Aboard Dream Boat One.
Wei Xuan looked at Robert, who was sitting with his back to him at the end of the passageway, and an uncontrollable panic spread through his heart.
Blood dripped down Robert's entire body, and it was clearly not his own blood, because the score of "22" above his head was especially glaring.
Wei Xuan remembered clearly. There had been fourteen people aboard the Solloma Empire, one of the two manned rockets. All fourteen had later entered a special stress state after suffering unknown stimulation and had been transferred to Dream Boat One.
There had been fifteen people on Dream Boat One. Six, including Wei Xuan, had chosen to remain and continue the mission, while the other nine had returned with the fourteen people in the stress state. Nine plus fourteen made exactly twenty-three.
Robert now had twenty-two points. Wei Xuan did not need to think hard about what that meant.
"You killed them all!"
Wei Xuan shouted furiously and reached for his waist.
The ground Control Panel had previously reported that a serious incident might have occurred aboard Dream Boat One. Since he had chosen to come alone, he had naturally brought a lethal weapon.
Swish!
Wei Xuan drew a specially made high-powered pistol and aimed it at Robert's back.
"What exactly happened? Robert! Why—don't you dare move, or I'll shoot you on the spot!"
While warning Robert, he tried to use the communication device he carried to contact the Empire Pioneer and the ground command center.
But no matter how he called, all that came from the communicator was a chilling crackle of static.
"It's useless." Robert's voice rang out. "Your signal can't get through."
"Damn it! What the hell is going on?!"
As soon as Wei Xuan finished speaking, he saw Robert rise to