I, on the Starry Sky Railway, change everything

Wen Huai-ren, who believed in the principles of increasing revenue and reducing expenditure, slowly left the VIP lounge, intending to continue searching for antiques from Interstellar Peace Company. If he could obtain one or two rare items, he could increase the revenue of Yingwu Science.

Chapter 11 The Secret Ritual of Concealment

"How about optimizing the data like this? It should further reduce your workload. You can submit it to the Applied Physics Optimization Suggestion section. After the technical staff verifies the software's security, they'll praise you."

"Of course Hua Yi's program is good! But Shi Ling will not submit the file under her own name, wouldn't that steal your credit? I want to tell everyone that this is a detailed optimization plan specially written by Hua Yi based on the actual situation of the Department of Applied Physics!"

Upon receiving the gift, Wen Shiling spoke as she strode off, eager to show off her idol's latest achievements at the Department of Universal Applied Physics.

If the software itself has security issues, or is only used to amuse children and has limited practical effect, she will inevitably be stopped. However, Hua Yi is confident in the program she wrote.

It's not that we should jump to conclusions and assume that the newcomer's technical skills surpass those of everyone on the space station, including that genius club member, Black Tower.

Black Tower rarely cares about the operation of the space station, let alone how well a certain backend program in a certain department is running. Other senior technical personnel also have their own projects and are going to other planets for research. It is impossible for them to collect user requirements and understand the actual situation for an ordinary work program.

Hua Yi is a capable person who is also willing to listen to the needs of the space station staff.

I've already reviewed most of the internal materials that are accessible with Level II access. Next, I should produce some results that align with the research direction of the Guangyuan Secret Scrolls Department to achieve a promotion.

There's no need to apply for rare artifacts for now. Level II staff members only have the theoretical possibility of applying, but in reality, the Department of Universal Applications will never approve it. Moreover, this level of staff member cannot obtain truly valuable rare artifacts for research. Hua Yi chooses to focus on the two major research directions of the Department of Radiant Scrolls: Star Mysteries and Concealment Ritual.

To collect rumors about star gods, one often needs to travel to distant planets to search for traces of the gods. Even if the legends are vague and ethereal, there should be accurate information about the time, place, and people involved.

Hua Yi had no intention of leaving the Black Tower Space Station, this incredibly important stage, ahead of schedule.

What remains is the secret ritual of concealment, which uses specific materials and a series of complex rituals to achieve a specific expectation.

Of course, there is no secret ritual among them that allows direct communication with the Star God; otherwise, the Guangyuan Secret Scrolls Department would have already crushed the Yingwu Department and the Jiezhong Department, and become the sole dominant force in the Black Tower Space Station.

However, setting aside those rudimentary rituals that are limited to creating limited human sensations or fleeting mystical scenes, there are high-level secret rituals in the Secret Scrolls. It is said that once successfully performed, they can draw a splash of water from the surging path of destiny and solidify it into a physical form.

Setting up a high-level secret ritual not only requires various rare materials, but also places strict requirements on the experimenter, and the success rate is pitifully low. In fact, any member of the Guangyuan Secret Scroll Department who successfully implements a mid-level secret ritual can achieve great success in academics and career.

Hua Yi could see through the professional papers within the department to understand the essence of the requirements of the esoteric ritual—the experimenter's character must be in harmony with the destiny indicated by the ritual.

At the very least, there cannot be any fundamental contradictions.

The intention is to invoke great power from the path of preservation through a hidden ritual to catch the tiny droplets of water splashed out from the corner stirred by the ritual. The experimenter must have a sliver of the thought of preservation. The stronger this thought is, the more likely the ritual will succeed. On the other hand, if someone has no thought of preservation, no matter how many rare materials they use, they will hardly escape failure.

For Hua Yi, the fact that a Level II clerk could not access detailed information and past data of the Secret Documents Section's high-ranking secret instruments was actually irrelevant.

Star Gods, Messengers, Fate Walkers... those beings walk on the path of destiny. The best of them can obtain great power on their own. The secret rituals of the Guangyuan Secret Scrolls Department are merely to create favorable external conditions as much as possible to realize expectations that are much shallower than those of true Fate Walkers.

