Grand Voyage : Surviving on a Ghost Ship-Chapter 273 - Ambush – part 1

Suna spent a long time reorganizing the research data Wei Qian had left behind in the computer and inside Xiao Ji’s body. She photographed some of the key information and archived it in the system.

Much of the data was incomplete. In many cases the beginnings and endings were missing, and some files contained nothing but titles, with the contents reduced to garbled code.

There was no helping it. Too much time had passed, and Xiao Ji the robot was damaged. Being able to extract even this much information was already the limit.

From what remained, it was clear that Wei Qian’s main fields of research were materials science and applied physics. The materials also included items obtained from capsules, as well as enhancements derived from the Sanctuary-class structure.

Take the food printer, for example. It was actually a product unlocked after the Sanctuary-class upgrade, a piece of genuine black technology.

As for beam weapons, transparent walls, computers, operating systems, and robots, these were all creations of the research group led by Wei Qian.

They had mastered a method of utilizing magic stone energy. One unit of magic stone contained roughly the same amount of energy as one unit of mana.

“You can’t underestimate a single unit of mana!

“This is a form of super energy that can warp reality and give birth to miracles. Its potential… may even rival matter–antimatter annihilation!

“I don’t know what’s going on with this world, why such a strange form of energy exists, and why everyone possesses it.

“But using magic stones can turn many impossibilities into possibilities…”

Suna was still studying. To fully digest all this knowledge would take a great deal of time.

Some of the theories, however, could already be applied to mysticism. The two fields were interconnected.

“Magic stones cannot be absorbed or used directly. Violent impact or high temperatures will only cause them to explode. That’s the most primitive method, with a pitifully low energy utilization rate…”

The magic stone fuel battery developed by Wei Qian had a conversion rate of no more than 1 percent, but even so, it was a product far ahead of its time and had been prioritized for installation in the first batch of robots.

…

“Dr. Suna, you have been working continuously for over eight hours. Xiao Ji hereby solemnly reminds you that prolonged work may result in various negative effects, such as fainting, hair loss, irritability, weakness, aging, madness, and may cause you to retire early.”

The synthesized mechanical voice interrupted Suna’s train of thought. Its content made her frown slightly, clearly displeased.

“Who taught you to say things like that?”

Suna raised her head and looked at Xiao Ji, who was holding a cleaning rag and making a show of trying to escape.

The robot froze in place like it had suffered a program error. Its indicator lights flickered nonstop before it finally spoke.

“It was Captain Yang Yi. He asked me to play this recording to remind you.”

It confessed everything and emphasized that it was a recording.

Suna’s crimson eyes narrowed slightly. She put the tablet into her spatial pouch and then headed toward the deck.

…

Inside the captain’s cabin.

The time was around 11:30 p.m.

Yang Yi had just acquired a low-tier Abyss Soul Stone at the price of Shell Coins and was planning to use it to enhance the Bone Token.

Suddenly, his ears twitched. He heard Suna’s footsteps, along with the rolling sound of wheels following behind her.

“Oh no.”

Realizing what was coming, Yang Yi immediately threw himself onto the bed and pretended to be asleep.

Moments later, Suna arrived at the door and saw Yang Yi snoring soundly inside.

Normally, this was trading time. By all logic, Yang Yi would never be asleep at this hour.

But she didn’t expose him. A faint smile appeared on her face as she slowly walked into the room, placing invisible pressure on Yang Yi.

Gulp.

Yang Yi swallowed hard, feeling thoroughly exposed.

But Suna merely brushed past him, slipped through the breach in the room, and returned to her own cabin next door.

Soon, the faint sound of fabric rubbing together could be heard.

It looked like Suna was getting ready to sleep.

Yang Yi let out a long breath and silently complained that Suna really never did things the normal way, actually going back through the hole in his room.

But the moment he opened his eyes, he saw Xiao Ji the robot standing by his bedside. A slip of paper was stuck to its forehead, with two words written on it:

“Awake?”

A shiver ran down Yang Yi’s spine. He felt that teasing Suna again in the future was probably a bad idea.

He tore off the note and continued browsing the world chat channel.

…

With robots standing guard at night, he and Suna were finally freed from taking turns on watch.

That said, robots still needed power.

Even though the batteries inside these units were extremely long-lasting, they were not an infinite energy source.

On a full charge, one could operate for about ten years. In intense combat, however, that would drop to just a few days, or even only a few hours.

These energy batteries were incredibly powerful. They could be recharged electrically, or replenished using magic stones. Ten units of magic stone were enough to fully recharge one.

Yang Yi finished reading the robot user manual.

It had been sitting in his private messages since he woke up, sent by Suna.

He got up to check on things and found that Suna had woken even earlier than he had and had already gone to the witch’s laboratory.

“Truly fanatical,”

Yang Yi said seriously, then turned and instructed Xiao Ji to go remind her again when the time came.

After that, he checked his own status. Most of his values were nearly full, with stamina at 94.

“Time to go catch some rats.”

Yang Yi prepared to move, checking his personal gear, mainly weapons and potions.

The main goal of this operation was to capture rat thralls, so he would need to go deeper inside. Preparation was critical.

He also packed some food and fresh water, just in case he got trapped somewhere unexpectedly.

Once the inspection was complete and he confirmed everything was in order, the cooldown on Flame Serpent’s Fang had also ended.

He then put on the Atoner’s Armor, leaving only the helmet stored in his ring.

Before leaving, he also brought along two robots, Xiao Yi and Xiao San.

Xiao Er was assigned to guard the potted plants and conduct patrols on the deck.

As for Xiao Ji, he let it do as it pleased.

Yang Yi headed toward the main door, planning to take the third-floor elevator shaft down to the eighth underwater level, then proceed to the general warehouse.

That was the original plan.

But when he reached the doorway, he caught a familiar scent. He had smelled it before, even tasted it. It was the rancid grease odor carried by House Rats.

Yang Yi stopped, lifted his head, and scanned the surrounding harbor walls, turning up the brightness of the light source at his waist.

The black fog on the walls was pushed back by the light, revealing mottled metal surfaces. Several circular ventilation openings were embedded in them, their fan blades long since motionless.

A space like this might be difficult for a person to pass through, but for rats, it posed no problem at all.

“Suna, this group of rats is trying to set up an ambush and launch a proactive attack on us.

“They may possess a fair level of intelligence, and might even have been observing our movements for some time.”

Yang Yi didn’t enter right away. He relayed his discovery to Suna.

She replied quickly, but with only three words:

“Understood.”

Seeing the message, Yang Yi prepared to press deeper inside.

He wasn’t worried about the rats attacking the ship. The ancient skeletal arm and vines on the Nightmare Star weren’t just for show, and they had no fear of a rat swarm.

Besides, there were still two robots on board, and water separated them. If the Nightmare Star chose to leave, the rats could only watch helplessly.

He raised his guard and stepped through the door, the two robots following close behind.

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