"Approaching Gillese 581."

  "It's a red dwarf star system with three pnets. Our target is pnet c."

  "All warships, prepare for enemy fire..."

  The voice crackled in Preeta's headset as she donned her powered armor.

  This was a third-generation suit, its helmet dispying a 360-degree view and aerial scans.

  She took a deep breath and headed towards her fighter. As a solo unit, she would unch close-range assaults once the fleet engaged the enemy.

  "Hey!"

  A Kate called out to her, then spoke warmly.

  "Your armor isn't standard issue; you're a human soldier!"

  "That's rare. Humans rarely participate in direct combat. You're the first I've met. Let's get acquainted. I'm Bau. What's your name?"

  Responding to the friendly Kate, she replied.

  "I'm Preeta. I like this kind of environment. It's dangerous, but it keeps me energized."

  Bau was surprised.

  "That's a name I've never heard before. Aren't names usually a cn name followed by one or two characters?"

  This was unusual.

  Most names were transliterations; Preeta wasn't an Earth name but a Multi-eyed one, meaning "warrior."

  "Everyone in the Federation has the right to choose their own name, don't they?"

  Preeta's name wasn't actually Preeta; this body was an clone.

  Inside was—"Luna"!

  Luna found it frustrating to remain in the virtual world while remaining rgely inactive in the real one.

  But she couldn't risk death; she cked the means to single-handedly take on a warship.

  So, she devised a solution.

  She sent a clone to the battlefield, impnting the clone's memories into her own mind after the battle. It was as if she had been there.

  This clever strategy was ideal; each subordinate was, in essence, a part of her.

  "Ha ha, not bad."

  Bau found Preeta's demeanor somewhat unusual, perhaps because she cked the commoner's air.

  To be able to afford powered armor, she must have some background.

  Bau, being astute, continued, "We're in the same squad. When we approach the pnet, we'll likely be assigned to the same area."

  "We can look out for each other. Fighters have a high casualty rate in space battles."

  "It's a shame we don't have tachyon technology; we could remotely control drones instead of having to be there ourselves."

  Bau was clearly talkative, once he started talking, he couldn't stop.

  Preeta didn't mind the chatter; Luna's world had been too quiet, and some noise was welcome.

  "What's your pilot rating? Mine's A+, the highest in our training css."

  Bau was clearly showing off.

  "Probably S, with a few pluses... I don't remember!"

  Preeta thought for a moment. She'd never paid much attention to her rating.

  This made Bau's expression change; he logged into the armor's system.

  "Wait, let me check!"

  A moment ter, he excimed in astonishment.

  "S+++! I've never seen a score this high..."

  He looked Preeta up and down, impressed. "No wonder, you're human. I had a human cssmate in middle school—the smartest person I'd ever met. He always got the top score, even though I saw him pying games all the time."

  Preeta shook her head.

  "Every species has intelligent and unintelligent individuals. Apart from a few genetic factors, intelligence is mostly acquired through learning."

  Bau chuckled.

  "You're such a machine, but you're interesting."

  Preeta was indeed rigid; even when Ay created her, Luna felt she was quite different.

  But just as no two leaves are exactly alike, even clones aren't identical.

  Preeta was now just a common soldier, not Luna Subordinate.

  As they spoke, the warship shuddered.

  "Looks like they've opened fire."

  Bau and Preeta remained calm; they had undergone countless simuted battles and knew how to react.

  "Time to board our fighters."

  They headed to the hangar bay.

  By chance, their fighters were parked next to each other.

  After boarding, they waited. Only after receiving unch orders and the opening of the hangar doors could they initiate unch.

  The fighters weren't unched using thrusters but via a rear-mounted catapult, achieving unch within 0.5 seconds.

  The warship shook more frequently.

  The soldiers' breathing became heavy.

  They could monitor the external situation via the internal systems.

  They had entered the enemy star system and were now under fire from enemy warships.

  Their side had lost three warships; the enemy had lost twenty-two—seven times fewer casualties.

