Chapter 12

"Welcome home, resident." A soft, electronic female voice greeted him.

Parker passed through the facial recognition gate.

There weren't even security guards at the entrance—just two intelligent robots stationed at a distance.

Inside the complex, all the buildings were mid-rise, standing at eleven stories each.

Because of the ongoing threat of war, ultra-high-rise buildings had been banned for decade. Most structures were now around ten stories tall, with the tallest ones not exceeding eighteen.

Despite being over twenty years old, Platinum Gardens had been well-maintained.

Parker's home was in Building Two, Unit Two.

"Heading home from school, Parker?"

An elderly couple was jogging along the green pathway inside the complex.

"Yeah, Granny Sun. You two are out exercising again?" Parker replied with a smile.

Though this was a commercial residential complex, most of its early buyers had been employees from the same state-owned enterprise, purchasing their units at a company-discounted rate.

In a way, this place functioned like a corporate housing community.

After so many years, most of the residents had become familiar with one another.

"Granny Sun and her husband are almost ninety, but they're still in great shape. They haven't even bought a home care robot," Parker mused. "According to history books, over a hundred years ago, the average life expectancy was only seventy or eighty."

Thanks to the widespread practice of Cultivation Methods, barring accidental deaths, the average lifespan of a Blue Earth citizen had surpassed a hundred years. In Solara, the average was closer to one hundred and ten.

And if one became an Initiate Martial Cultivator, their lifespan would be even more astonishing.

Just as Parker reached his building's entrance—

"Brother?"

A delighted voice called from a distance.

"Brother~!"

A second, more cheerful voice followed.

Thud! Thud!

Two figures, around twelve or thirteen years old, dashed toward him from the shadows, dressed in loose martial attire.

"Lily, Lucas." Parker smiled. "Why aren't you home yet?"

The girl was bright and energetic, her fair skin glowing under the lights. Her eyes sparkled with liveliness.

The boy, still youthful in appearance, was already nearly as tall as Parker, standing half a head taller than his twin sister.

Lily Parker and Lucas Parker—his uncle and aunt's twin children. They were fourteen and in their second year of middle school.

"Brother, we just finished practicing in the martial arts hall," Lily giggled, clinging to Parker's arm and swinging it playfully.

Parker smiled. "How was it?"

Every residential complex was required by law to have a public sports center, funded by the government and managed by the property administration, offering free access to all residents.

"Not great. Too many people, not enough space to train." Lucas shook his head.

"At your age, focus on building a strong foundation—more stance training, more time refining your Cultivation Methods," Parker advised. "Especially you, Lucas. Since you've already awakened Martial Intuition, there's no need to rush."

Lucas had outstanding martial arts talent.

Lily, on the other hand, was far less gifted in martial arts, but she excelled in academics.

"Mm-hmm." Lucas nodded, then suddenly remembered something. "Brother, wasn't today your school's Martial Essence Test?"

Lily turned to Parker as well.

"I didn't succeed." Parker shook his head lightly, unconcerned.

Lily and Lucas exchanged looks.

"Brother, don't get discouraged! Even without Martial Intuition, you can still get into Martial Cultivation University!" Lily grinned. "Let's go home first. Mom just texted me, asking when we'll be back."

"Hey, go pick up the package from the property office," she added, tugging at Parker's sleeve as she moved toward the elevator.

"Lucas, you do it this time. I went last time." Lucas sighed in exasperation.

"Good little brother~"

"Lily, go with Lucas." Parker ruffled her hair.

"Ugh, brother!!"

…

Click. The door unlocked.

"Mom! Brother's home with us!" Lily called out before even stepping inside.

"You're all back?"

A voice came from within.

Following behind his younger siblings, Parker finally entered.

His eyes swept across the room—it wasn't small by any means.

Four bedrooms, one living room, 130 square meters.

At a glance, the furnishings and decorations seemed a bit outdated.

"Uncle, Aunt." Jordan Parker saw his uncle and aunt emerging from the bedroom. His aunt was dressed in long-sleeved pajamas, her face bare of makeup.

His uncle had put on some weight and had a tanned complexion, but he was neatly dressed—black short-sleeved shirt, long pants, and sneakers, ready to head out.

"Jordan." His aunt smiled upon seeing him.

"Lily, you two go back to your room and freshen up. Your dad and I need to talk to your brother," his aunt instructed.

"Okay."

"Brother, don't open my package! I want to do it myself later," Lily Parker tugged at Lucas Parker, set down her package, and hurried into her room.

In the living room, only Jordan Parker and his uncle and aunt remained.

"Uncle, another business trip?" Jordan asked in a low voice, having already noticed the large suitcase in the living room.

His uncle worked for a state-owned enterprise in civil engineering, constantly traveling across the country for projects. Business trips were routine for him.

"Yeah, I just got the notice this afternoon," his uncle nodded.

"Where to? Why so urgent?" Jordan asked.

A flicker of hesitation crossed his aunt's face.

"There's no need to hide it—Jordan's old enough," his uncle chuckled, then looked at him. "Northern Frontier."

"Another urgent trip… and to Northern Frontier again?" Jordan was momentarily stunned before a realization hit him. His expression grew tense. "The Secondary Star Realm—Lobu Sea?"

"You saw the news too?" Uncle asked.

"Mm." Jordan Parker nodded.

The Septastar Worlds were vast and far apart, each home to multiple Star Realms. Among them, Blue Earth had one of the lowest numbers of Star Realms among the Seven Great Planets.

Star Realms were portals leading to alien civilizations deep within the Stellar Sea, serving as the frontlines of humanity's war against them.

The highest-ranking Star Realm within Solara's borders was the Robhai Star Realm in Northern Frontier Province. As a Secondary Star Realm, it was heavily fortified with stationed troops year-round.

Lately, at school, Jordan had heard rumors that another war had erupted in Robhai Star Realm, but he hadn't known how serious it was. Now, it seemed the situation was dire.

"The war in Robhai broke out suddenly. Headquarters has ordered us to assist in the construction efforts." Uncle smiled, his expression lighthearted.

"We're leaving tonight—our train departs at 3 AM," Aunt Grace said, her eyes filled with worry.

Jordan looked at his uncle, feeling the same unease.

His memories of his parents were hazy—they had passed away when he was only two or three years old. Since then, his uncle and aunt had raised him as their own. To him, they were his parents.

His uncle, Charles Parker, had decent martial talent. He graduated from Norhaven Martial University, double-majoring in Civil and Marine Engineering, and eventually became a mid-level manager at a state-owned enterprise with a respectable salary.

His aunt, Grace Chen, was a high school math teacher.

By now, the couple should have accumulated a comfortable amount of savings—so why had they always lived in an old apartment complex?