Chapter 142

“All personnel, board the ship. Do not leave the cabin area!”

…

While the entire population of Longxia was busy building snowmen, the atmosphere at the Arctic Biological Station was tense.

A week ago, the Arctic temperature had plummeted from minus ten degrees to minus seventy. The Shuilan Alliance ordered an evacuation, but at the time, the station was collecting samples in the Bohr Mountains. Due to delays in organizing the data, they missed the window to retreat. By the time they were ready, the surrounding seas had frozen over, and the weather was too severe for aircraft to fly.

As of December 20, everyone had already been stuck on the ship for half a month.

…

“Dinner tonight is mushroom soup, vegetable salad, and roasted mashed potatoes…” At 7 p.m., Han Ruilin pushed a food cart into the Biology Group’s quarters. He was in charge of logistics for the Longxia team, responsible for their meals and daily needs.

As Han Ruilin made the announcement, the researchers headed to the dining area.

“Is there any pepper?”

“The mushroom soup is pretty good today.”

…

There were thirty-two biological researchers from Longxia. Everyone took their food and sat across from one another to eat. It had been snowing for fifteen days straight, and the station was completely frozen in. If not for their Constant Temperature Series suits, they wouldn’t have survived the brutal weather.

“Thirty more days to go,” someone muttered, counting the days. According to the Shuilan Meteorological Bureau, the Arctic was currently at the heart of the Weir cold front. Temperatures wouldn’t begin to rise until the fifteenth of next month.

“Guess we’re on a forced vacation,” one member of the Biology Group joked. Though he called it a vacation, the cold snap had undoubtedly disrupted their research. The mood inside the ship had been gloomy for days.

At 8:30 p.m., just as everyone was preparing to return to the lab, a man from Weir knocked on the door. “Academician Xiang?”

“Mr. Ron.” Xiang Qingchuan was a bit surprised. The man, Ron, was in charge of security at the station.

“Everyone’s building snowmen on the deck. Want to join us?” Ron invited them directly. Since Longxia had launched a national snowman competition on December 5, several international websites had followed suit. After some discussion, the station decided to take half a day off to relax.

Xiang Qingchuan looked at the Longxia researchers.

They were clearly itching to go.

Ten minutes later, the group stepped onto the deck. The station housed researchers from thirty-six countries, and many were already out building snowmen. Everyone wore masks and isolation suits, but their faces showed rare signs of relaxation.

“Hey!” A researcher waved at the Biology Group. It was the Canpesheng research team. They had already built a standard snowman with a wool hat. Their technique was a bit clumsy, making the snowman look rather comical.

“Should we give it a try?” Xiang Qingchuan asked the Biology Group.

The team, already in high spirits, jumped into action. Working together, the Longxia group built a snow sculpture of the Great Sage in ice and snow.

“Impressive!” Researchers from other countries were amazed by Longxia’s creativity.

The Longxia team was quite proud. The Great Sage was a beloved anime hero known to every household in Longxia. Though their sculpture was just a rough shape, it clearly evoked the image of the Great Sage.

Soon, others followed suit: Sky Knights, Dark Heroes, Dawn Messengers… Inspired by Longxia, researchers began sculpting their own national anime figures. Some even brought out dyes to add color. Before long, the deck was filled with a diverse array of snowman “heroes.”

“Hold on!”

Ron found the gathering of anime snowmen too amusing to pass up and snapped a photo.

Three minutes later, a group photo of international anime snowmen was ready. Ron sent the picture to the Weir authorities. The Arctic Biological Station had recently launched an official Lant account to post updates on the Hugua H1 research. The Weir officials, finding the snowmen delightful, cropped out sensitive information and shared the photo on Lant.

“The Great Sage and Dawn Messenger are hilarious!”

“Looking at the Arctic, I suddenly don’t feel cold anymore.”

“Kind of reminds me of Ice Age…”

…

Though the Arctic hadn’t seen snowfall due to the extreme cold, the ice layers created a stunning backdrop. In the photos uploaded from the station—icebergs, ice ships, snowmen—the combination of elements gave the scene a grandeur unlike any other snowman display.

