Chapter 673 Steel-Gray Sky and Earth

Rose Federation, Jivilia Star Region.

The sky was an extremely delicate and soft gray, as if pottery red and bluestone were evenly spread on the drawing board, making the picture seem to be shrouded in the morning light, with a hazy beauty.

A gray steel heavy shuttle with a similar color to the sky flew over, and then the jet nozzle turned downward, causing it to slowly fall.

The side door opened, and a girl wearing a bright white dress with floral patterns walked out. She looked to be in her early twenties, with beautiful blonde hair and a pair of eye-catching curved horns.

A small car circled along the mountain road and quickly came to the landing site of the shuttle. Then the door opened and a young man wearing a T-shirt and sunglasses walked out.

"Rokola." He called the horned girl overlooking the scenery in front of the hillside, and then walked over.

The blonde horned girl turned around and smiled at the young man who came to pick her up.

"Long time no see, Brother Li Qi."

"You too, you've been studying in the Central Star Region for several years, and now you're finally back." As they spoke, the two stood together, looking at the city in the distance on this delicate gray-red land.

Tall steel buildings stood, extending from the far horizon to the end of the sky. Above these steel buildings were heavy shuttles that took off and landed from time to time, with containers hanging under them, traveling to and from this industrial behemoth city.

"Even though we're so far apart, I can still hear the roar and vibration coming from them. No wonder people often say that growing up in such a giant industrial city will make your ideas become more far-reaching." The girl looked at the distant city.

"Haha, you seem to have a lot of feelings after not seeing you for a few years." The young man smiled and turned his head.

"Yes, I've seen a lot of different concepts in the Central Star Region in the past few years." Thinking of the turmoil and changes in the Central Star Region in the past few years, she was also a little dazed. It was only 6 years, but it seemed like a century had passed when she recalled it.

After the civil war between the Western Star Region and the Central Star Region ended, the entire Federation set off a large-scale ideological change. The sacred halo that the Central Star Region had longed for in the past was broken. Many people began to post reflections on social media and denounced the depravity and corruption under the glamorous coat of the Central Star Region, such as the gradually solidified academic cliques, and the entertainment and film and television were controlled by a few giant companies. The Central Star Region was able to maintain advanced prosperity because it sucked the blood of the entire Federation, allowing countless geniuses to go there and make it burn and shine, and the Federation Center itself did not return the resources to the star regions, etc.

In such a reflective environment, the ideological trends that were not mainstream began to rise, and various speeches and theories began to be discussed. Therefore, since the end of the civil war, the Central Star Region of the Federation has been full of various quarrels in the past year.

Members of the Central Parliament quarreled, students debated in various campuses, and the conventions of various industries began to be broken, and many things that were covered up in the past were also revealed.

The failure of the war was not only a concession in terms of interests, but also a knockout of the arrogance that the Central Star Region had accumulated for hundreds of years. Many people became at a loss. It was also with this opportunity that many previously inconspicuous local star regions began to show up on the Internet and social media, and to show the unique cultural environment of their star regions.

"Recently, Givilla has also been exposed more in the media." Rokora said about the various videos and discussions she had seen.

"In the past, our orc tribes were all synonymous with stereotyped barbarism." As she said this, the horned girl thought of something.

"There is also the Four-Leaf Crystal Star Region. Although it is not large, their environmental governance project has now been praised by many people."

"I remember you went there in high school and was an exchange student for a year." The young man recalled the past.

"Yes, so I said, it feels like a world away, because when I went to the Four-Leaf Crystal, it was not as beautiful as it was shown on the Internet, but a gray world full of rust and steel." Rokora took out her personal terminal and searched for the photos stored in it.

"Look."

In the photo, Rokola was wearing a sun hat and standing on a tall iron tower. Behind her and below was a bottomless city wellhead. Many old shuttles were taking off and landing. The mottled and peeling anti-rust paint was clearly visible on the steel frame beside her arm.

"You may not believe it, but the day I went to the Four Leaf Crystal, I must have met the real singer and talked to her." Thinking of the scene at that time, Rokola still remembered it vividly.

