"These stacked-up slums aren't considered a unique local custom on Haizhou-12. They're home to unregistered people, robbers, thieves, and prostitutes — filled with drugs, black markets, and human trafficking. Here, the filth of humanity manifests itself. Poverty and hardship hang like a constant shadow over the settlements, and this miserable condition has lasted for over a hundred years. Sadly, Haizhou-12 is not unique — there are hundreds, even thousands of such garbage planets, with tens of millions of people living at the very bottom of the stars, far removed from modern society. And we can do nothing about it." — National Geographic of the Great Eagle Empire
…
As someone who'd just entered the Lin family estate with an awkward and ambiguous identity, Lin Hai had spent the past few days quietly observing his new surroundings.
The estate was located in Ring Zone 2, one of the central districts of Riverside Star. The planet's expansive transit networks intertwined like a bird's nest, forming a highly integrated modern society.
Skyscrapers pierced into the skies, standing atop ever-expanding aerial platforms. As the social space extended vertically, stratification naturally followed. The higher the buildings and roads, the more advanced the technology, the more luxurious the lifestyle. To own a piece of land in the scenic upper levels, one needed both wealth and status.
Geography alone had split society in two — the glittering elite living above, and the filthy masses below. Thus, high-end rich districts and decaying slums were born.
Ring Zone 2 was among the most exclusive residential areas, second only to Ring Zone 1. Here gathered the elite families and societal titans of Riverside Star. The streets were spotless, maintained by multiple cleaning companies whose mechas patrolled regularly to keep everything pristine.
The Wayne Group CEO's mansion was located here. Normally, it remained peaceful and dignified — occasionally broken by a sleek business hovercar pulling into the estate for meetings, or Lord Lin Wei's extended hover limousine arriving at night, its passengers disappearing into the well-lit halls.
Through his observations, Lin Hai identified four main vehicles used within the estate: the "Lincoln" stretch hovercar used by Lord Lin Wei for formal receptions, a gray "Ram" luxury sedan for company affairs, a feminine-looking hovercar belonging to the current Lady Ning Qing, and finally, a bat-shaped sports car frequently driven out by Lin Hao in high style.
During lunch at the estate's dining hall, Lin Hai would encounter his new "family."
Lin Hao, clearly alienated from him, treated him like a ghost. He instead chatted amicably with Lord Lin and Lady Ning Qing about academy life, while Lin Hai sat isolated and out of place. Only Lord Lin occasionally broke the silence to ask if Lin Hai had adjusted to life here, or mentioned the plan to enroll him in an academy.
By "academy," he meant one of the Empire's top universities. Even though Lin Hai was an illegitimate child with no official status, they couldn't just let him loaf around forever. Since Lin Hai had grown up in the slums with no access to modern education, sending him to school was likely the most trouble-free option.
Despite his arrogance, Lin Hao was undeniably gifted. Gaining admission to Qingyuan Academy — one of the Empire's most prestigious institutions — at just seventeen, was proof of that. But academic excellence didn't guarantee business acumen. In terms of running a company, Lin Hao lacked maturity and strategic depth — making him a vulnerable target for scheming relatives within the family.
With the Wayne Group's influence in the military declining and Lin Wei's health deteriorating, questions of succession became urgent. Lin Wei's brothers — all titled nobles — began eyeing the group's leadership. Lin Hai now saw clearly why he had been brought to the estate.
If he was meant to act as a decoy — drawing the fire of ambitious uncles to protect Lin Hao — it all made sense.
This also explained why Lin Hao and Lady Ning Qing tolerated his arrival.
This luxurious estate was nothing more than a gilded cage, filled with the coldness of worldly politics.
So this was the high society that the widows back on the garbage planet fantasized about?
Lin Hai, gloomy and unimpressed, found the thought bitterly amusing.
…
Despite the alienation, Lin Hai wasn't entirely repelled by the new environment. For the first time, he could see advanced mechas he'd only dreamed of back on the garbage planet. He had access to computers connected to the interstellar network, granting him endless streams of information. He saw with his own eyes the wealth and wonder of a modern world he'd only glimpsed on his cracked TV.
Lin Hai had an almost obsessive love for machines. It had started in the towering heaps of junk on Haizhou Star, where he grew up scavenging electronics and metal. These early experiences became etched into his bones — and ultimately, into his talent. No one knew just how far his obsession — and his potential — really went.
Luckily, the estate had enough distractions to keep him occupied. The high-performance computer in his room alone kept him busy for hours each day, devouring knowledge that was once inaccessible to him.
Other than eating and sleeping, nothing could pry his attention away.
Until today.
That evening, a red mecha arrived at the estate — breaking the dull rhythm of his days.
For someone obsessed with machines, nothing was more thrilling than witnessing a masterpiece of technology up close.
The fiery red mecha had hawk-like curves and long, streamlined mechanical legs. It glided across the ground as if skating on ice, light reflecting off its surface in dazzling arcs of color.
Wayne Group, after all, was a defense manufacturer, and the estate had its own hangar. Lin Hai had seen a few mechas moved in and out on transport trucks, but never in live operation. That underground hangar — like pirate treasure in an ancient tale — had become the object of his obsession.
That's also why he'd taken such an interest in Wayne Group's business affairs. He didn't dislike the estate as much as he'd expected — because machines like this made it worth enduring.
Compared to the clunky scrap mechas he'd cobbled together on Haizhou, this red one was light-years ahead — in design, materials, and onboard systems. Not even in the same era.
Lin Hai stood at the window, watching the mecha disappear into the underground hangar, mouth watering like a dog before a feast. And it wasn't for a woman — but a machine.
Even he had to admit he was sick.
This estate hid too many tempting secrets. That red mecha had flashed through his life like a sunset flare — fleeting but unforgettable.
