In the year 3022 , a spacecraft was sailing through the vastness of space. 

On board this ship was a peculiar group.

Grandfather Lin Junbao, born in 3780 AD, was now 112 years old. A retired military man, he had stepped down from his role as a lieutenant general in the Special Mecha Assault Corps at the age of 100. He was once the commanding officer of the elite unit and was known as "Silver Panther" within the mecha troops. Having evolved to the eleventh level, his greatest wish after retirement was to embark on interstellar exploration.

Grandmother Zhong Beiwen, eleven years younger than Grandfather, was now 101 years old. She was a renowned scientist in human evolution and a senior academician at the Institute of Human Technological Evolution, having evolved to the ninth level. Her greatest desire was to see her grandchildren grow into responsible adults, and then, together with her husband, travel the stars in search of the mysterious unnamed planet where a miraculous evolution agent had once been discovered.

The elderly couple had three sons and a daughter, but none of them were present on the ship.

Due to the effects of the evolution agents, people generally waited until they were around forty to marry and even longer to have children. Thus, their children were still focused on their careers. Grandfather Lin knew it was impossible to ask his children to join him on this adventure, so he requested that his grandchildren be sent to the spacecraft instead, under the guise of “giving them experience while letting their parents focus on work.”

Thus, the ship ended up with four mischievous grandchildren on board. To Grandfather Lin’s regret, not one of his children had a daughter, leaving him without a granddaughter.

The ship was named *The Silver Panther*. Aside from the elderly couple and their four grandsons, five crewmembers were aboard, all former subordinates of Grandfather Lin. After retiring, they chose to join their old commander rather than seeking work elsewhere.

The eldest grandson, Lin Qiyong, was 28 years old and an exceptional pilot of small combat mecha ships. He had evolved to the third level, allowing him to briefly walk in space without protection. Agile and strong, he was known for his bold, friendly personality.

The second grandson, Lin Qimeng, was 25 years old, with a burly physique and a passion for combat. Like his brother, he had evolved to the third level, but unlike Qiyong, he had entered the ranks of super-evolvers and became an early-stage awakener, commonly known as an Earth Awakened. He was silent and reserved, but when it came to single combat, he was the best on the ship.

The third grandchild, Ke Zhenfeng, was 19 years old. Fascinated by mechanics and weapon crafting, he had earned the nickname "Little Weapon Genius." He had evolved to the first level.

The youngest grandson, Lin Qiyu, was 16 years old, the apple of his grandmother’s eye, mischievous and daring. He would try anything, often the cause of laughter on the ship. His best friend was Ke Zhenfeng. Lin Qiyu was the only one on the ship who had not yet received an evolution injection and was therefore the crew’s primary focus for protection. Despite this, he was a skilled hacker in the Federation's virtual network, proficient in cracking various codes.

The *Silver Panther* was a gift from Grandfather Lin’s comrades after his retirement. They had taken an old, decommissioned medium-sized mecha assault ship and refurbished it with modern technology, installing a variety of military-grade weaponry.

They knew that interstellar travel was fraught with unknown dangers, and having such equipment was akin to adding an extra layer of protection.

This ship was twice the size of a typical civilian exploration craft. In the eyes of most civilian explorers, *The Silver Panther* was a beast of a ship. There was only one lab onboard, reserved for Grandmother Zhong Beiwen, but there were five armories, one of which spanned over 200 square meters and housed twelve of the latest single-pilot combat mecha ships.

Most impressively, the ship had two particle beam cannons installed on either side, a high-powered laser cannon at the bow, and numerous hidden missile launchers tucked beneath its armor.

The ship’s energy shields boasted eighteen layers of high-energy protection, six more than its original design as a medium-sized assault ship, making it almost comparable to the heavy-class mecha ships that had only three more layers of shielding.

Grandfather Lin was so delighted when he first saw the ship that he couldn’t stop smiling for three days straight. It wasn’t that he intended to attack anyone with this monstrous ship, but rather that it reminded him of his time in the military, commanding his beloved mecha fleet.

As he sat in the ship's command cabin, leisurely sipping misty cloud tea, his eldest grandson Lin Qiyong was piloting the ship.

The modified ship could be piloted by just two people, and it could even navigate on autopilot, far easier than the military’s mecha ships. However, if the weapons system was activated, at least five people would be required to operate it effectively, though it could also function in automatic attack mode.