Coincidentally, Hua Yi has some talent in imaginary energy.

"I only need to find useful patterns from a large number of low-level secret instruments, compare them with a small number of mid-level secret instruments, and then adjust them little by little based on my keen perception and control in the field of imaginary energy, and then I can try to create a high-level secret instrument."

In fact, the higher-level secret rituals are the rituals that truly involve one's destiny, while the lower-level secret rituals of the Guangyuan Secret Scrolls are more inclined towards ethereal metaphysics and lack reference value.

Entering the laboratory, which is only accessible for short periods under Level II clearance, Hua Yi turned on the professional recorder bearing the space station's watermark. The images, sounds, and detectable energy fluctuations in the laboratory would then be recorded into the database.

"First, try the low-level ritual commonly known as 'a flash of inspiration.' Successfully completing the ritual will result in a fleeting flash of light the size of a thumb. The Secret Scrolls Department believes that this ritual is related to one's [intellectual] destiny."

Following the experimentalist's method of recording the process, Hua Yi gave a basic introduction before the ritual began, and then proceeded to use the necessary materials in an orderly manner.

Moments later, the fleeting glimmer of light, barely perceptible to the naked eye, was recorded by the space station's state-of-the-art equipment.

"The expected result has been achieved. We have begun to attempt the mid-level ritual 'Otherworldly Flower'. The sign of success for this ritual is the appearance of a flower phantom that constantly imitates and assembles something. This phantom exists for a long time and can be captured by the naked eye and technological equipment. It is similar to the simulated calyx generated by the spatial distortion phenomenon in the universe."

The flower phantom appeared after a slightly longer timeframe than the previous experiment, but not too long.

Hua Yi did not rush to upload the experimental data. Even after successfully completing the mid-level secret instrument, his career as a clerk on the Black Tower Space Station was destined to be smooth sailing.

"Next, I will try to create a new ritual based on the data records of the two rituals."

After he finished speaking, the laboratory fell silent for a long time, with only the barely perceptible noise from the various technological devices and the slight sounds of Hua Yi using rare materials.

Throughout the known universe, 99% of planetary civilizations are unable to create imaginary energy detection devices that flash wildly, recording, archiving, and backing up the ever-changing parameters in different locations.

Throughout the entire process, Hua Yi never glanced at the device's display screen; his perception of imaginary energy was far more acute than that of instruments that were fundamentally unsuitable for observation and reference during operation.

If you have talent, wouldn't you be the biggest idiot if you didn't make good use of it?

a long time.

As overtime work after completing one's regular duties, this spans a long period of time, but as the budding of a brand-new high-level secret ritual, it seems extremely short.

It was so brief that calling it a hymn performed before the birth of a high-level esoteric ritual seems too simplistic.

The monitoring equipment screen, which was constantly flashing massive amounts of data, suddenly stopped, and the active phenomenon of imaginary numbers in the laboratory ceased.

A dim, mysterious key appeared out of thin air and lay quietly in the center of the ritual platform.

"The experiment was a success. I have named this secret instrument 'Simulated Calyx: Bud of Wisdom'."

Chapter 12 Justice in the Department of Law and Politics

Legend has it that wise men from all realms possess a magical key that can unlock the locks that imprison truth and reveal enlightenments that are beyond human comprehension.

Unfortunately, no matter how the holder presents proof, those around them cannot see the key. Some believe it is a sign of divine intervention, while others think it is a harbinger of mental instability.

What has appeared now is not the Illusionary Key, but a real entity containing a trace of the power of wisdom and destiny [Key of Inspiration].

It can unlock inspiration sealed deep within consciousness; grasping the key means grasping the sparks flashing in one's mind, illuminating the path forward.

Of course, this applies to ordinary scholars. For geniuses like the Black Tower who are worthy of the attention of the learned, or for travelers who have been on the path of knowledge for a long time, a key of inspiration cannot bring about earth-shattering changes.

But enough is enough.

Following the space station's regulations, the Inspiration Key of the experimental results was sealed away, and the entire secret ritual process and related data were packaged and uploaded internally according to the procedures of the Guangyuan Secret Scroll Department. It was late at night, and most of the scholars had already rested. It was expected that the review of the new experimental reports in the space station would begin tomorrow.

