Chapter Two: A Dialogue Across Three Thousand Years
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Reloading the save. Su Wen found himself back at the beginning of the game "Sprout." The same overhead view opening cutscene. The same future set three thousand years ahead. But this time was different. Without wasting a moment, he dashed down the stairs from the rooftop.
"I must avoid the guaranteed death in the life-restricted zone at the start."
Su Wen understood that some games contained so-called "inevitable death endings." He had to accomplish something before this critical moment arrived. Yet, the vacuum period allotted by the "Chrono Game" was painfully brief. He sprinted down the stairs.
Then, in the middle of the building, he encountered a familiar figure.
"Qin Xiaodie, I’m here to save you."
"Who are you?"
"No time to explain, come with me."
But it was impossible for Qin Xiaodie to trust him without any explanation.
"If you’re here to save me, where’s your weapon? Didn’t Rainforest provide you with any? Do you have a personal jetpack or a small-scale field generator?"
Although only a few close people knew his real name, she still couldn’t comprehend how someone dressed in "retro attire" could possibly save her under the Rainforest organization’s orders.
Su Wen knew gaining trust in such a short time was nearly impossible. Besides, she was right: without weapons and equipment, escaping was almost an insurmountable task.
Watching the countdown clock on his computer steadily ticking down:
[47 seconds]
[46 seconds]
[45 seconds]
Click, click.
The screen reverted to the post-death reload.
"Game over."
The information he could gather from the game was far too limited.
Perhaps he should bow to the old man and beg for a better spot in the cemetery seven days from now.
In front of Su Wen, the red text stood out starkly against the black background.
The looming shadow of death pressed down so heavily that he felt suffocated.
"I can’t give up yet."
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For him, the actionable time was barely a minute after the cutscene.
What must I accomplish within this minute to reverse the entire outcome?
Su Wen sat quietly before the computer, pondering.
He already had the "Identify" skill.
Known information included: life-restricted zone, star ring, Qin Xiaodie’s affiliation with the Rainforest organization, the pursuing Morton Brotherhood, and the hidden secret.
There had to be more information he’d missed.
"The inevitable death ending, Qin Xiaodie desperate enough to flee into the life-restricted zone of the destroyed civilization during a chase, proves that her guarded secret must hold immense value."
Within this brief [47 seconds], he had to obtain intelligence about the ruins.
When faced with death, human willpower erupts fiercely.
Su Wen was no exception.
Under the shadow of death, he refused to surrender.
Instead, he began repeatedly attempting to traverse the three-thousand-year timeline.
[You have died.]
[Continue from save.]
...
[13th Reload]:
From a unique vantage point and using the "Identify" skill, he uncovered groundbreaking information:
[Fafley Pendant, a treasured relic of Qin Xiaodie, originating from the 13th District inner ring explosion, left by her father, Dr. Qin Mingyuan, the chief ancient civilization researcher at Helens Technology.]
...
...
[20th Reload], during a conversation:
Using clues gained by resetting the timeline, he attempted to extract information about the secret cache as Dr. Qin Mingyuan’s entrusted colleague.
Failed to obtain information.
Death.
...
Failure.
Death.
Failure.
Death.
...
[27th Reload]
Under the guise of a contemporary researcher of Qin Mingyuan, he revealed research data on the "Broken Star Ring":
"The mother star ring funded by Cain Corporation appeared nine hundred years ago, proving your father’s research on the mid-phase changes during the Origin Era outbreak.
The life-restricted zone is about to awaken; we don’t have much time.
I need the information he left behind."
With enough intelligence known only to her...
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Qin Xiaodie finally made the difficult choice to trust him.
"That’s just a map. If I could understand it, I might have opened the secret cache long ago."
She handed the pale pendant hanging from her neck to Su Wen.
[Identify: Information cache, encryption level (multi-bit chain-space Alpha grade)]
[Decryption initiated]
[Data stream connected successfully]
["Chrono Traverse" game paused, decoding and data analysis in progress]
[Data obtained: Ancient Life-Restricted Zone Research Report]
Time remaining:
[35 seconds]
Su Wen opened the ancient life-restricted zone research report and obtained a map that had shifted continuously over the long passage of time.
[Two hundred years ago, migration phenomenon appeared at the "origin point" of the life-restricted zone]
[Five hundred years ago, %￥... Ash Storm... Data corrupted]
[Nine hundred years ago, based on 28 years of observation station data simulation, the life-restricted zone exhibited rank elevation due to pollution]
[One thousand five hundred years ago, based on... data corrupted, pollution outbreak... large-scale cluster destruction of life activity... memetic destruction]
[Three thousand years ago, early Origin Century, database retraced 2.8 million times, confirming records that this was once a habitable zone.
Back then, it bore another name: "Coastal."
The "seed" point of the life-restricted zone lies precisely at the marked spot on the map, which I guarantee can be pinpointed to a meter’s accuracy.]
[I don’t know who this research will help, but to whoever sees this report,
I hope you inherit my work and save this dying planet because it was once our only home.
ID: RT67-XYU-Chief Researcher-01-Qin Mingyuan]
At that moment,
Staring at the text recording the rise and fall of civilization,
And at the final, deeply familiar map where he had lived nearly twenty years,
Su Wen felt as if struck by a massive hammer.
"I understand everything now."
He had crossed three thousand years.
He saw the man in white research attire, wearing black-rimmed glasses, bent over his desk.
That man was the scholar’s last stand for civilization.
Su Wen put on his coat.
Picked up the bicycle key lying on the table.
And then calmly said,
"Time record, load the 'Identify' permission onto my retina. I’m heading out."