For humanity, burn the stars.

As Qin Heling was pondering silently, he heard a reminder.

A soft hum came from the manor as a spaceship landed safely on the lawn meticulously manicured by the robots.

Soon, Luke's cheerful, synthesized voice came through the communicator:

"Qin Heling, are you ready?"

"We should get going."

"This stage was specially built for you today."

Qin Heling nodded slightly, turned around and walked to the wardrobe, where she selected and put on the general's uniform from the Earth United Fleet.

The fabric is delicate, the cut is perfect, and it fits the body perfectly.

He will continue to endure in order to find a way to leave.

Before leaving, Qin Heling stared at himself in the mirror for a moment.

That angular face, typical of people of Asian descent, was expressionless, except for a pair of deep black eyes that were utterly calm.

—It was like a bottomless abyss.

-----------------

The school for the Vira nobles, which Luke and Varian attended, was also located on the edge of the top-tier city.

The sprawling academy's architectural style blends elements from various plundered civilizations, yet appears bizarre due to a lack of internal logic.

That's to be expected, since it's just a combination of different elements.

Luke went inside the school alone, while Qin Heling was placed inside a cylindrical device.

It is filled with a special liquid, which, when soaked in and filled into the lungs, allows for direct and efficient gas exchange.

Immersed in it, Qin Heling quietly watched the outside world before being transported to a special empty cabin.

He looked around and saw mostly artifacts or works of art left behind by pre-human civilizations, proving the existence of humankind.

There was even a small aircraft that was about thirty meters long.

This warehouse, likely prepared specifically for this symposium, will gradually move the exhibits to the classroom display stands.

Qin Heling turned his head slightly and saw a cylindrical object similar to his own beside him.

It's a pity that it only contained a white specimen, not a living person.

He shook his head slightly and waited silently in the dim light.

-----------------

As soon as Luke entered the classroom, dozens of other young Vera who had arrived earlier immediately cast curious glances at him.

The optical fibers on their heads swayed gently like a forest, communicating and fluctuating with each other, just like a patch of seaweed.

Several Vera surrounded Luke, eagerly asking him questions during their conversation:

"Luke, what did you bring to this seminar?"

"Is it an artwork, or some kind of installation?"

Luke's fiber optic organ curled gracefully, several tentacles overlapping in front of him, displaying utter composure:

"What's the rush? You'll find out soon enough."

"I guarantee it will be a surprise you can't even imagine."

One of them, Vera, who was slightly plump and had skin that was purple with a hint of silver-gray sheen, approached via the gliding levitation device.

Its whiskers displayed a friendly gesture, but the consciousness it conveyed carried a clear sense of rivalry.

"Hmph, I've brought my ultimate move today too."

Rook glanced at Vera casually, not taking her seriously.

The other person's name is Hector, and like Varian, his father's status is very close to that of his father.

Rook was actually quite curious about its special move.

However, given its competitive nature, it only showed disdain for this.

Just then, a voice came from the direction of the podium, drowning out the subtle noise in the classroom.

The mentor in charge of this seminar, in human terms, is like a homeroom teacher.

That was an older female Vera, with a deeper purple skin that faintly tinged with a purplish-red sheen.

Its optical fiber organ is adorned with several tiny beads of light, which are symbols of academic qualifications.

It hovered to the center of the stage, its gaze slowly sweeping across the entire audience, before beginning to speak:

"Students, quiet down."

It was clear English, but it wasn't produced by a synthesizer.

Rather, it uses its own vocal organs to imitate human vocalization, proving that it is indeed an expert in this field.

"Today, we are holding a seminar on the theme of 'Research on the Remains of Human Civilization'."

"We hope that the exhibits or reports you bring will not only present the remnants of human materialism, but also touch upon certain fragments of their spiritual world."

"Therefore, today, I ask you to communicate entirely in human language."

"Remember, the purpose of observation is not to judge, but to understand differences."

"And I also hope you remember that the planet we live on today was once the planet of humankind, and express your respect and gratitude to them."

If Qin Heling were here and heard these words, he would probably just laugh out loud.

Just like Thanksgiving, which was established by the United States, anyone who knows its origins would only think it's crocodile tears.

In any case, the seminar proceeded as scheduled.

The students' suspended seats automatically shifted to both sides, leaving a wide central display area.

The central metal floor is flexible and deformable, as if it were liquefied, and can change to create matching passages according to the size of the exhibits.

Following the order indicated by the students, each exhibit rose one by one from the center of the spacious classroom, with the owners stepping forward to introduce or explain them.

Stone tablets inscribed with ancient scripts, uniquely functional electronic devices, holographic images recording the natural scenery of the Earth…

Each exhibit, when it rises, triggers a slight sway and exchange of light through the optical fibers.

Most of them were just curious, with a few occasional whispered comments.

Hector waited patiently in the audience, glancing at Luke beside him from time to time.

When another exhibit was displayed, it finally couldn't resist waving its tentacles to indicate that it was its turn.

Soon, a cylindrical, transparent container slowly rose up in the center of the classroom.

Suspended in the liquid is a specimen of a white male wearing the uniform of a vice admiral in the Earth Combined Fleet.

His face was resolute, his gray hair was neatly trimmed, and his eyes were closed, as if he were simply asleep.

The general's star insignia on the shoulder straps of the uniform were clearly visible even through the liquid, and several medals of honor were also worn on the chest.

Upon seeing these amazing exhibits, a low murmur arose in the classroom.

Many Vera students couldn't resist moving closer to examine the specimen's facial features and clothing details.

Even the instructor on the podium nodded slightly, his beard swaying gently in approval.

Hector, who was also Vera who had previously said she had a special move, floated forward lightly.

It waved its tentacles around the specimen, as if to display its own exhibit and to prove that it was the owner of the exhibit.

This perfectly preserved and exquisite human specimen is its so-called ultimate weapon.

"Lieutenant General Chester Vanderbilt, I think you all probably remember this figure who appears in textbooks."

"The deputy commander of the Earth Alliance Fleet's Outer Oort Cloud border defense line, at that time, used his meager strength and tactics to create great resistance against us."

"Ultimately, this forced us to use a high-powered weapon to wipe out 30% of the Oort cloud's mass in one strike, creating a breakthrough."

"And he was one of the few precious specimens that retained his complete posture during the subsequent recovery."

Even in this prestigious school, not every Vera family has a collection of specimens, and children are not necessarily allowed to take them out.

Moreover, specimens with such an identity are truly rare.

Amidst the gasps of many Vera, Hector glanced at Ruk below, seemingly unintentionally, with a hint of provocation.

Luke was initially annoyed, but he quickly just smiled and didn't take it to heart.

After all, compared to the exhibits it brought, this was nothing more than a soulless, lifeless object.