Swallowed Star

Volume 11 Chapter 1 –

Distance

The genius battle had finally ended. Whether it was the mighty 9 Blade Knight or the 1,008 undyings, they all left immediately.

Luo Feng and the 1,000 youths still remained there as the worker beside them shouted, “Everybody please stay for awhile. We still have some matters to discuss with you all regarding us taking you to the Virtual Universe Company headquarters.

After a while.

Within restaurant number two in the plaza, Luo Feng and the 1,000 geniuses sat in the meeting room.

“Let me introduce myself, I am Mana.” At about 2.67m, wearing a smile with a streak on his neck, the man stood at the front of the meeting room, “As our Virtual Universe Company has to arrange for the universe ships to specially go receive you all, can everybody please fill up the paper in front of you with the correct planet address, and I will collect them.”

Luo Feng picked up the pen and began to write, “Ganwu universe country, Black Dragon Mountain starfield, Milky way galaxy, “Bai Lan star.”

The 1,000 youths from the many universe countries were writing.

“Do we even need this? Just tell us where to gather and we’ll take our own ships and head over, wouldn’t that do?”

“Right, there’s no need to pick us up, it’s troublesome.”

Among the group there were some shouting.

Mana smiled and said, “As the travel will pass many universe countries, it is very very far away, and the normal universe ships travel very slow within the dark universe. To actually reach our company’s headquarters, would require a very long time. To save everybody’s time, naturally, our Virtual Universe Company will specially arrange for the best universe ships to receive you!”

“This 1,000 here, the one that’s the furthest from our headquarters is 1.5 billion light years away.” Mana smiled, “And the ratio of distance between the dark universe compared to the real universe is 1:10081 thousand times. Even if one moved at light speed all the way, it would still require 150 years to reach.”

Silence!

The initially bustling meeting room went silent. Even Luo Feng who was seriously filling out the form couldn’t help but look up.

150 years?

“My god, 150 years?” A beast man who looked like a lion in the corner exclaimed as he was shocked. “The longest I’ve sat in a universe ship and travelled was for only about two months, this 150 years…”

The universe was too huge.

Back then, just heading from earth to Horned dragon star, by utilizing that universe travel within the Black Dragon Mountain star field, required about half a month.

And that was only one starfield!

Above the starfield, was the bigger star sector, and every star sector was incredibly vast! That farthest away from the headquarters being 1.5 billion light years, wasn’t an exaggeration at all.

“If everybody took their own ships.”

“1st point would be that the speed is too slow, hence it would require too much time.”

“2nd point would be that due to long period of travel, the amount of energy wasted by the ship would be shocking.”

“3rd and also the most important point is that when you travel in the dark universe, there are some special spots which are not safe, you’ll meet universe pirates. Or even some other races that will rob you. To all here, safety is of utmost importance.” On the stage, Mana smiled, “Right now the best normal universe ships can at most do a couple of times light speed in the dark universe. This means that the travel would still take far too long.”

Luo Feng nodded.

By reaching light speed in the actual universe, according to the rules of calculation, one could immediately reach the dark universe. However, there was a base speed but no upper limit. As long as your ship was good enough, one could reach even faster, 1 time? 2 times? 3 times light speed?

If your universe ship was good enough, you could reach that speed in the dark universe.

A C grade Black Dragon Mountain ship could reach up to 1.5 times the light speed in the dark universe. Even with that speed, for a distance of 1.5 billion light years, one would still have to fly continuously for a 100 years.

“Du!”

“Collection complete.” Beams of light landed on each person’s paper, and a screen appeared at the front of the meeting room. On it was a large galaxy map, and beside it were complicated numbers and symbols. Mana took a look and turned back to the 1,000 geniuses, smiling, “Attention all, your written addresses have all been recorded in our file. According to your 1,000 different locations and our ship resources, we’ve already chosen the best route for each of you.”

“How long will it take?”

“How long will it take for us to reach the virtual universe headquarters?” A few couldn’t help but ask.

Luo Feng creased his eyebrows too and stared at Mana on the stage.

150 years? 100 years? No matter what it was, it was still too long.

“As you all have different distances, the arranged ships will travel at different speeds too, I can still guarantee you that the maximum travel time will be 3 years.”

“3 years?”

“So short?”

“How is that possible? How fast can that universe ship reach for it to travel 1.5 billion light years in 3 years?” The 1000 geniuses including Luo Feng all mostly stared wide eyed. They were anything but naïve, even Luo Feng who had participated in 2 Ganwu auctions was shocked.

3 years of travelling in the dark universe, with a distance of 1.5 billion light years, that meant the ship could reach 50 times light speed!

This was simply an unbelievable number.

A C grade ship was normally a little above 1 time. Even an E grade ship was probably just a few times, like Luo Feng’s acquired automaton ship, that level of technology was much more than a regular human’s 3 grade ship. However that automaton ship could at most travel 10 times light speed in the dark universe.

“Our Virtual Universe Company will arrange an F grade ships for everybody.” Mana smiled, “And these aren’t the easily purchasable F grade ships. But rather…special F grade ships that are only manufactured in the Virtual Universe Company. The technology far exceeds that of regular F grade ships within universe countries.”

