Interstellar Dream Maker

"Lily has always been highly adaptable."

"As a folklore researcher, I conduct fieldwork in various regions, among different ethnic groups and communities, immersing myself in the local environment to gather firsthand information."

"Even when she was suddenly transported to the Dream Forging Trial Battle, she remained exceptionally calm and resolved the immediate predicament."

"Quickly addressing unexpected situations is a fundamental skill for Lily as a folklore researcher."

"As a folklore graduate student at Huaxia University, Lily began conducting fieldwork with her mentor at an early stage, traveling across vast landscapes, spanning continents and oceans, to study the folk life and culture preserved by various ethnic groups and nations."

"She used to follow her mentor and join the main group with her classmates, but later, she became a senior who could stand on her own, leading another group of juniors into the field for research."

"Before the time travel, Lily's fieldwork was nearing its end, and she was organizing her field notes to prepare for her thesis. Although she was thousands of miles away from the university, she was still responsible for the research project of her mentor's team, the Folklore Culture Inheritance 'Torch' Program at the Folklore Research Institute."

"Lily's notebook still had many tasks left to be done."

"Her unlucky mentor had abandoned the intangible cultural heritage research task and, who knows, ran off to some godforsaken place for a survey. Meanwhile, a group of new, inexperienced juniors in the team were waiting for her, the second senior, to lead them."

"In the sect, there was also a heavy internet addict, the senior brother who spent every day glued to his computer, working on the trendy field of contemporary online folklore research. No one knew how long he'd been holed up like this, and whether he was even still human at this point."

"The junior from the neighboring research team still asked her for help in pulling some strings to get access to a certain temple and conduct in-depth fieldwork."

"From the moment of her time travel, Lily had already prepared herself to adapt to the current interstellar society."

"For folklore researchers, conducting fieldwork, immersing themselves in local communities, and living alongside the people is a great opportunity to obtain firsthand information."

"While conducting fieldwork in remote areas, deep mountains, and isolated regions, even in uncivilized zones, the conditions may be harsh, but for the sake of research, everything is worth it."

"In order to immerse herself in the local community of her research subjects, she had to abandon many of the teachings and upbringing she had received since childhood, and enter a completely different social structure."

"She even contracted malaria and various other diseases due to a shortage of medicine and the rampant spread of illnesses."

"After spending a year or more in the wild, accustomed to the local society, communicating with loud shouting and a 'do it if you can' approach, getting used to strange local customs, and when sick, relying on a combination of witchcraft and medicine, using various unconventional methods to solve problems when all of this fills her mind and the research ends, leaving and returning to civilized society, it feels like crossing through two completely different sets of principles, as if she has experienced a time travel."

"From her childhood fascination with myths, customs, and various crafts, to discovering that all of this was called folklore, and then entering university and joining a research group, Lily became deeply immersed in it, unable to get enough."

"Over the course of ten years, people around her came and went. Some junior researchers, unable to endure the long-term fieldwork, dropped out, while colleagues who developed mental illnesses quietly faded away."

　"Lily always knew that this was the career she was determined to pursue for the rest of her life."　

"Everything she loved was engraved in her soul, never to be completed in one lifetime, and continuing into the next."

"On her desk, in the field, there were the things she loved deeply and was obsessed with."

"On campus, on the streets, there were the things she cherished and had grown accustomed to."

"Even when studying folklore, one still needs to eat and live."

"Enduring the solitude in the field, watching the stars in the sky converse with the world.

Yet, she also longed for the bustling streets and alleys, the lively world of human life."

"When writing field notes outdoors, with her stomach growling, Lily would long for the mushroom soup and rice from the second cafeteria, the most comforting meal."

"When engaging in lively chats with the locals but lacking any good food to accompany the conversation, Lily would miss the various snacks in the research lab, the all-night tea talks that lasted until dawn."

"In the deep of the night, when the dew is heavy and the silence is profound, Lily would miss the talkative junior sister, excitedly sharing the latest gossip with lively gestures."

"Humans are ultimately social beings, living in communities, not solitary creatures."

"Even when Lily crossed oceans and continents to a small country in South America to study community myths, there was always a sense of longing in her heart."

"Her thoughts flowed like a stream, surging and then settling."

"Lily closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, she saw a green feathered winged creature with retracting wings walking past her, holding a bird with a flowery tail. A hovering vehicle screamed down from the sky's orbital track, and the eerie glow from a human made light source bathed her, bringing a strange sensation."

"She took a deep breath and wiped the smart device on her left hand."

"Why are there so many messages coming through the star network again?"

"[James]: Big shot! Big sister, you actually followed me! By the Star Sea, I'm so excited!"

"[James]: I can't believe I can follow a big shot like you back! I couldn't help but stand up and spin three times this isn't a dream! To be in the same competition as you, both of us from Bird Star and both of us human, I'm just so unbelievably happy!"

