Humanity is missing, luckily I have billions of clones-Chapter 354: Finally Found

"Let’s go"

The fleet began to accelerate again!

It should be known that the Main Fleet’s speed had already reached 80% of the speed of light.

Further acceleration would exceed the original fleet’s optimal economic and stable cruising speed, not only greatly increasing various risks but also causing energy consumption to increase linearly.

But now, all those past obstacles had completely lost their resistance in front of these fully upgraded spacecraft.

One after another, giant engines with more reasonable configurations, higher efficiency, and higher ion jet velocities began to spray simultaneously, once again applying a continuous stream of power to these spacecraft with an acceleration of 0.9 m/s^2, continuing for approximately 4 months before stopping.

At this moment, Tom’s Main Fleet’s speed had reached 83% of the speed of light, meaning Tom traversed an average of 249,000 km/s.

But this was still not the end.

Tom clearly realized that within the current framework of fundamental physics, that is, under the unified framework of electromagnetic, weak nuclear, and Strong Nuclear forces, there were still many applied physics technologies he could explore.

If exploited to their limit... Tom estimated that the Main Fleet’s maximum speed could reach 90% of the speed of light—precisely the speed possessed by the Purple Moon Civilization Fleet.

After this, further increasing the Main Fleet’s speed—referring to the large-scale Main Fleet, not a small fleet or a single spacecraft would likely become impossible.

This was the ultimate speed for conventional travel. To further increase it, gravity would also need to be unified, and superluminal travel technology would need to be mastered.

At this moment, his own Main Fleet’s speed was only 83% of the speed of light; there was still room for further improvement.

Having completed the fleet acceleration, Tom did not pause for a moment, immediately immersing himself once again in the seemingly endless scientific research.

Time quietly passed. Tom noticed that even though he had expanded his detection network to a radius of one trillion kilometers, the traces left by the Purple Moon Civilization Fleet were becoming smaller and fainter.

Sometimes, they would even appear and disappear intermittently. Fortunately, Tom’s luck wasn’t too bad, allowing him to reconnect the clues after traveling some distance, preventing him from losing track.

If his speed was inferior to the opponent’s, he could only fall further and further behind. The time it took from the opponent leaving a trace to his side detecting it grew longer, making tracking more difficult, which was unavoidable.

But Tom still did not give up hope; he persisted.

He knew that the Purple Moon Civilization Fleet would eventually need to stop in a solar system for resupply. At that time, he would be able to make up for these differences with his greater industrial strength.

After tracking for an unknown number of trillions of kilometers, at a location less than 4 light-years from a certain star, Tom finally detected the traces he hoped to find.

The kinetic energy of interstellar free molecules had suddenly increased by about 20% compared to what was detected in the previous stage.

In Tom’s eyes, this was almost tantamount to a clear indication that the Purple Moon Civilization Main Fleet had performed an almost full-power overall maneuver here.

It was precisely because the high-speed ion thrusters, spraying high-speed ions at tens of thousands of kilometers per second at full power, caused the kinetic energy of interstellar free molecules and gas and dust molecules to increase through mutual collisions.

The direction of the spray was also calculated by Tom by statistically analyzing the motion data of countless interstellar dust and particles within trillions of cubic kilometers.

All these exhaust plumes pointed towards the nearby star!

Combining several clues, Tom immediately drew a conclusion.

The Purple Moon Civilization had begun decelerating towards that star here, eventually stopping in that solar system to resupply!

The next moment, Tom mobilized almost all available long-range observation equipment, aiming at that star from a distance of several light-years.

This was an ordinary red dwarf star, with a mass of about 35% of the Sun and a surface temperature of about 2,000 K. It had a total of three planets orbiting it, all of which were gas giants, with no rocky planets.

Tom observed carefully, not missing any subtle traces or clues. Consequently, many noteworthy details gradually appeared before Tom.

He saw that the atmospheric temperature of the gas giants seemed unusually high, suspected of having undergone extremely large-scale disturbances or impacts.

Several ice moons orbiting the gas giants showed large areas of flat terrain on their surfaces, and such flatness, based on the planet’s tidal gravity, seemed impossible to form naturally.

The star’s temperature was also slightly higher compared to its elemental composition, mass, etc., and its stellar activity was relatively more active.

In particular, on several moons, Tom detected signs suspected of large-yield hydrogen bomb explosions.

Combining all these reasons, Tom finally reached a conclusion.

The Purple Moon Civilization Fleet must have stayed in this solar system for a considerable period, carried out extremely large-scale industrial construction, and then left this solar system.

However, how long they stayed here and how long they have been gone could not yet be determined.

