Shadows of the Deep Space Chapter 1664: 534: Return Voyage (Part 3)
Previously on Shadows of the Deep Space...
Chapter 1664: Chapter 534: The Voyage Home (Part 3)
For these days, he had been keeping watch, hoping for Bai Yuyi to emerge, yet the figure remained absent since that final clash.
At this moment, Rhein stepped toward Su Ming, his posture respectful.
“Boss, the salvage of the wreckage is nearly finished. The vessels are secured, and we are prepared to depart.”
“Understood.”
Su Ming’s response was detached.
Rhein hesitated for a moment, then spoke once more.
“We really must head out.”
“Indeed, let us depart.”
Su Ming exhaled a soft sigh and rose to his feet.
“Understood!”
Rhein nodded in confirmation.
Both men turned and made their way toward the entrance of the Sunshine.
...
Inside the Sunshine Central Control Room.
Li Menghan, Onite, and the remaining crew spotted the duo walking in and hailed them immediately.
“Boss!”
“Understood. Prepare to set sail.”
Su Ming stepped across the deck and settled into the command chair.
“Affirmative.”
Onite and the others replied with a clear lack of enthusiasm.
Even though they had managed to cram the Sunshine and the Grey Angel to capacity with salvaged debris, a substantial amount of valuable material remained scattered across the battlefield. It was painful to leave it all behind, but the ships simply could not carry any more.
Li Menghan moved instantly to issue the necessary commands.
“Broadcast notice to everyone: the Sunshine is departing soon. All hands, prepare for transit.”
“Understood!”
The operator confirmed the order immediately.
“Initiate final diagnostic checks!”
Li Menghan continued to bark out orders in rapid succession.
Normally, simply setting sail wouldn’t be such a strenuous endeavor, but because Onite had overloaded the Sunshine, the vessel was pushed to its structural limits.
Consequently, Li Menghan had to verify every circuit and system personally to avoid any catastrophic failure while underway.
While overloading was manageable in the vacuum of space, it often caused complications during superluminal travel. Thankfully, the Sunshine was equipped with a top-tier Superluminal Flight Device, so the risks were minimal, provided they avoided planetary landings upon reaching the Federation.
Soon enough, every system was prepared.
Li Menghan looked toward Su Ming to finalize the report.
“General, we are prepared for departure.”
“Go.”
Su Ming sighed, his voice dropping to a somber tone.
“Yes, sir!”
Just as Li Menghan reached for the propulsion controls, the scanning array flashed, and a gray dot appeared on the terminal along with a sudden alarm.
“Alert: Biological entity approaching the Sunshine!”
The crew, including Su Ming, were visibly surprised by the notice.
Li Menghan triggered the optical sensors to project the view onto the screen.
They watched a mecha drifting silently through the void toward the Sunshine.
Su Ming’s gaze sharpened as he studied the drifting machine—it was the fourth-generation High-level Customized Mecha known as the Fierce Light Messenger.
Rhein and the others stared at the floating machine, disbelief painting their expressions.
“Sir, would you like me to head out and tow that craft in?”
Onite inquired softly.
“Do not bother. I will handle it personally.”
Su Ming inhaled deeply and exited the Central Control Room.
A brief moment later.
The Sunshine opened a hangar bay, and Su Ming launched in Ilyas to rendezvous with the Fierce Light Messenger.
The cockpit of the Fierce Light Messenger had been torn open, leaving nothing but a damaged exoskeleton and a shredded military uniform inside.
Su Ming searched the stars for a sign of Bai Yuyi, but seeing nothing, he kept his head bowed for several long seconds.
He then popped open the hatch, retrieved the redwood box, and placed it back into the silence of space, whispering to himself.
“Rest easy; I will ensure this mecha and your remaining possessions make it home.”
With that, Su Ming sealed the cockpit, engaged the tow-beams, and piloted Ilyas back toward the Sunshine.
...
Back inside the Control Room, Rhein and the crew exchanged glances, unsure of how to react.
Allu finally broke the tension.
“When Su Ming gets back, let us act as if nothing unusual has occurred. No one is to ask questions.”
“Agreed!”
The others nodded in unity.
Before long, Su Ming returned to the bridge and reclaimed his seat.
“General Su Ming, are we ready to depart?”
Li Menghan asked.
“Depart!”
Su Ming replied firmly.
The engines flared, and the Sunshine dragged the Grey Angel, accelerating rapidly away from the debris field and into the shrouding white mist.
Li Menghan looked at Su Ming once more.
“What are our coordinates, sir?”
“Little Grey, show us the way!”
Su Ming signaled the creature.
“Chi-chi~”
Little Grey gestured with a small paw toward a specific heading.
Li Menghan and her navigation team plotted the course immediately, and the Sunshine propelled itself forward, quickly vanishing into the distance.
In the remnants of the battle, a single black box drifted alone in the cold expanse of space.
Suddenly, the presence of Bai Yuyi materialized. He reached out to retrieve the redwood box, opening it to reveal a peculiar purple necklace.
...
————————————————-
Half a month passed.
The Sunshine maintained its stealth field, towing the Grey Angel while trailing a Mechanical Octopus to obscure their trail, snaking through the boundary between the Mist Star Sea and the wormhole distortion.
They made their way toward the Federation, sticking to the peripheral zones of the Danube and Bright Star Seas.
In the quiet of the Control Room, Su Ming sat with a mug of hot coffee, his senses on high alert despite the relative peace.
Nearby, Rhein and the others relaxed, cracking open sunflower seeds and whispering among themselves.
“Finally, the journey home is almost over!”
“It has been ages since I last stood on human soil.”
“Truly. Calculating our current speed, we should arrive just in time for the new year.”
...
Onite approached Su Ming with a digital report, a wide grin breaking across his face.
“Sir, the inventory of our salvaged goods is officially complete.”