  "I heard they've finished building the new facilities at Tau Ceti. I bought for my parents the cryogenic preservation from the Historical Tienming Company. They'll be waiting for me to return."

  "If they could build new warships now, they wouldn't need many to destroy those Purple Thorns."

  Bau spoke in the communication channel.

  Interstelr voyages were long and arduous.

  Every soldier faced the possibility of returning home to a changed world, to loss.

  Therefore, many soldiers chose to have their families cryogenically preserved, waiting for their return.

  Suddenly, a massive explosion rocked the ship, and a rge hole appeared in the hull.

  A message came through.

  "Warship 027, starboard side heavily damaged. All personnel, prepare for emergency evacuation. Launch fighters."

  "Hangar doors will open in 30 seconds..."

  "We are approaching pnet c. All fighters, target enemy orbital defenses, then proceed to the surface and attack Multi-eyed structures. Do not engage civilian targets."

  "Repeat: Do not engage civilian targets!"

  Boom!

  The warship shook violently.

  Every soldier gripped their controls.

  The moment the hangar doors opened, the first group of 300 fighters unched. Groups of 300 fighters unched every 10 seconds, a total of 17 groups—5100 fighters.

  Bau and Preeta were in the st group. Even Bau was silent.

  After 170 seconds, they were instantly accelerated to over 10,000 km/s. Despite the ship's artificial gravity, they experienced a moment of intense g-force, momentary blindness, followed by rapid recovery.

  They had traveled tens of thousands of kilometers. Looking back, they saw the disintegrating warship.

  A message crackled in their headsets.

  "Dive towards the pnet's surface!"

  Preeta pushed the control stick forward. Their fighter, like a hawk spotting its prey, folded its wings and dived.

  Bau followed close behind.

  Their fight—the fight of ordinary soldiers—had begun.

  ...

  This was a red pnet, somewhat resembling Mars, its surface a rusty red.

  But Gillese 581c was far rger than Mars; its mass was 5.6 times that of Earth. It also had another designation.

  —The first potentially habitable exopnet.

  "Electromagnetic field detected around the pnet!"

  "Electromagnetic field detected around the pnet!"

  "Requesting mission termination!"

  This message flooded the communication channels as the first wave of fighters impacting the electromagnetic field were destroyed. The second wave attempted to evade but, traveling too fast, also collided.

  Hundreds of soldiers died instantly, some Preeta had just met.

  Like Bau, they all hoped to survive and return home.

  But individual soldiers were insignificant in this war.

  "Keep advancing!"

  "We'll provide support!"

  A message from the fgship arrived, but before its meaning could be processed, a three-kilometer-wide beam of light struck the pnetary electromagnetic field.

  Due to the beam's intense focus, there was minimal light scattering; the ser was only detected after impact.

  The impact created a massive arc of electricity on the pnet's surface, bsting a hole through the electromagnetic field and even the clouds, revealing structures below.

  Countless fighters flew towards the massive hole.

  Within seconds, they had passed through and entered the pnet's interior.

  Deceleration!

  Then, they flew in formation.

  Any hesitation, whether due to nervousness or technical issues, resulted in the fighter crashing, creating a crater over 10 kilometers in diameter, rivaling a nuclear explosion.

  Preeta calmly executed the deceleration maneuver, reducing her speed from over 20,000 km/s to 20 km/s.

  "Preeta, are you alright?"

  Bau transmitted a message.

  "Fine. Sensors detect over 100,000 aerial vehicles around the pnet. Be cautious; they're approaching."

  Preeta responded briefly, focusing on the incoming threat.

  Countless aerial vehicles were closing in—small, spinning craft resembling spinning tops. They appeared to be drones, unmanned.

  "These drones must have a central control unit. Their AI is likely primitive and easily identifiable."

  Bau, 140 kilometers to Preeta's left, was also surrounded by drones.

  To prevent AI from surpassing human intelligence, advanced civilizations often restricted AI development.

