Tianlan Star

With a thunderous roar, the spaceship slowly ascended, rotating as it climbed. Once it reached a certain altitude, it suddenly accelerated, transforming into a sky-blue streak of light that shot across the sky and disappeared.

"Goodbye, little ones!"

Li Nianhan waved toward the sky, bidding her final farewell.

…

Ah, the carefree days of youth!

The boys and girls who had just left the orphanage felt a momentary pang of sadness at the farewell, but it quickly faded. Like birds released from a cage, they chattered excitedly as they settled into the spacious cabin of the spaceship. Ye Fan, sitting among his friends, exchanged a few words here and there, but his gaze kept drifting toward the large screen at the front of the hall.

"Stark Corporation has recently developed a low-cost standardized gene that, once injected, can preserve human appearance and significantly slow aging."

"Today, Renault Bank officially announced a billion-star-yuan investment to support Gordon Thatcher's presidential campaign..."

Various news reports scrolled across the screen, but most of the teenagers showed little interest. After all, the major events of the Federation seemed far removed from the lives of these orphans. To them, such news was less captivating than some of the more trivial gossip.

However, Ye Fan kept his eyes fixed on the screen, as if waiting for something specific. After about half an hour, the initial excitement of the young passengers began to wane, and the lively spaceship cabin grew quieter and quieter.

"Breaking news: one of humanity's greatest warriors, Thunder God Ye Fan, was killed yesterday. According to the latest evidence gathered by Federation authorities, the culprit is believed to be the notorious terrorist organization, Skull Society. Thunder God Ye Fan made immense contributions to humanity through his efforts in space exploration. His death is a tremendous loss to all of mankind. Let us all pray for the Thunder God and wish him peace on his journey." The large screen displayed a beautiful news anchor, her expression somber, as she delivered the news with heartfelt sincerity.

"What? Thunder God Ye Fan is dead?!"

"That's impossible! He was one of the strongest gene warriors humanity has ever known!"

The cabin, which had been quiet just moments before, erupted into chaos as the teenagers reacted to the shocking news. Thunder God Ye Fan was a legendary figure, his fame surpassing even that of the Federation President. For these youngsters, who idolized strength and heroism, Thunder God Ye Fan was their ultimate role model.

The sudden news of his death sent shockwaves through the group, and the uproar in the cabin mirrored the chaos likely unfolding across the entire Federation. After all, while presidents had been mysteriously assassinated throughout Federation history, there was only one Thunder God Ye Fan.

Chu Xue looked over at Ye Fan, who remained unusually calm. "Ye Fan, are you alright? This news might not even be true," she asked hesitantly.

Chu Xue's concern was understandable. She knew that Ye Fan was a devoted fan of Thunder God Ye Fan, and she worried that the news might devastate him. But she wasn't sure how to comfort him.

"I'm fine. Thunder God dedicated his life to fighting the Skull Society. He was a warrior, a god among men. He'll always be my hero," Ye Fan said with a resolute expression, his young face filled with determination.

Chu Xue nodded seriously, her worried expression softening. She had always admired Ye Fan's resilience and optimism, qualities that never failed to inspire her.

However, Chu Xue didn't notice the fleeting trace of self-mockery in Ye Fan's eyes.

"A god among men... Hmph, more like a fool."

"If I were elected president, I'd crack down on terrorist organizations with an iron fist. May the great Thunder God rest in peace!" Gordon Thatcher, a candidate for president, appeared on the screen, addressing a crowd of thousands. With fervent gestures, he made solemn promises to the people.

Ye Fan's lips curled into a faint, mocking smile. The Skull Society was far more complex than it appeared on the surface. If this candidate dared to follow through on his promises, Ye Fan was certain that he would go down in history—not as a great president, but as one of the few who was assassinated while still in office.

Having seen the message he had been waiting for, Ye Fan closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat, trying to get some rest. Meanwhile, the other teenagers were still reeling from the news, angrily cursing the Skull Society and mourning the loss of their hero.

The politician, Gordon Thatcher, who was leveraging Thunder God Ye Fan's death to boost his campaign, won their approval. Of course, it was likely that he didn't care in the slightest about the opinions of these powerless orphans.

