In the silence of the cosmos, a star burned with ancient flames, while humanity's creations attempted to tame this primal force.

  It was a half-finished Dyson sphere, a colossal network of billions of solar collectors forming an intricate web, slowly devouring the star's light. From afar, the twinkling energy conversion stations resembled scattered stars, domesticating the star's furious energy into the lifeblood of this region's economic system—Energy Coins, also the newly emerged universal currency across the cosmos.

  Bo Yu had gazed up at this marvel of human civilization countless times through the night sky of the agricultural planet. Whenever the star's light filtered through the gaps in the Dyson sphere, casting dappled shadows across the night, he would imagine witnessing this spectacle firsthand one day.

  Now, he had finally arrived at the Star Station, this metal city floating in space, the galaxy's trade hub.

  "Bao'er, shift left 3.2 degrees."

  Bo Yu's voice was calm and focused, his slender fingers tracing a precise arc in the air. His lean, 1.88-meter frame stood in the middle of the food street, short black hair messily covering his forehead, partially hiding the brown eyes slightly weary from concentration. His T-shirt hung loosely on his shoulders, revealing the space-grade compression suit underneath. He wore a complex brain-control helmet, isolating him into a separate world.

  The eyeball-sized intelligent robot "Bao'er" shifted direction fluidly in the air like a drop of mercury, stopping precisely where Bo Yu indicated. Through the helmet, Bo Yu saw the image relayed by Bao'er—the heat sink of an old refrigeration system was caked with dust, its efficiency dangerously low.

  "Boss, there's dust buildup on your refrigeration system's heat sink, causing a 23% drop in efficiency," Bo Yu informed the owner of the barbecue stall, simultaneously snapping his fingers. The basketball-sized robot behind him rolled out with a 'swish', beginning to address the problem area as instructed. "In another two days, it would have completely failed."

  "Thank heavens, Bo Yu!" The boss wiped sweat from his brow, his eyes shining with admiration. "That last repair company quoted an exorbitant price. I was ready to close shop."

  Bo Yu offered a slight smile and picked up his bowl and chopsticks to start eating. By the time the robots finished their work, he would be almost done with his meal. This young mechanic could solve most of their technical problems in the time it took to eat a meal.

  Just then, Bao'er floated past the window of a small diner, its lens capturing the scene inside—

  Bo Yu's pupils dilated slightly, his movements pausing. Because in the image transmitted by Bao'er, he saw a girl. She had light blonde hair with pinkish hues, tied into playful pigtails, and large, light green eyes sparkling with mischievousness. She wore a vibrant dress, exuding an air of innocent charm. She was listening intently to the shop owner's chatter, nodding and smiling occasionally, her guileless smile drawing people in.

  Time seemed to slow to a standstill, leaving only this dreamlike moment.

  Only when the girl turned her head, looked directly at Bao'er's lens, gave a greeting, and a subtle smile touched her lips did Bo Yu snap back to reality, quickly directing Bao'er to move on. But the image of the girl was deeply imprinted in his mind.

  "Another one, please," said another girl sitting nearby to a robot at her side. The blender-like robot placed some fruit inside itself, spun at high frequency instantly liquefying it, then infused it with cold air to create a bubbly fruit juice. Another robot then transferred the drink to her.

  "Hehe, quite an interesting person, right, Ka?" the first girl said, watching the silver robot fly away, then looking at the girl who had taken the juice and was sipping it intensely, a faint smile playing on her lips. Her voice was like crisp wind chimes, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.

  Ka's gaze remained cool, following the small departing robot like an elegant panther observing its surroundings. "He was mesmerized watching you," she replied curtly, her voice calm and ripple-free.

  The first girl chuckled softly, looking incredibly sweet. She took a bite of her snack, her pink tongue darting out to lick a trace of sauce from the corner of her mouth, her eyes glinting slyly.

  After finishing her food, the girl wiped her hands and stood up. Though only 1.6 meters tall, her presence was undeniable. "Let's go, we still have business to attend to. The OAD headsets won't buy themselves." She paused, a flicker of excitement in her eyes. "I've been looking forward to this for a long time!"