On December 30, after a public vote on Lant, the snowmen from the station won third prize in the Lant Snowman Contest. The prize was a commemorative badge, which had already been sent by Lant’s official team to the Weir embassy. Once the snow stopped, it would be delivered to the Arctic Biological Station.

“We actually won something.” Xiang Qingchuan was genuinely surprised by the result. Since it was a multinational competition, each country received a commemorative badge. Longxia’s was a special edition Great Sage, perfectly matching their snowman entry.

The snowman contest was just a brief interlude. After the short break, everyone returned to their research. On December 31, the Arctic temperature dropped to minus eighty-seven degrees. All experimental equipment was frozen solid, and the team could only wait by the windows for the temperature to rise.

On January 3, the snow finally stopped back in Longxia. Thanks to thorough preparations, there were no casualties, though the roads were buried and highways jammed. Life, for the most part, continued as usual.

While domestic efforts focused on post-snow recovery, the station was still waiting for the weather to warm. And with the passing of this snowstorm, everyone was surprised to realize that it was now the year 3031.

“New Year came earlier than last year.”

On January 13, at the Arctic Biological Station, Han Ruilin stared out of the cabin. It was the eleventh day of the twelfth lunar month. He had been following the news from home and saw that preparations for the New Year were already in full swing. The time had passed so quickly, it felt like the 3030 New Year had just ended.

“Feeling homesick?” Xiang Qingchuan walked over and asked, seeing how absorbed Han Ruilin was.

“No,” Han Ruilin quickly stood up.

“We won’t be going home for at least another two years.”

Xiang Qingchuan gestured for him to sit. The Hugua Mask could block the virus, but it couldn’t kill it. So far, over 120 Hugua variants had been discovered worldwide. These strains didn’t disappear with changes in temperature. To resolve the crisis completely, they had to develop a master vaccine.

The station had already contacted Longxia. Since they were on the front lines, they would only be allowed to return once it was completely safe.

After chatting for a while, Xiang Qingchuan asked, “Do you regret coming here?” Han Ruilin was twenty-eight, the youngest member of the station.

“Not at all!” Han Ruilin answered firmly. He was from Longxia District 623 and had spent a year at the Farm before being selected through multiple rounds to join the station as a logistics officer. From the moment he took the job, he knew what his mission was.

“Let’s hope it warms up soon…” Xiang Qingchuan sighed as he looked out the window. The station had plenty of supplies, but after fifty days on the ship, everyone was running on sheer willpower.

On January 20th, Han Ruilin was doing his usual cleaning routine. He swept the restaurant floor thoroughly. Because the ground was frozen, it took considerable effort to move many of the tables and chairs. Once everything was tidied up, he grabbed a hot towel and began wiping the windows. The outer side of the cabin windows was covered in ice. He pressed his hand against the glass for a while, and the ice started to melt. Just as he was about to turn around to get a new towel, he froze in place.

Through the window, he saw three polar bears walking across the ice not far away. Their movements were clumsy yet endearing. Han Ruilin watched them intently, then shouted in delight, “The bears are out!”

Polar bears usually hibernate in their dens through the winter and only come out to forage when the weather warms. Their appearance now signaled that the temperature was rising.

Over the next three days, more and more animals emerged to forage. The Arctic was warming faster than expected. By January 25th, temperatures had risen to minus 20 degrees Celsius, allowing the research station to resume outdoor work.

“Academician Xiang!” On January 27th, just as Xiang Qingchuan finished setting up a research tent near the ship, Ron came running over, visibly anxious.

“Mr. Ron?” Xiang Qingchuan paused his work.

“There’s a discovery in the Bohr Mountains!” Ron panted heavily.

“What is it?”

“Some massive animal remains.”

“At least seven thousand years old…”

…

An hour later, the group arrived at the southern side of the Bohr Mountains. The area had once been a massive glacier. Due to mountain collapses and melting, it had transformed into a large sinkhole. The pit was about 200 square meters in size, filled with pooled water. Floating in the center were several enormous black carcasses. Judging by their skeletal structure, they could be remnants of ancient giant apes and saber-toothed tigers.

