Collapse Iron: Cosplaying the Near-Death Star, but with a full destiny.

Purple mist filled the observation cabin, carrying a unique, mysterious fragrance, like a mixture of old books and lavender.

The black swan slowly emerged from the mist.

She wasn't wearing her signature wide-brimmed hat today.

Instead, she let her purple hair fall naturally, which made her face, half-covered by a veil, appear even more alluring and mysterious.

"Since it's for the journey ahead..."

The black swan walked up to Hoshino, its amethyst-like eyes sweeping over everyone present.

"It's also so that this lovely lady will no longer be troubled by those nightmares, so I'm naturally happy to serve you."

Xing and March 7th immediately came over.

Hoshi even brought out the soft leather sofa that Himeko usually loved to sit on, and patted the cushions solicitously.

"Quick, quick! Sis, sit here! It's comfortable here!"

Hoshi was pressed down onto the sofa.

This is the nth time she has been treated as a protected animal.

Although I felt a little awkward, considering the potential mental impact I might face, having a soft place to lean on was definitely better than a hard bench.

"You might feel a little uncomfortable."

The black swan reached out its hand, its fingertips hovering over Hoshino's forehead.

"Because this time, we're going to a place... very deep."

"fine."

Hoshi took a deep breath.

"bring it on."

March 7th nervously grabbed Xing's sleeve.

"So what should we do? Do we need to help hold her down? What if she gets hungry again?"

"Just keep quiet."

Nguyen Mai stood to the side, holding a notepad in her hand, her eyes focused.

"And, notify me promptly if she experiences any abnormal physiological reactions."

The black swan closed its eyes.

Tap lightly with your fingertip.

Om-!

Hoshi felt like something had exploded in her head.

Vision went dark instantly.

In the real world...

All the people saw was the moment the black swan's finger touched the star, when a burst of purple light erupted, enveloping the two of them.

……

The world of memories.

This is a chaotic ocean.

Black swans were seen flitting among them.

She skipped the surface-level fragments about train parties and fried rice, and dived straight into the deeper parts.

There was a black mist there.

That was the area covered by "nothingness".

It was also the source of the terrifying hallucination that Hoshi saw last night.

The black swan frowned.

Even as the one who started the journey, she felt an instinctive repulsion when faced with this pure, nihilistic power.

"Existence" is the fear of "nothingness".

But she didn't stop.

A purple light formed a barrier around her, forcefully tearing through the black mist.

Suddenly, the view opened up.

A dark purple sky.

That dim red dwarf star.

A black swan has been spotted.

This is that world.

Zoom in.

This time it was much clearer than what I saw last night.

That was not a desolate planet.

in contrast.

Beneath those cracked rocks, beneath that seemingly barren surface, lies a vast, vibrant water world.

Eighty-five percent of the planet's surface is covered by liquid water.

However, due to insufficient light from the red dwarf star, the surface water was covered by a thick layer of ice or by layers of rock, forming a vast underground sea.

And in the water.

Countless six-legged arthropods are busy at work.

Although their forelimbs are slender, they have flexible three-toed structures at the ends, which can grasp tools like hands.

They are building defensive fortifications.

A huge dome made of some kind of translucent crystal is rising from underwater.

Countless glowing runes—or some kind of energy loop—flow across the crystal.

This is the mark of a Level 2 civilization.

They have mastered the initial utilization of stellar energy and even developed a unique biocrystal technology.

"They are resisting."

The black swan silently recited in its heart.

The scene changes.

That was a battlefield.

The onslaught of true stinging insects was overwhelming.

But those seemingly fragile crystalline dome actually blocked those indestructible scythes.

The crystal emits high-frequency oscillation waves.

The approaching true gnats were instantly shattered, their internal organs turning into pools of green pus.

The insectoid race did not sit idly by and wait for their doom.

They wielded spear-like weapons, which were formed from their own carapaces that had been tempered with energy.

Each strike pierces the compound eyes of the true stinging insect.

This was a brutal but not hopeless war.

At least for this moment, they are still holding on.

"Send a signal! Keep sending signals!"

An old swarm of insectoids roared from the command platform—a shockwave propagated through the water.

Its shell has turned grayish-white and is covered with the marks of time.

