1 Chapter 1: Colonial Planet 103_1

The immense cosmos is a vast, silent void, either due to the truth or loneliness. No matter how much time passes, human exploration of the stars has never ceased, not even during the Great Age of Exploration, otherwise known as the 28th century of today.

Bathing in the warm daylight radiated by a red giant star, a languid planet lies... This Earth-like planet, situated in the far north of the Atlantis Free Federation, is commonly known as Colony Star 103.

Somewhere on Colony Star 103, a nimble figure is swiftly weaving through a cluster of abandoned mecha.

In order to gather enough money for the journey to the Alpha star field, Feng Yi has to slog through the abandoned mecha every day. If he can disassemble some parts, he can sell them as scrap metal on the black market. If he manages to disassemble the energy crystals inside the mecha before the ground forces arrive, it's a small fortune.

It is said that the Federation had issued the order for armed forces to evacuate Colony Star 103 three days ago. There would be a few civilian vessels passing by soon, and that was the real reason why Feng Yi was frantically scavenging.

Don't let Feng Yi's naturally optimistic demeanor fool you, his life story is actually quite pitiable. He was an abandoned baby, and when Grandfather Lasso found him, he was merely the size of a pillow. He was supposed to just eke out his existence. But then, going through a space jump point where the magnetic field was extremely unstable due to an encounter with space pirates, the civilian shuttle he was on was transported to the Eden Starfield, light-years away from Earth.

Due to fuel constraints, the shuttle was forced to make a landing on Colony Star 103. With the loss of the mimic gravity field, the majority of the passengers on the shuttle died, with only a few surviving in the 8 times stronger gravity. Among these survivors were Feng Yi and Lasso.

Colony Star 103, located in the northernmost part of the Federation, is scarcely populated, with thin air and high gravity. It is infamously known as the Sinful Colony Star, a refuge for countless criminals.

Only in recent years, with the development and extraction of native rare resources, did the planet gain the attention of major powers. The subspace storage crystal necklace that Feng Yi wore was the greatest wealth left to him by Lasso, who had spent many years on the planet. The textbooks stored in the crystal were cultural relics from over a decade ago.

Grandfather Lasso was once a mercenary. He claimed to be uneducated, and so Feng Yi had to learn from the books himself. Whether others believed him or not, Feng Yi certainly didn't. The old man taught Feng Yi to learn mecha operation as well as cultural knowledge from a young age to survive in the competitive environment.

A while ago, Lasso took all of Feng Yi's belongings and ran away, claiming to be going to enjoy his retirement, leaving only the subspace crystal necklace around Feng Yi's neck. He had no idea what was actually inside it. Lasso had set a specific time for when the necklace would open, leaving a note with some instructions before leaving.

Feng Yi, scavenging quickly through the mecha, suddenly stopped and took out an instrument to test... According to the life detection device, the pilot of the humanoid magical beast mecha had no life signs. Shaking his head, Feng Yi summed it up with a light sigh and then gave the device a swift kick. He swept it off and caught it in his hand.

This radar reflector, with an extremely thin body and easy disassembly, was a scanning system specifically made for the Saudi Empire's ground stealth mecha. It weighs less than 20 kilograms and can be sold at a handsome price on the market.

The situation on the battlefield can change in an instant. Although Feng Yi was in a tense area with limited military resources, he didn't want to linger. Under thick smoke, he violently disassembled several high-value parts before leaving.

After hours of furious scavenging, his efforts paid off with quite a few spoils. Despite carrying hundreds of kilograms of weight, Feng Yi did not feel tired. His restraint and physically vigorous body were honed from a young age, his appearance no different from a normal person, yet possessing explosive strength and extremely tough physique.

Traveling from the battlefield to the refugee camp requires a two-hour spring flight. Arriving at the mimic gravity field often means encountering criminals ambushing along the way, and it's not a pleasant journey. Fortunately, most of the rogues and ruffians knew of Feng Yi's reputation. As a young man who has been living on a knife's edge since childhood, despite his young age, he has mastered some capable skills. He is known as Sir Feng. Because of this, no nearby criminals with experience dares to provoke him, let alone have the time to avoid him.

The setting sun casts a beautiful glow, and looking at the two brightly shining stars in the sky seems to erase a day's worth of exhaustion. Who knows if what he longed for in his heart was not the giant rock in front of him, but the water-blue planet in his dream? That kind of memory, belonging only to humans, stemmed from genes and couldn't be erased...

Brushing aside his random thoughts, Sir Feng vigorously shook his head. When he returned to the refugee camp, the dark sky had already covered half the planet.

He navigated the alleyways with ease... In no time, he dumped his full load of goods in front of a hidden storefront and knocked lightly on the door three times.

The outer door creaked open, and the smiling boss invited him in. A few minutes later, when he walked out of the black shop, there was no change in Feng Yi's expression, but somehow he had fifteen Federal Coins more in his hand. Perhaps one of them might not seem significant, but it could support a family of three in the refugee camp for a month with no worries for food and clothes. This is the harsh reality of Colony Star 103.

Hunger is the best sauce, and Feng Yi, after a hard day's work, decided to treat himself. Walking deep into the alley under the flickering faint light... After a while, as the lighting grew brighter and a familiar scent hits his nose, he finally stopped. That familiar smell mixed with body sweat was unique to the local tavern.

Entering through the archaic door, he made his way to a nearby table and pulled out his Federal Coins, "One glass of strong liquor, a kilogram of roast meat, and five bags of compressed biscuits."

The cold eyes and yearning faces of women greeted him. Average patrons who dared to flaunt large sums of money in such a place would be 'borrowed' from. When they saw who it was, their malicious looks quickly receded, leaving only the scantily clad prostitutes casting glances at Feng Yi... They couldn't wait to remove their dirty clothes and prove their worth with their bodies.

"Oh, look who it is! It's Sir Feng! Please wait a moment." The old lady, who had a limp in her walk, came forward with a toothy grin. With the dim light casting on her smile, it seemed rather bizarre. She snatched the Federal Coins and said, "We have a new girl in the shop who hasn't been opened yet. Would Sir Feng be interested?"

Feng Yi frowned, "You know my habits, give me my change."

The boss looked a bit downcast at his response, "You're always joking, Sir Feng." Saying so, she handed back the exact amount left over, then spat in secret.

Feng Yi didn't hesitate to take back his money. He wasn't a particularly cold or tough person, but he knew very well that the tavern boss wasn't anyone good. With close ties to the local gang leader, many of the girls who ended up in the refugee camp were lured here to be played by her customers. If you're not strong in dealing with these people, they will take advantage of it.