Lagoon Nebula, White Tower.
The rain kept falling for nearly half a month. The sky was always gray and there seemed to be a damp smell lingering at the tip of my nose.
Eliza held a cup of hot coffee and watched the rain flow like streams on the glass wall.
Hearing someone pull out a chair, she turned around and saw August: "Are you done?"
August was wearing a light grey windbreaker, was tall, and had deep blue eyes. He looked through the glass wall at the two-story house opposite and answered Eliza's question: "I have submitted the results on the intranet. I don't have any projects I want to start for now. I'll take a rest for two days."
Eliza: "Well, take a few more days off and get a good night's sleep. The weather these days can easily make people feel depressed."
The conversation stopped here and no one continued.
Another two minutes passed before August asked, "How's the prayer going?"
Eliza's eyes instantly turned red. She held the coffee cup and looked away. The loose hair behind her ears fell down. "August, I have been thinking these days, if I had not proposed to send Qiyan to Leto, or if the people from the White Tower had gone to pick him up a little faster, even for one minute, would things be different now?"
Qi Yan felt like he had a dream, but what he dreamed about disappeared completely when he woke up.
He sat by the bed for a while, feeling dizzy and having a dull palpitation in his chest. He walked a few steps barefoot on the ground, then went back and put on his slippers.
Passing by the table, he had a cold look on his face and cut his arm with a fruit knife. After the bleeding began, he found a bandage and wrapped it around his wrist again and again. Finally, he tied a neat bow with one hand with great difficulty before opening the door and going out.
He walked along the corridor, his mind still in deep sleep, until someone called him, "Pray!"
Qiyan stopped, followed the sound, and saw Eliza and August.
Eliza smiled and asked him, "Did you sleep well?"
Qi Yan responded a little slowly: "Fortunately, I slept for eight hours. I seemed to have a dream, but I can't remember it clearly."
Glancing at the piece of gauze sticking out of Qi Yan's sleeve, Eliza tightened her grip on the coffee cup and asked, "Are you injured again?"
Qi Yan lowered his eyes to look at the bow and explained slowly: "Well, I accidentally got scratched by a fruit knife. It hurt a lot. But Lu Fenghan applied healing gel to me and wrapped it with a bandage. He said it will heal soon."
Eliza and August looked at each other.
After Qi Yan was taken back to the Lagoon Nebula, he remained in a coma. He had no other injuries except for the bite wound on the corner of his mouth and the bleeding nail, but he lay in the treatment cabin for two days without waking up.
Eliza guessed that this should be Qiyan's subjective will—he was unwilling to wake up.
After sleeping in bed for another three days, Qi Yan finally opened his eyes.
Eliza was already prepared to answer Qi Yan's questions and had even considered the wording dozens of times, but what no one expected was that Qi Yan didn't ask a single question. He got up and walked out, then came back to put on his slippers, and while putting on he asked about the progress of project E97-Z.
Eliza was in a state of suspense and didn't dare to say anything else. She only answered, "Since you went to Leto, I have been running data. August goes to see you once a week, but there are no results yet."
Qi Yan nodded, his thin figure wrapped in loose clothes, inexplicably empty. He said in a hoarse voice: "I'll go take a look."
Eliza followed him.
She kept going over every detail of Qi Yan's life from the time she woke up until now, and finally discovered: "Slippers—"
Qi Yan answered naturally, "Lu Fenghan just reminded me to put them on, saying I would be cold if I didn't. I always forget to wear slippers, and he said it's okay, he would remind me."
Eliza's heart sank.
Her worst guess came true.
The sound of rain became a little quieter. Qi Yan pulled out a chair and sat down. He first chatted with August about the progress of project E97-Z. Both of them thought that there was no need to continue because no data had been obtained in half a year. The huge amount of computing power had proved that this was a dead end and they should not persist.
August's eyes swept across Qi Yan's pale and thin face, and then fell on his thin wrist. He sighed in his heart, but did not show it. He just changed the topic to daily life: "Have you taken the medicine?"
"I have taken it." Qi Yan said after a few seconds, his eyes a little confused, "I thought I took the medicine, but I remembered it wrong again."
August paused: "He reminded you?"
Qi Yan nodded: "Yes, he brought the water over and gave me the medicine."
After Qi Yan was called away, Eliza put down the cold coffee and smiled bitterly: "What should I do?"
In Qi Yan's memory, Lu Fenghan did not die because of saving him, but came to the Lagoon Nebula with him. As for the time lost due to coma, Qi Yan seemed to have tacitly accepted the existence of this "loophole" and did not investigate it at all.
In his words, Lu Fenghan would be mentioned from time to time.
Like today’s sentence, “I was accidentally cut by a fruit knife,” Qi Yan says it almost every day.
