Under the full moon, atop a castle-like building.
The one-armed Motafu stood on the balcony, draped in a fluffy blanket, gazing at the silent mountains under the moonlight.
In the distance, groups of wild birds took off into the night, flying northward.
“Are birds also nocturnal creatures? ” Motafu couldn’t help but ask the person beside him.
On the right of the short man stood a male officer protecting him, wearing the uniform of the Imperial Krune Garrison; on his left stood a Mist Man leaning against the balcony with its small stone parapets, arms crossed.
“No, Councilor Motafu,” the officer replied calmly.
“Most birds also need to rest at night, except during the months from August to November. “
“Why that time? ” Mortav turned his head to look at him, and the Fogfolk also twisted his neck with candy in his mouth to glance over.
The officer thought for a moment, then spoke after confirming his information was accurate:
“Usually in late summer and early autumn, they need to migrate for winter. During that time, many birds travel all night long to rush their journey. “
“Migrate. “
Muttering this word, Mortav felt a chill in the air and couldn’t help pulling the thin fleece blanket covering his shoulders a little tighter. Noticing his movement, the officer calmly raised his hand to lift the blanket slightly higher.
Suddenly, there was another rustling sound of wings flapping.
From the treetops around the house, sparrows suddenly soared into the air, flying into the night sky behind this castle-palace-like building. Following the flock of birds ahead, they fluttered their small wings, now low, now high.
The Fogfolk immediately became alert, looking left and right.
The officer lowered his hand, and faint rings of light appeared in his eyes. After scanning, he said softly, “No one’s coming. “
Mortav pursed his lips, looked at the Fogfolk who had stood down from his alert, and spoke in a low voice:
“Hey, brother. You all take turns protecting me like this—is it because I’m going to keep having bad luck? “
“Ah? Er… well. “
Mortav hesitated and stammered for a moment:
“I’ve been thinking these past few days—should I change my name to ‘On Mof’ or ‘Jean Motta’ or something? What do you think? I know you Fogfolk are the most enthusiastic about giving advice. “
At the young man’s words, who was originally just trying to get a share of the glory from Zhao Anlong, his eyes immediately lit up, but then he frowned deeply.
“This might not be a small matter. “
“Why? “
“A super-famous person like you changing your name, no matter what you choose, will make it a major surname. “
“……“
……
Inside this vast uninhabited area north of the continent.
Three concurrent meetings were being held underground. Kim Fairman and two other scientists, along with their students and the two people following Kim Baiyun, were in a fourth small meeting room with an open door, looking at data from the past two days concerning nuclear radiation zones around the world and the outbreak of the Doomsday Iron Thorn.
“It’s a bit strange. ” Kim Fairman’s slightly buzzing voice echoed inside his glass helmet.
Kim Baiyun couldn’t help but be distracted for a moment by the thin layer of mist inside his helmet, then looked at the thickness of the clothing inside the other’s protective suit.
“What’s strange? ” Maryka Stan, who was organizing her project data to introduce it as clearly as possible to the Fogfolk, shifted her chair.
“The numbers are a bit low, but that’s to be expected. ” Kim Fairman let out a breath, put down the documents in his hand, looked at Kim Baiyun, and continued:
“Kim, that organization you mentioned, the disaster information-sharing network formed by volunteers from various countries, probably isn’t able to continue compiling intelligence, right? Today’s information hasn’t arrived yet. “
Maryka Stein pulled her chair closer and began to read the data on the Iron Thistle Eruption printed on the paper:
Compared to before, the statistics for the past two days were only one-tenth of the average count from the end of last month. It seemed like data from many regions was missing.
Kim Baek-woon nodded, interlacing his fingers on the table, and spoke gravely:
“Perhaps it’s because of the great changes for the better in the world. The leaders who had paid a considerable price to enter the ‘Shadow Thistle Fortress’ built by the thirteen-nation alliance have already recalled some of their trusted aides. This is one of the sources of interference in the statistics. Another is the large-scale movement of personnel into the nuclear radiation zones, causing disruption and hindrance to the verification teams. However… “
He pinched the bridge of his nose.
