Bellock Star, located in the vast sea of stars in the Sixth Star Region, is a remote celestial body suitable for life. Here resides a civilized kingdom, the Bellock Kingdom.
The Bellock Kingdom has ruled this star for nearly four hundred years, and the once prosperous nation has entered a period of turmoil. The previous ruler died suddenly in his prime, and although the young prince successfully ascended to the throne, he was powerless to calm the domestic situation. However, this is quite normal; who can expect a six-year-old child to achieve anything remarkable?
On a barren mountain peak, a boy dressed in a black fitted robe stood barefoot at the summit, gazing down into the unfathomable valley below. Upon closer inspection, the boy's eyes were calm and deep, his bronze skin exuding an aura that belied his age.
Facing the afterglow, with his back to the valley, he stood motionless on the peak.
As night gradually descended, darkness engulfed the entire world, and the residual warmth on the ground slowly faded. The boy exhaled a puff of white mist; the temperature difference on Bellock Star could reach 40 degrees, making nighttime a time when few ventured out, especially not dressed so lightly.
Until deep into the night, the boy opened his eyes, his body slowly leaning into the valley. If anyone had seen him, they would surely think he was mad or attempting suicide; falling from such a height would undoubtedly leave no trace.
The boy seemed to revel in the thrill of falling, gazing up at the peak and the starry sky.
Just as his falling body was about to collide with a protruding rock on the cliff, the boy suddenly reached out, deftly spinning around, and flung himself out towards the edge of the mountain base, his entire being suspended in mid-air. After falling three or four meters, he suddenly reached out and grasped a rock, stabilizing his form.
The cold air seemed to have no effect on him; he continued to move nimbly towards the valley floor.
Minutes passed, and halfway through his climb, beads of sweat began to form on the boy's forehead. However, he did not seek a place to rest but continued to descend.
When the light re-emerged from the horizon, the boy finally reached the base of the mountain, surrounded by the remnants of dead plants.
There was no sign of life, but from the dead plant remains, one could clearly ascertain that the environment was not naturally caused, as normally dead plants would have long since decayed; evidently, these had not.
The boy walked deeper inside, encountering few obstacles along the way. Before long, he stopped, a flicker of excitement appearing in his bright eyes.
He slowly raised his head, gazing at two towering humanoid machines, Mech Armor, each over twenty meters tall.
Even after so many years, they still evoked an overwhelming sense of awe. From their battered frames, one could still feel the remnants of their once perfect aerodynamics, the dark cannon mouths instilling fear.
The black and white Mech Armors leaned against each other, resembling lovers.
The boy remained silent for a long time before climbing onto the white mech. He skillfully ascended to the top, where the entrance was still ajar, and he leaped inside.
Before long, the boy found himself seated in the cockpit, which suddenly lit up.
"Master," a melodious voice rang out.
The boy remained silent for a few seconds before saying, "Phantom, call me Qianlong."
"Understood, modifying data, modification successful."
"Where has my father gone?"
"Searching, I'm sorry, there are no records in the database," Phantom replied.
Qianlong fell silent again, and after a long while, he spoke, "Come with me."
"Understood, automatic release in progress, protective devices disengaged, cushioning devices disengaged, shackles unlocked."
Qianlong could clearly hear the crisp sounds emanating from within the mech. Then, the control panel in front of him split open, and a box rose from the bottom.
Qianlong hesitated for a few seconds before finally reaching out to grasp the box. At that moment, the box began to crack open, and Qianlong's breath quickened. A white, transparent sphere floated up from the box, revealing countless threads intertwining within. As Qianlong extended his palm, the white sphere began to change shape, ultimately extending a needle that pierced into Qianlong's palm, the white sphere injecting itself into his body like liquid.
A voice echoed in Qianlong's mind, "Host successful."
Qianlong let out a sigh of relief, instinctively reaching out to touch his palm, a warm and familiar feeling from his memories resurfacing.
This was the sensation of his mother; it was also the gift she had left for him.
Qianlong climbed out of the mech, casting one last glance at the two mechs lying there before reluctantly turning to leave.
Before he turned ten, Qianlong had been very happy. He loved being by his mother's side, listening to her tell stories of the vast sea of stars. Of course, he also hated his father, who only imposed endless rigorous training and study. He couldn't understand why none of his peers had to learn so much; only he was burdened with it.
After turning ten, his frail and sickly mother passed away, and his strict father never smiled again. Instead, he imposed even stricter training and study. Qianlong began to feel anxious; he was not afraid of training and studying—being exceptionally intelligent from a young age, he sensed that his father was imparting all his knowledge and skills to him. He had a strong premonition that one day he would disappear. (Note: Due to limited learning conditions, training was confined to combat and physical training, with other knowledge awaiting practical application and verification.)
Six years later, Qianlong stared at the message left by his father in silence for a day.
"I'm going to take care of my own matters. Walk your path well in the future; don't worry about me, and don't come looking for me. The Phantom in the valley is left for you."
Two years later, Qianlong made up his mind and went to retrieve Phantom, while the core of the other mech had been taken by his father without incident.
Qianlong began to climb the mountain; he was going home.
Seven days later, Qianlong appeared at the edge of a town, the ground covered in a layer of black coal dust. The town had a small population, but it was very peaceful. Once rich in resources, it had been forgotten after being depleted.
It was fortunate that the mechs hidden in the valley had not been discovered.
"Isn't this Qianlong? Where have you been playing?" an uncle passing by greeted him.
Qianlong politely replied, "I went out to take care of some matters."
The uncle sighed, "You're a good kid, but you're too rule-abiding. I don't know how your wild and unruly father raised such an excellent you."
Qianlong smiled and replied, "Thank you."
"Things outside haven't been very stable lately. If there's nothing going on, don't go to the big city," the uncle kindly reminded him, growing fonder of Qianlong the more he looked at him. Most of the young people in the town had gone to the big city, leaving only a few behind. His own daughter was still waiting to find a partner, and with such good conditions, where could she find someone? The only pity was that both of Qianlong's parents had passed away. Speaking of which, he had only seen Qianlong's mother a few times; it was said she had always been unwell and bedridden.
Qianlong politely replied, "Thank you, I'll be on my way now."
"Alright."
Qianlong headed home, having made up his mind; he was going to leave this small town.