Chapter 157

“Is everyone here?”

“They’ve all arrived.”

“Understood.”

…

March 8, 3099. Zhou Wenfei hung up the phone and headed toward the backstage of Blue Sky Stadium. Today marked the sixtieth anniversary of “Oxygen Freedom,” and the entire world was celebrating this milestone in its own unique way. As a major contributor to Oxygen Freedom, Longxia was scheduled to hold a grand celebration at eight o’clock tonight. The ceremony would be broadcast live nationwide and relayed by one hundred and thirty international radio and television stations.

At 7:20, Zhou Wenfei arrived at the stadium’s lounge. The surrounding area was quiet, with a staff member standing guard at the door.

“Assistant Zhou,” the staff member saluted upon seeing him.

Zhou Wenfei asked, “Where is Dean Qin?”

“Inside.”

Zhou Wenfei pushed the door open. It was a simple lounge furnished with a tea table and potted plants. An elderly man with silver hair sat in a wheelchair, dozing off.

He placed a blanket over the old man’s legs. Despite his gentle movements, the elderly man woke up. “Is it time?”

“There’s still half an hour.”

The old man waved a hand. “Let’s get ready then.”

Zhou Wenfei pushed the wheelchair to the vanity mirror. The man in the mirror was no longer young, but he possessed a refined and gentle temperament.

The man in the mirror was named Qin Yun, the Vice Dean of the Longxia Fengshan Academy of Sciences. In 3052, Fengshan Farm was renamed the Fengshan Academy of Sciences, and Qin Yun was appointed Vice Dean. Over the next forty-seven years, the Dean of Fengshan changed three times, but Qin Yun remained the Vice Dean throughout.

According to official media records, Qin Yun had participated in numerous research projects, including Longfeng No. 1, Locust Feed, and Acid Rain Algae. He was a vital researcher of the Great Disaster era.

After the Great Disaster ended, the Academy of Sciences shifted its focus to civil technology. Over the past sixty years, the Fengshan Academy of Sciences had developed practical technologies such as disability assistance AI, holographic VR cinema, and visual button phones, earning it a reputation as the world’s technological dream factory.

At 7:40, Qin Yun was fully dressed, and Zhou Wenfei helped him adjust his bowtie. Qin Yun’s silver hair was combed meticulously. Dressed in a black formal suit, he appeared very capable and sharp.

“Let’s go,” Qin Yun said with a smile.

Zhou Wenfei pushed the wheelchair toward the stadium.

Blue Sky Stadium was the largest stadium in Jinghe, utilizing the most advanced scientific technology and capable of accommodating two hundred thousand people simultaneously.

At 7:50, the two took their seats in the front row of the Blue Sky venue. The front row was filled with scientific researchers who all greeted Qin Yun upon seeing him.

“Dean Qin.”

“Is your health any better?”

“The wind has been strong lately; you must be careful to stay warm.”

…

By now, apart from classified personnel, no one knew about the Farm System. Longxia had done everything in its power to protect the safety of Qin Yun and the Longxia researchers. Over these sixty years, everyone had lived a very stable and secure life.

“Much better,” Qin Yun replied, exchanging pleasantries with the crowd.

At exactly eight o’clock, a young host took the stage. “Respected audience members, welcome to the Longxia Oxygen Freedom Sixtieth Anniversary Special Gala…”

The surrounding scenery shifted as holographic images of the Great Disaster began to play.

The acid rain in Mali, the food crisis, the blizzards in Longbei… scenes from the past flashed by like a movie. People had seen science fiction films about the Great Disaster era, but seeing the actual scenes that had once existed still made their skin crawl.

The era of the Great Disaster had been far too terrifying.

Ten minutes later, the footage ended, and the entire stadium observed a moment of silence.

At 8:15, the host adjusted his emotions and said, “Now, please welcome the Dean of the Fengshan Academy of Sciences, Wang Luyao, and Vice Dean Qin Yun to present the awards for the 12th Dragon Soul Elite Figures.”

The Dragon Soul Elite Award was a special honor bestowed upon contributors to Longxia’s technology. It had been held every five years since 3039.

