How to Feed an Abyss! - Chapter 80
People say that just as Tiecheng is a scar of Fengyang City, Fengyang City is also an inseparable hometown for Tiecheng.
And Heroic Spirit always wants to go home.
This is what most people believe.
Experts have a different opinion. They believe that the air pressure and turbulence caused by thunderstorms forced the jellyfish to start moving—they are plankton, after all, and they rely on currents and air currents to float.
But they didn’t know why the butterflies followed the deer and where they were going.
Perhaps, they are looking for a forest together.
In any case, the last batch of energy cores survived.
They can’t return to Fengyang City, but at least, there is still hope.
Shi Yuan followed Lu Tinghan to the main city.
Looking from the air, the streets of the main city were endless, bigger than any city he had ever seen. The buildings are strong and beautiful, and there are many magnificent works. Buses and trams go hand in hand, and large robots roam the streets, moving on metal hexapods, and carrying goods.
Shi Yuan heard from others that the main city is as big as a dozen or so Fengyang cities and is the heart of the alliance.
He also saw that there were scattered tracks over the city.
He asked Lu Tinghan: “What are those?”
Lu Tinghan explained: “The sky train used to be the main mode of transportation for people.”
“When will it start?” Shi Yuan continued to look around.
“Not now. The track has been damaged a lot, and it’s not worth repairing. Now only the most basic route is left for the army to use.” Lu Tinghan said, “Including robots, the number of large robots on the road before is today’s Several times. But Fengyang City is gone, energy is in short supply, and only a few robots are still operating.”
“Okay.” Shi Yuan said.
The transport ship stopped in the northern part of the main city, and the survivors stepped onto the solid ground, hugging and kissing each other.
Lu Tinghan was going to give instructions to the energy core, and told Shi Yuan, “Wait for me here, I’ll be back within an hour.”
“Okay.” Shi Yuan agreed.
Lu Tinghan left, Shi Yuan sat on the seat in the terminal building, watching the soldiers move the core.
Looking at him, he became sleepy, holding his tail and lowering his head a little bit.
Until a gaze passed over his back.
Shi Yuan’s vigilance has always been very low, even if Lu Tinghan walked closely behind him and coughed twice from time to time, it would take him a long time to find out.
But this gaze was too obvious, gouged out like a knife.
Shi Yuan:?
He woke up from his doze and looked back.
The chaotic crowd, cheering, weeping, and sighing mixed together, people coming and going, countless different faces. A figure hastily turned around and disappeared into the crowd.
Shi Yuan felt that figure from the back was somewhat familiar, but couldn’t remember who it was.
Everything happened so fast, it was almost like an optical illusion.
Shi Yuan looked around for a while, making sure that the man was gone, and continued to sleep with his tail in his arms.
Falling asleep, in the dream someone was touching his head.
Shi Yuan purred in satisfaction, opened his eyes and saw that Lu Tinghan was standing in front of him. With soft eyes, he said, “Shi Yuan, let’s go.”
Shi Yuan followed him home.
This time their home was in the First Military Region. A small area was designated there for officers to live in, and Lu Tinghan had an independent secluded hut.
The house has two floors, the walls are as white as the home in Gleaner City, spacious and bright, and the furniture is simple and tidy.
Everywhere is good, but the breath of life is missing.
Shi Yuan still likes the old house in Fengyang City the most, it is full of memories.
His big white bird and wretched fish did not get on the transport ship because of the thunderstorm. He guessed that even if they were infected, they would not change much. The wretched fish must continue to bubble in the river, and the big white bird must Keep cursing people in the wasteland…or cursing other monsters.
Fortunately, at his persistent request, Lu Tinghan packed an old suitcase.
Three days before arriving home, Shi Yuan put out old objects one by one, such as models, books, sketchbooks, the script given to him by Cheng Youwen, the planetary model given by Wu Zhengqing, the harmonica and astronomical telescope given to him by Professor Guan.
After everything is put away, the home finally looks a little human.
Most of the time, Lu Tinghan has no objection to Shi Yuan’s various arrangements. Even if he would bump into the dream catcher at the door as soon as he entered the door—Shi Yuan couldn’t reach higher places; even if the bookcase almost fell down, he rushed over, supported the bookcase with one hand and walked away Shi Yuan under the bookcase with the other. And flicked Shi Yuan’s head.
Lu Tinghan’s only objection was when there was a string of small lanterns beside the bed.
Shi Yuan dug out a few old batteries and put them in. The lantern was wrapped around the bedside, and when it was turned on, it was colorful, colorful and dynamic, with a festive atmosphere. What’s more terrible is that it can also sing, and it will start playing cheerful nursery rhymes as soon as it is turned on.
