Chapter 493 - 428: Guan Tong’s Fear

Chapter 493: Chapter 428: Guan Tong’s Fear

Soloma Space Agency, Ground Control Center.

Footage from the experimental cabin of the Imperial Pioneers was displayed on the main screen. The camera was positioned above a porthole, angled so it wouldn’t capture the view of Crimson Terra outside.

On the screen, Guan Tong sat ramrod straight and motionless on a metal chair, his face devoid of expression. He stared straight ahead, his gaze unfocused and exceptionally vacant, making him look like a puppet.

Zhang Minglu pursed his lips, frowning slightly as he watched the screen and glanced at the time every now and then.

As the one who initiated this plan, he would be credited for its success, but he would also inevitably have to bear the responsibility for its failure.

Even though Guan Tong wasn’t affiliated with the Strategy Research Room, to the North Star government, he was still a "valuable national asset."

Long before, when Guan Tong was still single-handedly "stirring up trouble" abroad, North Star’s leadership had already discussed him, and even then, some had expressed their admiration.

After several collaborations, the government’s leadership came to understand Guan Tong’s general disposition and "got a good feel for him," laying the foundation for deeper cooperation. Appointing him as the team leader for the Fahe decapitation strike, for instance, was a testament to this trust.

Not to mention, Guan Tong possessed a network of connections that, while not large, was of extremely high quality.

According to data collected by the Strategy Research Room and North Star intelligence departments, quite a few people within North Star were close to him. Examples included Chen Na, who possessed the rare Large Area Perception ability, and Shi Jingyi, a head lecturer at the academy and the world’s leading expert in the Energy Transformation of Psychic Power. He was even beloved by many students when he taught at the academy.

Outside of North Star, Shangyuan Zi, the former leader of the Chosen Team from the Sakura Prayer Official Team, frequently operated alongside him. Furthermore, Yelena, the Governor of Sisiya Country, had received his help in the past and held him in high regard.

This small but extremely high-quality network usually remained inconspicuous, but it could converge into a formidable force at a critical moment.

It was conceivable that if Guan Tong were unable to return from space, it would be a tremendous loss not only for North Star but for humanity as a whole. The people in his network would also surely take action.

Therefore, whether for personal or official reasons, Zhang Minglu desperately hoped Guan Tong would succeed. Failing that, he hoped that even if no secrets were discovered, the mission could be aborted smoothly to ensure Guan Tong’s safety.

"You seem very tense, Dr. Zhang," Director Vilanko of the Soloma Space Agency remarked from beside him.

"You should be nervous too, Director Vilanko," Zhang Minglu said. "Because if Guan Tong succeeds, those in your country suffering from stress reactions due to the Crimson Fear might also be saved."

"You’re right, Dr. Zhang," Vilanko nodded. "A lot is riding on Mr. Guan’s success or failure."

The words had barely left his mouth when a staff member suddenly ran over, reporting loudly, "Director, it’s an emergency! Dream Ship One, the vessel our team has been monitoring, is on the move!"

"What?"

A flicker of shock and disbelief surfaced in Vilanko’s grayish-blue eyes.

Zhang Minglu was stunned as well. "Dream Ship One? That’s one of ours... from North Star... Hasn’t it been orbiting Terra Star this entire time?"

The staff member explained, "It was orbiting Terra Star, presumably to conserve fuel. But shortly after the Imperial Pioneers entered space, it suddenly began to change its trajectory!"

"It has to be Robert!" Vilanko exclaimed. "Robert sent a distress signal earlier. We told him we would mount a rescue after this ’event’ was over, but he never replied. Now, Dream Ship One has suddenly changed course. It doesn’t have enough fuel left to return to Celestial Water Star... Could he be going after the Imperial Pioneers?"

Zhang Minglu’s expression changed drastically. "Damn it! This means our theory about Robert was right. He’s likely become a vector for the Crimson Fear, just like that woman from Lu Rui Country who had her frontal lobe removed! We have to stop him, or Guan Tong will be in danger!"

With a grim expression, Vilanko asked a member of the monitoring team, "How long until Dream Ship One intercepts the Imperial Pioneers?"

"At normal speed, it would take approximately 59 hours. But if it proceeds at full throttle, regardless of fuel consumption, it can shorten that time to under 40 hours."

"According to the established plan, the Imperial Pioneers is scheduled to return in 48 hours, assuming everything goes smoothly. It looks like we’ll have to move that up."

A plane that runs into trouble after takeoff can turn back at any time or seek landing at a nearby airport. But a launched rocket can’t be recalled on a whim.

Operations in outer space are an order of magnitude more complex, not to mention the need to account for a "return window."

Sometimes, if a launch mission misses its scheduled time, the next window might not open for days, dozens of days, or even years.

Guan Tong’s mission into space aboard the Imperial Pioneers was already somewhat rushed. Thus, to ensure a safer return, the return trip was scheduled for 48 hours later—two days from now—to align with the optimal return window.

This meant that even if the experiment was successful, Guan Tong would still have to stay in space for nearly two days before he could return.

Now, with Robert piloting Dream Ship One and accelerating, he was on track to arrive before the return window even opened.

Everyone at Ground Control believed that if the two spacecraft collided, Guan Tong would have no chance of survival.

Vilanko immediately contacted the North Star Aerospace Agency, calling Director Chen Shi directly.

As soon as the call connected, Chen Shi brought up the matter first. "Dream Ship One is changing its trajectory to intercept the Imperial Pioneers. This is an extremely dangerous signal!"

Clearly, the North Star Aerospace Agency had also been monitoring both spacecraft.