After failing to enter the spirit domain, the Sandstorm Snake did not hesitate. It broke through the surface above, escaped the planet's gravity, and fled into deep space.
It had learned from the Spirit Venerable that the ripple megastructure had a limited range. As long as it escaped that range, it could enter the spirit domain.
But that depended on the Successors failing to detect it.
With access to the spirit domain sealed off by the ripple megastructure, the Sandstorm Snake could not use the spirit domain for faster-than-light travel. Even maintaining its own form was extremely difficult.
The Sandstorm Snake moved through the universe by continuously scattering the sand that made up its body behind itself, using the resulting recoil to propel itself.
This method could not exceed the speed of light, and several days later, it was detected by the Successors' high-powered radar.
The sand left behind by the Sandstorm Snake was especially conspicuous, forming a long line that stood out clearly in the radar echoes.
"Foreign object detected!"
Several faster-than-light creatures immediately set off, vanishing from where they stood amid sudden flashes.
The faster-than-light creatures easily caught up with the Sandstorm Snake, which was unable to travel faster than light.
"A mass of airflow?"
While the Successors were still puzzled, the Sandstorm Snake saw the light released upon the faster-than-light creatures' arrival and panicked, changing direction in every which way as it fled. This confirmed to the Successors that it was a living thing with subjective initiative.
Gamma lasers were fired. Whatever the thing was, they would shine some light on it and shoot it first.
"Ah—!"
Sihe painfully curled up his long, sandy body, his fear deepening by several degrees.
After seeing the effects of the gamma rays, the faster-than-light creatures came to their own conclusion.