The people in the base had prepared pants for Ning Huai the next day. The pants were put on, but Ning Huai still didn't like wearing a shirt, relying solely on the shell on his body, which was not very gentlemanly. Because there were still minors in the base, he eventually put on clothes. However, the three pairs of eyes on his face remained unchanged.
On the same morning, Lu Yan met the remaining members of the original Divine Nation action advance team. Several decades ago, the Divine Nation action had gathered some of the world's most outstanding Awakened Ones. Based on voluntary principles and a lottery, 21 people were selected as the advance team to carry out tasks in the Divine Nation. Over forty years later, including Ning Huai, only five members remained.
As Awakened Ones, their spiritual power thresholds were still high, and most of them were in their best physical condition. They appeared quite young, but the fatigue in their expressions couldn't be concealed. When Ning Huai sent the telegram, he had explained the situation.
Since joining the Special Operations Department, Lu Yan had attended many meetings, but this was probably the most rudimentary one. Dust filled the small tile-roofed room, and daylight streamed in through the top window, falling on the central round table.
Who could have thought that in such a simple room, discussions would decide the future direction of human beings on Changjia Island. "If it were 20 years earlier, I would have stepped forward without a second thought," one Awakened One said slowly. "But now, I dare not gamble, not believe in someone who just arrived on the island—he has no idea what the situation in the Divine Nation is!"
He had a body like a giant rock, and even moss could be seen between the cracks of the stone. Lu Yan matched him with the list of members of the "advance team." Giant Rock, a B-level Awakened One from the Sixth District.
"If we die, those pollutants from the Divine Nation will no longer have any restraint and will ruthlessly hunt down the surviving humans. I haven't thought about saving my family; this mission is impossible. My daughter is only 17. If I die, what will she do?" Another Awakened One spoke slowly.
"Assassinate the True Lord... Have you forgotten how 'Bluebird' died?" After this statement, everyone fell silent.
"Bluebird, A-level, a rare Awakened One with both mental and combat abilities. Talents: Dream Entry, Mirage, Beast Transformation. At that time, the Divine Nation was in chaos, and Bluebird wanted to take the opportunity to kill the True Lord, never to return."
"Before Ning Huai took over, Bluebird was in charge of the Sky Base and the captain of the advance team."
Before this, Lu Yan had been wondering why Ning Huai, the Grand Spider, named the base "Sky." It turned out it was Bluebird who named it.
In fairy tales, Bluebird was a bird that brought hope, fulfilled all wishes, and was a symbol of freedom. "I don't want to participate in this operation. I just feel that it's a meaningless sacrifice. Forgive me for being blunt, but after so many years without waiting for rescue, the outside world has probably given up on Changjia. Giant Rock couldn't help but sneer.
In theory, Lu Yan shouldn't have spoken much during their meeting. However, he remembered the announcements in the Awakened Ones' forum and the always top-ranked "Divine Nation Operation" on the task list. Therefore, he couldn't help but say slowly:
"No. The outside world has never given up on this place. If they had truly abandoned it, after the sea mist blockade, Changjia would probably have been sunk by nuclear weapons."
His tone was calm, strangely convincing. Giant Rock's body shook, then he clenched his fists and lowered his head slowly.
Lu Yan wouldn't blame those who wanted to give up. Trusting a stranger in this environment required great courage. The Divine Nation was a real apocalypse, and those struggling inside it could no longer see hope. They were no longer the passionate youths they once were.
Most importantly, Lu Yan was confident that even if it was just him and Ning Huai, they could resolve this matter.
"I came to the Sky Base to seek help, indeed, but I don't insist on it. Whether you choose to participate or not, I will proceed with the plan."
He didn't have much time to waste in the Divine Nation. The countdown to Tang Xunan's death pressed on him, making it hard for him to breathe. Sometimes Lu Yan felt that he didn't have such deep feelings for Tang Xunan.
In the system's words, there were plenty of Awakened Ones with long tails, not just Tang Xunan. Some tails were big and soft, some tails were round and short, all more comfortable to touch than the cold dragon tail.
But he didn't want to accept this result. Lu Yan hated all unexpected events he couldn't control.
He could do without it.
But fate couldn't take Tang Xunan away.
After saying this, Lu Yan left the meeting room, taking a breath of fresh air.
This base is situated in the mountains, and from the mountain top, one can see the ocean shrouded in dense white sea fog in the distance. The kin in the Divine Realm probably never know what lies beyond that sea. Sometimes, ignorance is not painful, but for those who know, it feels even more sorrowful.
White seabirds take flight from the shore, and Lu Yan tells the system, "I want the fog here to dissipate forever." He wants the Divine Realm, floating in the sky, to no longer cast its shadow on humanity.
[System: You're becoming more like a savior. Just don't follow Tang Xun'an. You live a hard life, and I do feel sorry for you.]
Lu Yan thinks for a moment and replies, "For the first twenty years of my life, besides wanting to kill Lu Cheng, I could hardly find any purpose. Later, when I heard Lu Cheng died, my goal disappeared, and I just went with the flow. After learning Lu Cheng didn't die but became a pollutant, my goal shifted to killing him. Now, it seems different."
