Deep Space Wandering Fleet
Chapter 443 - 441: Tidally Locked Planet

Chapter 443: Chapter 441: Tidally Locked Planet

This world was enveloped in a dusky sky, with several black crows calling "quack quack" at the horizon.

The sun would never rise from the east here; it was an eternal night, with only a dimly lit starry sky above.

To adapt to the low-light environment, everyone’s eyes were bigger than those in the real world, especially the girls, who resembled characters from anime with their large, attractive eyes. The primary reason was that larger pupils were more sensitive to light.

"Steam Age, no daylight, a strange world..." Zhang Yuan exhaled a breath of turbid air.

He had been living here quietly for 18 years and, initially, he showed signs of autism, just like in the previous world. However, this condition had completely improved with the awakening of his self-awareness.

He lifted his head to gaze at the distant starry sky and easily identified the so-called "Polar Star."

The starry sky here was entirely different from that on Earth; "Polar Star" was just an astronomical term commonly used in navigation.

This world still lacked superpowers and magic. His so-called "Golden Finger" was a noble lineage, a robust body, and several mechanical blueprints from the Steam Age.

Well, apart from a decent lineage, this kind of "Golden Finger" was barely any help. Zhang Yuan even felt that the various knowledge in his mind was much more effective than any mechanical blueprint.

He turned his head to look at the crescent moon directly above, the shadows on the moon were actually caused by Earth itself blocking the sunlight.

"That means this planet is still spherical, so the moon’s obscured contour is arc-shaped."

Due to the absence of sunlight, the land could not support a large population; based on currently known information, the entire world, with its several continents combined, had a population of only about a hundred million.

Most people did not live well.

On the table lay a small globe, which Zhang Yuan had created based on local nautical charts, half shadowed and half illuminated. Due to the planet’s harsh environment, humans had explored only about one-tenth of the area.

"This place has no day, only night, so there’s only one possibility... this planet has been tidal-locked by the central constant star, hence one side is perpetually daylit, and the other is eternally night. We humans, live on the side of the night."

Tidal locking is a very common astronomical phenomenon. For instance, the Moon always faces Earth with the same side. The time it takes for a tidally locked celestial body to rotate around its axis is equal to its orbital period.

Thus, this planet did indeed receive light, at least half of its region was illuminated.

Then, why don’t humans live in the planet’s illuminated belt?

The reason is that the planet was too close to the central constant star, and the side exposed to the light was extremely hot, making it impossible for humans to survive in the high temperatures of the illuminated belt, forcing them to live in the temperately cool, dark side...

"What a miserable world!"

However, from the perspective of the logical nature of physical laws, the universe inevitably has no shortage of such tragic civilizations... even though it is currently just a virtual world.

Zhang Yuan was pondering what his arrival might change about this civilization...

For him, it had become a habitual reflection.

"Lord Earl, you should prepare for the ball hosted by the Duke of Walta... the time has already come," said the elderly deacon, breaking Zhang Yuan’s train of thought with a typical gesture of nobility.

"Okay, thank you for the reminder." Zhang Yuan nodded and, with the help of his servant, he dressed in his formal attire and leather shoes, then quickly stepped onto a steam locomotive.

In this world, because he was born into a good situation, he had already attained the status of an "Earl." His adoptive father had passed away due to a maritime disaster a year earlier, and then the Queen had bestowed the hereditary title upon Zhang Yuan... This must be considered part of the "Golden Finger" that allowed him to live a very affluent life without much effort.

The engine puffed out smoke with a "chug-chug-chug," and the steam car started. It wasn’t as shaky as he had imagined; it appeared that the steam cars here had undergone many generations of improvement.

This was Giant Stone City, the city farthest to the east on the continent, with temperatures around 24-26 degrees Celsius year-round, very suitable for human habitation—its only flaw being the lack of sunlight.

Warm currents from the Western Light Zone brought endless fish and algae, which were vital food sources for the residents of the city.

Travelling westward from Giant Stone City, the closer one got to the light, the hotter the weather became.

Five hundred kilometers to the west lay the junction of light and darkness—the Twilight Zone of this planet. In the Twilight Zone, temperatures could rise up to 40 degrees Celsius; humans could barely survive under such conditions, but many animals and plants thrived happily.

Uncomfortable as the Twilight Zone might be for habitation, the presence of sunlight allowed for the natural growth of a variety of plants, making the western lands an important base for plant production.

Some less affluent people, along with various kinds of slaves, endured the high temperatures to farm in the Twilight Zone. Zhang Yuan’s family also owned a small piece of land in that region. Of course, he only knew of this and had never actually visited.

Conversely, travelling eastward from Giant Stone City, the weather became increasingly cold.

The planet’s continents were sparse, the East presenting an endless ocean with consistent temperatures around negative 20 degrees Celsius. The coldest areas could reach negative 100 degrees Celsius, forming thick layers of ice and creating a so-called forbidden zone for humans.

"Sigh—"

Human life was so arduous.

Zhang Yuan exhaled softly, rubbing his hands together and shrugging his nose; he could smell the distinct odor of burning coal from afar.

Coal, the most precious material in the No Light World—it signified energy and light.

Without coal, there would have been no Industrial Revolution, and without the Industrial Revolution, human life would have been even more miserable. At least now, a hundred million people lived across the mainland and islands, while in ancient times, only a few million could inhabit the entire continent.

The steam locomotive moved slowly along the road, which was paved with slag from burnt coal mixed with asphalt, emitting a faint sulfur smell.

People bustled along the streets where gas lamps glowed dimly. Many families could not afford to light their gas lamps, and street light was their only source, with some children doing their homework roadside.

Each household placed some plants like bean sprouts in front of their doors, plants that thrived in low light and could grow with just a bit of light from a gas lamp. For the common people, vegetables were precious, and since the light was provided by the government, why not take advantage of it?

"Rum from the Gael Islands! Fresh ingredients from Antima, everything you could want!"

"Just caught fresh Pu Pu Grass!"

Many vendors shouted their wares on the streets, this busy market area filled with food, alcoholic beverages, jewelry, spices from different islands, forming a vivid yet illusory tapestry of prosperity.

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