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墨書 Inktalez
Shengfeng Village Ten Hours After the Gunfire Incident
Military Base in City S Casualty Assistance Center
It was another pitch-black night.
An Xiaotian propped himself up with his hands and slowly stood up. He found his palms covered in mud, and as he looked around, he observed the dark surroundings - the same vegetation, the same flames shooting up, but he couldn't hear any sound, not even the flames shooting from the gun barrels on the hill. He realized his heart was racing, a burning sensation filled his cheeks, and he felt like a lost explorer, walking aimlessly forward while surveying his surroundings.
After a while, the world in his eyes began to clear, and a figure appeared in front of him, indiscernible in the darkness.
"Hello," An Xiaotian tentatively greeted, "Excuse me, where is this?"
An Xiaotian realized that he could not even hear his own voice; he could only remember the words that echoed within him. But then he saw clearly as the person turned around, and suddenly, thunder roared from the sky, illuminating a head with a single enormous eye. He heard the thunder and also heard the One-eyed Person roaring at him. In that instant, An Xiaotian recalled the fallen Xiao Wu, whose face overlapped with that of the One-eyed Person, as if they were vying for control of this body. Under the thunder, it became increasingly terrifying as the figure lunged at him, yet he found himself completely unable to move. Behind him, a flare lit up the hilltop, magnifying the hole in Xiao Wu's head infinitely—
"Uh ah—"
"Ah!"
"Xiao Wu, Xiao Wu!" The name that An Xiaotian shouted sounded like something he was desperately searching for. He sat up straight, his hands frantically groping the white sheets until he saw the pale hand resting by the bed. Only then did he lift his face, momentarily dazed, not even registering Yang Meng's face. Yang Meng covered her nose, which had been bumped by An Xiaotian's sudden movement, tears streaming down her cheeks like a broken dam. She turned and shouted, "He's awake, he's awake! Honey, you scared me to death—"
An Xiaotian was still lost in the illusions of his dreams, scenes etched into his heart like words carved with a knife. Yang Meng threw herself into his arms, crying, and he could only numbly reach out to hold her. Instructor Zhang pushed open the door, and to An Xiaotian's surprise, Liu Xuan appeared right behind him, waving and smiling.
The recent firefight had caused serious chaos: An Xiaotian's squad had lost several soldiers, and there were casualties in the team led by Jiao An and Instructor Zhang as well. These new recruits were the pride of their families, their hopes extinguished at such a young age. To compensate for this tragedy as much as possible, the Military Base in City S decided to posthumously honor each fallen soldier with the title of "Heroic Martyr," provide substantial compensation to their families, and grant visitation rights to the immediate relatives of each soldier. As a result, An Xiaotian's childhood friend Liu Xuan, his partner Yang Meng, and his parents were allowed to visit him at the Military Base.
An Xiaotian's parents rushed forward, gently stroking their son's forehead, which was wrapped in white cloth, tears streaming down their faces. His mother sobbed, "How are we supposed to live without you, my son—"
It wasn't until he saw all the most important people in his heart that An Xiaotian realized—everything was already over.
"Mom, Dad, I'm fine." An Xiaotian patted the backs of the three of them in turn. "Mengmeng, don't cry. I'm okay, see?"
Only Liu Xuan stood by Instructor Zhang, gazing at them with tender eyes.
"Do you know how worried I, and your uncle and aunt, have been about you?" Yang Meng's face lifted from An Xiaotian's embrace, the apples of her cheeks twitching with emotion. "When the news came out, I called your uncle and aunt to confirm if you were in that unit... Do you know how scared I was? It terrified me..."
Recalling the scenes that had unfolded before, An Xiaotian experienced the hardships of a soldier for the first time in his life. He also felt the fear and hesitation that Yang Meng experienced as the partner of a soldier, especially when she learned that he had been involved in combat. It was only after experiencing life and death that he truly understood the meaning of family.
"Mom and Dad, Mengmeng, it's so good to see you all alive... and you too, Xuan."
An Xiaotian looked up and made eye contact with Liu Xuan. Liu Xuan smiled through tears, "We finally meet, I'm glad you're still alive."
"I—"
Yang Meng and his parents released An Xiaotian. Liu Xuan's words acted like a switch, causing An Xiaotian to feel dazed again. He wanted to say, "Actually, it shouldn't be me who survived," but looking at the heartbreaking expressions of those around him, he couldn't bring himself to say it.
"Your left arm has a moderate fracture. Our doctors have realigned your bones. Besides that, you have a large bruise and some serious abrasions. The doctor wants you to stay in bed for two days, so don't move around too much for now. Don't worry; your training volume will be made up later. A month of rest should be fine," Instructor Zhang spoke up. However, he seemed like a different person, his eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep, filled with a sense of melancholy.