It wasn't just material poverty that plagued garbage worlds like Haizhou — it was the starvation of information and knowledge. Accessing even basic high-tech material on mecha engineering was next to impossible.
Even when slum kids had dreams, they lacked the tools and knowledge to pursue them — an unbridgeable gap compared to civilized society.
His room was on the second floor of the villa — a guest suite, not as lavish as Lin Hao's, but still filled with modern conveniences: a high-end video intercom system, carefully placed artworks, and ornate decorations. For someone from the slums, it was like stepping into a treasure trove.
"A solid gold globe on the shelf — that's gotta be worth at least thirty thousand on the black market!"
"That tourbillon clock over there… I could live ten years easy if I sold that."
"Even the doorknobs are gold… With eighteen rooms on this floor, that's gotta add up to—wow!"
Slum kids dream big. And for Lin Hai, that dream was fueled by the endless mechanical data stored in that computer.
But slum kids also develop cravings for material things, born of long deprivation. So when Lin Hai saw all this luxury, he couldn't help fantasizing.
With a casual motion, he slipped the gold globe into his pocket, stuffing it like a child with candy. Of course, he didn't actually intend to steal it. He just liked the warmth of it in his pocket. If this family rejected him, he'd fantasize about grabbing all this stuff and fleeing back to the garbage planet, where he'd live like a king!
These were the kinds of daydreams that filled his breaks from intense studying.
But he always returned the items. He'd wipe away the fingerprints, put them back exactly where he found them, and act calm and collected when Li An came to tidy his room — like luxury meant nothing to him. That cold, proud air made Li An view him in a new light.
Just as he was admiring his latest "loot," the door behind him creaked open.
It wasn't Li An — not at this hour. Lin Hai's scalp tingled with panic.
Too late.
He turned around just as the door swung open, revealing a tall, cold-faced woman in a black lace-trimmed camisole. Her curves stretched the fabric tight. Her legs were long, breathtaking — like the proud bridge of her nose. Her presence hit like a punch to the chest.
And there Lin Hai stood, cradling a priceless porcelain vase like a baby.
The room fell into a dead silence.
After a long pause, Lin Hai gently set the vase back down and muttered, "Almost tipped over…"
Then he fished the globe from his pocket and placed it back on the desk. "Can't believe it rolled off the table like that."
Finally, he turned toward her, frowning. "Who… are you? Need something?"
The girl was stunned.
Though adopted, she'd grown up with impeccable manners and education. She'd seen shameless people before — but never this shameless.
Her brow twitched ever so slightly, but she said nothing. Instead, she walked into the room like she owned it, reclining on the sofa near the window as if it were her boudoir.
The golden twilight bathed her in soft glow. Damp red hair clung to her chest. She looked like a porcelain doll in the fading light.
Seeing her elegant legs crossed in the setting sun, Lin Hai swallowed hard. A fire stirred low in his gut. Now he finally understood why even strict Li An seemed enchanted when talking about her — countless men on Riverside Star dreamed of conquering this woman.
Given today's commotion over the red mecha, and her casual presence here, Lin Hai guessed her identity immediately.
She had to be Lin Wei — Lin Hao's adored sister, the adopted daughter of Lord Lin Wei.
The dangerous woman had arrived.
But in that awkward moment, playing dumb was far safer than playing smart. Survival in the slums had taught him the value of masks. Still… damn, she looked way better than that hot widow back on Haizhou.
Lin Wei caught the way he stared at her legs. A flicker of anger flashed in her eyes.
It was their first meeting, but between the vase incident and his ogling, she'd already formed her opinion: classic slum trash. Crude. Shameless. Disgrace to the Lin bloodline.
Despite being in her early twenties, Lin Wei had long mastered the games of politics and business. She carried both the aura of an elite school prodigy and the commanding presence of someone who'd wielded real power. It was a rare and intimidating blend.
Her anger vanished behind a polite smile. "You must be Lin Hai."
Lin Hai nodded.
"I've heard about you. I'm Lin Wei. We're about the same age, but technically, I'm your sister now… That means you're part of the Lin family. From now on, you'll be expected to follow family rules."
It was a warning — whether he understood it or not would determine how well he survived here.
Lin Hai blinked, surprised. He had expected her to come storming in over the beating he gave Lin Hao. He'd already prepared for the worst.
But instead, she greeted him… with a smile?
The calmer she acted, the more dangerous the storm that followed.
Lin Hai's instincts — honed like a jackal's in the slums — caught the scent of something off. But he kept a casual grin on his tanned face. "Of course we're family! Living under the same roof and all."
Typical slum behavior — brash, shameless. Lin Wei's anger finally surfaced.
History had shown plenty of illegitimate children from the countryside rising up and trying to seize fortunes that were never theirs to claim.
In the Great Eagle Empire, illegitimacy was still deeply stigmatized. Even the law couldn't fully erase that.
Lin Wei had come to see what kind of man Lin Hai was — whether he posed a threat to everything she'd built for Lin Hao.
After watching his behavior, she relaxed.
This wasn't a threat — just a crude, greedy little man with no understanding of the empire's true power structure. He couldn't even imagine what Wayne Industrial really meant.
Her gaze softened. Her lips curled into a mocking smile.
"Have you eaten?" she asked.
"Uh… not yet," Lin Hai answered honestly.
"Come with me, then. My treat," Lin Wei said, turning toward the door.
Lin Hai's eyes lit up. "Going out to eat? Are… are you asking me on a date? My first one! I'm a little excited!"
Lin Wei froze mid-step, clenched her fists, and walked away without a word — resisting the urge to explode.
She didn't even wait to close the elevator door.
Watching her storm off, Lin Hai's lips curled upward in amusement.