CHAPTER 30: CHAPTER 30 COORDINATES

"There really is..."

Chen Ming stepped forward for a closer examination.

He discovered that most markings carved into the stone wall were tally marks used to record dates.

Besides these tallies, there was a very large "East" character, accompanied by a matching "?".

It seemed as if someone had once worked here, carving them absentmindedly.

The number of tally marks indicated that the previous occupant had stayed here for at least over three months.

This "East?" coincided with Chen Ming’s previous thoughts.

Apart from this, there were no other valuable pieces of information on the stone wall.

Chen Ming pondered for a moment, intending to move the table and check if there might be something carved on the wall beneath.

However, just as Chen Ming reached out to grab the edge of the table, he suddenly felt a peculiar sensation at his fingertips.

It seemed like he touched something.

Instinctively, Chen Ming released his grip and half-crouched to peer under the table.

A USB-like item was affixed to the table’s underside.

Chen Ming frowned, confirmed that the rotting wooden table couldn’t be concealing any traps, and then reached out to retrieve the USB.

The USB’s interface was compatible with Chen Ming’s two personal terminals.

Was it forgotten, or deliberately left here?

Who exactly lived here? Could it be left by those who fled the mining space station during the insect outbreak thirty years ago?

Perhaps the answers to these questions could be found on this USB.

For safety, Chen Ming used the doctor’s terminal, in case the USB contained viruses or similar threats.

Once the USB was inserted and successfully read, Chen Ming found no viruses inside, only several logs and file records.

The contents of these files were entirely about a special mental wave known as "Mind Pulse".

"Mind..."

Chen Ming furrowed his brow, recalling something.

It seemed there was just a fragment of memory in his mind related to the concept of mind.

In humanity, there exists a group of special individuals inherently endowed with psychic ability potentials.

This psychic ability refers to aspects of human will, thought, and spirit.

Such individuals are typically discovered by the military and taken away.

Some speculate they’re captured and killed to avoid threatening peace, while others suggest they’re taken for research.

But Chen Ming believed the most widely circulated notion, which could even be considered an official stance.

That these individuals, through military training, harness their innate psychic talents, becoming psychics who fight at the Empire’s territorial borders.

They’re generally referred to as Psychics.

Although Chen Ming had never met a Psychic, it didn’t stop him from hearing such stories from colleagues or online.

After briefly reflecting on the past, Chen Ming refocused on the documents in front of him.

These documents detailing "Heart Pulse" seemed to confirm the existence of the psychic ability users Chen Ming had never taken seriously.

However, Psychics weren’t of any importance to Chen Ming now.

What’s important was the essence of Mind Pulse as recorded in the document.

Mind Pulse was not a naturally occurring phenomenon but rather generated by a device known as the Mind Pulse Generator.

The effects were clear, Chen Ming had witnessed it many times: driving affected entities to madness.

In the brains of these crazed animals, a certain chemical is produced.

The effect of this chemical matched what Chen Ming had consistently observed.

After the cessation of their bodily functions, it rapidly caused decay in their bodies and brains.

This chemical evolved from the brain, explaining why Chen Ming found the most severe decay in the brains of crazed animals.

Understanding the source of the animals’ madness brought problems in its wake; Mind Pulse devices don’t appear or activate for no reason.

Since it’s on this planet, there must be a reason behind it.

Yet these documents didn’t conclude how the Mind Pulse and Mind Pulse Generator appeared on the planet.

Only in other logs did the person recording the logs write in an inquisitive tone:

that Mind Pulse devices might be controlled by the Mechanical Race.

Regarding this Mechanical Race, Chen Ming recalled more.

It was when the Human Empire expanded its territories to a certain extent that they found mechanical lifeforms with extreme hatred for humans.

As the existence of the Mechanical Race was identified, human pioneers also discovered remnants within the star systems and planets where the Mechanical Race was found.

Remnants left by civilizations existing within this Star Realm.

That’s why although the Edge Star Realm is impoverished and perilous, adventurers and explorers coming here remain endless.

Though Chen Ming hadn’t come to the Edge Star Realm to explore those remnants, being here meant knowing certain things.

For instance, on a small planet like Rimu Star, located in the Edge Star System of the Edge Star Realm, it would be bizarre if there weren’t any Mechanical Race present.

Thus, Chen Ming somewhat instinctively agreed with this hypothesis; perhaps the origin of the Mechanical Race on Rimu Star is from the remnants left by that civilization.

Speaking of which, Chen Ming suddenly wondered.

Could the Mind Pulse devices or mechanical races producing Mind Pulse be the reason for the space station’s abandonment?

After careful consideration, Chen Ming felt it wasn’t necessarily the case.

There were numerous subsidiaries under the company with formidable military capabilities.

Other than being unable to confront the Imperial Military head-on, they should be able to deal with scattered Mechanical Races.

If large-scale organized Mechanical Races emerged, even if the company couldn’t handle them, the military would certainly come to quell them; how could they still exist on the planet, driving the company away?

The company’s abandonment of the space station surely has other reasons.

Chen Ming didn’t delve deeper and proceeded to review the documents.

Most of the latter content was technical analyses of the Mind Pulse Generator, resembling maintenance manuals Chen Ming had, entirely incomprehensible.

Furthermore, Chen Ming found no names of the file recorders upon a thorough examination.

It seemed Chen Ming understood the source of animal madness, yet was devoid of effective solutions; even when Mind Pulse might affect him remained uncertain.

But at least Chen Ming could deduce some other conditions by analyzing the current state of this temporary abode.

Judging from the structures, it’s apparent the site was abandoned long ago.

Although abandoned, Chen Ming found no indication of chaos within the buildings.

This implied they left normally without being forced due to certain circumstances.

It signified there surely was a subsequent destination for their departure.

As for where this destination might be...

Chen Ming furrowed his brow, uncertainly gazing at the stone wall marked with "East?", his mind gradually drifting.

After a few seconds of dazing, Chen Ming suddenly realized something, swiftly reopening a document he had just closed.

In this document was a set of complex calculations.

Although the formulas consisted of basic mathematics, Chen Ming couldn’t comprehend what they were calculating.

Now, combined with the "East?" likely representing direction on the wall.

Chen Ming suddenly felt a breakthrough, adding the planetary coordinates of the three buildings to the formula.

The final result was a coordinate point that Chen Ming could understand.