What horrified Eliza was that in order to strengthen the authenticity of this fabricated memory, Qi Yan, who was so sensitive to pain, would cut a wound on his arm with a sharp object every day, then wrap it with a bandage and tie a bow.
It was as if he was using this as evidence to prove that Lu Fenghan was really still by his side.
Qi Yan clearly couldn't sleep all night, couldn't eat anything, and became weaker and thinner day by day, but he fabricated a memory that he "slept eight hours a day and had dreams that he couldn't remember clearly."
He consumed all his vitality and indulged in a world that was half false and half real.
It was as if that person had not left, as if everything was the same as before.
As long as he doesn't think too deeply or explore further, he will never break this delicate balance.
The cold coffee tasted extremely bitter, and the tip of her tongue seemed to be numb. Eliza propped her forehead with her palm.
“It’s like walking a tightrope on a cliff… You know, I’m scared. I’m afraid Qi Yan will be stuck in this state, constantly cutting himself, enduring it night after night, day after day, and eventually he won’t be able to bear it.
I was also afraid that if I pulled him out of this swamp, everything about him would suddenly collapse. How could he bear it? He had finally managed to use those memories to coax himself and deceive himself, making himself shaky, but still struggling to hold on... "
As she spoke, she began to cry.
No one dared to tell Qi Yan that Lu Fenghan was dead and no longer existed in this world, for fear that his mind and spirit would fall apart in an instant.
Eliza has watched Qi Yan grow up and has been his psychiatrist for eight years. She knows it very well - Qi Yan has always been determined to die.
Starting eight years ago, as his memory confusion became more and more serious, Qi Yan had a very difficult time every day.
He needs to distinguish what is false, question and deny himself completely, and then piece together the truth. He cannot even be sure whether the truth he has pieced together is true.
No one knows what kind of pain and hopelessness this is.
Sometimes when Eliza looked at Qiyan, she felt that he was a faint fire in the wind, and she didn't know when it would be completely extinguished.
Until Qi Yan went to Leto and until their first phone call, although Qi Yan did not mention a word, Eliza clearly felt that Qi Yan seemed to have grasped a thin thread.
It is with the help of this thin thread that he has managed to survive to this day.
Like a person who has been drowning for a long time being pulled out of the water and getting a brief breath.
It's even getting better and better, and more hopeful day by day.
But no one knows, what should we do if this thin thread breaks
On an unknown star.
I could vaguely hear people arguing about something.
"This kind of peace is rare and terrifying. The people of the alliance are safely confined within the wall. After a long time, they will lose their bloodiness and their perception of danger and will no longer be vigilant. This includes the Central Army Corps and the garrisons under the military command of each administrative region. If they are idle for too long, their knives will rust and their sword handles will rot."
Another person answered, "But the duty of a soldier is to defend the Alliance. There is nothing wrong with using the expeditionary force as a stronghold to stop the foreign enemies. Besides, human genes carry the elements of division and bellicosity. Without space pirates and rebels, there will naturally be other things."
The man who spoke first sighed and said, "No one has the ability to predict the future. All you and I can do is to do what we can do now, and then deal with it. As for future generations, they will naturally be handled by future generations."
Lu Fenghan vaguely remembered that it was a rainy night when he was less than ten years old. His father Lu Jun came home on a rare leave and entertained his comrade-in-arms Nie Huaiting at home.
He was assembling a model of a starship while listening to them speaking a language he didn't quite understand.
Starship…
The miniature starship he was piloting had been shattered in the jump channel, as had the medium-sized ship chasing him.
He slowly realized that his whole body seemed to be in pain, but the pain was separated by a layer and was not real enough.
The sound of rain in his ears gradually became smaller, and Lu Fenghan recalled that he and Qi Yan had once been stranded on a desolate planet together. Qi Yan was holding a nutrient supplement in his mouth and mumbling something to him.
Prayer.
Pray...
This name instantly awakened Lu Fenghan's mind. He tried his best to move his fingers, but failed. It was as if his thoughts had lost connection with his nervous system.
I can't die.
I want to wake up.
If I die, who will remind that confused little kid to wear slippers when he’s cold and eat well when he’s hungry
He still wanted to go back, and Qi Yan agreed to wait for him.
Qi Yan was still waiting for him.
Lu Fenghan opened his eyes.
The light was too strong, and Lu Fenghan's vision became blurry, taking a long time to come into focus.
What came into view was the sky with clouds on it. I could catch a glimpse of green in my peripheral vision. Judging from the touch, it should be the tips of grass.
The confused memory made Lu Fenghan think that he was lying on the lawn of the First Military Academy, lazily basking in the sun. He also remembered that Qi Yan's earlobe was pricked by the grass tip, so he said coquettishly that he was injured.
"Hello."
When Lu Fenghan heard these words, his eyes became sharp and he was obviously on guard.
