Rebirth

Ryan Yeager jolted upright in bed, as if an invisible force had yanked him from the abyss. His chest heaved with rapid breaths, each inhale a struggle against the lingering terror of his dream. In his nightmare, the sharp claws of a star beast had mercilessly pierced his supposedly indestructible combat suit. The intense pain and gushing blood felt as vivid as if it had just happened.

He wiped his brow, his hand coming away slick with cold sweat that seemed to carry the scent of the battlefield's soil. Ryan felt trapped in the dream's deathly embrace, with the colossal forms of star beasts looming like skyscrapers, their claws glinting ominously as they lunged towards him.

Recalling the familiar faces from his dream, their smiles, bravery, and sacrifices, all ruthlessly destroyed by the star beasts, Ryan couldn't suppress a sharp intake of breath. He threw off the covers as if to break free from an invisible shackle.

The blanket, made of nano-molecular material, was incredibly light yet provided excellent insulation. Its presence seemed to remind him of the fundamental differences between this world and his dream. As he stepped out of bed, the ambient temperature dropped noticeably, and he felt a chill of the real world. At that moment, a gentle voice echoed in his ear, the voice of his AI butler, Astra: "Master, your body temperature has dropped. Please stay warm."

Ryan frowned slightly, a sense of unease settling in. He remembered that his physical prowess had long surpassed these basic self-protection functions. This anomaly felt off.

Looking around, the environment was both unfamiliar and familiar. He was no longer on the front line surrounded by star beasts; here... it was safe, serene. The spacious living room, a hundred meters long and wide, had a floor so polished it reflected images, and the windows were bright and clean, everything in perfect order.

The most striking feature was the twenty-one-meter long, three-meter high alloy aircraft, emblazoned with "H-3, Serial No. 3377." It lay quietly in front of the large floor-to-ceiling windows, like a docile hound gazing at the stars, waiting for its master's call.

Such a large living room was actually designed to accommodate this aircraft. Ryan recognized it instantly; it was the work aircraft assigned to him by TerraNova, a subsidiary of TerraCore Group, after graduation, Serial No. 3377, H3 model mining aircraft. This realization stirred complex emotions within him, a mix of nostalgia and shock.

The smooth indoor walls reflected a face both familiar and slightly younger, with a handsome, well-proportioned figure, but his eyes, usually sharp, were now filled with deep confusion.

"How am I here? Shouldn't I be dead?" Ryan muttered to himself, the word "rebirth" surfacing in his mind. After graduation, he had indeed worked for half a year at a subsidiary of TerraCore Group, and the aircraft and serial number assigned to him were indeed 3377, H3.

Ryan's pupils contracted slightly as he began to realize that he might have truly returned to the past. He took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil within. If this was real, he would have the chance to rewrite his destiny.

"Astra, report the time!" Ryan commanded his AI butler, his voice trembling with a barely perceptible quiver.

Astra was the name he had given to his own intelligent chip, which was not only his life butler but also a capable assistant in his work, study, life, and combat. It was an evolution of a device called a "smartphone" from centuries ago.

"New Calendar Year 777, July 7th, 7:10 AM," Astra's voice was calm and precise, devoid of any emotional fluctuations.

"Self-check!" Ryan's voice carried a note of determination; he needed to confirm his condition.

"Name: Astra, Model: H2 National Chip, Computing Speed: 3.7 units per second (with 300 million calculations as one unit), current energy storage complete, full load with 1,000 unit energy consumption." Astra's response confirmed to Ryan that he had indeed returned to three years ago.

Ryan's brows furrowed. The H1 chip was designed for minors; the H2 National Chip was merely the starting standard for Earth's adults. Astra's status had reverted to three years prior, which meant he had the opportunity to use his future knowledge to change his destiny.

As a member of the Earth Space Force's C-level Corps, Ryan possessed a C2-level comprehensive combat ability and had once served as a deputy regimental officer for three days. His experience was rich. He walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and gazed into the stars. Taking a deep breath, he searched for familiar star points and silently recited their scientific names while quickly organizing the chaotic thoughts in his mind.

This was a battlefield emergency calmness technique, using focus and drawing on stored memories to quickly calm down. In front of him, the glowing points in the starry sky gradually outlined invisible patterns, constructing invisible star charts that became more and more substantial and detailed.

As the star charts became clearer, Ryan also gradually calmed down. He muttered to himself, "The star field near the Pegasus Galaxy. That's right. This is the first work site where I was stationed after joining TerraCore Group, and my current identity is a newly recruited miner."

His gaze shifted downward, through the floor-to-ceiling window, to the brightly lit base city below. Rows of standard living rooms were neatly arranged like glowing squares, with towering skyscrapers, magnificent and spectacular. The base was originally planned to accommodate ten thousand people, but to save costs, the top brass of TerraCore Group, after a series of calculations and layouts, finally decided to reduce the personnel by half and increase the miners' share by three points. This decision not only increased the miners' enthusiasm and efficiency but also saved half the base's expenses.

Although such a decision was economically reasonable, Ryan knew it also meant that the miners would face greater risks and pressures. He took a deep breath, his mood completely calmed. The memories of the last life, like film scenes, vividly presented before his eyes, with a flood of memories surging into his mind.

He remembered that his time as a miner in this company was not long. In a failed transportation mission, the security team suffered casualties, and there was a gap in the formation. He was selected to join the security team and came into contact with the semi-combat H6 type aircraft. He leaped from an ordinary miner to a member of the semi-combat sequence.

In the following two years, Ryan followed the company's life transport ship to more than a dozen different planets, escorting the company's excavation team, clearing the fierce beasts, insect beasts, and star beasts that roamed deep in the stars, accumulating a wealth of practical experience.

Due to his exceptional performance, Ryan was selected to join the Earth Space Force when the insect and star races once again threatened humanity. Facing the relentless destruction of interstellar colonies by the insect races and the advanced technology and power of the star races, the human race continued to suffer heavy losses.

Although Ryan did not come from a military academy, he and a group of like-minded comrades earned their place in the Earth Space Force through tangible military achievements on the battlefield. Whenever he thought of the brothers who had fallen alongside him under the claws of the star beasts, a cold glint would gradually appear in Ryan's eyes. However, now they were all still alive, and Ryan had the opportunity to change everything.

"Astra," Ryan's voice and demeanor became resolute and commanding as he gave the order: "Display the current regional map immediately, and retrieve the work logs from the past seven days, as well as the mission progress of the company on this planet."

"Understood," Astra responded swiftly, projecting all the required information onto the wall. Ryan scrutinized the data carefully, possessing the memory of the next three years as if it were a vast treasure trove. If used wisely, he could enhance the chip's computing power more rapidly, unlock additional permissions, acquire more skills, and integrate himself into the Earth Space Force's ranks sooner. He could rally his brothers from a past life to jointly face the invasion of the insect and star races.

A resolute gleam flashed in Ryan's eyes; he knew that this time, he had the power to rewrite destiny. It was not just for himself but also for those brothers who had fought side by side with him on the battlefield.