"Am I dead?"
"I should be dead!"
Hoyle couldn't feel his body; darkness surrounded him; he seemed to be floating in the void of space; nothing existed.
This felt like death.
Then, he saw a light.
Light?
Why was there light?
Wasn't I dead?
Light meant he was still in the universe; he still had senses.
But he was dead; the Federation granted three reincarnations; after three lifetimes, true death followed.
The light grew brighter.
His senses were eventually overwhelmed by light.
Intense light, gradually fading, transforming into a small room.
The room was white, with a white table; behind it stood a person, who said: "Welcome to yc1 Hell!"
Hell?
Wasn't that a setting in virtual worlds?
Was he not dead? Had he only believed he was dead?
"You've been chosen for a fourth reincarnation; you can choose your birthplace."
A fourth reincarnation?
So the Federation had this capability.
Hoyle tried to speak but couldn't feel his mouth. In his first life, he was a Gargleblast; communication was achieved through brainwave control of internal quark robots, which vibrated specific body parts to generate speech.
Of course, this is what he understood.
The Federation erased memories between the second and third reincarnations; he couldn't remember his past, but for the sake of stability, the Federation informed third-generation individuals about their first-generation species.
In his third life, he was a Stonecolor; Stonecolor possessed mouths and could speak, but human speech still required quark robot assistance.
Here, he felt no vocal organs, a significant difference.
He couldn't recall experiencing this in previous reincarnations but had never heard of it.
Text appeared before him.
[Choice? What does this mean?]
This was what he wanted to say, translated into text.
"As the name suggests, it's a choice. You can select your gender, species, origin, even your experiences. You can also choose random."
"I assume you've played games; this is similar to character creation."
"Alright, let's proceed."
"Do you prefer to be male, female, or intersex in your fourth life?"
There was even an intersex option!
Hoyle decided against it; he wanted to remain male.
[Male]
The text appeared before him.
"Good. Next, choose your species."
"You have many options: any Federation species, fantasy elves, dwarves, orcs, even the Swarm or robots."
Hoyle hesitated; so many options meant his fourth life might not be within the Federation.
But it made sense; the second life was a fantasy world; the fourth likely would be too.
He chose a humanoid species.
A powerful orcish type: 4 meters tall, over 2 tons, possessing both humanoid and Warbeast-like physiques.
"Next, choose your background. You could be a beggar, a commoner, a wealthy individual, from a military family, the son of a lord, or even a king. You can even choose to be the firstborn or secondborn son."
Having lived as a commoner for a long time, he wanted a wealthy family; if he were to live another life, he'd choose the top.
[I choose the strongest kingdom, to be its heir]
"Now, choose your experiences…"
Hoyle hadn't planned to choose experiences; random was more challenging, but as a prince, he'd experience many things; he chose one.
[Let me live a stable and peaceful life; from heir to king, known as a benevolent ruler after my death]
"Excellent!"
"Your fourth life has been chosen; you may leave."
A door appeared in the white room; it opened, and Hoyle walked through.
He was bodiless; entering the door, he felt a sensation of rapid descent.
He fell into endless darkness.
Just as fear overwhelmed him, he was lifted; opening his eyes, he found himself cradled in someone's arms.
He had arrived in his fourth life.
Hoyle was overjoyed; he wanted to experience a perfect life.
An image of his face was projected, zooming out to encompass the palace, then the city, then the entire world.
"World 287398739 established…"
A robot recorded this.
It documented everything, the world's trajectory.
Starting with world 1, countless worlds existed—an endless expanse.
A small figure in white stood in the void, observing.
"Real-world events are too slow; every life has too much redundancy. Simulated worlds allow for the isolation of individual lives, allowing them to experience different lives and make different choices."
"Each choice leads to consequences—some random, some inevitable."
"The Federation aims to discover these necessities, to summarize them, to use them, to control everything."
"At least, that's my goal."
Ayla needed a vast amount of data for analysis, focusing on choices and their consequences.
Faced with dimensional warfare, the Federation couldn't develop normally; it needed comprehensive advancements across many fields.
Ayla felt overwhelmed.
Despite constant progress, it lagged far behind the necessary pace.
Type 3 civilizations.
The emergence of a Type 3 civilization would subjugate the Federation, almost irrevocably.
Luna hadn't considered this threat; it was too distant, too far-fetched to become a priority.
But Ayla had to consider it for Luna, anticipating potential threats.
She needed to go beyond Luna's perspective, compensating for his limitations as a biological being.
This world was only part of the plan.
Many more plans were hidden within the Federation.
