Chapter 121: Are There Extraterrestrial Beings?

"I think the Lieutenant General's idea is excellent. Everyone, let's get moving; the sooner we finish the mission, the sooner we can go home!"

Everyone gathered their weapons, equipment, and detectors before stepping out of the space capsule. There was no need for oxygen on this planet, provided one avoided strenuous exercise.

"Lieutenant General Chu, do you think there could be living beings on this planet?"

"I honestly don't know, but perhaps."

Chu Xiao held the detector and observed that the planet was littered with meteorites. It was possible that a small asteroid had struck it recently. The detector indicated a large meteorite not far ahead.

Just as Chu Xiao was about to head toward the meteorite, he noticed something on the ground that looked like footprints, which piqued his curiosity. He crouched down to examine them closely. They resembled footprints, yet they were distinct from human feet, a discovery that stirred great curiosity among the other astronauts as well.

"Lieutenant General Chu, could these be extraterrestrial footprints? They look similar to our own, but not quite the same."

Unable to suppress his curiosity, one of the astronauts began walking toward the tracks to get a better look. If there were truly extraterrestrial life forms, it would shatter humanity's current understanding of the universe.

"Where are you going? Get back here at once!"

Chu Xiao called the man back. It was better not to provoke them if alien life really existed; they had enough trouble as it was. If the creatures were to turn hostile and destroy the space capsule, they would never make it back home.

"To be safe, we must not initiate any confrontation. You few, take your weapons and guard the capsule. If any unknown creature approaches, open fire immediately!"

The space capsule was their highest priority. Chu Xiao only wanted to retrieve the meteorite and leave this place to return to Earth as quickly as possible. If these were indeed extraterrestrial beings, it was best to leave each other alone; but if conflict was unavoidable, they would have no choice but to strike.

"Everyone, have your weapons ready and keep a sharp eye on your surroundings. Do not fire unless absolutely necessary!"

Chu Xiao worried that if the unknown creatures had no intention of attacking, and they shot first, they would surely invite disaster.

Chu Xiao navigated with the detector toward the meteorite. He felt the air growing warmer, and as he walked further, the temperature rose even more. He realized that the closer they got to the meteorite, the hotter it became. The other astronauts seemed to have noticed as well and were puzzled by the phenomenon.

"Could it be that the meteorite from the recent explosion fell here, and its residual heat is causing the temperature to rise as we approach?"

Chu Xiao agreed with the astronaut's assessment. A meteorite wouldn't emit heat on its own without cause; it was almost certain that this was the one from the explosion.

"Should we wait for the heat to dissipate before we go over? We might be burned to ash!"

"What are you thinking? Our space suits are made of special materials—impervious to blades, gunfire, water, and fire. They can withstand temperatures of over a thousand degrees!"

Reassured, Chu Xiao instructed everyone to put on their helmets and continue toward the meteorite. While the suits protected them from burns, it was stiflingly hot inside. Before long, everyone was drenched in sweat, yet they persisted. As they neared the meteorite, they saw charred remains on the ground.

Chu Xiao examined them closely; it looked as if some creature had been incinerated by the immense impact and high temperature of the falling meteorite, leaving behind only blackened carbon that made it impossible to identify.

This confirmed to Chu Xiao that the planet indeed harbored life, and his guard went up even further. Throughout the journey, he had felt uneasy, as if something were following him.

"Stay alert, everyone. This planet may be extremely dangerous. I repeat, do not open fire unless it is a last resort!"

"Understood, Lieutenant General Chu!"

After giving the order, Chu Xiao led the team forward. Not far away, they saw a large crater formed by the impact of the meteorite.

"It's just ahead. Everyone, be careful!"

Chu Xiao approached the edge of the crater cautiously and looked down. It was indeed a massive meteorite. If they could bring this behemoth back, it would be more than enough. However, it was too large for the capsule, so Chu Xiao prepared to have the team cut it into smaller, manageable pieces.

The planet was extremely cold, and the temperature dropped rapidly, cooling the meteorite. Just as they prepared to descend, Chu Xiao noticed more charred remains along the edge of the crater. He left a few people at the top as a precaution before heading down.

The meteorite was difficult to cut, and seeing that the team was exhausted with little progress made, Chu Xiao decided they should rest before continuing. Although the temperature had dropped significantly, it was still quite hot, and working in such conditions drained the team's energy quickly.

"Any abnormal activity?"

Once Chu Xiao climbed back up, his first question was directed at the two guards. He was worried about the safety of the space capsule.

"Let's go. We'll head back to get some food and water, then rest before coming back to continue the cutting."

Chu Xiao packed up the gear and led the team back to the capsule. Seeing it remained intact and that the team members left behind were safe, he finally felt his tension ease.

"Has there been anything unusual here?"

"Everything seems normal."

Chu Xiao looked at Wang Yan. She hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary, yet she couldn't shake the feeling that the place was strange in a way she couldn't quite describe.

"How did it go on your end?"

Chu Xiao recounted the experience to Wang Yan. She was startled, as she hadn't expected life to exist on such a cold, waterless, and sunless planet.

"And how are things with you? Have you found the way home?"

"I have a rough idea, but it requires precise, repeated calculations."

Hearing this, Chu Xiao smiled, and the team felt a glimmer of hope. They needed to rest and complete their mission as soon as possible to leave this planet.

This was the only good news they had heard since arriving. After consulting with Wang Yan, they decided to work in two shifts. Wang Yan would lead the first watch, and Chu Xiao would take the second.

Of course, there was no real difference between the first half of the night and the second, but to prevent a surprise attack by alien life, Wang Yan turned on all the lights of the space capsule, instantly turning the surrounding kilometer into broad daylight.

Wang Yan used her time on watch to perform more precise calculations, double-checking her work repeatedly. Their lives depended on it, and there was no room for error.

When Chu Xiao woke up, he saw Wang Yan still working on the calculations. He urged her to go inside and get some rest.

"Why are you up for the shift so early?"

"I couldn't sleep. I didn't want you to be too exhausted, so I came to take over so you could get some rest."