Azure Base Sanctuary was a massive base surrounded by enormous, circular walls, which was built fifty years ago. It was split up into two sectors.
The inner sector was where someone of noble status resided while the commoners lived in the outer sector.
Sam Rivers lived with his parents in the north of the outer sector. There were dozens of rectangular-shaped apartm
ents in the area.
The apartments stood straight to the sky, blocking the sun's exposure. From afar, one could see hanging clothes on each balcony.
Sam Rivers lived in one of these apartments on the 15th floor out of 30 floors. After taking the elevator, he soon arrived home.
"Sam, how's school today?" A woman greeted him by the door. She had a fair skin, blonde hair, and small face. She was dressed in purple dress, wearing a white apron. It was Sam's mom.
"It was okay." Sam didn't tell her about the last practical exam, fearing it would make her worry.
Sam's mother picked up his shoes and organized them in the corner. Then, after saying a few words to her son, she returned to the kitchen.
Sam entered his room and changed his clothes. Then, he checked the clock and saw that the time was 5:35. In his family, dinner starts at 6:00 in the evening, so he could use the remaining time to cultivate.
Knock…knock…
Half an hour later, a knocking sound awoke Sam from his cultivation. He realized it was time to eat, so he walked out of his room and headed to the dining room.
After opening his door, Sam saw a pale boy on the other side.
"Big Brother, dinner's ready."
"Mhmm, let's go."
Sam stood next to his younger brother as they headed to the dining room.
Looking at his younger brother's pale face, Sam sighed and stretched his right hand behind his little brother's back.
Sam's younger brother stopped because of the warm sensation that spread through his body. He looked at Sam with amazement and asked, "Brother, I feel refreshed. What did you do?"
Sam Rivers smiled at his younger brother and stretched his right hand to reveal a white crystal on his palm.
"A warming crystal! Did you buy one, brother?"
Sam's little brother gasped in surprise. He knew the value of the crystal. Because of his condition, he couldn't live a normal life like his peers. As such, he was always home. Thankfully, he had the internet as a source of communication and entertainment. As a result, Sam's little brother was quite knowledgeable about certain things.
"But brother, I haven't seen a similar product. Is this a new edition?" Sam's little brother tilted his head in confusion.
"Is that so?" Sam Rivers kept the white crystal as they arrived at the dining room. His mother and father were already sitting around the table. He looked at his brother and said, "After I make a necklace with it, you can wear it to keep you warm."
Sam Rivers wanted to keep the crystal with him. On second thought, his little brother needed it more than himself. After all, he was someone who had embarked on the path of cultivation. Exhaustion couldn't be a cause for his sudden death.
"Thank you, Big Brother." Sam's little brother didn't decline the offer. He knew what kind of person his big brother was. Once he decided on something, it was hard to change his decision.
After the two brothers arrived, the Rivers family soon began to eat.
After dinner, Sam's father asked his eldest son.
"Sam, how's your cultivation lately?"
Sam Rivers raised his head and looked at his father. His father had an extraordinary physique, and his eyes were sharp and strict. His demeanor was full of discipline, which he had obtained from the frontlines.
"It's going pretty well. Probably in two months, I can break the third genetic lock."
"That's good. Are you planning to unlock all your genetic locks?" His father looked at his eldest son with a serious expression. Sam's father had trained Sam Rivers since he was young and was aware that he had decent talent in cultivation.
Because of his training, Sam Rivers became invested in martial arts. Four years ago, he wanted his eldest son to enter an ordinary high school, but because of his passion for martial arts, he joined Azure Base School despite the risks behind it.
He was worried that his eldest son would be stubborn and attempt to unlock all ten genetic locks. After all, there were only a few commoners who achieved such a feat. Although it was hard to admit, he didn't believe his son could do it.
"Don't worry, Father, I know my limits. In five years, I'll advance to the Genetic Warrior stage, no matter how many genetic locks I open by then." Sam Rivers assured his father.
The more genetic locks one had unlocked, the longer they could walk the path of martial arts. This is a fact known to everyone.
Those with three genetic locks unlocked have the chance to enter the Genetic Master realm. Those with four to six genetic locks have the probability of reaching the perfection of the Genetic Master realm. As for seven to nine genetic locks, they have the talent to become a Grandmaster. However, only when one reconstructs their genes ten times can one hope to achieve the peak of martial arts, the Genetic Saint realm!
In today's age, ancient humans have noble status. In fact, many modern humans referred to them as the chosen race. All humans of the chosen race have unlocked ten genetic locks as soon as they were born, which means they have the talent of a Martial Saint!
Modern humans could only stare with envy!
After dinner, Sam headed back to his room. He leaped onto his bed and sprawled like a dead dog. He was truly exhausted today, and he even had the thought of skipping his cultivation for sleep.
Sam Rivers had a tight schedule. In the morning, he had to go to school, which would end in the afternoon. In the afternoon, his part-time job at the school's library ends at 5:00 p.m., meaning his available time for cultivation was only during the night.
Because of this, Sam had to ask some of his teachers to allow him to cultivate in their lectures and in the library as well. After returning home and having dinner, he would use the rest of the time to cultivate until he hit the cumulative time of 12 hours a day for his 1.2% spiritual energy goal.
If he skipped just one day of this strict routine, the approximate time he calculated to unlock the third genetic lock would increase by one day.
Sam could not afford to waste another day.
He looked at the stars in the night sky through the window. He reached out his hand toward one of the stars and grabbed it, but when he opened his hand in front of his face, there was nothing on his palm.
