May 22, 2030 at 14:20. A day after Dai Bingcheng fled.

The streets were deserted, and there was no one in sight. Only occasionally a few vehicles whizzed by, mostly military vehicles. But the street is clean, and every stone slab is swept to shine, showing a strict discipline and order.

Dai Bingcheng lowered his hat and put his hand in the pocket of his trench coat and walked into a small supermarket on the street. The door was pushed open and an electronic voice rang out: "Welcome". The sound startled him—it was quiet both inside and outside the small supermarket.

The owner at the door of the supermarket looked up at him and smiled wryly: "What are you going to do?" ”

Dai Bingcheng looked at him carefully—it was an old man, and he looked to be almost seventy years old. Age spots have climbed up the neck, where the skin is sagging like a flaked chicken, piled up with two layers of wrinkles.

About my age. He thought to himself. But this thought made him unhappy, and he still did not want to accept the fact that he would be ten years old when he woke up.

He walked over to the counter, swept the shelves next to him, looked at the things on sale at the counter, and finally picked up a bowl of instant noodles, a piece of bread, three red sausages, and some high-calorie small packaged foods.

After checking out, he turned to look at a plastic table and a few chairs in front of the window across the counter. In the past, there were such facilities in the small convenience stores of the empire - some customers would sit there to eat and chat after buying something in the evening. But now he didn't know if Lu Dao still had this situation, so he took a few looks. He can't behave abnormally. Who knows if there is an idle spy hiding in a corner of the road, ready to check on any suspicious person?

Fortunately, he saw that a magazine on the plastic table had been turned over and had grease stains on it. The table top and bench tops were so worn out that it was clear that people were often sitting there.

So he relieved himself and asked, "Where's the hot water?" ”

The boss was slightly stunned and then pointed to the side. Dai Bingcheng noticed the other party's expression, but he didn't know what it was for. He hesitated slightly, but walked over with a bowl of noodles and took the water.

Filled with water, he walked over to the table with the bowl and sat down, fastened the lid tightly, and pulled out the heating paper under the plastic bowl. A slight "grunt" sound immediately sounded in the bowl, and after more than ten seconds, he lifted the lid again, and a burst of hot air gushed out. The noodles are ready to eat.

He peeled off the three red sausages and put them all in the hot soup. Start attacking the food.

The boss originally regained his coated look, but after seeing Dai Bingcheng's eating method that was not afraid of hot at all, he became interested. He looked at it for a moment, sat down in a chair behind the counter, touched his warm teacup, and said, "Alas. I really envy you, brother. ”

Dai Bingcheng swallowed what was in his mouth. Turn your head to look at him. smiled and said, "What's wrong?" ”

"Good health." The boss smacked his lips and shook his head, "I can't do it." I'm getting too old to use that medicine. I can't. Alas. ”

Dai Bingcheng realized that the other party was referring to the kind of medicine that could transform ordinary people into capable people. From his boss's words, he got an important message - some elderly people could not withstand the power of the drug and had not been converted. Or ordinary people.

This is good news.

This seems to explain the change in the boss's expression just now - because he seems to have a good appetite?

He wanted to inquire about something, but he hadn't figured out how to speak without a trace. Since it was the other party who opened the topic first, he decided to follow the snake stick.

So Dai Bingcheng also shook his head: "I'm not good either." I'll tell you the truth, I'm in my sixties this year...... The hair is still dyed. I have time today, and I want to see the old house I used to live in. ”

He spoke with a sentimental touch in his voice. It's easy to infect another elderly person. So the supermarket owner asked, "Old house?" Where's around here? ”

"yes." Dai Bingcheng put his chopsticks on the bowl, "I used to live in front, over there in Bei'an District." We all moved after that incident more than 10 years ago, and I don't know if Lu Dao is still there. ”

The boss looked in the direction he was pointing, holding the teacup with his hand and laughing: "That piece, it hasn't moved much since 15 years." Now there are fewer people, and that area used to be the old city, and whoever still goes there - they are all gathered in the center of the city. Your house should still be there. ”

"Ahh Dai Bingcheng nodded, "Then I'll take a look later." I'll have to go to my son's side later. ”

The boss smiled and didn't say anything more.

Dai Bingcheng picked up the chopsticks and solved the remaining things in a few clicks. In fact, the place he was going to was not Bei'an District, but that area was further north. But since Bei'an District has never been moved, it must still be the same in more remote places after that.

This means that his safe house is still there.

What is a safe house? It's your hiding place—only you or a few trusted people know it. You can put legal or illegal weapons, some legal or illegal drugs, some stolen goods, some stolen money - you can stuff it in as long as you don't want anyone else to get your hands on it.

If something happens, you hide in it. You should be absolutely safe for a while and can even launch a counterattack.

Dai Bingcheng was an executive when he was young, and he had a habit of building safe houses for himself at that time. Later, he rose step by step, until he became an army general and a cabinet elder. At this level, he has a special department in charge of security matters, which is rigorous and efficient. The vast majority of people choose to trust such a department, but Dai Bingcheng's background and personality determine that he has a greater sense of crisis than ordinary people.