Lin Qiyong grumbled, "Grandpa, we've already scouted seven or eight unnamed planets. What exactly is Grandma looking for?"

Grandfather Lin, smiling, took a sip of tea and replied, "I have no idea what your grandmother is after, she’s been all mysterious about it. Why don't you ask her yourself?"

Suddenly, Grandfather's eyes lit up. "Hey, Qiyong, look over there. That planet doesn’t seem to be on the star map!"

Lin pressed a button on the armrest and said, “Old Gao, come over here…” After a moment’s thought, he pressed another button and added, “Beiwen, we’ve found an unknown planet. Do you want to take a look?” His tone was so gentle, it was hard to believe it came from a centenarian.

Lin Qiyong laughed, “Grandpa, every time I hear you call Grandma like that... I can’t handle it.”

Grandfather Lin mock-scolded, “You little rascal! Teasing your grandpa now, huh? I’ll have you cleaning compartment two later… How dare you make fun of me!”

Lin Qiyong yelped, “No, Grandpa! Don’t make me clean it again! I didn’t say anything, I swear!”

Old Gao hurriedly walked in, and Lin Qiyong said, "Hello, Uncle Gao!"

Old Gao was Lin Junbao’s lifelong comrade-in-arms. He had served as the commander of the Special Mecha Assault Corps' assault battalion. His name was Gao Liansheng, and due to severe injuries, he had become a special-class disabled veteran and retired early.

He was a tactical genius, having once evolved to the twelfth level, but after his injuries, he regressed to the seventh level.

He smiled and said, "Xiaoyong, how about we spar again sometime?"

Lin Qiyong raised one hand, clenched his fist, and said, "Next time, I’ll definitely win!"

Lin Junbao pointed to a yellowish planet on the left side of the ship and said, "Why isn't this planet marked on the star map?"

Gao Liansheng squinted, carefully examined the planet, then turned to check the star map. After a while, he said, "You're right, it's a new one. Should we go explore it? Or should we bring the missus over?"

Lin Junbao replied, "I've already called her, she’s probably with Yuer." He pressed the communication button again and said, "Weimin, want to come and take a look?"

"Junbao, stop calling, I'm already here… Ah, Yuer, what are you doing? I told you, you can’t inject the evolution agent yet. Be a good boy, Yuer! Listen to Grandma, you have to wait until you're eighteen to use the evolution agent, not now."

A white-haired woman, with a figure like a woman in her thirties, walked through the door. She was the mistress of the ship, Zhong Beimin. Following closely behind her was a teenager, the youngest grandson whom the elderly couple adored, Lin Qiyu.

Lin Qiyu stood 165 cm tall, with soft features resembling his grandmother, sharp, lively eyes, and a slender build. Since he hadn’t injected the evolution agent yet, it was hard to tell how he would develop in the future.

Lin Junbao smiled and said, "Yuer, come here to Grandpa."

Lin Qiyu shouted, "Hello, Grandpa! Hello, Uncle Gao! Big Brother, when can you let me fly the ship? I've been flying simulators all the time. It’s boring. Flying the real thing is way more exciting!"

He was not only bold and mischievous but also the most skilled flatterer among the four kids.

Zhong Beimin carefully examined the star map and said with suspicion, "This planet is quite strange. Let's analyze its composition."

Old Gao quickly moved to the control panel, swiftly tapping keys as he said, "Analyzing... planetary composition... primary components…"

As he spoke, a series of pale green numbers began scrolling upward on a transparent glass-like display screen.

Lin Junbao exclaimed in surprise, "Huh, the oxygen content is so high. There’s water... hmm, signs of life... this planet is very unusual. A planet with life, yet it hasn’t been developed? Weimin, should we land and investigate?"

Before anyone could respond, Lin Qiyu shouted, "Yay! Finally, we get to explore! Grandpa, Grandma, I’m going to prepare the gear. I’m definitely going this time."

Without waiting for a reply, he dashed out of the cockpit and ran to find Ke Zhenfeng.

Gao Liansheng chuckled and said, "The little rascal is all riled up. But Yuer still shouldn't be in the first group to go down. Let’s understand the situation first."

Lin Qiyong laughed, "If Xiaoyu hears you say that, he’ll go nuts for sure."

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Lin Junbao smiled and said, "Don’t make fun of your little brother, Yong’er. Once Yuer begins his evolution, none of you will be able to surpass him."

