Chapter 1, The Meat-Loving Boy

Closing his eyes and then opening them again, the faintly strange red glow in Mufan's eyes completely faded, yet his gaze was incredibly bright, as if the surrounding darkness had ceased to exist. The jungle, insects, and flying birds were all vividly visible before him. He was unaware of when he had discovered his ability to see sharply at night, but after he accidentally found several plant mice using this ability, he began to deliberately train himself to master this seemingly divine gift.

The night of Lojia Star is as cold as steel, causing one to tremble from the marrow.

Thick space debris floats around the planet, and the only safe route is a unique passage reserved for the planet's administrators. Supplies below the average federal standard are delivered to the planet only once every two months. Most people still struggle at the brink of hunger and poverty

With a whoosh, Mu Fan came to a halt, his bright eyes shimmering at that moment. He stood at the edge of the jungle, sniffing the scent of a beast not far within. There was a mutated beast there! No doubt about it, this powerful aura; he could already sense the agitation in the mutated beast's blood. His stomach growled again, and Mu Fan pressed his lips together, a red light surging in his eyes at that moment

There is a river here, and at night, the bone-chilling water is the "treasure land" where Mu Fan most enjoys washing off the blood and sweat from his body. If luck is on his side, he might even catch a plump fish in the water. Hmm, the taste of it raw is also quite good, as long as it is meat

Mu Fan's purpose today is to hunt a large animal. He feels an increasing hunger in his body; in the past, two plant mice were sufficient, but now they are far from meeting his bodily needs. He needs to consume more meat

Taking advantage of the cover of night, Mu Fan, unnoticed by anyone, had already rushed to the edge of a forest fifteen kilometers away from the factory. In the tranquil darkness, Mu Fan seemed to merge with the land, with only the steam rising from his body indicating his presence

... ...

With a "sizzle," the last spark of Mars splashed out. Mu Fan sheathed his dagger, lightly cradling the blade in his left hand. He glanced at the flames, squinting his eyes, revealing a satisfied expression. Tonight—he was going to feast on meat

One of the survival standards that Mufan set for himself is to go hunting twice a week. Whether it is large animals or small ones, whether they are alive or dead, any gain is considered a victory. He desperately needs this energy, as he can clearly feel the craving of every cell in his body for that kind of meat

In an abandoned factory located thirty kilometers from the urban area, disordered industrial waste is scattered everywhere, and fragments of battle-damaged mechs that cannot be repaired are piled up all around. On this resource-scarce planet, those in power do not have the energy or goodwill to deal with this waste. The free labor from the slums will help them resolve these troublesome issues, while also saving the government a significant amount of expenditure, making it a win-win situation.

Desire is the primal driving force of humanity; when a rapidly developing body encounters hunger, it can unleash an unparalleled energy within a person, especially for one like Mufan, who is already familiar with the taste of meat

At this time in District 22, the weather had begun to cool down. Mu Fan was wearing a canvas jacket and a pair of work pants stained with oil. Taking advantage of the evening break, he came out to polish his weapon, a dagger sharpened from industrial alloy. He was at an age where he easily felt hungry, and the money he earned from working each week was saved to buy bundled books at the second-hand book market. The remaining money was barely enough for the lowest-grade synthetic food that could fill an average person for two meals a day, just enough to keep him from starving. If he did not go out to find food himself, it would mean that he would remain in this situation indefinitely. He was at an age where he easily felt hungry, and the money he earned from working each week was saved to buy bundled books at the second-hand book market. The remaining money was barely enough for the lowest-grade synthetic food that could fill an average person for two meals a day, just enough to keep him from starving. If he did not go out to find food himself, it would mean that he would remain in this situation indefinitely.

Without giving much thought to the order of these two characters, and adhering to the principle of being pleasing to the ear, his adoptive father, who had the fortune of reading a few books, named him Mu Fan. During his childhood, he did not understand and did not ask his adoptive parents. When he grew a little older, however, his adoptive parents went out scavenging during a pirate attack and were taken away by a stray bullet. Mu Fan no longer had the opportunity to inquire about the details from that time. That year, he was ten years old.

It has already been seven years since the passing of his parents. Mu Fan glanced up at the campfire before him and continued to lower his head to polish a small knife that glimmered with a cold light. He had not paid much attention to his appearance; his messy black hair and not particularly strong physique were complemented by a decent height. The moment he lifted his eyelids, his brown pupils were revealed, but upon closer inspection, one could occasionally see a flash of red deep within those brown pupils, reminiscent of roses yet akin to congealed blood.

One day, as he was on his way back, he saw a vulture take flight not far away. Out of curiosity, he noticed a dark shadow falling from mid-air; it was half a plant rat. In the leaping flames, Mu Fan tasted meat for the first time.

Mu Fan, 17 years old, does not know who his parents are. His adoptive parents told him that he was found behind a garbage bin while scavenging. At that time, the sky was just beginning to brighten, and the light of the stars shone evenly and softly on the baby's face, touching the horizon. When his adoptive father picked up the child, he discovered that two tags had fallen from him: one was a deep yellow wooden tag engraved with "Mu," and the other was a dark black metal tag engraved with "Fan." The light of the stars shone evenly and softly on the baby's face, and when his adoptive father picked up the child, he discovered that two tags had fallen from him: one was a deep yellow wooden tag engraved with "Mu," and the other was a dark black metal tag engraved with "Fan."

Mu Fan walked bare-chested in the wilderness, the scars crisscrossing his body resembling medals of battle. His lean physique accentuated the naturally aesthetic lines of his muscles, leaving no doubt about the explosive power hidden within this body

Luo Jia Star, belonging to the Fourth Administrative District of the Galactic Federation, is the most remote celestial body within the Federation's territory. Originally designated only by a code, it was named after the fallen general, Major General Luo Jia, due to the brutal wars fought to defend the Federation that erupted several times. Although it is an exception, it remains forgotten by the majority.

Mufan did not feel the cold that the neighbors spoke of; on the contrary, he only felt a chill that made his mind extraordinarily calm and clear, which he greatly enjoyed. He did not know why he was always hungry, but he found that his endurance seemed to be several times that of those around him. Or perhaps even more; he had no concept of it, nor did he have any interest in asking.

This jungle is already far from the urban area. On a remote and impoverished planet like Loga, the administrators lack the capability to deploy many satellites for monitoring. The few cities formed by humans struggle against nature, while this jungle has maintained its pristine appearance, home to more powerful beasts, which for him means a richer source of food

Surrounded by the silent wilderness, occasional squeaks can be heard. At this moment, in a corner of the factory, sparks occasionally flicker, a pile of bonfire quietly burns, and a slender figure is cast upon the crumbling wall

The night sky, thick clouds obstruct the light reflected by the planets

On the 22nd, the central urban area remains brightly lit and bustling with voices. As evening approaches, under the gray sky, two completely different scenes—liveliness and silence—are in striking harmony

A "meteor" streaked across the atmosphere, shining with a brilliance above the clouds

Mufan is not very talkative, yet he is quite sensible. After receiving this news, he did not cry; instead, he returned to his dilapidated little house and found the tattered gloves he had picked up while scavenging in the past. He then went out to help both acquaintances and strangers with labor. He carried goods, washed dishes at restaurants in the suburbs, delivered packages to formal urban citizens, and searched for scrap to sell among the piles of garbage in the factory. With only himself left, he felt an even greater need to survive. He carried goods, washed dishes at restaurants in the suburbs, delivered packages to formal urban citizens, and searched for scrap to sell among the piles of garbage in the factory. With only himself left, he felt an even greater need to survive

He wants to eat meat