A group of people, none of whom noticed that not far across from the construction site, a very beautiful girl was watching the entire incident unfold.

“Shaolin Arhat Fist?” Emily Bennett nodded seriously, her eyes sparkling with a glimmer of excitement. “Very interesting, truly very interesting.”

If John Harris were here to see Emily Bennett’s expression, he would definitely get nervous and go find Brian Carter, telling him to lay low for a while. Whenever Miss Emily Bennett’s eyes sparkled like that, it always meant she had found a new toy to play with.

Back at home, Brian Carter didn’t rush to log onto the Sky Martial Arts Battle Network, but instead turned on his old, battered computer and quickly searched for all the information about “The Military Service Act.”

Since he was interested in joining the military, he naturally needed to know the pros and cons of enlisting. Only after weighing everything could he truly decide whether it was worth joining the army before going to college.

Browsing through the newly revised “Military Service Act” articles, Brian Carter broke into a happy smile. Depending on the branch of service, not only would you receive a generous severance package upon discharge, but there was also a chance to get all sorts of unexpected rewards.

A compact laser gun? An energy protective suit for the harsh environments of space? A multifunctional planetary exploration kit? Brian Carter felt his heart race at every extra reward—these were all high-priced items on the market, and many planetary exploration companies were willing to pay a fortune for them.

A space fighter jet that could take off without a runway? When Brian Carter saw this among the last few extra rewards, he was even more astonished.

A space fighter jet capable of shuttling between the five major planets! Even if, by the time of discharge, the model was a bit outdated and all combat weaponry had been removed, it was still an extremely valuable item.

Piloting a fighter jet between the five major planets—he would definitely be able to find his brother!

Could there be a war coming? Brian Carter furrowed his brows. The Federation’s high officials weren’t idiots. Suddenly revising the “Military Service Act” as if it were a grand anniversary sale—if there wasn’t something major going on, how could they possibly do such a thing?

As a student at Jianzhong, Brian Carter was naturally good at modern history. Ever since humanity began developing other planets in the solar system, the rapid expansion, coupled with reasons unknown to ordinary people, meant that although all the major planets were nominally under the jurisdiction of the Earth Federation, in reality, each planet had already formed its own independent political and military systems. The Earth Federation held only nominal authority.

Only Mars and Earth remained fully under the Federation’s control.

There was once a saying circulating online: If I wake up one morning and find that a planetary war has started, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised.

Chapter 13: Reality · Fantasy

Although war had never truly arrived, the atmosphere between the planets was extremely tense.

With the Federation suddenly revising the “Military Service Act,” Brian Carter couldn’t help but think more deeply about it.

After quietly pondering for a few seconds, Brian Carter decisively filled out the military enlistment application, choosing the Army as his preferred branch.

Interplanetary wars would probably start with battles between space warships and fighter jets, and only at the end would the Army be sent in for ground operations and occupation.

If war really did break out, being an ordinary civilian wouldn’t necessarily be safe. If you were a soldier, especially in the Army, you might actually be safer than a regular person.

After completing the enlistment paperwork, Brian Carter suddenly let out a long yawn. Just moments ago he’d been full of energy, but in the blink of an eye, an overwhelming fatigue washed over him.

Sleepy! Brian Carter felt an unprecedented wave of drowsiness sweep through his body. Forcing his eyes open, he stood up, using extraordinary willpower to resist the sleepiness engulfing him, and staggered to the bed, collapsing onto it.

Finally, I feel sleepy… This thought flashed through Brian Carter’s mind as he drifted off into a hazy sleep.

Outside, the moonlight cast a cold, clear glow, shining through the old but spotlessly clean window onto Brian Carter.

Bathed in moonlight, Brian Carter’s breathing was long and steady, and at the center of his brow, a star-like point of light flickered.

In his deep sleep, Brian Carter found himself floating in a vast, black space.

How big was it? Brian Carter couldn’t say for sure. Looking around, there was no light in this black space, yet it somehow felt as if he could see into the distance, his vision completely unobstructed.

“What is this…” Brian Carter looked around in confusion. “Am I dreaming?”

A very strange dream! Brian Carter quickly concluded. This was the first time he’d known from the very start of a dream that he was, in fact, dreaming.

Suddenly, the dark space flashed, and a huge screen appeared out of nowhere, like in a movie theater.

It was a silent “martial arts film,” or perhaps an “action movie.”

There were only a few characters in the “movie,” with no background information given. The moment it started, they were already fighting.

New martial arts and ancient martial arts appeared frequently in their hands, and with every strike, Brian Carter was certain—he was definitely dreaming.