Rebirth of the Super Battleship

Just as three-dimensional space has a closest point relative to two-dimensional space, so too does Four-Dimensional space have a closest point relative to three-dimensional space. For example, suppose there is a small sphere situated one decimeter above a two-dimensional plane of white paper representing the two-dimensional world. Then, within this two-dimensional world represented by the sheet of paper, the point closest to this three-dimensional object is, without question, the spot directly beneath the sphere.

Only at the point directly below the sphere does the vertical distance between the two exist, and the vertical distance is the shortest distance. Any point deviating from the spot directly beneath will not form a straight line perpendicular to the two-dimensional plane with the sphere, and the distance between them will not be the shortest.

From this, it can be inferred that within the three-dimensional world, there must also be a point closest to the object in Four-Dimensional space. This point, in the scale of Four-Dimensional space, along the fourth dimension, is connected by a line perpendicular to three-dimensional space.

Although creatures of the three-dimensional world cannot concretely imagine or grasp the wonders of Four-Dimensional space, the precise location of this closest point between the Four-Dimensional object and the three-dimensional world can be deduced mathematically. In fact, the mathematical method is not complicated, and even a Level 4 Civilization can easily derive the answer.

With this, one of the most crucial premises was established, the Dwarf Race of the Level 4 Civilization could also use this method to find the entrance to the Trolor Civilization's ruins. After all, the ruins of the Trolor Civilization were left behind precisely for the Dwarf Race.

Xiao Yu performed only a brief calculation before arriving at a conclusion. During the computation, he had already marked this point's position within a three-dimensional holographic projection.

"What a wondrous thing this is," Xiao Yu sighed inwardly. Beings of the three-dimensional world could neither perceive the existence of the fourth dimension nor make any intuitive guesses about it. Humans could not envision the fourth dimension the way they could picture a cup or a table, yet by using mathematics as a tool, they could describe it with clarity.

"Then it's decided." Xiao Yu said, "I will lead our fleet to the designated location within the scheduled timeframe."

"Master, I believe you truly don't need to take such a risk yourself. You only need to dispatch an intelligent being to take charge, along with some combat forces to accompany them. You must understand, we are not going there to engage in battle. Our goal is simply to retrieve the relics of the Trolor Civilization." After Xiao Yu announced the upcoming operation, a scientist offered this suggestion.

Seeing how resolute Xiao Yu was, the scientist fell silent. In truth, Xiao Yu understood its concerns very well. Out of consideration for maintaining control over these intelligent beings of the civilizations, Xiao Yu had placed all ship control authority exclusively in his own hands. If he died, all intelligent beings under his command would die as well. Obviously, this scientist was worried about precisely that and did not wish for Xiao Yu to take this risk. After all, all their lives were tied to Xiao Yu.

However, Xiao Yu had deeper considerations. Up until now, he could not fully trust the loyalty of these alien intelligent beings. Under his control, of course, their loyalty was not in doubt, but what if they were out of his control?

Who could say whether, upon entering this so-called New World, these ships would still remain under his control? According to Xiao Yu's deductions, there was a significant chance that superluminal communication would not be functional in Four-Dimensional space. To avoid this problem, he would have to grant them complete authority over ship control. If they then entered the ruins, and if by sheer luck they acquired the weapon known as Fractured Space, what if they subsequently piloted the ships back out of the ruins and used such weapons against him?

The vast disparity between civilization levels meant Xiao Yu had no confidence that he could rely on his current strength to resist a ship equipped with a Level 6 Civilization weapon, even if it was just a single vessel.

Therefore, Xiao Yu chose to personally take this risk.

Such a choice also had several other advantages. With his immense computational power, Xiao Yu's abilities were far superior to those of the other intelligent beings. By going personally, the likelihood of successfully obtaining the relics of the Trolor Civilization would be the greatest. Taking all these considerations into account, Xiao Yu decided to go himself.

"Then it's settled. I will lead all the ships to the designated location in three days. If possible, we will all enter the ruin together." Xiao Yu announced his decision.

