Besides conceptualizing the Four-Dimensional Space Shield, Xiao Yu was also envisioning several other types of new weapons.

Thanks to the breakthrough in the Grand Unified Theory, it was foreseeable that the coming period would inevitably usher in an era of rapid technological advancement, with countless novel inventions emerging.

Basic theory was just that important. The term “basic” did not mean that foundational theory was unimportant, but rather that foundational theory was the essential cornerstone of any technological progress. Without advances in foundational theory, no matter how much technology developed, it would always be confined within a certain scope, achieving only quantitative change without qualitative leaps.

The Gravitational Bomb was the first new weapon to be developed within the framework of the Grand Unified Theory. The Gravitational Bomb worked by converting energy into gravity. Correspondingly, Xiao Yu could also convert energy into another fundamental force—electromagnetic force—to create weapons similar to the Material Disintegration Beam.

This type of weapon had already appeared in rudimentary form in the Luka Civilization’s experimental reports on elemental decay. Luka scientists had used such a beam to convert a one-kilogram block of iron into just five hundred grams of hydrogen. In the same way, Xiao Yu could, with slight modifications, use this beam to induce the same transformation in the hull of an enemy’s spaceship, thereby destroying it.

In Xiao Yu’s plans, the Material Disintegration Beam would replace the high-energy Laser Cannon as one of his standard weapons. At the same time, Gravitational Bombs and Elemental Decay Bombs would replace the hydrogen bomb. The hydrogen bomb achieved its destructive power by unleashing a massive burst of energy through uncontrolled nuclear fusion. However, after mastering the Grand Unified Theory, Xiao Yu could completely replace nuclear fusion energy with elemental decay energy, which was simpler to manufacture and even more powerful. Moreover, it would retain the hydrogen bomb’s advantage of limitless power potential.

Among the previously developed standard weapons, only the Energy Bomb, due to its combined strengths of lethality and launch speed, could not yet be replaced.

Xiao Yu also made some calculations regarding Energy Shields to defend against these weapons.

After breaking through this red barrier, Xiao Yu would possess the Four-Dimensional Space Shield. However, Xiao Yu did not believe that other Level 4 Civilizations would also have Four-Dimensional Space Shield technology. Yet, based on the simple principle that where there is a spear, there must be a shield, if Level 4 Civilizations could develop Gravitational Bombs and Material Disintegration Beams, then they would logically also develop methods to defend against such weapons.

Moreover, the Four-Dimensional Space Shield could not block gravity. In other words, when facing a Gravitational Bomb attack, the Four-Dimensional Space Shield would be ineffective. Therefore, developing conventional shields for Level 4 Civilizations became imperative. These conventional shields for Level 4 Civilizations would, predictably, have the capability to defend against Gravitational Bombs.

After intense modeling and calculations, the term “Force Field Shield” appeared in Xiao Yu’s mind.

“The most likely defensive measure for a Level 4 Civilization would be the Force Field Shield. The Force Field Shield is also developed based on the Grand Unified Theory. Through precise calculations, it can be reverse-engineered from the Material Disintegration Beam, reducing the part that enhances electromagnetic force to achieve the purpose of defending against the Material Disintegration Beam. At the same time, the Force Field Shield can, through certain processes, also provide anti-gravity functions to guard against Energy Bombs.”

Xiao Yu speculated. As he thought of this, a sudden flash of inspiration struck him.

“That’s right, there’s also anti-gravity technology. After mastering anti-gravity technology, even Province-Class starships will be able to take off and land directly on celestial bodies. Moreover, I won’t need to rely on rotation to create gravity anymore; using technology related to the Gravitational Bomb, I can directly generate gravity through energy.”

At the current stage, whether it was the New Homeland, the Paradise, or the Eternal Kingdom, all of them generated gravity through rotation. This meant that very noticeable gravitational imbalances existed on these starships, resulting in large amounts of unused internal space which was a severe waste. After developing gravity technology, Xiao Yu would be able to solve this problem perfectly.

“The Grand Unified Theory truly is a treasure trove,” Xiao Yu exclaimed with heartfelt admiration.

Regarding the research into Faster-Than-Light travel technology, Xiao Yu had been working on it intensively.

After being confined within this red barrier for fifty years, Xiao Yu finally achieved a phased breakthrough.

This was a Village-Class starship, powered by elemental decay technology and using spatial curvature mode as its means of travel.

Inside the enormous dock, countless robots were busy carrying out a final comprehensive inspection. This scene was being watched intently by Xiao Yu and more than two thousand Luka scientists.

This starship embodied the painstaking efforts of Xiao Yu and the two thousand-plus Luka scientists over several decades.

