Void Jigsaw Puzzle

Chapter 207 Before the Expedition

The same place can be a killing field or a hotbed of hope. The auditorium at the entrance of Cuiyun Corridor perfectly demonstrates this.

Under the efficient organization of the Twelve Apostles, Zhong Chenmu completed a speech to everyone in Wuming City in the auditorium, transmitting the ability of "duality of virtuality and reality" to everyone without reservation, and planting a collective seed in their hearts.

He knew that the road ahead was long, and it was uncertain whether the seeds would germinate, grow, and eventually form strong and resilient branches strong enough to build and unite the incomplete human civilization. However, as long as they began to grow, there was hope.

After that, he took Fan Ting to Ma'anshan, northwest of Wuming City.

In the past, the war had spread to this place. Under the firepower of heavy armored vehicles, the bushes here were burned, the trees were destroyed, and ugly scars were dug out among the entire green area.

Now, however, after not being back for a while, those scars have almost healed.

The two walked side by side, turning from the main road onto a small path among the weeds and heading up the mountain.

Judging solely by the lush grass, it seemed as if nothing had happened. These inconspicuous things, unable to even stand upright most of the time, possessed boundless vitality because they clung tightly to the ground.

When they reached the mountainside, Zhong Chenmu stopped and pointed at the half-dead tree that remained on the ground. He smiled and said, "Do you remember this tree?"

Fan Ting smiled sheepishly: "How could I forget? If it weren't for you, I would have been hanged there."

"Well, now that only half of it is left, at least no one will choose to hang themselves there anymore."

"..."

Fan Ting was filled with emotion. At that time, she had been completely disillusioned with love and wanted to end it all. Unexpectedly, after being rescued by Zhong Chenmu and Guo Ling, the remaining hope for life in her heart stubbornly grew stronger, and in turn, it also nourished her longing for love.

She desperately wanted to see the figure that was already a little blurry in her mind, but it was precisely this blurry image that gave her full scope to her imagination.

Zhang Chuyu, where are you now? How are you doing? Can we meet again?

Zhong Chenmu did not disturb Fan Ting's thoughts, but listened attentively to the sound of flowing water in a big river.

The reason he brought Fan Ting here was because the two of them were going to leave Wuming City for a while. The internal affairs of the entire Wuming City were led by the Twelve Apostles and Old Man Liu, so he could rest assured.

Although everyone can now switch between real and virtual forms, he still has to take action himself to deal with the top leaders of the Hydrogen Clan and deal with the Turtle Clan.

Moreover, in order to avoid panic, he did not tell everyone in the auditorium about the Turtle Clan, because he judged that the Turtle Clan would not target Wuming City again in the short term.

They have suffered from previous experiences. Although they don't know the operating rules of the Turtle Clan, they can at least seek benefits and avoid harm. If they can't even do this, it would be impossible for them to run rampant in the universe for so many years and cause headaches for ancient clans like the Hydrogen Clan.

Fan Ting finally sighed: "Let's go, Xiao Zhong, thank you for bringing me here, but I should say goodbye to the past. I want to go to the universe with you and find that person."

Zhong Chenmu asked, "Wouldn't you like to come with me to the top of the mountain to see the source of a big river? I took Guo Ling there before."

"Why should I go just because he's been there?"

"Give you guys some common topics to talk about."

"..."

Fan Ting spat at him: "You're so young, and you're already trying to match people up! He's already found a wife, and I want to find my ideal partner, too."

Zhong Chenmu stuck out his tongue.

He was only 18 years old and still in the naive stage of love, but after being together for so long, he always felt that Guo Ling and Fan Ting were quite suitable for each other. People around them often made fun of them.

Hate not to meet when not married.

Having said that, Fan Ting still took a step forward and walked upwards.

Zhong Chenmu was stunned, and followed behind and asked, "Didn't you say you wouldn't go?"

"I just want to tour Ma'anshan before leaving. It has nothing to do with him, okay?"

"Okay, okay, Sister Fan, then I'll accompany you around the mountain." Zhong Chenmu smiled secretly.

As they walked up, the mountain wind became stronger, blowing up their hair and brushing against their faces, making them feel itchy.

The area around the Guandi Temple on the mountainside hasn't changed much since then, and it's unlikely to change for quite some time. Before it opened, it was a popular spot for people from Wuming City to go on outings. Now, with the vast new world outside, most people probably don't come back as they once did.

As we continue to walk upward, the broad view is gradually filled by trees and lush branches and leaves, and the road under our feet becomes steeper and narrower.

Zhong Chenmu led the way in front, occasionally using his hands to push away the horizontal branches, and constantly reminding Fan Ting behind him to be careful.

"Don't worry, I, your sister Fan, have also traveled all over the country." Fan Ting disagreed.

But just as she finished speaking, a soft branch slipped out from between Zhong Chenmu's hands and slapped her right cheek.

"..."

Fan Ting stopped talking and stared intently at the front and at her feet.

The two finally reached the end of the trail, which was also the edge of the cliff. The wind blowing in their faces blew their clothes tightly to their bodies, making it difficult for them to open their eyes.

"What a strong wind! Sister Fan, can you please take a quick look below the cliff? That's the source of a big river!" Zhong Chenmu had to shout loudly to ensure that Fan Ting could hear him.

Fan Ting leaned forward and looked down cautiously, only to see the waves churning violently, like boiling water. The roar even drowned out the sound of the wind, pouring directly into her ears, making her feel a little panic.

She subconsciously shrank back, and said with lingering fear: "That's where you jumped from? I really admire you..."

Zhong Chenmu didn't hear Fan Ting's sigh, but continued to ask loudly: "Sister Fan, do you know why I brought you here?"

"Isn't it because of Guo Ling?" Fan Ting answered loudly subconsciously.

"Hahahaha, of course not! It's because we're about to enter Taibai Star. Back then, the first time I entered Taibai Star, I jumped from here. The impact was so shocking that it took me a long time to recover. Now, you're going there for the first time too, so you need to be mentally prepared in advance to shorten the transition period."

"Does everyone need to go through this transition period? Doesn't that mean that in order to adapt faster, everyone in Wuming City must come here to experience the shock before entering Taibai Star for the first time?"

"Of course not..." Zhong Chenmu shook his head in the wind. "Most people don't need it. The longer the transition period, the better. But we're going to fight. Our inner intentions will be spread the moment we enter Taibai Star, the moment we transform into virtual form. No matter how well we try to hide it, it's useless. Therefore, we must get through this adaptation period as quickly as possible to completely conceal our thoughts and whereabouts, so as to avoid being quickly discovered and attacked by the enemy, and dying before we even achieve our goal."

After speaking so much in one breath, he felt as if his stomach was filled with wind.