Ant Lord in the Star Realm

The greatest advantage of petite micro-starships lies in conserving Primordial Crystal consumption during navigation.

...

In silence, a hexagonal gate opens.

Captain Upright Lotus leads the way, diving into the passage.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid quickly follow.

The gate closes.

The passage fills with air.

Captain Upright Lotus freezes in place, clearly communicating with the Starship AI system using his mind, while a holographic panel appears before him, its patterns and characters flashing swiftly, finishing within two to three seconds.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid’s soul consciousness simultaneously receive two messages:

[Welcome aboard the Haimeng Ship, Luoli Chamber of Commerce Combat Department Scouting Formation Tech AI Haimeng at your service]

[Please activate Star Network ability, register identity information]

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid comply.

[Information successfully recorded]

[Giant-Headed Blind Leaf-Cutting Ant, Dragon Cypress, Half Star Realm]

[Permission sequence 6]

Captain Upright Lotus says: "Among the stars, whether exploring dangerous places or escorting in battle, we always prepare for the worst in advance. My permission sequence is 1. In case, I say in case, I encounter misfortune, the Starship command permissions automatically transfer to Chickpea. If Chickpea also meets misfortune, the Starship command permissions automatically descend to Purple Cicada, and so forth."

"Kansui with permission sequence 4, Giant Taro with sequence 5, Dragon Cypress Ant King with sequence 6, Ink Orchid with sequence 7, this ensures any survivor can pilot the Starship to safety in case of emergencies."

"This is merely standard preparation, nothing else, so there’s no need to panic."

"Alright. Everyone follow me inside."

Having finished speaking.

The second hexagonal gate opens at the passage’s front.

Passing through a corridor of over ten meters long, a turn leads into a vast bright hall.

Captain Upright Lotus raises a claw to introduce:

"Starship living room and dining room, if food is needed, come here to pick it up. Call Haimeng, it will provide."

"Over there is the command cabin."

"Over there is the mechanical room, containing commonly used repair parts."

"Go over there to find the nest rooms for resting. There’s a door with numbers, each corresponds to permission sequences. Use spiritual power to call Haimeng for help to open or close the door."

"Behind the nest rooms are the activity rooms. On long trips, after prolonged hibernation, one can enter there to move around, but note, the metal walls have limited bearing capacity and cannot withstand attack-type abilities."

Captain Upright Lotus retracts his claw, saying: "Those with Shanglu Divine Patterns, seal them yourselves. Kansui, Giant Taro, help the ants and mantis seal themselves as well. If there are no other issues, we can set out directly."

"Okay—"

Kansui and Giant Taro’s heads brim with spatial ability, first sealing themselves in Shanglu Space, then lifting claws to cast a strand of spatial power, landing respectively on Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid’s foreheads.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid’s Shanglu Divine Patterns are also sealed.

Starship jump transition can resonate with Dimensional Space, causing Dimensional Space to shatter, so sealing is needed for protection.

Preparations complete.

Captain Upright Lotus sends a spiritual wave: "Haimeng, automatic navigation mode, destination, codename ’Solitary Wolf’ ancient civilization ruins. Charging, we’re setting out."

"Received! Captain Upright Lotus!"

Haimeng responds firmly.

The Starship’s floor gently trembles.

Below, torrents of Primordial Energy Power flow.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid, having just arrived from their home planet, lacking experience, curiously look around, secretly activating spiritual power to observe the operation of the drive equipment below.

Captain Upright Lotus sees this and asks:

"In non-combat states, Haimeng Ship navigates autonomously. Do you want to tour the cockpit?"

Kansui and Giant Taro show clear disinterest.

Dragon Cypress: "If it’s convenient, of course, it would be great."

Captain Upright Lotus turns and heads straight to the cockpit.

Dragon Cypress and Ink Orchid happily follow quickly.

A space over twenty meters in diameter, a dark hemisphere space.

Centrally positioned, a row of three metal round platforms, half a meter height, four to five meters in diameter.

"Haimeng, activate the main control platform, initiate holographic projection."

"Got it, Captain Upright Lotus."

Immediately, a golden-red flashing orb lights up on the metal platform.

Venus Star System’s star.

Five planets align orbiting the star.

Also, a bright green dot: Haimeng Ship

"The Haimeng Ship is equipped with the most advanced and perfect detection equipment and the most powerful Power System for scouting purposes. Petite and nimble. In emergencies, control of the Starship can be immediately activated for power navigation, posture adjustment, and evasion."

"Contact the control platform with spiritual power, communicate with it, use the mind to manipulate, switch views, zoom perspectives."

Captain Upright Lotus: "I’ve given permission, try it out."

"I’ll do it!"

Ink Orchid nudges Dragon Cypress, attempting communication and mind manipulation under Captain Upright Lotus’s guidance, the holographic projection rapidly shrinking smaller and smaller...

Venus Star System turned into a golden-red dot.

Beside it, the green dot representing Haimeng Ship still shines brightly, flashing, marking everyone’s current location.

Ink Orchid: "Captain Upright Lotus, where is ’Solitary Wolf Civilization Ruins’ located?"

Captain Upright Lotus: "Haimeng, star route projection."

Holographic projection changes.

In the dark cockpit, only a green and a red spot remain, connected by a faint white line, labeled with distance: 19874 light years

Above, a row of jumping digits: [9-57-41]

Captain Upright Lotus explains: "Alright. Tour is over. You should return to your nests to rest. In 9 hours and 57 minutes, charging will be complete, and we will set out."

Ink Orchid raises a claw to ask: "Captain Upright Lotus, do Dragon Cypress and I not have control permissions?"

Captain Upright Lotus: "As long as we five old Spiders are alive, you do not."

Ink Orchid: "Then can we stay and watch?"

Captain Upright Lotus: "Watch what?"

Ink Orchid points a tentacle at the projection.

"What’s there to see?"

Captain Upright Lotus thinks for a moment, then says: "It’s fine to watch, just don’t randomly issue commands."

PS: Clarify the level setting:

Scar Realm: Third Trace, Nine Traces, Star Marks

(Condense trace, construct Star Marks)

Star Realm: Half-Star, Planet, Star

(Star Marks undergo Metamorphosis to Star Core, Primordial Energy interaction, refine the body and Star Core, continue condensing traces, enrich the Star Core, growing towards Planet, Star)

Habitat Realm: Radiance Realm, Morning Realm, Star Habitat

(Star collapses into Black Hole, polar erupts Primordial Energy jets, strengthening the body. Different abilities, separated from the Black Hole, diversify, forming various planets and stars. Initial comprehension of Universe Law, ability enhancement to extreme, projecting soul to form ’Star Trace’)