Chapter Eight: The Magical World of Technology
When Xuan Xuan realized she was already drifting among the stars, she was overwhelmed by a sense of wonder. The creativity of humanity truly was terrifying. Gazing out the starship’s window at the endless expanse beyond, she thought that, back on the Mata Continent, she would never have imagined one day stepping beyond the bounds of a single planet. In fact, the people of Mata had never, in their wildest dreams, considered a world greater than their own continent—let alone another planet. For nearly ten thousand years, all their efforts had been devoted to martial energy and magic, and their magical civilization had reached its zenith.
It was truly incredible. She wondered when the people of Mata might finally break free of their planet’s confines. Would she ever find that world again in her lifetime? She wondered what had become of her family, who had always insisted on the highest talent from their descendants—did they still exist? But those thoughts only brought sorrow. She turned her gaze to the distant starlit void outside the window, searching for her place in it. All her former ambitions had been fulfilled, and now she could no longer find a direction in which to strive.
She absently flexed her chubby little hand, and a tiny spatial rift appeared, twisting space and radiating a wild energy. With a gentle sweep of her hand, the rift vanished. The power of “defying the heavens” was truly immense; at her current level, the very elements seemed like her own limbs—she could command them at will, and they responded with the intimacy of old friends. Her elemental affinity had reached a truly formidable peak. Yet, in this Federation, no one knew anything of such things. Here, their might lay in steel-forged mechs, formidable energy cannons, and a rudimentary ability to wield mental power. Magic was still unknown to them. Ah, such loneliness—like falling snow.
“Xuan Xuan?” Before she could sigh, her father—ever the doting parent—appeared again. He wished he could keep her within sight at all times; having left her alone for just a moment after their meal to tend to his affairs, he hurried back as soon as he finished.
Xuan Xuan looked up at the smiling man. In truth, perhaps she still had something worth pursuing. Protecting this current happiness wasn’t so bad, after all.
Wan Qi Lianhao’s mood had been improving steadily. His daughter was showing more and more responses, her physical health had improved, and it seemed unlikely there was any deficiency in her spirit or mind. He picked up his daughter and noted how her eyes were lively now, no longer as dull and vacant as before. “We’re not far from Imperial Star,” he explained. “Since we’re traveling at full speed, we’ll be there in less than half a month. We’re about to make a spatial jump. If you feel uncomfortable, you must tell Daddy.”
Spatial jumping was one of the Federation’s most significant breakthroughs in recent years—traveling through wormholes to shift between distant locations. This technology had been in development for a thousand years before its success. Now, the distances between planets were no greater than the distances between countries on a single world, and even the gaps between star systems no longer seemed so vast. The Federation’s influence was expanding, encompassing more and more inhabited and uninhabited planets. Yet, the true heart of the Federation remained with those who had originated on Earth. The Federation government, established thousands of years ago on Earth, still existed, though the planet itself was no longer suitable for habitation—its environment degraded, its size too limited.
Thus, Imperial Star was not located on Earth but on a star in the Huaxia System, not far away. The Huaxia System was discovered and named by the Chinese people of Earth. When Earth finally reached its environmental limits, its people migrated to the Imperial Star in the Huaxia System. The migration had been grueling; many small countries were either assimilated or lost their heritage during the journey. By the time the Federation was firmly established, only eight great families remained. The Wan Qi clan was one of them—once a prominent family in ancient China, now the most illustrious and deeply-rooted lineage in the Federation.
During this tedious interstellar journey, Xuan Xuan discovered something entertaining she’d never known before: the Intelligence Net—the Star Web.
The Star Web contained everything—an endless exchange of information that allowed Xuan Xuan to quickly absorb knowledge and understand this new world. The Star Web simulated the conditions of all planets within the Federation’s domain, and even the known planets outside it. Some of these were occupied by alien races, including planets inhabited by exotic beasts—monsters not unlike those from Mata—and also planets overrun by the Insectoid race, unique to this universe. It was said they were powerful—the Federation’s main adversary. The Insectoids bred rapidly, their numbers were vast, and they evolved with terrifying speed. In the end, their intelligence rivaled that of humans, and their diversity was unmatched. Yet, without exception, they were all formidable.