Zhong Beimin chimed in, "Junbao, what have you turned these kids into? Always fighting, not a single one of them sits quietly. I think only Feng’er is the calm one, tinkering with gadgets in his room all day... Sigh, none of these kids are interested in my field of study. I have no successor in my profession."

Lin Junbao proudly stroked his beard and discreetly winked at Gao Liansheng.

Gao Liansheng, fully understanding the old commander’s meaning, smiled faintly and said, "No need to worry, Sister-in-law. These kids are all very capable, especially Yuer. Last time he almost beat me in a simulated battle—he’s even better than Yong’er."

Lin Qiyong muttered under his breath, "Entering orbit now, beginning countdown. Four hours and eighteen minutes remaining."

He couldn’t help but feel slightly annoyed, thinking that Uncle Gao must have been going easy on Lin Qiyu.

Meanwhile, Lin Qiyu dashed down the corridor on the left, heading straight for Hangar One, where the single-person combat mecha were stored.

Pushing open the door, he shouted, "Third Brother! Third Brother! Where are you? Come out quick!"

Clang!

The hatch on the floor popped open, and a head covered in grease and grime poked out. It was a chubby, round face.

"Yuer, why are you in such a hurry? Come down here!" The head disappeared back into the hatch.

Lin Qiyu swiftly ran to the hatch, grabbed the edge, and nimbly dropped down.

This was a roughly fifteen-square-meter lower cargo hold, which used to be a storage area for spare parts for the mecha ships. Ke Zhenfeng had transformed it into his private workshop and storage room.

Lin Qiyu, frustrated that he had not yet evolved, would often hang out with Ke Zhenfeng, tinkering with small gadgets to compete with his older brothers. Over the years, the two had come up with many quirky inventions.

Ke Zhenfeng was a genius in engineering and a master at assembling machines. No matter what it was, once in his hands, he could modify it in unimaginable ways.

He and Lin Qiyu were the closest of friends, and Ke had made many strange devices for him. When Lin Qiyu heard they were going to explore an uncharted planet, his first thought was to seek out Ke Zhenfeng to prepare.

Excited, Lin Qiyu exclaimed, "Third Brother, we’re about to explore an unnamed planet. Help me get ready... Finally, I get to go on an adventure! Haha, I'm so happy! Third Brother, are you going too?"

Ke Zhenfeng looked at him skeptically and said, "Brother Yu, did Grandpa agree to let you go? Don't get your hopes up. Last time, I prepared for you for half a day, and in the end, you just walked around the deck and came right back..."

Lin Qiyu shouted, "Bah! Bah! You jinx! This time, I'm definitely going! Do you know why?"

Ke Zhenfeng asked curiously, "Why? Did Grandma speak on your behalf?"

Lin Qiyu smugly said, "Of course not. Grandma would never help me with that... It's because this planet has oxygen and life, and it's a new discovery by Grandpa and the others. That means they can't use the excuse that I haven’t evolved yet to stop me. How exciting is that? Haha, I'm thrilled!"

Ke Zhenfeng knew that last time, it was their grandpa's remark, "Yu’er hasn’t evolved yet and can’t adapt to the planet’s environment," that sent Lin Qiyu back, and he'd been bitter about it ever since.

Seeing Lin Qiyu’s glowing eyes, Ke Zhenfeng didn’t have the heart to dampen his spirits and said, "Alright, you’ll still use the same gear as last time."

Lin Qiyu said, "Third Brother, you're the best! Third Brother… Hehe, Third Brother, help me out, will you…"

Ke Zhenfeng’s small eyes immediately widened, "You little rascal, what are you up to now?"

Lin Qiyu, with his bright, spirited eyes, looked at him ingratiatingly, "Third Brother! How about that kinetic energy gun we modified last time, the one that can fire rapidly? Can you let me bring it?"

He glanced at his brother's face, then added, "And that high-performance retractable vibration blade, and those mini super-guided missiles, about the size of a finger..."

Ke Zhenfeng's round face scrunched up, "Brother Yu, are you going on an adventure or a war? With so many weapons, if you, this troublemaker, were to bring them, Grandpa and Grandma would skin me alive! I can’t give you those. At most, you get an electric gun. I’ll give you the best protective suit and helmet scanner. How about that? Alright, I’ll even throw in the multi-functional boots!"

Lin Qiyu cried out, "Thiiirrrrd Broooother… Wow, seriously? An electric gun? That thing’s only good for shooting sparrows; it’s so lame! Please, Third Brother…"

Ke Zhenfeng ignored him and walked to the metal wall. He kicked a panel at the bottom with his foot, and with a "click," a piece of the wall flipped down from above, revealing a numeric keypad.

