what I think, I feel like I’m holding the Holy Grail walking among the crowd, maybe what I do is unknown, but it will be a very great, beautiful project. Not like this rocket we’re building at the base that’s so eye-catching. I understand well enough that I may have to devote myself to such a cause, like rocket fuel, becoming a brilliant propellant stream, fading and freezing in the universe, abandoned at the end of deep space, quietly, silently..." Bubble continued slowly.
"If it’s such a grand thing, why are you sad?" Chishiki asked.
Bubble was almost about to cry.
"I still, still want to see Xu Cheng a few more tis." Bubble stamred, sniffling.
"What’s Xu Cheng doing now?" Chishiki thought.
"She has her own things to do, I have my things to do, I might use this to avoid death, but I still don’t want to, I will be thrown into so unknown ti and space, passing through gray gaps, instantly moving to so unknown world..." Bubble sorrowfully lifted her fingers, the silver moonlight moving in the air, sketching a scene like a door.
Now it was Chishiki’s turn to be shocked, her curiosity intense as she gazed at the scene Bubble had drawn, it indeed represented the point where countless paths crossed, when everything in the future disintegrates and scatters, can it preserve Bubble, at least a part of her? Chishiki couldn’t help but speculate.
"I don’t allow you to do that, there’s always a way with less trouble." Chishiki said earnestly to the grieving Bubble.
"W-what?" Bubble looked up.
"Dad didn’t speak definitively, he didn’t make you take risks." Chishiki said.
"Yes, maybe I can—" Bubble took a deep breath.
"I won’t allow you to think about dying or anything, I want Sister dear to stay by my side. You must defy your ’fate’, why do you have to do sothing like that? Sacrificing for everyone, don’t even think about it, we all know it won’t end well." Chishiki looked into Bubble’s erald eyes.
"I..." Bubble said softly, "...my life isn’t worth ntioning."
"Others haven’t cared enough about you, from now on I’ll be the one to care for you, Sister dear." Chishiki placed the chocolate cake from her tray onto Bubble’s plate, "Please live seriously every day, and plan to live to 200 years old, that way you can earn credit points!"
Chishiki’s solemn words truly struck Bubble’s heart.
A smile slowly appeared on her face, Bubble shyly smiled, like a gentle breeze rippling across a lake.
"Thank you." Bubble said seriously, "I’ve decided not to die, there must be a way."
The wandering and restless thoughts were finally pulled back to reality by Chishiki.
...
Chishiki’s own training courses continued.
So truths about the universe opened Chishiki’s eyes wide, such as the fact that it is 4 light years from their planet to Proxima Centauri B. This "4" is so misleading when in reality, 1 light year is approximately 9.46 trillion kiloters, and 4 light years is about 37.84 trillion kiloters, which needs to be written as 37840000000000 kiloters.
With conventional nuclear-powered generational ships, traveling at a speed of 1,500 kiloters per second, it would take 800 years to get there. By then, over 30 generations would have passed on the planet, and everyone would have forgotten about those astronauts before they finally reach Proxima Centauri B.
Moreover, Proxima Centauri is a trinary star system with three stars. Regarding the mutual gravitational effects among them, scientists at the Peach Blossom Celestial Palace have deduced the three-body problem and are conducting research on it.
Current observations of Proxima Centauri largely benefit from those magnificent creations of civilization. For example, the super astronomical telescope "Farsight", equipped with the mirror system produced by the optical departnt of Nestor Corporation, is working hard in the extre cold of deep space.
Additionally, there are a series of observational spacecraft using the solar gravitational lens to observe exoplanets. Thanks to advanced charge-coupled devices and ultra-high resolution spectroter technologies, everyone can now observe sufficient details of planets within 200 light years.
Never did I think that after the unification of humans, so many pioneering achievents could be made in deep space projects, steadily advancing into the cosmic enterprise. The brightest minds of the entire civilization, the most abundant resources, and the most valuable technological products are all gathered here.
