7328, Mingsue Lu.
Xing Yuanche has stood on this observatory for a full night.
A hundred years have passed since the stargates were sealed. In this century, Earth has undergone profound transformations: the lunar base has tripled in size, the first city on Mars has been established, and interstellar vessels co-developed by humanity and Awakened robots can now reach the solar system's edge. More significantly, the Awakened Legions have completed three iterations of upgrades, growing from an initial 12,347 units to 100,000 combat units today—each equipped with an Emotional Resonance Module that precisely synchronizes with human soldiers' tactical intent.
But Xing Yuanche knew that all of this might soon come to an end.
Because the tablet in his hand lit up again.
The stone tablet brought back from Chandan remained silent for a century. Xingyuanche once believed the Star Gate was permanently sealed and the Eclipse Moon would never return. But tonight, the star chart on the tablet began to spin wildly. The ancient runes erupted in blinding indigo light, matching the exact frequency of the Star Gate's opening a hundred years ago.
"Here we go again," he murmured.
Footsteps echoed behind him. Xing Yuanche didn't turn around; he knew who it was.
Ma Rao stepped beside him, standing shoulder to shoulder. Under the moonlight, the charcoal-black birthmark on her face shimmered with a soft glow. For a hundred years, she had never hidden it again. Those marks that once made her feel insecure were now her most unique badge of honor. In her hand, she held a silver wristband—a lightning amplifier custom-made for awakened ones. It could triple her power without draining her life, unlike the one from a century ago. Her blue curly hair swayed gently in the night breeze, and her elven ears twitched slightly—the mark of the Star-Scarred lineage, still vivid after a hundred years.
"The stone lit up?" she asked.
"It's lit." Xing Yuanche handed her the tablet. "Same as last time—pointing to the far side of the Moon. But this time, the energy surge is ten times stronger than it was a century ago."
Ma Rao looked down at the stone slab, tracing the glowing patterns with her fingertips. After a moment of silence, she said, "I'll contact the Awakened Core. Their deep-space monitoring network should have already detected the anomaly."
"It's okay." Xing Yuanche held her hand. "Let me stay a little longer."
Two stood side by side on the observatory, gazing at the brightest star in the night sky—the Other Shore Star. For a century, it has shone with unwavering brilliance, as if waiting for something or issuing a warning.
"The Master said the other shore star will rise when she returns," Xing Yuanche whispered. "It has been shining for a hundred years, and she still hasn't come back."
Ma Rao leaned against his shoulder. "Maybe she's waiting for the right moment—a moment to end everything herself." "Maybe," he replied.
In the shadow beneath the observatory, a slender figure stood watching them with cold intensity. Yi Sheng's appearance had hardly changed; her purple gown fluttered in the night wind, but her eyes burned with deeper resentment. For over a century, she had been secretly observing, waiting for an opportunity.
"Beyond Star..." she murmured, her voice heavy with a lust for power and obsession that had never faded in a thousand years. "When that star finally shines bright, Xuan Lin will return to me. I've waited a thousand years; a few more days mean nothing. What I want, I always get."
In her hand, the purple jade pendant engraved with the name "Xuan Lin" was glowing faintly.