1: Federal Top Secret

Star Calendar Year 99789, Kunlun Star, the capital planet of the Human Federation, Geosynchronous Orbit—Pillar of Leaders.

The three hundred and eight existing Stellar-level Experts of the Human Federation, their true bodies or projections, have all descended here at this moment.

Their titles resound throughout the Federation—[Dragon King of Prison Suppression], [Sword Venerable of the Nine Heavens], [Master of the Sky-Patrol Pavilion], [Blaze Army Lord], [Dean Xuanji]... Any one of them is a pillar of heaven capable of guarding a region alone, tearing apart starships with bare hands, and whose name can strike terror into the Tristan Empire's legions!

At this moment, these supreme existences standing at the peak of human power are gathered within Jingsi Hall. The vast energy within them, enough to tear stars apart, instinctively intertwines and collides, causing this hall, forged from the cores of stars, to emit an overburdened hum.

However, no one cares.

The gaze of every expert is fixed deathly upon the center of the hall, on the slightly bulging lower abdomen of Venerable Yuehua.

The peerlessly beautiful Venerable Yuehua has skin like ice and bones like jade. Clear moonlight naturally flows around her, and her aura is as deep as an abyss.

But at this moment, on her face that usually seems frozen for ten thousand years, there is a trace of excitement and shock that cannot be completely hidden!

Leader Yun Xi, the highest leader of the Human Federation, wearing a plain white dress, floats barefoot in the air, quietly standing at the main seat.

Her eyes—the left as clear as a newborn baby's, the right settled with the vicissitudes of ten thousand ages—calmly swept over every expert below.

Without a word, she lightly tapped with a slender, pale finger.

A wisp of magnificent, extremely Yang and rigid Origin fluctuation, as hot and pure as a newborn sun, was carefully extracted from Venerable Yuehua's womb and clearly displayed within the perception of all the experts!

"Boom—!"

Like the simultaneous fire of a billion-ton starship's main cannons, it exploded directly within the Sea of Consciousness of every Stellar Level!

Dead silence!

Absolute dead silence enveloped the hall!

The next second—

"Ugh—!"

A male expert, known for being as steady as a mountain, suddenly clutched his chest, stumbled back, and the color drained from his face!

"Sun... Solar Origin?! Are these the fluctuations of an Innate Sun Body?! My senses couldn't be wrong, could they?!"

Another military marshal, clad in heavy armor and covered in Evil Qi, lost his composure and cursed, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets!

"Ancient records state... the legends are actually true! The Innate Sun Body! An existence surpassing the Moon Body!"

An old man who had spent his life researching ancient civilization ruins trembled all over, tears streaming down his face.

Fervor!

The entire Jingsi Hall was in a complete fervor!

All calmness, all decorum, and all the reserve of being a Stellar Level Expert were smashed to pieces at this moment!

Everyone's face was a mix of extreme shock, wild joy, greed, and a trace of instinctive awe when facing a higher level of life!

Yun Xi's ethereal and majestic voice pressed down all the noise like a Law:

"Preliminary confirmation: the fetus in Venerable Yuehua's womb indeed has the Aptitude of—an Innate Sun Body."

Despite already sensing it, when these four words were clearly spoken by the Leader, it still triggered a wave of sharp gasps!

Innate Sun Body!

A change unseen in a hundred thousand years!

Heaven blesses the Human Race!

Everyone's gaze instantly shifted from Yuehua's abdomen to a holographic image floating in the center of the hall—the image of a man with an ordinary face, eyes filled with exhaustion and weariness, and even appearing somewhat weak.

Chen Jun.

Energy Affinity: F-grade.

Aptitude: Mortal Body.

It's him!

It's this man!

An F-grade Trash, combined with the high-tier Stellar Level Innate Star Body of Venerable Yuehua, actually conceived the legendary Innate Sun Body that surpasses even Leader Yun Xi!

"Silence!"

Yun Xi's voice rang out again, containing an unquestionable decisiveness.

"Chen Jun, and the unexplainable, unrepeatable 'ability' he possesses, has become the core strategic resource for our human civilization to oppose the Tristan Empire and even move toward the deep Universe!"

Her gaze swept over all the experts below whose breathing was heavy, and word by word, as if branding the Law into the void, she said:

"His value surpasses any one of us!"

"His safety is the Federation's highest security!"

"His existence is the Federation's highest secret!"

"From this moment on, the 'kindling' Project's highest contingency plan is activated. Every bit of his value must burn for the survival of the Federation!"

"The survival of civilization depends on this one move."

"Everyone, let us strive together."

"We obey the Teacher's (Leader's) command! For the survival of civilization, we will not hesitate even in the face of ten thousand deaths!"

Three hundred and eight waves of sound, like a burning galaxy, shook the starry sky!

A storm has already risen.

And at the center of this storm sweeping through the highest levels of the Federation, the man named Chen Jun still knew nothing about it.

Yet the starting point of all this originated sixteen years ago on a colonial planet named 'Zhiyuan Star,' from an F-grade Trash and a desperate struggle that saw no future.

Star Calendar Year 99773, Zhiyuan Star, Seventh Migration District, 'Hope' Orphanage.

Today was a sunny day. The light from the artificial sun passed through the massive ecological dome, softly spilling into the orphanage's somewhat old courtyard.

But for Chen Jun, today was judgment day.

He was eighteen years old.

According to the [Federation Minor Protection Act], the orphanage's protection ended today.

From tomorrow on, he would have to leave this place—the only place he called "home"—to face the cold and cruel world outside alone.

