Chapter 261: Signal Research

As the name suggests, variable stars are stars whose luminosity can change. In the universe, there exists a type of star whose brightness is not stable, but instead suddenly shifts at certain moments.

Variable stars are divided into two types: pulsating variables and eruptive variables. Back in the Aquila Nebula, Xiao Yu triggered a nova explosion by directing a satellite to collide with a white dwarf. As a result, the brightness of that white dwarf increased by tens of thousands of times in an instant, this was a classic example of an eruptive variable star.

Aside from this white dwarf, the process of aging stars undergoing supernova explosions and turning into neutron stars or black holes is another formation mechanism for variable stars. In ancient China, a supernova explosion was once observed, which created the famous Crab Nebula. During that explosion, the luminosity of the star increased by over one hundred thousand times. At that time, the night sky had what seemed like two moons. Its brightness was even visible during the day. That, too, was an eruptive variable star.

Pulsating variable stars, on the other hand, are stars that undergo changes in brightness due to internal mechanisms during their evolutionary phase. This red dwarf clearly could not be an eruptive variable, which only left the possibility of it being a pulsating variable, but after a simple analysis, Xiao Yu discovered something: this red dwarf could not be a pulsating variable either.

If it was neither an eruptive nor a pulsating variable, then what exactly was causing its luminosity to change?

Xiao Yu first ruled out the possibility that the change in brightness was due to interstellar dust. This is because interstellar dust cannot block infrared light. If the change were due to such dust, then the visible light spectrum would show variations, but the infrared spectrum should remain stable. However, Xiao Yu observed that both visible and infrared light from the red dwarf fluctuated in a specific pattern.

Xiao Yu showed great interest in this.

“Could this abnormal luminosity change be caused by some mechanism I have yet to understand? If that’s the case, then it would be a major discovery. I might even be able to develop an entirely new theory from it.”

With high spirits, Xiao Yu arranged tens of thousands of starships into the formation of an array telescope, aiming their lenses directly at this seemingly unremarkable red dwarf.

When observing the anomalous luminosity changes in the red dwarf, Xiao Yu keenly noticed that the Specter Race attached to the star seemed to exhibit a slight fluctuation. One small movement from it triggered a violent reaction in the star. At that moment, the intensity of the stellar wind increased by at least a hundredfold.

“Elder, is something wrong? Is there anything the matter?” Xiao Yu asked, somewhat puzzled and concerned.

The Specter Race’s response came after a moment of hesitation. After a pause, it finally replied, “Nothing’s wrong. After resting for so long, one naturally needs to move the body a bit. Hmm… during this time, how has your technological progress been? Has anything happened?”

“Elder, thanks to your generous protection, my technological advancement has been extremely rapid. During this time, my negative matter cannons are nearly combat-ready. The tachyon shield technology has also achieved a breakthrough. The new generation of computers has been successfully built. In a few decades, I will definitely have the ability to defeat the Molian Civilization’s fleet and carry out your will.”

The Specter fell silent again. After a few minutes, it responded, “Very good. You’ve done well. Hmm, I’ve detected some sort of abnormal change occurring in a red dwarf star twenty light-years away. Do you know what this change could mean?”

“You noticed it too?” Xiao Yu said. “I’m currently researching this matter. If there’s any breakthrough, I’ll be sure to inform you.”

“Hmm. I have a bad feeling about this. It seems this change might have been caused by the arrival of some malevolent force. For your safety, and for the fulfillment of my final wish, you must inform me once you have research results. Absolutely do not make any decisions on your own. Doing so could lead to irreparable consequences.”

“Understood. I will strictly follow your guidance,” Xiao Yu replied respectfully.

At this moment, over twenty light-years away from Xiao Yu, the collective consciousness entity had already departed from that red dwarf star and was quietly waiting for something.

“According to our calculations, by now the light from that star should have reached the Main Civilization. Whether we live or die, succeed or fail, all hinges on this.”

“Yes. If even the Main Civilization can detect this strange change in the star, then there’s no reason the previous generation of the Specter Race wouldn’t also be able to detect it. I’m worried that they’ll deduce that we were responsible for it and thereby expose our arrival.”