Hua Yi did not intend to explore the path of knowledge through the Key of Inspiration.

He has already stirred up a ripple on the path of destiny, so why abandon the essential and pursue the trivial, getting bogged down in the ripple itself?

Before even coming into contact with the Destiny Walker, Hua Yi had already found the location of the Path of Wisdom through the secret ritual.

The next step is not to step into it, but to use imaginary numbers as oars to try to create ripples or even waves.

There's no need to repeat the secret rituals anymore; Hua Yi himself is the ferryman.

Beside the giant porthole that forms the outer protective shield of the space station, allowing starlight to spill out in all directions, stands an elderly clerk gazing at the starry sky, coughing occasionally.

He tried to suppress the noise he made so as not to disturb the space station staff who were already resting. Only a newcomer who had finished working overtime to complete the ritual came after hearing the noise.

Even if no serious illness is found in the medical department, the elderly should still carry a water bottle with them to moisten their throat and take care of their health.

"That's how it is when people get old; their bodies just don't take care of them anymore."

Hua Yi took out a drink from the vending machine and handed it to the old man she had met a few days ago. She didn't rush to talk to him, but let him unscrew the cap and drink a big gulp of cool and refreshing honey water.

"Phew...that feels much better, thank you."

"Are you staying up so late to look at the stars?"

"I suppose so. It seems I've inadvertently become the old rascal in your eyes. By the way, as far as I know, you've been on the space station for a while now, and I imagine you've observed the starry sky more than once. Standing in planetary orbit, you can always see more cosmic wonders than when you're on a planet—what do you think about when you look at the stars?"

"I think it's beautiful."

The old man had a similar conversation with Hua Yi during their last meeting, and he knew that the young man in front of him was different from many others.

"Where is the beauty?"

"At a distance measured in light-years, starlight transcends space and time, outlining a magnificent scene. Standing on the space station, I can see in all directions, the vast universe, as if I are embracing the stars. Isn't that romantic?"

"It is indeed very romantic and poetic."

This wasn't the first time the old man had discovered Hua Yi's talent, yet he still couldn't help but glance sideways at the charming young man beside him, whose temperament, appearance, and mannerisms were all very pleasing.

"You... I don't want to discourage you, but I still want to remind you of two things. The starry sky isn't as beautiful as it seems on the surface. The swarms of insects, the people of abundance, and the antimatter legions have destroyed far too many galaxies—galaxies, not planets. Can you imagine? The flames of war that burned across the universe, the destruction that annihilated everything—the stars we see may have died long ago. The so-called starlight is nothing more than their afterglow left to the universe."

"Yes, I can imagine that."

"One of the five major research departments of the space station, the Department of Law and Politics, was strongly opposed to the theory of justice based on the strong in the early days. The high and mighty Star God controls destiny, and countless people, countless mediocre people and geniuses, try their best to do things that are beneficial to the Star God and then obtain power from destiny. The value of human beings has long been trampled on."

The aged clerk, Gunn, founder of the Galactic Law and Politics Department of the Black Tower Space Station, spoke in a calm tone.

He neither became confused and helpless, nor did he show any cynicism; rather, he possessed a calm and serene heart, honed by the trials and tribulations of life.

"Most stories in the universe are nothing more than the Star God and the believers surrounding him doing whatever they want on a stage, while those who do not want to follow the Star God have no power to resist."

Gunn gazed at the starry sky, his eyes as still as a pool of water.

"Justice is a luxury for those who lack power. They cannot stop the strong who treat human life as worthless, nor can they save the weak who are dying in the wind, even if they themselves are about to perish."

Hua Yi's gaze fell on the old clerk, and he could sense that the man was very old and full of life.

Ordinary words of concern were meaningless at this moment, and he, like the old man, gazed at the vast sea of ​​stars.

What is destiny?

"The path that the Star God walks is the path of destiny. As for whether destiny chose the Star God or the Star God created destiny, the academic community cannot draw a conclusion. After all, the Star God is aloof and mortals have nowhere to follow."

