bioinnovel Chapter 473 Released!
Chapter 473 Released!
The decoy frame was made faster than Zhang Yan had expected.
The energy imprint itself already possesses perfect frequency characteristics; all it needs to do is add an "amplifier" layer to it.
This allows the walnut-sized crystal to emit a continuous signal capable of covering a range of hundreds of light-years.
The structural design of the amplifier was provided by the Star Gazing Pavilion, which was derived from the improved design of the Sky Anchor by the Sky Gazing Pavilion.
Zhang Yan completed the assembly in less than ten hours. The final product was a fist-sized spherical device with an outer shell made of high-dimensional debris and a golden crystal embedded in its core.
Once activated, it will continue to release signals for at least 120 days.
"Coordinates." When Nie Qingcheng entered the laboratory, Zhang Yan was already doing the final parameter calibration.
"At the edge of the Milky Way's spiral arm, in the desert region designated J-2207, 3,200 light-years from Earth and 400 light-years from the end of the extended energy trajectory line."
Zhang Yan pulled up the star map. "Once the advance team tracks to the end of the trajectory, they will detect the decoy signal and naturally change direction to go there."
"Delivery method?"
"The space delivery anchor point is the same as the one used in previous interstellar transactions."
Nie Qingcheng nodded.
This is currently the only method that can achieve instantaneous delivery over ultra-long distances.
"I'll operate it."
Zhang Yan took the decoy device from the storage shelf. "Delivery requires precision down to the sub-light-year level. Establishing the anchor point consumes about 1.2% of the Heavenly Craftsmanship Heart reserves, which is manageable."
"When are you going to throw it?"
"Now."
There was no reason to wait any longer; for every hour that was delayed, the advance team would get one minute closer to Earth.
Nie Qingcheng took two steps back, giving him room to maneuver.
Zhang Yan placed the decoy device in the delivery area in the center of the control panel and closed his eyes to connect it to the Heart of Heavenly Craftsmanship.
Golden light shone on his chest, and energy began to flow.
The process of establishing the spatial delivery anchor point lasted approximately three minutes.
Zhang Yan's consciousness traversed the layers of spatial folds, found the target coordinates in the void 3,200 light-years away, and planted a temporary anchor.
The anchor point is stable.
"Delivery".
A thin, golden-white film appeared on the surface of the decoy device, and then the entire sphere began to become transparent, as if it had melted into the air.
Then it disappeared.
Delivery complete.
Zhang Yan opened his eyes, a thin layer of sweat beading on his forehead.
[Space delivery complete, target coordinates confirmed.]
The decoy device has been successfully deployed in the desert area of J-2207.
[Signal being released... Release strength is normal, coverage area is expanding.]
"Phase one is complete."
Zhang Yan straightened up. "Now wait."
Wait for the advance team to respond to the new signal.
Nie Qingcheng had already opened the interface for the interstellar observation data stream on the tablet.
The advance team's movement trajectory is continuously updated through observation nodes provided by the L-445ε civilization, which is an additional permission granted by the other party during the last repair transaction.
The observation data was updated twelve hours later.
Zhang Yan and Nie Qingcheng sat side by side on the living room sofa, with two tablets and a cup of coffee that had gone cold on the coffee table in front of them.
The data has changed.
The majority of the more than 300 individuals in the advance team, who were originally distributed in a wedge shape, began to deviate from their course.
The trajectory shifts from a straight line following the Earth's direction to a curved path veering towards the desert region.
"Two hundred and seventy-three have deviated." Nie Qingcheng quickly tallied the numbers. "The speed hasn't changed, but the direction has clearly changed. The decoy has worked."
Zhang Yan stared at the points of light on the star map that were turning.
Seven days later, these individuals will reach the end of the extended trajectory and then be drawn to J-2207 by the decoy signal.
Once they get there, they'll find nothing but a ball that keeps sending signals.
Once they realize they've been scammed and turn back, it will take at least another forty days.
Adding to the original 39-day journey, this is equivalent to giving the Earth nearly 80 days of buffer time.
But Zhang Yan did not relax.
Because there is still a small cluster of light spots on the star map that have not deflected.
"These." He circled the area with his finger.
Twenty individuals.
Their direction of movement remained unchanged; they were still flying straight toward Earth.
Nie Qingcheng's gaze fell on it, and she zoomed in on the data details of that area with her fingertips.
Her expression changed.
"Speed," she said.
Zhang Yan also saw it.
Those twenty individuals moved four times faster than the rest.
Their energy levels are also on completely different levels.
The system-labeled color jumped directly from light gray for ordinary individuals to dark red.
[Analysis of Abnormal Entities in the Advance Team:]
Quantity: 20.
[Movement speed: 4.1 times higher than normal.]
[Energy Level: The peak energy of a single individual is approximately 12 to 15 times that of an ordinary individual, exceeding the previously recorded Grade B standard.]
[Classification suggestion: Elite species.]
Elite species.
The bait was completely ineffective against them.
They were not misled by the signals, nor did they hesitate at all, as if they knew where the real target was from the very beginning.
Or rather, they do not rely on energy trajectory tracking.
They have other positioning methods.
Nie Qingcheng put down her tablet and looked up at Zhang Yan.
"Twenty elite species, each with twelve to fifteen times the energy of an ordinary individual."
Her voice was flat, but she spoke a beat faster than usual, "At their speed, how long will it take to arrive?"
Zhang Yan had already completed the calculations in his mind.
"Eleven days."
The living room fell silent for a moment.
The sunlight outside the window was just right, shining on the surface of the cold coffee on the coffee table, giving it a lifeless sheen.
Nie Qingcheng reached out and took the coffee cup aside, then opened a new document on her tablet.
"Defense plan," she said. "Let's start planning now."
Zhang Yan had already stood up.
"No need to line up." He walked towards the underground mech hangar. "They're coming; I'll go out to meet them."
"Where should we greet them?"
"The outer reaches of the solar system." Zhang Yan didn't turn around. "Intercept them all before they get close to Earth."
Nie Qingcheng's voice came from behind, neither loud nor soft, but carrying an absolute no-negotiation tone.
"I want you to come back alive for this Friday's dinner appointment."
Zhang Yan paused for a moment.
What should we eat on Friday?
"You do it."
He chuckled and continued walking down.
The Chaos Mech waited for him in the darkness, its eyes gleaming with a dark golden light, like a giant beast that had caught the scent of its prey.
Eleven days.
Twenty elite species.
enough.