"Tilan was quite cute. It was obviously her own singing video, but she said she didn't know her. She was dressed like an ordinary student at that time. It was so simple that I didn't recognize her at that time."

"However, when we were about to leave, I asked her name and she told me. Just like the rumors on the Internet, Tilan really doesn't cheat on this ability and is very serious about small things." Rokola smiled.

"It's a pity that the school I was an exchange student at was not Edes, so I couldn't go to the same school as her. If I could have been her classmate at that time, it would have been a very memorable experience."

"Now there seems to be no news about Tilan." The young man recalled that in the past year, this up-and-coming new singer seemed to have disappeared and no longer appeared on various media platforms.

"Well, I saw the official announcement saying that she was in seclusion, which seems to be some kind of traditional custom in the East." Rokora walked on the ground a few steps to stretch her body.

"But some people say that she is missing. Anyway, I don't believe it. After all, she is the singer. There are so many people protecting her. How could she suddenly disappear? If this is true, the court of inquiry should have been held accountable long ago." Rokora likes Tilan very much, and she is not the dark and melancholy Tilan that is circulated on the Internet, but the more real, slightly simple and shy Tilan.

"Although there are not many discussions, I think there are still many people like me, quietly waiting for her to come back, release new songs online, and tell the future she longs for in her songs."

"Next time I see her, I must say hello to her."

After saying that, Rokora put her hands behind her back and looked at the delicate gray-red land. A newly built large battleship slowly crossed the blue sky above her head.

The straight and advanced outline, gray-red battleship armor, and the central axis main gun that runs through the entire ship body, the edge corners of the battleship, the white horn beast head logo is clearly engraved.

'Qiuniu Heavy Industry', a giant military-industrial enterprise entrenched in the Jivilia star field, existed in the early days of the Federation. It was once weak and backward, but it was revived again in the civil war four hundred years ago, and participated in the research and development of the 'Sigh Dragon' class battleship at that time. After the civil war, it was officially split by the Federation. The factory in the Four-Leaf Crystal Star Field was sold and abandoned. Later, the headquarters moved to Jivilia in the north of the Federation and became an important economic pillar of the local star field.

——————

Unknown lost planet, the northern continent.

The July wind blew, and the land that was once wet with rain became dry and cracked into countless cracks. Some tiny grasses were mixed in, shaking and swaying in the wind.

A heavy hoof stepped into the earth, squeezing the cracked soil into powder fragments, and then the thick fur covered the sky and continued to walk in the barren wilderness.

This is a team traveling in the wild. They have more than ten yaks with dark brown thick hair. The accompanying personnel all have erected round ears. They are wearing forged standard steel armor, and they have threaded lances and two-handed long swords in their hands.

Walking in the dry wind, this team struggled to pass through this long wilderness. The journey of nearly 30 days gradually exhausted them and made them exhausted.

However, the almost endless desolate scenery in their vision finally changed. At the junction of the sky and the earth, a touch of gold gradually appeared.

There were some wheat straws left in the fields after the harvest, as well as bundles of hay covered with a rainproof roof.

"We are finally here. Is this the land full of abundance that they said?" The group paused for a moment and stopped to look at the square golden wheat fields in the wilderness.

"Let's go. We should be able to have a good meal now." The leader waved his hand. The group, who had regained their confidence, led the yaks and continued to move forward, slowly walking towards the grassland settlement where there was a lot of noise and people.

The walls were built with fired bricks. This newly built town was very lively. Now the most eye-catching thing in the town was the two-story tavern, where many guests stayed and lived. Behind the tavern were two rows of houses for overnight rest. There were also sheds for livestock on the side, with clean water and sufficient grass.

When the team walked into the town, they looked around with curiosity. The round ears on their heads also shook slightly, listening to the sounds coming from all directions.

There were stalls trading various goods, wanderers looking for temporary jobs, merchant teams coming to trade, and of course local residents. They all wore the silver star logo, as if it was the greatest honor and symbol of identity.

Stopping in front of a bakery that was emitting a fragrant aroma, the captain came to the window to ask.

The shop was filled with all kinds of ready-made bread, including the most basic long loaves of bread, white bread, and slightly better butter bread and sandwich bread. On the shelf at the back, there were even a few breads with meat and vegetables.

