The Boy

During the Dark Era, in addition to the problems of spaceship speed and communication delays that plagued the Epoch Clan, there was another issue that also troubled them.

Compared to the long journey of interstellar travel, the lifespan of an individual is as fleeting as the blooming of fireworks. Although hibernation technology is standard equipment in civilizations that have entered interstellar colonies, which can greatly slow down the aging process of passengers, the bonds and ties between individuals within a civilization are also an indispensable part.

When the young men of the Epoch Clan, after rigorous training, finally bid farewell to their parents and siblings and embarked on their interstellar journey, their youthful hearts underestimated what they were about to face and overestimated their own ability to withstand the challenges.

After hundreds of years of voyage, when the boy awoke, it felt as if he had only slept for a long time; the concept of time had become blurred. Amidst the hail of bullets and the roar of naval cannons, being wounded and dying in battle was commonplace. As he matured through the trials of war and miraculously survived to the end, the joy of returning home filled his heart.

Another hundred years of travel, an insurmountable distance for a frail individual, is utterly insignificant in the vastness of the universe. So, outside the ship's cabin, the distant stars are still the same stars, most of them barely even changing their positions.

Finally, the overjoyed boy returned to the place where he had grown up. But his former home had been gone for a thousand years, and the familiar had become strange. The time the boy had been in hibernation was the same time that others had actually experienced; his parents had not been in hibernation, and his brothers and sisters had not been asleep. Therefore, when he returned, those who had seen him off were long gone.

He began to understand what his parents' eyes were saying when he looked at them for the last time.

The boy broke down; what was the point of everything he did?

The boy was merely a microcosm of that era. Countless Epoch Clan warriors, having lost their spiritual anchor and unable to withstand the blows, became mindless zombies. They participated in wars everywhere, their purpose in life being to die.

Because of the war, much of the history of that era is missing, but the fact that the Dark Era lasted for more than 20,000 years is inextricably linked to the "young people".

Afterwards, the Epoch Clan solved the problems of navigation speed and communication, ending the war. However, the Epoch Clan developed rapidly, and the problems of the "young people" were on a spiritual level, which were unavoidable even in peacetime.

As long as the Epoch Clan continues to expand, speed will once again become a constraint, and "youngsters" will continue to emerge.

The Epoch Clan quickly identified the crux of the problem: the emergence of the "youngsters" was primarily due to individual lifespans and various entanglements. Therefore, they resolved the issue.

As masterpieces of natural evolution, life forms conceal too many secrets, and rash alterations often lead to unpredictable consequences. However, the Epoch Clan possesses advanced technology and numerous "external aids," and quickly achieved some results. But the increased lifespan resulting from these achievements is insufficient to solve the problems of the "youngsters."

The Epoch Clan quickly realized that the starry sea was too vast, and unless one could achieve immortality, it would be impossible to solve this problem from the perspective of lifespan.

Therefore, we must approach it from other angles.

After a brutal reform, the Epoch Clan no longer had any naturally born population; all newborns were artificially bred and raised by the collective.

Newborns form families of six. They have no concept of parents, only siblings. They are of similar age and will be assigned jobs as family units when they reach adulthood.

Whether it's production in the rear, scientific research, or expeditionary exploration, family members advance and retreat together. Family members have no parents or partners; they will work in the same place and accompany each other until old age. In this way, the problem of excessive life expectancy gaps will no longer exist.

The Epoch Clan, from the perspective of bonds, resolved the issues facing the "young people," albeit at the cost of eroding many emotions.

The Epoch Clan entered a period of stable development. However, although the problems of the "young people" had been resolved, the Epoch Clan did not give up their exploration of life.

Beyond lifespan, the Epoch Clan has also conducted comprehensive research in other areas. For example, during the initial cultivation of life Seed, they have given them preferential treatment in certain aspects so that they can better adapt to their assigned tasks after birth.

Stronger soldiers, smarter researchers, and so on, but these are all secondary considerations.

The Epoch Clan's constant challenges to the forbidden zones of life, and their subsequent successes, fueled their arrogance. Lacking certain emotions, they became even more mad, reminding Rowan of a certain green-haired dwarf.

They became somewhat radical. The original average lifespan of the Epoch Clan has been lost to record, but many civilizations in the Star Sea Alliance speculate that it should have started around 200 years ago.

But by the time the Epoch Clan perished, their average lifespan had increased tenfold to nearly 2,000 years.

Yes, the Epoch Clan has perished. The challenges of the forbidden zone of life harbor endless hidden dangers. With continuous modifications at the genetic level, the Epoch Clan, whose lifespan has gradually increased, has also become increasingly rational, even ruthless and cold-blooded.

Moreover, the survival rate of the modified life Seed is getting lower and lower, which has led to fewer and fewer new members in the Epoch Clan. However, the Epoch Clan, who have lost all feelings, do not feel that there is any problem.

Until... the last revision...

The Epoch Clan has not had any new members for over a thousand years. As the Epoch Clan gradually age, Epoch Clan population is dwindling. Although they still possess modified genes from the previous Epoch Clan, the surviving Epoch Clan refuse to acknowledge them as their own.

As the Epoch Clan's population decreased, the number of outsiders within its territory increased. Even so, the Epoch Clan did not lose control of its territory, nor did it waver in the slightest.

While the Epoch Clan's consistent policies have laid the foundation for this achievement, another contributor must also be mentioned – "Ying".

Long, long ago, perhaps even before the Dark Era, as the territory of the Epoch Clan expanded, the difficulty of managing it also increased.

It's not just a matter of technological limitations, but also human factors.

The highest authority of the Epoch Clan is the Council of Elders, an organization that has been passed down since the ancient mythological period and still controls all affairs of the Epoch Clan.

But as time went on and the number of colonies increased, the Council of Elders grew larger and larger, and its members became increasingly bloated. At that time, the Epoch Clan was still very emotional, and everyone had their own ideas.

Having ideas is a good thing most of the time, but in some places and at some times, the opposite is true.

Although the elders generally acted in the best interests of the tribe, there was more than one path they took. Each elder insisted on their own ideas, forming factions and camps.

As a result, some issues became the subject of protracted debates, and efficiency gradually drifted away from the Epoch Clan.

Fortunately, they discovered this, although it took them a long time.