  Ka didn't respond, merely rising silently to follow. Her movements possessed a natural grace and elegance. Combined with her tall, alluring figure, clad in black leggings and a black jacket, her cool demeanor evoked the image of an elven queen, were it not for her attire. The two left the diner, melting into the Star Station's crowd. Ka moved like a shadow, quiet and unobtrusive, even though her height made her stand out. Most onlookers' gazes, however, were drawn to the lively, cute girl beside her.

  They traversed several busy commercial streets, finally arriving at a high-end OAD equipment store. The storefront was luxuriously decorated, displaying various models of OAD headsets in the windows, from basic versions to the latest limited editions.

  Inside, holographic projections displayed images from countless different worlds—adventures, dragon slaying, battlefields with millions of soldiers. The legendary stories of players in these worlds were numerous and unique. Each segment ended with the phrase: "This isn't just a game, it's your second life."

  "This is it," the girl said. "They supposedly have the high-end models we need here."

  Ka nodded, following her into the store. The lighting was soft, the background music a soothing electronic tune. A few customers were trying out demo units. Alice and Ka headed straight for the premium section, where the headsets cost several times more than the basic models but offered far superior performance and experience.

  "This is the latest Star series. It boasts three quantum communication channels, two more than the standard model," a sunny and energetic male voice came from behind them.

  The two girls turned to see a handsome young man approaching with a smile. Sunlight streamed through the store's floor-to-ceiling windows, seemingly bathing him in a golden halo. He had the perfect combination of blond hair and blue eyes, a height similar to Bo Yu's but with a more balanced, fit physique. He wore a modern suit without a tie, exuding a well-groomed charm.

  He revealed neat white teeth when he smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling slightly, conveying a natural affability. "I noticed you looking at the high-end models. Is there anything I can help you with?" he asked, casually adjusting his cuff—a small gesture revealing his attention to detail.

  The name tag on the young man's chest identified him as Jakob, an employee at the store. His manner was natural and friendly, his smile radiating a cheerful charm.

  "Yes, we'd like to buy two high-end OAD headsets. We just arrived at the Star Station and aren't familiar with the products here." Her voice was sweet and innocent, like a newcomer girl. "Oh, right, my name is Alice."

  "Ah, Alice, welcome!" Jakob said enthusiastically. "You've come to the right place. High-end headsets have more quantum channels, which means a lot." He picked up an exquisite headset. "All senses become fuller, clearer, sharper. You won't miss any detail, even in the most massive scenes."

  Alice nodded, satisfied. "Sounds good. We also need to purchase some game data packs. Are there any new games?" Her tone was light and full of anticipation.

  "Ah, perfect timing. I wonder if you ladies like a game called Zombie Apocalypse? It launches in 10 hours. Classic Earth style, no magic, hyper-realistic, brand new physics system, and a dynamic world. A friend and I are all set. If you two beauties are interested, we could team up for the launch." Seeing their interest, Jakob extended the invitation.

  "Okay," Ka, who had been silent, agreed.

  Alice looked a bit surprised, turned to exchange a glance with Ka, then nodded.

  "Even better!" Jakob said warmly. "I'm Jakob, the manager here. If you run into any problems, just find me. Here's my contact info."

  "Mm," Alice nodded, noting it down and adding him as a friend.

  The transaction was completed quickly. Alice and Ka each received a high-end OAD headset and several game data packs. Jakob personally escorted them to the store entrance, confirming the time and place to meet in OAD.

  The two left the OAD store and headed towards the Star Station's residential area. Night had fallen, and the station's artificial lighting system simulated a gentle evening. The streetlights cast a soft, warm glow.

  "You agreed pretty quickly," Alice said, a hint of teasing in her voice, but her eyes were serious.

  Ka didn't deny it, just shrugged lightly. "Yes." Her reply was brief.

  "But this is good too. We can learn more about this place through him," Alice said.

  Beside her, Ka seemed lost in thought, glancing at the headset in her hand, then at Alice.