That would require close observation.

"Just in time, my material reserves are also running low, so I’ll stop and resupply in this solar system."

Tom maneuvered his fleet, also beginning to spray towards the star.

The faint gravity that had long disappeared reappeared within each spacecraft.

After spraying for approximately 9 years with an acceleration of 0.9 m/s^2, covering a distance of about 4 light-years, Tom’s fleet finally docked around the largest of the three gas giants.

At this moment, the Flying Star that served as Tom’s dry rations had long disappeared. The remaining materials were only those within the aerospace carrier and transport ships.

This would be ample for an ordinary civilization, but for Tom, a major consumer of energy and materials, it was somewhat stretched.

But it didn’t matter; now that he had arrived in a solar system, he could resupply without restraint.

Large numbers of industrial ships and material ships, laden with various industrial facilities, descended onto each of the larger moons. Massive industrial construction immediately began.

At the same time, Tom also launched a large-scale search operation, thoroughly searching this solar system for any clues related to the Purple Moon Civilization.

The final result of the search invigorated Tom.

Data analysis showed that the Purple Moon Civilization likely arrived in this solar system about 150 years ago, then stayed in this solar system for about 80 years, and finally departed from this solar system 70 years ago, heading in a direction slightly off-center from the Silver Heart.

In 70 years, at the speed of the Purple Moon Civilization Main Fleet, they would now be approximately 60 light-years away from this solar system.

"They stayed in this solar system for 80 years? Then... 40 years to complete all resupply tasks, and the Main Fleet will set sail!"

Although after 40 years, the distance between the Purple Moon Civilization Main Fleet and himself would widen to at least 95 light-years, it didn’t matter.

This distance seemed vast, but it was closer than before. Moreover, each time they stopped for resupply, he could complete it in a shorter time with his greater industrial strength.

A few more times, and he would be closer to the Purple Moon Civilization Fleet.

Forty years passed quickly. Within Tom’s Main Fleet, one aerospace carrier and heavy transport ship after another were once again fully loaded, and the massive Flying Star that had disappeared reappeared in the starry sky.

Set sail!

Following the direction the Purple Moon Civilization Fleet had departed, Tom once again began his pursuit.

This pursuit continued for another four hundred years. Tom once again found a solar system where the Purple Moon Civilization Main Fleet had stopped for resupply.

After a round of inspections, Tom was once again invigorated.

Data showed that the Purple Moon Civilization Fleet arrived in this solar system approximately 120 years ago, also spent 80 years on resupply, and departed from here 40 years ago.

The distance between himself and the Purple Moon Civilization Main Fleet had closed by another 30 years!

If all went well, perhaps the next time the Purple Moon Civilization Fleet stopped in a solar system for resupply, he might even arrive before they left!

With renewed vigor, Tom once again began large-scale industrial construction and material resupply tasks.

Finally, the Flying Star once again returned to its peak size and mass, and Tom’s fleet set sail again.

This journey was slightly different from the last. During this journey, Tom also needed to do one more thing.

After several hundred more years of accumulation and continuous breakthroughs in various scientific fields, his technological reserves were now sufficient to support another comprehensive upgrade!

Massive industrial construction once again began in the vast deep space. It was fully completed after several decades.

Afterward, Tom’s fleet once again began to accelerate.

Building on the existing speed of 83% of the speed of light, they further propelled for 70 days with an acceleration of 1 m/s^2.

The Main Fleet’s speed climbed to 85\% of the speed of light!

The long pursuit continued. After several more decades, Tom’s deep space search network once again detected a significant increase in the kinetic energy of interstellar free molecules.

And the spray direction pointed towards the star approximately 4 light-years away!

Clearly, the Purple Moon Civilization Fleet had conducted another stop for resupply.

The star was quiet, calmly emitting light. The several large planets orbiting it also showed no abnormalities whatsoever.

From any perspective, this was an extremely ordinary, uninhabited solar system, found everywhere in the Milky Way.

Tom’s heart, however, pounded violently.

The reason was simple: the exhaust plume traces already showed that the Purple Moon Civilization Main Fleet had arrived here.

And if the Purple Moon Civilization Fleet were to leave, they would inevitably destroy the industrial traces they left behind. This would cause him to observe obvious traces from the outside.

What did not observing traces mean?

It meant that the Purple Moon Civilization Main Fleet was still carrying out its "environmental protection" policy!

It meant that the Purple Moon Civilization Main Fleet had not yet left here!

They were here!

The heart of the clone where Tom’s consciousness resided pounded violently a few times, and a sneer appeared on his face.

"I’ve finally found you..."