This civilization rating, according to the creator of Queen Mother, is a standard recognized by hundreds of advanced civilizations that communicate with each other. The standard for a first-level civilization is simply the ability to make tools. The standard for a second-level civilization is the possession of written language. The standard for a third-level civilization is the ability to utilize primitive energy sources. The standard for a fourth-level civilization, which is also the current level of civilization on Earth, is the emergence of artificial intelligence.

However, no matter how much these civilizations develop, it is still difficult to avoid accidents, and space travel is the field where accidents are most likely to occur. The ruins on the planet Champa were the result of a space accident: a spaceship was forced to land on this planet, and because it lacked certain components, the ship could not be repaired. Those unlucky Champa people ended up living on this planet.

There were only a dozen or so people on that Champa spaceship. Although they couldn’t return to their homeland, they used technology far more advanced than that of this planet to establish a rather prosperous secondary civilization. But after hundreds of generations, the knowledge left behind by the high-level civilization gradually faded away, and the once-flourishing Champa dynasty was eventually reduced to nothing but awe-inspiring ruins.

According to the archaeological records of Lifeboat 15, the ruins in the Sea of Immortality should be the site of the wreckage of that Champa spaceship. Among all the Champa ruins, it is the oldest and most valuable.

I said with great hope, “If I could find a spaceship, I could go home right now.”

In response to my longing, Lifeboat 15 made a rather pessimistic assertion: “If there were a spaceship, those Champa people would have gone home long ago. Aside from a spaceship, anything could be in those ruins—including danger! But I remind you, the Champa people’s technology was advanced enough to create automatic weapons. There are a large number of defensive weapons in the ruins. I suggest you have at least a level-four or higher bio-beast as a guard before taking the risk.”

If I didn’t know that Lifeboat 15, although also a bio-beast, has no nervous system at all—so even if I dismembered it, this bastard wouldn’t feel any pain—I’d really want to subject it to the ten tortures of the Qing dynasty. Suppressing my anger, I said, “Of course exploring the ruins is dangerous. I’m just going to take in the scenery, and if I’m lucky, pick up something valuable to use as seed money for future adventures on this planet. I’m not going to be that reckless.”

After giving me a bunch of suggestions I couldn’t accept, Lifeboat 15 was finally kicked by me several times in annoyance and went off to be my translator in peace.

I’ve already decided that after this expedition, I’ll stop building bomb worker bees and let Queen Mother evolve at full speed. To be honest, I’ve been feeling uneasy on this unfamiliar planet. If I don’t do something, I’ll go crazy.

“If I can get some useful supplies from this Champa ruins expedition, I’ll be able to make contact with the outside world sooner!” Whether from a philosophical or economic perspective, in any civilized society, a general equivalent or currency is much easier for me to integrate with than Queen Mother.

After making all the necessary preparations, on a sunny morning, I set out with twenty Tibetan mastiffs, two hundred bomb worker bees, and two grenade beasts slung over my shoulder.

Thanks to my genetic modifications, the grenade beasts look just like small-caliber rocket launchers—super streamlined and incredibly cool. When I hoist one on my shoulder, from a distance I look like Schwarzenegger the Second. The bio-engineered Tibetan mastiffs and bomb worker bees following me are even more futuristic than Mr. Parker in his youthful exuberance, leading a yellow dog on the left and a black one on the right...

I’m not entirely sure what those aliens did to my body, but in any case, I’m much stronger than I was as a shut-in back on Earth. As a guy who spent years in the lab, studying all the way to a PhD, my fifty-meter sprint time is close to the world record for a hundred meters. But even on this planet, where gravity is about 1.35G—slightly higher than Earth—I can still leap four or five meters in a single bound, definitely able to race an antelope in a short sprint.

There are too many unpredictable factors in the primeval forest. What should have been a two- or three-day journey to the Champa ruins took me five days. I lost four Tibetan mastiffs, sixteen bomb worker bees, and even had half a pant leg torn off by some creature—could have been a vine, a snake, or an insect, I have no idea.

Chapter 7: Sensual Encounter

The troubles I encountered along the way made me deeply respect the profession of explorer. Thinking of the great scholars in human society who do research in the wilds of South America or Africa, I’m very glad I didn’t choose those majors just because my test scores were low.

If it weren’t for the bomb worker bees and bio-engineered Tibetan mastiffs protecting me, I would have been killed by the jungle beasts along the way.

“Electrochemistry is a great field—at least I never have to leave the lab. There may be fewer junior female students, but they’re all gentle! The lion’s roar from the east side of the river and Queen Mother’s lion’s roar may look similar, but they’re fundamentally different.” Although this journey was thrilling but not dangerous, after some reflection, I decided that until Queen Mother evolves to level five and can create jet-powered bio-beasts to serve as hover jeeps, I won’t go on any more adventures.