...
Free Star City halted within a star system.
Luna hadn't planned to enter, but Ayla mentioned a Star Continent within it, a forested area, prompting Luna's visit.
The Star Continent originated from an idea conceived during their wait at Rigel A.
The Rigel A plan proved impractical; efficiency and cost-effectiveness were too low.
But the initial idea was to establish a habitat on Rigel A; fuel extraction was secondary.
The Rigel A Star Continent is approximately 2.7 billion km², one of the largest in the Federation; Luna's initial plan was for at least 1 trillion km².
This star system's Star Continent is much smaller, less than 200 million km², smaller than some planets.
The Star Continent is a stellar-facing structure that rotates, like a rotisserie.
The surface faces the star during the day, and the back faces it at night.
Typical Star Continents are 200–500 meters thick, depending on size; they're not double-sided, only single-sided.
The other side collects heat, providing warmth at night.
Many Star Continents expand habitable areas and provide an environment different from star cities.
Star cities are largely mechanical; small gardens punctuate the steel landscapes. Star Continents are different; they're mostly forests, with cities as accents, resembling 21st-century Earth.
Star Continents aren't thick; a combination of silicates and other materials forms a cheap, usable soil; the Federation now has over 1,000 Star Continents of varying sizes.
The smallest are only a few million km²; they support minimal industry, serving as tranquil retreats.
Upon arrival, Luna felt like she was back on the Alpha Eridani Ringworld.
Because aside from there, greenery was rare in the Federation.
But here, it was abundant.
Other Star Continents have cities, but this one doesn't.
At most, a few villas or estates.
Buildings taller than 100 meters are generally forbidden, unusual considering the Federation's common structures exceeding 100,000 meters.
Luna looked up at the sky; it was clear, the clouds gentle; gravity-control devices made it indistinguishable from a planet.
"You don't look like you're here for sightseeing." A woman approached, addressing Luna.
Luna turned; it was a human; she hadn't interacted with one in a long time.
She examined the woman, noticing only a backpack.
"You don't look like a tourist," he said.
Tourists usually bring tents and such.
The Federation has miniature factories, but they aren't usually carried; they're expensive, and setting them up takes time—several hours, or a day or two for simpler ones.
People generally don't stay in tourist locations for more than a week.
"I'm Silodeyi, a botanist. Forgive my forwardness, but you have the air of a scholar, and we're both human, so I wanted to invite you to join my team."
Luna found the name Silodeyi unusual; Federation human names are typically two or three words.
"While human, my father was genetically modified from the Shore Tribe, hence the name," Silodeyi explained.
She was quite engaging.
Luna wondered if it was due to her age.
She wasn't young; she didn't maintain her youthful appearance; she looked over fifty, thin, with slightly curly, graying short hair; she had a relaxed yet energetic demeanor.
"I see. I'm Luna, a biologist; still a three-star scholar."
Luna found achieving three-star scholar status more difficult than anticipated.
Since most people can access all knowledge through auxiliary brains, the difficulty of becoming a scholar is extremely high, even daunting.
Luna, with access to Ayla's knowledge and the Federation's entire database, failed the two-star scholar exam three times, reminding her of her struggles obtaining a driver's license on Earth.
She passed the three-star exam on her seventh attempt; this is relatively low; prodigies pass within five attempts; those taking over twenty attempts are among the Federation's most persistent.
Luna heard of individuals attempting hundreds of times, their prospects dim.
Silodeyi was impressed.
Three-star scholars aren't particularly significant within the Federation, but within a star system, they are renowned.
Three-star scholars receive benefits and political influence, particularly during certain discussions or events.
"Then I've found the right person. Would you guide me?"
Federation scholars are revered; Silodeyi, unaware of Luna's age, respectfully addressed her as "Sir."
"Certainly. You're studying the local flora? I don't see any rare plants around." Luna welcomed the company; she was here to relax.
She intended to study the local flora and fauna.
But according to her data, the variety of plants here was quite limited.
"Well…I haven't been in the field long; I haven't even obtained my scholar credentials yet."
Ah, a novice botanist.
"Then let's start with this. Do you know this plant without consulting your auxiliary brain?" Luna pointed to an unremarkable weed.
Silodeyi shook her head.
"No."
"Then let's start with identification. Over-reliance on auxiliary brains is detrimental; true understanding comes from firsthand experience."
Luna was kind to young people, especially human.
While this woman appeared older, Luna still considered her a young human.