"In the vast universe, I'm a moth dreaming of it. Talented or not, fate lies in my hands. The path of martial arts is filled with thorns and uneven rocks. I will face obstacles I may never overcome. So what? I'm a weak moth, but I'll walk forward, even if the end isn't what I'm looking for. This is my destiny, and I'll fight for it as this is the dream of a weak moth."
Sam Rivers closed his eyes and reminisced about the memories of his previous life.
But no matter how much he tried to immerse himself, the past memories were fleeting and blurry. It was as if the forty-six years he lived in that world as a scientist were just a dream.
As Sam Rivers opened his eyes, he noticed his phone was buzzing. He picked up the phone and looked at it, realizing it was someone important to him who had called.
His gaze warmed as he answered the phone call. "Tahlia! Are you back?"
"Sam, can we meet outside?" Contrary to Sam's excitement, the voice on the phone was lukewarm.
'Did something happen?' Sam thought and answered, "I'll be there shortly."
Sam rose from his bed and quickly headed out of the house. He rode the elevator, taking two minutes to arrive on the ground floor.
Sam didn't waste any time and headed outside, heading toward the nearby bridge.
Soon, the bridge appeared in his line of vision. He narrowed his gaze.
A chauffeur-driven car was parked next to the bridge. In front of the car stood a beautiful girl, wearing a purple dress.
The girl quickly noticed the approaching Sam Rivers and walked toward him with an indifferent gaze.
There was only a short distance between Sam and the girl, so he obviously noticed it. Judging from the situation, he assumed she didn't come with good intentions. Perhaps the rumors were indeed true…
Strictly speaking, Sam was not interested in romance. As someone who lived two lifetimes, despite awakening his past memory only four years ago, his only interest was martial arts. Unfortunately, this body had already formed a relationship before the awakening of his memory in his previous life.
As a result, he stuck with the relationship. But lately, he had heard rumors about Thalia being courted by someone from the inner sector. He didn't expect it was true.
Sam made up his mind to end the relationship as soon as they started talking about it. There was no point in continuing their relationship anyway, as the current Sam only stuck with it due to the remaining feelings before the awakening of his memory in his previous life.
Sam reached Thalia and was about to say what had been on his mind for years when Thalia spoke first.
"The Virtual Pavilion is much more beautiful than the outer sector. The Main Azure Base School even has a virtual combat simulation, which is somewhat futuristic," Thalia said out of nowhere.
"Oh?" Sam was taken aback. Instead of saying anything, he let her continue.
"Do you know what makes the outer sector and inner sector different, Sam?" Thalia stared at Sam.
Sam obviously knew the answer. One of the differences between the outer and inner sectors of each base sanctuary was access to technology. The inner sector was filled with futuristic creations that were only a concept even in Sam's previous life.
"Yes." Sam didn't know what Thalia was trying to say, and he was somewhat tired as well, so he wanted to end the relationship right then and there. He continued, "Thalia, I—"
Thalia stopped him mid-sentence with a sigh, "After seeing a new world, it's hard to forget it. Sam, I can give you a spot in the Main Azure School."
Sam Rivers' lips froze, and he was stunned for a moment. He looked at Thalia with confusion.
Seeing this expression, Thalia was disappointed in herself. She thought to herself, why did I even like someone as poor as him, someone who is a frog in the well? She couldn't help but despise him.
"Sam, we lived in the same world, but the world isn't fair. Someone might be looking at the top of the mountain, watching a bunch of ants desperately trying to survive." Thalia looked at Sam and said, "Sam, if you don't want to end up like those ants, come to the Main Azure School and be under Brother Dorian. This is an opportunity I'm giving you because of our past relationship."
Sam looked deeply at Thalia and finally understood what she was trying to say. In the end, a trip to the inner sector had changed her a lot.
He shook his head and said, "Why are you doing this?"
Thalia thought that Sam couldn't understand that she was trying to end their relationship, so she calmly said, "Sam, you're just a poor student, an ant who's desperately trying to survive. In a month, you'll be sent to the frontline, and you'll die as an ant. As for me, I'm now a student at the Main Azure School and a citizen of the inner sector; the disparity is like heaven and earth. You're no longer worthy of me."
"Is that so?" Sam looked at Thalia and said, "You could've said it bluntly. Anyway, Thalia, I believe you've misunderstood. To be honest, I also want to end our relationship."
Thalia was surprised. "What did you say?"
Sam Rivers looked at her and said, "After you called me a while ago, I came here with the resolution of ending our relationship."
Thalia smiled awkwardly, but she sighed in relief. "That's it. You can come tomorrow morning to the inner gates, someone will fetch you there."
She turned and walked away, thinking that even a poor student like Sam was ready to throw everything away just so that he could enter the inner sector. No wonder the inner sector is different from the outer sector.
"Thalia."
At this moment, Sam suddenly spoke, causing Thalia to stop in her tracks.
"I think you're mistaken. In the path of martial arts, dignity and belief are the most important qualities to become a genetic warrior. Even ants have their own dignity and belief. A person who throws away their dignity will forever live under someone's shadow." Sam Rivers smiled at Thalia and said, "I don't need your help. You can go on with your life. I'm different from anyone else. I believe in myself."
Sam Rivers turned around and walked away without looking back.
However, Thalia, smart enough to understand the message behind his words — I'm indeed an ant, but I'll fight my destiny, not live under someone's hand, unlike you who shamelessly given up everything about yourself.
Thalia looked at the disappearing back of Sam Rivers, feeling a little uneasy. She clenched her right hand, but as she thought about life in the inner sector, she believed she had chosen the right decision.
Years later, she believed it would be her who emerged to the top.
When that day arrived, perhaps the Sam Rivers that she once had a crush on when she was young would become a pile of dust as she lived on to witness another sunrise.