Chapter Two: Devouring the Starry Sky

Consciousness shifted, and as he opened his eyes, he found daylight already streaming in. Startled and uncertain, he was about to sit up when a flood of memories surged through his mind.

In the early twenty-first century, the world was struck by several waves of viral influenza, culminating in the emergence of a far more terrifying R-type virus. As this virus spread, it mutated into more than twenty different strains. Within a few years, it evolved into its most dreadful variant, known as the RR virus.

The RR virus could be transmitted through bodily fluids, water, and even the air itself. The moment it appeared, it swept across the globe. All living things—humans, birds, beasts—anything that breathed became infected. In just three months, the world lost a third of its population. Those who survived developed antibodies, their physical attributes greatly enhanced, but the mutations among flora and fauna were even more profound.

True catastrophe had arrived.

Animals transformed into savage beasts and began invading human territory. Their hardened scales rendered them immune to bullets and artillery; their terrifying reflexes allowed them to evade missiles with ease; some could not even be killed by nuclear warheads. Radiation, instead of destroying them, spurred further evolution.

The world teetered on the brink of collapse.

Yet among humans, true warriors began to emerge. Scientists developed weapons capable of piercing the scales of these monsters. But in the end, only five nations remained capable of defending themselves: China, India, America, the European Union, and Russia. At this critical juncture, these five countries formed the Earth Alliance, which, through its joint military forces, helped establish human strongholds across the globe.

China alone had six major bases.

“The world’s strongest man, Hong, founded the Limit Martial Hall. The second strongest, Thor, established the Thunder Martial Hall. The world’s most powerful families united to form the Underground Alliance, seizing control of the economy.”

“It is now April 15th, 2056.”

“My name is Qin Ming. I’m in Mingyue Community, one of the eight satellite cities of Yangzhou, part of the Jiangnan Base in China.”

“I am eighteen years old, in my final year at the Third High School in Yian District.”

“I have classmates named Luo Feng and Wei Wen.”

“This is… the world of Swallowed Star.”

Jiang Fan—no, he was now Qin Ming—came to this final realization.

“One moment I was falling asleep in the world of immortal cultivation, and the next I awaken at the dawn of a future universe? This…!”

He felt somewhat lost.

Whether the memories belonged to his original self, to Jiang Fan of the Great Song Dynasty, or were those absorbed from Qin Ming, everything was perfectly clear, as if he had personally lived each life.

Taking several deep breaths, striving for calm, he closed his eyes and sensed a cubic meter of space deep within his mind, at the center of which glimmered a point of light.

When his consciousness touched this point, he felt as if the stars themselves shifted.

He opened his eyes to find the room shrouded in darkness.

Closing his eyes once more, he focused on the point of light in his mental space. As soon as his consciousness touched it, it felt as though his very soul was drawn inside. When he opened his eyes again, daylight flooded in through the window.

He smiled quietly to himself.

Just now, as if guided by fate, he received a revelation.

“I have become Jiang Fan of the Jiang family in the Great Song Dynasty!”

“Within my mind is a cubic meter of space, and through the light within, I can descend into the world of Swallowed Star, becoming Qin Ming!”

“In the Great Song Dynasty, one hundred days pass for every day in Swallowed Star; and vice versa, a hundred days in Swallowed Star is but a single day in the Great Song Dynasty!”

“No matter which world I inhabit, time flows at a ratio of one to one hundred!”

“How marvelous!”

“Could it be that I am Heaven’s chosen child, to be granted such a wondrous opportunity?”

In the world of Swallowed Star, Qin Ming dressed and rose, surveying his room. Upon seeing the laptop on his desk, he felt a surge of familiarity.

At that moment, a knock came at the door.

Knock, knock, knock!

“Hey, you lazy pig! Are you still not up for breakfast?” a clear, girlish voice called from outside.

“If I’m a lazy pig, then what are you? A little lazy pig?” Qin Ming opened the door and, seeing his twelve-year-old sister, couldn’t help but laugh.

Qin Lulu made a face at him and dashed into the living room.

Their mother, Luo Xia, was setting out breakfast, while their father, Qin Yicheng, was already seated. His left arm, however, was gone—bitten off by a savage beast three months earlier while out hunting.

“Are you feeling better?” Qin Ming asked his father.

“I’m all right now, just not used to it yet,” replied Qin Yicheng. “Give me a few more months to recover, and I’ll take a post at the martial hall—I won’t be going out again after that.”

“That’s for the best; at least we won’t have to worry anymore,” said Luo Xia, bringing over two more dishes and laying out chopsticks. She glanced at her son. “Xiao Ming, have you decided which university you’ll attend?”

“Is there even a question? I’ll definitely go to military school!”

“Military school? Following in your father’s footsteps? I don’t want my son risking his life. Besides, the path of a martial artist is too arduous—if you can’t reach the rank of warrior, there’s no future in it. You’d be better off pursuing a civil career.”

Each held their own views.

Qin Ming smiled. “There’s still nearly two months until the college entrance exams. Let’s wait and see.”

It was the weekend—no need to go to school.

Meals with the family were leisurely and filled with idle chatter.

After breakfast, Qin Ming left the house and boarded a bus.

Mingyue Community belonged to the Limit Martial Hall; the guards at the gates were soldiers, authorized to shoot intruders on sight. The neighborhood consisted of individual villas—only those who became martial artists and joined the Limit Martial Hall were eligible to be assigned one. Clearly, Qin Yicheng was a member of the Hall.

This alone revealed the strict hierarchy of this world, where martial artists held a status far above others.

Directly facing the community gates stood the Limit Clubhouse, headquarters of all the Limit Martial Halls in Yangzhou. It was the only place where one could take the quasi-warrior assessment.

Of course, the clubhouse also had training areas for students. Qin Ming headed there.

This particular martial hall was reserved for the children of resident martial artists. Though the numbers were few, the facility itself was vast.

“Qin Ming, haven’t seen you in days—given up already?” A young man about his age approached as soon as he entered the hall. It was Wang Lang, a good friend. “Keep at it—even if you can’t become a full-fledged warrior, you’ve got a good shot at making advanced student!”

“I haven’t given up,” said Qin Ming. “What about you? Almost at the quasi-warrior standard?”

“Still a long way off—won’t get there for a few more months.”

The two chatted casually, greeting others now and then.

The path of cultivation was ranked by levels: before warrior, there were junior, intermediate, advanced students, and quasi-warrior. Only after passing the real combat assessment could a quasi-warrior become a true martial artist.

Wang Lang was something of a figure in this hall, with only a few peers who could match him.

As for Qin Ming, he was lagging behind, still lingering at the intermediate student level.

“How about a test to see if you’ve made any progress?” Wang Lang pointed to the strength-measuring device in the center of the hall.

There were three criteria for student assessment: strength, speed, and neural response. The martial hall had plenty of equipment for this; the main hall housed some, with specialized rooms for more precise measurements.

Qin Ming hesitated and shook his head. “I’ve got a bit of a stomachache today—not at my best. Maybe another time.”