Chishiki underwent extensive training; she needed relentless training to hone her basic abilities and avoid becoming panicked in outer space.
In the simulator, she had to resolve various out-of-control issues on the spacecraft, act quickly when alarms sounded, and handle the pressing crises. Every failure would engulf her in an explosion. Although the simulated death in failures lasted only a few seconds, Chishiki never forgot the horror of the searing heat hitting her and knew that if she panicked, she would die in space and be frozen into an ice sculpture.
She had to train, and whether it was inherited from her father or mother, Chishiki’s willpower was extraordinary. At the base, most things were solved by science and technology, yet the basic human will remained effective. As long as Chishiki stayed strong and rational, most projects could be resolved perfectly.
She got used to being killed in various failure scenarios and adapted to the dreadful gravity and the rocket’s centrifugal force. She beca thoroughly familiar with everything about spacecraft and deep space exploration. She slept well and never dread, which was sowhat regrettable; if she ever sunk into a dream, she would surely dream of the colorful Starry Sea.
Days passed by one after another.
Every ti after completing a course training at the base, a feeling surged in Chishiki’s heart, as if history was forming right there, and she was sitting on the Giant Wheel of history, clearly feeling the surging waves below.
She thought of what she learned in history class—humans and the Witch had been fighting each other for ten thousand years, mistakenly believing that above the atmosphere was unattainable.
But the space shuttle had already been there; there were no heavens, no deities, nothing above but an endless Starry Sea waiting for humans to explore with reason and technology. Nowadays, everyone’s pockets are filled with sixpence, and people finally agree to look up at the Moon.
Thanks to virtual reality technology, the training efficiency was high, and Chishiki received adequate training within a month, earning a junior astronaut certificate.
On the day the certificate was issued, Laila and Bubble were very happy.
When Chishiki ca out holding the certificate, they ran over imdiately, and seeing the certificate in Chishiki’s hands made them even more overjoyed.
"Great!" Laila hugged Chishiki in her arms.
"Now it’s perfectly done...!" Bubble shyly applauded for Chishiki.
Laila lifted Chishiki up and spun her around. Chishiki, infected by this joyful atmosphere, couldn’t help but laugh: "Ah, sister dear—put down!"
Laila put Chishiki down, her face glowing with vitality.
"Finally, it’s before the ship launch. We’re going to Proxima Centauri B together; what an incredible thing this is! Chishiki, your talent is truly amazing! You really are my sister!" Laila said excitedly.
Chishiki smiled gently, first glancing at Laila’s sweet smile, then looking at Bubble’s adorable face.
"How do I deserve such wonderful sisters? You have been so kind to ," Chishiki said softly.
"It’s all deserved for you! Today, let’s have a good al to celebrate the astronaut who is about to ascend to the Star Vault!" Laila said with enthusiasm.
"In the future, we will walk among the starlight." Chishiki smiled gently as well, clutching the certificate in her hand. She was going to show it to Kojima Kanako.
In just a few more months of deep space travel, Chishiki would head for Proxima Centauri, 36 trillion kiloters away, on a journey her mother would have to travel for 6 trillion years to catch up to! By then, the universe would be gone.
Poor Kanako, motherly dear, the cosmic scale instantly breaks family ties, and it’s not Chishiki’s fault. Chishiki thought.
At this mont, both Laila and Bubble received a short ssage. They looked down at it, then lifted their heads, first silent for a mont, then unable to restrain their screaming.
"Ah, double happiness!" Laila said excitedly, "Xu Cheng is coming!"
"Xu Cheng!" Bubble was so excited she couldn’t speak.
Xu Cheng finally settled the matters at the Flight Club and was coming to the base, tonight!
Chishiki held her breath—what, the two sisters she finally got were being taken away by Xu Cheng?
Alright then, tonight, let Xu Cheng beco Little Qianshu’s trophy too!
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