After listening to the duckling looking for its mother for two days before going to bed, General Lu finally couldn’t help it anymore and asked, “Shi Yuan, where did you find this thing?”
“I don’t know either.” Shi Yuan said, “It should be brought from the old house.”
“Can you make it stop singing?”
“It doesn’t seem to work. It will sing when it turns on the light. Don’t you like ducklings looking for their mother?”
Lu Tinghan coldly said: “No.”
Shi Yuan thought for a while: “Then let me see how to change the song.”
Lu Tinghan listened to the little tadpole looking for his mother for another two days.
When Shiyuan went home the next day, the colored lights were out. He checked and found that the battery compartment was magically empty.
Not only that, but all the old batteries in the house were magically gone.
He asked Lu Tinghan: “Why is the battery gone?”
Lu Tinghan leaned against the bedside to read a book, above his head was the lantern that finally shut up. He replied: “I don’t know.”
Shi Yuan felt something was wrong: “Did you take all the batteries away?”
“How is it possible.” Lu Tinghan said, “I would steal this kind of thing?”
The more Shi Yuan thought about it, the more suspicious he became. Before his doubts fermented, Lu Tinghan began to rub his head fiercely.
Shi Yuan: “Hurr, snort, snort, snort.”
He immediately forgot about the lantern and looking for his mother.
On Professor Guan’s side, the “Deep Dive” project is still going on.
Professor Guan was injured in Fengyang City. Fortunately, it was only a flesh injury. After taking inhibitors, he recovered after two or three weeks.
He continued to observe and record Shi Yuan’s infection wavelength.
However, Shi Yuan has more and more free time. Sometimes he stays in the office and has nothing to do for a few days, taking care of his tail while earning a high salary for nothing.
The well-deserved King of Fishing, Lin Yelian must have a cerebral hemorrhage when he sees it.
He asked Professor Guan: “How about the latest research?”
Professor Guan pushed his glasses and replied: “We are still working hard. Again, your infection mode is too complicated, and the difficulty of simulation…is really very high. The data we recorded before is enough, so you temporarily It’s all right.”
“Okay.” Shi Yuan said.
Professor Guan sighed, pulled up a chair, and sat opposite Shi Yuan.
He said slowly: “Shi Yuan, let me tell you the truth.”
Shi Yuan: “Huh?”
“Now it can almost be asserted that it is impossible to simulate your wavelength.” Professor Guan said, “This is not something we can understand. Human beings are chasing time all their lives. Life, old age, sickness and death are inevitable. There may be countless abysses. Years later, the universe is even longer, and human civilization is just a drop in the ocean. In this way, we… have not overcome terminal illnesses, extended life spans, understood the true meaning of the universe, and traveled in space, let alone mastered time.”
Shi Yuan: “Ah…”
He tilted his head.
Professor Guan continued: “As I said before, if I can know how the abyss travels between planets, then I will die without regret.”
Shi Yuan couldn’t answer him.
He has no idea how he got here.
Professor Guan looked at him and said, “Aside from the survival of human beings, I have to admit that the abyss is a miracle, and you are the miracle of miracles.” He smiled, “You are a child with supernatural powers, and you live in an ivory tower. , but came to us.”
Shiyuan is the **** of monsters.
As long as he is willing… he is invincible and invincible.
Fortunately, he wants to be kind.
Before leaving, Professor Guan stuffed him with a pack of dried melons and fruits, and said, “I really like this brand, but it’s a pity that it’s discontinued. This is the last pack.”
Shi Yuan got the new snacks and was very happy: “Thank you!”
Professor Guan added: “Do you still remember that I had a cousin who died from the sequelae of infection?”
“Um.”
“Actually, she has a son named Yangyang, who was entrusted to me to take care of him for a while. Later, Yangyang died outside the city. He was about your age when he joined the army.”
He suddenly found that Professor Guan’s white hair had grown again, and the rigor of a scientific researcher had faded away, and he looked at him very kindly.
Shi Yuan asked, “Do I look like Yang Yang?”
“No,” Professor Guan smiled, “No, it’s not like it at all.”
Another week later, Professor Guan discussed with him that he should only use the research center twice a week.
During the day, Lu Tinghan was always away from home, Shi Yuan was also idle, and ran to the work distribution center. As a result, he went back to his old job—working in food distribution.
He works three days a week, distributing compressed food and vegetable soup.
During lunch break, he found a corner, took out the communicator that Lu Tinghan gave him, and sent messages and calls to his humans. If Lu Tinghan is free, he will always reply to him.
There is a hospital near the distribution office, and there are often huge robots carrying equipment and medicines, slowly walking across the street, casting shadows on the distribution office.