The rest of the journey continued with the teenagers buzzing with energy, their youthful vigor on full display. It wasn't until the spaceship's internal speakers announced that they were nearing Tianlan Academy that the excitement over Thunder God's death began to fade.

Ye Fan opened his eyes and rubbed his stiff facial muscles with both hands. He grinned at Chu Xue, revealing a set of gleaming white teeth. Then, he looked out the spaceship window, and what met his gaze wasn't towering skyscrapers but a colossal polyhedral diamond with a diameter of over a hundred kilometers.

"The Tianlan Star!"

Ye Fan stared in awe at the massive sky-blue crystal, a hint of amazement flickering in his eyes. This wasn't the first time he had seen the diamond, but every time, it left him in awe.

In the entire Aedis Federation, there were two architectural wonders that stood above all others. The first was Solar City, the capital of the Federation, and the second was Tianlan Academy. Both structures were carved from enormous diamonds, with Solar City being a golden diamond and Tianlan Academy a sky-blue one.

In the vastness of the universe, when a massive star undergoes a supernova, there is a slim chance it will collapse and form a diamond star. The two colossal diamonds from which these structures were carved were mined from such diamond stars.

Surrounded by lush mountains and rivers, eight main buildings encircled the gigantic Tianlan Star like petals around a blooming flower, holding it aloft in midair. In the sunlight, the Tianlan Star sparkled brilliantly, so bright that it was almost blinding.

"This is the Tianlan Star. It's so beautiful!"

Chu Xue pressed her face against the spaceship window, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Such a dreamy structure was almost irresistible to most girls.

The architect of Tianlan Academy, Leon Mordo, once said that Tianlan Academy was like a gigantic blue diamond ring, but there wasn't a woman in the universe who could wear it on her finger.

The spaceship circled the sky once before slowly descending to the ground. The teenagers lined up and orderly disembarked from the ship. By the time Ye Fan, carrying his bag, stepped out of the cabin, the first group of youngsters had already formed a neat line.

Despite being only fourteen or fifteen years old, these kids had gone through experiences that made them mature beyond their years. They knew exactly what to do and how to survive; they were no strangers to these situations.

"Hmm, a bunch of well-behaved little ones!"

At the front of the line, a middle-aged man with slicked-back hair nodded approvingly, a stiff smile tugging at his lips.

"You won't know if they're well-behaved until you put them to work! I don't want any unruly brats under my watch." The speaker was a woman in her forties, dressed in a conservative business suit with thick layers of foundation on her face. Compared to the stiff-faced, pale man, the woman's expression was even more rigid, likely due to her fear of the makeup cracking, forcing her to maintain a single expression.

Faced with these two stern figures, the youngsters quickly lined up with military precision. They were adept at reading the room, each one standing as straight as possible, trying to show their best demeanor.

The woman's sharp gaze swept over each of the youngsters like a knife. When she saw them lower their heads under her scrutiny, she raised her chin proudly, like a general inspecting her troops.

"Hmm…"

Her gaze paused when it landed on a handsome young boy, and her eyes became even sharper. However, the boy's bright eyes showed no fear of her intimidation. This unexpected defiance made the woman's expression darken. Her eyes filled with a murderous intent, and after a moment of staring with no effect, she snorted coldly and shifted her gaze away.

"You're all lucky to be here. This is the brightest jewel of Tianlan Star, the most prestigious academy in the Aedis Federation. Getting your first job here is no small fortune.

But don't think for a second that just anyone can work here. The residents of this place are scholars brimming with knowledge, and the sons and daughters of the elite. I won't tolerate any unrefined behavior that might spoil their good mood."

After a condescending and sycophantic speech, the youngsters were led to a dormitory building. Here, they were each assigned a small room shared with one other person, along with some basic living supplies.

Before they could even rest or familiarize themselves with their new environment, the woman gathered them together again. In a spacious hall, each of them was given two sets of work uniforms and a smart wristband. They were ordered to change into their uniforms within three minutes. Then, a series of complex lessons in etiquette and protocol began in a tense atmosphere.

It was clear that in the days to come, what awaited these youngsters was not a warm welcome, but a period of indoctrination designed to teach them how to keep those high and mighty figures in a perpetually good mood.