"Thank you, Instructor... What happened to my comrades?"
"The Special Operations Forces Preparatory Camp lost 21 soldiers. Your squad suffered 10 casualties, leaving 5 remaining, including you. Three of them are lightly injured and are receiving treatment."
Twenty-one soldiers; that number nearly accounted for half of the new barracks. An Xiaotian recalled Xiao Wu, who had fallen right in front of him, and his nose tinged with sorrow. "I'm sorry, Instructor. I was too reckless—"
"It's not entirely your fault, kid. I share the responsibility for this firefight as well. If I were you, I would have made the same decision," Instructor Zhang said as he stepped forward. An Xiaotian's parents moved aside, allowing him to sit at the edge of the hospital bed. He gently placed his hand on An Xiaotian's bandaged arm. "My command led Jiao An's team too deep into danger. If we in the Third Team had held back, perhaps we wouldn't be facing this outcome."
"Instructor..."
"I can't fathom how ruthless the enemy must be to strike so mercilessly. I've sat here in the hospital all night, unable to find a possible explanation until dawn. This doesn't resemble the combat style of any known armed forces, and their capabilities far exceed that. Moreover, many armed organizations have already stated they are not involved in this firefight... I truly can't imagine."
Zhang Sheng let out a deep sigh. This time, he really took a cigarette out of his pocket, but after examining it for a moment, he put it back. "It's getting late, Xiaotian. Get some rest. I'll go check on the other kids."
After Zhang Sheng left, An Xiaotian's parents chose to stay in the medical room to accompany their son. Shortly after, Liu Xuan also took Yang Meng and left the medical room. It was now exactly noon, and perhaps it was time to go to a restaurant outside to get something to eat for An Xiaotian. Although it would be a bit far, he was eager to try the takeout that the two had brought from outside the base.
Military Base in City S
Equipment Technology and Application Research Center, Fengta Level One Restricted Area
Fengta belongs to the Equipment Technology and Application Research Center within the Military Base and is nearly as tall as the aviation command tower, symbolizing "the birthplace of advanced technology." Currently, only two individuals possess equipment produced here and have used it in actual combat—Jiao An from the Superhero Alliance and Qin Weishan. Jiao An's tactical gear and her specialized firearm, the Dreamfall variable sniper rifle, along with Qin Weishan's lightweight alloy battle suit and mechanical energy-charged gauntlets, all originated from this mysterious building, even crafted by the same person.
Level One Lockdown Area, Research Room 818
"Delicious food, search for online. Hello everyone, today I will teach you little chefs how to make a Caramel Macchiato—"
A pair of shoes paused behind the robot assistant Tsongtsong for a moment before turning to another workbench. Tsongtsong is a palm-colored, track-based intelligent assistant robot, standing just about knee-high to an average person. Its large eyes are the most striking feature, followed closely by a box mounted on its back that is nearly twice its body size. Due to its height, the entire room's workbenches are adjustable in height, yet even so, Tsongtsong can only manage to work with its head held high. It dragged the holographic image showing how to make a Caramel Macchiato down to eye level and focused intently on learning how to prepare it.
"First, for the ingredients, we need 70 milliliters of milk, 70 milliliters of black coffee, and two tablespoons of caramel sauce. Then our first step is to heat the milk until warm and use a frother to create a thick milk foam, scooping it out with a spoon to fill the cup..."
" Tsongtsong!"
Tsongtsong jumped in surprise at the owner's voice, causing the base to bounce as well. Turning around, Tsongtsong saw the owner pointing at the milk that was boiling on the stove. "If you don't turn it off soon, the milk will boil over!" Liang Muqi lifted her mask and looked at Tsongtsong with an unhappy expression as Tsongtsong hurriedly came over to turn off the induction cooker. "I just asked you to help me make a caramel macchiato. Is it really that complicated? I can't believe you're my assistant after all these years."
In the entire Feng Tower, there are 105 researchers, specializing in equipment technology, biochemistry, and special comprehensive directions. Among them, 52 researchers are in the first two areas, and only Liang Muqi belongs to the special comprehensive direction. He can participate in research projects in other fields.
Liang Muqi is one of the greatest all-round scientists of this era. He and another world-class physicist in the field of materials, who is also a compatriot, are praised as the "twin stars" of the mid-21st century. Perhaps due to his exceptional abilities, and extreme individualistic values, he rarely completely delegates his work to anyone else, so most of the time, Liang Muqi works alone.
