009 Alien Star Market Test

Jiangyuan City, one of Baita Fulu's five largest cities, boasts a population exceeding 20 million, with each Xinhuo Academy class comprising over 100,000 students.

Given such numbers, multiple Xinhuo Academies operate within the city, even though Jiangyuan No. 1 Xinhuo Academy gathers elite students from across the metropolis, unable to accommodate every awakened student.

Half an hour later, on the outskirts of Jiangyuan City, an ultra-long-range Xinghai launch station loomed.

Over 5,000 Jiangyuan City residents had already assembled here.

This annual event attracted numerous spectators who gathered to witness the launch into the alien star fields. Alongside students, teachers, and parents newly arrived, the launch platform brimmed with a five-digit crowd.

Twenty minutes thereafter, once the White Tower Xinhuo Bureau's chief confirmed the arrival of all fresh Jiangyuan City awakening students, the alien star field release commenced.

The first to step forward weren't students from Jiangyuan No. 1 Xinhuo Academy; instead, they were placed last, headlining the event.

Even from Jiangyuan City's central urban area, massive light pillars appeared every twenty minutes, each representing a hundred freshly awakened graduates launched into the boundless starry sea.

Song Chi and Sun Hao found themselves among this batch. Together, they mounted the stage and swiftly summoned their psionic shuttles. As 100 shuttles aligned, the Xinhuo Bureau operator outside signaled the order.

A beam of light, a thousand meters in diameter, shot skyward.

With the hundred psionic shuttles vanishing from the platform and entering space, Song's parents and many others opted against leaving. Instead, they unpacked outdoor tents from their backpacks, preparing to wait through the night. The initial 24-hour exploration of alien realms allowed for emergency returns, but concerned parents preferred remaining, unwilling to depart while their children embarked on this perilous journey.

...

A powerful sense of weightlessness compelled Song Chi to instinctively shut his eyes. The shuttle's violent vibrations echoed as if the hull were creaking, a reminder of the importance of fastening his seatbelt.

As the sensations of weightlessness and dizziness gradually subsided, Song Chi couldn't afford to wait for complete composure. Suppressing his discomfort, he forced his eyes open and swiftly activated the psionic energy shield components on his shuttle.

Remembering an old class adage—"In the Star Sea, aliens won't wait for your recovery; always stay one step ahead, whether advancing or retreating"—Song Chi's level 7 psionic shield required 23 seconds to charge. With relief, he watched the black shield fully activate on the shuttle's surface after more than twenty tense seconds.

Only then did he dare adjust himself and survey the shuttle's surroundings.

As for why the nether energy shield wasn't activated before launch, it's common knowledge in human civilization.

During ultra-long-range travel, the shuttle withstands intense spatial pressures. Pre-activating the energy shield would overload it, unable to match the void's forces despite its strength.

The consequences of overloading a Xinhuo shuttle's energy shield are severe, requiring at least thirty minutes to recalibrate and, in some cases, up to an hour. During this time, the shuttle remains operational but severely weakened, significantly raising risk levels.

Thus, preemptively activating a spaceship's energy shield before launch is taboo for all Xinhuo captains.

Frowning at the darkened display screen, Song Chi felt a tinge of unease. It indicated the absence of quasars, floating continents, or even minor debris belts within radar range.

Despite this disquiet, Song Chi swiftly redirected his focus to another matter.

After confirming all around the shuttle was safe, he retrieved the Xinghai Market Token hanging from his chest, channeling psionic energy into it.

Securing entry into the market was crucial. It would shape his future achievements significantly, a thought that weighed heavily on his mind.

With each surge of nether energy, Song Chi's hopes sank. The Xinghai Market Token remained unresponsive.

Just as he was about to give up, a familiar pull seized his being.

Overcome with joy, Song Chi barely contained his excitement. In the next instant, he vanished from the nether energy shuttle.

Moments later, Song Chi materialized in the heavens' market.

Confirming his success, he wasted no time lingering. With a thought, he exited the market and returned to the nether energy shuttle's console, his primary objective now resolved.

In the early stages of Xinhuo ship exploration, the allotted time in the alien star fields spanned only 24 hours. To secure resources, every moment counted.

Despite the Broken Star Sea's abundant resources, not every star field offered plentiful rare resources like asteroid belts or debris fields. Locating high-yield resource points demanded precision in such vast expanses, extending light years beyond.

This reality underscored why human civilization stressed the value of superior patrol radars above all else.

With his level 7 nether energy engine engaged, The Sky cruised at light speed in one direction. Song Chi's gaze remained fixed on the patrol radar, brimming with anticipation.