"[James]: Don't worry, big shot! I've reported all those people spreading nonsense on the star network. They're fabricating rumors, slandering Dream Forgers, and inciting racial hate against Black Star Planet. I've already sent an email to the Dream Forger Committee to report it. They'll definitely give you a fair result!"

Lily raised an eyebrow. It was that Wealthy Boy, sending so many messages.

And... the other party was still typing.

Looking at James's messages, Lily thought for a moment and then replied with a single message.

"[Lily]: Thank you."

In the original body's memories, there was little knowledge about ancient civilizations and the like. After all, she had just come of age and had only received the most basic general education from the Federation.

On a daily basis, even when searching for things on the star network, she only used the free public Star Sea search. She had never used the paid search services. As for what James mentioned about the Dream Clan invasion, it felt too distant from her life, and her knowledge on the matter was limited.

The Dream Clan is the arch enemy of many races in this world.

In today's Star Sea, under both the Federation and the Empire, multiple races coexist: humans, demons, insectoids, various flesh-and-blood species, energy-based races that Lily had never encountered in her previous life, and small, niche groups all living together.

"Although the various races often for resources and on a daily basis, when it comes to the issue of the Dream Clan, all the flesh and blood races unite as one front."

"The Dream Clan is the mortal enemy.

Dream Forgers are the front line in resisting the Dream Clan."

The so called Dream Clan is a special race in this world. Unlike the human race, demon race, and other flesh-and-blood species that coexist with both body and spirit, the Dream Clan is a race made up entirely of pure spiritual entities.

There's a saying: the more something is lacking, the more one desires it.

The Dream Clan is just like that.

Because they lack physical bodies, they have an intense longing to truly experience the presence of flesh and blood.

The Dream Clan quietly invaded, parasitizing the bodies of various flesh-and-blood beings, gaining control over their physical forms.

As natural masters of psychic power, they can skillfully absorb and devour the essence and memories of living beings, seizing their souls and minds. Without the victim's awareness, they take over the body, turning the original life form into a puppet.

The Dream Clan has a particular obsession with flesh-and-blood life, especially with large races like humans and demons, which have rich and ancient civilizations.

Their arrival and invasion are always silent and unnoticed. Some Dream Clan members prefer to travel alone, hiding within the territories of the Federation and the Empire. On certain planets, they disguise themselves as ordinary humans, devouring those who fall prey to their guise.

Their arrival and invasion are always silent and unnoticed. Some Dream Clan members prefer to travel alone, hiding within the territories of the Federation and the Empire. On certain planets, they disguise themselves as ordinary humans, devouring those who fall prey to their guise.

Living beings that have been invaded by the Dream Clan can still be saved if the invasion is recent and their mental power and memories have not been fully consumed. However, if their mental power is severed, they are completely rendered helpless, and may even die instantly the moment the Dream Clan withdraws.

In the history of the Star Sea, civilizations that were devoured and swept away by the Dream Clan, with their destruction confirmed, are known as "Destroyed Civilizations."

Civilizations that were invaded by the Dream Clan, with their territories taken over and then left without a trace, their fate unknown, are considered "Lost Civilizations."

Destroyed, lost, and gone for countless years, the records of these civilizations may still exist, stored high in the archives of the Star Sea Civilizations Database. However, the people who once understood these civilizations are no longer around.

Other races don't understand, and the records are left forgotten on high shelves. Thus, such civilizations are completely lost to the dust of history.

The smart device beeped with a new message.

"[James]: Big shot replied to me!!! You're real! Lily, can you tell me the name of the flying bird from your Dream Forging? I absolutely love it!"

"[Lily]: Its name is Wen Yao."

Lily was pondering whether she should ask James about how to access the paid databases on the star network, and how to obtain information on lost and destroyed civilizations. Before she could make up her mind, the guy had already sent a long string of messages.

"[James]: Wen Yao? What a strange yet beautiful name! Don't worry, big shot, I know how to keep a secret. From now on, I'm your little brother, whatever you say, I'll follow! By the way, big shot, have you heard? The rewards for this year's Dream Forging live competition are unprecedentedly huge!"

"[James]: Let's not even talk about the star coin rewards. This time, the top 1,000 Dream Forgers in the Star Sea rankings will receive entry tickets to the Civilization Library! That's the dream destination for all Dream Forgers, containing all the magnificent civilizations, lost civilizations, and destroyed civilizations in the entire Star Sea! In past years, only the top 100 received this reward!"

As she read James's messages, Lily's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

The Civilization Library, which houses all the civilizations of the Star Sea.

Surely, the civilization of her homeland must be among them.

[James]:Sigh, at most I can only show off within our star domain. I'll be satisfied if I can rank within the top 1,000 in the star region. Big shot, big shot, are you still at the Bird Star? Have you applied for the preparation zone and training camp in our star region? Shall we go together?

[James]:By the way, big shot, sorry for asking, but do you have any goals for this competition?

After a while, James finally received Lily's reply.

When he saw the big shot's response, his pupils shrank.

[Lily]:Let's set a small goal first — to rank within the top 1,000 in the Star Sea leaderboard.