Space travel is often uneventful for long stretches. After the two baits entered hibernation, the rest of the crew gradually followed suit. Tesla’s lightweight starship came equipped with an automatic navigation system, requiring no further intervention once the destination was set.
Compared to humans, the hibernation process for semi-mechanoids was even simpler. They didn’t need nutrient pods; they could just power down and remain standing. However, Tesla thoughtfully provided multiple maintenance pods, allowing them to enjoy comfort and upkeep during their hibernation.
Soon, the starship fell into a profound silence, leaving only Shu Bao, Fu Qing, and Lan Qing awake. The three of them weren’t in any hurry to hibernate, nor were they particularly bothered by the prospect of prolonged monotony.
Thus began their self-entertaining and leisurely life aboard the starship. Shu Bao started experimenting with various flavors for roasted grasshoppers and enthusiastically invited Fu Qing to try them. Faced with a bowl-sized plate of grasshoppers, Fu Qing maintained a stoic expression, “Lan Qing, as a snake—no, a dragon—he should be fine with it.”
Shu Bao shook his head and explained, “Lan Qing is still a vegetarian even after transforming into a dragon. As his friend, I have to respect his habits. And as my friend, of course, you’ll support me too, right?”
Fu Qing was silent. Faced with Shu Bao’s logic, he had no choice but to close his eyes and take a big bite. After a couple of chews, his tightly furrowed brow began to relax. “What’s this coating?”
“It’s honey! And not just any honey—it’s from the rare Ramoran tree. Delicious, isn’t it?” Shu Bao, as always, was thoughtful when it came to pleasing his friends.
Before long, Fu Qing devoured the bowl-sized serving of grasshoppers, then slumped into his chair with satisfaction. “It’s excellent.”
“Right? What do you think about the honey ratio? How’s the roast level? Does it need more heat?” Shu Bao immediately pulled out a notebook, ready to refine his culinary skills.
After reflecting on the flavor and texture, Fu Qing provided a couple of suggestions. The two continued their discussion for some time and eventually perfected their recipe for roasted grasshoppers. They agreed that the starship’s grasshopper breeding area was too small and needed at least double the space.
Meanwhile, Lan Qing, the vegetarian dragon, noticed that the plants in the breeding area were dwindling. Thinking he had unconsciously overeaten, he guiltily retrieved seeds from the storage and began planting more, while diligently limiting his meals to fruit portions so precise they were measured in slices.
But it wasn’t long before Lan Qing discovered that the plants he’d grown were disappearing. When he finally decided to inform Shu Bao of this peculiar phenomenon, he found the missing plants on the dining table—used as garnishes and seasoning for the grasshoppers.
Furious, Lan Qing issued an order forbidding Shu Bao and Fu Qing from expanding the grasshopper breeding area any further. To ensure compliance, he ate all the plants being used as plate decorations. Only then did Shu Bao and Fu Qing reluctantly abandon their grand plans of turning the entire starship into a grasshopper farm.
During this time, Lan Qing, who rarely ventured out, shyly presented his new project: “Memoirs of a Snake Becoming a Dragon.”
Shu Bao and Fu Qing exchanged glances and expressed genuine interest in reading it. Encouraged, Lan Qing shared his book with both of them, eagerly awaiting their feedback.
Two days later, Lan Qing received feedback from his companions.
Shu Bao prepared a grand fruit feast for Lan Qing and sincerely exclaimed, “Lan Qing, your writing is amazing! You’ve given all the other snakes a goal to aspire to!”
Fu Qing, however, was more pragmatic. “Not every snake can become a dragon. The content of your book doesn’t have practical instructional value.”
“Who says it doesn’t?” Shu Bao countered confidently. “This is the Chaos Galaxy! If we promote this book widely enough, the idea that snakes can transform into dragons will gradually become a common belief, then a subconscious one. In the Chaotic World, where consciousness defines reality, snake-to-dragon transformations could become perfectly normal!”
Fu Qing pondered this for only a moment before nodding in agreement. “That makes sense. So, what’s for dinner tonight? Grasshoppers?”
Lan Qing, encouraged by the affirmation, beamed with joy. “Add some extra fruit and plants for garnish. I think I can eat just a bit more.”
What had initially seemed like a dull and endless interstellar voyage turned into a vibrant and enjoyable experience for the three. Beyond their personal hobbies, the occasional breathtaking cosmic scenery also provided delightful surprises. Pulsing, spinning neutron stars, the radiant warmth of red dwarfs, enigmatic black holes, and uniquely shaped asteroids offered moments of wonder amidst the vast sameness of space.
For the trio, time became irrelevant. Like adventurers on a mysterious ocean voyage, the small starship gave them a sense of safety, allowing them to savor life and its beauty.
Following the success of his first book, Lan Qing’s creative enthusiasm soared. He quickly began drafting a second book, this time chronicling his adventures with his friends. In one scene, the protagonist reflected: “I know that being my friend is dangerous. I also know that forming friendships is selfish. So at that moment, I resolved that if my friend were ever in mortal danger, I would sacrifice myself to shield them from death.”
