The activation key depresses instantly.
The oval Subspace Flyer erupts with a radiance spanning thousands of kilometers, its hull beginning to tremble violently—though the amplitude is so minuscule that only Andrew Han, at peak Starlight Tier, can sense it.
The trembling continues.
It feels as if the Flyer itself is about to collapse.
"Is something wrong?"
In that instant, Andrew Han senses a terrifying catastrophe—the sky collapsing, the earth shattering—descending upon him.
Space twists and overlaps in all directions, as if trapping him in spatial fissures—never to escape, doomed to be erased from existence for all eternity.
Space is shattering!
A primal terror is unleashed!
Moments later, Howard Gu, robed in white, slowly approaches Andrew Han: "Don't be afraid, don't tense up—this is only an illusion born of your life instinct."
His voice is like heavenly music—vast and elusive.
His eyes shimmer with light, as if holding a hint of anticipation.
Andrew Han grits his teeth, bearing an inexplicable pressure. Howard Gu's voice is like the judgment of a deity above the nine heavens, suffused with a reassuring power: "Andrew. The terror you feel—its depth and horror—are merely your life's instinctive resistance."
Instinctive resistance?
Andrew Han instantly understands—his resistance is to entering subspace?
Warp travel and subspace travel are two fundamentally different modes. With only his limited knowledge, Andrew Han vaguely grasps: warp travel twists space, while subspace travel tears it apart.
Tearing space apart is terrifying.
For a lifeform at Andrew Han's peak Starlight Tier, tearing space is tantamount to suicide—even if he lacks the power to do so himself.
"Mm."
Andrew Han manages a faint response.
Howard Gu softly says, "Relax. Life instinct is hard to erase—if you endure, your willpower will improve a little."
As Howard Gu explains, Andrew Han gradually understands: because subspace travel is about to begin, his Starlight-tier life essence is especially sensitive, instinctively sensing the surroundings. If disaster strikes, it immediately floods his body and soul with danger signals.
So I'm afraid of death after all.
Andrew Han can't help but laugh and sigh at himself.
The fear continues, every moment is heart-stopping; the sky feels like it is about to collapse, the whole world is on the verge of shattering.
In short, this is an instinctive reaction!
It's impossible to weaken or suppress the instinctive resistance of life.
For example, you can say 'no' with your mouth, but your body is honest... Even someone as strong as Andrew Han can't overturn instinct, let alone deceive the essence of life. Would other beings riding the Subspace Flyer have similar instinctive resistance?
His fighting spirit surges!
Light flashes in his eyes!
Since so many beings can endure riding the Subspace Flyer, surely he can too!
In Miles Ning's words: If you can't, you still have to!
Looks like I've been a frog in a well.
I thought my willpower was outstanding after my master's tempering—able to endure what others couldn't, able to persist where others couldn't—yet I can't withstand the instinct of life?
Andrew Han asks himself, refusing to fall unconscious. It's as if he's teetering on the edge of sleep atop a cliff, struggling to let out a silent scream. His mind is muddled, his soul trembles, and the indescribable torment seems to freeze time itself.
He screams!
Endless, infinite screams!
Billions of screams, filled with unwillingness and accusation, each one crying tears of blood—echoing in his ears, in his heart, and even beside the Soul Crystal-Diamond in his Mindscape!
This... this is the precursor to the Berserker State.
Andrew Han is momentarily stunned, then regains some clarity.
His extraordinary life, this journey through the stars—all began with the Graywhite Aura.
It was also the Graywhite Aura that gave rise to the Berserker State. In truth, Andrew Han had long suspected the origin of the Graywhite Aura, but could never verify it.
So then...
Why does the instinctive resistance of life trigger the Berserker State?
Andrew Han can't figure it out; he only feels his fainting consciousness slowly clearing, the endless howls of the Berserker State gradually fading away.
The darkness before his eyes begins to brighten.
It is as if a dazzling ray of starlight illuminates the dead abyss. Andrew Han's long-closed eyes snap open, his black-and-white pupils revealing a hint of confusion.
The scene before his eyes—
Crystal-clear, breathtakingly beautiful, utterly striking!
This is the cultivation area of the Subspace Flyer. The surrounding walls are covered in crystal-like material, radiating a boundless sense of emptiness. It feels as if he's standing alone in the corner of the universe, surrounded by endless space.
Silence.
Not a single sound.
Only the endlessly extending walls, inviting infinite imagination.
Andrew Han takes two steps forward: "What is this place? It's so strange."
Here, the floor glimmers faintly, its surface faceted and translucent. It appears orderly, yet is subtly uneven.
He wears casual leather shoes from Earth, carefully chosen by Little Monica and engraved with their names. As he steps onto the crystal floor, it produces a faint tearing sound.
"Are my shoes ruined?" Andrew Han is startled, quickly lifting his right foot. "No, they're fine—should last another ten years at least... What is this floor made of? It's soft, yet incredibly tough."
He tests the floor by pressing down with his foot.
Even with just one percent of his strength, he can't damage the floor at all. As for using more force, Andrew Han doesn't dare try.
Andrew Han shakes his head: "If the Subspace Flyer broke down and we were stranded out in the dark between star systems, how much time would we lose?"