"Bzz-"
"Beep beep-beep-"
"Shuttle disengaging... disengagement successful!"
Clack!
The shuttle slowly disengaged from the Far Gazer's berth, its pale blue thruster flames trailing a slender streak through the pitch-black starfield.
Xu Feng sat in the pilot's seat, watching Crimson Storm Star rapidly swell in the viewport, his mind as still as water.
The thick, dusty atmosphere blanketing the dark red planet churned slowly, like a boiling pot of dark red soup.
"Entering Crimson Storm Star's gravitational field. Atmospheric contact in three minutes."
The shuttle's onboard system issued an icy voice notification.
Xu Feng rose. "Little Yellow, take over."
Little Yellow immediately stepped up to the controls and replaced Xu Feng.
Xu Feng himself stood before the viewport, carefully studying the planet below.
Suddenly-
Fire Sickle's voice came through the communicator amid a hiss of static. "Careful, Xu. The winds in Crimson Storm Star's atmosphere are extremely strong. Small shuttles have a hard time making a stable entry.
"The storm zone is enormous. Once you hit the atmosphere, communications may become intermittent.
"If we lose contact, follow the planned route toward the storm's core.
"Remember, the Stormfolk have a huge sensory range. They'll detect you the moment your ship enters.
"Don't get bogged down fighting them, and don't let them surround you."
"Understood."
Xu Feng gave a brief reply, then cut the connection.
Soon, the shuttle's nose began to heat up.
During its high-speed descent, Crimson Storm Star's atmosphere scraped fiercely against the hull, generating enough heat to cloak the shuttle in crimson light.
Boom!
Less than ten seconds after entering the atmosphere, the hull suddenly shuddered violently.
Within seconds, the view beyond the window changed from a starfield to a dark red sandstorm.
Countless stones and grains of sand carried by the storm battered the shuttle's shields, producing a dense