Silence.

Stunned.

Shocked.

F grade ship, the Yun Mo Planet master Hu Yan Bo spent countless amounts of wealth to get one F grade ship. Many undyings couldn’t even afford it. Just from those two facts, one could see how expensive and valuable an F grade ship was. Within the many star field empires, like the Black Dragon Mountain empire, there wasn’t even one F grade ship in the entire empire.

Even though the universe countries normally had it, the majority of the F grade ships couldn’t even reach 50 times light speed in the dark universe.

“Incredible!” Sitting on Luo Feng’s right was the Manka prince.

The Manka prince Wuka stared at Mana on the stage and said softly, “Really incredible. It actually, actually can send 1,000 F grade ships, and all of them with such technology. My imperial father had said before that the Virtual Universe Company’s technology is like the sacred land for humanity’s technology. But that’s just simply too incredible.”

Among the groups in humanity, the Virtual Universe Company’s technology ranked first!

Even in the vast universe, within countless races, those who were actually be able to compete with the Virtual Universe Company’s technology were far and few. Only races like the automaton race or other very few races had such level.

“Mr Mana, can we buy these F grade ships?” Someone shouted.

“Right, can we buy them?” The manka prince shouted.

“These are internal items of our Virtual Universe Company. As core members within our company, you all can definitely purchase them. However you can only use them for yourselves. You can’t sell it to others…if you want to sell, you have to sell it back to our Virtual Universe Company.” Mana smiled, “The only thing is that these F grade ships are too expensive. Even among the undyings, many of them can’t afford them. You all shouldn’t be too anxious, train hard and when you become absolute warriors within our company, the company may just give you one altogether.”

A group of the youths smiled immediately.

Absolute warriors Were given an F grade universe ship?

To actually be allocated one, just what level of strength did one have to reach. To these bunch of star level punks, that was indeed too far away.

“Awesome.” Luo Feng couldn’t help but mutter.

“Sigh, Madman.” The manka prince Wuka beside turned over and said softly, “Don’t listen to this guys boast so much. There’s no such thing as a free meal in the universe. If you want to receive one, you’d definitely have to pay for it in one way or another, that’s what my father said! However let me tell you, the Virtual Universe Company is definitely a sacred land for the human race, with countless treasures and techniques. It’s a pity we didn’t enter the primal secret area, but it’s still ok. We’ve entered the Absolute beginning area, there are many perks there too. You’ll know in the future.”

“Ah?” Luo Feng smiled and nodded.

“Let me inform you all.” Mana smiled, “The top 1,000 ranks, the prize money for each is being sent now, please go check your bank accounts when you return.”

“As for now, everyone can leave. When our Virtual Universe Company sends a special letter to you all later to inform you of the pickup time, please be present at the written addresses and be ready. Don’t let us not be able to find you.” Mana smiled, “So then, go back and accompany your family and friends. Very soon, you’ll all be leaving your home for a long period of time.”

The bustling meeting room became silent suddenly.

Right.

They’d have to leave their homes for a long time. Just heading to the headquarters alone took 3 years, and that was in the expensive F grade universe ship they sent. One had to say, facing the vast universe…just the travel alone took up a shocking amount of time.

Human silhouettes began to vanish from the meeting room, everyone left.

******

After leaving, Luo Feng’s consciousness once again entered the virtual universe and entering at the set location of Black Dragon Mountain island 9 star bay district.

Hu!

He appeared in the grass patch, there was however no one at all there.

“They are all not around?” Luo Feng shook his head and laughed, “Right, I haven’t told them about the competition ending today.” The genius competition wasn’t broadcasted publicly. The footage was edited and cut after everything to produce the best and most exciting footage to broadcast. Afterall many battles happened simultaneously, and they happened very quickly.

“My wife should be at her company now.” Luo Feng sat in a chair in the grass patch. Her company headquarters seemed to have moved to the Ganwu continent, truly fierce.”

Xu Xin was originally very good at business. Opening a business on earth didn’t give her much accomplishment, hence she entered the virtual universe and opened it there. This virtual universe…was humanity’s largest market in the universe as it gathered 1,008 universe countries’ almost 100% of elites. Hence there were many companies in the virtual universe. With Luo Feng’s financial support, Xu Xin had enough capital and grew very quickly.

“Little Hai and Ping Ping should be at the Ganwu dojo, or playing virtual games.” Luo Feng muttered, “My parents should be playing virtual games too. Who knows how they came to like the chinese immortals kind of virtual games.”

The virtual universe had tens of thousands of different kind of games.

Types like the chinese immortals, even though the names may vary, but many were similar. His parents came to like them, his dad even shouted, “I’ve always thought of such a day when I was young, that I’d be able to experience virtual games like these, this is so thrilling.”

His parents were happy, naturally Luo Feng didn’t bother them.

“I need to go. I’m going to leave my home for a very long time.” Luo Feng’s feelings were complex. He could kind of understand Hong’s thoughts back then.

“Big brother! You are back?” Suddenly a voice resounded. From the balcony of a distant 3 storey villa, Luo Hua was looking over and shouted.