“Seal off the area!” the biologists immediately instructed. This time, there was no need for further explanation. The Weir team quickly cordoned off the site.

The biologists began collecting samples of the remains. Lab tests dated the corpses to between 7,000 and 10,000 years old. Large quantities of the Hugua Virus were detected on the bodies. In addition to the virus, they also found significant amounts of the Blue Grouper Substance.

“We’ve made a breakthrough!”

In nature, everything exists in balance. Although the Blue Grouper Substance is highly toxic, it possesses some resistance to the Hugua Virus. On January 30th, the Shuilan Alliance announced the latest findings on the prehistoric remains and established a Blue Grouper Research Task Force. The Shuilan government would oversee and report on the research progress.

…

“Now that the urban areas are done, all that’s left is the mountains and forests…”

While Xiang Qingchuan led his team in research, over at Fengshan Farm, Liu Wensheng rubbed his temples wearily. Since the snowfall in Longbei stopped on January 3rd, snow removal efforts had been underway across the country. But beyond clearing snow, there was another critical task: deploying Vitality 01.

Although the snowfall had caused 7 billion in economic crop losses, it also absorbed organic matter from the air, enriching the soil with nutrients.

By January 25th, 85% of urban areas nationwide had completed the first round of Vitality 01 spraying. Due to limited production, the remaining areas were scheduled to begin after the New Year.

“How’s the progress?” Liu Wensheng asked Qin Yun.

Qin Yun opened the System Interface.

Host Name: Qin Yun

Current Mission: Plant 1 billion mu of Off-site Seeds (89%), restore 10% of pre-disaster national green coverage, restore national soil to normal condition (7%)

…

“We’ve made progress…” Liu Wensheng stared at the “7%” three times. The soil task now had a progress bar, which meant the country’s soil was beginning to recover.

After chatting for a while, Liu Wensheng asked, “Are you going home this year?”

Qin Yun replied, “Planning to go after the New Year.” He had only gone back once last year, when Gao Hongwei fell ill. This time, he planned to visit Qin Hai’s grave on the fifth day of the New Year.

“Are you free tomorrow?” Liu Wensheng asked.

“Nothing planned,” Qin Yun replied, a bit puzzled. Now that Vitality 01 had been successfully developed, he had no duties beyond being the system’s tool.

As soon as Qin Yun answered, Liu Wensheng waved his hand and said, “Come with me to Jinghe tomorrow.”

“Is there a mission?”

Liu Wensheng chuckled, “To watch the Spring Festival Gala.”

Only then did Qin Yun realize that tomorrow was New Year’s Eve. A new year was about to begin.

The next afternoon, Qin Yun and Liu Wensheng arrived early at the Spring Festival Gala venue. There were still three hours to go before the show. Backstage, Qin Yun saw many celebrities who were already in full makeup, familiarizing themselves with the event’s schedule. Unlike the cheerful scenes on TV, the atmosphere backstage was tense and focused.

With his special access pass, Qin Yun wandered backstage before making his way to the front lounge. Liu Wensheng was catching up with old friends. When he saw Qin Yun, he asked quietly, “What do you think?”

“It’s impressive,” Qin Yun replied.

It was his first time attending such an event, and he found it overwhelming.

Liu Wensheng teased, “Well, I kept my promise.”

Qin Yun smiled.

The promise Liu Wensheng referred to dated back to the end of 2027. At the time, Cui Ning and Duan Yujie were promoting Fengshan Flour. As a fresh graduate, Qin Yun had asked a few more questions than usual. Back then, Liu Wensheng had said, “If you want to see celebrities, I’ll take you to the Spring Festival Gala at the end of the year. We’ll watch it live.”

With Liu Wensheng’s influence, attending the Gala in person wasn’t difficult. But between the food crisis, locust plague, and virus outbreak, one disaster followed another. It wasn’t that they didn’t have the opportunity to go—it was that they didn’t have the energy.

“Four years,” Qin Yun calculated.

Unknowingly, four years had passed since the Harma Storm.

