From cannon fodder to sweeping across thousands of stars

When the three-hour "black box mode" set by the laboratory ended, Amber finally left Saleh's laboratory with a head full of operating principles, instructions and usage restrictions.

As for the "Tactical Time Shuttle Device MK1", Saleh did not hand it over directly to Amber, but at the latter's strong request, he prepared to debug it during the last period of navigation to ensure that the device would not be in the best state when it was handed over to Amber, but at least there would be no major bugs.

Just like what Saleh often said at the three-hour "product launch conference": "'Time Shuttle' is no small matter"

In order to prevent the user from being excluded by the target timeline, the "Tactical Time Shuttle Device MK1" will strip the user's quantum state from the original timeline when executing the shuttle, making it temporarily a "time island".

In this case, Amber will also be temporarily in a state of "completely lost contact". Not only will others be unable to find him, even Saleh and Lilith, who have a special relationship with him, will lose contact with him during this period.

Amber also raised a question at this time. Since this device can scan a small amount of tactical equipment and record its quantum state, so that he can carry some auxiliary tactical equipment to shuttle, can Lilith also enter the data storage device of the tactical equipment and then travel through time with him.

But this possibility was rejected by Saleh at the same time it was proposed.

The reason is also very simple, that is, with Lilith's current state, even if she is compressed and put into the storage device, her volume is larger than everyone imagines when she travels through time.

This is not just a simple calculation of storage space, but another level of "huge volume", so it is impossible to travel through time with Amber at the moment.

This also means that after Amber activates the device to travel through time, he will truly enter the "lone mode", and all decisions and actions can only rely on himself, without any support from the outside world.

Similarly, in order to ensure the stability of the timeline, the Forerunner civilization built in some hard rules when developing similar devices, mainly based on ethical and military security mandatory settings. In Saleh's description, these restrictions are called "time and space paradox restriction protocols."

First is the principle known as ‘Novikov self-consistency’ in the human world, which makes the ‘Tactical Time Travel Device MK1’ prohibit any jumping behavior that may cause logical contradictions in the timeline at the bottom level.

For example, the most famous ‘Grandfather Paradox’ is blocked. If the device detects that the user is trying to kill his own ancestors, key historical figures, or destroy his own birth conditions, the device will force the operation to freeze and forcibly interrupt the time travel to start backtracking.

In addition, there is the restriction of ‘forced information closure’.

This restriction prevents the user from bringing the future technology blueprint back to the past. The device will encrypt the super-era information in fragments and only allow the triggering of something called ‘technical inspiration’ - for example, revealing some future technology and formula fragments to a researcher in the current timeline, so that he mistakenly thinks it is his own intuition.

In addition, when Saleh or the Forerunner civilization developed the time travel device, it forcibly added ‘causal stability’ to the bottom-level operation logic of the device, and dynamically restricted high-risk operations by calculating the user’s disturbance value to the space-time continuum in real time.

For example, the built-in "database of key events in the history of the universe" collected by Saleh after accessing the Atlas database prohibits users from intervening closely within 1 hour before and after these "key time points".

At the same time, if the user's intervention in non-critical events leads to huge changes in the future, the device will also trigger the "timeline stripping" operation and completely lock the access rights of the timeline, unless Saleh creates a new one.

In addition, the user cannot leak any scientific and technological knowledge to the ancients to help them "change their fate", because the device will monitor according to a certain index set by the forerunners to evaluate the level of civilization. If the threshold is exceeded, the device will directly start self-destruction.

From this restriction, Amber thinks that the forerunners are worried that the civilizations they want to destroy will travel through time to provide some kind of "future assistance" after obtaining this technology, resulting in the forerunner civilization being unable to complete their mission of "genocide".

Although Amber will most likely not trigger the last restriction, Saleh still informed and reminded Amber, that is, it is absolutely forbidden to travel before this device was invented by the Jeram people.

