【Interstellar Contract Magician】Ruyuanke

Chapter 404 [Empire] has at least taken the first step.

I rubbed my aching butt and tried to steady myself, a bitter smile curling across my lips. This experience had been like a dream—I'd entered that space of light, only to be thrust back into reality the next second.

It felt like being pushed back from an unknown dimension by a powerful invisible force, and I didn't even have time to digest the confusion of time and space.

"You shouldn't be hurt this time. You should be thankful." Shan Qi's voice remained calm, a hint of helplessness in his tone. He stood beside me, his gaze still fixed on the light and shadow door, as if completely unaffected by the shock we had just experienced.

"Yeah, at least we made it out alive and didn't become fools," I said sarcastically, trying to hide my inner confusion and anger. That space of light just now gave me an indescribable shock, but it also left me with a deep sense of loss. We went in, but saw nothing, not even a clue. Instead, we were "invited" out, as if under the rules of this world, we were not qualified to explore that space.

I forced myself to stand up straight, trying to shake off the embarrassment of falling to the ground, and walked back to a corner of the lab. "I just don't understand. The light and shadow door clearly didn't show anything, so why did it throw us back here? Is it that simple?" My tone was filled with confusion and anger. The feeling of being forcibly excluded was obviously making me a little angry.

Shan Qi didn't answer immediately. Instead, he walked to the lab table, sat down, and restarted several instruments. A series of complex data appeared on the screen. His movements were as calm as ever, as if everything was within his expectations.

"This is its rule," he finally spoke, his voice still calm. "The Light and Shadow Gate isn't a simple passage; it's more like a threshold. You must meet specific conditions to enter. We were just verified once to see if we met the requirements, and the result is clearly—we don't."

"What conditions?" I couldn't help but ask, and the doubts in my heart became even deeper.

Shan Qi raised his head slightly and glanced at me. "'Timing' is the key. We just tried to force our way in, but it didn't accept our approach. Its rules are not just about timing, but also about our mental state and preparation."

"You mean... we weren't in the right mindset just now, or we weren't prepared?" I asked incredulously. "Then how long do we have to wait before these conditions are met?"

Shan Qi's gaze grew profound. He was silent for a moment before finally saying, "'Timing' isn't just about changes in the external environment; it might also be related to some kind of resonance within us. Perhaps we haven't reached that point of convergence yet."

I felt a surge of weakness. The shock and the explanation had left me feeling somewhat disoriented. "So we're just going to wait until we're 'ready'? Just wait like that?" My tone was filled with clear sarcasm and impatience, but the disappointment deep within made it seem hollow.

Shan Qi didn't respond to my sentiment. He turned and walked toward the light and shadow gate, once again carefully observing the light still floating in the air. Its shape remained unchanged, as if waiting for something to emerge from us. I could sense that deep in Shan Qi's eyes, he seemed to be hiding a complex emotion that he couldn't express.

"Do you want to try again?" I asked softly, although I didn't know why I asked this. Perhaps I hoped to see some new possibilities in his persistence.

Shan Qi shook his head, "Not yet. It seems that we are not yet sufficiently 'matched'."

I was speechless, feeling an inexplicable sense of loss. In this uncertain wait, even Shan Qi's calm presence seemed powerless. The impassable threshold of the Gate of Light and Shadow still hovered quietly before us, neither tepid nor impulsive, as if waiting for us to grow or transform.

I looked at Shan Qi, feeling a little confused. "If even you say it's not possible, then what should we do? Keep waiting?"

Shan Qi seemed to sense the emotional fluctuations in my words. He stood up, walked over to me, and said in a deep voice, "We can't just rely on waiting. Waiting is necessary, but it's not the only way out." His eyes were firm. "We can understand it, approach it, and even challenge it. Challenging doesn't mean forcing our way in, but truly understanding its essence."

I didn't say anything, merely nodded silently. Although this experiment failed, I found some strength in Shan Qi's calm demeanor and seemingly composed attitude. Perhaps "opportunity" isn't simply about external conditions; it also encompasses our inner growth and transformation. While we're still on this journey of exploring the unknown, we've at least taken the first step.

I stood up straight and composed myself, "Okay, let's continue."