“Yeah…” Liu Wensheng shifted in his seat. In those four years, many problems had been solved, but many still remained.

At 7:30, the two made their way to the main Gala hall.

The venue was already packed with audience members. Liu Wensheng exchanged greetings with old acquaintances, while Qin Yun followed along like a decorative piece. Because of his youthful appearance, everyone assumed he was Liu Wensheng’s assistant.

“Dear audience members, honored guests, welcome to the 3031 Spring Festival Gala…” At exactly 8 PM, the live broadcast of the Gala officially began.

…

“Grandpa, I want to go to the square to watch the fireworks!” While Qin Yun was watching the Gala, in Delong Community, Sichuan South Province, Zheng Xinrui tugged on Zheng Jiawang’s sleeve and said eagerly.

“There are too many people at the plaza. Let’s just watch from inside the community,” Zheng Jiawang said firmly, keeping a close eye on his granddaughter.

Zheng Jiawang was forty-seven this year and worked as the property manager of Delong Community. His granddaughter, Xinrui, was four. Since his son and daughter-in-law were both busy with work, he and his wife had taken on the responsibility of raising the child.

Now that his granddaughter wanted to go outside the community to watch the fireworks, he explained the current restrictions in Liunan City. Only after hearing about the “Hu Gua” policy did she reluctantly agree to stay within the complex.

“I want to go play in the little plaza!” Xinrui twirled around for a bit, then pointed toward the open space on the south side of the community, pouting sweetly.

That area used to be a jujube grove. The trees had all died due to acid rain. Later, it was converted into a field for oilseed lettuce, but with no shortage of vegetables in the market, the property management had recently replanted it with pasture grass. Just a short while ago, they had sprayed it with Vitality 01 to make it suitable for residents’ recreational use.

Zheng Jiawang squinted and took a look. There were already some children playing on the lawn, all wearing masks, with adults nearby watching over them.

“Go ahead,” he said after making sure it was safe.

Zheng Xinrui was naturally outgoing. It didn’t take long for her to join in with the other children from the community.

“Manager Zheng.”

“Brought Rui Rui out to play?”

…

Some residents greeted Zheng Jiawang when they saw him.

“Just out for a stroll,” he replied.

It was now 8:30 p.m. Red lanterns had been hung up around the community. Residents wore new clothes and masks. Compared to previous years, this New Year carried a special meaning.

As the adults chatted, the children suddenly shouted, “Grandpa! Grandpa!”

“Mom, come look at this!”

…

Their voices rose in excitement, and the adults quickly hurried over.

On the open ground on the south side of the lawn, the children had formed a circle. When Zheng Xinrui spotted Zheng Jiawang, she tugged on his sleeve and asked, “Grandpa, what kind of grass is this?”

“Hu Jiale said it’s oilseed lettuce.”

“But it doesn’t look like oilseed lettuce to me…”

…

The children all started talking at once.

Zheng Jiawang pushed aside the grass and stared in a daze. “This isn’t grass.”

The children asked, “Then what is it?”

“Jujube saplings…”

The tiny seedlings were only about three centimeters tall, but they were unmistakably young jujube trees. Zheng Jiawang hadn’t expected that after one snowfall, jujube saplings would sprout here.

He thought back to the jujube grove from two years ago. When the acid rain had corroded the area, some of the small fruits had fallen into the soil. Now, after two years, some of those stubborn little seeds had finally sprouted.

These saplings might never grow into full trees, but the very fact that they had sprouted meant one thing: the soil here could once again support jujube trees.

“They really are jujube trees!”

“Does that mean we can replant the jujube grove?”

“I used to find those trees annoying, but… they were actually kind of nice…”

…

Before Zheng Jiawang could say anything, the residents around him began talking all at once. The Delong jujube trees had been relocated along with the community when it was first built. They had been here longer than most of the residents. In summer, the trees often attracted pests, and back then, residents frequently filed complaints. But now that the trees were gone, more than a few people had started to miss them.

Seeing the jujube saplings sprouting now, everyone had the same thought: they wanted to bring the grove back.