"The Star God seems to have become a highly condensed philosophical embodiment. Even though the universe is vast and there are countless beings, to be seen by the Star God from afar is a great honor. How different is it from people worshipping an unattainable, spiritual celestial body from worshipping an ideology?"

"Thought……"

"Justice is not a luxury. We can always find moving stories on planets that gave birth to civilization. It is the stars that are a luxury. I think there are more people who know what justice is than people who know what stars are."

Leaning against the railing, Hua Yi could take in the entire starry sky.

When did civilization begin?

"Are you asking about the civilization of Azure Star, or the first civilization in the universe? I cannot answer the latter question."

"Let me make an irresponsible guess—on some ancient night, a primitive man, or perhaps a non-human intelligent being, happened to raise his head and look up at the sky. He saw the stars and then felt some kind of emotion."

"It's fear, the fear of the unknown. Standing on this planet, the universe that can be seen with the naked eye is very limited. Most of the night sky is pitch black, with too few stars and too little light."

"I don't know. If it's fear, then it's even more intense."

Upon hearing Hua Yi's answer, Gu En couldn't help but squint his old eyes and scrutinize the young man who was gazing at the stars and bathing in their light from the side.

"why?"

"For where we now stand is among the stars."

Chapter 13 Shining Gold

"The first creatures to raise their heads had a desire to explore the stars, and thus civilization arose. If what they had at that time was not desire but fear, it would be even more remarkable, because they planted the seeds of the stars with fear, and indeed, a group of people later appeared who flew into the sky and embraced the universe."

"!!"

Gunn's eyes trembled violently, the previous stagnant stillness long gone.

"The flame of civilization has not been extinguished, the weak still make up the vast majority of the world, we are still living tenaciously, why should we be depressed?"

"You, you!..."

"Okay, we should stop chatting so late at night. It's time to sleep. Goodnight."

Hua Yi waved his hand, turned and left, leaving Gu En staring intently at him, his arm trembling, yet he tried with all his might to grab the receding figure.

Guangyuan Secret Scrolls Section, Level II Staff Member?

What a waste! A gem is being buried in dust!

He should come to the Department of Law and Politics at Galaxy University; he will change the department!

Suppressing the astonishing energy bursting forth from his aged body, and restraining the urge to rush over and stop Hua Yi, drag him into the already closed archives, and summon the staff who had long since gone to rest to process the transfer procedures, Gu En kept reminding himself—

Such a young man must be carefully protected and must not be allowed to misbehave. It's too late now; he really should get a good night's sleep.

Otherwise, what if Hua Yi falls ill due to lack of sleep?

Gunn has begun to doubt the professional competence of the space station's medical department. If Hope from the forensic department is really unwell, can the medical department, which claims to be able to save people as long as they have a breath left, really be trusted?

What a wonderful child! Traveling alone to the space station, I wonder if he's had any problems adjusting to the new environment, whether he's been eating well, and whether he's been sleeping warmly these past few days.

The salary for a Level II staff member is far too low. The Guangyuan Secret Examination Department really has no vision. Such talent should be promoted exceptionally.

It's alright, if the secret exam paper section can't handle it, I will! Everything will be fine once Hua Yi enters the Department of Law and Politics.

Gunn drank the honey water in one gulp and felt better than ever before. He stopped coughing and strode out of the corridor.

Meanwhile, even though it was already past midnight, Wen Huai-ren, the former head of the Department of Universal Physics, was still browsing the Interstellar Peace Network, searching for valuable products that could generate additional revenue for the department and even the entire space station.

"This one won't do. It's also space survival equipment, but the price is far higher than the Galaxy Survival Blanket I bought back then. This one won't do either; the expected return is even lower than the Compound Eye, which only earned me four thousand credits..."

Wen Huai-ren shook his head in dissatisfaction. Finding items with special value on the company's shopping website was not an easy task.

The Black Tower Space Station is, after all, a veritable star museum. It boasts the title of a member of the Genius Club, gathers countless scholars, collects all sorts of rare artifacts, and is backed by the Interstellar Peace Corporation. Ordinary things, even the kind of treasures that would drive a planetary civilization or a so-called powerful kingdom crazy, mostly don't catch Wen Huai Ren's eye and can't bring much economic or research value.