“It doesn’t matter. Light takes twenty years to travel. In those twenty years, we’ve already moved dozens of light-years away in another direction. Even if the previous generation of the Specter Race deduces something from this, they’ll only know that we’ve arrived. But because of our unique concealment methods, it’s impossible for them to pinpoint our exact location.”

“Our only real concern is whether this will cause them to grow wary of the Main Civilization, preventing it from executing its plan. But this method of sending a message was the only approach we could think of. This is all we can do. What happens next will depend on fate, and whether the Main Civilization has the ability to resolve the current crisis…”

“Exactly. This situation is even more dangerous than when we accidentally encountered the Guardian Civilization’s fleet and barely escaped with our lives. Our Main Civilization has still experienced too little and trusts others too easily. It still hasn’t understood the truth that in this dark universe, no one can be trusted except ourselves. Every being in the universe will always place its own survival above all else. Where in this universe could you possibly find a civilization that would sacrifice itself for the sake of another?”

“There’s no point discussing that. In this universe, who doesn’t operate that way? Even we ourselves only advanced by slaughtering other civilizations. During this time, even though we haven’t contacted the Main Civilization and can’t communicate with it, it’s foreseeable that it’s already exterminated quite a few other civilizations.”

“What we need to do now is wait patiently. If everything goes well, the Main Civilization will definitely find a way to contact us. So keep a close watch on the activity of that strange star. Our survival depends on the Main Civilization. If it lives, we all live. If it dies, we all die.”

After this round of discussion, the Specter Race hiding in this corner of the universe once again fell silent. They quietly concealed their whereabouts, relying on their race’s unique methods to evade pursuit from the previous generation of the Specter Race. In the darkness, they waited for the dawn’s light to appear.

At this moment, beside the mysterious star, Xiao Yu was still continuing his observations of the red dwarf. But what puzzled him was that this time, the strange fluctuation in brightness seemed to be a one-time anomaly. In other words, it occurred only once and did not repeat. At least, during the time Xiao Yu had been observing it, the red dwarf remained calm and entirely displayed the characteristics of a normal red dwarf, with no unusual features whatsoever.

Up to this point, Xiao Yu still hadn’t realized that the fluctuations in brightness might contain some kind of signal. He only regarded it as some special phenomenon that he had not yet understood or mastered.

Looking at the now-still red dwarf, Xiao Yu thought with some frustration, “After I deal with the Molian Civilization’s fleet, I must go to that red dwarf and see for myself what’s going on.”

With this thought, Xiao Yu completely gave up his research in this area and transferred all the experimental data to the Red Dwarf Star Research Group under the Stellar Science Institute of the Central Research Academy of Science, leaving them to slowly carry on the investigation. As for himself, Xiao Yu once again focused his attention on technological development.

Time passed slowly. About a month later, Xiao Yu received a message from the elder Specter.

“My descendant, how is your research progressing on the anomalous brightness changes of that red dwarf star? Have there been any new discoveries?”

Upon receiving the message, Xiao Yu felt a bit puzzled. “Usually, I’m the one who initiates contact with the Specter elder. It’s extremely rare for him to reach out to me proactively, and recently, he hasn’t contacted me at all. Yet, for the sake of this red dwarf, he has now contacted me twice in a row. Is this red dwarf really that important?”

Thinking this, Xiao Yu still respectfully replied, “Elder, I’ve conducted some research in this area, but unfortunately, I’ve made no progress and discovered nothing.”

“Hmm…” The aging Specter pondered for a moment and said, “The ominous feeling in my heart is growing stronger. I have a hunch that the strange behavior of that red dwarf will be the beginning of a catastrophe. And you… you might not survive it. That’s why you must accelerate your research and report the results to me. I will figure out how to deal with it.”

Hearing the elder Specter speak in this way, Xiao Yu couldn’t help but feel an inexplicable sense of unease. Over this period, Xiao Yu had come to trust this elder Specter and, subconsciously, had begun to regard him as a senior family member.

“Understood, Elder. Please rest assured. I will continue this line of research, and if I find anything, I’ll report it to you immediately.”

“Good. Continue your research. I’m going to rest for a while now…”