He had very little luggage: a few pieces of faded clothes, an old water bottle, and the document that decided his life—the [Federation Citizen Aptitude Survey Report].

In the most prominent position on the first page of the report, a glaring red stamp was pressed: [No Aptitude].

Below it was a small line of annotation: [Energy Affinity Assessment: F-grade].

F-grade.

The dust at the very bottom of the pyramid.

Completely non-reactive to cosmic energy, relying purely on physical strength.

"Brother Jun, what are your plans for the future?"

A voice sounded nearby.

Chen Jun looked up; it was Li Goudan, who grew up with him in the orphanage. Everyone called him Xiao Gou.

Xiao Gou was a month younger than Chen Jun. His energy affinity was C-grade. Although he was also an un-Aptitude person, he was at least physically strong and quick-witted. He had already found a job as a general laborer in a small components factory. It would be hard work, but at least he could make a living.

"What plans could I have?"

Chen Jun smiled, but there was no warmth in it.

"First, find a place to stay, then see who's hiring."

"Sigh, if only we could be like Xiao Ling."

Xiao Gou sighed, his tone full of envy, as he pointed to another girl in the courtyard who was saying her goodbyes.

Su Xiaoling was the same age as them. Her luck was incredibly good; during the survey at age five, she was found to have B-grade affinity! This was already an excellent talent among ordinary people.

At this moment, she was surrounded by several classmates, her face overflowing with a confident smile.

She had just passed the interview for 'Suda Express' to become an 'Express Apprentice.' This meant she would have the opportunity to pilot small cargo flyers in the future, which was one of the best jobs Mortals with C-grade or B-grade affinity could reach.

"B-grade... I heard the apprentice salary at Suda Express is 700 credits a month! If you do well, you even get a company apartment!"

Xiao Gou's eyes were practically glowing.

"Unlike us, we'd be thanking the heavens if we could find a temporary job for 10 credits a day."

Chen Jun watched silently.

Although Su Xiaoling's future was still limited to the ordinary person class, she at least had a clear and relatively dignified path. His F-grade, however, meant that even as a porter, he would be rejected for not being strong enough.

"Hey! Chen Jun! Xiao Gou!"

A tall and sturdy young man walked over; it was A-Kai.

He was a year older than Chen Jun and had left the orphanage last year.

He had specifically come back today to see which brothers were coming out to "make a living."

"Brother Kai!"

Xiao Gou greeted him warmly.

"Where have you been making your fortune lately?"

"Fortune my ass!"

A-Kai spat. His face showed fatigue, but there was a fierce look in his eyes.

"I'm hauling bags at the 'Black Scorpion Mining' Ore processing plant. Damn it, it's not work for humans! High radiation, lots of dust... after a day's work, my bones feel like they're falling apart!"

"How much a day?"

Xiao Gou asked with concern.

"15 credits! Including a meal that tastes like pig slop."

A-Kai held up two fingers.

"And that's only because they saw my C-grade affinity and that my body was sturdy enough! For F-grades, they won't even give them a second look!"

His words were like a hammer striking Chen Jun's heart. A-Kai seemed to realize he'd said the wrong thing and patted Chen Jun's shoulder:

"Brother, don't lose heart, there's always a way out. If it comes to it... go check out 'Gray Rat Alley.' There's always work there, it's just..."

A-Kai didn't finish, but both Chen Jun and Xiao Gou understood.

'Gray Rat Alley' was a famous lawless area in Haixuan City, filled with Gangs, smuggling, and shady deals. Finding work there might pay a bit more, but the price to pay was self-evident.

Just then, a low rumble approached from the distance.

A sleek flyer emblazoned with the 'Starsea Academy' logo gracefully soared over the orphanage and quickly disappeared among the skyscrapers.

All the young people instinctively looked up, their eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Damn, it's a 'Voyager' from Starsea Academy!"

A-Kai cursed, his tone a mix of jealousy and longing.

"The people sitting inside must at least have the Aptitude of an awakened 'Acquired Martial Body,' right? Damn, being born well really is a skill!"

Awakening a Martial Body... the pass to becoming a Cultivator.

Once one stepped into that rank, it meant completely breaking away from the Mortal class. Lifespan, power, status—everything was as different as clouds and mud.

Awakening a Martial Body required not only a cultivation talent of D-grade or higher but also a massive amount of resources!

For children from an orphanage like them, unless their Aptitude was Heaven-Defying, it wasn't even worth thinking about!

Chen Jun silently withdrew his gaze.

Starsea, Cultivation, power... these words were as distant to him as stories from another Universe.

The orphanage auntie did a final check of their luggage and handed them a thin envelope containing the final 'Adulthood Transition Fund' issued by the Federation—50 credits.

"After you go out, take good care of yourselves, and obey the Law..."

The auntie gave the routine instructions, a trace of hard-to-detect pity in her eyes.

She had seen too many children leave this place, only to disappear into the lowest levels of society like drops of water merging into the ocean.

Chen Jun took the envelope, slung on his small bag, and took one last look at the place where he had lived for eighteen years.

Then, he turned around and stepped out of the orphanage gates.

Outside was a massive city with heavy traffic and flashing neon lights.

The clamor and engine noises instantly swallowed him up.

The sun was still bright, but it couldn't reach the depths of his heart at all.

He gripped the ID card in his pocket that represented his F-grade status and looked up at the sky, which was sliced into fragments by the tall buildings.

Where was the future?

He didn't know.