^
Before dawn, the depths of the prairie were still pitch black, like an ancient world that had existed for who knows how many years.
In the silence, two lights lit up, like flames breaking the darkness, looking very weak in the silent prairie.
Junxiu was still sleeping, and was carried into the carriage behind the lights by a figure. Xingran held her mother's hand and cried softly, while the "young man" looked at the prairie behind them in a daze, not knowing what was going on. Think about something.
"Let's go quickly. Your father drank too much last night and is still asleep. When he gets up, it will be difficult to leave." Xingran's mother held her daughter's hands tightly, and her eyes stayed on the sleeping girl. On Junxiu's face, she seemed to be reluctant to look at him one more time.
"Mom, we will come back tomorrow spring." Xuanran said with determination with red and swollen eyes. She didn't know that the future was not in her hands.
"Well, well, take care of yourself and take care of your brother." Xianran's mother smiled happily and said, "With Big Dan here, I won't be afraid of anyone bullying you."
The "young man" didn't have his usual clean smile. There was a hint of sadness in his eyes that could not be shaken off, perhaps because he was about to leave the carefree prairie.
The four-wheeled vehicle started, and the sound of the engine was not harsh, but a little low, like a beast lurking in the dark prairie.
"Mom, you have to take good care of yourself. Don't believe the witches in Dongpo when you are sick. You must take the medicine brought by Uncle Zhuoma. Abba, he..." Xianran lay by the window and tried her best to get further away. mother waving her arms.
In the cold, dark prairie, in the barren and backward hometown, the mother's figure becomes more and more lonely and smaller, as if she is left there to look at the leaving children.
When the four-wheeled vehicle completely disappeared into the vast darkness, with only a little light, the mother who had been standing for a long time turned around. Wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes, he walked step by step towards the poor home.
At the door of her home, she saw her man holding the door frame and looking at the light spots in the darkness. There were tears in his eyes, but he didn't want her to see them, so he hurriedly covered them up.
She wasn't surprised, she'd known from the beginning that he was pretending to be asleep, just like the other thing she'd known. On that heavy rainy night when little Dolma escaped from the prairie, this man rode a fast beast and secretly followed him around the clock, escorting him, leaving food and water where he passed, and watching him walk out of the prairie. On the grassland, I met people.
After returning, the man became seriously ill and almost died...
She never told Zhuoma these things. Her man never mentioned it, as if he had forgotten it, and this time, it was not his brother who had depended on each other who left, but his child.
He was like an ancient watcher, watching over the primitive prairie, waiting year after year for his brother to come back when he got tired, and from now on, there were two more people waiting.
"They will all come back." The man comforted his wife. He also comforted himself in this way.
"Junxiu, you must live well!" Her wife comforted her man in this way.
The sun finally rose from the edge of the prairie. A few of the wild turtles captured by the "boy" ran away in the night, and the trivial life began again.
…
When Yunxiu woke up, she realized that she was not in bed at home. And the home where he has lived for twelve years is no longer known.
He found himself in a four-wheel vehicle that he had once been curious about but was now unfamiliar with, arriving in a place he had never been before. Although it was still on the grassland, it was so far away that he had never dared to come alone.
He cried and wanted to go back, refusing to go to the beautiful big city that Uncle Dolma talked about. He wants his mother and his father.
Lin Ran also cried to comfort him, and the two of them cried together.
The four-wheeled vehicle was still running wildly on the pristine prairie, as if determined to never look back, never to stop, no matter how much the children in the carriage cried and begged.
The "young man" caressed the boy's back that was convulsing from crying, looked at the speeding reflection outside the window with his melancholy eyes, and murmured: So beautiful...
…
On a hazy day, they came to the edge of the prairie.
The sadness of leaving home was gradually diluted by bizarre things, such as towering chimneys erected in the wilderness, pipes as long as giant dragons, and strange trees and roads.
Jianxiu kept asking what this was and what that was. Full of curiosity, Xuanran bought many things she had never seen before, but she didn't know how to use them.
Only the "young man" remained unmoved by these things, looking at them with only confusion. Ever since he left the vast prairie, the clean and simple happiness seemed to be gradually disappearing from his eyes, replaced by I never frowned occasionally.
"Brother Big Dan, aren't you happy?" Qianxiu sent a bunch of maroon rock candy-like food to the "youngster"'s hand. He also took one and licked it: "You'll miss home after eating this, Brother Big Dan." , I guarantee you haven’t eaten it before, and I have never eaten anything so delicious!”
"Home?"
The "young man" took the ice string and frowned again. Yes, everyone has a home. Junxiu's home is in the prairie, and Zhuoma's home is in the Holy City. Where is his home?
He should also have a family. For some reason, after leaving the prairie and the place where he wanted to plant flowers, he gradually became troubled by these strange problems. He seemed to have never thought about it before.
And every time he frowned, there seemed to be an indescribable aura of indifference emanating from him, like the coldness of a sword when it was unsheathed.
It's just that it's not strong, and you can't even feel it if you don't observe it carefully, but it is "coming out of its sheath" little by little, as if it is pregnant with a powerful force, blooming new buds in the land after the storm. .
"Brother Big Dan, in the Holy City that Uncle Zhuoer mentioned, do the saints and saints who live there eat such delicious rock candy skewers every day?" Tongxiu licked the ice skewers with admiration and envy. asked.
The "young man" thought for a while and shook his head. He didn't know, but he also felt that it was too extravagant.
At this time, Zhuoma bought all the things from the nearby store and returned to the car. She smiled and said: "My little wife, if you are really lucky enough to see the lives of the saints and saints that day, no , you will also discover the lives of the real nobles and rich people in the Holy City. Even your uncle and I live like maggots."
