The Declining Land

Every named Star Block in the entire universe has been personally surveyed and tested by experts from the Interstellar Alliance, regardless of its area or location.

The five grades, SABCD, are entirely dependent on the resources of the Star Block, or in other words, how suitable it is for human habitation.

Rumor has it that on some higher-grade Star Blocks, there are forms of life other than humans.

Of course, these are just some highly adaptable plants that have survived by evolving on their own and remaining in the universe.

As for the animals that once lived on Earth, people nowadays have never heard of them. Even if some had managed to survive, they would have been eliminated by the law of the jungle over millions of years.

As a D-grade Star Block, the lowest grade, D72 Star Block is indeed poor in resources.

The ground underfoot was incredibly hard with fine cracks. This kind of geology lacked sandy soil, and the stones were not hard enough, making it difficult to build houses.

Zhou Yi had originally thought Huadun's dilapidated house was pitiful enough, but after seeing the other buildings, Huadun's teaching building suddenly seemed majestic in her mind.

The houses neatly arranged on the street were all built with boards. These boards were a new material developed by the Interstellar Alliance, lightweight and easy to assemble, inexpensive, and convenient to transport.

However, the drawbacks were also very obvious: they were not sturdy enough, and could be easily damaged by strong winds or heavy rain.

Moreover, this was the cheapest building material produced by the Interstellar Alliance. People living inside felt very suffocated; it couldn't be called a home, at best it could only provide shelter from the wind and rain.

Although they were both D-grade Star Blocks, Zhou Yi's hometown was not lacking in stones, at least. This was the first time she had seen such harsh living conditions.

Zhou Yi slowly strolled and observed everything on D72 Star Block. There was no natural light; the only source of illumination was the projection from the artificial atmosphere. Fortunately, the temperature was suitable, and the occasional breeze felt cool, dispelling some of the oppression.

The only food source was nutrient solution, so there was naturally no commerce. There wasn't a single person idly wandering on the streets.

Zhou Yi knew where the native inhabitants of this Star Block were at this moment.

Most D-grade Star Blocks did not have schools, and there was a reason why Huadun was built on D72 Star Block.

That reason was the presence of a very scarce resource on D72 Star Block: Star Ore.

Star Crystals could be mined from Star Ore, and the Interstellar Alliance's currency, Star Coins, were made from Star Crystals.

Star Crystals were rich in energy, and this energy was precisely what the power units of Mechs required.

The higher the grade of Star Crystal, the purer and more precious its energy.

It was a pity that the Star Crystals produced from the Star Ore on D72 Star Block were of a very inferior quality. They were not even suitable for making Star Coins, let alone powering Mechs.

But after all, they were still Star Crystals. Even if they were impure, they weren't completely useless.

Mining them to supply people on higher-grade Star Blocks as building materials seemed quite presentable, and the price was not cheap.

The local people certainly couldn't afford them. The Star Ore was first discovered and occupied by the Interstellar Alliance. They were content to be able to work in the Star Ore mines daily to earn money and sustain their lives.

Zhou Yi had checked the data. The Star Crystals produced from the Star Ore on D72 Star Block contained no energy. Could this be the reason for her energy perception surge?

As she walked towards the mining area, Zhou Yi was stopped when she was still a considerable distance away.

She wasn't in a hurry and began circulating the Star Gathering Art in a corner.

No, it wasn't here either.

After leaving Huadun, Zhou Yi wandered around, testing her energy perception at various locations, but the abnormal energy perception issue like last night did not reappear.

She could now confirm that the abnormal energy perception only occurred within Huadun.

Something in the school must be affecting her.

With this point confirmed, the other places on D72 Star Block held no further attraction for Zhou Yi. Huadun was like a giant energy capsule to her, possessing a fatal allure.

Zhou Yi looked towards the crystal mine not far away. There were a total of five entrances, all guarded by guards holding laser weapons and various detection instruments.

There were laser weapons, which didn't seem like something that should be found on a D-grade Star Block.

Zhou Yi's gaze fixed on the weapons in their hands, and she felt something was amiss. A Star Ore on a D-grade Star Block that could only produce Star Crystals suitable for building materials, did it really require so many laser weapons for protection?

What were the Alliance truly trying to protect here?

Zhou Yi silently withdrew her gaze, lightened her footsteps, and quietly retreated.

She was merely an outsider who had just arrived at D72 Star Block, unfamiliar with the place, and completely unarmed. The matter of the Star Ore was not something she could get involved in right now. It was better to return to school.

"Little girl, you're back!"

The gatekeeper uncle at the school entrance saw Zhou Yi returning and couldn't hide his joy, his mouth practically splitting from ear to ear.

"There's nothing fun outside, nothing as good as our Huadun. It was right to come back early!"

This was the truth. On low-grade Star Blocks, food was always the monotonous nutrient solution. Children went to school, adults worked, and there were almost no recreational activities.

"Uncle, about the Battle Relic you mentioned is preserved in Huadun, can I go see it?"

Back at school, Zhou Yi was eager to understand more things without delay.

"Well, that place is usually locked. Only when new students enroll each year does the principal open it for everyone to visit as encouragement... How about you wait a few days? Then you'll be able to see it."

The security guard uncle had worked at Huadun for many years and seemed to know everything.

"I have to wait a few more days? Okay, thank you."

Zhou Yi looked at the stone building.

Actually, it didn't matter whether she went in now or not. Knowing where the place was, she could go and test if the energy there had anything special, and then she would know if it was related to the energy fluctuations.

"Then where is the library?"

Huadun's campus was vast, filled with many aged-looking buildings, most of which showed signs of decay.

However, the library seemed to be the best preserved.

Zhou Yi arrived at the library entrance and looked up. It was a three-story building, the tallest on campus.

"Student, please show your identification."

At a small booth by the main entrance, Zhou Yi met the second staff member he'd encountered since arriving at Huadun.

It was an energetic-looking auntie, not much older than his own mother.

Her hair was impeccably tied back, as if she were ready to attend the school's 500th-anniversary celebration at any moment.

"Hello, I'm a new student and don't have my student ID yet. Would it be okay if I showed you my acceptance letter?"

Zhou Yi obediently opened his Star Brain and found his acceptance letter to show her.

"A new student? It's quite rare to see students coming to the library to study before the semester even begins."

The auntie didn't even look at Zhou Yi's letter, simply waving him through.

Qi Lan had worked at Huadun for many years. Few people came to the library, and even fewer came during the holidays.

She particularly liked students like the young person in front of her, who came to study before even enrolling.