So in his most glorious days, he still built a safe house for himself in Yanjing.

With his position ten years ago, how "safe" is this well-designed safe house?

That is, even ten years later, he is still confident that as long as the buildings in that area are not completely demolished – his safe house will remain a place of great secrecy.

He was heartened by the good news. He tossed the bowl into the trash can at the door, nodded to the boss, and pushed the door open.

Ate the first hot meal in the night of the day. He felt his body regain his strength. He plans to paddle back to his lair to recuperate, and then launch a powerful counterattack against an unknown enemy hiding somewhere.

Dai Bingcheng followed the path he remembered. Both the streets and alleys are deserted, and it takes a few minutes to walk to see one or two people in a hurry. But even these hurriers looked serious, as if they were constantly thinking about something great. It seems that everyone is working, and those who are in a hurry are also on their way to work.

Dai Bingcheng didn't know how to evaluate the current situation...... In fact, ten years ago, such a scene was part of his plan. Many people will die in the chaos, and many more will die when the Empire and Southern Luzon take over those regions. The number of survivors at the bottom will not be large, not even more than 600 million.

600 million people, with the resources of this entire planet!

If these 600 million people are regulated by some kind of strict and efficient system, and all their efforts are concentrated to do one thing - it will surely succeed.

Now he sees the results. But not in his own way, not through his way. Even in the most difficult times, he did not think about such a thing as "imperialism". However...... How could Li Zhen, who seemed to be more mentally clean than him, be ruthless enough to do this?

Dai Bingcheng sighed in his heart. He told himself to get this out.

He walked for an hour and 30 minutes through the Bei'an district, during which he did not attract attention. However, just as he walked for nearly twenty minutes and was about to reach his destination, he heard a noisy voice from ahead.

He estimated that the number would not be less than two hundred. The vast majority are young people. Very excited. Occasionally, there is a rude greeting to the other party's maternal relatives. He didn't know what was going on there. But Zhilu said that he must not be swept into it. So Dai Bingcheng looked at the surrounding environment and planned to temporarily hide in an abandoned building next to him.

But before he could break open the door, the voices were near—a crowd of young people pouring out of the street opposite.

This is an abandoned town. There shouldn't be so many people anyway. Still young. What's going on?

Now Dai Bingcheng can't hide anymore. Because that's what makes it striking. He immediately sat down on the steps in front of the building, looking like a resting passerby.

He narrowed his eyes and looked at the men.

Apparently belonging to two camps - one with a strip of blue cloth wrapped around its shoulders, the other wearing nothing. Civilian clothes of various styles are not worn like military personnel or other groups with strict discipline.

But it must not be a bad association or a triad. Because Tai Bingcheng observed that the young people were actually shouting slogans and waving their fists violently, like the voter support group that used to cheer on the candidates.

He heard them mainly with two slogans. The blue strip side shouted "Down with nihilism".

The other side is shouting "Down with fugitivism".

Interesting. Tai Bingcheng is keenly aware that the quarrel between the two groups may provide him with more information that delinquent teenagers don't shout anything about what they do when they fight in groups. It seems that they have a dispute over a certain idea, and when it comes to the "idea", it must have something to do with the current government.

As for why you came here...... Dai Bingcheng thought about it and felt that he had found an answer that would not be far from ten. Judging from what he has seen and heard on this day, the current social order is extremely strict. In other words, if someone makes trouble in the city, they will be severely punished – not to mention an "argument" of this magnitude.

So come here to "make a date"?

But why do you want to "make a fight"? Why waste time on such an illusory thing as "ism"? Dai Bingcheng had a vague idea in his heart, but he was not sure yet. Some radicals used to take to the streets for their political ideas, but young people in the past were not very interested in this kind of thing – what about young people now?

He peeled off a strip of chocolate and slowly put it into his mouth, intending to take another look.

However, in just a few moments, the young people had already rushed out of that street - to the small square in front of the building where Dai Bingcheng was. It seems that because the terrain is open, they think they can "show their strength", so the sound is more and more deafening. More than 200 people combined, almost about to lift the zenith.

He heard a few useful words.

A girl wrapped in a strip of blue cloth stood at the front of the side, her right arm flung forward like a throwing gun, and shouted a word once she flicked it. The muscles on his neck are bruised.

"The essence of nihilism is outright evasion!"

"Trying to redeem oneself passively in order to evade one's responsibilities as a member of the human race!"

"There aren't as many resources on Earth as we used to think!"

"Only by unifying the mind can we complete the resettlement project within ten years and at the minimum cost!"

"The way out for humanity is in the starry sky! Not in your paradise!! ”

"Resolutely defeat the Ascension Sect!!"

This girl seems to be the leader of the Blue Strip faction. Every time she shouted, the crowd behind her echoed the earth-shattering echo, and at the same time a forest of fists, arms, and strips of blue cloth appeared. When he said the last sentence, the crowd erupted in even more cheers, even though Dai Bingcheng felt that his heart was trembling slightly.

