Xing Yuan’s eyes fluttered open, her entire body aching. She struggled to move the nearly shattered mecha off her, shifting into a more comfortable position to absorb her memories and the world’s plot.
In the interstellar era, everyone possessed their own neural interface, and advanced technologies like hover trains and mechas were commonplace. However, only military personnel or academy members were qualified to pilot mechas.
Mechas were categorized into different tiers. The lowest-grade mechas were mere tools, requiring manual operation for all piloting tasks. Higher-grade mechas possessed intelligence comparable to humans. These advanced mechas were bound to their owner’s neural interface, meaning the owner could destroy them at any time.
Her current identity was a federal soldier who piloted a mecha. Her mecha was named Weiguang, the very machine that had been pinning her down earlier.
She had been raised by a federal soldier from a young age. Influenced by him and with his deliberate cultivation, she had become a general at a tender age. Not long ago, during a valiant battle against the Zerg, she had been hailed as the God of War of the Interstellar era.
Shortly after receiving this title, due to intentional targeting by some high-ranking officials, she was dispatched to several remote planets to clear out Zerg infestations.
There was nothing inherently wrong with this, but the problem was that they insisted she go alone, claiming it was a testament to their trust in her abilities. The original host was straightforward and believed whatever others said. She naively went, only to be ambushed on a remote planet and never return.
Xing Yuan arrived just as the original host was breathing her last. With her final strength, she broke through the encirclement and reached a junkyard planet. However, she was severely injured, her mecha was scrap, and with no one to call for help, she died there.
Xing Yuan felt the original host’s resentment and continued to read. If it were just this, she wouldn’t have felt anything. If one’s skills were inferior, then death was death. But what happened later was beyond her wildest expectations.
Her identity was usurped, and the usurper was the grandson of the very federal soldier who had adopted her.
Everything became clear. No wonder a kind stranger had appeared to adopt her right after her mental strength was assessed. After she joined the army, he had patiently advised her that her face looked too kind, making it impossible for her to gain the trust of her colleagues.
Thus, she wore a specially made silver mask that could conceal mental strength detection. Apart from a few trusted confidants, no one else knew her true appearance. Even those who had seen her true face were secretly questioned by her adoptive father.
Pitiable as she was, she had only seen his concern for her at the time and had been completely unguarded. Thinking in a darker direction, perhaps her death was also orchestrated by him. If this plan had failed, he might have even taken matters into his own hands.
Later, his grandson impersonated her. They had been trained by the same person, and their methods were quite similar. Coupled with the support of the forces behind him, he gradually purged and even silenced anyone who could threaten his position or who might have seen her.
Later still, she watched helplessly as this person unmasked himself in front of everyone, living freely with the identity she had sacrificed her life for.
How could she not harbor resentment when she learned that her entire life had been meticulously planned by someone else?
Xing Yuan took a deep breath, a murderous glint in her eyes. She believed her temper had improved considerably after so many worlds, but she still harbored deep resentment towards her enemy.
It seemed that the person who had usurped her identity must be the male protagonist of this world. Otherwise, given their obvious discrepancies, the federal populace couldn't possibly be unaware, it was simply the halo of destiny.
That person was named Xi Yu’an. Xing Yuan found many memories related to him within her mind.
Although she didn’t know his true identity, they had both studied under the same mentor. She had treated him as a junior disciple and had taken care of him frequently. Thinking back now, he had been intentionally studying and imitating her from the very beginning.
It was all to perfectly replace her one day.
Xing Yuan assessed her injuries, her expression growing more grim. With the extent of her wounds, she would likely die here without external help.
Fortunately, “Give me a few healing pills.”
Xing Yuan summoned Tian Ling, this was the proper use of a tool beast.
“Oh, here you go.” Tian Ling flicked its tail, and the pills landed in Xing Yuan’s hand.
“So readily?” Xing Yuan looked at it with suspicion.
Tian Ling wagged its tail and said simply, “I don’t know why, but the Heavenly Dao of the previous world suddenly gave me a lot of good things. It said to give them to you whenever you needed them.”
Xing Yuan’s gaze deepened. She severed the connection between them and a cold smile touched her lips. They were truly confident in her! But perhaps what he wanted to see was simply a complete version of herself!
Xing Yuan didn't stand on ceremony and swallowed the pills.
The pills melted in her mouth, and a warm energy flowed through her limbs and bones. Three days later, not a trace of her injuries remained.
Xing Yuan silently marveled at how generous the Heavenly Dao was, providing the best pills.
Xing Yuan hesitated, then gently touched the mecha. “Weiguang, are you still there?”
The mecha’s mainboard flickered, and a sound akin to a short circuit emanated from within. “Master… I… am… here… Weiguang… is… always… ready… but… damaged… unable… to… return.”
Xing Yuan then managed to acquire a mecha repair and usage manual from Tian Ling. Following her memories, she skillfully dismantled the mainboard and moved the usable parts to her temporary shelter, which she had constructed from scrap materials.
Based on her deductions, they couldn’t ascertain whether she was alive or dead, so they hadn’t acted rashly. It was only three months later that they brought back the severely injured “her.”
Including recovery time, Xing Yuan had at most three months. Otherwise, without power or influence, even if she could eventually prove her identity, the process would be extremely troublesome.
Moreover, she wanted to protect the lives of her confidants. They had fought on the battlefield together and were considered comrades who had faced life and death. If they were to die, it should be on the battlefield, not in the struggles and schemes of power.
But… this thing seemed too difficult for her to study with her current intellect!
After five full days of arduous study, subsisting only on nutrient paste, Xing Yuan had an epiphany.
Why should she learn it herself? Although this was a junkyard planet, there should be a way to reach the main planet, right?
She could just take Weiguang’s mainboard. Once on the main planet, there would be excellent mecha technicians and good materials. As long as the mainboard was intact, replacing the mecha’s exterior shell would be no problem.
Xing Yuan gave herself a thumbs-up for her cleverness. She inquired about the conditions for traveling to the main planet. Hmm… first, a large sum of money was required, and then her mental strength level needed to reach B. She met the latter condition at most.
And that wasn’t all. Meeting these two conditions only granted a permit from the junkyard planet. To leave, she would have to hitch a ride on a noble’s spaceship or a spaceship recruiting for the military academy.
However, the military academy recruitment was still half a year away. The only option was to take a noble’s ship.
Xing Yuan had no money. Although Weiguang’s materials were expensive, her identity would be exposed if anyone knowledgeable recognized them. Therefore… she needed to find a way to get money!
She heard that… interstellar pirates seemed to be quite wealthy. But even though they were active on the fringe planets, how could those pirates possibly come to such a junkyard planet?
As Xing Yuan was contemplating how to get money, a group known for their kidnapping of pirates was silently approaching this abandoned junkyard planet.