Avoid any unexpected circumstances that prevent this device from being invented, thus causing a recursive paradox

"In short, you can only use this device to facilitate your infiltration activities, but don't think of using it to do anything crooked. Believe me, the little "crazy ideas" you humans can think of are just a little bit that occupies a corner in the list of restrictions."

This was the last sentence that Saleh left before Amber left the laboratory. It was this sentence that completely dispelled Amber's idea of ​​using this device to do some "sexy operations".

After leaving Saleh's laboratory and walking in the corridor inside the Dawn, Amber began to think carefully about her plan.

It goes without saying that the interior of the Star Dragon Empire's Grand Palace is densely packed with various detection and defense devices, and there must be a "psychic detection radar" specifically used to prevent psychics. This also means that if Amber really wants to take advantage of this meeting with Agnes to complete the infiltration, she must not only be careful to avoid all guards, but also cannot use any psychic power during the process.

"Fuck, why is it a bit like sneaking into the Stilton mansion in "Dishonored 2". Both are restricted and cannot use abilities, but the Grand Palace I am considering sneaking into is much larger than that mansion. Or is it to be a pilot and act directly with physical strength?"

Thinking of this, Amber realized that maybe she also needs to strengthen her physical training?

"Elowen." Amber, who did what she said, called out the name of the ship-borne control personality of the "Dawn".

"I'm here, Lord Amber~"

"Open a comprehensive training room for me, adjust it to 'psychic training mode', the highest intensity, disable psychic power. I'll be there soon."

——

When the twelve-day jump was about to end, Amber walked out of the comprehensive training room, washed and bathed, and took care of her appearance with the help of Isabel, and changed into a retro style outfit full of Star Dragon Empire style.

"Are you sure I want to wear this? The clothes in your empire are too complicated and inconvenient to move."

While Isabel was concentrating on tidying up Amber's collar that was as complicated and undulating as waves, the latter looked at herself in the mirror with a big change in style, and couldn't help but complain.

"Why, you still want to sneak into the Grand Palace on the day you arrive?"

While saying something that was very 'treasonous' to the imperial people, Isabel rolled her eyes at Amber, and then patiently smoothed out the not-so-obvious wrinkles on Amber's clothes, like a virtuous wife.

As the intelligence chief of the Atlas Group and the current "first wife" in the group, Amber naturally told Isabel about her plan. At the same time, as a child of the imperial nobles, Isabel naturally knew many important matters of the nobles of the Star Dragon Empire. Of course, she would follow them to the capital of the empire this time.

"That's not the reason."

Isabel ignored Amber's words, sighed, and her tone became more like a wife who gave instructions to her husband before he went out.

"Just dress honestly. Anyway, this time you are meeting Her Royal Highness the Princess. Not to mention how noble her status in the empire is, the empire itself is also a place that pays attention to these red tape. If you really want Atlas' business to spread in the empire, you also need to appropriately fit in with local traditions and customs at this time."

Amber: "Okay, okay, I'll listen to you. Speaking of which, Isa, why are you becoming more and more like a housekeeper?"

"Amber"

Seeing Isabel's bad expression, Amber immediately kissed her skillfully, physically suppressing her anger.

At this time, the ship broadcast also received a notice that the jump was about to end.

Soon, Amber and Isabel, who came to the bridge, also witnessed the moment when the "Dawn" left the hyperspace and arrived at Saint-Saunière, the capital of the Star Dragon Empire.

Although it had the authorization of Agnes and the arrangement of Baron Bassf, this was the capital of the Star Dragon Empire after all, so the location of the "Dawn" was still in the starport outside the orbital defense platform.

After the brief authorization confirmation, the "Dawn" super flag, under the surveillance of the HCP who almost came out of the starport and the patrol fleet that came, followed the guided boat and slowly entered a specially expanded docking port.

"The docking error is within the acceptable range, and the port docking procedure will be implemented."

As the voice of the shipboard control personality sounded, dozens of electromagnetic docking devices extended from the docking port and surrounded it like spider limbs, and finally docked with the standard interfaces of the "Dawn" ship.