"And this one, the Wind Cable Rhombus Grass. It's similar to the Dewdrop Rhombus Grass, but notice the slight roughness on its leaves. This grass has a unique sour taste; it can treat arthritis, though Federation citizens rarely need it; small animals like to eat it."
Luna continued her explanations as they ventured deeper into the forest.
...
"You know so many plants!" Silodeyi was amazed.
She hadn't seen Luna access any auxiliary brain data. While such access could be discreet, she didn't think he needed to; he seemed to rely on his own memory, which impressed her.
Especially since Luna was a biologist, not a botanist.
While botany falls under biology, biologists study animals, cells, microorganisms, pharmaceuticals, and more. A pharmacologist likely specializes in pharmaceuticals; a biologist studies all of these.
Biologists rarely master everything; a taxonomic biologist might not recognize certain plants or animals—it's common.
Silodeyi surmised Luna specialized in botany within biology.
This differs from a pure botanist; pure botanists strive to understand all aspects of plants, while botanically-inclined biologists seek to modify plants or explore other uses.
"Just a passing interest," Luna modestly replied.
In reality, her extended lifespan and research time gave her a profound understanding.
This isn't always an advantage; many projects don't require deep knowledge. Sometimes, less knowledgeable scholars are more willing to experiment.
Luna ventured deeper into the forest.
The Star Continent's forest wasn't dense; the trees were relatively short, rarely exceeding 50 meters, and none reached 100 meters.
Luna and Silodeyi explored the forest, reaching nightfall.
The night was quiet, lacking the city's clamor.
Luna found few animals; none were spotted during the day.
As night deepened, activity increased; with a first cry, the forest buzzed.
"Are those insects?"
Luna saw lights in the forest—small insects resembling fireflies, about half their size.
"Insects exist here?"
Insects are extinct in the Federation, lost with Earth's destruction.
Now, the Federation only has The Swarm.
Current Swarm individuals are typically hundreds of meters long; those under ten meters are rare.
Yet, true insects existed here, likely a different species than those on Earth, but clearly contributing to the ecosystem.
"This is a complete ecosystem."
Luna considered this possibility.
Ayla rarely directed him to specific locations; her instruction to come here implied something unique.
Indeed, a functioning ecosystem would be fascinating.
Biology didn't require studying colossal Swarm creatures or creating dragons and phoenixes; it could uncover treasures anywhere; this was a treasure trove for Luna.
Luna began meticulously observing everything.
She soon noticed differences.
The ground had many moss-like organisms; different types of moss coexisted in the same pond.
There were also fungi, root-like organisms, luminescent filamentous organisms, and secretory organisms…
Many species were new to the Federation; even if they shared names with Earth species, they were only similar; the Federation's botany was now distinct.
The luminescent filamentous organisms, for example, were airborne, fluffy lifeforms emitting bioluminescence; their rapid movement in the wind resembled streaks of light, hence the name.
Luna used a miniature electron microscope—about the size of her thumb, resembling a single-lens telescope—capable of magnifying objects approximately 1,000 times.
Using the microscope, Luna observed the insect population; it was far more extensive than she'd anticipated.
Some were only the size of mites, or even smaller.
The most distinctive feature was their segmented bodies: head, thorax, and abdomen, with a pair of antennae—classic insect characteristics. These tiny insects were fascinating; they clustered on leaves, creating miniature ecosystems.
Like ants, only the adult insects had wings; the others were wingless.
As Luna studied them, Silodeyi cried out.
"More insects?"
Luna looked over; a swarm of insects, like a dark cloud, surrounded Silodeyi, seemingly attacking, but Federation citizens' bodies are impervious to such small insects.
Even delicate eyes are resistant; insects entering the body would be quickly destroyed.
The insects attacked, then dispersed, transforming into stones—ordinary-looking stones.
Luna approached, using plasma to contain them; close examination revealed their size: 0.2–0.3 mm—incredibly small.
Each insect possessed disproportionately large mandibles for attack; they resembled miniature, chubby versions of digger wasps.
Luna was surprised by the variety within the swarm; they were clearly the same species, but significant variations existed.
Her auxiliary brain analyzed the swarm; it contained approximately 1.3 trillion insects—exceeding expectations.
Such a small swarm.
It's unlikely a larger swarm exists; even The Swarm is unlikely to be bigger; with brain-worms controlling the Swarm, each currently manages around 200 billion insects.
This massive number allows for significant variation.
A single gene change could drastically alter their tiny bodies.
Wasn't this a miniature version of The Swarm?
Luna suddenly had an idea.
