Chapter 2: A Letter from Someone I Thought Was Dead... and a Mission to Find the Kids
Morning light streamed through the automatically dimming window, but Shen Xixuan hadn't slept at all that night. He sat at his desk, reading and rereading the letters and documents in Big Brother's secret box, trying to understand everything as thoroughly as possible. He was still amazed by the technology all around him, which seemed to have come straight out of a science-fiction novel.
After more than fifteen hundred years... everything had changed completely. Technology, society, even the human body itself had changed so much. He still found it unbelievable that he was living in this era, but he had no choice but to accept reality.
From the documents, he learned that his older brother, Shen Xihou, had moved to the planet DT-3 about six years ago. He had married a woman named Li Fei, and the two of them had three children together: Xiao Hu, five years old, and the one-year-old twin girls Xiao Feng and Xiao Yan.
There were also another pair of twins—Xiao Long and Xiao Chao, both four years old—whose mother had died during the last pirate attack. His brother had taken them in because he had once promised their mother, who had saved his life, that he would look after them.
This brother of his... seemed like a truly kind person. Shen Xixuan felt proud to have a brother like that. Even though he had never actually known him, if he went to find his nieces and nephews, shouldn't he introduce himself as their uncle first? After all, he was their father's younger brother. He was their uncle.
Shen Xixuan felt proud of the older brother he had never truly known, but the bond of blood and the memories in this body made him feel close to him. He brought up the children's pictures once more on the three-dimensional holographic display. The children's images rose out of the screen as though they were standing right in front of him.
A real 3-D hologram! It looked like he could reach out and touch them. The technology of this era really was incredible. He wanted to try setting up a system like this at home.
Shen Xiao Hu: A sturdy-looking boy with small tiger ears. He seemed very responsible.
Shen Xiao Long: A boy with pale blue-white hair and a gentle, incredibly cute face.
Shen Xiao Chao: A black-haired boy who was the complete opposite of his twin brother. He looked mischievous and brave.
Shen Xiao Feng: A girl with yellowish-brown hair and small bird wings folded against her back.
Shen Xiao Yan: A girl with light blue hair and an exceptionally sweet face. She looked like the type who loved to cuddle up to people.
All five children... Where were they now? Were they comfortable? Did they have anything to eat? Were they scared? He was genuinely worried.
His resolve hardened. No matter how difficult it was, he had to find them.
He got up and went to the kitchen, trying to make himself breakfast. But there was nothing appetizing in the refrigerator except synthetic nutrients. He tried ordering the automatic food maker to prepare something new, but it served him different-colored gelatin, just like before.
It still wasn't tasty. With technology this advanced, couldn't they even make a simple meal? What a waste. If he had fresh ingredients, he could definitely make something delicious... So why didn't people in this era cook real food anymore? It couldn't be that everyone had completely forgotten this art, could it?
He opened the kitchen window and looked out at the empty backyard. The soil looked excellent, perfect for growing plants. He walked out into the backyard and touched the earth with his fingertips—the soil was wonderfully fertile, suitable for growing all kinds of plants, even though it was the soil of AG-1.
This soil was incredible. If he grew his own vegetables... they might have something better to eat. And when he brought his nieces and nephews back, they would probably enjoy fresh vegetables and fruit just as much as he did. He could make delicious meals for them every day.
In the era he had come from, he had been a professional vegetable grower. He knew how to make plants grow well and taste delicious. He began planning in his head what kinds of vegetables he would plant once he returned from this mission.
But now wasn't the time to think about growing vegetables. First, he had to find a way to get to DT-3.
He went back inside, pulled up the information display, and searched for interstellar travel. He found that:
Travel tickets were extremely expensive—nearly enough to wipe out the money in his account.
Tickets to DT-3 were very hard to find because the situation there was dangerous, and many airlines had canceled their routes.
He would have to pass through three interplanetary checkpoints and provide a clear reason for going.
Shen Xixuan felt a little discouraged, but he refused to give up. He thought about the people around him. One of his neighbors was named Chen Geng, though the locals called him Uncle Chen. According to the memories in this body, Uncle Chen was a kind man with considerable local influence who often helped others. He seemed to have once been a very important person.
He might have to ask Uncle Chen for help... But before going to see him, he needed to learn more about this world. The technology, the laws, the culture—everything he still didn't know, along with the countless new terms that continued to confuse him.
He spent the entire day learning about the technology, culture, and social system of beastfolk, as well as information about the various planets, driven by endless curiosity.
He learned that beastfolk in this era were divided into:
Upper class: They had partly animal-like features, great physical strength, and lifespans of up to two hundred years. They were usually the powerful members of society.