As the host finished speaking, Wang Luyao pushed Qin Yun onto the stage. Wang Luyao was a middle-aged woman in her fifties, the current Dean of the Fengshan Academy of Sciences, who had made outstanding contributions to Longxia’s biological technology.

“Dean Wang, Vice Dean Qin,” the host handed the microphones to the two of them.

“It is a great honor to participate in today’s celebration…” Wang Luyao spoke about the scientific developments of the past five years before passing the microphone to Qin Yun. “I now invite Dean Qin to announce the list of this year’s Dragon Soul Elite Award winners.”

Qin Yun began to read the list of winners.

“Dragon Soul Elite Gold Award: Dong Zhijie of the Fuzhou Institute of Technology. In 3097, he successfully developed Lung-Clear No. 1. Lung-Clear No. 1 can effectively cure various bronchogenic cancers such as squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and small cell carcinoma. It has now been integrated into the Longxia medical insurance system…”

“Dragon Soul Elite Silver Award: Li Xiusheng of Zhe Province University. In 3096, he successfully developed automobile levitation technology. Hovercars can automatically avoid obstacles and reach altitudes of up to three hundred meters. The world’s first hovercar was manufactured at the Luo Hai Science and Technology Park in 3098.”

“Dragon Soul Elite Bronze Award: Gan Province Agricultural and Forestry University…”

…

With every name Qin Yun read, thunderous applause erupted from the audience.

Five minutes later, the ten elite winners took the stage. Hailing from various industries, they stood on stage looking quite constrained and nervous.

“No need to be nervous,” Qin Yun signaled for them to relax.

“I am grateful for Longxia’s support of scientific research and technology…” one of the recipients said during their acceptance speech.

After the Great Disaster, Longxia placed immense importance on science and technology. It was because of Longxia’s support that they could devote themselves to scientific research without distractions.

Ten minutes later, the ceremony concluded. One of the award winners looked at Qin Yun. “Hello, Academician Qin, may I take a photo with you?”

“Certainly,” Qin Yun replied. The nearby AI camera automatically captured the moment.

After the photo, the winner continued, “I have studied the records of the Great Disaster era. Thank you very much for your contributions during that period…” He had loved reading about the Great Disaster since his student days, and it was that early influence that led him to resolutely pursue a career in research.

Qin Yun corrected them. “I wasn’t the only one who sacrificed during the Great Disaster. On the contrary, I gave very little. It was the Farm Researchers whose studies truly changed the course of that catastrophe.”

Due to the generational gap, many people liked to ask him about his deeds during the Great Disaster, but he never took the credit. Just as he said, he was merely a grain of sand in that era. It was the day and night dedication of countless researchers that resolved the crisis.

“I know, there was Academician Zhou Yuanheng, Academician Xiang Qingchuan, Academician Sun Yiping…” The award winner listed them off like cherished treasures. These were all heroes of the Great Disaster.

At eight thirty, Qin Yun and the award winners left the stage.

At eight thirty-five, the first song and dance performance began. The theme was “Flying Apsaras.”

During the Great Disaster, the nation’s historical relics were nearly wiped out, a loss for both Longxia and all of humanity. After the disaster ended, Longxia issued multiple documents regarding relic restoration. The Farm’s cultural relics group went deep into Yun Province, Gan Province, and other areas to conduct research on restoration techniques. Currently, Longxia’s cultural relics have been restored to 72% of their pre-disaster state, and other restoration technologies are still progressing.

As the Flying Apsaras dancers performed their classical and graceful movements, Qin Yun watched for a while before feeling a discomfort in his throat.

“Here.” Zhou Wenfei handed him a glass of water.

“Thank you,” Qin Yun said.

He was ninety-five this year. Although medical conditions had improved, he still suffered from common elderly ailments such as pulmonary heart disease, high blood pressure, and insomnia. He could feel his body weakening day by day, the inevitable decline of physical functions that comes with age.

Qin Yun stayed until ten o’clock before returning to his hotel to rest early. Over the next two days, he attended two technology conferences in Jinghe before heading back to the Farm. On the plane to the Uninhabited Zone, he looked down. Outside the window were layers of white clouds, and beneath them were green forests with blue lakes nestled in their midst.

Environmental protection had now been integrated into primary and secondary school textbooks. After sixty years of development, the leaves were green, the seawater was blue, and the sky was clear. People read through the records of the Great Disaster and cherished their current lives immensely.

