Hyperion

The mysterious vessel Hyperion sailed across the vast Sea of Quantum.

It was a magical vessel capable of crossing boundless space, traversing eternal time, and traveling through the endless Sands of Time Worlds. It was both the origin of beginnings and the end of Finality. It was where countless dreams began, carrying its crew ever onward...

"Scrub scrub scrub, I'm the deck cleaner. Scrub scrub scrub, the deck shines bright..."

On Hyperion's incomparably spacious deck, a red-haired young man dressed in a white Captain's uniform wore a white military cap. Within its golden circle was the character for "Captain." He happily cleaned every corner of the deck while humming a little tune.

He had a handsome, delicate face, ruby-like eyes, and the aura of an optimist. The smile on his face was bright and clean, making people feel an instant sense of warmth upon seeing him.

He was Hyperion's Captain, and also Hyperion's deck cleaner. He possessed the badass skill Aerial Split.

"Captain, Hyperion has a protective barrier. All the dust is kept outside, so why are you scrubbing the deck again?" A sweet, pleasant voice rang out, carrying helplessness and confusion.

"Mei told me to call you for lunch. Hurry up, I'm starving!"

A girl dressed in white casual clothes patterned with cat paws let out a helpless yet cheerful laugh as she silently appeared behind the red-haired young man.

Her waist-length hair was white as snow, and her azure eyes were as clear as sapphires. She possessed both a young girl's vitality and the maturity of someone who had experienced much, along with a touch of charming innocence that left a deep impression at first glance. She was a beautiful girl with the temperament of a moon goddess.

Especially those long, straight legs, which glowed with a bright jade-like sheen—enough to admire for years.

"It's a habit, like Jiu Xiao playing games!" Zhang Wei said as he looked at Kiana, gently scratching her delicate nose with a doting smile. Having accompanied Kiana all this way, he knew how much suffering she had endured, and he truly cherished the girl.

Zhang Wei—the Wei from doing whatever he pleased. Ai Yi had given him that name, and he was quite satisfied with it.

As Hyperion's Captain, he was not a native lifeform from the Imaginary Tree, merely playing the role of a passerby.

He was a lifeform birthed by the magical vessel Hyperion. His memories gathered the thoughts of sentient beings from countless worlds, making him someone born with knowledge, as well as Hyperion's chosen Captain.

For a long time at the beginning, although he knew a great many things, he had not fully digested them. Thus, his personality had been like that of a god indifferent to all things, neither delighted by external gains nor saddened by personal losses.

Hyperion was the dream vessel of every Captain. At least, such a concept existed in his memories...

"Captain, what are you thinking about? Go eat already!" Kiana planted her hands on her slender waist, bent forward slightly, and leaned her curvaceous body toward him as she glared at him in dissatisfaction. How could he zone out while talking to such a beautiful girl? That was too much.

"Okay!"

Zhang Wei nodded and looked over the fruits of his labor that morning. The deck was spotless, and he felt rather proud. It was all the result of his hard work. In truth, it had already been very clean, but cleaning the deck had become a habit for him. If he went too long without doing it, he would feel uncomfortable all over.

"Captain, lunch today is braised pork and mapo tofu... You should like it!" Raiden Mei wore a purple apron around her waist. Her elegant, gentle Yamato Nadeshiko aura made Kiana unable to resist wrapping herself around Mei's arm and acting affectionately spoiled.

"Come on, Kiana. Weren't you hungry? How are you supposed to eat while holding onto my arm?"

Raiden Mei was quite helpless about this, but she did not pull away. She had already grown used to such things.

"What a feast. Thanks for your hard work, Mei." Seeing that they were all authentic Divine Land dishes, Zhang Wei could not help but drool. Mei had spent a long time learning these recipes. She could make all kinds of dishes without ever letting them grow tired of the food.

"As long as the Captain likes it." Mei smiled faintly, her wife-like charm making Zhang Wei's appetite stir.

"Little Captain, I have to say, bringing Mei aboard was an extremely correct decision!" The large cabbage-headed girl said with a smile, looking at Zhang Wei with the loving gaze of someone looking at her own child.

Zhang Wei held his head, helplessness covering his sunny, handsome face. "Ai Yi, how many times have I said it? If you're going to call me Captain, then just call me Captain. Why add 'little' to it?"

"Is that wrong?" Ai Yi Hyperion Λ narrowed her eyes and gave a mischievous smile.

"Hahaha, Little Captain, there really is nothing wrong with Ai Yi calling you that!" Kiana immediately burst into laughter, while even Mei revealed a faint smile.

"..."

Several crows seemed to fly over Zhang Wei's head as the corners of his mouth twitched wildly, yet he could not refute Ai Yi's words.

From infancy onward, Ai Yi had raised him. Ai Yi looked gentle, but beneath that exterior, she was dark-hearted. She had always wanted Zhang Wei to call her Mother. If not for his omniscience, he really might have been tricked into obediently calling Ai Yi Mom.

"Kiana, whether I'm little or not, you should know that very well!" Zhang Wei looked at the laughing Kiana and made a suggestive joke in a deep voice.

"Cough, cough, cough. Let's eat first!"

Kiana immediately understood what Zhang Wei meant. Her face reddened as she hurriedly changed the subject, crimson like a little apple.

Even Kiana could not help blushing, much less Mei, who was very thin-skinned—especially with others present. Zhang Wei, on the other hand, did not feel embarrassed at all. In his memories, he could pull up far more explosive things at any time.

As for Ai Yi Hyperion Λ, as a special lifeform, she was not embarrassed by this topic at all. Instead, she eagerly enjoyed the gossip.

What they did not know was that everything they did in their rooms at night was plainly visible to Ai Yi through her connection with Hyperion. Ai Yi was the one who understood them best.

However, she had no intention of saying anything. It was better to watch secretly by herself; it gave her a thrilling feeling.

"Ai Yi, how is Hyperion's condition? How much longer will Hyperion need to repair itself?" Zhang Wei did not continue the topic of what happened in their rooms. As he ate the delicious Divine Land cuisine Mei had made, he asked with a very serious expression.

This special Captain and Hyperion were one and the same; they shared glory and ruin. If he died, Hyperion would be destroyed. If Hyperion was destroyed, he would die as well.

Under normal circumstances, Hyperion's defensive rating was nearly impossible to damage. However, it had previously been attacked by something enormous, exceeding its threshold and damaging Hyperion. That was also related to many of Hyperion's functions being dormant; it had not yet returned to its peak.

"Hull damage: 10%. Field damage: 30%. Estimated repair time: 666 days. Normal navigation will not be a problem, but if we encounter another attack by the Imaginary Tree, we can only make an emergency landing in a World Bubble!"

Ai Yi brought up the data and looked at Zhang Wei with deep resentment, as if she were looking at a heartless man. Her gaze made him feel quite guilty.

Zhang Wei awkwardly touched his nose, and his red eyes began to dart away.

PS: First chapter of the new book