Cold and summer come, autumn to spring, as the plant illustrations accumulated on the case become thicker and thicker, time has slipped to the seventh year that Jing Yu was adopted by Ling Xing.
Ling Xing, who was eighty-three years old, was standing in front of the table, sorting out the hand-painted drawings one by one. He smiled knowingly, then opened the window and called to the man in the tree, "Come in."
As soon as the branches moved outside, Ling Xiao jumped in. It was not the first time he had come to this room, but the last time he came, the top bunk had obviously not been added to the bed.
"The Lone Star is here? What about others?"
"You know?" Ling Xing was not very surprised. "He went out with the army and won't be back for the time being. How long are you going to stay this time, you might as well stay here."
"I don't know," Ling Xiao leaned carelessly against the table, picked up the drawings and looked at them, "I stayed in an era for three years at the longest, and only a few seconds at the shortest. When will it disappear."
Ling Xing looked at the fallen leaves outside the window and sighed, "It's already the autumn of 3999 in the new calendar. The first time I saw you was in the spring of 3949. For me, 50 years have passed, but for you For example, we may have only separated a moment ago."
"Well," Ling Xiao looked at him, "you look much better than the last moment I saw you, is there anything good that has happened in the past 50 years?"
Ling Xing looked down at the drawing in his hand with a smile, "To be exact, it only happened in recent years. I wanted to help someone in need, but I didn't expect that the person who finally got help was myself. It is difficult to get along with, but in my eyes, he is simple and pure, and every day I spend with him, my heart seems to be washed by the grace of God, full of incredible peace."
"Has he painted you?" Ling Xiao asked as he raised the sketch.
Ling Xing was surprised, "No, he only paints plants, I've never seen him paint people."
"Try it, how would he know if he hasn't painted?"
"Don't you know something?"
"Well," Ling Xiao's eyes drifted aside, "With the professional ethics of a traveler, I can't spoil it."
"Alright," Ling Xing gave up and asked, "How about the future, I still hope to maintain some sense of mystery, but you won't keep things secret when it comes to the past, right?"
Ling Xiao asked casually, "What's the matter?"
Ling Xing looked solemn, "Actually, it wasn't the first time you saw me last time, right?"
Ling Xiao froze for a while, and the whole person froze.
"You were also on the scene of the 3926 ember annihilation incident."
Ling Xiao put down the sketch stiffly, thinking about how to explain it to him.
"When the commotion started, the first classmates who got out of control started attacking each other. The scene was chaotic and crowded. I was pulled and pulled into the dead corner of the room. It was this action that saved my life. I was too nervous at the time. , I didn't notice who pulled me at all, and just shivered and avoided the whole process."
Ling Xiao was silent.
"This matter has troubled me for many years, until you appeared in front of me, I gradually figured out the whole thing."
"No, listen to me, you didn't wake up at the time, and even if I didn't show up there, you wouldn't have an accident."
"But I'm very likely to be awakened by hormones, or be affected by other people's battles, but I'm hiding there, unscathed."
Ling Xiao said sternly, "I know what you want to say, you want to say, since I have the ability to appear there, why didn't I prevent that incident from happening. The fact is, in these four thousand years of travel, no matter what I Whatever you do, history will follow the original trajectory, and even if I intervene, it will become a doomed part of the process, and may even become the cause of the annihilation event."
"The era we live in is an era in which I have returned to the past. Every gear is closely intertwined, and I can't shake any of them. I am also very saddened by the ember annihilation incident, and I watched the whole process like you. But I can't change it, it's an established fact in history, it's not me that makes you survive, it's history."
Ling Xing sighed and his serious expression softened, "To be honest, when I first realized this, my heart was full of resentment towards you. But as time passed, I slowly figured out that it was you. For the reason just now, no one can change history."
Ling Xiao finally felt relieved, "Then I should be glad that I skipped fifty years and gave you enough time to figure this out."
"After all, you are me, and I am you. How could I not believe in myself?"
Ling Xing looked at Ling Xiao carefully, from the eyebrows to the nose and lips, "It's the first time I know that I have an afterlife, and I'm also incredulous. I never imagined that one day, I will also hold a coming-of-age ceremony with others."
"Although until now, I still feel scared when I mention these four words, but for you, I think I will face it bravely, no matter who it is."
—
Jing Yu's return period is approaching, and major news broke out in the country. The tree of souls, which has been produced at an extremely slow rate for thousands of years, actually bears an unprecedented tree species.
The birth of this precious tree species aroused thousands of waves for a while. Some scientists asserted that this is a symbol of the aging of the soul tree. The new tree species is to eliminate the old tree that has a short lifespan, and the new tree will grow more. Soul, this is the opportunity for Tiansu's population to recover.
However, the military does not think so. For many years, they have been subject to the traction of their souls. The battlefield that could have been expanded indefinitely has no choice but to stop at the Pleiades. For the ambitious militant faction, it is undoubtedly shackled by shackles. .
The appearance of tree species gave them another possibility. They could go to a distant place to plant trees, and then build a lighthouse. At that time, they could open up a new colony and expand the scope of operations further.
This was originally just a secret conspiracy of the military, but I don't know who leaked it out, and it became known to the world. The church with the idea of lest war stood up righteously and opposed the unlimited ambition of the military.
The conflict was on the verge of breaking out. The most serious conflict in the history of the military and the church occurred. Believers organized marches to protest this behavior. The military also inevitably clashed with the people during the crackdown, and the relationship between the two parties quickly heated up.
Ling Xing knew that this was a period when the bishop was devastated. It was evident from the time he called to comfort him, but the other party was forced to hang up in a hurry without saying a word. To lead the entire church to stand on the opposite side of his deed master, if it is not for the mind as strong as the bishop, it would be difficult for ordinary people to do it.