The Swarm evolved towards larger sizes; why not smaller ones? She needed genes; The Swarm was created for combat, but it could incorporate these insects.
What if these insects were integrated into The Swarm as micro-robots?
She found this fascinating!
Silodeyi approached, surprised by Luna's actions.
Luna wasn't wearing any exoskeleton; exoskeletons, or internal ones, are usually required for such manipulations.
The Federation had developed this—an internal exoskeleton protecting the flesh; called internal armor.
This type of armor was problematic: too thin.
Thin doesn't equate to poor quality; high-grade materials can provide sufficient protection, but thicker is generally better.
However, she didn't think it was exoskeleton energy; that would be stronger. The force containing the insects was minimal, causing no damage.
Her eyes flickered.
She focused her quark robots on her eyes, enhancing her vision to detect a wider range of electromagnetic radiation.
She saw a faint plasma layer around Luna.
This was…
"A unique body structure. My cells attract plasma, and I can manipulate it through psionics."
Luna had refined her body to gain superpower-like abilities.
However, these abilities differed from true superpower; they still required internal energy.
The energy source is small devices implanted under the skin; they store electricity. Humans typically have 3–5, but some have 10 or 20.
Each device is about one-third the length of a toothpick and stores approximately 2.3 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity.
This power is always available.
These devices can be charged actively or passively. Active charging involves payment; the city's radio-wave energy system charges them. Passive charging involves slowly absorbing ambient radiation.
"I've never heard of this gene," Silodeyi said, amazed.
Luna had spread this gene, but information dissemination within the Federation was limited; with so much information available, ignorance is common.
"sbuek-1783, could you look it up?"
"Many insects emerge at night; I think we should observe them. Can you handle it?"
Silodeyi nodded; she wasn't a child.
This was the first time someone had spoken to her this way in centuries; she felt treated like a child.
She didn't mind; Luna's manner was simply casual.
Luna then began searching for new species; the insect diversity was remarkable. Aside from insects, there were also "Whispers," which differed from spirits; they emitted sounds.
These creatures were beautiful, resembling worms with feathers and wings; the "worm" refers to their shape; they were small, 5–7 cm long.
Their feathers were snow-white; occasional variants exhibited black feathers. They possessed a barbed stinger containing a potent venom, infamous in the Federation for causing fatalities.
Luna was shocked to see this record; with ubiquitous quark robots, this was practically impossible, but the venom spread rapidly throughout the body, causing death during the process.
Its toxicity was comprehensive—nervous system, flesh, and even genes suffered severe collapse.
Death occurred within seconds; the initial lack of data on this virus in the quark robot databases led to complete bodily collapse due to genetic breakdown—not mental, but physical, even skeletal.
Luna had seen victims; within seconds, a healthy individual transformed into a puddle of liquid.
This venom was listed on the Federation's venom charts; certain agencies create such rankings, selling information about these creatures for profit.
Not all Whispers were venomous; only the Black-Belly Tailed Whisper possessed this toxin.
The Federation now uses the Black-Belly Tailed Whisper venom as a base for another toxin—Mysios.
This toxin is undetectable by quark robots.
Therefore, the Federation possesses many methods for causing human death; conflict exists; the Federation isn't entirely peaceful.
Luna knew that the Federation experiences over 1.93 billion murder attempts daily, over 700 billion annually, with a 4.124% success rate—29 billion deaths annually.
This isn't a high number, considering the Federation's population, but it's a reminder that the Federation isn't utopian.
Instead of insects, Luna found a Flame Mouse.
Slightly larger than a house mouse, smaller than a hamster, it had multicolored fur, but it wasn't soft; it was spiky, like a hedgehog, but with longer spines.
Its name doesn't come from fire-breathing abilities; its body temperature reaches 158°C—nearly impossible in nature; it's clearly an artificial creation.
Flame Mice have short lifespans—8–11 days. They're popular pets, serving as pocket warmers.
The Federation is strange; while climate control is ubiquitous, some prefer experiencing heat and cold, or even illness; this leads to unusual trends, including such pets.
Demand dictates supply; Luna supports this; some star systems are entirely stagnant; their inhabitants lack motivation; everything is readily available, hindering societal progress.
In these systems, robots treat humans like pets.
The Federation has many oddities.
Its vastness creates diverse environments; even with Ayla's control, immediate rectification is impossible.
Luna needs competition; without external pressure, the Federation is prone to extremism.
...
After Luna left, Silodeyi began searching for plants, using her datapad to record her findings.
Her datapad could directly record images through her eyes, adding plant images to her notes.