According to the itinerary sent by Baron BASF before Amber set off, the giant ship ‘Dawn’ can only stop at the star port, and the baron will lead everyone to the docking area of ​​the orbital defense platform by the transport boat, and then take the space plane to the surface.

Although the whole process is a bit cumbersome, in Baron BASF's description, this is the most simplified process for foreign guests.

While waiting for the transport boat to enter the deployment bay of the ‘Dawn’, Amber saw through the porthole of the deployment bay that the morning and evening line of Saint Saunière was winding on the surface of the planet, and the capital circle of the Star Dragon Empire was as conspicuous as a group of rubies inlaid on jade.

"Sir Amber! You are finally here. I have waited for this day for too long!"

Baron BASF almost rushed out with a vigorous posture that did not match his body at the moment when the door of the transport boat was opened, and then rushed to Amber and grasped his hand familiarly.

"You are too polite, Lord Baron." Even Amber, who was used to the other party's enthusiasm, was a little overwhelmed.

However, the Lord Baron was obviously in a hurry to go through the next process, so he did not exchange too much greetings with Amber here, and took Amber, Isabel and several other entourages to board the transport boat.

Including Saleh, the others will be on standby on the "Dawn" in real time, and the few people following Amber and the others are actually Osana, who was promoted to vice president of Atlas Private Defense Company, and several other "cat girls" under her.

On the surface, they were the two's personal guards, but their real mission was to protect Isabel, who was relatively weak in combat power.

Because Amber himself actually did not need protection. As the strongest individual combat force of the Atlas Group, the entire group could not find anyone qualified to protect him.

Under the careful arrangement of Baron Bass, the next trip to the surface was also extremely smooth, and Amber also had a rare chance to calm down and enjoy the luxury of the royal family of the Star Dragon Empire.

In a slight vibration, the silver-white aerospace plane carrying Amber and others also broke away from the rack in the docking area of ​​the orbital defense platform. The imperial designers racked their brains to make this space shuttle vehicle have the corresponding functions and also have an appearance decorated with gilded reliefs. Under the light of the stars, it was like a luxurious giant bird, sliding into the low orbit of Saint-Saunière.

The interior of the cabin was like the structure and decoration of a palace, which made it difficult for Amber to imagine that she was in an aerospace plane.

For an aerospace plane, the gravity simulation system is extremely luxurious. The reason for its activation is just to allow the chandelier inside the cabin to hang down in a zero-gravity environment, so that the crystal chandelier sways in the amber light and projects mottled light and shadow on the cedar paneling.

"These people have to know how to live, this is too luxurious"

Amber looked at the structure inside the cabin like a countryman entering the city, and was amazed. Even though he is now the actual controller of a giant enterprise, in terms of "enjoying life", it is obviously still impossible to compare with the Star Dragon Empire Royal Family who uses the whole country's strength to benefit themselves.

Soon, the aerospace plane fell into the atmosphere of Saint Saunière. According to the schematic diagram on the screen in the cabin, Amber and his team will land directly in the royal airport dedicated to the imperial capital.

As the altitude of the aerospace plane continued to decrease, the spectacular scene of the Saint Saunière capital circle became clearer and clearer in the eyes of everyone. Let's not talk about the Roma people like Osana. Although Isabel is the child of the imperial nobles, she has only been to Saint Saunière and has never directly entered the capital circle.

Although Amber had come here many times in the game of his previous life because of the mission instructions, that was the future Saint-Saunière that was destroyed by war and turned into ruins, not the huge capital area that is now known as the "Crown of the Empire".

"Sir Amber, the princess is waiting for you at the airport, and we have prepared a grand welcome ceremony!"

"Grand?"

Amber's eyes couldn't help but jump after hearing this word. He always thought that with Agnes' current situation and the identity of the Atlas Group, this meeting should be a low-key one, which is why he considered using this visit to "make trouble".

But now it seems that his coming here has become a major event that everyone is paying attention to and knows about?

"Tsk, this way of opening is a bit bad"