Age of Cosmic Exploration

Chapter 227: Merchant

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"How did you people find out that the signal’s origin is coming towards us at super light speed?"

Yao Yuan stared at Bo Li and the group of people around her curiously. It was them who suggested that the signal origin was heading towards the Hope with super light speed.

The news was simply too shocking. It was not that mankind didn’t know that achieving super light speed is entirely possible; they had learnt of that possibility from the information siphoned from the junkyard civilization. For example, curvature navigation was the most likely way to break the barrier of light. In other words, while one couldn’t achieve super light speed organically, it was doable via other methods.

Regardless of the technology used to achieve super light speed, being at such a high speed meant that one was literally faster than light. In other words, one was undetectable via naked eye or conventional surveillance. This sounded complicated, but it was actually fairly simple. This was because light speed was the maximum speed available in speed; this was an iron law that couldn’t be denied, and even the junkyard civilization agreed so.

The maximum speed threshold for protons, electromagnetic waves, basically anything, was the speed of light!

Mankind’s current surveillance technique, be it with the basis in light detection or magnetic wave detection, could only receive information below the threshold of the speed of light.

After something achieved super light speed, it was akin to the courier losing his package, because the package couldn’t catch up to his speed. To make a similar analogy, if one person was to shout and then travelled faster than sound, he would be able to arrive at his destination faster than his words and he would be able to hear them.

When one travelled faster than light, one would be invisible. This was because everything we see were images in our brain from light that reflected on objects. In other words, we didn’t really see the object itself, but our eyes captured information carried by light that reflected from the objects around us. Therefore, if the thing travelled faster than light, it would be undetected because the light wouldn’t be able to reach it and then carry the information to the surveillance devices.

Similarly, if the signal origin was moving towards the Hope with super light speed, so logically speaking, the Hope shouldn’t be able to detect its existence unless it stopped halfway to allow light to hit it.

Herein lied the question: how could Bo Li confirm that the signal’s origin was moving towards them with super light speed when it was technically undetectable?

Bo Li gave Yao Yuan a side-eye and explained calmly, "Of course from the signal itself." While she spoke, Bo Li pressed something in mid-air and a window-like a virtual keyboard and screen appeared before her.

The scientists behind Yao Yuan gasped audibly. One of them rushed forward to say, "Professor Bo Li, you’ve finally created the electromagnetic interactive screen? This is amazing!"

Bo Li nodded and turned to Yao Yuan. "Look at this. This is the signal that we’ve received. The key reason why we can confirm it was from an alien civilization and not a natural space signal is its regularity and complexity. In other words, the signal is released continuously and it has its own basic rhythm and frequency."

Yao Yuan nodded. "Yes, this I’ve known. What else?"

Bo Li pressed on the virtual keyboard again and something else appeared on the virtual screen.

"When you were in the meeting, we were analyzing this signal. I realized that the signal’s frequency has increased," Bo Li said as she pointed at a wave pattern chart.

Yao Yuan frowned. Before he could make light of what Bo Li said, a scientist behind him chimed in, "Professor Bo Li, you mean to say that the signal’s origin is increasing its speed?"

Bo Li nodded again. "Yes, that is exactly what I mean. This frequency increase can be explained if the signal’s origin increases in speed. After that..."

Yao Yuan quickly interrupted, "Wait a minute, what are you guys talking about? Can someone please explain to me what’s happening?"

Bo Li tossed him another side-eye before pointing at the screen and explaining, "This is a logical conclusion. Look, this series of signals is continuous and systematic, in other words, the signal originator has set a specific schedule. For example, if we send out an SOS message from the Hope and set the message at an interval of every ten seconds, it is impossible for the message to go out after five seconds the first time and then twenty seconds the second time, right? I believe it is the same for the alien civilization. After all, such technology is precise and accurate. The signal originator’s technology is high enough for the frequency to not be haphazard, isn’t that right?"

Yao Yuan thought about it and confirmed, "You’re right. Unless the transmitter is broken, the frequency should be constant."

Bo Li continued, "That’s right; however, while you were in the meeting, I realized that the frequency of the signal has changed. The interval has increased by seven seconds. I thought it was our devices that malfunctioned, but after analysis, I realized that the signal’s frequency kept increasing. There was nothing wrong with our surveillance devices; it was because the signal’s origin was increasing in speed."

Yao Yuan entered another deep thought. Xiao Niao, who stood beside him, also entered the Thinker state. The only exception was Ren Tao. He looked around with a bored expression. In fact, while no one was paying him any attention, he walked towards the surveillance room’s wall and climbed up one of the taller pieces of equipment...

"I think I understand what you mean," Yao Yuan said after a long time. "Since light speed is a constant, it won’t be affected by the change in the speed of the signal’s source. In other words, even if the signal’s source achieves half the speed of light, the transmitted signal will still be travelling at light speed. However, since the frequency of the signal changes, it means that the signal’s source must be travelling faster than light, is that right?"

Bo Li nodded and confirmed, "That’s right. We understand that FTL space propulsion systems like warp drive is not physically going beyond the speed of light but changes the warp velocities before and after the warp to break the barrier of time. However, warp drive has a giant limitation: it needs an extremely large space for accelerating and a long time for acceleration to enter warp speed.

"During this process, the spaceship’s speed will steadily increase. When the spaceship is initially accelerating and the speed is low, the signal is travelling at the speed of light. After the speed has significantly increased, the signal is still travelling at light speed. However, for the one at the receiving end, the frequency of the signal will appear to have increased. The closer the origin is to breaking light speed, the smaller the interval between the signals. When it reaches light speed, all of the signal will arrive at once, and after it breaks light speed, the signal will be left behind and will be received after the origin has left."

At this juncture, Guang Zhen raised a valid question. "If that’s the case, how can you be so sure that the signal’s origin is still before us and has not left this place?"

Bo Li frowned impatiently, but she still slowly explained, "Because of the increasing signal frequency. If the origin was going away from this place, the frequency of the signal we receive would be decreasing, as in having a larger interval."

Here, Bo Li waved her hand and looked toward Yao Yuan. "Of course, this is only one of the possibilities on why the signal’s frequency is increasing. What to do with this information is still up to you."

Yao Yuan had an inner bitter smile. It had been half a year, but Bo Li was still indifferent towards him. She didn’t reject his advances, nor did she reciprocate them. However, he liked it. When he was sometimes aroused, he needed to take matters into his own hands, literally... Anyway, this was not a time to think about thing like this.

Yao Yuan massaged his temples. "Regardless, the possibility of this hypothesis is very high. So, we’re dealing with warp drive? That is the technology available between the peak of the 4th revolution and early 5th revolution. Based on the information we received from the junkyard civilization, there are four levels to space travelling. The first is under the speed of light, the second is faster than light, the third is wormhole, and the fourth is star gate. This means that we’re dealing with an at least Level 3 Civilization. From the looks of things, it’s better that we warp immediately to avoid any possible confrontation..."

Suddenly, the Prototype alien robot that stood beside Bo Li produced a flashing light in its eyes. Soon after that, a set of signals appeared on Bo Li’s virtual screen.

Everyone crowded around the screen to see what had happened. Bo Li read from the screen and said, "The junkyard civilization appears to have made contact with this signal origin before. My robot automatically translated it! Let’s see, what it says here..."

Xiao Niao cut in and read it out loud.

"Space Recycling. Recycling all types of technology and biomass!"

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