"How much is the bread?"

The shop owner was looking at a woman in her late 40s. Her skin was brown and thick, which was the physical characteristic of the members of the Heshan Rescue Society.

"Judging from your appearance, it should be your first time here. If you don't have the currency made by the Star-Seeking Covenant, please exchange it with goods that are easy to circulate."

"Is this okay?" The captain took out a few gems from his pocket.

"Gems are okay, but they are not valuable." Although they look good, they are not practical, and with the technology of some large organizations, they can actually make gems and glass by themselves.

"In this case." The captain took out a badge pressed with gold, with the head of the mouse-eared tribe on it, and the golden cosmos pattern on the back.

"It seems that you are from the Iron Rat Kingdom in the east." The shopkeeper put away the gold emblem, then took down three long loaves of bread, wrapped them up, and handed them the change, telling them that they could use it in the town.

"Thank you." After receiving it, the captain replied gratefully, and then called everyone to move towards the tavern.

On the way through the street, they saw no less than ten different races, including members of the Heshan Rescue Society, cat-tailed species, fox-tailed species, wolf-blooded species, and even saw a figure with butterfly wings flying by.

"That's the butterfly-eyed species." Someone in the team looked at the back of the sky in surprise.

"Yes, the once powerful butterfly-eyed species." The captain replied, and then called everyone to lead the yaks into the large tavern that could accommodate hundreds of people.

First, under the guidance of the tavern staff, the yaks were tied in the livestock shed, and some people followed the captain into the tavern.

There were lively sounds here, and the fragrance of various meals was overflowing, which made people want to eat. They also followed the people in front to find a place to sit down and asked about the menu and prices here.

More than ten minutes later, the members who had ordered the meal came back.

"The food here is very reasonably priced. It looks like we can have a good rest today."

"Finally, we can have a good rest and sleep." One of them sighed.

"I've never heard of this town before."

"Who built it? It's so prosperous. There are no thieves or robbers on the road. There are not even beggars or sick people."

"It was Lady Heshia who built this city. You will know later what a great person she is." The waiter of the tavern told them proudly.

Hearing the waiter speak, the captain couldn't help but be curious and asked many questions in succession, such as how the vast wheat fields here were cultivated, and whether the food here is really as the legend says, all rare and pure food, even if eaten for a long time, it will not cause harm.

"You ask too many questions. I still have to work now." Although the waiter wanted to answer, the store was very busy.

"Turn left after leaving the tavern, it's a bookstore. There are many practical books sold there, including books that answer your questions."

"There are actually precious books for sale. Have they mastered the technology of mass printing?" Several people at the scene became curious again, and they wanted to skip meals and go over to take a look.

But everyone was still too hungry and tired at this time, so they had to eat something first.

After a delicious dinner, everyone went to the rest room to spend the night. As for the bread they bought before, it was their breakfast and dry food for the next few days.

The next morning, they found the bookstore. Judging from the wooden boards and decorations, it should have been newly built not long ago. The owner of the bookstore was very special. She had a good-looking appearance, and the pair of snow-white wings behind her were even more eye-catching.

"Welcome~ cute mice." Looking at the several mouse-eared people who walked into the store, the angel-like woman jumped down from the hanging horizontal chair and landed in front of them.

"I am the bookstore owner here, Celitia. Tell me, what kind of knowledge are you thirsting for?" Her two hands were lightly placed together, and her golden eyes looked at these unfamiliar faces with a lot of curiosity.

Is this the mouse-eared people she had seen in the book before? Although they are not tall, they look a little cute. It is indeed a successful race created by our silver-winged species.

Relying on her knowledge and skills in making and printing books, Celitia soon became a member of the Star-Chasing Covenant. This was three days before she opened her bookstore. Unexpectedly, she met the secondary race created by the Silver Wings so soon.

Although no one knows, they do rule this planet invisibly, and many races and lives on the earth are also created by them.

The development trajectories of these lives have also become their best observation objects and experimental materials, paving the way for the advancement of the Silver Wings civilization.

(End of this chapter)