He quickly entered a long string of numbers and pressed confirm.

"Clang, clang!" The metal wall vibrated slightly and slowly slid open, and the fluorescent lights inside turned on automatically.

Lin Qiyu knew this was his brother's treasure vault and darted in, reaching for the kinetic energy gun on the shelf.

Ke Zhenfeng held him back and said, "Brother Yu, it's not that I don't want to give it to you, but this gun can take down someone who’s evolved to the sixth level. It’s too dangerous for you."

Lin Qiyu pouted, "Third Brother, then give me another weapon. I don’t want the electric gun. Please, Third Brother! Third Brother!"

Ke Zhenfeng’s head was spinning from all his pestering, so he relented, "Alright! Fine! You can take the high-speed vibration blade, but you have to promise me not to let Grandpa or Grandma see it, okay?"

He thought to himself: This blade is powerful, but it's a close-combat weapon, unlike the kinetic energy gun, which can attack distant targets. It has more defensive uses, so even if Grandpa and Grandma find out, it’s easier to explain.

Lin Qiyu wasn’t entirely satisfied, but he knew his brother wouldn’t agree to more. His eyes twinkled mischievously, and he said with a grin, "Hehe, thanks, Third Brother! But everything else has to be the best, okay?"

Ke Zhenfeng began packing gear into a large metal case. There was a high-performance lightweight armored suit, which had extremely high resistance to impact.

The most unique feature of this armor was its chameleon-like skin. Once a command was activated, its exterior could mimic the surrounding colors and evade enemy scans.

This was one of Ke Zhenfeng’s proudest inventions, and it wasn’t available on the market.

The scanning helmet was another prized creation. Ke had installed seven different scanning modes on it, and according to him, "With this thing, you could even see a girl’s underwear color," which was a bit perverse.

The multi-functional boots were mainly for speed and enhanced jumping and grip—essentially, they were perfect for running away.

There were also items like a breathing mask, which Ke had designed specifically for Lin Qiyu. It could extract oxygen from complex gases. There was also a palm-sized water bottle that could collect water molecules from the air, so finding a water source wouldn't be a problem. There were many other gadgets like this.

But the item Lin Qiyu liked most was the retractable high-performance vibration blade.

It was a foot-long blade with a silver edge and a black handle wrapped in ultra-fine synthetic fibers woven into a beautiful pattern. If necessary, the fibers could be unraveled and used as a rope strong enough to support the weight of a grown man.

At the top of the handle was a sensor switch, which could be programmed to recognize its user, allowing only the owner to activate its high-speed vibration function.

Once activated, the blade’s vibrating edge could extend up to two meters, making it incredibly formidable.

Ke Zhenfeng packed everything into the lightweight metal box, shoved it into Lin Qiyu’s arms, and said, "You can keep all of this. No need to return it next time, so you won’t keep coming back for more. But you must return the vibration blade, understand? I’ve got another project to finish, so you head back now."

Lin Qiyu reluctantly glanced at the kinetic energy gun and said, "Thanks, Third Brother. I’ll head back now."

He picked up the metal box and walked out.

The box was so large it blocked his view, so he stumbled all the way back to his cabin.

Once inside, he tossed the box onto his large bed.

His room was the biggest among his brothers, but also the messiest. His grandma once said that even a dog’s kennel was cleaner. After cleaning it for him a few times, she stopped coming into his room altogether. Whenever she needed him, she’d just call him out on the intercom.

Grandma had said, "When you can’t stand it anymore, you’ll clean it yourself."

Lin Qiyu flopped onto the sofa, and a strange odor hit him, making him sneeze. He realized it was from a dirty sock, but he was too lazy to throw it away. He rolled over and lay on his back, still thinking about the kinetic energy gun. "Hmm, I begged so much, but you still wouldn’t give it to me. Looks like I’ll have to use drastic measures. Hmm, how about this..."

As he came up with his plan, he chuckled to himself, feeling like victory was in his grasp.

Suddenly, the wall screen flickered, and his grandma's image appeared on the display. "Yu’er..."

Lin Qiyu was so startled that he shot up from the sofa in a flash, muttering under his breath, "Whoa, that scared me to death."

He called out loudly, "Grandma, what's up?"

