Chương 646: Spatial Tunnels.

While Liu Shu and Tree worked together, Melody stood inside the observatory with a confused look on her face. Their tools were still far from being perfect, but they could pinpoint unusual energies from quite far away. This was also the method they used at first to detect the Covenant Envoys. Of course, if the people had high-level stealth, like Altherion's fleet, they would be in trouble.

"Lady Melody, these signals are clearly from some sort of ship. They are also following Erynthea's gravity to move." Erynthea was the furthest celestial body that could be considered a World inside the Ceperet Solar System. This planet was a blue world encased in floating ice continents and constant sapphire storms. The Ice Aether in this world was as extreme as the Fire Aether in Vorathen. Similar to all the other worlds, with the exceptions of Ceperet and Nualis, it was lifeless.

Now, with the use of their observation tools, they could sense a few very small "asteroids" orbiting Erynthea. While they thought they were moons that went undetected during the first few scans, they threw this idea out when the asteroids moved in unpredictable patterns.

"That's clearly a spaceship. The Moon-Types that Lady Mariane and the others have dismantled had radars that we've integrated into our observatory. Using them, we can distinguish and pierce through the stealth of ships that the Nexus uploaded in them." This was said by one of the scientists working in the observatory. Melody nodded, muttering.

"No wonder Harmonixia told me to come here." One of them couldn't help but ask.

"Where is Lady Harmonixia?" Melody glanced sideways and warned.

"Don't be too curious and focus." They panicked for a moment and quickly apologized. Melody ignored them and asked.

"Can you detect what type of ship they are?"

"We can't." The scientist sighed.

"Huh? Why?" The man smiled wryly.

"I am ashamed to say that we've yet to decipher all the functions. It has not been long, after all." Melody narrowed her eyes.

"Even with all of Liu Shu's buffs, you are all still unable to decipher it? If any of you are lacking, I'll fire you regardless of your previous contributions." Hearing her menacing words, some people showed slight nervousness. Melody spoke solemnly.

"This is my first and last warning. Remember that you can't hide from Lady Heavenly Willow's gaze." Melody walked out of the room.

"Inform me when you have results. If they come in our direction, inform all you can at that moment so that we can react immediately." She paused before leaving the room.

"Be sure to record their movement so that you are not framed." Then, she left. Everyone in the observatory sighed in relief. It was nerve-wracking having the mother-in-law of the World Tree by their side. Thankfully, they didn't make too big a mistake. Meanwhile, Liu Shu was speaking with Tree. Like herself, Tree managed to become <Realm-Touched>. So, both mother and daughter were enthusiastically talking about space. After a while, Tree commented.

"Then, what about folding it instead?" Liu Shu answered, her tone unsure.

"I also thought about space folding. That's the way I used to traverse my roots as fast as possible without missing many spots. However, it can be somewhat turbulent. There have been times when space unfolded and ripped one of my roots in half." Tree was startled and asked, somewhat worried.

"Are you okay? When did that happen?" Liu Shu chuckled when she felt her worry. Her roots gently coiled around Tree's trunk, acting spoiled.

"Hehe, don't worry, Mom. That happened after the battle with Altherion. I lost some concentration, so space unfolded in one location. Don't worry, I've already repaired that section." Tree sighed and used her own roots to gently pat Liu Shu's.

"Silly girl. You need to be careful. Remember that you are the most important." Liu Shu smiled brightly, but she teased.

"That's not something a Life Tree should be saying." Tree shook her leaves softly.

"Perhaps. But I am not any Life Tree. What I say is exactly the same as what your Life Tree mother would say. Isn't that better?" Liu Shu tightly hugged Tree.

"Yes! I love you!"

"I love you too, Little Sapling." Tree spoke soothingly. Then, she asked.

"So, you are against that method because it requires constant attention?" If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Yes." Liu Shu hummed.

"If we lose concentration when someone is inside, those people might get thrown into the void or ripped by violent spatial essence. It's not really viable." Tree pondered and asked back.

"What is your idea, then? Space folding feels like the fastest and simplest way, but you should have some ideas, right?" Liu Shu giggled.

"I do! I was thinking of using a Runic Field and Formation Array. Time saving is important, but we can focus on that when the traveling distances become impractical at a lifetime level." Tree heard those words and felt that it made sense.

"So, instead of folding, you are thinking of tunneling? However, what can we use to keep the tunnel's integrity?"

"Myself!" Liu Shu spoke confidently.

"Huh?" Tree was instantly displeased. How could she allow her precious little baby to do something like that? Honestly, Tree's thoughts were not very Life Tree-like. Her only priority in the entire world was Liu Shu and those Liu Shu considered close. Liu Shu naturally knew about Tree's thoughts. Therefore, she explained softly.