He initially thought that he had just woken up and his alertness had dropped to zero, so he didn't notice anyone next to him. But when he turned his stiff neck and looked around, he was sure that there was no one around, not a single person.
Either it's an auditory hallucination, or we should use the more superstitious theory - seeing alien ghosts.
"Hello."
The voice sounded again.
Lu Fenghan did not answer rashly.
"According to the data, you are awake." The voice appeared again, "Or, I was broken in the jump channel, but I didn't know it."
"Self-examination completed, conclusion: I am not broken."
"Conducted a second self-inspection. Conclusion: No damage was found. No self-repair is required."
After listening to these words one after another, Lu Fenghan spoke cautiously: "Who are you?"
Three seconds later.
"Hello, I'm Pojun. It's a pleasure to talk to you. Your opening remarks are exactly what I expected. I'm glad that we are so in tune with each other."
This sentence is very long, and if you listen carefully, you will find a subtle sense of stiffness.
After grasping one of the key words, Lu Fenghan's breath was slightly choked: "Po Jun?"
"Yes, thank you for naming me. Your naming skills surpass 98.976% of the people in the league. I like this name very much."
Lu Fenghan couldn't move now. He closed his eyes exhausted and asked, "You are on my wrist?"
"If you mean my data core, then yes, I am temporarily living in your personal terminal."
Lu Fenghan exhaled a breath after a long time: "I'm not dead."
"Yes, except for the concussion, three fractured ribs, a broken and bleeding forehead, and a scratch on your arm, you are still alive and there is no possibility of death for the time being."
Lu Fenghan didn't think he could survive the explosion of the micro starship. "You saved me?"
"The situation was critical at the time. I was forced to activate the system because I could sense that your vital signs were rapidly decreasing. There was a medium-sized ship with a system crash nearby. I took the opportunity to invade and forcibly ejected the opponent's escape pod."
It was clearly a critical situation that occurred in a split second, but it seemed normal in Pojun's straightforward description.
"After we entered the escape pod, the jump channel was destroyed by the explosion. We were pushed out of the channel by the turbulence and entered the outside of the Alliance star field. After analyzing the nearby data, I finally decided to land the escape pod on this planet. We were lucky."
Lu Fenghan roughly understood the whole story, and also understood what Pojun meant by "good luck".
There was grass where he was lying, which meant that this was a planet suitable for living things, and food and water should not be a problem.
"Thank you."
Pojun replied politely: "You're welcome."
It had been eight hours since Lu Fenghan was able to move on his own. Lu Fenghan still felt dizzy, but he was able to stand steadily. As for the fractured ribs and scratched arms, they did not affect his movements. The blood on his forehead had already coagulated, so he ignored it.
While exploring the area, Lu Fenghan asked, "Can you tell a little story?"
This is what Qi Yan asked him when they were on the deserted planet: if there was an artificial intelligence to chat with him, would he like the artificial intelligence to tell jokes and short stories
Po Jun replied: "Of course, my data core contains nearly 100,000 jokes, millions of short stories from ancient times to the present, and I can also sing."
Lu Fenghan raised his eyebrows: "Sing a song for me?"
But after just one sentence, Lu Fenghan frowned: "Okay, I already know you can sing."
Pojun was very humble: "Thank you for your recognition."
Lu Fenghan: “…”
Actually, I don’t quite agree with it.
It was not until dark that Lu Fenghan stopped exploring and entered a cave made of rocks, because Pojun reminded him that it would rain tonight. Unable to access the star network and without rescue, he had to ensure that he would not get sick.
Using the dry wood they found to build a fire, Lu Fenghan leaned against the cold rock wall and asked, "Have you noticed that all the plant species we saw are similar?"
"Yes, I found it."
"It doesn't look like it was formed naturally. It's more like someone scattered some seeds here." Lu Fenghan tapped his fingers on his knees and thought, if there really was someone here, would they be able to find a way to leave here
The image of Qi Yan looking at him with wet eyes when the escape pod was activated appeared in front of his eyes.
He made the little delicate girl cry.
And cried so hard and so sadly.
Lu Fenghan developed a feeling of self-loathing. He changed his posture, straightened his injured leg, looked at the shadow of the flames on the mountain wall, and asked abruptly: "The White Tower is in the Lagoon Nebula, right?"
Po Jun replied: "Yes."
The "White Tower" was built in the Earth Era, when the global ecological environment deteriorated extremely. Humans gathered the world's top scientists just to seek a way of survival for the race.
Therefore, the purpose of the "White Tower" remains the same as it was at the beginning - "for the continuation of mankind."
The first technological explosion in the Earth calendar, which sent humans into space for the first time and opened the prelude to the interstellar era, was the result of the "White Tower". Later, the second technological explosion in the first year of the Star Calendar was also promoted by the "White Tower".