At five in the afternoon, Qin Yun returned to the Farm. He still lived in the same Tulou as before. Compared to the past, the exterior of the Tulou now bore more traces of history.

Qin Yun opened the window. Outside was a continuous “sea of green,” with various laboratories scattered throughout. The scenery was as exquisite as an oil painting.

Sixty-three years ago, after the Hope Tree merged with the earth, a small amount of greenery could be planted in the Uninhabited Zone. After sixty years of development, the complete desert had been transformed into a lush landscape.

He read some documents for a while, then stared blankly at the scenery outside.

Qin Yun remembered an old friend asking him after the anniversary celebration what dreams he still had.

He had thought about it, and his dream was quite cliché: to live another twenty years. It wasn’t that he clung to life out of fear, but rather that there were still two hundred and fifty-one advanced items in the Farm System that remained unlocked. He wanted to utilize his backpack to the maximum extent before he passed away.

Qin Yun’s thoughts wandered before he found the idea somewhat amusing.

Living another twenty years would make him one hundred and fifteen. Given the average lifespan in Longxia, that would be considered quite long.

He wanted to live as long as possible, but he didn’t expect that he truly would live to be one hundred and fifteen.

In his one hundred and fifteenth year, Qin Yun weighed only seventy pounds. He was so frail that he relied entirely on an oxygen tube to stay alive. At that time, there were only three items left to unlock in the Farm. High-ranking officials from Longxia visited many times, asking him heart-wrenchingly if he wanted them to pull the plug.

Qin Yun thought about it and decided he could still hold on.

And so, Qin Yun endured day after day. When the final item was finally unlocked, he let out a sigh of relief.

The following morning, Qin Yun passed away, leaving very peacefully.

At the funeral, countless researchers mourned. Qin Yun had always said he made no contribution to Longxia, but from the year 3027 until now, his contributions were indelible.

Qin Yun had inspired countless scientific researchers, earning the respect of all.

…

On July 3, 3119, the day after Qin Yun’s death, he found himself floating above Shuilan Star. This was no dream; he was truly drifting in the sky above Shuilan.

While he was dazed, he noticed his chest glowing. Then, a golden object shaped like a longevity lock floated out.

Half an hour later, he learned the origin of the longevity lock and why he had been reborn. There was a drop of Qin Hai’s heart blood on the lock.

This drop of heart blood was formed from nearly ten thousand years of Qin Hai’s cultivation and should not have existed within the laws of the universe. It was because of this drop of heart blood that Qin Hai would face the laws of the plane head-on in the coming years.

“So foolish.” Qin Yun thought of Qin Hai’s portrait. Since he could remember, Qin Hai had always been stern and unsmiling. He never imagined that Qin Hai would care for him so much.

After his grief subsided, Qin Yun discovered that the heart blood had not completely dissipated.

The presence of the heart blood proved that Qin Hai was still alive.

According to the information from the longevity lock, Qin Hai had reached a certain balance with the laws of the plane and was currently staying on a peaceful planet.

The longevity lock was transformed from a supreme dharma treasure. He could become a traveler of planes, but he had to follow the rules: he could not change the survival trajectory of the planes he visited.

After reading the rules, Qin Yun once again felt Qin Hai’s extraordinary talent. He wanted to float back to Shuilan for a while, but Shuilan looked peaceful and calm from space; it no longer needed his involvement.

Qin Yun thought for a moment, pulled a space yacht out of the longevity lock, and planned to visit other planes.

As for Grandpa Qin Hai…

The two had not met, but according to the information left in the longevity lock, Qin Hai was living well and did not need him to appear.

Through Qin Hai’s intervention, he was now an “authorized” traveler under the laws of the plane. As long as he did not violate the rules, there was no danger to his life. The longevity lock was like an automatically bound set of divine defensive gear; his defensive power was at its maximum across all planes.

Qin Yun boarded the yacht and flew toward the vast universe.

Qin Hai did not want to meet him yet, but Qin Yun had a feeling that at some unknown point in time, the two would eventually meet again.

The space yacht flew further and further away. Shuilan Star looked like a blue pearl in the universe, shining brilliantly.