  These restrictions slowed AI progress.

  But because of Ay, the Federation had embraced open AI, creating service robots with near-sentient intelligence.

  "Found it!" Bau shouted.

  "In the pnet's northern hemisphere, coordinates: East longitude 123°51', North titude 39°28'."

  Then, Bau's transmission cut out, his signal likely being jammed.

  No.

  The entire pnet was employing signal jamming; only wired communication remained, giving them an information advantage.

  Preeta opened fire; the sers mounted on her fighter's wings targeted and destroyed drones.

  The drones retaliated, unleashing a barrage of sers. Unable to react quickly enough, Preeta deployed her shields, using them to withstand the onsught.

  Her fighter's main cannon, loaded with antimatter, fired. The antimatter annihited upon contact with normal matter, creating a destructive void.

  Preeta followed the explosion, using the void to break through the drone swarm.

  She headed towards the coordinates Bau had provided.

  Her fighter's energy was limited and couldn't be squandered on drones.

  A fighter ahead of her was destroyed.

  The drones were multiplying, approaching one million.

  This was the enemy's home turf.

  She flew over a city whose structures resembled rge tents made of reddish earth, blending seamlessly with the terrain.

  The fighter recorded images of the civilization's inhabitants: rge, hairless rodents with compound eyes, four limbs, and over ten pairs of centipede-like legs. Crystalline ptes, resembling gemstones, formed a carapace on their backs, allowing them to curl up and protect their vulnerable abdomens.

  The Purple Thorns had already gathered information on this civilization, known as the Stonecolor. They were even more primitive than the Lelera, still in the Stone Age when conquered by the Purple Thorns, cking knowledge of metallurgy.

  This civilization offered little resistance.

  Such civilizations are difficult to influence; long-term subjugation had made them completely subservient to the Purple Thorns.

  Preeta doubted the Stonecolor would express gratitude for the Purple Thorns' elimination, but nothing could stop the Federation's expansion.

  Their goal had never been altruistic liberation.

  She quickly flew over the city.

  More fighters were approaching, having received the same intel.

  This, however, caused the drones to consolidate, forming a defensive line. From the fighters' perspective, they were facing a wall of drones.

  Some fighters attempted to break through the gaps, but a torrent of electromagnetic energy enveloped them, instantly melting them into sg.

  They realized that a massive power source was fueling the drones, providing seemingly limitless energy—far exceeding what their fighters could counter.

  Communication with the outside world was lost; they were completely isoted.

  Chaos erupted among the fighters; they were trapped—attack meant certain death, retreat was impossible.

  Amidst the chaos, Preeta spotted Bau's fighter; he was still alive.

  She activated her fighter's lights, signaling him.

  Thanks to the Federation's integration efforts, the three main species—human, Multi-eyed, and Kate—all understood English, optical communication, and the Kate's unique communication method.

  Bau was stunned.

  But he saw Preeta accelerating.

  Steeling himself, he also began maneuvering his fighter.

  The two fighters charged towards the drones, seemingly suicidal.

  They could see the electromagnetic energy surge; a direct hit would vaporize them.

  But at that moment, both fighters fired their main cannons at the energy surge.

  Compared to the immense power of the surge, the fighters' cannons were insignificant.

  But the antimatter annihition created a momentary void, allowing the two fighters to pass through.

  This, however, was insufficient; the void sted too briefly and was too small retive to the energy surge.

  Then, something unexpected happened.

  The two fighters employed a coordinated attack. The lead fighter fired, decelerated, and the trailing fighter accelerated through the void, firing and decelerating. This pattern repeated.

  This required exceptional skill, precise timing, and extremely fine motor control, surpassing even what a computer could achieve.

  But the two fighters did it.

  They moved with balletic grace, supporting each other.

  In less than twenty seconds, they broke through the electromagnetic barrier.

  Almost simultaneously, both fighters unleashed their antimatter weapons.

  The antimatter struck the massive energy source.

  "Boom!!!"

