Beyond the Light Years

In 2067, Earth’s technology reached an unprecedented breakthrough. Scientists successfully developed a new type of engine called “Light Leap,” capable of instantly transporting astronauts to distant star systems, virtually eliminating the time barriers in space travel. This technology not only allowed humans to cross interstellar distances, but also opened up the possibility of exploring realms beyond the universe.

However, like all major technological advancements, Light Leap came with enormous risks. Some theorists suggested that Light Leap could do more than just move physical matter across space-time; it might even allow consciousness to pass into different dimensions.

To verify this theory, a team of five astronauts was dispatched to explore a star system known as “Akabir.” Located 500 light years from Earth, the Akabir system was surrounded by a region of frequent supernova bursts. Scientists believed this area might hold the key to unlocking gateways to other dimensions.

The exploration team consisted of Captain Li Hao, astronomer Song Xue, engineer Karl, biologist Lin Na, and psychiatrist Zhou Feng. Their mission was simple — to investigate whether there were habitable planets in the Akabir system and bring back data to support the next step in colonization plans.

After activating the Light Leap engine, their ship broke through the physical limits of space. Within seconds, the stars outside their windows rushed past, and time and space seemed to give way. Just as they crossed over, Zhou Feng suddenly felt a sharp sensation of weightlessness, as if an invisible force was pulling his body.

“Captain, something’s wrong,” Zhou Feng’s voice trembled. “I…I think I’ve lost control.”

Captain Li Hao quickly adjusted the ship’s orientation, but the screen distorted, as if they were being pulled by a giant gravitational force. The stars outside their windows transformed into swirling vortices, and everything around them began to feel alien.

“We’ve entered some kind of unstable region,” Karl said calmly. “The engine may have created an irregular space-time anomaly.”

The gravity inside the ship started fluctuating, and it felt as though the entire craft might tear apart. Lin Na quickly checked the biological data. “No life signs detected, but… I feel something. A strange wave. It seems to be affecting our thoughts.”

Just then, the ship lurched violently, and everyone was thrown to the ground. Li Hao struggled to stand, only to see an even more bizarre sight outside the windows. The starry sky had turned pitch-black, and distant planets were blurry and distorted, as if twisted into another dimension.

“Where are we?” Song Xue’s voice was filled with panic. “This can’t be Akabir…”

Li Hao forced himself to stay calm. He checked the ship’s systems and discovered that they had not lost power. Instead, they had entered a strange space — not a different star system, but a region where multiple dimensions seemed to overlap. There were no physical laws that could explain the sight before them. The ship appeared to be floating in a surreal space full of glowing points and fissures.

“We’ve crossed into another dimension,” Zhou Feng said, his voice filled with an uncontainable fear. “This isn’t the universe anymore. We’re somewhere beyond the universe, in some higher existence.”

The ship’s instruments began to malfunction, and the communication system failed to reconnect with Earth. Just as everyone was beginning to despair, a fissure suddenly appeared in the void ahead, with golden light shimmering through it.

“What is that?” Lin Na pointed at the crack.

“We have to enter it,” Li Hao said decisively. “It’s our only chance. If we don’t, we might never get back.”

They activated the ship and struggled through the fissure. When they finally opened their eyes again, they realized they were no longer in the same place. The starry sky had become calm and real once more, and the ship had returned to its normal state. The communication equipment finally reconnected, and they were able to contact Earth.

However, upon returning, each of them carried different marks from their journey. Each member of the crew seemed to have changed in subtle ways. Li Hao frequently heard strange whispers, while Song Xue became emotionally unstable, Karl fell into prolonged silence, and Lin Na and Zhou Feng began experiencing hallucinations — they seemed to see images from other worlds, or hear echoes from the endless expanse of space.

“This journey wasn’t just about crossing the universe,” Li Hao said quietly. “It was a challenge to our very perception of self. We entered a dimension that defies logic, and it’s changed everything about us.”

In the months following their return, each member of the exploration team went through great physical and psychological upheavals. They were closely monitored by Earth’s medical and psychological experts, but the symptoms were difficult to explain. Some experts believed they had experienced a sort of “reset” of their minds, as if their consciousness had been altered during the crossing. Their “selves” no longer seemed to be the same.

What troubled them most was that when they looked back at the golden fissure, they realized that its light had not disappeared. The crack still existed, as though waiting for the next visitors.

Li Hao stood at the command center window, gazing at the distant stars. The vast, empty universe was filled with mysteries that had yet to be understood. Perhaps they weren’t the only ones who had crossed these dimensional thresholds. Perhaps, within those unknown fissures, deeper secrets were waiting. For them, this wasn’t the end of an exploration — it was the beginning of an endless journey through the cosmos.