Chapter 1: Conscription

"That's how it is."

"Prepare yourself when you go back."

The instructor, wearing a black uniform, crossed his hands and glanced at the thin young man before him, a trace of sympathy flashing in his eyes.

"I've been... included in the draft quota?"

Lin Yuan was momentarily stunned.

Having just crossed over, he had not yet had time to adapt.

Before he could, he was hit with this bolt from the blue.

Actually, for an ordinary student like Lin Yuan,

conscription wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

The government always spent generously on military expenses.

Even for conscripts, the benefits were decent.

But that was during peacetime.

Now, with news of Different Species invasions in the border star systems,

many suspected that the purpose of this draft was to bolster the front-line reserves.

In the Starry Sea Era, two million six hundred thousand years ago, the Cosmic Human Alliance pursued a frenzied interstellar expansion, conquering star system after star system, inevitably making contact with other species' civilizations.

Resources were limited; to vie for various space resources,

Human Civilization had initiated a series of conflict wars.

Those displaced civilizations of Different Species...

all watched Human Civilization from the shadows, seizing any opportunity to counterattack.

"This is trouble."

Lin Yuan's mood sank.

He was well aware that although Human Civilization generally

held the absolute advantage in wars against most civilizations of Different Species,

local battlefields were not smooth sailing.

Civilizations of Different Species deep in the starry heavens were ferocious and brutal,

individually powerful beyond imagination.

Tearing apart warships was no exaggeration.

In battling these Different Species, even fully armed Human soldiers

had an average mortality rate reaching two to three percent.

Moreover,

due to the secrecy of the war,

all soldiers participating in the extermination of Different Species were forbidden from communicating with the external world.

The general duration of local space warfare was lengthy, lasting hundreds to hundreds of years as a norm.

That meant, now that Lin Yuan was selected for this draft quota,

even if he survived the combat against the Different Species,

he presumed he would spend the latter half of his life aboard a cold outer space warship.

Never again touching the soil and oceans of a life planet.

Lin Yuan took a deep breath. "Director, can we discuss this? My parents are counting on me for support, and I have a younger sister..."

The instructor tapped the desk and solemnly said, "Don't worry, actively responding to the government's draft policy, your family will be properly taken care of."

"Your father's position will be raised by one level, your mother will receive a decent job in the district."

"Your sister will have all her tuition fees waived, and after turning eighteen, she will have one opportunity to advance to higher education."

"...so all the arrangements for after my departure are considered?"

Lin Yuan pursed his lips, feeling indescribably complex.

Frankly, these conditions were acceptable.

His father was at a career bottleneck that most people couldn't cross in decades.

His mother was currently jobless, and securing a decent job

would greatly improve the family's living situation.

As for his sister... an advancement quota to higher education was something money couldn't buy.

With his sister going to higher education, her prospects were boundless.

Only,

Only,

Only,

why should all this be built on my sacrifice???

Lin Yuan had only crossed into this body a few days ago and, though he had fully absorbed all its memories,

he still felt an indescribable repulsion at the scene of 'sacrificing one for the happiness of the family.'

"I still prefer life on the planet..."

Lin Yuan was silent for a moment, then couldn't help but speak up.

After becoming a soldier, everything would be under militarized management.

By then, it would be too late to refuse.

Though refusing now probably wouldn't make a difference either.

"Lin Yuan, serving the government is a duty we citizens ought to fulfill."

"Besides, this draft is a mandatory policy. Once selected, it doesn't matter how much you don't want to go."

"Moreover, young man, what's wrong with going out and making your mark? Being able to witness the Different Species, which you only see in textbooks, is something ordinary citizens can't achieve in a lifetime."

"If you can make a notable achievement, you might even be transferred back to serve in the military district."

"This is a rare opportunity, indeed."

The instructor patiently consoled Lin Yuan for a few moments.

"But..."

Lin Yuan opened his mouth, wanting to say more,

but the instructor waved his hand broadly, "Alright, go now, spend more time with your family these few days."

Under the instructor's gaze, Lin Yuan stood up and left.

Outside,

more than ten students about Lin Yuan's age were lining up, waiting.

After Lin Yuan came out, one of the students walked in.

"Classmate, what did the director call us here for?"

A dark-skinned student quickly grabbed Lin Yuan's arm and asked in a low voice.

"You'll know once you go in."

Lin Yuan sighed, ignored him, and walked away.

Before seeing the director, Lin Yuan had not expected to be included in the mandatory conscription quota.

Last week,

Lin Yuan had learned about the mandatory conscription from a report by a prominent media outlet on his home planet.

At the time, Lin Yuan didn't pay much attention.

The scope of the mandatory conscription included the entire Canglan Star and several tens of surrounding life planets.

With a resident population of fifty billion on Canglan Star,

the conscription quota assigned to Canglan Star was only a few hundred thousand.

From a probability standpoint, the chances of a citizen being selected for the mandatory conscription was about one in one hundred thousand.

Such a minute possibility, Lin Yuan hadn't taken seriously.

But reality is full of surprises,