This passage clearly alluded to the ability Lan Qing had gained from the eldest prince. However, after some thought, Lan Qing decided to delete it, opting to focus instead on the details of their adventures.
Meanwhile, Shu Bao continued to refine his culinary skills and Fu Qing rediscovered his love for gardening and flower arranging. To his surprise, Shu Bao saw hobbies as pure expressions of joy, devoid of societal judgment, and often offered enthusiastic praise for Fu Qing’s creations.
Fu Qing found himself rethinking old stereotypes. Was flower arranging truly unbecoming of a man? Why not? After all, hadn’t Shu Bao nearly curled up to sleep on one of his floral arrangements?
What Fu Qing never expected was that what seemed like a monotonous journey would become one of the most carefree and pleasant times of his life. Spending time with Shu Bao was both effortless and comforting. It was as if butterflies and mice were naturally destined to be friends.
As time passed, the three rarely went into hibernation. Each had their own hobbies and routines, though they would occasionally gather to share their latest discoveries.
Whenever the ship announced they were approaching a cosmic wonder, the trio would convene at the observation deck to marvel at the view.
One day, Lan Qing was in the ship’s small library, reading and collecting inspiration for his writing. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a shadow, about the size of a fist, wobbling toward him. Startled, he turned to see a fluffy little creature with butterfly wings on its back. It flapped its wings desperately, struggling to maintain its balance as it slowly approached.
“Shu Bao? You have wings now?” Lan Qing asked in surprise.
Shu Bao momentarily lost focus and dropped a short distance before quickly flapping his wings to regain altitude. “These are Fu Qing’s wings. I wanted to experience what it’s like to fly with wings, so I borrowed them from him,” he explained.
Lan Qing was even more astonished upon hearing this. He never knew butterfly wings could be “borrowed”. Fascinated, he eagerly watched Shu Bao’s airborne attempts.
Soon, Fu Qing, now wingless, appeared in the library. He patiently coached Shu Bao on how to control his center of gravity and properly use the wings.
The fluffy little creature with butterfly wings flipped and flitted through the air, occasionally performing unintended head-first dives due to mistakes in operation.
Lan Qing, intrigued by the scene, couldn’t help but express his interest. Although he could fly effortlessly as a dragon, he had never used his wings for flight. Approaching Fu Qing, he stated his desire to try the wings as well. However, Fu Qing firmly declined, explaining, “Wings are like personal items to humans—non-transferable.”
Lan Qing glanced at Shu Bao, then back at Fu Qing, then at Shu Bao again. He couldn’t help but feel that dragons were being discriminated against.
Shu Bao, sweating profusely from his flying efforts, finally landed on Fu Qing’s shoulder, grumbling, “I didn’t realize controlling wings and balance at the same time would be this hard. You always make it look so effortless when you fly.”
“I had to adapt when I first emerged from my chrysalis too. Don’t get discouraged—you’re already doing great,” Fu Qing encouraged as he carried the little mouse away.
Lan Qing stood in the library for a moment, then decided to add a butterfly-based villain to his novel.
…
After prolonged lightspeed travel and several spatial jumps, the starship finally reached the vicinity of the Mechanoid Star. The ship began deceleration procedures and activated its magical barriers.
This lightweight starship’s propulsion system was not purely physical or technological but a blend of energy and magic. Tesla had gathered numerous mages of various attributes to integrate magic into the ship’s engines, making it a true “magic starship”.
As the ship neared the Mechanoid Star system, a psychic barrier cloaked it in invisibility. The Mechanoids’ technology, though advanced, lacked an understanding of magic due to their inability to access the Chaotic World, making magic the key advantage of Shu Bao’s team.
The other crew members, including the semi-mechanoids, gradually ended their hibernation. Upon learning that Shu Bao, Fu Qing, and Lan Qing hadn’t entered hibernation at all yet remained in perfect condition, everyone was deeply impressed.
The two princes were also awakened. Upon discovering they had arrived near the Mechanoid Star, they were filled with despair. Realizing escape was impossible, they could only hope for a delayed discovery or if caught, a swift death.
Unfortunately, their prayers went unanswered. Mere moments after waking up, the ship’s alarms sounded, warning of nearby mechanical units.
The crew immediately sprang into action, rushing out of their quarters. The two princes followed, intending to head to the control room to help counterattack. However, midway through, they noticed the route seemed off and anxiously asked if they were heading in the wrong direction.
Lan Qing reassured them, “No, this is the way to the observation deck.”
“The observation deck? Why are we going there?” the second prince asked in confusion.
“To get a good look at the real Mechanoids, of course!” someone replied matter-of-factly.
The two princes: “…” Do these people have any sense of crisis? This is not the time to admire the Mechanoids—we’re about to lose our lives!
As they were still reeling, the group arrived at the observation deck. Through the transparent glass, they could clearly see the situation outside.
Two enormous, sleek, and highly advanced battleships slowly approached and then glided past them without incident.
