Chapter 329: Shadows of Intrigue

Du Qiu did not answer Ning Shuangshuang’s question; instead, he asked, “Did you just say that woman is the fake Watanabe Minghui?”

“Yes. After DNA matching, we discovered that the beheaded woman wasn’t the real Watanabe Minghui. Investigations indicate that she went into hiding ten days before this incident.”

Accustomed to using highly realistic masks for impersonation, Du Qiu immediately grew wary.

If Watanabe Minghui possessed such technology, assuming countless disguises would make her nearly impossible to track—especially as Earth’s chaos intensifies and many countries’ surveillance systems are damaged or poorly maintained.

Some refugee camps lack any surveillance at all, making it hard for Star Ocean to track her based on movement alone.

Even so, Du Qiu said, “I’ll have Star Ocean mark her as our top tracking target as soon as possible.”

“That’s best. Everyone in the Heaven Realm has an identity chip, including genetic data, so she shouldn’t be able to slip in unnoticed. I suspect she might try infiltrating by buying property on Mars or through some country’s Mars base.”

Ning Shuangshuang noted that Watanabe Minghui had deliberately courted Hao Ren and, even before marriage, sought entry into the Heaven Realm—clearly harboring her own designs.

Naturally, Ning Shuangshuang believed that she had a clear vendetta against Du Qiu.

Just think: that fake Watanabe Minghui planted a huge cache of explosives in the villa, proving her intent to kill Du Qiu.

With that in mind, Ning Shuangshuang added, “I’m really worried she might show up near you. Her target for revenge is you, so be cautious.”

Du Qiu felt reassured by her concern and laughed, “It feels good to have someone care. Don’t worry—I never appear in public.”

“She can’t exactly infiltrate every research institute in the company. These places are staffed by top-notch researchers. I doubt she has the necessary expertise.”

Ning Shuangshuang replied, “But you still need to be careful. Many institutes now employ young assistants, and impersonation among them wouldn’t be too hard.”

Du Qiu chuckled, “You underestimate them. Even though they’re just assistants, most hold master’s degrees in their fields. I recall that Watanabe Minghui’s background is in business, so passing as a researcher would be nearly impossible.”

“I can’t argue with you. Just be extra careful,” he added.

They continued talking for a while before ending the call.

Before Du Qiu could catch his breath, Star Ocean’s voice rang out.

“Sir, Professor Weitman from the Astronomy Institute has sent a new report. Using the newly commissioned telescope in the Kuiper Belt, they’ve discovered something interesting while tracking the peculiar Oumuamua meteorite that accelerated away a few years ago.”

“Oumuamua? What is that?” Du Qiu asked in astonishment.

Star Ocean replied, “Oumuamua was discovered in 2017. Its cigar-shaped body and unusually dense exterior have led many astronomers to suspect it’s an artificial object of alien origin.”

It entered the Solar System at 35 km/s, and once it hit the inner regions, its trajectory shifted dramatically and its speed increased.

It appears to have taken a nearly 90-degree turn within the Solar System and is now on the verge of leaving it.

As he explained, Star Ocean projected its trajectory and shape onto the display.

Du Qiu was taken aback by the sight of Oumuamua and its unusual path.

This 400-meter-long object could indeed be an alien artifact—possibly an unmanned probe sent to scout the Solar System.

However, judging by its current speed, if it were the product of an alien civilization, that civilization would be no higher than Level II.

Even so, Du Qiu remained on high alert.

After all, the radio wave filter device left by the Pleiadians had been offline for who knows how long; in that time, it might have attracted the attention of nearby alien civilizations, prompting them to send out probes.

Remember, decades ago the United States launched Voyager 1 and 2, and at that time, satellite-launching nations were broadcasting high-power signals in space.

If the cosmos beyond the Solar System is bustling, certain civilizations will inevitably take notice. Even a Level II civilization might struggle with interstellar travel, but sending an unmanned probe is entirely feasible.

“Star Ocean, dispatch ten Wyvern Fighters immediately to intercept it. Capture it at all costs!”

The Wyvern Fighters, capable of reaching 3000 km/s—95 times the velocity of Oumuamua—should be more than fast enough.

At the current level of Dream Technology, handling a Level III civilization isn’t beyond our reach.

That is, provided our space fleet is fully operational and manned when the enemy fleet arrives.

Thinking of the crew requirements, Du Qiu frowned. A single space warship manned entirely by humans would require tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of crew members.

Such numbers would lead to enormous supply challenges and put a heavy strain on the ship’s design.

Currently, only one project group at the Warship Design Institute is developing unmanned, AI-controlled warships.

The other teams are combining human and robotic controls to address the logistical issues of large crews.

It seems I need to expedite the creation of an AI system specifically for warship control, which would reduce operational complexity and lessen crew requirements.

Of course, key positions still need human oversight—AI can’t yet match human judgment in every situation.

As Du Qiu mulled over warship designs, Star Ocean’s voice broke in again.

“Sir, the Wyvern Fighter squadron has set off in pursuit of meteorite Oumuamua. They estimate they’ll catch up within 20 days.”

“Star Ocean, in our Dream World game, how many players holding the role of Space Warship Commander have reached the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels?”

“There are 12.89 million beginners, 1.16 million intermediates, 67,000 advanced, and 236 elite-level players.”

Since Star Ocean manages the Dream World game, he delivered those numbers off the cuff.

“Wow, there are even elite-level players? Are these people really that obsessed with the game?”

Bear in mind, Dream World has been around for less than a year, even though it’s already had three updates.

It’s impossible for someone to become a Space Warship Commander, start learning, and engage in battles if they play fewer than 10 hours a day.

Reaching elite status requires exceptional intelligence and strong learning abilities.

And achieving elite status in the game doesn’t automatically mean top-level real-world performance.

Knowledge acquired in the game still needs to be applied and expanded in the real world to be truly effective.

However, after three updates, Dream World has reached virtual reality standards. Its realism is precisely what has captivated so many players.

Many have discovered that the skills learned in the game are just as applicable in reality.

Especially since Dream Technology’s global recruitment initiatives now specifically target intermediate-level players.

This has led many to see Dream World as more than just a game.

“Star Ocean, send out a recruitment announcement to all players above the intermediate level for Space Warship Command. Anyone who passes our screening will be inducted into the Dream Fleet for further training.”

“Yes, sir. By the way, Professor Weitman’s report mentioned an interesting discovery—not the Oumuamua meteorite itself, but some strange light spots roughly 3 light-years away in the direction of Serpens.”

“Strange light spots?”

“Yes. Professor Weitman thinks such light spots shouldn’t exist in empty space, and additionally, Oumuamua’s trajectory is headed exactly toward them.”

“Inform Professor Weitman to arrange shift rotations so that someone keeps a close watch on any changes in those light spots.”