Even his friend, General Wang Yangchen, in this base, hopes to assign a few subordinates to him, but every time Liang Muqi will use historical examples from different continents to deny and reject his ideas. In Liang Muqi's eyes, the reason for the stagnation of human progress in the past century is due to the increasing frequency and closeness of contact and communication between the continents. In history before the opening of new trade routes, human inventions were always abundant. This principle applies to interactions between people as well.
Although Wang Yangchen had refuted it, it must be admitted that Liang Muqi's efficiency when working alone was indeed remarkable. He single-handedly produced the customized weaponry required by the Superhero Alliance and even led the research and development program for the Human-Machine Integrated Wearable Armor.
Before the Fierce Eagle Armor, Liang Muqi appeared so small and frail. After reprimanding Tsongtsong, Liang Muqi continued to weld the scratches on the Fierce Eagle Armor, then picked up a spray paint can from the table to repaint it in a vibrant and deep red—this was the third time he had repaired this armor since General Wang Yangchen wore it to support Shengfeng Village.
"In the firefight at Shengfeng Village with the mysterious enemy, our forces have officially announced the sacrifice of 21 soldiers..."
"Sigh, what bad luck... they're all just a bunch of young kids." After removing a scratched breastplate, Liang Muqi held a teacup and looked at the holographic screen while patting the shoulder of the Fierce Eagle Armor. "You've really done a great job, my dear."
The doorbell rang. "Come in." Liang Muqi had already guessed who it was, and sure enough, the visitor was General Wang Yangchen.
"Dr. Liang Muqi," General Wang Yangchen smiled. "You've worked hard. The maintenance work on the Fierce Eagle must be quite heavy these days."
"This month, if you don't let me go to the logistics department to apply for a raise, I'm quitting. I mean, do you know how much noise you made that day? You knocked out 36% of the laser storage energy, fired 289 rounds of 12.7 millimeter bullets, and launched two Wolf Spider micro Scatter Bombs... not to mention the energy consumption for the round trips? Come on, that's way too expensive. I've spent all my savings on repairs over the past six months." Liang Muqi handed the teacup to Tsongtsong, who came to serve, sighed deeply, and watched as it brought him a caramel macchiato with the distinct mechanical sound of its tracks.
"You have no idea how critical the situation was at that time. To cover their retreat, I had to search for the wounded in the air while also firing to fend off the advancing enemies," General Wang Yangchen said. "I even went to check the entire incident. An Xiaotian, this rookie, disobeyed orders and blocked the enemy's advance with his team. That kid has some guts. I had to lock onto him from the low point in the valley and rescue him from the enemy; otherwise, we would have had one more casualty on our hands."
"Oh? Disobeying orders... sounds like this soldier is unqualified," Liang Muqi said, crossing his legs and taking a sip of his caramel macchiato.
"No," General Wang said. "If I don't drive the Fierce Eagle into action, their actions have indeed bought precious time for the retreat of the other two teams. It's just a pity that they are all still rookies; my appearance is merely to minimize losses. If those three teams had just run off on their own while being locked onto by the enemy, the casualties would likely have been even greater. From this perspective, An Xiaotian and the others actually exhibit a sense of heroism."
Liang Muqi nodded in agreement, lighting a cigarette that made him look like a drifter. "Do you remember? Back when we were in our thirties, I almost broke my neck the first time I piloted your prototype. Now, over twenty years have passed, and with the Fierce Eagle, I'm quite familiar with it."
Wang Yangchen Looking at the Fierce Eagle Armor placed next to the seat, since this set of armor came out, General Wang has been driving it to support various battlefields, and he has thus become the first generation Fierce Eagle. However, the armor does not age, but General Wang is gradually getting old and is no longer suitable for charging into battle in the armor.
"Fierce Eagle only recognizes you as its master, how could it not be familiar."
"Well, that's true, but who can escape the passage of time..." General Wang Yangchen reached out as if the Fierce Eagle Armor in front of him was within reach. "In last night's battle, I could already feel the fatigue distinctly, as well as the speed of my neural connections and the reactions I made were all not as good as before."
In today's world, things are becoming increasingly chaotic. It feels as if we are experiencing a gentle drizzle before a great storm; there are always signs before disaster strikes. Although I don't know what will happen, all of this seems to be warning us... Fortunately, with you, Liang, we have enough technological strength to face these unknown challenges. What I want to say is, just go ahead and do your work; I'll take care of the funding issues."
"Haha." Liang Muqi put down his teacup and said casually, "Do you really think I care about money? The Fierce Eagle Armor will soon be operational again, so don't worry."