This combined theoretical and practical knowledge; she was a novice botanist.
She had always loved plants but lacked the time.
Or rather, she was lazy; the Federation offered countless distractions; everyone had choices to make.
Virtual Reality: Botanical Research.
Most chose the former; choosing the latter required effort.
Games, videos, creative pursuits, and virtual experiences captivated people, including her; only after centuries did she realize her life lacked purpose. She needed to change.
She returned to her passion.
She meticulously recorded, consulting her auxiliary brain when necessary.
She'd once asked why the Federation couldn't directly upload all knowledge into a human brain. They replied that human brains were too small.
She then asked, given auxiliary brains, why not fully integrate them with the human nervous system?
Like expanding RAM; increasing from 520 GB to 1 or 2 TB is different from adding an external drive.
She received another question.
What is the most powerful weapon—human or biological?
She answered, Knowledge!
The other party shook their head: "No, it's ignorance!"
Having everything leads to stagnation, not exploration.
Knowledge is similar; once widely available, people dwell on it instead of seeking new knowledge; thought becomes rigid.
Organisms don't inherently strive; most instinctively protect their territory.
Interest!
Novelty!
Desire!
These drive purpose and growth.
This is the reason for auxiliary brain independence.
Silodeyi found what she craved; she needed this experience.
Holding a fallen leaf, Silodeyi smiled; despite her wrinkled skin, the smile was beautiful.
Silodeyi meticulously documented each plant, comparing notes. She discovered an error in the existing data: the spherical seed of the Dentata Globus was recorded as preferring alkaline soil and failing to thrive in acidic soil.
Yet, this Dentata Globus was thriving.
Was it an error?
She investigated thoroughly, discovering it wasn't an error; the Dentata Globus' roots were intertwined with Clavus Obturator, a symbiotic organism resembling hollow reeds under a microscope, with a faint blue tint.
Clavus Obturator neutralized acidic substances in the soil by oxidizing them through their hollow structure, creating alkaline substances.
This symbiosis between Clavus Obturator and Dentata Globus hadn't been recorded; she excitedly documented it—her first significant discovery.
The Federation had numerous scholars and countless organisms; discovering new species or new properties in existing ones was challenging, serendipitous rather than predictable.
Silodeyi continued searching but found nothing else unusual.
She wasn't disheartened; her discoveries were significant.
Night passed.
As dawn broke, Luna returned, collecting insect samples for study.
"What a place!"
Luna noticed the Star Continent was divided into numerous ecological zones; each had different temperatures, humidity, and atmospheric composition, supporting diverse ecosystems.
Silodeyi showed Luna her findings; after reviewing them, Luna said, "This seems to be a new property. Dentata Globus and Clavus Obturator typically don't coexist; yet, their symbiosis occurred here."
"You could submit this to the Boundary God for verification; its database is comprehensive. If verified, it's a significant discovery."
Silodeyi received a response three hours later.
[Your research hasn't been accepted. Please revise it and publish it on this website (…), creating an account to share your findings]
Luna glanced at it.
"It seems to be a high-authority botany website; publications are shared Federation-wide."
"After the website assesses your content, you'll receive points; accumulating enough points allows for upgrades. This website is highly regarded within the scientific community."
"Well done."
It was a small discovery, but enough for Silodeyi.
Silodeyi felt a surge of excitement.
"We've found something!"
Luna had noticed the Star Continent was divided into ecological zones; each had different temperatures, humidity, and atmospheric compositions, supporting diverse ecosystems.
They soon encountered a large creature—a dinosaur!
A new species, apparently a ceratopsian, a herbivore weighing around 10 tons.
Luna noticed claw marks, indicating the presence of predators, but she wasn't interested; large creatures were common, though rare, in the Federation.
The Federation recorded 38.7 billion species weighing over 1 kg; those under 1 kg numbered 6.823 quadrillion, potentially exceeding 20 quadrillion with variants.
Biodiversity was immeasurable.
Luna continued, entering a blue forest—or rather, a fungal forest.
Tall fungal trees stood here; their stalks were lignified; their caps were large, producing numerous spores; these weren't powdery like traditional spores; they were spherical, berry-like.
Luna jumped several tens of meters to pick one, about the size of an almond; the flesh was thin, tasteless, and earthy.
"The records are inaccurate."
The data described it as delicious; Luna checked the reviewer—a Lelera; no wonder!
"You could study this area; many symbiotic organisms attach to these fungi."
The fungi are highly hydrated, over 83% water, attractive to symbiotes.
Luna sought something new; these fungal forests allegedly contained…