“I wonder if our organization’s officials from these various nations, the moment they see a possibility that the world might… well,just barelyhold together, start restoring their national and ethnic identities immediately. At any rate, I suspect they haven’t genuinely lost the authority to investigate and channel the information statistics. “
“So we’re starting to not see the real data anymore? “
On the edge of the table, the chief technical officer in charge of experiments at the nuclear front line, Professor Eurque Sir Engineering, stared with slightly bulging eyes and a tense expression.
The young people around him all sat up straight in unison.
In the face of such large-scale and high-frequency nuclear attacks, it would be impossible for them not to care about the consequences, not to want to get the latest data—even if it’s from every single hour or every single minute.
Every one of them was very concerned about this data.
“Our friends are doing their best! ” Jin Baiyun said with finality.
Footsteps sounded outside the house. A companion walked quickly to the door, knocked, and then raised a piece of paper, saying:
“Friends, today’s latest data has finally been rushed over. “
“Quick, let’s have a look. “
The three surviving elders inside the house immediately reached out their hands.
Knowing that the elders were very concerned about the data related to nuclear explosion radiation and the outbreak of the Doomsday Iron Vine, the newcomer immediately divided the documents into two portions, handing one portion to the three elders, while the other, related to the people’s livelihood and intelligence from various countries, was given to Jin Baiyun.
Jin Baiyun quickly glanced through the data.
An aged voice came from across the room:
“Today’s data is finally a bit more complete. The recorded number of outbreaks is more than double that of yesterday. “
“Moreover, due to the adjustment of personnel, compared to the previous attacks that often erupted in cities and targeted densely populated areas, the number of deaths in the past few days has shown a very obvious decrease. “
“In other words, the scope and scale of a single outbreak of the Doomsday Iron Vine have both shrunk. “
The few young people who heard the mournful yet slightly relieved voices of the three elders opened up a mix of bitterness and a touch of joy; this was, after all, a bit of salvage rescue effort provided by themselves and others.
Jin Baiyun, holding the paper, listened to the voices of thought from the positive and neutral reviews coming from the distributors in his mind.
He put down the data and looked up.
“Some people, afraid of the news about the Iron Vine, can’t wait to enter the nuclear radiation zone. “
“What! ” Marika Stein’s aged voice immediately became agitated: “That’s very dangerous, isn’t it? Can’t we just let them stay at the edge? “
Although that was already quite dangerous.
“Yes. “
Jin Baiyun was helpless. People have their own legs; no matter how many fellow townsfolk there are, no matter how loudly they publicize. There were always those who wouldn’t listen to advice and recklessly rushed into lands that had already weathered the aftermath of the explosion and seemed to be nothing more than scorched earth.
“It seems our propaganda hasn’t been thorough enough. Just because something is invisible doesn’t mean it can be ignored! “
“They don’t understand that entering even just a day earlier would cause irreversible damage to their bodies. Unless… ” Several gentlemen looked toward the Fogfolk before them.
They hoped that the Fogfolk might possess some mysterious ability to reverse subsequent illnesses and disasters.
But the damage from nuclear radiation…
When faced with the need to aid tens of millions, even hundreds of millions of people suffering from nuclear radiation damage, even finding those rare Fogfolk who possessed the corresponding ability to neutralize radiation would not solve such an immense number of patients in a short time, nor the threat left behind in the land.
As they waited, a great many footsteps could be heard from outside the room.
A still rather lively discussion atmosphere drifted in from the hall outside, and the clamor lifted everyone’s spirits.
The three small conference agenda items had essentially all adjourned within the last few minutes.
“Let’s go out and have a look. “
……
“Ah, having this kind of discussion and exchange with everyone really boosts our confidence! “
Seeing the crowd convene, Walder Goas laughed heartily.
The people around applauded.
The three small conference agenda items had all preliminarily received the affirmation of every participant.
They have been tentatively designated as Project No. 1, “Reflected Light, ” Project No. 2, “Thunderclap Tower, ” and Project No. 3, “Mithril Initiative. “
“So, shall we begin the next three meetings right now? ” someone asked.
Anna Beiru glanced at her ladies’ watch, crafted from high-strength radiation-resistant quartz stone, then looked up.
