Stars, Players and Immortals

Chapter 1:

Why did you come to Mars?

The light in the visa examination room was directly overhead. Zhang Qiming looked at the visa documents in his hand while curiously staring at the man with a menacing appearance in front of him.

The ferocity of the head and horns here is literal; the person sitting in front of him has a protruding forehead, prominent temples, and two short, thick bony horns protruding from behind his hairline. He has high cheekbones, a broad nose, and his whole face has a naturally fierce appearance.

What an ugly model! It looks like the person's facial features have fled.

"Wow, this player chose [Skull Giant] as their trait when creating the card, gaining a 25% mechanical affinity bonus. It's really rare to see a player who sacrifices appearance for strength."

While muttering to himself, Zhang Qiming subtly raised his eyes.

A line of light blue characters hangs above the man's head: "[ID: I don't eat beef]".

His gaze paused almost imperceptibly, then he quickly looked away, lowering his head to continue flipping through the documents; his name was printed on the visa page.

Name: Xi Hongshi

[Origin: Terra Austris Continent]

[Birthplace Registration: Austris Nest City World]

[Status Category: Immigration Application]

Xi Hongshi... Tomato... Your unregistered name is as abstract as your character model.

Zhang Qiming couldn't help but mentally complain again, then looked at the background information for the visa application in the accompanying summary report: "From the continent of Austerius, possessing basic labor skills, no major criminal record, applying for a long-term Mars residency visa, and possessing excellent mechanical talent."

Austeris, a southern continent teeming with kangaroos and desert storms, is one of the sites where Terra's hive cities were built; a place frequented by traveling merchants and wandering rogues, rife with unregistered residents, and also the primary birthplace for players.

In version 0.5 of Stellaris: Starship Wars, the starting point for imprisoned players who choose the Homeworld origin is the version 0.5 starting point.

These imprisoned players were almost all spawned at the very bottom of the Hive City, and in Terra they are commonly known as Hive City unregistered players.

So-called hive cities are special buildings in planetary worlds. They are usually towering steel hives, layer upon layer. The upper level is bright and prosperous, the lower level is dark and crowded, and the bottom level is filled with exhaust fumes, violence and cheap labor.

The population density in the city is so high that missing persons and sudden deaths happen every day. If one person is missing, no one will question them, and if one person is missing, no one will register them.

Choosing the [Homeworld] option means starting their prison life the moment they arrive on the land of Terra. They will be bound to a prerequisite quest – [Quest: Legalize Identity].

The objective is simple and direct: survive for seven days, find a channel at the bottom of the hive city, and obtain an identity code that can be recognized by the Imperial database.

The methods of completion are varied: some work for traveling merchants, some do dirty work for gangs, some join underground cults, and some directly steal identity chips and then have someone tamper with the data...

If the system didn't prohibit it, some players would have even considered selling Bigu (a type of alchemy) to satisfy the special fetishes of certain elite classes in Nest City.

Unfortunately, the evil game system not only prevents players from taking off their pants and running around naked, but also prevents them from taking shortcuts.

After most players complete the first task normally, they will automatically enter the second task - [Confirming the Ideology].

In the game Stellaris, ideologies serve a similar function to factions, used to systematically and institutionally bind individual behavioral tendencies, and subsequent quest lines can also be branched off according to these tendencies.

These thoughts flashed through Zhang Qiming's mind for only a moment before the person opposite him who didn't eat beef spoke up.

"Sir, I want to join the Iron Templars! I want to serve the citizens of the Martian colony!"

He stared intently at the NPC visa officer in front of him.

Zhang Qiming had to admit that the model of the person in front of him was shockingly ugly. If it were any other Martian visa officer, they would have already ordered someone to throw this ugly monster who dared to glare at the visa officer out.

Fortunately, he wasn't that kind of person. The reason he infiltrated the Mars Spaceport Border Administration was to observe the imprisoned players more closely.

He waited for the players for a full twenty-two years! Do you know how he spent those twenty-two years?

Who is the kind person who transmigrates directly into the body of an infant in an incubation chamber?

