Episode 2: Rainbow Space Highway and Neon Signs (UNIVERSE MARKET)

As I broke through the boundary of the dimension gate, a panoramic view of the universe beyond my imagination unfolded before my eyes. In the middle of the vacuum of outer space, the seven-colored 'Rainbow Space Highway' sparkled like liquid crystal and stretched endlessly. Star Rider 88 began to glide along the transparent road made with gravity railway technology. Shuaaaa! The rainbow-colored liquid flowing on the road surface caused friction with the floor of the spacecraft, creating fantastic fluorescent spray. The lanes were not fixed. To the cheerful city pop rhythm flowing from the speakers, the red and blue lanes danced up and down like a musical waveform.

Outside the window, strange spaceships from all over the galaxy were running together. A translucent stingray-shaped interstellar yacht, a small warp car converted from a retro Volkswagen Beetle, and a galactic cargo ship in the shape of a giant chrome truck passed by Leo, each emitting uniquely colored ion jets. Drivers opened their windows and waved to each other. The tentacled Andromedans, the Pleiades star cluster people whose entire bodies shine with crystal, and even the winged space cats. Earthly prejudices and boundaries had no meaning here on the space highway.

Huge neon signs flashed overhead. [UNIVERSE MARKET: NEXT EXIT 500LY]

[TASTE THE GALAXY]

[ALL SPECIES WELCOME] Pink and turquoise signs announcing the location of the interstellar night market combine with the star cluster in the night sky to create a dazzlingly beautiful aesthetic of retro futurism. Leo tapped the beat with his fingers on the handle. As the headlights on the front of the vehicle illuminated the rainbow road, the brilliant lights of the huge space station began to bloom like huge flowers beyond the ridge of a dark nebula in the distance. Tens of thousands of red lights and neon signs surround a circular station tens of kilometers in diameter.

The legendary night market, filled with all the flavors, noises, and romance of the universe, was finally revealing its grandeur. The moment he came out of the dimensional tunnel, what filled Leo's field of vision was a spectacular view of space so brilliant it was blinding. In the middle of the vacuum of outer space, the 'Rainbow Galactic Highway' stretched endlessly, flowing with seven-colored liquid crystals like a river of living aurora. This interstellar highway, formed by combining an artificial gravity generator and a tachyon orbital rail, was the legendary 'Route 77' that connected planets from all over the galaxy to the space night market.

The moment the lower repulsor of Star Rider 88 touched the rainbow water, fluorescent emerald water splashed in all directions along with a cheerful sound. The lane was not a static paint job. To the cheerful synthesizer arpeggio and funky bassline that rang out from the speakers, the red, pink, and cyan lanes flexibly swung up and down like a musical waveform. The rhythm of the music and the vibrations of the space highway flowed in perfect harmony through Leo's fingertips holding the driver's seat steering wheel.

When I looked out the window, I saw an endless procession of extraordinary interstellar airships coming from all over the galaxy to enjoy the night. In the left lane of Leo, the stingray-shaped cruiser of the Sirius star cluster was running alongside, gliding gracefully, flapping its translucent luminescent wings. Inside the transparent cockpit, an alien family made entirely of silver jelly waved at Leo. In the right lane, an orange mini warp car, a modified version of a retro Volkswagen Beetle from the 1970s, kept pace with Leo's Starrider 88, its engine emitting lively ion sparks.

The three-eyed furry alien in the driver's seat rolled down his window and gave a thumbs up. “What a great machine, Earthling! Let’s have a drink at the night market!”

“Good! See you at the food stall alley!” Leo also responded by waving his hand out the window. On the ground, they were humans who were trapped by the invisible walls of different nationalities, races, and classes and were wary of each other, but on this vast galactic highway, everyone was just free wanderers looking for delicious food and good music. Giant holographic neon signs floating in interstellar space overhead passed by quickly like a meteor shower. [UNIVERSE MARKET: NEXT EXIT 500 LIGHT YEARS]

[FRESH GALAXY STREET FOOD]

[HOT NOODLES & COLD NEBULA BEER]

[OPEN ALL NIGHT, ALL ETERNITY] Huge English texts made of pink and turquoise neon tubes flashed brilliantly against the background of the ridge of a dark nebula. Between the signs, small maintenance drones flew like fireflies, decorating the night sky. Leo stepped on the accelerator pedal one step deeper. Magenta-colored plasma flames spewed out from the rear exhaust port of Star Rider 88, leaving a long trail on the rainbow road. At the center of the distant nebula, the brilliant silhouette of 'Fantasia-9', a huge space station with a diameter of 50 kilometers that finally houses the Space Night Market, was blooming like a giant lotus flower.