Shi Yuan looked up at them, and greeted them with a spoon: “How are you guys?”
The robot has no manners and never pays attention to him.
Shi Yuan deeply felt that he had encountered too many unqualified and rude people, so he named them Broken Copper and Rotten Iron 20.
Family members of patients often come to the distribution office. According to them, ingredients are in short supply, and the hospital cafeteria is barely enough to feed the patients.
Family members often look tired, eat canned food with dark circles under their eyes, squint on their seats for a while, and then rush back to the hospital.
There have also been accidents.
One day, two five-story machines were delivering equipment.
They walked slowly on the street with six legs, but suddenly stopped—
The two legs did not fall in the air, and the joints and gears were already stuck. They stay in place.
People looked up one after another.
“Ah,” said Shi Yuan’s new friend Guo Yao at the distribution office, “I guess the machine is getting old again.”
Shi Yuan: “Mechanical aging?”
“Well,” Guo Yao ordered two bowls of rice for the customer, “These machines are very old. Think about it, it has been more than 70 years since the end of the world, and the iron city, the core of heavy industry, has also fallen for 17 years. It is difficult to produce such high-end machines. When it comes out, I can only use the old ones. Let me guess, these two machines have been used for at least 40 or 50 years, just look at the scratches on them.”
Shi Yuan looked over.
Sure enough, there were scratches and traces of repairs on the mechanical legs, and the color of that piece of metal was obviously different.
“The machines can make do with it, but those aircraft, helicopters, missiles, anti-aircraft guns, etc. are not easy to deal with. There are battle damages in wars.” Guo Yao continued, “Besides, the energy is very tight after Fengyang City is gone. , now the streets are closed at night except for the main roads. Maybe one day, ‘Whew!’ we’ll lose power.”
Facts have proved that Guo Yao is a crow’s mouth.
That night, a skirmish broke out at an outpost in the main city. All resources are given priority to the army, plus… maybe there is something wrong with the circuit, maybe the voltage is not stable, only a “snap” can be heard, and the lights on the street are all black.
Shi Yuan hadn’t gotten off work yet, so he was cooking in the dark.
Guo Yao was stunned, and turned around subconsciously: “Will the hospital…”
— The hospital building was almost completely dark.
This is the worst case scenario, and if the power goes out, it can be fatal to the patients who depend on the medical machines.
Fortunately, a minute later, the lights on the top floor of the hospital came on again.
The backup power supply worked, although it could only take into account the floor of the critically ill patients, at least, it wouldn’t let them die just like that.
Guo Yao breathed a sigh of relief.
The light from the top floor can also shine down to the downstairs, and they continue to cook meals for customers with such a weak layer of light.
Fifteen minutes later, a warning sound sounded in the city, and everyone dispersed, retreated to the indoor place, and closed the doors and windows.
Shi Yuan is not afraid of these things.
He didn’t hide, and walked home at night in the dark.
The lights of the First Military Region were still on, and the guards checked his ID card and let him in.
There was also electricity at home, so Shi Yuan only turned on the bedside lamp, listening to the distant explosion and feeling the tremor of the earth. He did a Sudoku game for a while, filled in the last number, studied it for a long time, double-checked it, and felt as if he had done it.
That Sudoku book is all high difficulty, this is the first time ever.
Shi Yuan thought that he would definitely show it to Lu Tinghan, and then he would boast and pat his head.
He sent a message to Lu Tinghan: [I made Sudoku! When are you coming back?】
no reply.
Lu Tinghan was busy directing.
He put down the Sudoku book, stared blankly for a while, and turned off the bedside lamp.
Lying in the dark, the trembling of the earth is more obvious. He looked at the string of colorful lights beside the bed, and every time they exploded, those small light bulbs would sway slightly—this thing became more and more hypnotic the more he looked at it.
Half a minute later, Shi Yuan tilted his head and fell asleep.
Lu Tinghan came back the night after tomorrow.
As soon as he got home, Shi Yuan flew over, and the Sudoku book almost hit him in the face.
“Lu Tinghan!” Shi Yuan’s tail was wagging, “I made your Sudoku!”
Lu Tinghan raised his eyebrows, and sat on the sofa to check it again, and it was all right.
He touched Shi Yuan’s head and said, “There must be a reward.”
Shi Yuan’s tail tip became more cheerful: “Can you give me some batteries?”
Lu Tinghan recalled the time before going to bed dominated by colorful lights and nursery rhymes, and the next song called the little pony to find his mother, but he resolutely refused: “This is not allowed.”
“Okay.” Shi Yuan felt a little regretful, “Then I don’t know either.”
Lu Tinghan thought for a while and said, “But I have a surprise for you.”
“What is it!”