  A massive explosion, like countless hydrogen bombs detonating simultaneously, illuminated half the pnet. Violent tremors shook the ground, creating fissures across the surface.

  The shockwave spread across the pnet, instantly disabling all drones.

  Dozens of fighters broke through the atmosphere and escaped into space.

  "That was an amazing shot! We'll be in the history books, Preeta,"

  Bau excimed excitedly.

  "But I think we might have done something wrong. That explosion might have killed too many Stonecolor."

  Preeta dismissed the first comment and responded to the second.

  "Don't worry; they'll clean up the mess for us."

  A powerful force field enveloped the pnet, halting the shockwave's expansion, as if time itself had been paused, minimizing damage.

  The interstelr battle concluded; enemy ships began to scatter.

  This was a resounding victory!

  ...

  Ay received the report over ten years ter.

  After securing Gillese 581, she didn't rush the next phase but focused on consolidation, spending decades establishing a presence and integrating the new civilization into the Federation.

  This was a necessary step; Luna envisioned a unified civilization, not scattered colonies.

  Meanwhile, Ay was working on another project at Tau Ceti.

  Project World Tree.

  Both Eastern and Western mythologies feature world trees connecting heaven and Earth. The key was scale.

  Project World Tree wasn't Ay's idea but Luna's.

  Luna had been contempting how to provide habitats for her engineered lifeforms across the cosmos. Otherwise, even with lifespans of hundreds of millions of years, these creatures would remain confined to a single star system, limiting their diversity.

  These creatures weren't being created for a zoo but for their genetic material.

  Luna proposed cultivating pnts in space.

  These pnts would be cultivated on a dwarf pnet, using radiation and the pnet's minerals as sustenance. Due to the cold of space, they would require external heat during their initial growth phase. As they mature, their outer yers would die, forming an insuting yer, with the inner yers continuing to grow, pushing outwards, creating a yered structure.

  Why a dwarf pnet?

  Because of their size. The high pressure within a dwarf pnet's core would provide the necessary heat.

  Upon reaching maturity, these trees would absorb all usable material from the dwarf pnet, growing to heights ranging from 500,000 to 1,000,000 meters.

  Their immense mass would generate high temperatures and pressures, ensuring stability.

  Even after death, these trees would be preserved by the cold of space, forming ever-green structures.

  Implementation was challenging.

  Ay's initial estimate for survival rate was 0.0014%, with a maturation rate of 0.00067%. These numbers were incredibly low.

  However, a slight modification could increase the survival rate to around 5%.

  This involved active cultivation using advanced technologies in the early stages, rather than allowing the pnts to grow passively in space.

  Gradually phasing out technological intervention after the first generation would allow these pnts to adapt to the harsh conditions of space. This process, Ay estimated, would take approximately 20.3 million years.

  Life is tenacious, but space is unforgiving.

  Once the initial stages of capital construction were complete, Ay focused on this project, cultivating a tree that could thrive on asteroids.

  This tree's cells grew most effectively in an atmosphere rich in nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, and oxygen.

  During its seedling stage, it grew 1710 tons per day. After 40 years, it entered its growth phase, increasing to 33,800 tons per day. After 1300 years, it reached maturity, growing 2.1 million tons per day.

  Its lifespan depended on the size of the asteroid or dwarf pnet it grew on. As long as resources remained, this tree could grow indefinitely, like a cancer cell, until its mass exceeded gravitational limits, causing its colpse.

  The theoretical maximum mass was 40 billion tons, with a height of under 600 kilometers—a rge dwarf pnet could support this maximum growth.

  Ay's first World Tree resembled a taro pnt; its trunk had a diameter of 147 meters, its height exceeding 1890 meters. This colossal tree had just transitioned from the seedling stage to the growth stage.

  Numerous tentacle-like appendages extended from the tree, each over two meters long, with numerous small holes that released a solidified gas. Some of this gas dissipated into space; the rest remained attached to the appendages, awaiting collection by organisms.