"Of course, I trust you. What I'm most concerned about now is who will inherit the legacy of the Fierce Eagle?" General Wang Yangchen stared at the floor, deep in thought, and sighed, "I'm getting old and can't fight anymore. It’s not like I can keep playing the hero at my age."
"Oh?" Liang Muqi seemed to be interested and sat up, looking at him, "So, has someone been chosen?"
"Yes, but I still haven't made up my mind... Alright, you continue, I have something else to do, I won't disturb you." General Wang Yangchen got up and left the laboratory.
After watching Wang Yangchen leave, Liang Muqi pondered for a moment, opened the signal detection shielding system, and after confirming several times that General Wang Yangchen wouldn't come back, he dialed the number of the encrypted chat channel.
"Hello?"
"I want to know if you have gathered everything I asked for."
"We've taken care of it. Just set the Time, and we'll come to pick you up. But you also need to bring your things; what I want is that, not you."
"I certainly know, and I have to tell you some news."
"You may speak."
"The pilot of Fierce Eagle Armor is going to be replaced, but currently, it's not known who it will be."
"It's good that you've changed. Then don't you have the opportunity to take Fierce Eagle away?"
"Fierce Eagle doesn't have the ability for autonomous driving, it's just a first-generation machine. What I mean is, if I leave, Fierce Eagle Armor is definitely going to be left to the military."
"...How is that any different from leaving a potential problem behind?"
"No, trust me, the strength of the first-generation machine is limited. Even if we encounter it on the battlefield, I am confident that I can suppress it."
"Alright, alright, I believe you, great scientist. I don't have time to listen to your empty promises. Since you are sincere about cooperating, then show me your sincerity. If you don't take any action within seven days, don't even think about asking for our resources again."
"Hmph, you don't understand how to respect others at all."
"I am speaking the truth! That is a military base, and it's not suitable to say more. Within seven days, we complete the transaction, and no one is allowed to deceive anyone, understood?"
"That's nonsense."
Liang Muqi was the first to hang up the phone. He slowly walked over to a laboratory cabinet, moved it aside, revealing a black armor displayed on the wall, facing the Fierce Eagle Armor positioned behind him. He reached out to touch its cold chest plate before moving the cabinet back to its original position, restoring the laboratory to its previous calm state.
In the bustling pedestrian street of downtown City S at the same time, Liu Xuan and Yang Meng were playfully arguing about who would deliver the lunch box to An Xiaotian. They laughed and bickered for a while, but in the end, Liu Xuan handed over the meal they had chosen together for An Xiaotian to Yang Meng. After all, Liu Xuan had grown up with An Xiaotian, and Yang Meng had limited time to spend with her.
The two strolled leisurely down the street. Suddenly, Liu Xuan let out a sigh. "What's wrong?" Yang Meng asked, turning her head.
"I think the two of you are quite pitiful."
"Hmm?"
"Look, you only see him a few times a year, and you still have to worry about his safety. Isn't this kind of love too torturous?"
Upon hearing this, Yang Meng smiled slightly and brushed her hair tips that were illuminated by the sunlight. "Let me put it this way, Liu Xuan. Ever since I held An Xiaotian's hand for the first time, in my heart, I have already married him. He will be the man I promise to follow for a lifetime. Love is a long-lasting and solemn contract; feelings that cannot be retracted are worth a thousand gold coins. I promised him that no matter where Xiaotian goes in the future, I will not let go. I believe everything is a test of love for us. Those who truly love each other will not stop pursuing their partner because of obstacles."
Suddenly, Yang Meng tugged at her sleeve and pointed towards the sunset. "Look, it's so beautiful."
Liu Xuan looked up at the horizon where the city's skyscrapers met the sky and nodded gently, remaining silent. He knew Yang Meng wanted to continue speaking.
"An Xiaotian thinks the same way, you know? Love makes us live and die for each other, sharing joy and sorrow together; that is the true essence. When you fall in love with someone, do not be afraid to give your life for them, even if one day they truly have to leave you. I am willing to accompany the person I love until the very last moment."
Liu Xuan listened quietly, memories suddenly surged like a tide. He recalled the girl he had deeply loved in middle school. They carpooled home together and played along the way, but she went to an early admission program, leaving his Time just like An Xiaotian, leaving him alone to guard a world that felt like a mirage.
Liu Xuan had never told her "I love you," but would you know, Han'er, where are you? He looked up; the brilliant sunset was so magnificent, burning like wildfires above the city, allowing Liu Xuan's unwavering love at the edge of Time to flourish passionately. In a daze, Liu Xuan saw the face of the girl named Ma Yihan.
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