Finding an ashram in this sprawling underground system is easy, though it's dark and damp, and there's a lingering smell of staleness.

The room was used as a relay command post - colloquially speaking, a temporary command post on the way to escape after the headquarters was destroyed. Because of this important position, the old-fashioned electric lights in this house can still be used. Dai Bingcheng strode in and lit the light, while Li Zhen closed the door tightly.

Then he turned and took off his hat and threw it on an iron table in the middle of the room, and said in a casual tone, "I am going to be a father." ”

Dai Bingcheng, who was full of anger and incomprehension, was slightly stunned because of this sentence. But he frowned and looked at Li Zhen: "I'm not here to chat with you. ”

But Li Zhen didn't care about his tone. He tugged at his dark green tie, unbuttoned another shirt, and said as he paced slowly: "I didn't know about this when I was in Murmansk. ”

Dai Bingcheng was stunned again. He realized that Li Zhen really didn't seem to be gossiping...... What he said seemed to explain his sudden change of attitude.

He recalled the last time he saw Li Zhen outside Murmansk.

At that time, the Great War had just ended, and the Gate of Truth was almost completely destroyed. For humanity at that time, this seemed to mean the end of suffering. And Li Zhen's performance at that time confirmed Dai Bingcheng's guess - he saw the long-lost tranquility and peace on Li Zhen's face, as well as the calmness of "the matter is behind you, and the world can go".

Of course, he also felt another subtle melancholy from Li Zhen at that time. At that time, he thought that the other party was pitying himself, and there was no place in the world from then on. But now he understood what that sentiment meant.

Because at that time, Li Zhen already knew the existence of the ancient gods.

And according to what he had said—according to what he had said to himself outside the airport today, he had already made a deal with the Old Gods by that time.

In this world, it seems that he is really the only one who has that qualification, and he has unceremoniously practiced it. What Li Zhen said to him at that time was......

For one reason, the Old Gods intended to revive themselves and reshape their massive bodies and powers. However...... All living beings on the surface of the earth in this world are born from it, and its awakening means that all existence and free consciousness will be obliterated, and it will become part of that great consciousness.

For humanity, this means the extinction of the worldly realm.

For species, this means "the last day". In fact, the ultimate goal of the species is completely different from what humans once thought - they do not want to exterminate the human race, they only want to make the human race a new, powerful, and capable race that can be used by them to fight against the great being. It's just that they didn't expect that the former slaves were now terrifyingly powerful. They were suppressed again without even waiting for the "last day" to actually come.

Li Zhen also clearly realized how terrible that thing was. Precisely because he is not ignorant. So there is rational fear. The only condition he made to the other party was that he would be allowed to accompany certain people through the last decades. When these decades passed, as the only creature in this world whose bloodline was infinitely close to that great being, he would dedicate his life and will to it.

That would be the beginning of the extinction of this world.

A few decades is quite a long time for humanity. For species. That's just a snap of a finger. Therefore, Li Zhen's request was granted—Ying Long, who was the backbone of the ancient gods, was frozen below the ocean.

That's why Lee Zhen asked Dai Byung-sung to make this meeting happen – and he's going to tell the desperate truth.

And then just outside Yanjiao Airport. Dai Bingcheng also asked Li Zhen some other questions.

In his impression, Li Zhen is not a person who easily admits defeat without trying. And he also wondered why Li Zhen believed that the ancient gods would keep their promise and would not start that massive extinction tomorrow.

He also remembered that Li Zhen looked down at the heavy ground under his feet. "I don't dare," he said in a low voice. ”

Then he added: "It doesn't dare." Once it defaults...... I will fight to the death. ”

Dai Bingcheng asked: "You mean...... Now it thinks you're a great threat to it? ”

Li Zhen looked up and smiled meaningfully: "If the human entity is something similar to paramecium in his eyes, then I am at most an ant in his eyes." But I'm an ant with a firecracker in my hand, and I can blow a small hole in the ground. ”

Dai Bingcheng didn't understand what he said at the time, and he doesn't understand it now. However, one day in the future, he will finally realize that Li Zhen has spoken quite thoroughly at that time.

The last thing he remembered asking was, "So...... What you say, 'You don't dare,' 'It doesn't dare,' is that the same reason you mentioned earlier that prompted it to wake up? ”

Li Zhen nodded without hesitation: "Yes." But don't ask any more. I won't tell the second person about that until I have solid evidence. ”

At this moment, Dai Bingcheng recalled his words, and the anger in his heart gradually subsided. He looked up at Li Zhen again and asked in a somewhat dry voice, "What do you mean...... Do you regret it now? ”

Li Zhen walked over to a rusted iron table and sat down, pulling out a pack of Feiyun from his trouser pocket. He took out a cigarette and lit it, exhaling a puff of white mist. Then he squinted his eyes and said, "Yes." As I said, I have children. My children may live as long as I do. And I don't want him to die after a few decades. ”

Dai Bingcheng's eyes widened, and he felt a huge absurdity in his heart: "Then you...... How? ”

