The terrain of the black membrane forming the body of the Specter Race was higher than the average elevation of the star’s surface. However, due to the constant waves on the star’s surface, streams of stellar matter surged upward like waves crashing on a beach, washing over the black membrane.

Roughly around the 20,000-kilometer mark was a clear dividing line. Beyond that distance, the black membrane had been entirely submerged by stellar matter. The plasma rolled across it like waves, continuously battering it. Although the black membrane’s barrier robbed the waves of their momentum and kept them relatively subdued, they still reached heights of several hundred meters, far exceeding the fiercest waves ever seen on Earth.

In truth, without the heat replenishment from the star and with the black membrane’s seemingly incredible ability to absorb energy, the stellar matter that crashed onto it was rapidly cooling. It was precisely for this reason that Xiao Yu was able to observe them at such close range.

As he gazed upon this boundless sea of flames, Xiao Yu felt his entire mind and soul shaken to their core. No matter how realistic the simulations from remote observation and 3D modeling, they could never compare to the awe of witnessing this in person.

But even this breathtaking scenery could not satisfy Xiao Yu. He was not willing to stop here. Unless he saw the actual surface of the star, he would never be content.

Under Xiao Yu’s control, one detector after another slowly lifted off from the black plain. After rising to an altitude of about 500 kilometers, they advanced forward like moths flying into a flame.

The Force Field Shields were already activated, with Xiao Yu doing everything he could to block the high temperatures and radiation. At the same time, all camera lenses on the detectors had been fitted with maximum-strength light filters to ensure they wouldn’t be damaged by the overwhelming brightness.

The closer they got to the equatorial line, the more Xiao Yu could feel the terrifying might of the star.

At this altitude, at this distance, Xiao Yu witnessed one awe-inspiring scene after another.

Under the influence of the star’s magnetic field, the high-energy charged particle streams emitted by the star would sometimes follow magnetic field lines and form rough circles, resembling auroras on Earth, but on a vastly larger scale.

In fact, these phenomena could reach heights of over a hundred thousand kilometers. They looked like dazzling ribbons, with both ends anchored to the star and the center arching high into space, forming what resembled a gateway.

Now, Xiao Yu saw one such phenomenon. In the far distance, several hundred thousand kilometers away, a resplendent gateway was taking shape. Driven by the solar wind, it twisted and shifted continuously, dancing with radiant brilliance, breathtaking and magnificent.

“So beautiful… It’s like a rainbow on Earth. Hmm, I’ll name you… the Rainbow Gate.” Xiao Yu’s heart was filled with heartfelt admiration.

The radiation here was indescribably intense. At these levels, Xiao Yu estimated that his detectors could only survive for less than five minutes before their energy was drained and they were destroyed.

“No matter what, I have to see the surface of the star. At worst, after these detectors are destroyed, I’ll send out more for the Specter exploration work.”

Having resolved himself, Xiao Yu pressed forward with the detectors.

Beyond the spectacular Rainbow Gate, another strange phenomenon existed on the surface of the star, commonly known as sunspots.

During Earth’s era, it was common to hear things like “a solar flare caused an increase in solar radiation”, that referred to this very phenomenon. However, sunspots were not actually black. They were a peculiar phenomenon on the surface of a star. Due to some internal mechanisms within the star, there would occasionally be regions on its surface where the temperature was relatively lower. And according to the principles of blackbody radiation, color is determined by temperature, so these regions appeared darker in comparison.

Depending on their actual temperature, sunspots were in fact brown or dark red. After repeated extinction of light, they appeared black.

Roughly several hundred thousand kilometers ahead, there was a massive sunspot. It was so large it could easily accommodate over a dozen Earths. Inside and along the edges of the sunspot, numerous stellar reactions were occurring, many of which even Xiao Yu didn’t fully understand.

At this moment, Xiao Yu’s detector had finally arrived at the equator of the star. Up ahead was the true surface of the star. Crossing this threshold meant that Xiao Yu would completely lose the protection of the Specter’s body, and the detectors would have to face the star’s overwhelming might on their own.

“My detectors can hold out for another three minutes. Then, let’s proceed.” Xiao Yu issued the command.

