Shadows of the Deep Space

"Pah, they really are stingy, I wouldn't have said a word if it was ten thousand Federation credits."

Su Ming couldn't help but complain.

"Hmph, such penny-pinchers, even going out of their way to get ten-credit notes."

Chen Tong looked at the one thousand Federation credits with undisguised disgust.

"All right, no more complaining, a thousand isn't a small sum, you know. Combined, the three of you have a total of three thousand! My monthly salary is only ten thousand, and I'm not just any teacher, I'm a specially appointed instructor at the school. Don't dismiss money so easily, Federation credits have strong purchasing power."

Tang Yan tried to console Su Ming and the others, though he too had very little respect for Luo Ken deep down.

This reward was downright pathetic; it was clear that Principal Luo Ken wouldn't have even considered providing certificates and prize money if not for that photo opportunity.

"Teacher, we're not complaining. If you were presenting this honor to us, we'd be thrilled even without a single cent of prize money. But now, they're making it seem like all the credit is theirs, it's really fu**ing disgusting."

Chen Tong spoke his mind, not mincing his words.

"Enough, I understand how you feel, but you're still young, you'll understand when you're older. Let's not talk about that anymore, let's start reviewing."

Tang Yan seriously shifted the conversation.

"Okay!"

Su Ming and the others didn't linger on the issue any longer and started to prepare for class seriously.

...

At seven o'clock in the evening.

Su Ming, Su Yuan, and Zhao Ning were seated around the dining table, having dinner together as a family.

"Husband, how's the situation at the junkyard?"

"It's mostly dealt with. The compensation for the missing employees has been paid, the fine to the Thirteenth District has been settled, and now our account balances are nearly at rock bottom."

Su Yuan said despondently.

"It's okay, we'll get through this period, and if we really need to, I have some savings."

Zhao Ning said sympathetically to Su Yuan.

Su Yuan might not be the most capable, but he was her world, the pillar of their home.

"No need, how can I use your money? I still have some, it should be enough to get the junkyard running again."

Su Yuan shook his head in response.

Su Ming listened to their conversation and sighed lightly. It seemed like Su Yuan was okay, but the fines had been heavy.

Buzz~

Just then, his phone vibrated in his pocket. Su Ming pulled it out to look, and a message from an unknown number popped up.

"Tonight's class is scheduled for eight o'clock sharp. Log into the Star Cluster website, room number..."

Su Ming's eyes brightened. He quickly shoveled a few bites of dinner and stood up to speak to Su Yuan and Zhao Ning.

"Father, Mother, I've had enough. I'll be going back to my room now."

"Son, aren't you going to eat a little more?"

Zhao Ning looked at her increasingly thin son with concern.

"No thanks, you two enjoy."

Su Ming hurried toward the stairs.

Though there was still time before his class started, he wanted to get ready early to avoid any last-minute issues that could leave a bad impression.

Soon, Su Ming was back in his room. He sat down at his desk and reached out to turn on the computer.

The pure transparent crystal display lit up, and the computer entered the operating interface.

The moment he saw the wallpaper, he was instantly captivated.

In the vast and limitless Star Sea, under the brilliant starlight, a magnificent warship maneuvered through the nebula. The ship's lines were smooth and beautiful, and the metallic shell glittered with a sharp luster. At the bow, a woman with a graceful figure in a blue and refined command uniform, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, and her stunningly beautiful face, gazed into the distance.

Next to her, one could see a ghostly Mecha holding a golden spear, emanating a sense of mystery.

Looking at the exquisite wallpaper on his computer desktop, Su Ming felt an inexplicable excitement.

Then his brows suddenly furrowed slightly, his expression becoming somewhat serious as he stared blankly at the computer.

Su Ming was well aware why he was feeling this sudden excitement; it stemmed from the body he now inhabited.

That is to say, the body he had merged with and its original memories were influencing him in all aspects. Some effects were so subtle that he wouldn't notice them if he wasn't careful.

In contrast, memories from his past had become increasingly blurred.

Put simply, it was as if the personalities of two different individuals had merged together, each influencing the other. As for what he would end up like in the end, he wasn't sure.

Because of this, Su Ming felt a mix of confusion, anticipation, excitement, fear, and overall, a sense of the unknown.

"Phew~"

Su Ming took several deep breaths to calm his excited heart, then clicked to open the browser.

The browser immediately popped up the homepage of the Star Cluster Forum, updating with various frontline news.

As he looked at the homepage of the Star Cluster Forum, Su Ming also fell into thought.

The original owner of this body was a seasoned military enthusiast. Despite his overweight build, introverted personality, social anxiety, and sloppy demeanor, he longed to join the army and was fascinated by Mechas.

Therefore, he often kept up with military affairs and had a fair understanding of the latest situation of the Old Federation and its well-known figures.

In fact, this hobby was in high agreement with Su Ming's interests. Although he had never touched these things before, he fell deeply in love the first time he saw a real Mecha.

Su Ming looked at the time on the desktop; it was 7:10, still early for his scheduled class.

He browsed the Star Cluster Forum casually. This forum was developed by the Council and military as a special encrypted platform. It allowed for long-distance video communication and was also the largest military news and communication platform of the Old Alliance.

Almost all personnel of the Old Alliance used this platform.

Nevertheless, even so, one could not use this encrypted platform to transmit secret messages; it served only as a tool for daily assistance.

Su Ming carefully looked at the more significant headlines.

Latest news: In the year 4618 of the Old Era, on May 3rd at 2 pm, the Residual Light Army of the Old Federation's Second Joint Fleet returned to the third planet for rest and reorganization. The reorganization refused public interview and coverage, and according to unverified news online, the main ship Star Hiding of the Residual Light Army sustained damage, with a large number of personnel casualties. The specific causes are unclear.

Latest news: On May 4th at 1 am, Mining Star K413, directly administered by the Old Federation, was attacked by the Mechanical Clan, resulting in 10,000 casualties. The preliminary assessment points to malfunction due to unauthorized operation using high-power signal devices.

Latest news: On the evening of May 9th at 11:50 pm, a large-scale invasion of Chilami Larvae broke out in the Thirteenth District of the third planet. The specific number of casualties is unknown, to be announced!

Latest news: On May 10th, the Old Alliance·Council officially announced a new decree, raising the interstellar freight trade tax by 1.3%.

...

Su Ming browsed briefly; his expression grew more solemn.

Though the news was terse, the underlying issues they revealed were far from trivial. The incident of the Chilami Larvae invasion in the Thirteenth District alone nearly cost him his life.