Chapter 106 Chapter 2058 Year
"Brother Lu, that was a close call. We were almost dead..." Xu Yanbo stood at the foot of the mountain, gazing at the turbulent sea in the distance and the tornado that had just dissipated. He was still a little frightened. He raised his hand, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, let out a long breath, and his voice was filled with some fear.
The aftermath of the tsunami slapped the ruins at the foot of the mountain. The tornado that had just dissipated took away the remaining sound of the wind, and the eerie silence returned to the surroundings. Within just a few minutes, all the disasters were swallowed up by the rolling tide, leaving only endless emptiness.
But strangely, Xu Yanbo's words did not get a response from Lu Mingfei.
"Brother Lu?" Xu Yanbo turned around and found Lu Mingfei slumped on the ground, his head covered in cold sweat, the veins on his forehead bulging slightly, and he looked like all his strength had been completely drained away. His usually calm eyes were now filled with a layer of fatigue.
"Brother Lu! Are you okay?" Xu Yanbo quickly squatted down, his voice full of anxiety. He had never seen Lu Mingfei in such a miserable state. Even in the most critical moments before, Lu Mingfei had never looked so weak.
"It's okay..." Lu Mingfei panted, his tone low, but he still tried to stay calm. Although his voice was firm, his body had reached its limit, his muscles were trembling slightly, and sweat soaked his military uniform on his back. He tried his best to support himself and not let his body fall completely.
He had been cautious over the years and dared not expose his physique and blood that were different from those of ordinary people, but after using the Word Spirit today, the burden on his body far exceeded his expectations.
Xu Yanbo opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but when he saw Lu Mingfei waving his hand, he finally swallowed the words that were about to come out, and stood silently aside, his eyes full of worry.
They stood on the top of the mountain, watching the city below being gradually submerged by the roaring waves. The once prosperous neighborhood has now turned into an ocean. The tops of the buildings appear and disappear from time to time, being ruthlessly swallowed by the rolling waves. They can still vaguely hear a few cries for help from afar, but the sound seems so weak and powerless in the face of the huge waves.
Not until the tsunami gradually subsided did the boats sent from above slowly approach and take them onto the rescue boat. The sea breeze blew past with a damp, salty smell. Lu Mingfei stood at the bow, holding on to the railing tightly, his eyes lingering for a long time on the ruins that were swallowed by the water.
His back looked somewhat lonely in the afterglow of the setting sun, like a silent statue, silently watching the lives that passed away.
“I’m sorry, Yanbo,” Lu Mingfei said in a low and hoarse voice, with a hint of apology, “I shouldn’t have taken you into danger just now. Your child is only a little over a year old now, and I…”
"Brother Lu, don't say that." Xu Yanbo smiled and waved his hand, leaning against the railing and said lightly, "We are brothers, I believe you, and this is our job. We are used to taking risks."
The boat swayed slightly, and the sea breeze made the corners of the two people's clothes sway gently. The sea surface in the distance was still undulating, and occasionally surging white waves could be seen.
Lu Mingfei lowered his head slightly, glanced at Xu Yanbo's face, was silent for a moment, and asked softly: "How is the child recently?"
"My parents are taking care of the child now," Xu Yanbo smiled bitterly, his eyes a little vague, "The child's mother and I are too busy and have no time to accompany him." At this point, his voice suddenly lowered, and his tone revealed a bit of fatigue and helplessness, "Sometimes I think, maybe it's better not to get married like you, without all these worries."
Lu Mingfei did not respond, but just looked at the sea level in the distance. The waves gently hit the hull, making a series of dull sounds. Xu Yanbo's voice, with a suppressed emotion, mixed in the sea breeze, echoed between the two for a long time.
"I heard that Liu Peiqiang and Duoduo also had a child recently?" Lu Mingfei continued to ask.
"Well, the baby was born not long ago, and the little one is quite healthy." A relieved smile appeared on Xu Yanbo's face, and he felt sincerely happy for his friend.
The two were silent for a moment. The sea breeze continued to whistle in their ears, blowing on their faces with a hint of chill.
Xu Yanbo seemed to remember something and suddenly said, "By the way, Brother Lu, did you draw the lottery for the dungeon?"
