StarCraft: Tyranid Empire

June 11, 2489, was a cloudy day in the Port of the Dead.

Always.

Thick fog, which never lifts during most of the year, blocks the sun and makes the sky always look foggy.

Fifteen-year-old Mira Han believes that there are many places in this world where the sun shines brightly and flowers bloom all year round, but the Rock of the Dead planet is not any such world. Unrestricted industry has destroyed the planet's already fragile ecosystem, and the sewage flowing into the rivers and lakes is like poison injected into the blood of the Rock of the Dead.

Mira and her co-workers walked on a muddy road that had become muddy due to rain, heading towards a high-energy gas refinery that was spewing thick smoke. Without exception, these workers all wore clothes made of polyester and masks. Wearing a waterproof canvas jacket and rubber rain boots.

There were about forty or fifty workers traveling together, and one-third of them were children and women around thirteen or fourteen years old. The elderly people were still working - before they completely collapsed.

Although generally uneducated, the workers are well aware of what is poisoning their planet's atmosphere.

Moreover, these pollutants will one day fall and fall on the heads of the residents of the Rock of the Dead again through the atmospheric circulation system. Even if these contaminations cannot have an indelible impact on the people of the Rock of the Dead, retribution will always fall on their descendants.

But in any case, human beings are so short-sighted, or the top managers of the company clearly know the terrible impact this will have, but they just ignore it.

Once they have discovered all the value of the Rock of the Dead, the planet and its people will be abandoned immediately. Maybe the workers here will be transported to other planets as cheap labor, but the Rock of the Dead will definitely gradually become a forgotten ruin.

A few years ago, the Terran Federation Governor of the Rock of the Dead had just signed a secret treaty with several multi-system super corporations. Since then, the interstellar cargo barges parked here have begun dumping industrial waste in the wasteland of this planet, and many scrapped interstellar ships were eventually towed to this planet.

Unseen by the inhabitants of the Rock of the Dead, their home is slowly turning into a graveyard of trash and spaceships. The truth may not be revealed until years later, but by then it will be too late.

"how so?"

A young worker walking next to Mira Han, who looked not much older than her, complained loudly: "I receive the lowest wage in the Kopuru District, eat food that can only guarantee the minimum physical activity, and work hard without complaint. Working the hardest and most mind-numbing job, fourteen earth hours a day.”

“What do we get in the end? The consequences of intense work, disease, disability, and the poverty that comes from not being able to work.”

"We work hard, but all the money goes to those sitting in the office."

"What's the use of complaining?" Another person said: "The Rock of the Dead can no longer grow food, and even the rivers can dry up. If we don't enter the factory, what can we do? Even if we work as servants, there will be no one want."

"Our ancestors gave this planet a very unlucky name when they came here. I dare say there must be something wrong with the intelligence on board the colonial mothership that mistakenly identified the Port of the Dead as a habitable planet. .”

"Go to O'Bannon, there's bound to be work." Another older voice said.

"Many of the boys who worked for him made a lot of money, but I also heard that many people died trying to make dirty money."

Mira Han shook his head. Everyone knew what this black money meant: drug production and trafficking, human trafficking, organ trading, prostitution, money laundering. They did all the evil things imaginable.

Ever since the Rock of the Dead became more and more unsettled, the people's situation has become worse and worse. Those who can't survive or are unwilling to endure the life of factory slavery have either saved enough money and left, or gone to work in jobs that are not so hard. And a job that pays more.

People complained about the hard life in the factories, but with the stock market turmoil caused by the Kailian War and the Korhal IV Uprising, companies on the Rock of the Dead withdrew their capital one after another, and soon the workers here would even lose their stable jobs completely.

In the dreary, class-solidified Rock of the Dead, people no longer have a future to speak of.

"Guys, I heard that the revolutionary army of Korhal IV is recruiting troops in the Port of the Dead." A voice that sounded happier and was not affected by the general environment said.

Mira, who was pulling her boots out of the mud, looked around and saw a big boy wearing ragged overalls: "They pay their salary every month, and it's higher than that of the Federal Marines."

"Revolutionary army?" An old man shook his head: "It's the rebels! Do you know what they do? They burn, kill and loot. They do all kinds of evil. They kidnap children and rob women... They are so bad."

"I think they are very kind." The cheerful voice said hesitantly: "I think Gustav Mengsk of the Revolutionary Army must be a good person."

“He gave bread to children and had doctors on the road to treat people. His engineers built water towers and replaced new water pipes for people in industrial areas. He recruited workers of any origin and gender to the newly built recruiting buildings and Working at the port, wages are never delayed.”

"He gathered many people and told us how people can truly live."

"Are they still recruiting workers?" Many people were asking this question, and they didn't even care whether Augustus' men were rebels.

"Now they are only recruiting new soldiers or revolutionary fighters." The reply sounded a bit lacking in confidence.

"But his name is Augustus, you remembered it wrong." Someone questioned the cultural level of the workers: "You can spell this word, right?"

"What about the requirements?" asked the old man who had previously denounced the rebels angrily: "What about the requirements for conscription? I'm not old yet."

Now the people of the Rock of the Dead have several ways out of their hometown, and only a few can pass the rigorous test of the mercenaries, which may be only less difficult than selecting a Spartan warrior. Every time someone dies in the selection of mercenaries, the successful person must not only be physically strong, but also be able to use weapons proficiently and have excellent battlefield adaptability.

By comparison, the requirements for conscription sound much easier.

As for whether he will die, for those who think that life is worse than death, that is nothing.

"You just need to be healthy and able to complete the recruit test. It's not difficult at all. Many people signed up, even the Sheriff." The young man who raised the issue was excited to get the attention of others.

"Where?"

"404 B-23rd Street NW."

With a crash, the workers immediately ran away.

"I seem to have forgotten something." The young man's voice was no longer happy.

"What is it?" Mira Han walked up to him.

"Revolutionary consciousness. I don't understand it anyway. How does he think we have this consciousness?" The young man said after hesitating for a moment.

"Okay, then I'm going to have a look." Mira looked at him and said, "Huh? Why don't you go."

"I'm afraid...I'm afraid of death." The young man was dejected.

At this time, the young man saw clearly the Mirahan who had dyed her hair bright pink in front of her. Even her long bangs could not cover her playful and beautiful eyes. She has a slender figure, and the coat made of rough fabric seems to be covering her body like a burqa. The hem reaches to her calves and is covered with mud.

"Then, this is your own choice. Haha - why are you so downcast!"

Mirahan slapped the young man on the shoulder hard enough to make him cough.

"Smile, life is not that difficult." Mira made a face and said.