Chapter 1 The Luminous World Opens

The news that the Luminous World would soon open for its fourth phase of exploration spread like a hurricane across the universe.

The entire cosmos had been waiting for this day for too long, and every star system buzzed with excitement. Civilizations and civilian organizations across various regions were recruiting and gathering personnel on a large scale.

Besides the established powers, countless interstellar citizens were also taking action, eager to travel to the new star system. Many hoped to try their luck, find opportunities to get rich, or even settle down in a new location.

Countless troops and resources were being mobilized, and since the empire had only confirmed the timeframe, all these personnel and resources would be waiting in the Shattered Star Ring until the Luminous World truly opened. Clearly, the Shattered Star Ring would quickly become saturated and bustling in the short term.

Like a diversion, the emergence of a new star system would distribute the population and resources of the already explored universe, even affecting the original structure of various star systems.

A vast wave of migration was gradually forming, flowing towards the Luminous World from all directions, like a new gold rush, with the tide of the era carrying one living being after another forward.

...

The surface of the red-brown mineral planet was covered with mining pits. Transport vehicles shuttled between the collection factories. Prisoners wearing prison-issued miner armor were digging ore in the mines. Beams of industrial waste gas rose from various refineries, like fingers pointing towards the sky.

A deep, somber, ring-shaped prison sat in a crater. The deep starry sky cast a cold glow on the prison's iron-gray exterior walls.

"Congratulations, you're released."

Stepping out of the boundary between freedom and imprisonment, even the air filled with industrial waste gas seemed fresh and sweet. Seeing the usually stern prison guard smile at him, Evans felt as if he had lived a lifetime.

The heavy, stuffy, sweat-soaked prison miner armor was finally far away from him. He was only wearing simple clothes and carrying a light suitcase. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so relaxed.

A hovering vehicle was parked not far away. It was the prison shuttle, responsible for taking prisoners to the spaceport in the outer reaches. A man in military uniform stood beside the vehicle, waving cheerfully.

Although it had been many years, Evans recognized him at a glance. The man in uniform waiting for him was his childhood friend.

He couldn't help but smile, walking quickly to embrace him tightly. Their thick pectoral muscles collided, making a dull sound.

"I came to pick you up. How have you been in prison these past few years?"

"Work, eat, sleep. Every day is the same."

After so many years apart, both of them were excited and had almost endless things to say.

Evans grabbed his friend's arm, looking him up and down, and said with emotion, "Time really flies. Before I went to prison, you were just a skinny little kid with a runny nose, following me around everywhere. I didn't expect you to become a soldier now."

"You've changed a lot too. Let's not stand here, let's get in the car."

The two took the shuttle to the spaceport, then took a direct flight, spending several tens of minutes to reach the nearby colony star. They chatted happily all the way.

The mineral planet where the prison was located was an industry built around the colony star, gathering all kinds of prisoners who served as mining coolies on the mineral planet.

Back in the bustling city, his friend had already booked a room in a famous restaurant, hosting a dinner to welcome Evans and cleanse away the dust of his imprisonment.

Having been in prison for so many years, Evans hadn't eaten anything other than nutrient paste for too long. He devoured the food like a wolf, sweeping away eighty percent of the dishes himself until he was full.

Holding his bulging stomach, Evans let out a satisfied sigh.

At this moment, his friend took out a box, placed it on the table, and opened it. Inside were essential items such as an interstellar communicator and translator, as well as a folded-up set of simple, lightweight mecha armor.

"I've prepared these things for you. I also opened an account for you with 15,000 Enas in it."

"I'll take the other things, but take these Enas back. I don't need them. I also saved some money from working in prison," Evans said, waving his hand.

"How can that be? You saved my life before. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have the life I have now. Please accept my gratitude," his friend said loudly.

He had always been grateful to Evans. Back then, Evans killed a superpowered individual who was doing evil to protect him, which led to his imprisonment.