"It won't be dangerous for me, I promise! Worst case scenario, I just detach that part of myself and let it collapse by itself."

"Hm… Alright, I'll at least listen to the suggestion before criticizing. Go ahead." Seeing her branches move as if huffing, Liu Shu was amused.

"What I was thinking of was using the <Realm-Touched> Title's specialty to create sub-dimensional hollow roots. Using runes and an array to help stabilize both ends of the connection, I can use myself as the material for the spatial highway." Tree pondered, not dismissing it straight away.

"I know that this method is a bit crude." Liu Shu admitted.

"However, it can help us with our immediate vicinity. When we need interstellar movement arrays, we will be much stronger, so creating proper teleportation points or portals will be much easier." Hearing that, Tree asked, confused.

"Where is my place in all of that? It just seems as if you will do 99% of everything and ask me to do menial work just to keep me satisfied." She knew that this daughter of hers liked to carry all burdens. So, hearing her plan made her doubtful. Liu Shu thought of that as well, knowing that if she did too much, this mother of hers might spank her… somehow.

"While I will be able to create the path, I can't really stabilize it for a long time without exhausting myself. That's where you will enter the picture. Once I create the tunnel, I will relegate that sub-dimension to you so that you take care of it. In short, I will create the tunnels, and you will maintain, control, and overall become their administrator." Tree was enlightened.

"That's a great method. With my reach, creating the dimensional portals permanently was basically impossible. However, taking over an already created sub-dimension is not that difficult." Liu Shu spoke proudly.

"See? Moreover, you will be in charge of my roots as well, so you can take care of them!" Tree laughed softly.

"Alright, we'll use this method. Do you think they can be used to transport the Moon-Types that are in Nualis?"

"Yes. Since it is a proper subspace, unless those crossing it misbehave, it should allow any creature to cross it. We can just prohibit the use of any energy during travel and punish those who do. That way, their stability is guaranteed." Tree asked, worried.

"Won't that create a weakness?" Liu Shu smiled.

"Prohibiting it doesn't mean that we can't create countermeasures. We can punish people during the travels." With that, most of Tree's worries were solved.

"Alright, I'll go speak with that child, Mariane. Leave me the planning. In the meantime, you should try to think of a method not to make yourself too large or hide yourself away. I've already heard that you are struggling with that." Liu Shu was shocked and spoke.

"Mom! Are you calling me fat!?" Tree laughed.

"Silly girl. You are too slim. Look at your willowy waist. Each time I look at you, I want to feed you more!" Liu Shu burst into laughter. Then, she spent some more time with Tree and attended to other things.

"Alright. Before I spend my Experience Points on my Level, I need to increase my skill levels. Let's get to work on that." Now that everything was mostly planned, Liu Shu entered her usual focused mindset, her consciousness spreading out to manage everything. Meanwhile, in the moon orbit of Erynthea, a group of ships floated along. The captain of the ship frowned.

"Didn't that Star Lord say that this location would be vacated soon? Why did our radars pick up strong energy fluctuations a few months ago?" One of his subordinates snorted.

"I told you already, captain. Even if the Star Lord has a good reputation, they are still part of the Abyssal Void Nexus. How can someone like that hire mercenaries and even reveal an <Open Coordinate>?" <Open Coordinate> were spatial locations without an "owner." When these appeared in the mercenary hubs of the Explorer Association, they would attract many groups to settle down. Naturally, all local species would fall under their control, as these mercenaries were far above the local population's strength.

For the mercenaries, it was a paradise, and for the locals, it was a disaster. Not that anyone cared. In the end, the life of the cosmos was ruthless. The number of worlds that perished daily was endless. Looking to the side, the captain asked.

"What should we do? You are our brains, so you should have an idea of what is happening, right?" At the side, a humanoid figure with female features stood floating. Her body was made of a gel-like material that could float. The female-looking creature spoke with a frown.

"Honestly, I feel uneasy. It is as if we have stepped into one of those prohibited locations. Even when this area is outside True World Tree domains, the fact that a Star Lord didn't take over after discovering it is fishy." Everyone became thoughtful. Her words made sense, after all. If this place was ownerless, why wouldn't a Star Lord take it for themselves? Clearly, there was something preventing them. The female figure spoke lightly, her voice echoey.

"Captain, your strength is not far away from an average Star Lord's. Moreover, our <Floating Starry Mercenary> group is relatively strong. So, we can at least give it a look. Nevertheless, have the heart to flee at any time. You should know that the universe is ruthless, and its void claims endless lives."

"Alright, we'll do as you say. We will depart in one year."