The Rainbow Galaxy Highway 'Route 77' was a gigantic civil engineering miracle that elevated the laws of the universe into art. The seven-colored liquid crystal flowing on the road surface was not just a decorative luminous body. It was a dense plasma fluid that absorbed stellar winds and cosmic radiation, creating a permanent anti-gravity cushion. The friction sound made when the airship ran over the surface was not the harsh noise made by tires and asphalt, but the clear resonance sound made when rubbing a clear glass with a wet finger. Leo lowered the car window halfway and felt the wind from space.

Of course, it was impossible to breathe air directly in the vacuum of outer space, but thanks to the thin oxygen shield formed around the car body, one could feel the scent of interstellar aerosols flowing gently outside the window. The scent of ozone as sweet as cotton candy and the scent of space dust like freshly roasted coffee beans. The line of spaceships passing by him became more and more colorful. In the distance, on the third lane, three huge chrome metal trucks were flying in formation and speeding along. Cargo ships heading to the night market carrying rare ore mined from the mines of Andromeda.

The truck had a huge horn on the front grill, and red and yellow flames spewed out alternately from the exhaust, making it look like a huge fireworks train running through the night sky. The truck driver, a blue-skinned Gigantes man, rang a huge klaxon.

'Baaaaaaang-!' The heavy horn sound harmonized exquisitely with the city pop bass beat and made the entire galaxy highway shake. Leo also responded cheerfully by blinking his emergency lights twice. Road signs passed by one after another. [UNIVERSE MARKET: SPEED LIMIT NONE]

[DRIVE SAFE, EAT DELICIOUS]

[PARKING LOT: 10,000 PADS AVAILABLE] As the interstellar night market got closer, the neon light emanating from beyond the ridge of the dark nebula became increasingly larger. It was not just a man-made structure. The entire outer wall of the gigantic 50-kilometer-diameter station was covered with hundreds of millions of light-emitting diodes and neon signs, making it look like a huge luminous coral reef or a brilliant lotus flower blooming in the darkness of space. On the terrace of the night market, where red lanterns were hanging in rows, the sound of countless aliens clinking glasses, laughing and talking came through the radio frequency and into Leo's dashboard radio.

“We’ve finally arrived.” Leo shifted the gear to neutral and opened the deceleration flap. The front pop-up headlights of Star Rider 88 blinked cheerfully as if winking toward the entrance of the night market. Into a fantasy station filled with the most delicious smells and most pleasant noises in the galaxy, his airship was finally attempting a gentle landing. The true charm of the Rainbow Galaxy Highway 'Route 77' lies not in reaching the destination itself, but in the brilliant communication between the countless lives encountered in the process of driving along it. The neon signs of space rest areas installed along the road sparkled brightly.

[NEBULA REST STOP: 50KM]

[COLD COCKTAILS & COSMIC TUNING]

[FREE OXYGEN REFILL] Numerous airships were briefly parked in the parking lot of a rest area to cool down their engines, and the drivers were clinking beer glasses together and sharing their stories of their adventures. Leo changed lanes and shifted into third gear. Star Rider 88's Tachyon turbocharger emitted a high-frequency intake sound like a 'swooshing' sound and gave off instantaneous acceleration. The car's sleek, streamlined, angular body cut through the seven-colored rainbow of water and made a light jump into the air. The small spaceships following him cheered, blinking their headlights in unison.

The waveform of the music flowing over the lane was getting faster and more exciting at a tempo. The repulsion force of the accelerator pedal applied to Leo's toes was elastic, as if handling the spine of a living, breathing wild horse. Andromeda's spiral galaxy passing by outside the window was as dazzling as a carpet sprinkled with huge diamond dust, and the red lights of the Space Night Market Station, gradually revealing their majestic appearance beyond the Milky Way, had a warmer and more friendly warmth than any other major city on earth.

“We’re here, Fantasia-9!” With Leo's cheerful exclamation, Star Rider 88 finally exited the rainbow highway interchange and slid toward the night market's huge docking gate. The rainbow space highway 'Route 77' was a living legend where wanderers and drivers from all over the galaxy enjoyed freedom. The road surface of the highway is made of high-density photonic crystals, and every time a tire touches the ground, rainbow-colored brilliant particles rise like spray along the tire tread.

Leo lowered the car window halfway. Even though he was in outer space, the magnetic field fences on both sides of the highway maintained the artificial atmosphere and perfect pressure, so a refreshing and cool space breeze blew his hair pleasantly. In the wind was a mixture of the fine scent of neon gas, the sweet smell of ozone, and the scent of a fragrant space barbecue being grilled in a distant star system somewhere.