He understood something.

"There are not as many resources on the earth as previously imagined" - this idea was "studied" by him and Li Zhen. Ten years ago they decided not to disclose Gaia's existence to the public, but there was still a need for a sense of urgency - because no one knew when the big peak would appear and Gaia would wake up.

So they intend to tell people that humanity has been overly optimistic about its own situation in the past, that the earth's oil, coal, nuclear materials, and metal deposits will be depleted in a short time. If we don't leave this planet as soon as possible, humanity will be trapped here forever, losing the opportunity to touch the stars.

Of course, this is not convincing to everyone. Because many experts know that this is nonsense. But as long as civilians with relatively low levels of education and scientific literacy believe it – their collective unconscious will drown out any voice of reason.

As for the "Ascension Sect", Dai Bingcheng believes that it refers to the supporters of the "Ascension Plan". This made him feel slightly surprised—could it be that the Heaven Ascension Technique in Li Zhen's mouth was really approaching maturity?

That's when he heard the other side shoot back.

That side. That is, the leader of the "Ascension Sect" in the girl's mouth is a tall boy. His eyes widened in anger. Without showing any weakness, he waved his arms in response, his cheeks swollen red with excitement, as if he was about to drip blood.

"The essence of the immigration project is shameful escapism!"

"The essence of escapism is stubborn pessimism!"

"The distinguishing feature of pessimism is the rejection of a second evolution!"

"Humanity can conquer the universe only by changing itself!"

"The way out for humanity is in heaven! Not on your Mars! ”

"Spirit—running in the sky!!"

The last sentence was like a bomb had been detonated. If the performance of the blue cloth strip side was only "excited" before, then the performance of the boys' side is "crazy" now.

The sentence just fell. Almost all of them stretched out their arms to the sky, raised their faces and shouted in unison—

"Spirit. Running in the sky!! ”

Dai Bingcheng's eyes widened in surprise. Yes. It's "everyone". Not only the boys' side, but even the blue cloth strip side raised their hands to the sky and repeated the same sentence. It's just that the blue side is significantly lower. It seems that there is no desire to chant with the "enemy". However, that sentence seemed to have a special meaning of great importance, even if they were reluctant to do so.

Dai Bingcheng was really surprised. Not only surprised, but even a little frightened because of what those children were showing in them. How could there have been such a thing in his day? In a word, there is such power?

This is...... Cult?!

What exactly does that mean??

By this time, he already had a rough idea of what was happening in front of him. These young people are indeed arguing over two different ideas. But why do these young people care about such a thing?

Because the young people of old days had so much to do. Clubbing, Jumping, Mountaineering, Love, Soccer Network...... Everything can take up the vast majority of their spare time, or even be enough. When a society is full of temptations of all kinds, who cares about boring and distant political ideas?

- Being young is meant to enjoy life, while there are other things that should be done only after middle age. That's the "grown-up" thing

But in a society like this...... I guess I don't have any decent entertainment other than work. And the energy of young people needs to be vented - now there is still a day off every six days, and it seems that these young people are idle today. What do you do in your spare time?

They will think about it, and so will those in power.

They can't be left to their senses – because the current social situation really makes them want to do it. So...... If it were me......

He threw a bone and gave it to them to bite on. The battle over "ideas"? That's great. Let them put all their energy into this matter - it is the "ethereal" things that are fighting anyway. There must be a premise for the two very different paths they speak. That is, human beings have at least one means of self-preservation - and the immigration project is undoubtedly the most realistic.

Let them argue, but Mars is a must. Once there, what they're arguing about now has real meaning.

This can not only find an outlet for their anger and energy, but also divert the contradiction between the people and the imperial autocracy. Let them concentrate on arguing, and have no time to think about why they are so angry.

Zhu Zhaoxu played beautifully. Dai Bingcheng thought in his heart.

But the question is...... what does the phrase "the Spirit that hovers in the sky" mean? Does it have anything to do with the strange scene he saw yesterday in the underground nursing home?

=================

It's annoying people. Yesterday, I didn't have a clue after thinking about it all day, so I had to go to bed early and think about getting up early this morning to write. As a result, I lay in bed for two hours and lost sleep, and I thought to myself, let's think about the plot again. As a result, I chewed Xuanmai when I thought about it, and I couldn't sleep at all, so I had to get up and write.

What a biological clock I've worked so hard to adjust!! I don't want to lose sleep!!

Also about Xuanmai. The advertisement is so good, I saw it on sale in the supermarket yesterday and asked for a box of eleven pieces. I'm thinking about always bragging to you that I chew the noble Xuanmai code words, so I'll buy a box. So I went to sell my kidneys first, and I finally bought a box. As a result, when I got home, I chewed a piece with excitement and sacredness......

Your sister...... Whatever brand you buy, it's better than this. It's a pity for my kidneys. (To be continued......)