If it weren't for the player system, NPC templates, Gaia and Alaya integrated system always being bound to him, the occasional pop-up of cold, impersonal interface prompts, and that ridiculous childhood scene where the little boy fights back against the priest...

If it weren't for these experiences, he might have gradually lost sight of his identity as a time traveler, and even thought he was living in a bright future world.

It is now the year 2197 of the Terran calendar, the third millennium for humankind, and the twenty-second year since he came into this world.

In Starsea version 0.5, the initial story background of 【Origin·Homeworld】 is also set in 2197, and the main storyline of the Homeworld is called "Holy Terra".

In this version, Terra and Mars wage a full-scale war after a long period of accumulated conflict. This war lasted for three years and is known as the Three Years' War.

The three-year war ultimately led humanity to establish Holy Terra and, in 2200, master FTL (Faster Than Light) travel technology.

Humanity thus began its journey toward interstellar civilization and made contact with multiple civilizations in the border regions of the Milky Way.

And this is precisely the true beginning of Starsea 1.0 version [Contending for the Frontier].

It's the second week since the server opened, and Zhang Qiming has met quite a few players from the Mars faction, but the one who doesn't eat beef is the most unique.

Not eating beef is a... big streamer.

Zhang Qiming couldn't help but glance at the dense barrage of comments and bullet screen messages.

[Live Streaming Now]

[Current viewership: 50+]

The comments are refreshing at an extremely high frequency.

[Wow, the NPC's model is amazing! I thought all Martians were expressionless cyborgs, but this visa officer is actually a natural human, full of youthful energy, and the model's detail is top-notch.]

[If Gu Zi releases a character illustration like this, I'll stick it on his tongue multiple times ([tongue sticking out.jpg])]

[Those stinky Terrans are begging on Mars again!]

[Mars, VIP me for 50!]

[I'm so angry and cold! If it weren't for the sacrifices and support of us Terrans, would your Mars have developed to this point?!]

[Hmph, you Martian players aren't all that great. You're just as helpless. Besides, if you get caught being a criminal player on Mars, the Inquisition will drag you out and execute you. After you're reborn, you'll be treated as a cybernetic possessor, hunted down everywhere, and your account will be completely destroyed!]

[Visa officer, I want a Gundam!]

[You still want to pilot a Gundam? Be thankful you weren't turned into one!]

[Pah! Humanoid Gundams were a trend started by your Terra Nest, so why are you talking about us Martians!]

[Indeed, those humanoid Gundams in Terra Nest City were all blown up by my Psychic Vision.]

[What Gundam? In Stellaris, this thing is called a SA mobile suit. Do you understand copyright?]

[Locked Cow, you're in jail again? Your behavior doesn't match your domineering ID. Of all the streamers in the Homeworld timeline, you're the one who's been jailed the most. You actually drove that BYD Merchant Ronin's Nest City minecart for a whole week! That's worse than playing an Originium emulator. That minecart soul-pacification ritual was truly blood pressure-blowing!]

[Cow, go back to Terra. The waters of Mars are too deep for you to handle!]

[Damn! The Homeworld timeline is really like being in jail. Other origins and races being strong is balanced, but humans being strong is a bug. Isn't this forcing me to become a Slayer?]

[The human empire in your imagined home timeline—human supremacy, burning the stars, the invincible Imperial Navy; the real human empire, the great Imperial Navy fighting to the death against rare protected creatures of the stars, ultimately being trampled to death by a passing Void Worm.]

[A tribute to the legendary homeworld timeline, a tribute to the magical balance of the legendary star-sea races, a tribute to the legendary Lover King game designer—!]

[You're right. Although the planning was flawed, Stellaris is a 4X space strategy game set in the galaxy of Terran year 2XXX. You will embark on a journey from your home planet to explore the vast universe, encountering diverse alien races with varying ideologies, and engaging in complex diplomatic interactions with them—forming alliances to defend against powerful enemies, betraying them for personal gain, or conducting cultural infiltration. You can also deeply participate in the development of your empire, from racial characteristics and government structures to ideologies, from technological advancement paths (genetics, pyromancy, psionics) to ship design; every choice will determine the fate of your civilization…]

The comments section was filled with messages scrolling wildly above the visa processing room.

