Mecha Star Wars.

Chapter 1458 Gene Mutation
The polarized treatment of Anniemo's people was something no one had expected.

The people of the Loess Plateau, who were not treated as human beings at all, were able to bypass ordinary orcs and directly enter the top-level Crystal City...

But Lin Fan didn't miss Garr's hesitation.

It seems that even if those who are above the required level enter Crystal City, they cannot truly be on par with those high-ranking orcs.

But those hiding behind the door didn't care.

Once you enter Crystal City, your future is still brighter than being a servant in Graystone Settlement.

Just like when they came to the Greystone settlement, they realized that there was another way for people to live.

In Gal's description, those who entered Crystal City experienced not only an improvement in status and living conditions.

Those with talent can enter elite schools and receive a formal, systematic education. Even more fortunate are the lucky ones who become mecha warriors, truly becoming the elite of Annie Demon Star…

"Mechs?" Lin Fan's eyes lit up. "You orcs use mechs too?"

“Look at what you’re saying,” Gar couldn’t help but chuckle. “Although the upper-class orcs are enhanced by beast souls and are stronger than us roughnecks, aren’t we all in interstellar space now? They can’t fly or teleport with their bare hands… Oh, that seems possible. I mean, when they encounter those foreign technological civilizations, wouldn’t it be a huge loss for them to fight those steel machines head-on with their flesh and blood? They’re not stupid; they have high-defense, high-attack tools and they don’t use them.”

"You've also been attacked by foreign civilizations?" Lin Fan asked.

“Who hasn’t done that?” Gal looked at Lin Fan’s expression, which resembled that of a clueless, naive older sister. He crossed his legs and began to speak casually, “You hit me, I hit you… it’s all the same.”

“We, Lanxing, will not attack others without permission.” Antonio defended Lanxing.

"Come on, that's because you're not capable enough yet, you can only get beaten up by others." Gal scoffed and lit another cigarette. "Having that ability but not using it is just a waste."

Lanxing's development level is indeed not yet at the point where it can attack others, but Lin Fan cannot let this label stick to him.

"That only shows your ignorance and limited knowledge," she said sharply. "Advanced civilizations have many planets that focus on their own development and uphold peaceful coexistence. Ask her if you don't believe me..."

Lin Fan tilted his head slightly in Bonnie's direction.

Bonnie tried to speak, but Gard interrupted her.

"Whatever," he shrugged, seemingly unfazed by Lin Fan's words. "That's just how it is for me. What others do is none of my business. In our Annie Demon world, ability is everything. If you have ability, you can do whatever you want; if you don't..."

He put his feet on the low table in front of the sofa, exhaled a puff of smoke, and gestured towards the closed door.

"That's what happened to them. Why do you think the Loess Plateau has always been like that? It's because the people there are useless."

"How can they be useless?" Lan Bingru frowned slightly. "Aren't they capable of working? Whether they are laborers or servants, aren't they all creating value?"

“What kind of value is that?” Garr scoffed. “I’m talking about that kind of… that kind of…”

"Charging into battle and repelling the enemy is a valuable asset," Lin Fan added to his description.

“Yes!” Garr nodded. “We orcs have always believed in primal power. Of course, those who can now control machines and turn them into their own power also count. So the person who can pilot a mech, even if he comes from the Loess District, has a high status in Crystal City and is respected by many orcs.”

"Is piloting a mech difficult?" Antonio asked, puzzled. "We have mechs on our planet too. The mechs sold by the Nexus Ring aren't complicated to operate."

“I know the kind you’re talking about.” Gar looked up. “It’s manually operated and powered by energy.”

“What you’re talking about is outdated,” Bonnie whispered, “The latest interstellar technology can already be driven by mental power…”

Garr picked up something from the table and threw it at Bonnie.

"You think you know everything? What are you showing off for?!"

Bonnie cried out as she was hit squarely. This time she was truly aggrieved and held back her tears without saying a word.

