"It's lit! It's lit!" Cen Yemeng's excited shout rang out. "Control screen!"
Jiang Ye carefully descended from the top of the spaceship and returned to the cabin.
Various data flickered on the display.
[Analyzing basic planetary information...]
[Planet Name: Unknown Planet]
[Planet Location: Unknown (Ship's flight path database corrupted)]
Jiang Ye's mood immediately sank.
Not knowing which planet this was, and with the black box gone, unknown places were the most terrifying. You never knew what dangers lurked. It was like entering a new map in a game; any moment, something dangerous could pop out. In games, you could reload if you died, but in reality, there was no such thing as a second chance.
[Gravity: Approximately 0.95g]
[Radiation Intensity: Extremely low]
[Atmospheric Composition: No toxic gases detected. Oxygen content 23% (To avoid possible mild oxygen intoxication, drinking more water is recommended). Breathable directly.]
[External Temperature Fluctuation: Unknown. Currently 22 degrees Celsius.]
Following this was a long string of unknowns, such as land area, planetary history, civilization level, biological distribution, and so on. None of it was known. After all, the ship was unsure of its location, so a lack of data was normal. It was even quite possible that no human had ever set foot on this planet before; Jiang Ye and Cen Yemeng were the first.
"Can I take off my helmet?" Cen Yemeng also leaned over to look at the data.
"Wait a moment, let me try taking mine off first," Jiang Ye said.
His wife had a child growing inside her, so he couldn't let her take any risks. Although the ship's data indicated the air was breathable, Jiang Ye was worried about a malfunction and decided to test it himself first.
Jiang Ye carefully removed his helmet, walked to the cabin door, and took deep breaths of the outside air.
The air was cool, carrying the scent of the sea breeze.
After a few minutes, Jiang Ye assessed himself. Not only were there no signs of poisoning, but he felt refreshed! After all, this planet's oxygen content was slightly higher than Earth's or Jiang Ye's home planet.
"We can take off our spacesuits!" Jiang Ye nodded.
Cen Yemeng was delighted. She took off her bulky spacesuit, and Jiang Ye helped her.
As soon as her spacesuit was off, her stomach rumbled.
"Hungry?" Jiang Ye asked.
Cen Yemeng nodded. "A little. Is there any food left on the ship?"
"I'll go check. You rest here," Jiang Ye said.
The rear of the spaceship, besides the propulsion system, also housed a small storage compartment.
The compartment door was deformed. Jiang Ye gritted his teeth and slammed into it a few times. With a "clang," the door broke off and fell to the floor with a loud thud.
Upon entering the compartment, he saw a food printer.
Next to it were two large boxes containing large ingredient canisters.
Jiang Ye counted them: a total of 24 ingredient canisters. If they relied solely on this, it would last two people about 12 days. If he ate sparingly and let Cen Yemeng eat more, they might last two weeks. They weren't facing starvation for now, but what about the future? What if no rescue ship arrived within two weeks?
He felt a touch at his waist, suddenly embraced from behind, his arm held gently.
"What do you want to eat?" Jiang Ye's tone softened.
"Anything is fine," Cen Yemeng tried to stand on tiptoe, resting her chin on his neck. "Make something you like. You went through a lot to pick me up."
"Don't mention it. I really regret picking you up," Jiang Ye sighed softly. "Now we're stranded on this strange planet, and who knows what will happen next."
"Don't regret it. Holding you now, I feel very happy," Cen Yemeng whispered in his ear. "As long as you came to get me, anywhere is fine. Even if we die here, it's better than not seeing you."
"Don't say such disheartening things. We'll definitely get back. I'm the commander; the military will send people to search for me. We just might have to survive here for a while, and I'll do my best to take care of you." Jiang Ye turned and hugged her, kissing her hair. Her hair was soft and smelled of shampoo. Jiang Ye closed his eyes in comfort.
"The due date is in three and a half months. My only worry is the baby," Cen Yemeng said softly. "I decided to keep this child without your consent. Do you like children?"
"This is our child, of course, I like it. It feels quite magical, that I'm going to be a father," Jiang Ye kissed her delicate cheek. "Thank you!"
"Boom!"
A loud bang startled them both. Jiang Ye looked out the window. About a hundred meters away, a crimson sea beast leaped out of the water, spewing a massive geyser into the sky! The beast resembled a whale but was covered in root-like veins, its body protected by shell-like tough skin, and its appearance was quite terrifying!
Jiang Ye quickly closed the cabin door.
"What was that?" Cen Yemeng was stunned.
"I don't know." Jiang Ye's expression wasn't fear, but rather excitement. "This planet has life, so we won't starve. I'll definitely be able to get food for you!"
Cen Yemeng's expression also turned joyful. She looked down and touched her swollen belly. "Did you hear that, baby? Daddy will hunt and feed you. Isn't Daddy amazing?"
Jiang Ye tapped the food printer and made two dishes and a large bowl of soup. Perhaps due to low power, it took five minutes to print all the food.
The couple sat at the dining table, looking at each other.
"Eat quickly, weren't you hungry?" Jiang Ye smiled.
"You eat first," Cen Yemeng looked at him tenderly. "You've been piloting the ship all the way, it must have been tiring. You eat more. I'm not very hungry."
Jiang Ye's heart melted. He picked up a dish with chopsticks and offered it to her lips. "How can that be? I can go hungry, but not you two. Open up!"
Cen Yemeng blushed, opened her mouth, and ate. She then picked up a piece of meat and offered it to Jiang Ye's lips.
The couple began feeding each other.
What could have been a quick meal turned into an hour-long affair.
Jiang Ye's mood had been very low, after all, he had encountered terrible luck and ended up on an unknown planet. But after the meal, he found life wasn't so bad? Wife, child, and a warm home – he wouldn't trade it for an emperor's throne!
However, there was no time for lingering. Survival was the most crucial thing.
With full stomachs and renewed energy, it was time to work!
The ship's power had been partially recharged. Jiang Ye tapped the control screen and entered communication mode.
But the message that popped up was a splash of cold water!
[No communication station found. Unable to contact outside at present.]
It was over. He couldn't even send out a distress signal. The possibility of rescue had greatly diminished.
[Three unread messages.]
Jiang Ye frowned and opened them one by one.
[Sender: Node Star Defense Force - Ship 86433]
[Content: Are you trying to die? There are Mil warships outside! Find a place to land quickly!]
This was likely sent by a passing warship as they were flying out.
[Sender: Air Force Operations Department]
[Content: Node Star has fallen and is controlled by a large number of Mil forces. Nearby ships please take caution and avoid the Node Star area! Homeland forces please switch to guerrilla warfare, or find a place to hide, protect the populace, and do not surrender. Mil forces are brutal in their treatment of prisoners!]
Jiang Ye suddenly felt a sense of having survived a disaster.
Node Star had indeed fallen. If he hadn't brought Cen Yemeng out, her fate would have been uncertain! Having fought on the front lines for so long, he knew how brutal the Mil were. Every occupied territory was met with mass slaughter. If humans fought humans, there might be moral boundaries or preferential treatment for prisoners, but when aliens fought humans, there would be no mercy!
The last message truly made him want to spit blood. Cen Yemeng beside him chuckled.