The mix of吐槽 (tucao, a Chinese internet slang term for sarcastic or critical comments) and meme-like promotional copy created a high-energy atmosphere in the live stream.

Zhang Qiming's gaze remained fixed on the face of the man who didn't eat beef—a face so ugly it was easily recognizable—but his peripheral vision swept over the man's head with remarkable ease, like a professional official casually glancing at a monitor notification in mid-air, rather than reading a live stream comment.

He also strongly agreed with the comments on the live streamer's statement about not eating beef.

Homeworld Origins, The Way of Ten Thousand Machines: Mech Flow, Iron Templar Knights' Volunteerism...

While others enjoy playing games in their wheelchairs, this guy who doesn't eat beef is essentially serving a paid prison sentence. While others enjoy games, he's undergoing rehabilitation.

He even suspected that this guy might have some kind of special fetish or masochistic tendencies.

However, Zhang Qiming does need this kind of "talent." If players use them in the right place, they are the cheapest labor force and the sharpest knife.

The three-year war is about to break out. If the situation in Holy Terra is not handled properly, the already imprisoned environment will continue to accumulate various negative effects, which is not good. He must lay a solid foundation for the future development of Holy Terra before version 1.0 is fully released.

Therefore, he needs to abstain from beef and also needs all the incarcerated players.

Meanwhile, the jail-loving bull, following an online guide to citizenship verification, began reciting a short essay:

"There are now four major factions on Mars supporting the progress of the mechanical age."

"The Labor Commune is responsible for the most basic industry and transformation, the Mind Choir undertakes the core of scientific research and engineering, the Forging Brotherhood guarantees materials and technology, and the Iron Templars protect the human body and soul."

"Everyone has seen the sacrifices they have made over the years for the development of Mars and to prevent humanity from being held back by Terra. I truly admire them and really want to do something practical for Mars."

The comments section was filled with a lively atmosphere as the bullet comments began to scroll continuously.

[Has the anchor suddenly become incredibly politically aware?]

[Damn it! To get approved, you even said things like "so that humanity won't be held back by Terra," which is a clear sign of a split between the Terra and Fire factions. You treacherous traitor!!]

[Don't just brag, you have to bribe them later. If you don't add money, how will the visa officer get his beef?]

[I'm really curious about something: Could some out-of-towner get shot down by Olympus for drinking M-Snow on Mars?]

He didn't eat beef and didn't watch the comments; he just followed the guide's instructions:

"Of course, I'm new here and don't know the rules of Mars. But I brought some local specialties from Terra. They're nothing valuable, just a token of my appreciation. Once I've established myself on Mars and earned my first money, I'll definitely thank you properly for your help today."

After listening, Zhang Qiming showed no obvious expression on his face, but simply tapped his finger lightly on the table and nodded faintly.

"Your visa has been approved."

Zhang Qiming operated the terminal a few times, the permissions were confirmed, and the identity code was synchronized to the Mars database.

"And you're lucky today."

I was taken aback because I don't eat beef.

Zhang Qiming continued:

"As you know, Mars is now divided into three major regions—the Tharsis Plateau, Valles Marineris, and the polar ice caps—and you are currently in the volcanic city-state of the Tharsis Mountains, where the cardinals of the Iron Templars are holding a public exhibition today."

"They will showcase the new generation of SA (Steel Angels) mechs, which are the new core armed units of the Knights. They will also publicly explain the propulsion scheme of the new batch of ships, but it still uses the traditional propulsion system and does not involve new hyperspace technology theories."

He also added a special note:

"Also, on Mars, never mention hyperspace technology theories in front of the church. This is heretical technology, and its development is detrimental to the unity of the Martian church. So... don't say anything that is detrimental to unity."

At this point, Zhang Qiming's gaze fell on the face of the person who didn't eat beef, and his tone became more casual.