Lower class: They could transform completely into animals. They had less physical strength, but greater gentleness and caregiving abilities. Lower-class men could become pregnant.
Shen Xixuan froze when he read that.
Lower-class men could become pregnant?! It was something he had never even imagined back in the old era! Humans really had evolved incredibly far.
He also learned about the power system, which ranged from F to SS, and the various beastfolk lineages—for example, dragons, who belonged to the royal lineage and possessed the greatest power; tigers and lions, who had tremendous physical strength; whales, who had healing abilities; and so on.
His lineage was that of a prehistoric whale... while his current animal form was a cheetah... How interesting. He had to see how the power worked.
He tried to call upon a small amount of his power. He felt a warm sensation flowing through his body. Then he placed his hand against a wooden table with a few small scratches on its surface, and the scratches vanished as if they had been healed instantly.
Wow! A healing ability... It was real! That was so cool! If he could use this power to help other people... that would be wonderful. It might even help his nieces and nephews if they got hurt.
He was excited by his new abilities, but he still kept his main mission in mind.
When the sun began to set, painting the sky a beautiful orange-purple, Shen Xixuan prepared to visit Uncle Chen. He put on neat, comfortable clothes, left the house, and followed the beautiful stone path toward another house not far away.
The path was lovely. Large trees provided shade, brightly colored flowers lined the roadside, and the air was cool and pleasant. He saw people walking by. Some had animal ears, some had tails, and some had small wings—everyone seemed completely accustomed to these features. A few people even drove small hovercraft that skimmed over the ground in place of cars. They had no wheels and made no loud engine noise.
Hovercraft! No wheels! They could glide above the ground! That was so cool. He really wanted to try driving one. The technology of this era was endless. He wanted to try everything.
He reached Uncle Chen's house—a large, beautiful, peaceful home that blended traditional style with technology. A wooden fence was covered in lovely climbing flowers, and a modern-looking but discreet security system protected the property. He walked to the door and pressed the call button.
After a moment, the door opened, revealing a man of about sixty. He had a strong face but a gentle smile, along with a pair of small animal horns on his head. This was Uncle Chen, a giant sloth with S-rank psychic power and a former Federation premier.
"Oh... you're Xuanxuan, aren't you? Did you come to visit your uncle?"
Uncle Chen's voice was incredibly warm. Shen Xixuan bowed slightly in respect.
"Hello, Uncle Chen... I really have something I need your help with."
"Come in first, son. Sit down and tell me all about it. It's about to get dark outside."
Uncle Chen invited him into the house. The interior was clean and orderly, with the fragrant scent of tea in the air. An automatic climate-control system kept the air inside fresh at all times. Shen Xixuan sat down on a sofa that automatically adjusted to his body. It immediately molded itself to his back, making him incredibly comfortable.
A smart sofa! It could adjust to your body! This was so comfortable. He wanted one at home.
Uncle Chen poured him a cup of hot tea and sat down beside him.
"What happened? You look awfully worried."
Shen Xixuan paused, then began telling him everything—the story of his brother, the letter, the children on DT-3, and his determination to go find them as their uncle. He tried to explain everything as clearly as possible without revealing that he had died and been reborn from an earlier era.
Uncle Chen listened intently, his expression growing more solemn with every word. When Shen Xixuan finished, he let out a deep sigh.
"Your brother... Shen Xihou... I remember him. He came to see me before he moved to DT-3. He was a truly good man—determined and responsible. It's such a shame."
"You remember my brother?"
"Of course I do. You look a lot like him, and you're kind just like he was... It's such a shame."
Uncle Chen paused, then looked Shen Xixuan directly in the eye.
"Xuan, are you really determined to go? DT-3 is extremely dangerous right now. Pirates are everywhere. You could be risking your life."
"I am, Uncle... The children are my nieces and nephews. They're my family. As their uncle, I can't leave them in a dangerous place."
Uncle Chen stared at him for a moment, then slowly smiled.
"Good... You really do have the same heart as your brother. I'll help you arrange the trip, Xuan."
Shen Xixuan was shocked and overjoyed.
"Really, Uncle? Thank you so much! Thank you, truly!"
"But you have to promise me one thing, Xuan—you must be extremely careful and come back safely with all the children."
"I promise, Uncle! I'll definitely come back safely."
"Good... I'll take care of the tickets and documents. Wait two or three days. I need to get in touch with a few old friends first."
Shen Xixuan felt much more relieved. With Uncle Chen's help, he finally had hope of finding his nieces and nephews.
He returned home with happiness in his heart, though he still couldn't stop thinking about all five children.
Just wait, everyone... Uncle's coming to find you. Wait a little longer. I'll bring you all home and take the best care of you I can.