This 'difference' refers to having a new motivation to survive even if Lu Cheng is dead. Lu Yan has always found everything easy since childhood. He once came across a saying that human genes carry various talents, like singing, painting, writing, etc. Some people have untapped talents, while others have talents at the wrong time.
Lu Yan feels no challenge in any field. He was chosen for the choir in elementary school, became the lead singer without training, and later won a national gold medal. In middle school, he joined a basketball competition, understood the rules a few minutes before playing, and made the older students on the opposing team feel weak at the knees.
Everything in this world seems to open its doors to him, waiting for him to decide whether he likes it or not. He used to neither like nor dislike the world. Still, because of someone he loves, he has developed a bit of attachment to it.
The system hasn't spoken for a while, and when Lu Yan grows tired of the sea view, it finally speaks, [As long as you're happy.]
*
As Lu Yan left the meeting room mid-session, he doesn't know how the meeting progressed. In the end, two people chose to believe in Ning Huai and join him in the Divine Realm operation. Predictably, these two are high-degree mutants, aware of their limited time as awakened beings. The remaining awakened beings will patiently await the results of the final struggle. If they win, everyone will be happy; if they lose, they'll continue to survive in the Divine Realm.
Ning Huai didn't reveal his true intentions, just informed others in the base that he is going on a mission. Before departure, he uncommonly didn't busy himself like an old woman in the base but went to the back of the base.
Having lived for over a hundred years, he spent most of his time on this island in a foreign land. Ning Huai personally measured every inch of the land in this base.
Finally, he stopped in front of a cluster of roses. Due to the simple conditions, there are no tombstones in the base, only a few difficult-to-care-for roses. Fortunately, due to mutations, the vitality of these wild roses has also increased, and after more than a decade, they have formed a dense sea of flowers.
He sat by the flowers and started smoking, saying, "I'm going to avenge you. Recently, a foreign awakened being has arrived in the Divine Realm. Check his credentials; he's only 27 this year, very young. He told me he has a way to kill the true god. I know I'm gambling, but it seems I have no other choice."
In the erased history of humanity, the kin lived peacefully on this land full of faith. They believed that the soul would go to the Pure Land of Bliss after death, guided by the true god, and would be reborn. Even if they died in the mouth of pollutants, it was also a gift from the gods.
The base once tried to rescue domesticated humans from the pollutants, but the kin regarded them as heretics. They even secretly provided intelligence to the divine clan to gain favor.
After years of fighting pollutants, Ning Huai didn't find it tiring. However, at that moment, he truly felt exhaustion from the depths of his soul.
"Ten years have passed since your death, and these ten years have been exhausting for me. How did you persist for more than thirty years before?" Ning Huai squinted, thinking about the blurry face of the man who had already died, "Qing Niao."
The aftereffect of overusing his talent was forgetfulness, and now Ning Huai couldn't remember Qing Niao's appearance. However, if they could meet under the Yellow Springs after death, he believed he could recognize him at a glance from the vast sea of people.
*
When Lu Yan arrived, he rode a motorcycle, and when he left, he sat in an off-road vehicle. Those accompanying him were his seniors from the Special Operations Department.
One was driving, one was in the co-driver's seat, and one, due to his massive body, lay on the roof of the car.
On the way, the seniors were excitedly asking Lu Yan about various things. Since he didn't want to repeat the answers, Lu Yan simply demonstrated his talent for mental reshaping, copying the information about the outside world to them in one go.
Relevant information instantly surged into their minds. The senior with the codename "Fierce Tiger" was dumbfounded, "This talent is too useful! If I had encountered you earlier, I wouldn't have failed the College English Test four times!"
Another person with the codename "White Wolf" was extremely shocked, "So many years, and the Tyrant hasn't died?!"
Lu Yan, hearing this, couldn't help but glance in that direction.
Fierce Tiger: "Sorry, little brother, we were the second team of the Special Operations Department at the time. We didn't get along well with the first team. That guy Tang was too fierce on missions, making our team leader very unhappy."
In Lu Yan's memories, the leader of the second team had become Bai Qiushi. That was a name they found unfamiliar.
"I don't have any opinions on him. Mainly, over forty years ago, his degree of mutation was already very high." White Wolf explained, "Others awakened their talents on their own, but his combat talent was transplanted. The degree of mutation was high from the beginning."
Fierce Tiger: "But I really admire him. He solved many pollution cases beyond his level. He was the one who ended the natural disasters back then..."
"But the Divine Realm operation is a no-go. His mental state is unstable." White Wolf added casually, "People say it's the aftereffects of traveling through time and changing key points too many times, and he even lost half of his talent in time. The whole person is very gloomy, and he often has mental issues."
"I cooperated with him," even Ning Huai, who rarely showed interest, became interested in gossip, "He seemed to have fallen in love with someone in the future when we escaped from the disaster range. He shouted about it when I carried him on my back."
Lu Yan couldn't help but ask, "Who?"
"When I carried him
out of the disaster range, I heard him yelling." Ning Huai carefully recalled for a moment and said slowly, "It seems to be called 'Yan Yan'? Anyway, that pronunciation. Should be a cute girl."
The system quickly said, [Yan Yan, Yan Yan, Yan Yan.]
Lu Yan, sitting in the back seat of the off-road vehicle, slowly retracted the knife he had raised.
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