"No one dislikes SA mechs. If you want to go and see them, I can grant you temporary access. The exhibition is a public event, and there are already quite a few people gathered in the Tharsis Volcano City-State, including media, believers, and cyborgs. We won't miss another outsider like you."

He said it very softly, as if he were just helping out casually.

The moment he finished speaking, a system notification suddenly popped up at the edge of his vision, even though he didn't eat beef.

[Normal quest (leisure activity) has been triggered]

[Mission Objective: Proceed to the Sanctuary Square in the Tharsis Volcanic City-State to visit the exhibition showcasing the new generation of Steel Templar SA mechs and ship propulsion technology]

[Task Reward: 250 Experience Point]

[You have gained a special status: Martian Insight (When performing Martian SA unit identification, you will have a very high probability of successfully identifying the unit regardless of its energy level)]

The barrage of comments exploded instantly.

[Wow, is this visa officer an angel? He's so nice! He wouldn't be after your ass, would he?!]

[Who knows, maybe the visa officer was just looking for someone ugly. If I saw that ugly face of a man like that, I'd definitely reject him outright.]

[These things can all trigger quests, and although the experience gained is a bit ridiculous, it's still a huge win!]

[Hey, I want to see this! I want to see the Martian SA mecha!]

[go, go, go, let’s go! ]

He didn't hesitate for a moment before accepting the mission, and at the same time, he didn't forget to thank the NPC who gave him a gift on their first meeting.

"Thank you, visa officer! Once I'm settled in, I'll definitely pay you a visit and bring you a generous gift!"

After he finished speaking, he couldn't wait to bring up the navigation. After confirming that Zhang Qiming had granted him the access permission, the live broadcast camera started shaking. As he walked out, he excitedly said something to the camera, and the barrage of comments flooded the screen.

Zhang Qiming remained seated, his gaze following the retreating figure for a moment. He thought to himself:

"It's quite a coincidence that the operation just starts today, and I happen to need a camera that can attract more talented players... The Fourth Calamity always likes lively scenes, and I hope they will like the big show I've arranged for today."

For Zhang Qiming, being a visa officer was just a title; he only needed this title to accomplish some unknown purposes.

As for the purpose...

Zhang Qiming's attention began to focus on the interface that was quietly suspended in the upper right corner of his field of vision, something that only he could see.

Gaia-Alaya Integrated System

Unlike the simplified UI of players in the previous life, this system has a complete structure.

Empire, technology, tradition, leader, species, planet, city, diplomacy, fleet, ship design, intelligence log, market, megastructure...

The modules are arranged on the main interface like a star map waiting to be unlocked, and most of the system interface is black.

A nation has not yet been established, and an empire has not yet been ignited.

But a logo has already lit up in the very center.

[Special Ability: Immortality (Living as long as the nation)]

[Effect: Lifespan is synchronized with the lifespan of the bound civilization. The higher the civilization's strength, the higher the individual's potential growth limit. If the civilization perishes, the individual's lifespan is reduced to zero.]

[Bound Object: Holy Terra (Not Created)]

Even before the Holy Terra was established, it was already preordained as the vessel for the dragon veins of this world.

I, Zhang Qiming, endorse the sacred Terra!

At this moment, the representative of Holy Terra tapped the table with his fingertips, his gaze quickly sweeping over his own template, while simultaneously opening his Immortal Exclusive Deluxe Template.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Name: Zhang Qiming

[Template: The Immortal (Living as Long as the Nation)]

[Total Level: 25/40 (Dual Thought: Total Level Cap × 2)]

Main profession:

Psionic Novice LV5 (370/1600)

Attendant of Ten Thousand Affairs LV9 (1000/7000)

Secondary Profession: Commoner: LV1 (0/100 — [Commoner profession is removed after first job advancement])

Spy LV10 (MAX)

【属性栏】：力量24、敏捷30、耐力28、智力36、神秘26

Charm: 9 (This value is currently the base value, with no points added. The maximum base value is 10)

Luck: 10 (same as above, no points added).