Yanxiu didn't show the surprised expression that Zhuoma expected. The reason was simple. Neither he nor the "young man" could imagine it.
"I think I'm very happy if I can eat this every day." Tongxiu said with a silly smile.
"What a country bumpkin." Linran followed Zhuoma up, glanced at Niyue sheepishly, lightly hit her brother, and said seriously: "We will be people from the city, and from the Holy City. It’s not appropriate to say such things anymore.”
However, Yunxiu continued to lick his ice skewer without taking it seriously.
After a brief pause, the four-wheeled vehicle started again, bumping forward.
As we walked further, the temperature gradually increased. Although it was still cold, it seemed a bit hotter for those who came out of the prairie for the first time.
Both Jianxiu and Xingran were drowsy, and the "young man" was still looking out the window, sometimes closing his eyes, not knowing what to think. Maybe it's just a blank slate.
"It's too remote here. The only newspapers we can buy are newspapers from a few days ago. Do you want to read them?" Niyue, who was sitting in the front row, said softly.
"Read it, the broadcast always fails to receive a complete signal and is intermittent." Zhuoma changed her previous cheerful tone and was full of worry.
"This is the first article." Niyue gently opened the paper in her hand and whispered: "The title is: There is a signal, but they remain silent!"
Zhuoma hummed and said, "What's the content? What does it mean?"
Niyue read selectively in a low voice: "On this flying planet, scientists have discovered signals for the existence of life. And they have reached a certain level of technology. Scientists are trying to decipher these signals, but progress is said to be slow. ... We have sent friendly signals to them but have received no response. They still have not changed their orbit."
Dolma interjected worriedly: "We should send them a warning signal! Why send a friendly signal? These people are really hopeless!"
Niyue did not speak, but let out a sigh, pulled out a piece of paper from under the newspaper, and read in surprise: "The latest news from the Academy of Sciences stated that it was confirmed by calculating the orbital deviation of the local galaxy caused by the arrival of this dead planet. It was approaching our planetary system at a speed close to but certainly not reaching the speed of light. The gravitational force generated by its huge moving mass... According to chief astronomer Tang Jitu, the process of its deceleration has definitely not changed, but the rate of decrease has dropped significantly, It's expected to hit our planet ten months earlier than previously calculated - and that's assuming we can't destroy it."
Zhuoma was startled and almost lost control of the four-wheeled vehicle. She took the newspaper from Niyue's hand and looked down while driving: "Ten months in advance? Isn't that still only three months?" It’s time? How is that possible? Which newspaper is this? It’s a small newspaper, isn’t it a deception!?”
"It's a small newspaper." Niyue whispered while flipping through other large newspapers, trying to find the same report, but to no avail.
Dolma breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at the sky in the corner of the car window intentionally or unintentionally. There, he could gradually see a not very bright star appearing in the daytime sky with the naked eye.
This is the Death Star. According to orbit calculations, it will hit the planet where Dolma is located.
"There is another report here." Niyue opened another newspaper and read: "According to speculation, they may have sent a fleet to destroy our detection satellites at the edge of the galaxy. According to internal sources, Detection No. 9 The satellite has lost contact for more than three days, but technical faults cannot be ruled out."
The newspapers placed on Niyue's knees are full of reports about this uninvited guest. The rest are some news about emergencies and military mobilization, such as the formation of a new space force, early enrollment of a certain military academy, and the military Veterans were recalled one after another, and a large number of new recruits were recruited.
The tone that Zhuoma had just relaxed suddenly rose again, and he sighed after a while: "No matter what, there should be news when we arrive in the Holy City. Such a big thing can be seen by the naked eye, and it cannot be hidden by anyone. My plan will also be accelerated!"
"There should be no problem with Xingran. She is very smart, and you happened to have helped the dean's wife. Jianxiu...can you lower the standard a little? Even Xingran can't get into the Temple School. No matter how much you spend, Money may not have any effect." Niyue looked at the sleeping Linran and Jianxiu and said worriedly.
"This is the only way, otherwise there is no guarantee of safety. Only by entering the temple academy can you be protected as a seed at the last moment. Don't worry, I am prepared this time." Zhuoma looked in the mirror at this time The "young man" who seemed to have fallen asleep whispered to Niyue:
"You have known them for a short time and don't know the situation, especially if you don't know Sesbia. He is my biggest trump card. With his qualifications and conditions, not to mention the first air force, even the temple will be jealous. With this condition, Jianxiu will definitely be able to enter the Imperial Academy!"
Niyue also glanced at the "young man" and said worriedly: "Is that why you must bring Sesbia out?"
Zhuoma sighed helplessly and said: "Niyue, I am indeed a little selfish in this matter, but if I don't do this, as you said, Junxiu will definitely not be able to enter the temple academy where geniuses gather. No matter how much you spend, The money is useless.
But Sesbia may not be that dangerous if he joins the army. It may be safer than being a civilian. After all, at that time and place, who can care about civilians? "
Niyue frowned: "Why do you have to let Aixiu enter the Temple School? Maybe there are other ways to obtain safety rights. Aixiu may not be happy there. You don't know those places, I know a little."
Zhuoma said firmly: "We have to go in no matter what, this is the best opportunity. In normal times, the temple might not agree to such conditions, but now they will definitely agree. They have no choice. The Disaster Star will Coming, they need stronger power!"
"You are doing business!" Niyue said slightly dissatisfied.
Zhuoma was silent for a moment and said: "For the sake of Chunxiu's future, and for ours, if Chunxiu enters the Academy, it will be equivalent to gaining access to the nobility, and our last obstacle will be gone."
"Are you inferior or unconfident?" Niyue asked.
"I don't know." Zhuoma sighed: "Maybe both."
…
Although the two lowered their voices, they did not notice that the "young man" frowned again.
^(To be continued.)