Abilities beyond ordinary people amplify the dark side of some individuals. Some enjoy the privileges and convenience of being a superpowered person, but turn around and seek a sense of superiority from ordinary people, taking pleasure in abusing, insulting, and mocking them, relying on their abilities to do evil.

The two had encountered such a superpowered person, and their lives were threatened. Evans, just an ordinary person, managed to kill the grade e villain.

His friend had now become a sergeant and had also tested positive for superpowered genes, awakening as a superpowered person. However, Evans had long been tested and found to have no superpowered genes and would be an ordinary person for the rest of his life. He had always felt sorry for Evans.

With Evans's abilities, if he also had the talent of a superpowered person, he would definitely be much stronger than me in the future.

Alas, this is fate.

"Haha, I appreciate the thought, but I don't want your money. If we're brothers, don't think about repaying me with material things," Evans said with a hearty laugh, his attitude firm.

"If you're willing, you can come and live at my house," his friend said, unwilling to give up.

"You're married, I won't bother you."

"If you want to join the army, I can find someone to clear your record."

"No need, I'm just an ordinary person, joining the army is just being cannon fodder." Evans knew that he would never become a superpowered person, but he didn't really care.

He didn't have the bad habit of lamenting the unfairness of fate. In his opinion, it was better to do more than to lament.

"Then what are your plans for the future?" his friend asked helplessly.

"Hmm, find a job first, and we'll talk about the rest later."

Evans picked up the communicator, opened the network channel, and browsed the latest job postings. He took a look and was immediately surprised.

The job postings were densely packed, and no matter which faction posted them, the first core requirement was all exactly the same.

Work Location: Luminous World!

As long as you meet this requirement, as long as you're not a wanted criminal, no matter what you do, we want you!

His friend leaned over to take a look and shook his head, saying, "Some time ago, the Crimson Empire finally confirmed the opening date of the Luminous World. Factions from all regions are recruiting personnel who are willing to go to the Luminous World on a large scale. The entire universe is buzzing."

Evans pursed his lips. In his mind, the concept of the Luminous World was still stuck in the era of the Red Tide. During his time in prison, he was isolated from the world, and the outside world had changed dramatically.

Looking down at the screen full of recruitment information, Evans slowly nodded.

"Luminous World... then let's go take a look."

...

"It's finally about to open."

In the Star Pupil Divine Race, Sisko stood by the window, his seven eyes gazing at the city's night view outside the window, his heart surging.

After the Beacon Star incident, he had been keeping a low profile, quietly recuperating.

After more than a decade of dilution, the negative impact of being forced by Han Xiao to announce the transfer of ownership of the Evolution Cube had been largely eliminated. He was still a great leader in the eyes of most people.

Even though they were very close, because he was a member of the Void Clan, he could only watch helplessly as Black Star and the Overlord took the lead in the Luminous World. Sisko felt both envy and impatience. He had been waiting for this day to open to the public for a long time and wanted to get a piece of the pie.

In his opinion, the Luminous World was also an opportunity for the Star Pupil Divine Race. Being restricted everywhere in the Shattered Star Ring would become more and more serious with the expansion of Black Star and the Overlord. He had to create a new path for the Star Pupil Divine Race.

In this way, the Void Spirit Religion would have an excuse to intervene and strongly support him, seeking more benefits in the Luminous World, and the Star Pupil Divine Race would also benefit greatly.

Whenever he thought of the past, Han Xiao's figure would involuntarily appear in Sisko's mind.

"Black Star... he has also been silent for more than a decade. It seems that after reaching the peak Beyond Grade A level, he has also stopped moving forward..."

—

ps: I'm organizing the follow-up outline today, so I wrote a little less

(By the way, I'm recommending a book, a spy war novel *Old Hutong*, by the veteran author Yin Weizhe, with 300,000 words already published. It will take you to 1936, which is about to usher in the beacon of war)