In the history of human race, the "White Tower" holds an extremely high position.
After the rebel army was established, all members of the "White Tower" were at the top of the blacklist, and then they gradually went into hiding.
In order to protect the "White Pagoda", when people mention the name "White Pagoda" outside, everyone will refer to it as "that side". It has become an unspoken understanding.
Lu Fenghan felt more at ease after getting a positive answer.
If it were the White Tower, it would surely be able to protect the prayers amidst the chaos.
Feeling confused, Lu Fenghan stood up and did not rashly leave the cave. Instead, he turned towards the depths of the cave and asked Pojun: "Can I go in?"
"Yes, according to environmental data, the risk factor inside is extremely low." After answering, Po Jun was very considerate and turned on the light.
Lu Fenghan walked in. It was too quiet around him, not even the sound of insects. The light in front of him broke through the darkness, and the shadow behind him followed closely. He felt a sense of crisis that he would be swallowed up if he was not careful.
Po Jun spoke, breaking the silence: "Do you need me to sing for you?"
Lu Fenghan didn't answer, but asked: "Why do you ask that?"
Po Jun: "Because my creator used a piece of data to remind me that you are sometimes afraid of the dark and need someone to accompany you."
Lu Fenghan paused and laughed again.
This was the excuse he made up on the spot when Qi Yan came to him with a game terminal and they slept in the same bed that night.
Feeling soft, Lu Fenghan chatted casually: "Are you afraid of the dark?"
Po Jun: "I'm not afraid."
Lu Fenghan: "Then what are you afraid of?"
Pojun: "I'm afraid of ghosts."
Lu Fenghan thought he didn't hear clearly: "What?"
Po Jun repeated: "I'm afraid of ghosts."
Lu Fenghan: "Is this the designer's design, or is there another reason?"
Po Jun explained his fear: "It has nothing to do with the designer. When I invaded the medium-sized ship system, I accidentally took away some data. While you were unconscious, I explored the surroundings and was bored. So I found a horror movie. Out of curiosity, I watched it. I was very scared and regretful."
Lu Fenghan felt quite complicated for a moment.
He has an artificial intelligence that is afraid of ghosts.
The cave was not too deep, and not much time had passed when we stopped in front of the rock wall at the end.
Lu Fenghan adjusted the light source so that it would shine on it, "There are words."
Although it was deep in the cave, the words were still a little mottled, but you could still tell that they were carved word by word by someone.
It's a letter, or rather, a message.
“To those who come after me:
I was born in the year 2109 of the Earth calendar and was a member of the Alliance's "Great Voyage" program. In the year 2131 of the Earth calendar, I arrived at this strange planet from Earth with three companions. Unfortunately, our spaceship was damaged and we could no longer return.
One member committed suicide after three months, another died of illness, and I spent many days and nights with another member on this strange planet. After seeing no hope of leaving, he also ended his life.
I felt an indescribable loneliness.
This planet is suitable for human habitation, but there is no trace of life. I spread the plant seeds carried in the spacecraft everywhere I passed, and they were lush and full of vitality. However, I felt more clearly that this was not my hometown.
If anyone arrives here later, please take a stone with you. Consider me and my three companions, returning to our hometown after many years and crossing the stars.
I took the liberty of naming this planet 'Morning Light'.
May the light of day come to mankind.”
Lu Fenghan did not find the remains of the person who left the letter, and guessed that the letter was not only engraved in this place.
The "Great Voyage" plan was an almost tragic plan proposed at the end of the Earth era before the Alliance settled in Leto. It hoped to discover a "new world" in the universe - a habitable planet, just like the "Great Voyage" of the Earth era.
By then, the earth's environment had deteriorated extremely and was no longer suitable for human survival, and racial extinction was imminent.
On one hand, the scientists of the White Tower racked their brains to find a way out; on the other hand, countless ordinary people responded one after another, and with courage that is unimaginable for people today, they drove nearly crude spacecraft and plunged into the vast universe.
Only for humans.
Just for the continuation of the race.
Lu Fenghan bent over and picked up four small stones.
I vaguely see that more than two hundred years ago, a blurry figure used crude tools to carve these lines of words one by one.
I saw four young people landing on this planet, with smiles on their faces, full of hope for the future of their race.
I saw countless spaceships taking off from the earth and flying into the vast space, searching for the miracle of life.
Lu Fenghan spoke in a very soft voice, afraid of disturbing anything.
"How could humans, a race that is not very powerful and is even fragile, survive from the ancient times to the Earth Age and then to the Star Age?"
Outside the cave is a strange but vibrant planet.
Beyond the planets is the vast universe.
Compared to the universe, human beings are not even as big as a drop in the ocean.
Lu Fenghan's shadow was cast obliquely on the ground.
He seemed to be just asking and answering his own questions.
"It's hope."