Gal exhaled heavily through his nose, leaned back, and said to Lin Fan and the others, "Our orc mechs are different. They're not the kind that's simply manually controlled; they require beast souls to operate."

"Beast Soul? Is that a superpower of you orcs?" Lin Fan blinked. "Does everyone have it?"

"I'd like to, but there's no such thing as a free lunch," Garl chuckled, taking a drag of his cigarette. "How do you think the people of Crystal City manage to live here? It's just because their beast souls are outstanding."

"We people of the Graystone Settlement, although we are orcs, perhaps due to genetics, almost none of our beast souls have been activated. It's all thanks to our appearance," Gar patted his badger head, "If we didn't even have these beast-like features, ha! So that person driving a beast soul mech with a human body, tsk! Impressive!"

"I've heard that the beasts and humans of your Anne Demon race share the same origin, only differing in the proportions of their genes," Lin Fan asked. "In all these years on Anne Demon Star, has there never been a chance of a beastman giving birth to a purely human form, or a human giving birth to a form with beastman characteristics?"

"What do you mean there aren't any?" Gal snorted. "In the Loess Plateau, there are occasionally beast-like people. But here, if someone gives birth to a humanoid monster, it's considered a great disgrace. Before others gossip and cause trouble, we quietly take action to eliminate them."

"That's my own child!" Lan Bingru exclaimed in disbelief.

Lin Fan pressed down on Lan Bingru's thigh and said to Garr, "Appearance is only the most direct and superficial part of a person. What if they are no different from you inside, have the characteristics of beastmen, or even have powerful beast souls... Isn't it said that only high-level beastmen can become human? Isn't it possible that the human-shaped child is a high-level beastman with extraordinary talent?"

Garr seemed not to have considered this possibility. He blinked and thought for a moment until the fire on the cigarette burned his hand, then suddenly threw it to the ground.

"This... is a perspective no one has ever considered." He scratched his head. "But it's impossible, isn't it? Can parents without beast souls give birth to a high-level beastman?"

“It’s a matter of probability,” Antonio laughed. “Even the smallest probability will be magnified over a large foundation and a long period of time. Approaching zero is just approaching, not equal to zero.”

"You just mentioned that some people can give birth to beastmen with obvious animal-like features. The reason they can come out of the Loess Plateau must not only be due to their physical characteristics, but also because they have special beastman abilities, right?" Lin Fan continued to ask.

“…” Garr gradually sat up straight, his eyes changing. “Indeed.”

They have plenty of orc appearances in the Graystone settlement, so why would they need to accept a child from the Loess Plateau? No matter how similar his appearance is, it can't change the awkwardness of his origins.

"So even people who are nothing can undergo genetic mutation and give birth to orc children with orc abilities. How come it's impossible for you orcs, who originally carried stronger orc genes, to give birth to advanced orcs?" Lin Fan pressed on.

"..." Gar thought it made sense, then froze in shock. "So...no way?"

If that were really possible...

"Don't you have any instruments to measure beast souls?" Lin Fan thought that beast souls must be something similar to spiritual roots. They are abilities beyond ordinary people, and can also be used as a direct energy source to drive mechs.

“Yes,” Bonnie whispered from behind, “but they usually don’t test at birth.”

The birth of a human being is enough to make you furious; who would think about anything else?

"That's a real shame!" Antonio laughed gleefully, spreading his hands. "So, people, never let stereotypes mislead you! What you've missed out on... tsk!"

After that, Gar remained in a daze. Even Bonnie became much quieter.

When they arrived at their rest room and only Lin Fan and a few others remained, Lan Bingru finally couldn't help but ask.

"Did they really kill the infant who could have been a high-ranking orc?"

“Who knows?” Antonio shrugged.

Lin Fan handed a glass of water to Lan Bingru.

"I just made this up. I hope it can make some difference."

No one should be easily abandoned!

Happy New Year, my darlings!

Wishing everyone good health, all the best, abundant wealth, and happiness every day in 2026!

(づ￣ 3￣)づ