“Although it is already very late, nearly 1 AM, both our time and the world’s time are extremely precious. Besides… “
She swept her gaze over Yang Zicang and a few others.
“Many among us are also not in a position to disappear from the attention of those around us for long, so let us simply continue our meetings directly. “
After speaking, she turned her gaze to Kim Fairman and two others beside her.
“Then, we can first reveal to everyone the general direction we three intend to pursue. They are projects related to medicine, mathematics, and a special scientific field unique to our continent. “
The people around murmured in discussion for a bit, roughly dividing themselves into which meeting rooms they wanted to go to.
Zhao Anlong rested two fingers on his chin, “Mathematics is out first. ” He turned his head slightly to glance at the red-shirted man beside him who was excitedly chatting with someone else, then narrowed his eyes slightly as he stared at Jia Zhi’an.
“Hey, hey, brother. ” Zhao Anlong patted this man, who was as tall as Yang Zicang, on the shoulder.
The man turned around, his shrewd eyes wide open. “Hmm? “
“Which conference room are you choosing? “
“Ahaha, I heard your earlier complaints. Well, since you have a headache, let me handle this complicated matter. You’d better come with me—I’ve chosen the new medical path this elderly lady wanted to open. “
Zhao Anlong immediately understood what was driving this guy.
“Then I… ” He glanced at Yang Zicang, then toward Math. Math was obviously beyond his comprehension; Medicine had also been ruled out by this man, leaving only one option. “I’ll just sit in on the Ouroboros Engineering project meeting as an observer. “
“You rascal, ” the man in the red shirt deliberately snorted.
“Then I’ll go to Principal Jin’s math-related project, ” Yang Zicang said.
While the group murmured, someone was distributing small free gifts among the crowd as a way to get acquainted with everyone.
“My abilities aren’t all that great—I only have hypnosis to offer. “
This man, with an ordinary face, average build, and dark circles under his lusterless eyes, cheerfully handed them out one by one. Some people took the thumb-sized rabbit-shaped little mirrors, clenching them with delight.
Hypnosis, when used properly, can really come in handy at critical moments.
The man in the thin clothes walked over to the red-shirted man, handed the little mirror in his hand to Jia Zhi’an, then turned around amidst the crowd’s humming chatter and sighed serenely:
“Studying medicine is a great endeavor. However, in the subsequent stages of human experimentation, we must carefully observe and pay attention to the subjects, and never allow hidden causes of disease to remain within people’s bodies. “
“What do you mean by that? ” The man in the red shirt, who had been fiddling with the mirror in his hand, immediately looked over and asked.
“Ah, nothing much. I was just reminded of the ‘white blood’ case in the artificial blood substitute program. “
The middle-aged man, feeling a bit modest under the gaze of Yang Zicang, who was standing close by, and Zhao Anlong, who was looking over at him, acknowledged them briefly, then, addressing the man in red, he casually handed the small rabbit-shaped mirror he was holding to Yang Zicang, who seemed interested in listening.
“Oh, what does that mean? ” The old woman who was not far behind asked as she approached.
The middle-aged man turned his head, smiled slightly, and said:
_”Oh, it’s nothing. In medicine, the time span between pharmaceutical research and the successful announcement of human trials is always very long.
“So, in our world, a blood substitute solution was once developed that doesn’t require blood type matching, has three times the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood, and can even eliminate viruses. It once held great hope for benefiting many people. “
The few people standing beside Zhao Anlong and Yang Zicang, upon hearing this, took a couple of steps closer to listen carefully to his explanation.
Noticing the gazes of these people, the middle-aged man felt quite embarrassed and said, speaking at a moderate pace, as if trying to ensure everyone could hear as clearly as possible:
“I’ve only heard about this—one of those medical projects using a kind of white… perfluorocarbon liquid. Back then, in our era of the 1980s, it was discovered that residues of that liquid in the body could cause the immune system to attack continuously, leading to chronic inflammation. At the time, some cases showed that certain transfusion patients were at risk of multiple organ failure.“
“Ah, I almost forgot about all these timing issues.” The man in the red shirt thought seriously for a moment.