Health: 364 (Stamina * Health Coefficient 10 / Immortal Body 30%)

Stamina: 280 (Endurance * Constitution coefficient 10)

Mechanical Strength Points: 360 (Intelligence * Mechanical Coefficient 10)

Psionic Points: 260 (Mystic * Psionic Coefficient 10)

Energy level: 240

Order: E

How can I best describe you? What can I compare you to to make you truly special? You're like a fully-powered mechanical weapon, yet also like a shadowy assassin imbued with spiritual energy.

Logically speaking, at your current level, you shouldn't be qualified to encounter E-rank characters. However, it's not considered open until it's closed. Your E-rank is the most unique E-rank; you truly are a rare breed in the world.

Free attribute points: 0

Skill points: 3

Experience pool: 1000

……

[Profession Bonus]

[机械亲和+54%、机械威力+54%、灵能感知+35%、潜行+44%、伪装+44%、情报解析+57%、快速破解+57%]

……

——【Specialty】——

Double thinking

Current effect:

① Your total level cap across all ranks is doubled, you are exempt from the main job experience penalty, you are allowed to hold multiple main jobs at the same time, and all main jobs share the doubled total level pool.

② It allows two completely independent logical structures to be maintained at the same time. All mental conflicts, faction conflicts, and class mutual exclusion judgments are exempted. Skills/bonuses of multiple main classes can be effective at the same time without any mutual exclusion penalties.

[Note: Oh, they even have cold noodle pie!]

……

[The Immortal (Awakening)]

May our civilization endure as long as the nation, and may our individual lives on.

Current effect:

① You are deeply bound to the planetary civilization you have chosen. As long as the civilization exists, you will also exist. If the bound civilization is completely destroyed, you will die permanently and will not be able to trigger any resurrection effects. As the level of the bound civilization increases, the advanced abilities of this template will be unlocked simultaneously, and all your coefficients will increase by 2.

②Immortal Body (Blessed by the Dragon Vein of the Mother Planet): Base health +30%, forcibly retains 1 health point when receiving fatal damage, 24-hour cooldown (can be evolved).

③Rapid Regeneration: Wound healing speed +100%, severed limbs can be fully regenerated within 12 hours, and the regeneration process can be greatly accelerated by consuming mechanical power/psychic energy.

④ Tithe: The tasks you assign to players will be returned to you through a tithe.

Continuing to awaken...

[Note: In Stellaris, you can even see walking planetary dragon veins and leek harvesting machines!]

……

[The Squire Specialty (Expand+)]

[Psionic Beginner Specialization (Expand+)]

【Multi-functional Skills (Expand+)】

[Psionic Skills (Expand+)]

【Trait (Expand+)】

……

[Current Situation]:

Mars Mechanical Age Phase 1 Progress: 45%

(Mechanical Religion/Stagnation - Religious technology monopoly, monthly progress is 0%, and the relevant occupational level in the region is locked at Tier 1)

Terra Psionic Ascension Phase 1 Progress: 15%

(Transcendent/Stagnation - Systemic Severe Illness, decreasing by 0.5% per month, related occupational level in the region is locked at Tier 1)

Special Situation & Unification War: 50%

(On the verge of exploding - currently rising 5% per month)

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Zhang Qiming's gaze fell on the "Situation" column. The so-called "Situation" refers to long-term dynamic events, macro variables that evolve over time.

It is a manifestation of chronic crises, development directions, and structural contradictions at the empire and galaxy levels; in other words, it is the main storyline of the game version.

The War of Unification embodies the conflict between Terra and Mars, and is also the main storyline of the current game version.

This situation will determine the future institutional form of Holy Terra: whether it will follow an imperial centralized rule or a republican parliamentary decentralized structure, whether it will be militarized integration or political compromise and restructuring.

The larger the scale of the civil war, the deeper the social division, and the more severe the depletion of technology and resources, the more fragile the foundation will be when we enter the space age.

If the war gets out of control, even if Holy Terra is established, it will enter the 1.0 era in a flawed state.

This must be stopped. As a representative of the Holy Terra who shares the fate of the nation, I have a natural obligation to guide the Holy Terra and humanity toward greatness!

……

……

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