When issuing the launch order, Xiao Yu even felt a sense of sacredness in his heart. It was as if the maiden flight of the first Faster-Than-Light starship was a holy religious ceremony.

“Engine ignition,” Xiao Yu commanded.

“Elemental Decay Engine running normally. Energy transmission nominal.”

“Spatial curvature instruments functioning properly. Current space curvature is…”

“Conventional propulsion engine shut down. Preparing to initiate curvature drive.”

Tens of thousands of monitoring instruments continuously transmitted streams of data to Xiao Yu. Through analysis, Xiao Yu quickly and accurately issued the next set of instructions.

Under Xiao Yu’s watchful gaze, the Village-Class starship slowly left the dock, floating into mid-air. Then, a distortion appeared beside it, and the entire starship began to blur and lose clarity, much like how things looked through heated air above a bonfire back on Earth.

The starship began to accelerate. Behind the shimmering distortion, Xiao Yu saw the ship start advancing at an astonishing speed.

“Successfully entered curvature flight. Current speed: 0.03 times the speed of light.”

“Continue accelerating,” Xiao Yu ordered.

“Current speed: 0.4 times the speed of light.”

Xiao Yu watched the starship closely. Due to the unique nature of the curvature drive, Xiao Yu had deduced that a ship traveling via curvature drive, no matter how fast it went, would not experience relativistic effects. In other words, even if a curvature-driven starship reached 100% of light speed, the passage of time onboard would still flow normally, neither speeding up nor slowing down.

The reason for this phenomenon was that, in the strictest sense, a starship traveling by curvature drive was not moving at all. What moved was space itself, meaning the ship’s actual speed was zero. Since the speed was zero, no relativistic effects would occur.

This was a critical point. If relativistic effects were observed aboard a curvature-driven starship, it would mean Xiao Yu’s theory was flawed, and all the technology related to curvature travel would have to be scrapped and rebuilt from the ground up.

But once again, Xiao Yu was victorious.

Dozens of precise observation instruments confirmed to Xiao Yu that even at 0.4 times the speed of light, time aboard the Village-Class starship was still passing at a normal rate.

“It’s finally a success,” Xiao Yu breathed a sigh of relief and issued a new command. “Continue accelerating.”

Unlike popular conceptions, Xiao Yu’s curvature-travel starship did not suddenly leap from conventional flight to Faster-Than-Light travel in the dramatic way depicted in sci-fi movies. In reality, Faster-Than-Light travel was a process.

When he reached this conclusion, Xiao Yu had once thought, “Who ever said curvature travel must be Faster-Than-Light travel? The speed of curvature travel can still be below light speed. The key is that within curvature travel, the limitation of light speed no longer exists.”

Under Xiao Yu’s gaze, the Village-Class starship continued its curvature flight, though its speed was only about 0.5 times the speed of light.

Gradually, its speed climbed to 0.99 times the speed of light. Under normal flight, relativistic effects at this speed would have been extremely significant, but inside the curvature-traveling starship, Xiao Yu still observed no signs of relativistic effects.

Xiao Yu reported the results to the Luka scientists, sparking a burst of cheers among them.

The Village-Class starship continued to increase its speed. Finally, it surpassed the speed of light by one meter, vanishing from the visible light spectrum.

Faster-Than-Light travel had at last been realized by Xiao Yu’s own hands.

At that moment, Xiao Yu felt an overwhelming urge to cry. If Xiao Yu still had eyes, he would have shed tears without restraint.

Faster-Than-Light travel, what did it mean? Its immense significance was self-evident. The key point was that Faster-Than-Light travel technology had been developed by Xiao Yu himself!

The most crucial aspects of Faster-Than-Light travel technology had all been independently researched and conquered by Xiao Yu. He hadn’t obtained this technology through some stroke of luck, like discovering it in a ruin, nor had he seized it by force. He had achieved it entirely through his own research!

Every tiny piece of technology used to achieve Faster-Than-Light travel bore the mark of Xiao Yu’s relentless effort.

At this moment, Xiao Yu once again proved his abilities.

“My kin, do you see this? I have mastered Faster-Than-Light travel technology.”

“We Earthlings are no worse than any alien civilization. The technologies they can master, we can master too through our own perseverance. They only have more development time than we do.”

“Do you see? Earths’ Civilization has not declined under my watch. Instead, I am continuously advancing it. Faster-Than-Light travel… this was our dream. Please believe me, my achievements will not stop here. Based on Faster-Than-Light travel technology, I will master even more advanced technologies.”

“I will definitely become even stronger, avenge our kin, and bring about the revival of human civilization in my hands…”

“Wait for me. This day will not be far away…”

[T/N: Gonna take a break on the 21/06/2025, need to rest up the heat is getting to me.]