Although Ling Xing is also watching the progress of the situation from time to time, he has something he misses even more. Fortunately, Ling Xiao stayed for a long time this time, and he spent some waiting time with him, making the time not so long.
Jing Yu soon returned with more seeds. Ling Xing happily planted them. Looking back, he wanted to introduce Ling Xiao to Jing Yu, but he was nowhere to be found.
Are you wearing it again? Ling Xing thought that at this speed, he would soon be able to return to his own era and reunite with the person he missed.
Since it was a good thing, Ling Xing happily put it aside and greeted Jing Yu to take a bath and eat. The two of them went to bed after reading the book as usual.
There was only one more person in the room, Ling Xing slept sweeter than usual until he was woken up by the sound from the upper bunk in the morning.
"Ling Xing, I'm sick."
Ling Xing slowly recalled this sentence in confusion, realizing that it was probably the book he read last night that had been "learned and used" again, and he couldn't help feeling amused.
"I've told you many times that the alien's book doesn't apply to everything in us. We are celestials and won't get sick."
Jing Yu jumped off the top bunk.
"But I'm really sick."
He pulled his trousers in front of Ling Xing, and the vigorous desire belonging to young people immediately popped out unwillingly.
"Oh no," Ling Xing almost fell over, he turned his head to the side extremely uncomfortable, and rushed out of bed in a panic, almost tripping over the quilt.
"No, no," he declined Jing Yu's good intentions to help him, not knowing where to look, "you, you put your pants up first."
While Jing Yu was putting up his pants, Ling Xing also found out the tranquilizer he was using from the drawer, grabbed Jing Yu's arm with a red face, and punched him down so hard that even he was frightened. , Jing Yu did not even frown.
"You're not sick, but... um, what is it?" Ling Xing blushed and lowered his head. He really knew nothing about how parents of other races taught their children about sex.
However, when the initial panic slowly calmed down, Ling Xing held his hand again with mixed feelings. The child he had raised for so long was finally ready to grow up. Is it gratifying? Impressed? Or reluctant? Or is it all kinds of
Jing Yu watched the other party inject himself with the kind of injection that Ling Xing had been using, and did not let go of his hand until the injection was over. He didn't understand what kind of emotion he couldn't understand.
"What's wrong with you? Are you uncomfortable?" He habitually touched the other's chest again.
"I'm not uncomfortable, I'm just..." Ling Xing lowered his head and suddenly thought of a terrible fact, if Jing Yu's awakening was reported to the military, they would immediately send someone to take him out of here, and then train him to become a A real combat weapon.
After thinking of this, Ling Xing had a bold idea in his heart, he clasped Jing Yu with both hands, "Listen to me, nothing happened to you today, that incident was an accident, and it won't happen again in the future, Don't mention it to anyone."
Jing Yu didn't understand, but he had always trusted Ling Xing unconditionally, so he nodded at his request.
Ling Xing, who was in a complicated mood, turned around and left the bedroom, thinking in his heart that Jing Yu was a baby for 2 years when he came here. Now 7 years have passed. According to the average awakening age of Tiansu people, he will awaken a year earlier than ordinary people.
So, at least this year is something he can try to hide, even if it's just a year, it's better than losing him today.
He walked quickly into the church, knelt down with his hands clasped in front of the statue, and prayed silently.
—God, please forgive me for my lies, but just think that he will be taken out of here to kill endlessly under the control of the military, with the blood of innocents on his hands, and I will no matter what, no matter what I don't want to let him go.
Ling Xing repented with the most sincere heart, but he never imagined that a conspiracy was quietly taking place far away from here.
"Now the people's voice is getting louder and louder. If we continue to let them go on like this, I am afraid that the future will really not be under our control."
"Ridiculous foolish people," Long Yin sneered, "I don't even think about how many of the resources they are using now are not from the regular tribute from the falling stars. With the productivity of Tiansu's current population, we can't achieve self-sufficiency at all."
"As far as I can see, if they cut off their supply for a certain period of time, they will know the importance of dropping stars to us."
"I'm not worried about those foolish people," Long Yin switched the positions of his legs, "I'm afraid that our marshal won't stand firm, and he will be persuaded by his bishop, and he can't even control his own deeds. , really..." He shook his head slightly contemptuously.
"If this matter drags on, it will only lead to long nightmares. In my opinion, we should figure out a way to implement our plan as soon as possible. If the plan is successful, no matter what the outside world is doing, they will not be able to change the fact that has already happened. Moreover, when the people After enjoying the benefits of this program, it will definitely turn to understanding what the military does."
"What do you say?" Long Yin asked with slanted eyes.
"Actually, everyone who has seen the tree species knows that its shape is very ordinary, no doubt like a peach core. We replaced it with a fake one to appease the people, and then secretly sent someone to plant the real tree, so that it would be seamless."
"It's a good idea," Long Yin squeezed his chin, "but where to plant it?"
The staff called up the star map, "The farthest distance that the Celestials can reach is Pleiades. If we plant trees to Pleiades, we will take this as the center and expand the action range of 35200EAU radius. At that time, The planets we can set foot on can be expanded to Orchid, which is 70,000 EAU away from here."
Long Yin finished listening to him without smiling, "Really, I have a better suggestion, if we directly plant trees here," he turned the Orchid star, "we can put our The scope of operations is directly expanded to 100,000."
The staff member looked at the rapidly spinning Orchid star, "However, with our ability, we cannot reach the Orchid star."
Long Yin smiled deeply, "You still forgot someone."
The other party searched quickly in his mind, and finally guessed what Long Yin was referring to, "You mean... Lone Star?"