Hearing this question, Lu Mingfei frowned slightly. Drawing lots was to decide whether one could get a place to enter the underground city. As the earth gradually stopped rotating, the surface environment deteriorated more and more seriously. The underground city became the last refuge for mankind, but the number of people who could enter was limited. Only drawing lots could decide who could escape from this deteriorating world.
A census was conducted in 2049, and it was found that there were approximately seven billion people in the world, but the underground city could only accommodate three and a half billion people. The probability of drawing lots was about fifty percent, and the drawing began on the first of each quarter every year.
"No." Lu Mingfei's voice was still calm, but he could sense the tension in Xu Yanbo's tone and comforted him, "But don't worry too much. Although the probability of winning is only 50%, as time goes by and the population decreases, the chance of winning will increase."
But he did not lie. There are a large number of natural disasters happening all over the world every day. Even if the United Nations government tries its best to rescue, the world's population is still beginning to decline sharply, and the number of newborns each year is also decreasing. So as time goes by, the probability of being drawn will indeed increase greatly.
Xu Yanbo nodded. Although his mood had improved slightly, the worry deep in his heart had not dissipated. The fact that his family had not been able to draw a lot had become a huge weight on his heart.
…………
Lu Mingfei’s dormitory in 2058.
Lu Mingfei rubbed his forehead and climbed up from the bed with difficulty. He felt a splitting headache, and the buzzing sound in his ears was like countless bees circling in his head, making him dizzy. When he stood up, he stumbled and almost fell back into bed again. The nausea in his heart almost made him vomit.
"I can't sleep again." He muttered to himself, with dark circles under his eyes, and he looked much more haggard.
Just as he was struggling to stand, a childish voice suddenly sounded in the room.
"Brother, you are suffering from jet lag." The familiar boy's voice sounded in the quiet room. Lu Mingze's figure, as usual, suddenly appeared in the corner. He was still wearing his well-fitting black suit, with a faint smile in his eyes. In the past few years, the boy often appeared in his room and chatted with him.
Lu Mingze still looked the same, with a cunning and mysterious look on his face that didn't match his age, as if the dramatic changes that had taken place in the world over the years were irrelevant to him. He was still the same as when they first met fourteen years ago, and time seemed to have stopped for him.
Lu Mingfei is no longer the young boy. Time has left traces on his face and he is already in his thirties.
"Jet lag?" Lu Mingfei frowned. His voice was low and a little impatient. He glanced in the direction of Lu Mingze, walked straight to the bed, poured a glass of water and poured it down his dry throat. The cold water relieved his dizziness a little, but the fatigue in his mind was still there.
Since the earth stopped rotating, the day and night cycle is no longer 24 hours, but has increased to 60 hours. Many humans are unable to adapt to the physiological and psychological effects of the long days and nights, and have gradually fallen into the dilemma of "jet lag".
Many people who suffer from this symptom will lose their accurate perception of time and even experience serious physiological reactions, such as insomnia, nausea, and extreme fatigue. Lu Mingfei is obviously one of them.
"What's the matter with your appearance this time?" Lu Mingfei's voice was calm and cautious as usual. He knew that whenever Lu Mingze showed up, he usually didn't bring any good news.
Lu Mingze curled his lips, with an aggrieved expression on his face, "Hey, brother, why are you so cold every time I show up? I come here with good intentions to give you information."
His voice was brisk, with a hint of teasing in his tone, but Lu Mingfei was unmoved. He just looked at Lu Mingze coldly, with a hint of fatigue and impatience in his eyes.
Seeing that Lu Mingfei had no reaction, Lu Mingze stopped acting, spread his hands, and continued: "Someone is targeting you, brother. I told you to be careful about your own blood. What happened? Now you've been discovered."
Lu Mingfei's eyes suddenly became sharp. He raised his head and looked directly at Lu Mingze. His sharp eyes seemed to be able to pierce through the air. "Who is it?"
He always felt that there was a pair of eyes watching him in the dark, but no matter how he used his kamaweasel senses, he could not find the owner of those eyes. Lu Mingze's words undoubtedly confirmed his guess.