  Alice smiled, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Looks like this trip is going to be more interesting than I thought."

  The two continued walking, gradually disappearing into the Star Station's night.

  Meanwhile, at the other end of the Star Station, Bo Yu arrived at a repair shop. Standing at the entrance was a seemingly middle-aged man, sturdily built with a kind expression.

  "Ah, Old Man," Bo Yu greeted.

  "Little Yu, there's a job today. Try handling the client yourself." A strong hand rested on Bo Yu's relatively thin shoulder and gave it a shake.

  Bo Yu sighed softly but agreed. He understood the reasoning. Though somewhat resistant, he complied and entered the adjacent reception room. After greeting the client, they went together to the hangar bay to inspect the situation. Once the scan of the damaged spaceship was complete, they began discussing the estimated cost. The Old Man stood just within earshot behind them. Seeing they had reached an agreement, he walked over.

  "Old Huang, still as slick and cunning as ever, eh?" he said, shaking hands warmly with the somewhat portly man before him.

  "This is your Uncle Huang."

  "Oh, hello, Uncle."

  "Alright, off you go."

  Bo Yu left the room, leaving the two men chatting cheerfully inside.

  Next, he carefully examined the scan images of the ship and debris on the screen. His left hand controlled the view direction and distance, while the fingers of his right hand rapidly tapped various parts of the ship and wreckage. Numerous components were quickly color-coded. Multiple robotic arms began executing a long string of commands he had arranged. While supervising, Bo Yu also managed internal repairs, material cutting, welding, heat treatment, and various other complex procedures. Each set of tasks took him only about ten minutes, whereas other mechanics would need at least half an hour.

  After finishing his day's work, Bo Yu took the interstellar bus back to the agricultural planet. He lived at his grandfather's farm, where he had converted an unused warehouse into his private base. Walking past his various personal repair projects, including a spaceship he was currently fixing, he entered his bedroom and placed the bag he was carrying on the table.

  "Bao'er, how's the data compilation for today?" he asked, his voice tinged with fatigue, sinking into his chair and stretching out as if it were a bed.

  "Data compilation complete, Bo Yu," Bao'er's electronic voice came from the speaker on the workbench. "A total of 17 devices were repaired today, efficiency increased by 3.2% compared to yesterday. The spaceship requires a core and two thrusters."

  Bo Yu nodded, but his mind wasn't on the data. The image of the cute girl kept replaying in his head—those large green eyes and playful pigtails were unforgettable.

  Bo Yu nodded again, opened the bag, took out the fragrant dinner inside, and prepared to eat. Suddenly, his communicator chimed. He answered it—a video message from his good friend Jakob. His excited voice immediately filled the air.

  "Bo Yu! Two girls are joining us for the launch tonight! I call dibs on the short one, don't fight me for her!"

  Hearing this, a wry smile appeared on Bo Yu's face. He knew his friend's habits all too well—always able to meet girls, but never able to keep them. After listening to the rest of the message, the communicator rang again. This time it was the Old Man.

  "Little Yu, you did a good job today. Old Huang even wanted to poach you, but I refused. Remember, you can be generous when charging him in the future; he makes money much easier than you do." The middle-aged man on the screen smiled kindly before ending the call.

  After eating and washing up, he put on the prepared headset and lay down on his bed. As the headset activated, drowsiness gradually overcame him. He closed his eyes. After a few minutes of darkness, his consciousness awakened in his dream, arriving in his familiar personal space. Before him was a door displaying images of Zombie Apocalypse, with a countdown timer showing just over 10 minutes remaining.

  Meanwhile, in a residence on the Star Station, Alice was excitedly unpacking her OAD headset, eager to try out her new toy. After putting it on, she looked towards the woman beside her.

  "Are you okay?" Alice asked Ka, a hint of concern in her voice.

  Ka sat by the window, gazing at the stars, a rare smile gracing her lips. "Just zombies. It's fine. Players are always more trouble."

  Hearing Ka's reply, Alice's excited expression returned, looking forward to tonight's gaming adventure.

  For them, the night grew deep, but the Star Station's operations never ceased.