  Mature World Trees also bore fruit—spheres 400-500 meters in diameter. These fruits cked seeds; the seeds developed in separate pods. When ripe, these pods would use air pressure to unch the seeds into space.

  These seeds, upon nding on an asteroid, dwarf pnet, or pnet, would germinate under suitable conditions.

  Each seedling was about the size of a thumb. Each tree produced seeds once every 30 years, with hundreds of thousands of seeds per cycle.

  "Excellent!"

  Over a century had passed since Luna had st seen the tree.

  It perfectly matched her vision. If not for the cold of space, she might have created a complete ecosystem around the tree, making it even more mythological.

  "It seems we're creating mythology."

  As the saying goes, the end of science is theology.

  Luna agreed, but her concept of theology wasn't religious dogma but scientific miracles.

  These miracles would have been considered divine in the past!

  "Actually, Luna, these trees are unlikely to survive without significant intervention,"

  Ay cautioned, reminding Luna that their creation might be short-lived.

  "Who knows, Ay? Isn't the joy of the cosmos its boundless possibilities?"

  "Once created, it possesses the potential to transform the universe into a true forest."

  This anticipation was Luna's current source of joy.

  Luna had discovered that living for a long time leads to boredom. The world eventually stops producing novelty, leading to a state of quiet resignation.

  Time weakens everything, including passion and enthusiasm.

  Luna was actively seeking new sources of stimution.

  "I pn to live for several decades, like I did as a student and a professor."

  "A developing civilization might rekindle my passion."

  Ay offered a suggestion.

  "Perhaps you should visit the Interstelr Explorers Guild?"

  "Something new happens there every day."

  "Maybe we'll discover the next generation of heroes within our civilization. Talented young people can propel entire civilizations forward."

  "Their voices are as bright as stars."

  Luna agreed. She wanted to rex but also assess the needs of the Federation's popution.

  A good leader didn't just focus on advancement but on the overall well-being of their civilization, physical and mental.

  ...

  Spaceport 038.

  A previously unoccupied shop had opened—a repair station specializing in powered armor and spacecraft.

  Business was slow on the first day; no one wanted to entrust their valuable equipment to an unknown newcomer. For explorers, their armor and ships were more valuable than their own lives.

  The young owner listlessly leaned against the counter, watching the crowds.

  She even saw some Stonecolor.

  They had traveled from their home system over the past two centuries. They were still a rare sight, their appearance novel to the Kate, Multi-eyed, and humans.

  Most Stonecolor were merchants, selling various artifacts—not technologically advanced but curious and rare, making them popur with collectors.

  A Kate knocked on the shop door.

  "Can you repair spacecraft?"

  His narrowed eyes showed skepticism and disbelief, an expression Luna hadn't seen in the Kate many years ago.

  As they assimited human culture, both Multi-eyed and Kate became increasingly human-like in their mannerisms.

  Like wolves and dogs; dogs were domesticated from wolves, but dogs are far more attuned to human communication and behavior—wagging their tails, even smiling, or dispying sadness. Wolves don't.

  "Correct."

  Luna nodded.

  "Powered armor repair costs 6 energy credits. Spacecraft repair depends on the damage; the starting price is 50 Federation Credits."

  This was a fair price, slightly below market value.

  The Kate hesitated, then asked, "Could you offer a discount?"

  A poor customer.

  "What's your budget?"

  "I only have 38 energy credits..."

  Luna, finding watching the crowds monotonous, decided to take the job.

  "Fine, you're my first customer; I'll give you a discount."

  The Kate led her to a spacecraft in the spaceport.

  The ship resembled a wrecked boat; its hull was covered in patches, suggesting it was quite old.

  "Looks like an old timer."

  After a quick inspection, she found the problem—the thrusters. She checked the manufacturing date: 7789 A.D. The current year was 8005 A.D. The ship had been in service for 216 years, likely passed down through at least three generations of Kate.

  "Can you repair it?"

  The Kate asked cautiously.

