Chapter 325: Reunion

The light of the White Dwarf Star was quite dim, but only when compared to a regular star.

Up close, it was still incredibly dazzling. At the same time, the radiation from the star’s residual energy was also extremely intense.

Without wearing a Space Suit, even the Clones who had undergone hundreds of rounds of genetic optimization by Li Qingsong could only survive for a few seconds at most under this radiation.

But at this moment, upon this planet with its extremely harsh environment, high temperatures, and immense gravity, some peculiar life forms were active.

They seemed to have no physical form, consisting only of extremely condensed green light. They were about the size of a soccer ball, either floating in place or rolling rapidly across the White Dwarf Star’s mirror-smooth surface.

Compared to an ordinary planet, a White Dwarf Star is practically a perfect sphere. The highest mountain peak on its surface was only a few meters tall.

Any higher, and it would collapse under its own immense gravity.

Right now, atop this world’s highest peak, a green ball of light, the largest of them all at the size of a basketball, was situated. As the green light that formed its body rippled, an electromagnetic signal pierced through the super-high temperatures, intense radiation, and dazzling light of the White Dwarf Star’s surface, reaching the millions of spheres, large and small, below the peak.

“The previous Demon Civilization has been driven away. This new civilization that has arrived seems even more powerful in combat. We are no match for them.”

“Chieftain, let’s fight them to the death!”

“Yes, even if we all die in battle, we don’t want to become slaves!”

“Sigh… Our ancestors once had a saying: We were born without sin, but our value became our crime. One civilization after another, they all come for what we’re worth. This is our fate… Don’t speak of fighting to the last. This is our fate, and we must accept it. I will represent our Green Light Race and open negotiations with this civilization. As long as they are willing to spare us, I will voluntarily become their experimental material.”

“Chieftain! No!”

“You can’t!”

“This is the only way to save our Green Light Race…”

But just then, an electromagnetic message was sent, powerful enough to pierce the White Dwarf Star’s radiation and comprehensible to the green light beings.

“Respected Gravity Creatures, we are the Blutuk Civilization from distant Deep Space. During our fleet’s voyage, we chanced upon a Gravity Creature who called itself ‘Qing Lan’…”

Li Qingsong recounted the course of events, concluding with, “Now, we have brought them here, so you can be reunited.”

On the mirror-smooth surface of the White Dwarf Star, filled with intense light and radiation, a sudden silence fell at the arrival of this message.

“Qing Lan… Qing Lan? This outside civilization… they know Qing Lan’s name? How do they know? Where is Qing Lan?”

A dozen or so balls of light emerged, darting and tumbling anxiously through the air.

“A civilization crossed dozens of light-years just to bring Qing Lan home? Is… is this a trap?”

The ball of light on the mountain peak remained silent, making no response to the message.

Inside the experimental ship custom-made for Qing Lan, Li Qingsong looked at the enormous green sphere of light, which spanned over a thousand meters, and sent a message via electromagnetic waves: “Qing Lan, it’s safe outside now. We’ve reached your home. Thank you for your cooperation during this time. Now, go home and reunite with your family.”

Qing Lan’s enormous body rippled slightly. They spoke with a mix of disbelief and pleasant surprise, “Brother Li, did you drive away those bad people?”

“Yes, they’ve been driven away. You can go home now.”

“Brother Li, thank you. Qing Lan will remember you forever.”

The massive ball of green light gracefully passed through the Warship’s hull and the Energy Shield. It tumbled and surged like a giant balloon, speeding toward the White Dwarf Star.

The closer it got to the White Dwarf Star, the smaller the giant balloon became, and the more condensed and substantial the green light grew.

By the time it finally landed on the surface of the White Dwarf Star, it had been compressed to the same size as the other spheres—only about as large as a soccer ball.

It rolled urgently amidst the intense light and radiation, sending out one message after another: “Dad, Mom, Grandpa Chieftain, where are you? Where are you?”

From around the mountain, millions of green balls of light took flight at once, speeding thousands of kilometers away and arriving in just a moment.

“Qing Lan?”

“Mom! It’s me!”

“Qing Lan?!”

“It’s me, it’s really me… *sob*…”

A dozen or so balls of light flew out and surrounded Qing Lan, each of them trembling uncontrollably.

The largest ball of light approached, and the others parted to make way.

“Grandpa Chieftain.”

“Qing Lan, good child, good child. You’ve finally returned. Tell Grandpa, what have you encountered over this past millennium?”

“Grandpa Chieftain, that one time I snuck out into space, I found a really interesting cloud of interstellar dust. I followed it and played with it for a long, long time. When it finally dissipated, I thought about coming back, but I couldn’t find my way home anymore. After that, I just wandered around in space. I was cold and hungry and in pain, but I still couldn’t find home… until… until I met Brother Li…”

…

‘The Blutuk Civilization? In this entire Cosmos… can a civilization so benevolent truly exist?’

At that moment, even the Chieftain of the Green Light Race couldn’t help but be deeply moved.

In his heart, all his doubts about the Blutuk Civilization had vanished completely.

The reason was simple. If the Blutuk Civilization had meant them harm, with combat power even greater than the previous Demon Civilization, they could have annihilated them ten times over by now.

Yet, not only did they not make any demands, they had taken the initiative to release Qing Lan and return them home. This was more than enough to prove their goodwill.

“Qing Lan, you were lucky this time to have met good people… From now on, you must never run off on your own again.”

“Grandpa Chieftain, I understand. I’ll be good from now on. I won’t go out again, no matter who calls for me… unless it’s Brother Li.”

“Oh, you child…”

The Chieftain’s body rippled gently as he addressed his fellow kin: “The Blutuk Civilization not only returned Qing Lan, but they also helped us drive away the Demon Civilization, saving every one of us. Such a great kindness must be repaid. Our form of existence seems to be very useful to an intelligent civilization of this level. Therefore, I have decided to select 100 individuals to go to the Blutuk Civilization’s fleet and cooperate with all their experimental needs. I will be the first! Who else will volunteer?”