【Host, I think we've taken a wrong turn.】
The system was a little anxious, as this was its mistake.
Actually, it was also Yuan Nian's fault. Before, she always followed the system's consciousness through worlds. This time, however, she forcefully insisted on the system bringing her physical body over. The system originally thought it was all the same, but Yuan Nian's main body possessed too much energy, affecting it. As a result, they both ended up in this desolate place.
Looking at the barren land, Yuan Nian frowned, "What is this place?"
The system replied somewhat uncertainly, 【It should be some barren planet. Host, wait for me to contact the main system. I'll have it send someone to rescue us.】
It could only bring people through time and space, but it couldn't freely traverse within the same spacetime. If they were truly stranded on a barren planet, the main system would have to send a starship or mecha to bring her back.
"What's a barren planet?"
【A planet where no one lives.】
This time, she had used her main body, and there was no so-called "plot" or memories for her to reference. She was completely confused, so the system patiently began to explain.
【Host, you can think of this world as the future of the worlds you've experienced before. Many years in the future, humanity broke through the limitations of planets and even gained the ability to traverse time and space. However, ordinary people cannot cross over; those mysterious spaces will completely devour ordinary people, turning them into particles. But mechs or starships manufactured by humans can perform warp jumps at specific points. This was the result of countless generations' efforts over hundreds of years, bought with the sacrifice of countless lives. Humanity has broken through the limitations of planets. Besides the original Blue Star, humans survive on many planets. Those that are unsuitable for human survival are barren planets.】
Yuan Nian had some understanding.
If this were her original world, she could reach any place she knew. But here, it was completely unfamiliar to her. She didn't know where she should go and was at a loss for a moment.
"Then contact him quickly."
The system responded and went to send the message.
This planet was very flat and barren. As far as Yuan Nian could see, it resembled a wild land. However, wild lands usually confined those who committed heinous crimes for punishment; this place seemed devoid of people.
She gazed into the distance, and further away, she seemed to see white snow covering the desolate land. She sensed the temperature; this place was very cold, with a temperature similar to the harsh winters of some worlds she had experienced, and it was still dropping.
Not a single cloud was visible in the sky, yet no light could penetrate, as if the sky were covered by a shroud, blocking the light source.
After sending the message, the system said to her, 【Host, the main system seems to be particularly busy lately. It didn't reply for several days last time. Why don't you find a place to stay temporarily? When it knows we're here, it will send someone to pick us up.】
Yuan Nian looked at the vast and desolate wilderness, "Where can I stay?"
The system was also in a difficult situation.
Yuan Nian walked forward and said, "Tell me about this world."
【What does Host want to hear?】
"Anything." She looked around again, "For example, the aliens in this world, or the state of humanity."
The system was silent for a moment and said, 【Then I'll tell Host about the history of interstellar civilization. This is a required course for all humans, as now, they can only reminisce about past glories.】
There was a deep sigh in its words.
【After humanity entered the information age, it took several hundred more years to break free from the constraints of the Blue Star and enter the interstellar era. Approximately two hundred years after entering the interstellar era, due to the constant exploration of different planets and the need to occupy more resources, all planets encouraged childbirth and even artificially created humans. The human population grew explosively. During that period, it was the time with the largest human population. According to statistics, the total interstellar population exceeded one hundred billion at that time. They thought they would continue to prosper like this, but unexpectedly, the aliens invaded.】
The large-scale alien invasion led to a sharp decline in the interstellar population. Many human creation experiments had to be halted. The research institutions that produced high-level talent for the various interstellar powers became fewer and fewer. Without high-intelligence individuals to support the experiments, a vicious cycle ensued. After another hundred years, humanity's various advantages began to shrink or even disappear.
For the next thousand years, the struggle between humans and aliens continued. Just as their glory was about to fade, the last batch of highly intelligent individuals created the Interstellar Main Network, granting it the ability to think independently and control the entire human world. Its first rule was to always stand on the side of the majority's interests.
Thus, it anxiously maintained stability in the interstellar realm for thousands of years.
However, with dwindling resources and continuous alien invasions, those humans with weapons and resources began to want to break free from the Main System's control. They believed the Main System's actions were all about compromise, slowly depleting humanity's resources and thus destroying humanity, and they wanted to resist.
The system naturally sided with its own kind: 【Actually, if a truly unparalleled genius were born, the Main System would have returned power to them long ago. But they couldn't. Their manufacturing ability and imagination couldn't compare to humans from hundreds or thousands of years before. So, while the interstellar era sounds magnificent, in reality, their current strength is not even comparable to that of over a thousand years ago. It's truly tragic.】
The Main System was created by humans, and everything it could do was something that past humans could do. It was tragic that present humans couldn't achieve it.
"How many humans are there now?"
【Around one to two hundred billion. In comparison to the past, it's a lot less. Therefore, many planets have been abandoned.】
The system then spoke of the glorious history of humanity's extensive colonization of barren planets.
Relying on their creativity, they created many things that could easily alter a planet's oxygen concentration, climate, geological conditions, and even artificial sunlight. But those things required human maintenance. With the alien invasions, all order quickly collapsed. Without anyone maintaining the operation of those things, the environment began to deteriorate, becoming so bad that humans could no longer survive and fled the planet, leaving it abandoned.
It also possessed independent thought, and as it spoke, it couldn't help but sigh with regret.
Yuan Nian simply listened silently, admiring this species of short lifespan but boundless imagination.
However, she couldn't help but think: Mass artificial creation of humans was a violation of the natural order, so it was no wonder disasters befell them.
【Host, there seems to be some energy source ahead... Perhaps there are people. Why don't you go take a look?】
Yuan Nian looked around. Far in the distance, she seemed to see some tents, indicating a human settlement.
They were too far away, and she could only see small protrusions on the flat ground, which, viewed from here, looked a bit like small hills.
"Okay."