  "Of course, but you don't have enough credits. I can't just perform minor repairs."

  "This requires a major overhaul, costing at least 120 energy credits."

  The Kate's face fell.

  "I don't have that much."

  "This ship belonged to my father; he died in space due to an illness. A friend brought it back."

  "My father was our sole provider. My mother earns very little, and I have four younger siblings. I want to become an explorer, like my father, using this ship."

  He had lofty aspirations.

  But he was stymied at the first hurdle.

  Luna had assumed that the Federation had ample job opportunities, supporting its entire popution. But poverty still existed.

  "What's going on?" Luna asked Ay.

  Ay quickly responded.

  The poputions of the main species had changed significantly since the Federation's establishment.

  The Kate and Multi-eyed, who had initially arrived with the fleet, had grown to 5.8 billion and 2.2 billion respectively, over the past 700 years. The human popution had also increased, reaching 1.17 million.

  And the Lelera, with their astonishing birth rate, had increased from 36.2 billion to 50.1 billion, nearing their peak popution.

  Ay had even decommissioned some robots to free up jobs, but it still wasn't enough.

  With the development of the capital star system, the popution would continue to grow. Ay projected that, in 400 years, the four main species would reach a combined popution of 100 billion, potentially increasing further with the arrival of other civilizations, such as the Stonecolor.

  Popution growth, coupled with Luna's theory of utilizing imagination as a resource, would fuel rapid civilizational advancement.

  But this would inevitably lead to economic inequality, an unavoidable consequence.

  A small business owner, for example, might find their products rendered obsolete, leading to bankruptcy and debt.

  The Federation couldn't erase this debt; this individual, and their descendants, would remain impoverished.

  Only by halting progress and equally distributing resources could such inequality be prevented.

  This was an unavoidable truth.

  Luna couldn't intervene; neither she nor the Federation were charities.

  Moreover, economic inequality was a driving force of progress.

  "Perhaps I can invest in you. You pay me the agreed-upon energy credits, and the rest will be considered a loan. Once you've made your fortune in space, you can repay me."

  Luna was taking a considerable risk; there was always a chance the explorer wouldn't return. Space was dangerous; anything could happen.

  On a pnet, a maritime accident might leave survivors stranded on a deserted isnd. In space, the consequences were far greater.

  "Thank you,"

  The explorer, Du Luo, said earnestly. "I swear I'll repay you."

  A naive young man.

  "Alright then!"

  Luna repaired the thrusters. She still possessed considerable skill, aided by Ay's advanced tools.

  The repair took four days.

  Luna watched Du Luo depart, heading into the vastness of space.

  Countless people left this spaceport daily, each carrying their dreams.

  "It's a wonderful pce."

  "This atmosphere reminds me of an anime setting; perhaps we could create a One Piece-style legend."

  Ay sent a message.

  "Or a legend of a master mechanic."

  "Luna, I have a technology to transfer to you."

  Luna was curious.

  Ay had already prepared; she delivered several items to the shop.

  Luna opened the package, revealing a suit of armor that felt like liquid.

  Liquid memory metal!

  "It is indeed liquid memory metal, but it's more than that. A Type 1 civilization could produce liquid metal."

  Ay's voice held a note of mystery.

  As Luna held the liquid metal armor, it connected to the nanobots within her body.

  The liquid metal flowed from her hand, quickly enveloping her, forming a silver suit of armor.

  Luna moved, surprised by its lightness; it felt like a regur suit of clothing. The rigid parts didn't restrict movement; she could move freely, even perform yoga.

  "The liquid metal contains a complex network of micro-channels. This suit weighs only 8.7 kilograms and provides far superior protection to conventional armor."

  A highly functional product.

  This would repce most conventional armor.

  But the armor market was already dominated by powered armor; this was...

  Not that Luna didn't value it, but it was simply too niche.

  "This could also be used on android, enhancing their defensive capabilities."

  Ay didn't respond but said, "There are other items in the package, Luna. Please examine them."