Li Zhen lowered his head and dusted off his cigarette ashes: "Haven't you figured it out yet?" I just asked to devote all the power of this world to the exploration of Mars. On the one hand, I wanted to find tangible evidence of 'that cause', and on the other hand, I wanted to get humanity to accomplish a task that was almost impossible in the past few decades – to get some people to move to Mars. And that must include my family. ”

Dai Bingcheng stared at him for a long time before realizing that this person was not joking. Then he also took two steps back and leaned against the other table: "But...... But...... What about before? Why haven't you thought about it before? ”

Li Zhen looked up at him with a smile: "You don't even think my idea is whimsical - it seems that you really don't understand how difficult the thing I just said is." Old Dai, move to Mars. I've consulted a lot of people in the past two months. The answer they gave me was that it was impossible – even before the war, it was impossible for the whole world to concentrate on this under the leadership of a strong centralized government. It is impossible for our current technology to build an ecosystem on Mars that is large enough to sustain the minimum scale of human civilization. Not now, not for a hundred years. ”

"So why did I do this in the first place? You've seen the situation today – humans are arrogant and arrogant, they don't want to save their lives, they want to fight to the death. I want to exchange the next few decades for an ending that is doomed to be unsuccessful...... Why should I do that? I've been tired enough of all these years. ”

"You can ...... Talk to it again. Dai Bingcheng temporarily got rid of that consternation, and at the same time was a little excited because he saw a glimmer of hope in Li Zhen's words. He said, "You can try to talk to it again — not for a hundred years, not for two hundred years?" What about 300 years? Such an ending is better than the complete destruction of the world! And it doesn't matter to that thing - even if tens of thousands of humans go to Mars, there are still billions left on Earth! ”

Listen to him. Li Zhen laughed. He squinted at Dai Bingcheng through the smoke: "Ha Lu Ha." I guess. You must be so enthusiastic now for more than just the sake of 'the continuation of human civilization' – perhaps you will think that among those tens of thousands of people there should be your descendants. But I can understand that, and I think so myself. ”

"It's a pity that it didn't work, it's still 'that reason'. It allows me to spend my whole life with the people I care about, but it's hard to give us more time – because it doesn't want to take risks. Li Zhen shrugged. You know the way. We have to understand each other. It's not good for anyone to push whom. ”

Dai Bingcheng patted the table behind him and made a muffled sound: "Enough!" Can you stop being so secretive? What the hell is that reason?! Why are you scared of being like this?! ”

Li Zhen smiled. Clam up.

Dai Bingcheng felt a deep powerlessness - he was really helpless against the person in front of him.

He could only stare at Li Zhen angrily for a few seconds before sighing: "Okay...... You just said it's impossible, there's no time. So what now? And you said to let your children be there—" he pointed upwards, "where to live?" How to live? ”

Li Zhen threw the cigarette butt in his hand on the ground. Step on it carefully with the tip of your shoe. Then he raised his head and grinned at Dai Bingcheng in the dim light: "Old Dai, you humans can't survive." But my children won't be human. ”

"And, do you remember Wang Meng? You probably don't remember - I remind you. It's the one in Murmansk who I want you to let go. They are reformed people created by the Gate of Truth, and they call themselves new people. As far as I know, those guys are still reinventing themselves - they can also be my children's companions on Mars. ”

"As for the human race, or the old human race...... Actually, there is nothing to be sad about. Let's not talk about earlier, but only one or two thousand years ago...... Didn't you Homo sapiens once exterminate Neanderthals and Homo erectus? Survival of the fittest is the iron law of the world. ”

"Bastard logic!" Dai Bingcheng reprimanded, "The Li I know is really not like this!" ”

"A lot of people I know have changed." Li Zhen shrugged and stood up, walked over and patted Dai Bingcheng's shoulder, and changed to an understanding and sympathetic tone, "That's the way it is, I've already made up my mind to do this." However, in today's circumstances, it will take a lot of time and lessons to realize how rational my advice is. ”

"As for the next period of time, like you said, you shouldn't be able to stay in the South China Sea. But don't be too upset – after all this time, they'll all take my advice, and you'll be back in power. Think about what a leap human civilization would take if all of humanity became capable - after the initial chaos had passed. ”

"Of course, it's ......a trivial matter whether to leap or not," Li Zhen smiled softly, "The most important thing is that human beings can't adapt to the harsh environment on Mars, but a certain part of the ability can." ”

He picked up his hat and opened the door.

Dai Bingcheng looked at his back, and said coldly when he stepped out of the door: "Then during this time, you will be more uncomfortable than me." ”

Li Zhen put on his military hat and didn't look back: "I know what to say." But...... What can they do to me? ”

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I don't think there will be any book friends who think I'm going to make a big universe science fiction after reading this chapter.,So I'll say it in advance.,No.。

In addition, this volume is going to be a long story. So if you read a certain day or a few days of updates, you will have in your mind, "How can this be?" "Isn't that scientific?" When I feel like that, I must remember that I haven't finished this part yet, and there are still hundreds of thousands of words, and I haven't reached the last moment, maybe many things are illusions. (To be continued......)