"Who is spying on me?" he asked coldly, his hands clenched into fists, his joints made a slight creaking sound, and his whole body instantly entered a combat state.
“Hey, don’t be so excited, brother.” Lu Mingze smiled, with a hint of amusement in his eyes, “This is not an important matter. In fact, something more important will happen in a while, and your current problem will seem insignificant after that.”
"Major incident?" Lu Mingfei narrowed his eyes, obviously angry and dissatisfied with Lu Mingze's unclear tone. He was tired of this unpredictable way of conversation.
"What's the matter? Can you explain it clearly all at once?" Lu Mingfei's patience had reached its limit. He suddenly raised his hand and smashed the cup of water in his hand towards Lu Mingze. However, before the cup touched him, he caught it steadily.
"Hey, brother, your temper has been getting worse since you got time sickness. You really should go to the hospital. I am your younger brother, the only person in the world who will not harm you." Lu Mingze sighed and shook his head, with some concern in his voice.
Lu Mingze turned around and put the cup back on the table with an elegant and calm movement.
"The month-by-month plan," he suddenly said softly, his tone becoming more serious, "It's about to start, brother, you have to be careful."
“The Moon-Chasing Project?” Lu Mingfei frowned even more tightly. The Moon-Chasing Project was a major project that was about to be carried out. It was related to the complete separation of the moon and would even have a significant impact on the fate of the entire Earth.
"You mean, someone will sabotage the Moon-by-Moon Plan?" Lu Mingfei said.
"And where did you get this information? What do you want me to be careful about?"
“Hehe, it doesn’t matter where I got the information from. What’s important is that I made a deal with others and kept your secret for the time being.” Lu Mingze showed his signature weird smile and turned his gaze to the corner of the room.
"But, brother, you have to know that there is something watching you." He said, his eyes drifting to the corner of the wall, with a barely perceptible smile on his lips, "If you can find it, maybe you can solve your doubts."
Lu Mingfei subconsciously followed Lu Mingze's gaze, but saw nothing.
Seeing that his words had made Lu Mingfei alert, Lu Mingze stopped talking and just said calmly: "Remember, brother, the Moon-Chasing Plan is about to begin, and we are about to go home."
After saying that, Lu Mingze's figure disappeared in the room like a phantom, as if he had never existed.
Lu Mingfei stood there, his brows furrowed, his heart full of doubt and anxiety. He knew that Lu Mingze's words were not aimless, but he could not figure out what was hidden behind this for the time being.
Lu Mingfei came to the building of the United Government with a lot of doubts in his mind. He came to report on his work. After so many years, his military rank has risen to major general. Now he is no longer directly involved in front-line combat, but is responsible for formulating combat plans and dispatching the rear.
The security of the United Government Building is very tight. The guards at the door stand motionless like statues, vigilantly observing the surroundings at all times.
Lu Mingfei passed through several security gates and quietly walked into the hall. The atmosphere here was solemn and tense, making people feel invisible pressure.
However, his mind was still lingering on what Lu Mingze mentioned in the morning, especially Lu Mingze's last glance at the corner. The more he thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong. Until he passed through the security gate and looked up and saw the camera in the corner, he suddenly felt a chill.
"It's indeed a camera..." He was shocked. No wonder he couldn't detect anything unusual no matter how he used the Kamaitachi.
But who is watching him? And what is their purpose?
Lu Mingfei did not show any sign of abnormality. He continued to walk forward calmly, as if he had not noticed anything. A few minutes later, he came to the door of the Chinese representative's office and knocked gently.
"Come in." A slightly old voice came from inside.
Lu Mingfei pushed the door open and saw the elderly Zhou Zhezhi. Since the last time they met, Zhou Zhezhi seemed to have aged a lot. His hair was thinner, and the wrinkles on his face were deeply engraved on his pale skin. He now needed to use a wheelchair to move around.
"Xiaolu, you're here." Zhou Zhezhi saw Lu Mingfei coming in, slowly raised his head, nodded at him, with a hint of vicissitudes in his tone.
Lu Mingfei didn't say much, he just walked to his side silently, sat down and didn't say much, waiting quietly for Zhou Zhezhi to continue speaking.