Lu Tinghan: “Secret it first, you will know the day after tomorrow.” He smiled, “Now, tell me the story of you at the distribution office, and how you made Sudoku.”
Shi Yuan looked forward to the stars and the moon, loved the new and disliked the old, and completely forgot about the colorful lanterns.
During the period, Lu Tinghan directed another small battle.
Shi Yuan went to the front with him. When the battle came to an end, Shi Yuan asked, “Is there still time for that surprise?”
Lu Tinghan couldn’t guarantee it.
Shi Yuan was a little sluggish.
Fortunately, the battle ended quickly, and the infection wave in Abyss No. 2 subsided, and they returned to the city on time, which made Shi Yuan very happy.
It was a quiet night.
They took a car to the astronomical center in Beicheng District.
The astronomical center had been closed long ago, and Lu Tinghan wanted permission, so they went all the way to the top floor.
There is a huge, extremely transparent glass on the top floor, the thin and gorgeous window frame is brown gold, there are five openings at the bottom, and five astronomical telescopes are placed, each of which is top-notch.
If Wu Zhengqing could see this scene, he would definitely be dancing.
Shi Yuan asked, “Why did you bring me here?”
Lu Tinghan just said, “Look west.”
They stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the night sky was unobstructed and the stars were shining brightly.
The clock on the wall was still running, finally pointing to “23:19” silently.
—At this second, Shi Yuan opened his eyes wide.
I saw a mass of light descending from the sky, dragging its long tail, towards the ground.
It was a shooting star.
It started burning as soon as it touched the atmosphere, but it was only a hundred kilometers above the ground before it could be seen. It fell at 35 kilometers per second, like a match, using ablation as a pen, briefly and weakly polishing the curtain of the night sky.
Leave a splash of color for the world to see.
Then fade away.
It’s completely gone.
The sky returned to calm, only the sky was full of stars.
Shi Yuan said: “…It’s so beautiful, it’s better than I imagined. It’s a pity that I can only see it for a few seconds.”
Lu Tinghan said: “There will be a small meteor shower tonight, we can still see a few of them.”
Generally speaking, meteor showers have about 10 to 15 meteors per hour.
They continued to wait, sitting on the bench and leaning against each other, and saw a total of 8 meteors and 8 streamers.
Shi Yuan said: “It turns out that meteor showers are like this, I like it very much!”
Lu Tinghan laughed softly: “I know you’ve been thinking about it.”
In fact, Shi Yuan only mentioned this topic with him once or twice.
But Lu Tinghan never remembered everything Shi Yuan said, no matter the trivial things, or the childish questions and whimsy of a little monster.
Shi Yuan looked forward to asking: “When is the next meteor shower? Will there be more meteors?”
Lu Tinghan: “Who knows, I hope there will be. I heard that there are also ‘meteor storms’. There are more than 1,000 meteors per hour. It must be very spectacular.”
When the shooting stars were completely gone, Lu Tinghan took Shi Yuan to the other side of the observatory.
The other side is an independent space with a strange structure, no windows, and a fully enclosed spherical dome that blocks all light.
Total darkness.
The floor has strange textures, and the beautiful dark gold curves are winding around, surrounding the circular area in the very center.
Lu Tinghan pulled Shi Yuan to the center and said, “Stretch out your hands, two hands, I have something for you.”
Shi Yuan:?
He reaches forward. And Lu Tinghan stepped back a few steps, and pressed the switch on the wall.
The top of the dome slowly opens up the circular area.
The area was very small, and it just happened to shine on Shi Yuan’s hand, so the starlight poured down and fell into the fingers.
Shi Yuan: “Wow!”
It was a wonderful and soft light.
Lu Tinghan came back to him, and whispered in his ear with a smile: “This used to be a holy place for dating, and everyone would come to take pictures. It’s really pretty, and I know you’ll like it.”
Shi Yuan’s tail swayed happily, he tilted his head, and kissed Lu Tinghan: “I really like it so much!”
—Lu Tinghan never took the initiative to bring up the battle situation with Shi Yuan.
He didn’t talk about the ferocious wars, or the shortage of food and energy. He didn’t mention how few space-based weapons were left, how difficult it was for hospitals and welfare centers, and didn’t tell Shi Yuan that the city had a power outage that night, and everything returned to the most primitive darkness, like losing the fire and stepping into the wild.
He also seems to have forgotten those planets infected by the abyss, each of which represents hopelessness.
He just said that the city is so dark that the night sky will appear very bright.
He said, today is very lucky, it is a good day for stargazing, maybe I can see where you come from and your hometown.
Shi Yuan was still surprised.
The stars from thousands of light years away are held in his palm. In the 25th year of their acquaintance, he caught the starlight.