“Buwaaaang-!” The huge 18-wheeled intergalactic cargo truck ‘Gigantic Titan’ roared past in the left lane of Leo. On the truck's cargo bed, a blue neon sign was flashing: 'Transporting top-quality interstellar ice from Orion Nebula', and the driver, a large reptile-like alien sitting in the driver's seat, looked at Leo's classic Starrider 88 and honked the air horn twice and gave a huge thumbs up. Puuuu-! Puuuu-!

“Haha, have a good night, Captain!” Leo also blinked the Star Rider's headlights twice and responded with a 'high beam greeting'. This was the silent courtesy and camaraderie of veteran drivers on Route 77. Beyond the right lane, a group of alien bikers' cyber hoverbikes equipped with sophisticated aerodynamic cowls were speeding along with their neon tails dangling long. On their helmet visors, a graphic equalizer flashed and danced to the beat of the music. Lane guidance signs in the form of giant hologram rings were floating above the highway.

[Lane 1: Hyperspace warp only (recommended speed over 5,000 knots)]

[2nd lane: General cruising lane (sightseeing and interstellar scenery viewing)]

[Lane 3: Large Galaxy cargo ships and heavy equipment only]

[100 km ahead: Entrance ramp to the space night market ‘Neon Bazaar’] Leo enjoyed leisurely cruising in the second lane with third gear in gear. Beyond the horizon on the right, a gas giant planet dozens of times larger than Saturn's rings and surrounded by dazzling diamond rings was rotating, emitting a soft bluish-green glow. Behind it, the gigantic river of the Milky Way, made up of hundreds of billions of stars, trembled like a living, breathing organism. A lively city pop guitar riff was playing on the car audio, and Leo's heart was beating vigorously to the rhythm.

“The Space Night Market is right around the corner. What amazing things and things will I encounter today?” With eyes full of anticipation, Leo strengthened his hands on the steering wheel and turned on the right turn signal toward the exit ramp. Amber blinkers cast a warm glow over Route 77's rainbow road. The scenery along the Route 77 access road was so overwhelming that no science fiction film or earthly imagination could capture it. Beneath the rainbow-colored highway surface, ancient nebulae that had been dormant for hundreds of billions of years were forming clouds of pink and deep cobalt blue like giant cotton candy.

Occasionally, dazzling flashes of baby stars flashed through gaps in the nebula, and the light was as majestic as a quiet fireworks display exploding in the night sky. Starrider 88 glided along the two lanes at a stable speed of 800 knots per hour. Translucent crystal pillars installed at 10-kilometer intervals on both sides of the road gave off a soft emerald color and formed an artificial gravity guide rail that prevented lane departure.

“Ding! 20 kilometers ahead, approaching the ‘Orion Gateway’ toll gate.” The navigation monitor on the dashboard sent a notification with a friendly synthesized sound. After a while, a huge circular gate floating in the air appeared. On the top of the gate made of pure white ceramic material, the words 'WELCOME TO UNIVERSE MARKET CORRIDOR' were blinking in fluorescent pink. Old-style androids wearing round helmets were working at the toll booth. As Starrider 88 passed the bottom of the gate, the laser sensor gently scanned the front of the vehicle body.

Beep beep! [Vehicle Identification: Terra (Earth) Classic Coupe ‘Star Rider 88’]

[Driver: Leo]

[Toll fee: Automatic payment completed. Have fun shopping and driving.] With a friendly electronic sound, the curtain of light that acted as a circuit breaker was lifted. The android crew member standing inside the booth raised a high-tech salute towards Leo, and Leo returned the nod lightly by putting his index and middle fingers together and touching his forehead. As soon as I passed the gate, the view was wide open, and the huge outline silhouette of Uju Night Market finally filled my view. It was not just a market. It was a huge aerial city complex created by connecting three giant asteroids with a translucent energy dome.

The feast of lights emitted by tens of thousands of street stalls, neon signs, food trucks floating in the air, and airships was transforming the entire Milky Way into one huge festival hall. “We’ve finally arrived. The hottest and most romantic city at night in the universe.” Leo lightly applied pressure to his hands holding the steering wheel and pulled the deceleration paddle. Blue smoke billowed from Star Rider 88's exhaust, and the machine slid under the welcoming arch of the Space Night Market. The two-lane cruising lane of Route 77 was a driving course with the best scenery in the galaxy.

To the left of the road, the Orion Great Nebula, swirling in magenta and indigo blue, spread out like a huge silk curtain in the night sky, and to the right, a silver asteroid ring made of hundreds of billions of ice crystals and space dust continued endlessly, emitting a soft light. When Star Rider 88's pop-up headlights brightly illuminated the rainbow-colored asphalt road surface, photon crystals embedded in the road surface reacted, leaving a long golden afterimage along the vehicle's trajectory.