His grandma, smiling kindly, said, "My dear Yu'er, Grandma is going down to explore soon. You need to stay on the ship and behave yourself, okay? Don't be mischievous, alright?"

Lin Qiyu panicked and exclaimed, "Grandma, why can't I go again... I want to go!"

His grandma chuckled, "Yu'er, if your grandpa agrees to let you go..."

Lin Qiyu flopped onto the sofa, grabbing his hair in frustration. He let out a groan through gritted teeth, "Grandpa will never agree! Ugh! My adventure is ruined again..."

He banged his head against the sofa a few times, then suddenly jumped up and said, "Grandma, you all be careful! I'll definitely wait here like a good boy..."

His grandma smiled and replied, "That's my good child. Well then, that's settled." The screen flashed and automatically turned off.

Only then did Lin Qiyu finally blurt out the last part of his sentence, "…Yeah right! Hehe, I'll sneak off myself..."

Lin Qiyu stood obediently by the small landing craft, grinning as he waved goodbye to his grandma, older brother, second brother, and Uncle Cui Zhiyuan. Everyone found it odd that little Yu'er was behaving so well this time.

Grandpa smiled and said, "Weimin, be careful. If anything happens, let me know immediately. Old Cui, have you got all the weapons ready?"

Cui Zhiyuan shouted, "Reporting, sir! Everything is ready! Awaiting your orders!"

Everyone knew that Cui Zhiyuan used to be a maintenance worker for the mecha ships. Once, after he saw his colleagues selling parts on the black market, he warned them. In retaliation, they framed him, leading to his trial in a military court.

At the time, Lin Junbao had been a special advisor to the court. Sensing something suspicious, he fought to save Cui Zhiyuan’s life. Later, when Lin Junbao became the commander of the mecha corps, he brought Cui Zhiyuan onto his flagship.

Cui Zhiyuan was a simple and loyal man. From that moment on, he swore to follow his commander for life. When Lin Junbao retired, Cui was the first to come find him.

Lin Junbao said, "Alright, get started then!"

Cui Zhiyuan saluted, turned, and entered the craft.

Lin Qiyong laughed, "Yu’er, when you evolve, big brother will take you. Be good, haha, see you later." He followed inside.

Lin Qiyu smiled and said, "Thanks, big brother!" But inside he thought, "Hmph, mocking me just because I haven’t evolved yet! I won’t behave at all. Just wait until I surprise you all, haha."

Zhong Beiwen approached the hatch, looking slightly uneasy. She reminded him again, "Yu'er, behave, and when I get back, I'll play with you."

Lin Qiyu, acting like the perfect child, said, "Take care, Grandma! Goodbye!" He waved.

Lin Junbao smiled, "Don’t worry, Yu'er will be fine with me here. Go on."

In his mind, Lin Qiyu thought, "No problem? Yeah right!"

Lin Junbao held Lin Qiyu’s hand, guiding him into the isolation chamber. He opened the communicator and said, "Old Gao, you're in command."

Soon, the female voice from the computer began to speak.

"Please evacuate the launch corridor. Countdown to launch begins…

"One-minute countdown starting… 48… 47… Hatch is opening, 21… 10, 9, 8… 3, 2, 1, launch!"

The small landing craft shot out of the corridor like a rocket, and the Silver Leopard exploration ship trembled lightly.

Lin Qiyu watched enviously as they disappeared through the hatch.

Lin Junbao patted Lin Qiyu on the shoulder and said, "Yu'er, let’s go back. The ship will stay in orbit for a while, so you should take this time to catch up on your studies. Grandpa is going to the cockpit." He turned and left.

Lin Qiyu stared blankly for a moment, then suddenly snapped out of it. He snapped his fingers with a sharp "pop" and sprinted back to his room, where he rushed to his bed and opened the lightweight metal box, grabbing the helmet scanner.

It was a black, ring-shaped headband, about two fingers wide, meant to be fastened at the back of the head. On each side, there were two small dots. When needed, you pull the dots forward to your eyebrows, then focus your attention to activate it.

With the scanner in hand, Lin Qiyu quietly sneaked to Hangar One and hid in a corner.

He put on the scanning helmet and focused on Ke Zhenfeng's workshop.

After scanning the area, he realized Ke Zhenfeng wasn’t inside. Lin Qiyu tiptoed to the top of the workshop and opened a small metal hatch. Inside was a small keypad. He quickly and skillfully tapped the keys. With a "clang!" the hatch on the ground popped open.