Chapter Ten: Star Wars

The first stop of the space tour: the Zero-G Amusement Park.

Located in the weightless zone at the very heart of the starport, the Zero-G Amusement Park is the starport’s most bustling tourist attraction.

With its vast array of rides, exotic delicacies, and evening parades and firework displays, it is a marvel of entertainment. Most importantly, it features a comprehensive medical zone where visitors struggling with zero gravity can rest and receive care. Medical staff are stationed there specifically, which meant that even while enjoying the thrilling rides, one could always find someone to help look after a younger sibling.

Among the many attractions, the most popular is undoubtedly "Star Wars," the greatest roller coaster in all of Takamagahara.

Because it is located in a zero-gravity zone, the coaster’s accelerations, climbs, and dives produce no sensation of weightlessness—since you are weightless the entire time, the experience is as effortless as riding a carousel. Additionally, each rider is issued a laser gun to shoot at "space pirates" popping up along the route, with the final score tallied based on the number of hits.

"Look, Senior," Tsukimiya Reina said, floating amidst the queue and pointing at the map on the wall, sounding surprised. "They say this 'Star Wars' ride simulates the battle where Governor Shi Zhiqing reclaimed the Takamagahara star sector from interstellar pirates!"

Chen Zi'ang followed her gaze and saw that the roller coaster’s route map was indeed based on a real map of the galaxy.

The journey begins at the Human Empire’s Altar Constellation Star Gate, jumps to the first zone, "Pavo," then to the second, "47 Tucanae," moves on to the third, the "Orion Nebula," and finally passes through the "Perseus Channel" to reach the destination: "Takamagahara."

The entire route is swarming with interstellar pirates. According to the park’s narrative, they are "attempting to obstruct the fleet’s glorious voyage, and heroic soldiers are needed to strike down all the invading enemies."

"Hmph, what idiots," someone in the back muttered.

Though he kept his voice low, Tsukimiya Reina’s hearing was sharp. She immediately smiled and asked, "Pardon me, what did you say?"

The person who had spoken was a chubby man in a baseball cap, wearing an oversized shirt soaked with sweat. Seeing Tsukimiya Reina look his way, he felt the awkwardness of a man afraid to meet a beautiful woman’s eyes. However, he quickly pointed at the project description on the wall and said, "I said whoever wrote this is an idiot. The real history is that Shi Zhiqing failed in a family power struggle and was forced to leave the Altar Constellation with his supporters; it was essentially a disguised exile."

"The fleet didn't jump to Pavo and 47 Tucanae for any noble cause like 'clearing out pirates' or 'saving the people.' They were just looking for a place to survive. In essence, he was no different from those interstellar pirates—they are both evil forces that oppressed the people of our Island Clan."

"That’s a bit of a stretch, isn't it?" Chen Zi'ang retorted. "At the very least, interstellar pirates wouldn't treat you like human beings."

"True," the chubby man in the baseball cap said sarcastically. "We should be grateful to Governor Shi Zhiqing for turning us from ship captains into miners. The living conditions in the mines are much better than on a pirate ship."

"Senior," Tsukimiya Reina tugged on his sleeve, "don't talk to people like him. He has a sick mind; it might be contagious."

"Right," Chen Zi'ang nodded.

Watching the two of them whispering intimately, the chubby man in the baseball cap was overcome with intense jealousy. He couldn't help but blurt out, "Want to make a bet? Let’s see who gets the higher score shooting pirates on the coaster later."

"What’s there to compete over?" Chen Zi'ang asked, puzzled.

"Are you afraid?" the chubby man sneered mockingly.

Chen Zi'ang was a peacekeeper, after all; he had seen all kinds of people and wasn't about to fall for such a clumsy provocation. He nodded calmly and said, "Yes, I'm terrified. Whatever makes you happy."

"Pfft," Tsukimiya Reina covered her mouth to stifle a giggle.

"You..." The chubby man was choked with rage and couldn't help but shout, "You brought your girlfriend here, yet you turn into a coward when challenged? Are you even a man?"

Before Chen Zi'ang could respond, Tsukimiya Reina quickly interjected, "He is indeed a genuine man. I can vouch for that."

The chubby man was immediately crushed by this statement, as if he had lost the ability to speak forever. Ignoring the man’s dejected state, Chen Zi'ang whispered to Tsukimiya Reina, "It’s probably not great to say things like that; it’s easy to cause misunderstandings."

"I wanted him to misunderstand," Tsukimiya Reina hummed coldly. "Doesn't Senior like it? He was the one who provoked us first."

"Well," Chen Zi'ang said honestly, "I didn't really like him either, so it’s fine."

The two continued to wait in line. In the zero-gravity zone, queuing isn't particularly exhausting since your legs don't need to support your weight; you simply hold onto the railing.

They soon reached the boarding area. Chen Zi'ang pulled Tsukimiya Reina into the car, and they chose side-by-side seats near the front. After the staff checked the safety restraints, the roller coaster started on time, accompanied by the mechanical voice of the AI ringing in their ears:

"We are now arriving at Pavo."

"Pavo is a globular cluster with a diameter of about 100 light-years, containing over 100,000 star systems. Because of its dense population of stars, it harbors dangerous gravitational traps and lethal cosmic ray bursts, making it the lair of the most dangerous interstellar pirates."

"I kind of regret it," Chen Zi'ang whispered to Tsukimiya Reina. "If Xiaozhu had come, she definitely would have loved listening to this."

The mechanical voice concluded, "Defeat them, warriors of the Empire! Our future lies in the sea of stars!"

Someone behind them let out a dismissive scoff. They didn't even need to turn around to know it was the chubby man in the baseball cap. But the other passengers were too busy to care, as the coaster had already entered "Pavo."

In the pitch-black environment, points of light suddenly emerged, gradually coalescing into starlight—a magnificent sea of stars formed by countless suns.

The high-frequency vibration beneath them indicated the coaster was moving rapidly along the track, yet the scene around them remained largely unchanged. To their left, a blue star burned with intense heat, spewing violent tongues of fire; to their right, a massive gas giant loomed, its surface swirling with countless cyclones like eyes of death.

Everyone watched, transfixed, until someone suddenly gasped: a massive fleet of unknown ships had emerged from the shadow of the gas giant on the right and was charging straight toward the coaster.

"Enemy attack!" the mechanical voice blared again. "Warriors, use your laser cannons to repel the invaders!"

Without further prompting, everyone grabbed the laser guns hanging by their seats and began firing excitedly at the distant fleet.

Chen Zi'ang finally realized that the distant stars, planets, and pirate fleets were all projections of holographic technology. There must be photosensitive sensors at the projection sites; once you hit a "pirate ship" with your laser, the sensor confirms the hit and adds it to your score.

On the side of each laser gun was a four-digit display showing the current score—the very subject of the chubby man's bet.

"Senior, what are you waiting for!" Tsukimiya Reina nudged him with her elbow. "Get your points! Don't lose to that fat slob!"

Chen Zi'ang felt that calling him a "fat slob" was a bit insulting, but then he heard someone shout from behind:

"Die, you normies! I hope you two lovers end up as siblings!"

"What did we ever do to you, you idiot!" Chen Zi'ang was immediately incensed.