Chapter 323: Shui Wa's Voyage

The time reverts to 400 years ago.

Shui Wa departed the Solar System on an interstellar spacecraft fashioned from a Giant Reflective Mirror, headed towards the Piscis Austrinus Constellation.

There were two interstellar spacecraft embarking on this voyage, each equipped with advanced fusion engines for emergency avoidance maneuvers. Additionally, each ship had a well-maintained small-scale ecosystem and hibernation facilities, with a crew of 20 on each.

Their destination was the epsilon star of the Piscis Austrinus Constellation. "Epsilon" indicates that it is approximately the fifth brightest star within the constellation, but we prefer to call it 82 G. Eridani b.

Typically, stars are named after their specific constellation and then numbered according to their brightness and position.

The naming convention like "Sky Garden" is based on celestial sectors, and "four" is its designation within that system.

82 G. Eridani b is a frequent feature in numerous science fiction works. It is indeed unique and is the closest K2-type main-sequence star to the Sun, harboring a planetary system similar to the Solar System.

This star has a mass about 0.85 times that of the Sun, a radius approximately 0.84 times the Sun's, and a brightness only 28% of the Sun's, which makes it comparatively dim.

The 82 G. Eridani star system has a highly favorable environment, and though it has not yet reached an age of a billion years and is still within an active phase of a star's life, the stellar activity on its surface is relatively stable with no significant flaring.

The planetary system of 82 G. Eridani is still in a continuous and dynamic evolutionary process. The system possesses at least two planets, among them, 82 G. Eridani b's semi-major axis is 3.48 astronomical units, indicating its considerable distance from the star.

In addition, there are two asteroid belts located at distances of 3 and 20 astronomical units from 82 G. Eridani, and within the range of 35-100 astronomical units, there is a large dust ring, which likely contains several dwarf planets. Such an environment in a star system is rare in our vicinity.

Taking into account the composition of its planetary system and the stability of its spatial environment, 82 G. Eridani b reveals an exceptional habitability.

Among the habitable capabilities of the 59 stellar systems and 81 visible stars within 20 light-years of the Sun, only Sky Warehouse Five, situated 11.9 light-years away, can rival its habitability.

Therefore, Shui Wa chose 82 G. Eridani b as the first stop.

Even though the journey was filled with the unknown and danger, Shui Wa and his crew held firm beliefs. They couldn't choose where they were born, but they could choose where they would die, and to perish amongst the stars was their most desired final resting place.

The speed of the spacecraft was 3.5% of the speed of light, making this interstellar voyage unimaginably long, projected to span a total of 300 years. The crew spent the majority of this time in hibernation.

To ensure safe and smooth sailing, the ship was equipped with an advanced artificial intelligence system that diligently carried out navigational planning duties and constantly monitored the space vessel's condition and its surroundings.

Simultaneously, a large telescope system was installed on the ship for observing the road ahead and potential threats. Be it meteors, interstellar dust, or any other obstacles that might pose a threat to the spacecraft, the system would detect them in advance and sound an alert.

If they encountered a vast region of interstellar dust, the ship would even alter its course to avoid these dangerous areas, before resuming to the original trajectory afterwards.

…

As time went on, the spacecraft silently traversed the dark universe. Although the crew spent most of their time hibernating, they were occasionally woken up for essential physical examinations and maintenance work.

In this lengthy interstellar journey, every detail was crucial, and each decision could be a matter of life and death.

Whenever they were roused, they couldn't help but look back toward the direction of the distant and hazy Solar System.

Even though the Sun had become indistinguishable from other stars in the vastness of space, merely an ordinary and remote star, it continued to carry irreplaceable feelings and memories in their hearts. It was the homeland where they grew up, the warm place where they had lived, and the everlasting concern in their hearts.

Especially as the time of the Final Battle approached, their hearts were filled with the unknown and fear. They had no knowledge of whether humanity could withstand the Trisolarans, perhaps the humans of the Solar System were already annihilated by the Trisolarans, or maybe they were the only few remaining in the universe at this moment.

This sense of the unknown and fear left them feeling helpless and lonely, and perhaps the significance of their existence was to be the final living tomb of human civilization!

…

Crisis Era, Year 188.

A sudden catastrophe disrupted the serenity of the ships, as a high-speed meteor forcefully struck the fusion engine housing of the other spacecraft. Instantly, a minor explosion occurred in that spacecraft's fusion engine.

The accident caused the spaceship to lose its power source, and it became like a helpless leaf, drifting along in the torrent of the universe, unable to avoid the impact of any meteorites.

The crew of the spaceship was aware of their fate. They left behind some essential resources and used a small spacecraft to transfer the remaining fusion materials and important supplies to Shui Wa's ship.

Since the journey was stocked with enough materials, which could last them for thousands of years, they were not worried about a shortage of supplies.

The purpose of sending materials was twofold. On one hand, they hoped Shui Wa and the others could travel farther; on the other, the increase in supplies also meant an increase in their chances of survival.

As for why they didn't transfer to another warship, neither the hibernation system nor the ecological cycle system could support additional people.

Moreover, what these crew members sought was not a lingering, struggling existence, but the sense of belonging and conviction in their hearts.

30 years later, the spaceship that had lost power finally crashed into an expanse of interstellar dust and lost contact with Shui Wa's ship.

They probably didn't feel sorrow anymore; they were calm about the sacrifice of the crew on the other ship.

At this moment, whether humanity still existed was unknown, so how could they feel sad for the sacrifice of the crew on another warship?

In the dark universe, it is the darkness that first seeps into the human heart; emotions are the least needed thing.

…

As time passed, the spaceship drew closer to Proxima Centauri.

However, the crew's mindset was not filled with excitement and anticipation as one might imagine.

During this long journey of 300 years, all passion and eagerness seemed to have been eroded by time, replaced by a profound calmness and indifference.

What is the meaning of humanity? What is the meaning of their own long journey? To this day, they might have forgotten, although, discarding hibernation time, each of them has lived less than 20 years, but they feel as though they have experienced vast changes.

This interstellar journey may have served simply to prove to the universe that humanity's footprint has crossed 10 light-years and set foot in another stellar system.

For humanity, this voyage may be epoch-making. Yet, it might also be likened to an ant crossing a small mound of earth, seemingly so trivial in the vast expanse of the universe.

…

Crisis Era 373 years.

Shui Wa and his crew members finally arrived at a place 8000 astronomical units from Proxima Centauri.

In the Solar System, the Solar Wind and the interstellar plasma flow in a particular area reach a pressure equilibrium, forming a specific boundary known as the heliopause. This is where the solar wind becomes evident, about 120 astronomical units from the Sun, also marking one of the boundaries of the Solar System.

Like the Solar System, Proxima Centauri has a solar wind boundary. However, unlike the Solar System, this boundary is 8000 astronomical units from Proxima Centauri.

At this moment, their ship, after a long journey, was in tatters, as if it could disintegrate at any moment.

Prolonged cosmic radiation, meteorite impacts, and unknown cosmic hazards had subjected the ship to unimaginable stress, and in such a state, it probably wouldn't make it to the next stop.

Recalling the scene before departure, they had indeed underestimated the dangers of the interstellar environment. To get here, they had faced countless difficulties, confronted several life-and-death decisions, and every predicament tested their courage and wisdom.

At this point, Shui Wa and other crew members decided to first enter the solar wind boundary and observe Proxima Centauri for some time.

If the environment here was as they anticipated, suitable for human habitation, they would then deploy the Giant Reflective Mirror to decelerate and settle here, not venturing further.

Here, they would build a tomb for humanity!