"Tell the universe! We're here! We're still alive!"

"As long as one member of our tribe is alive, we will never give up!"

Black swans can sense that strong will to survive.

That is the sediment accumulated over thousands of years of life.

This planet orbits a red dwarf star, and its slow orbital period and unique radiation environment have endowed it with a long lifespan.

Two or three thousand years for humans is just the prime of their lives.

They don't want to die.

They want to live.

They wanted to see the universe they had longed for for thousands of years, a universe filled with their own kind.

They don't want their companions to be like this.

The black swan wanted to get a little closer to hear the specifics of the signal.

Sudden.

The entire memory space began to shake violently.

The originally clear image began to distort.

It looks like a photo that has been burned.

The edges began to curl and turn black.

A terrifying suction force emanated from the depths of memory.

The black swan suddenly turned around.

All that could be seen was the black mist that had been torn apart.

A gigantic, ethereal "mouth" is taking shape.

That is "gluttony".

And deep within that mouth lies "nothingness," from which even light cannot escape.

They were alerted.

The body's watchdog was enraged by the outsider.

"not good."

Black Swan's expression changed.

She could feel her mental energy being pulled wildly by that suction force.

If it were an ordinary person who remembered, they would probably have been completely devoured by now, becoming part of that nothingness.

But she is the black swan of the Flowing Light and Memories.

"Memory...locked."

She formed a mudra with her hands.

Countless purple cards appeared out of thin air, forming an indestructible wall in the sky.

Each card carries a real memory.

That is proof of "existence".

It is also the most powerful weapon against "nothingness".

boom!

The black mist crashed against the card wall.

It emitted a silent, loud noise.

Taking advantage of this momentary obstruction.

The black swan seized upon that fragment of memory about the insectoid race.

His figure flashed.

They withdrew from this dangerous mental sea.

……

"Well……"

in reality.

Hoshino suddenly leaned forward and let out a muffled groan.

Cold sweat poured down his forehead.

The black swan also opened its eyes.

Her face was somewhat pale, and her chest rose and fell slightly.

Clearly, the mental battle just now had taken a toll on her energy.

"How is it?"

Xing and March 7th immediately surrounded them.

On one side, they supported Hoshino, while on the other, they nervously watched the black swan.

"fine."

The black swan took a deep breath and adjusted its breathing.

Then she gave an elegant smile.

"Although the process was somewhat thrilling... it was very rewarding."

She looked at Nguyen Mai, who had been waiting to the side.

"I saw some... very interesting data."

The black swan raised its hand, and several purple cards spun between its fingertips.

It contains a record of the images and sounds I just saw and heard.

"Eighty-five percent of the planet's surface is covered by liquid water, mostly underground or subglacial seas."

"The indigenous people are hexapod arthropods. Their forelimbs are specialized, with a three-toed structure, which enables them to perform fine manipulations."

"Their home planet orbits a red dwarf star. As a result, this race has an extremely long lifespan, averaging about two to three thousand years, the equivalent of a standard human age."

She gently pushed the card toward Nguyen Mai.

"This is the clue you were looking for."

For the others present...

This information sounds confusing and unclear.

What do you mean by 85% water coverage, and what do you mean by six feet and three toes?

The universe is so vast, there must be at least eight or ten thousand such planets, if not ten thousand.

March 7th scratched his head: "This...this is how we found it?"

But when Nguyen Mai received those messages...

His eyes lit up.

It was a scholar's fervor, a fervor born from solving the ultimate mystery.

"That's enough."

Nguyen Mai's fingers flew across the small record board.

"Red dwarfs have specific spectra. Their habitable zone orbits, which are suitable for the large-scale existence of liquid water, are also specific."

"On this basis, we also need to screen out the gravity environment and atmospheric components that can nurture long-lived carbon-based life."

"Plus that unique 'three-toed structure' evolutionary feature..."

As she typed.

The more than 300,000 points of light in the holographic star map began to decrease rapidly.

Ten thousand.

one thousand.

one hundred.

At last.

Only one lonely red dot remains.

It twinkles at the edge of the star map.

"Found it."

Nguyen Mai raised her head and looked at the star.

"Coordinates locked".

"Tremy IV Galaxy"

"That's the place you're looking for."