“Crackling... ding. 40 kilometers ahead, congestion on the ‘Neon Bay’ entrance road cleared.” The traffic information monitor on the dashboard displayed a graphic of a traffic police drone with a cute pixel icon giving a thumbs up. Leo shifted down to 4th gear and gently applied the engine brake. As the machine slows down, a 'bang, bang!' sound comes from the exhaust. A cheerful popcorn exhaust sound (Backfire) erupted. Classic hoverbike riders stopped on the side of the road turned their heads to look at Star Rider 88 and whistled.

“Hey, Earthling! What a classic coupe! The exhaust sound is amazing!” “Thank you! See you at the night market!” Leo responded by waving his hand out the car window. On this rainbow highway, planet of origin, race, or language did not matter. All drivers who simply loved driving on the roads at night and longed for good music and freedom treated each other like old friends. Finally, the welcome arch of the Space Night Market, connecting three giant asteroids, rose hugely before my eyes. Letters hundreds of meters in size made of neon signs—'UNIVERSE NIGHT MARKET'—were coloring the night sky in purple and pink.

In the docking bay at the entrance to the market, thousands of spaceships and hover cars from all over the galaxy were landing in an orderly line. Leo turned on the Star Rider 88's turn signal and turned the steering wheel gracefully toward the dedicated landing ramp leading to the central plaza of the night market. Tonight's real celebration was waiting for him right before his eyes. While slowly descending along the night market entrance ramp, a forest of dazzling holographic advertising towers passed by outside the window of Star Rider 88.

‘Special live performance by the galaxy’s most popular rock band, Neon Supernova!’

'The second branch of Andromeda's handcrafted cocktail restaurant <Blue Planet> opens!'

‘Direct delivery from the space junkyard! 'Rare parts for classic machines from the 1980s released!' Leo's eyes sparkled when he saw the rare parts advertisement. “Hmm, I guess I’ll have to look around the junkyard alley this weekend. I was in need of another carburetor spare nozzle.” Star Rider 88 finally slid into the rooftop parking area located on the northern outskirts of the night market. The floor of the parking area is covered with a soft turquoise anti-gravity pad, which perfectly absorbs the impact of the car's tires and gently holds the machine in place. Leo left the engine idling for a while without turning it off.

The subtle metallic sound of 'tick, tick' as the engine oil cools and the gentle synth pop melody coming from the radio melted into the darkened night air of the parking tower. As I opened the door and walked out of the car, the lively noise of the Eunha Night Market and the smell of delicious food warmly enveloped my whole body. Leo adjusted the collar of his jacket and walked toward the stairs. The night drive along the Rainbow Highway was just beginning to lead to exploring the fantastic alleys of Uju Night Market. Leo, leaning on the rooftop railing of the parking tower, took in a deep breath as he looked out over the entire night market.

The sight that unfolded before my eyes was like a huge treasure chest with hundreds of millions of jewels scattered about. Under the red glow of the Orion Nebula, thousands of food trucks and street stalls were moving with colorful neon signs flashing, and huge holographic whales swimming in the air were leisurely crossing the night sky. Pleasant voices were heard on the wind as countless drivers of alien races on the highway gathered in small groups in various parking towers, showing off their machines and sharing maintenance tips.

“Hey, Earthling! That Star Rider 88, are the wheel spokes coated with cosmic chrome? The shine is amazing!” A centaur rider who was cleaning a silver speeder bike parked next to him gave a thumbs up. “Thank you! I came up from the ground and had to be waxed by hand three times!” Leo smiled and waved. Here, anyone could become friends and start conversations with just a minor machine tuning. A city at night filled with brilliant communication and romance instead of darkness and isolation. Leo walked down the spiral staircase of the parking tower with light steps and jumped into the lively embrace of the night market.

The lingering feeling of speed provided by the rainbow highway remained as a subtle lingering scent in my heart, making the night festival even more exciting. This huge market at the end of the Galaxy Highway was like a living, breathing miracle. Leo lightly touched the railing of the parking tower and once again took in the sights of the countless neon signs that decorated the night sky. The atmosphere of this special night, where light, sound, and fragrant warmth came together, was a unique ecstasy that could never be experienced in any interstellar travel. The fantastic night view created by nebulae and neon lights in the night sky completely washed away any fatigue on earth.

The endless sounds of laughter and music filled the alleyways at night. Amid the romantic melody that spread on the wind, Leo took light steps toward the heart of the night. Tonight's drive would remain as my most brilliant memory.