Upon hearing Xiao Yu's decision, the scientists displayed various expressions, some calm, some worried, some excited. Looking at these differing expressions, Xiao Yu felt no stirrings in his heart.

All kinds of orders were issued, and Xiao Yu's fleet swiftly completed its assembly, then set course for the designated destination. Because this was near a star, curvature flight could not be performed, so this journey was a conventional sub-light-speed voyage.

Watching that colossal star, which was constantly shifting its trajectory as though it were suffering from epilepsy, drawing steadily closer, Xiao Yu remained as composed as ever.

A message's arrival caused a faint ripple in Xiao Yu's mood. Inwardly, Xiao Yu thought, "That creature is still following me."

Indeed, this message concerned that Level 4 Alien Beast. The detection data showed that after Xiao Yu's massive fleet began moving toward the predetermined objective, this creature also started adjusting its position, continuing to trail behind Xiao Yu, looming in and out of sight.

"You've been following me for several hundred years now… It's time for this to end." Xiao Yu smiled coldly in his heart. "Once I acquire that weapon called Fractured Space, I'll see where you think you can run."

In fact, compared to Xiao Yu's technological level, his current weapon systems were not especially advanced; at the very least, they still fell slightly short of the Molian Civilization. Xiao Yu believed that if he truly obtained space-based weapons from a Level 6 Civilization, all of his shortcomings would be comprehensively remedied.

"At that time, I'll have Four-Dimensional shield technology for defense and space weapons for offense. In this Milky Way Galaxy, aside from a Level 6 Civilization, who else could threaten me? Just a mere Level 4 Alien Beast, utterly insignificant."

After several days of conventional travel, Xiao Yu's fleet arrived at the designated location. A series of commands was issued, and the robots as well as the leaders of every race faithfully carried out Xiao Yu's orders: raising the alert level, reassuring their kin, instructing them not to panic no matter what happened, and so on.

Because, according to the deductions of Xiao Yu and Luka Two, the Dwarf Race would be the key to opening the gateway to the New World, Xiao Yu had made specific arrangements for this, loosening the concealment over forty Home-class ships and deliberately allowing them to be exposed. Whether this would be useful or not, Xiao Yu believed it was better to do it than not.

"Very well, let's begin the wait." With all preparations complete, what remained, whether the method to enter the ruin would indeed be as he had surmised, could only be left to the heavens to decide.

Time passed bit by bit. All was as silent as ever in the starry sky. There were no planets, no comets, no asteroids, only that enormous, steadily shining star, which, facing this empty universe, futilely radiated its heat.

Xiao Yu's thoughts drifted far away.

Xiao Yu began pondering a question, a profound question: all of this, what was it for? What meaning did it have?

Whether this star emitted heat or not, or even whether it existed or not, would have no impact on the outside world. It was inconsequential, overlooked, and it also lacked consciousness. Then, for what purpose did it exist?

And not only this star, there were countless things like this in the universe. Their existence or non-existence was of no importance, yet they existed nonetheless. Xiao Yu could not understand why all of this existed at all.

Perhaps existence itself was a kind of meaning? Or perhaps, somewhere in the universe, there really was an omniscient, omnipotent god secretly controlling everything?

Humans in the Earth era had already begun to ponder this question. Yet even after becoming a Level 5 Civilization, Xiao Yu still had not found the answer.

"The universe is vast and boundless, containing so many secrets, whether in natural science or in humanistic philosophy, there are countless questions waiting for me to explore. Perhaps the meaning of intelligent life lies here: to continuously explore, to solve one unknown after another, and then to encounter still more unknowns, launching into new rounds of exploration, until life comes to an end. But my existence is not bound by time. If nothing unexpected happens, I will have endless life. Then, what is the meaning of my existence?"

A sudden message interrupted Xiao Yu's thoughts, bringing him back to awareness.

"My people, welcome to the world of Trolor."

In the quiet waiting, the ruin that had been shifting position silently arrived. At the very instant the appointed time came, Xiao Yu received this message in his mind.