Chapter 474: Wishing for a Beautiful Dream

Chapter 474 A Dream Beyond Reach

Outside the abandoned planet, a warship approached.

On the bridge, the deputy commander of the 1st Corps was reviewing the destruction report.

This abandoned planet had been lifeless for ages. Sending two people down was merely protocol.

But everyone knew—this planet had long ceased to harbor life.

Just like the Federation, now crumbling at the edges.

They were trapped in the cage of wakefulness. What their ancestors once sought to abandon—sleep—had now become their unattainable luxury.

Vice-Commander Wang was a hardcore fatalist, so when he saw the words "No life forms detected" on the destruction report, he showed no sorrow.

After all, he had long been prepared.

The Federation... sooner or later, it would perish in this state of relentless wakefulness.

Vice-Commander Wang submitted the report and turned to the Captain.

"How much longer until we arrive?"

"120 minutes." The Captain grabbed the flask in his hand and knocked back a shot.

Vice-Commander Wang frowned. "If the CO finds out you're drinking on the warship, you'll be punished again."

"Screw it." The Captain's tone was indifferent. "I heard getting drunk can make you sleep."

"Last week, someone went live drinking and passed out—slept for a full five minutes."

The Captain took another gulp, muttering, "Even one minute would be enough for me."

Vice-Commander Wang understood what he meant and knew he was one drink away from snapping.

But there was nothing he could do. He gave a comradely thump to the Captain's shoulder and sighed.

"I get it."

He grabbed the flask and took a large swig himself.

That stupid hope bubbled up—what if getting drunk really could make him sleep?

Even though his rationality told him it was impossible.

Alcohol could only fry the synapses, not calm their violent unrest.

And sleep… that term was just some archived concept—representing complete mental relaxation, the body returning to the womb's stillness.

That feeling… he had never experienced it.

Perhaps he never would in this lifetime.

Vice-Commander Wang glanced at the abandoned planet. Maybe he really was drunk—he thought he saw a green blur.

He blinked carefully, and the blur vanished.

Sloshing the liquor in his hand, he gave another comradely thump to the Captain's shoulder beside him. Empty bottle clinking echoed faintly in the silence.

"Not bad wine."

He was actually hallucinating now.

If only it were some legendary sweet dream—that’d be even better.

The abandoned planet spun, and that patch of green wasn’t always visible.

No wonder the Vice Captain was seeing things.

At this moment, on the abandoned planet.

Song Chuyi sat cross-legged on the grass with a small robot in his lap. Chin propped on one hand, he looked at the two soldiers still fast asleep and asked,

"How long are they gonna sleep?"

Gu Yongnian checked their physical condition.

"Probably 24 more hours."

Song Chuyi arched a brow. "That long?"

"They’ll miss the pickup ship, won’t they?"

Gu Yongnian nodded. "That’s probably what they were thinking, which is why they clung to their last bit of sense to tell you the ship would come."

Song Chuyi gave a knowing nod. "I’ll sort it out with them when the ship gets here tomorrow."

He glanced at Gu Yongnian, whose expression remained unchanged, and asked curiously,

"Don’t you want to sleep?"

Gu Yongnian’s lashes flickered. Of course he did. But if he slept, there would be no one to keep him company.

A'Chu would be left alone.