Star Evolution

**Chapter One: The Genesis of Hope**

In the year 2756 AD, humanity achieved sub-light-speed travel, heralding the dawn of a genuine era of interstellar colonization. Over a century of technological strides later, in 2874, humanity grasped the theoretical foundations of interstellar space jumps.

Seventeen years thereafter, the most technologically advanced nations collaboratively birthed the epoch-defining spacecraft, the "Explorer I." It marked the inauguration of humanity's golden age of interstellar expansion.

Fast forward to 3205 AD, and humanity encountered advanced extraterrestrial life for the first time. The consequences of human colonization ignited a war with these beings, revealing a stark reality—humanity was outmatched in the cosmic battleground.

Faced with the fragility and brevity of human life, coupled with a flourishing material civilization, humans, engrossed in sensual pleasures, grew lax in procreation. Simultaneously, wars claimed the lives of countless youths, leading to a bleak demographic outlook.

Confronted by an impending demise, humanity fractured into factions—war advocates, peacemakers, escapists, and those resigned to a melancholic existence. Ultimately, the war proponents garnered widespread support, leading to the reformation of Earth and the establishment of the "Interstellar Alliance" and the "Cosmic United Military Command." All colonial worlds were mandated to submit to the command of the military.

Centred on Earth, the alliance fortified layers of defenses, massively expanding its arsenal and deploying formidable interstellar fleets at the forefront to stave off extraterrestrial incursions.

To address the issue of human frailty, the "Human Evolution Research Institute" and the "Human Space Technology Research Institute" were founded on Earth. These institutions convened the foremost scientists of the era to explore methods liberating humanity from its vulnerabilities and aging.

In 3669 AD, an exploration spacecraft discovered a peculiar liquid substance on a distant, nameless planet. Unfortunately, the return journey was marred by a meteor shower, resulting in the loss of all exploration personnel. Upon the arrival of a rescue ship, this mysterious liquid substance was transported back to Earth.

Within the "Human Evolution Research Institute," through meticulous analysis, scientists unveiled a substance hitherto unseen. In a serendipitous experiment, they discovered that this liquid, dubbed "Hope One," not only could be absorbed by the human body but also induced an automatic evolution.

This revelation reverberated throughout the scientific community. Subsequently, the Alliance dispatched numerous exploration spacecraft in pursuit of that distant, now elusive, nameless planet, but it vanished from the vast cosmic expanse.

Pooling the efforts of countless eminent scientists for a decade, the alliance successfully synthesized this liquid substance, christening it "Hope One" or internally, "Evolution One."

In 3700 AD, the Interstellar Alliance mandated that all citizens, upon reaching eighteen, must receive the injection of K14, alternatively known as "Hope Fourteen" or the Fourteen Evolutionary Agent. In less than a year, every individual aged eighteen to sixty-eight received this evolutionary serum.

Two years later, most individuals discovered a revitalized self, marked by robust physicality, heightened speed, agility, and enhanced cognitive abilities, unveiling even super-evolved beings.

Though a minuscule fraction experienced this extraordinary transformation, the outlook for broader human evolution appeared unprecedented, fostering a revitalized and exuberant human populace.

In 3743 AD, the Cosmic United Military Command launched a counteroffensive against extraterrestrial life, securing a resounding victory. The invaders were expelled to the fringes of the Milky Way. The conflict reached a stalemate as both sides amassed strength, poised for the next inevitable war. The Interstellar Alliance fervently sought more effective evolutionary methods.

**Chapter One: The Silver Leopard**

In the year 3132 AD, an exploration spacecraft traversed the vast expanse of the stellar firmament.

Aboard this peculiar vessel was an extraordinary ensemble.

The grandfather, born in 3780 AD, now one hundred and twelve, a former military officer with the rank of General when he retired at the age of a hundred. He had commanded the Special Mech Assault Corps and bore the moniker "Silver Leopard." Evolved to the eleventh tier, his greatest desire was to embark on interstellar explorations following his retirement.

The grandmother, eleven years his junior at a spry age of one hundred and one, renowned as a human evolutionary scientist and a first-tier academician of the Human Evolution Research Institute. Her name was Zhong Beiwun, evolved to the ninth tier. Her greatest aspiration? To nurture her third-generation grandchildren and traverse the stars alongside her beloved spouse, seeking