Zhou Zhezhi's gaze passed over Lu Mingfei's shoulder and fell outside the office window, where a group of people were gathered in front of a stone tablet, holding a grand memorial ceremony.
That monument was erected for the upcoming "Moon Project". The moon, a satellite that has been with the earth for billion years, will soon be pushed away from the earth by humans and will completely part ways with us.
"We still haven't received a response to the security plan we proposed before." Zhou Zhezhi's voice was a little hoarse, and one could hear his fatigue and helplessness. "Xiaolu, you are now the commander of the United Government Ranger Force. You must be on high alert. I'm afraid... it will be like fourteen years ago."
He didn't say it explicitly, but Lu Mingfei knew he was referring to the "space elevator attack" incident that year. In that incident, terrorists from the Digital Life School successfully attacked the Earth's space elevator, resulting in the deaths of many people. The disaster still makes people shudder.
"I understand." Lu Mingfei nodded with a firm look in his eyes. Although he felt a little uneasy, he knew that now was not the time to show any hesitation.
As the current supreme commander of the Ranger Force, his every decision could affect the life and death of thousands of people.
The two were silent for a moment, no one spoke again, and a heavy atmosphere filled the office.
At this moment, Hao Xiaoxi and Xu Yanbo pushed open the door and walked in. Xu Yanbo actually came with Lu Mingfei, but because he and Hao Xiaoxi were too busy, they had little time to meet, so Lu Mingfei and Zhou Zhezhi tacitly allowed the two to go aside and reminisce.
"Let's go." After a brief greeting, Lu Mingfei and Xu Yanbo, who was smiling, walked out of the joint government building. Next, they would go to the flight control center in Paris to personally supervise the ignition of the Zhuyue engine.
"Brother Lu, I see you don't look very well. Are you still suffering from jet lag?" Xu Yanbo asked with concern as soon as they walked out of the building. He saw that Lu Mingfei's face was a little pale and his eyes were full of fatigue. It was obvious that he had not had a good rest during this period.
"It's okay. There's still a lot to do." Lu Mingfei waved his hand, seeming a little absent-minded.
"Brother Lu, you really should go see a doctor." Xu Yanbo was still worried. "You will collapse if you keep doing this. The Moon-Chasing Engine will take some time to start. I'm watching over you. You can rest for a while. By the way, Duoduo's condition has been getting worse recently. Brother Lu, you should go see her."
When he heard the word "Duoduo", Lu Mingfei paused for a moment, a hint of hesitation in his heart. Han Duoduo, Liu Peiqiang's wife, had been bedridden for a long time because of her worsening radiation cancer in recent years.
After the earth stopped rotating, the abnormal activity of the sun caused a significant increase in radiation, and many people suffered from various radiation diseases.
Radiation cancer is the most terrifying type of cancer. Its symptoms begin with nausea and vomiting, gradually worsen to hair loss, skin ulcers, and finally develop into multiple organ failure and ultimately death.
"How is Duoduo doing recently?" Lu Mingfei asked in a deep voice, the fatigue on his face was temporarily replaced by worry.
"It's already very serious. The doctor said she may not last long." Xu Yanbo said in a low voice with a hint of sadness, "I went to see her some time ago, and the situation is really not optimistic. Brother Lu, you should go see her too, and by the way, go to the hospital in BJ to treat the jet lag. Their treatment is quite effective."
Lu Mingfei was silent for a moment. He originally wanted to refuse. After all, the ignition of the Zhuyue Project was a major event. As the supreme commander of the Ranger Force, he could not leave his post casually. However, Han Duoduo's condition made him hesitate.
He recalled the scene when he met Liu Peiqiang and Han Duoduo many years ago. They were full of vigor and vitality at that time. But now, Liu Peiqiang has to witness his wife getting thinner and thinner due to illness. The pain can be imagined. As a friend, Lu Mingfei knew that he could not stand idly by at this moment.
"Okay," he finally nodded, with a hint of reluctance in his tone, "I'll go check out BJ."
Xu Yanbo breathed a sigh of relief, a smile on his face, "I knew you wouldn't ignore it, Brother Lu. Don't worry, leave the matter of the Zhuyue Engine to me, I'll keep an eye on it."
(End of this chapter)