  Luna examined the package again, finding another suit of liquid metal armor—bck, unlike the previous one.

  "Different specifications?"

  She picked up the second suit; it was much thinner and lighter, weighing less than 4 kilograms.

  She also found a watch in the package.

  Its design was familiar; she picked it up and put it on. It cked a screen, only a small rotating dial.

  She turned the dial.

  The bck liquid metal armor instantly appeared, merging with the silver suit, completely enveloping her. After a brief moment of darkness, Luna saw again.

  But this was a holographic image, not a direct visual perception.

  "What's happening?"

  "Why does it feel like I'm wearing powered armor?"

  It was an odd sensation; her body felt enveloped in liquid. Luna realized that the liquid metal wasn't just on her skin; some had penetrated her body, coating her bones.

  "Because it is powered armor, Luna!"

  "The silver liquid metal is a non-conductive protective yer. The bck liquid metal is conductive, providing electromagnetic energy transfer."

  "The watch is the power source and control unit; it contains a miniature computer. And you haven't noticed? It's the same size as a Federation Energy Credit; it uses them as a power source."

  "The armor is connected to the nanobots in your body, allowing you to control the liquid metal with your thoughts."

  Luna imagined the liquid metal flowing over her body, forming a thicker yer of armor. She took a deep breath.

  "This armor seems rather weak."

  Compared to traditional powered armor, it seemed insufficient.

  Ay replied, "No. The liquid metal's strength lies in its adaptability. You can add kilograms, even tons, of liquid metal. But then, the power source wouldn't be a watch but a rger power unit."

  Adaptable.

  Unconstrained by size or shape.

  "Can this liquid metal create complex machinery and electronic circuits?"

  Ay hummed in affirmation.

  "Of course."

  "While maniputing this liquid metal, it can be programmed to remember ten stable configurations."

  "You can freely modify it, but I don't recommend it. It's like the difference between mass-produced equipment and handcrafted items; the quality and reliability are vastly different."

  "If you consider it a powerful piece of technology, then a skilled engineer can make it even better."

  "Don't underestimate its defensive capabilities. Being liquid, it can absorb more kinetic energy than traditional armor, surpassing commercially avaible suits, even rivaling custom-made, high-end models."

  Ay seemed to be showing off, and this was indeed a remarkable achievement.

  "Can this be mass-produced?"

  This was the key question.

  "Yes, a factory has been built, capable of producing 14,000 tons daily."

  14,000 tons sounds like a small number, but that's enough to make over 2 million suits like the one Luna is wearing.

  "Your business here seems a bit slow. Perhaps we can make this liquid metal exclusive to your shop, helping you expand."

  So that was the pn.

  But Luna shook her head.

  "No, I don't want to become a business tycoon. I have access to the entire Federation's resources; becoming a business magnate is trivial."

  "I just want to watch people come and go. It's monotonous, but when something interesting happens, it's quite enjoyable."

  "Make this liquid metal avaible throughout the Federation. I only need a few dozen suits."

  Liquid memory metal wasn't cheap; the starting price was 200 energy credits.

  Considering its advanced technology, this price might seem reasonable. But as a consumer product, it was exceptionally expensive.

  A multi-ton suit would cost 5–10 million energy credits, and that was just the base price; luxury models could cost tens or hundreds of millions of energy credits.

  This was only the cost of the liquid metal, excluding the power source and control systems.

  Liquid memory metal wasn't limited to armor; it could be used in massive spacecraft construction, making millions of energy credits a small expenditure.

  Even Luna was slightly taken aback by the numbers.

  The Gactic Federation had only a handful of corporations with assets exceeding a billion energy credits.

  Only she could currently build a liquid metal spacecraft.

  However, mass production would eventually reduce costs, triggering another industrial revolution.

  While these advancements might not compare to antimatter, dark matter, or string manipution, the cumutive effect of these smaller innovations would eventually lead to a breakthrough, impacting the entire Federation.

  Luna eagerly awaited this moment.