At an ultra-low altitude of 500 kilometers, Xiao Yu began probing the actual surface of the star for the first time.

It was a boundless sea of flame. Above this ocean of fire, endless waves howled and surged. Wave crests reaching hundreds or even thousands of kilometers in height could be seen everywhere. Blinding brilliance capable of engulfing a person was omnipresent. Intense radiation, strong enough to paralyze all electronic equipment, was everywhere. The surface of a star was no heaven. It was hell.

But hell was often beautiful. At this moment, Xiao Yu’s entire mind was captivated by this inferno. In the scant three minutes remaining for the detector, Xiao Yu conducted as detailed an investigation as possible, striving to gather all the data he could.

Thanks to Superluminal Communication Technology, these detectors could transmit data to Xiao Yu without obstruction. In these mere three minutes, a tremendous amount of information and observational data poured into Xiao Yu’s mind, helping him further refine his theory of stellar evolution.

Two minutes and thirty seconds had passed. Only the last ten seconds of observation remained.

But it was as if the star refused to let these annoying little flies escape unscathed. Before Xiao Yu’s eyes, a massive wave suddenly surged from the star’s surface. It rose hundreds of kilometers high, and after reaching that height, the ejected stellar matter lost the energy needed to remain aloft and began to fall back toward the surface. On its way down, it swept up one of Xiao Yu’s detectors, just like a ferocious wave swallowing a small boat.

The instant this high-energy stellar matter touched the detector, its Force Field Shield was destroyed. The device itself was incinerated and immediately lost contact with Xiao Yu.

That was only the fate of one detector. The others didn’t last much longer. Within just ten seconds, the star’s intense heat and radiation destroyed their shielding systems one by one, burned their bodies, drained their power, and pulled them into the stellar mass, fusing them completely into the star.

In just a few minutes of probing, Xiao Yu was left with immense shock, and a treasure trove of observational data.

“This probe mission… was worth it.” Xiao Yu sighed in his heart. “In the time to come, these probe missions must continue. So what if I lose some detectors? I’ve got plenty. I won’t feel a bit of regret no matter how many are lost.”

This kind of investigation couldn’t be carried out frequently. Without the existence of the Specter, Xiao Yu would have had to approach the star slowly from the outside. That would mean starting from tens of millions of kilometers away, his detectors would already be suffering the star’s ravages, often running out of power before they even got close, and ultimately crashing helplessly.

But with the Specter’s presence, Xiao Yu could get close to the star first and then, in a very short window, before the detectors ran out of energy, reach the designated observation point and obtain several precious minutes of data.

A large-scale stellar exploration campaign was about to begin.

Meanwhile, on the planet, in the Biotechnology Laboratory, a scientist responsible for analyzing the samples brought back by the deep-sea submersibles reported new findings to Xiao Yu.

“Master, within the specimens you recovered, we’ve found life!”

“Oh?” Xiao Yu’s spirit lifted, and he immediately established communication with the scientists.

“Here, this is a photo taken under high-magnification microscope,” the scientist said, presenting a color image to Xiao Yu. The picture showed a simple organism resembling fine strands.

“This organism is extremely primitive. Its structure is even simpler than that of a virus. We debated whether it could be classified as life. Our conclusion is, it can only be considered incomplete life, merely possessing some characteristics of biological entities. In truth, it falls somewhere between organic matter and living beings.”

“Good, you’ve done well. Leave the further analysis to me. You all continue your other biotechnology research.”

Xiao Yu quickly retrieved the research records from the scientists, then personally began analyzing this semi-biological entity using his instruments.

“It has reproductive capability… and reproduction means the ability to replicate its own genetic code. Then it’s certain, during the thousands and thousands of replication cycles, some mutations must occur. Some beneficial, some harmful. Beneficial mutations are preserved, harmful ones are eliminated. This is a slow process of evolution…”

“Its lifespan is about three hours. It feeds on simple organic matter…”

“I’ll take this thing with me, and raise it myself. I’ll accelerate its evolutionary process… and see how it compares to the earliest stages of human life.”

“I want to know whether Earth life was tampered with from the very beginning,” Xiao Yu thought to himself.