He patted the shoulder of the man who was in the middle of handing gifts while also conversing with Marika Stein, then said:
“Brother, do you have any more of this mirror? I feel like holding it really helps restore my sanity.“
The man was startled and replied, “Ah, friend, don’t say that. This mirror’s effect is triggered only once.“
The people around them chuckled softly for a moment.
“Alright then,” said the man in the red shirt. He looked at himself in the small rabbit mirror, then took a glance at the other man’s slender frame, and continued:
“It’s rude to receive without giving. You’re dressed so lightly, so you must have come from the warmer south. Take my jacket and put it on. It’s a bit cold tonight.“
As he spoke, he took off his jacket and handed it to the middle-aged man.
“Oh, how can I accept this?“
“It’s no big deal. If you feel awkward, then sell me another mirror, alright? What’s your surname? Mine is Jia.“
The middle-aged man didn’t let modesty stop him from accepting it and put on the jacket. “My surname is Wei. I’ll give you another one then.“
Then Mr. Wei turned around and looked at Professor Orcurth-Schilde, who was coming closer, “Here’s one for you too.“
“Oh, thank you, Young classmate Wei.“
The engineering professor accepted the gift from the man in the dark floral-patterned coat, fiddled with it for a moment, then looked up at Yang Zicang and said, “President Buchen. “
“Hmm? “
“I… have an inadvertent request. Could you attend my conference project? Besides, this research is also somewhat related to you. “
Yang Zicang nudged Zhao Anlong with his elbow, who had originally planned to sit in on this gentleman’s conference project. “Switch? “
Zhao Anlong said, “Ah, no, I can go sit in on a medical-related project instead. “
The man without the coat laughed out loud. “Brother, you’re looking down on me, are you? “
“Ah, well… ” Zhao Anlong laughed, hands clasped behind his head. “I don’t mean that at all. “
……
Yang Zicang, having been actively invited, followed the group towards the gaunt-faced Oqu Xier.
The middle-aged man in the red coat, with slightly sunken eye sockets, walked behind and to the side of Yang Zicang, hands in his pockets and a faint smile on his face.
At the doorway, Yang Zicang suddenly paused, turning his head to look at the middle-aged man surnamed Wei who was slowly drawing near.
The man stopped two paces away from him. “Friend? “
“I’d like to ask you something. ” Yang Zicang stepped forward, facing the man who had his hands in his red coat pockets and a smile on his face. He said:
“Do you know anything about hypnotic abilities and the effects related to long-term suggestion? “
“Have you experienced something? “
“Yes. “
“Hmm, I’m not really sure about that either, because this mirror was just something I asked for from a female fellow traveler. ” The middle-aged man surnamed Wei shrugged.
Yang Zicang smiled apologetically and then turned around to walk into the room.
After the people inside had taken their seats, the old engineering professor closed the door. From among the various items he had brought into the small meeting room, he selected a box and placed it on the table.
“My friends, the object I hold here, strictly speaking, should indeed also be related to biology and medicine. “
He stroked the surface of the box and, under the curious gazes of everyone present, said with a sigh:
“However, we remain quite curious as to whether this can be considered science or not. Because it is rather bizarre, yet it is precisely the source from which Stevens emerged from poverty and weakness to become strong and prosperous. “
He paused for a moment, then said:
“Moreover, the reason I chose to present it here is also due to a direct hint from the relevant departments of the Empire. “
“What? ” The expressions of several people in the room shifted slightly.
“The Empire knows about this meeting? ” A person present immediately asked.
“Not exactly. ” The engineering professor quickly raised his hand, gesturing for everyone to settle down.
“It was a very, very long time ago, when they were still relatively weak. Or rather, when they first came into contact with these things. They entrusted us—some of our laboratories—with this task. “
He took out an artillery shell made of crystal, its base shaped like a projectile and its front end made of a translucent rhomboid crystal**1 .
Yang Zicang, who had just taken his seat, immediately experienced a slight change in expression.
“My task is very simple. ” The old man said, “I just want to know—what exactly is this? Could it be… another path that the world is offering us? “
After speaking, he turned his gaze to the edge of the small round table, to Yang Zicang, who had come into contact with this type of shell several times.
And beside him, the man in the red coat who was staring back with wide, round eyes.
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