Chapter 39: Returning Home on a Snowy Night (Contains 3000 Nutrient Solution and More)
"box……
It's shrunk!!!
Your expression is blank due to shock.
"How, how could it be like this (choked up)..."
Doctor Wah seemed to be lost in thought. While hesitating, he told you a piece of information - the "Rift" will transform the objects and spaces it touches into special Rift creations, which generally exist in the form of erosion.
If one retains the memories and habits of the prototype, they are called the "echoes of the rift" of that prototype.
Therefore, the little girl named Hillary and those boxes should all be a kind of "after-echo".
Although you brought them out of the Rift, this erosion still exists and will not disappear.
Even so, you don't believe in evil.
What bad intentions could you have?
——Just want to unbox it!
"That armory box doesn't contain what you want, Impas. It's probably just Hillary's hiding place." Dr. Wah tried to persuade you.
...What, not only is there only one box left, but they don’t even give me the trash?
Isn't this playing with your feelings?!
You are determined to open the box, and no force can stop you...
steal--
Bang! It popped open.
steal--
Bang! It popped open.
steal--
Bang! It popped open.
…
“…”
You finally understand what "Rupture of the Rift" is. These are illusions of objects reflected by the Rift, and they don't actually exist.
So, do we want to restore this item to its original state?
——The eyes of [Truth] cannot allow you to see through the hidden secrets, so you decided to let Xilier come out on her own.
“You tried all sorts of bait: toys, tricks, dresses, desserts, poetry books, paintbrushes…
The arms box was silent, without any movement.
What would she be interested in?
You put this matter aside for the time being. Of course, it would be better if Hillary thought you were slacking off and relaxed and moved on.
This incident is just a small episode in your farming career. Nothing can stop you from farming in the snowfield!
Reclaiming wasteland is actually the easiest thing for you. Farm tools collide with the cold earth, combing the hard, frozen soil strand by strand, and then sowing...
You didn't buy a heater. Beloberg's greenhouse-like planting base is certainly good, but the earth's marrow is not produced continuously.
Just like the snow finches, fur mice, and ice bears on the snowfield... life will find its own way.
All you have to do is screen out suitable experimental strains.
This is what the great man of my hometown did, repeating this process over and over again for the dream of "resting in the shade of the wheat plants".
——Using 7% of the world's arable land, it feeds 22% of the world's population.
The power of the "Star God" is not enough to make you bow your head, only the greatness of human beings themselves can.
You didn't notice that in the corner under the eaves of the small shabby house, the smell of the arms box had subtly changed.
Doctor Wach's reagent bottles dumped liquid into each other;
Strange materials gurgled and boiled in the crucible;
Knock down the crooked fence outside the house;
The broken machine you picked up roars to continue the land you have plowed;
There was a rustling sound in the sky as a snowflake flew by;
…
Shirley quietly opened a crack."
"Wuhu——"
Your eyes lit up, and you slid forward, closing the armory box again.
“…”
Dr. Wah's experiment has entered a critical stage. Having a good history, he heard about your discovery, was silent for a moment, and finally told you one sentence - "Ciriel is the eighth "Great Guardian" in the history of Beloberg", and then closed the door to study.
So, you probably understand what external factors attracted her.
You think that Hillary would let down her guard because of such an ordinary and peaceful life scene. She must be a wise guardian!
If you think about it carefully, there is a reason why her relics can even create such a strong "after-echo" in the Rift.
"Hello, Shirley—I'm Impas—"
Somehow you naturally used this name when walking around Beloberg, but it was more convenient for the people here to call you.
"I'm currently farming in order to research crops that can grow on the snowfields!"
You start talking to her across the armory box.
"The person in the room is Dr. Wach. He came to the snowy plains and experimented on himself in order to develop a drug that would make people immune to the cold."
"Do you want to know how we're progressing?"
Then, you continued on your own—
"I know you want to!"
…
Whenever Hillary couldn't help but open a crack, you couldn't help but move closer happily, and then the armory box closed and you started chattering.
This situation continues for many days, until you check the fields, the moment your hands touch the soil, the moment you stroke the shriveled seedlings, a sudden bolt of lightning flashes through your mind.
If it is a very touching scene belonging to the people, you can always easily find many of them in your memory.
But what could push Hillary to come out was probably the lack of a certain kind of excitement that stirred in her memory.
Get close enough to the land;
Be kind enough;
It also needs to be familiar enough, enough to bring tears to the eyes...
So you howled loudly, like every cheerful farmer who has simplicity rooted in his blood.
"A big river - with wide waves~"
"The wind blows the rice flowers, and the fragrance spreads on both sides——"
“…”
There are no fertile rice fields, no rushing rivers, and no fragrance of soil in the air. There is only the scorching sun and countless farmers who cannot leave the land.
The only thing that has not changed is the stubbornness and tenacity of the people who cannot be defeated no matter how harsh the environment is.
As you hoe the ground, you sing a little, and the feeling of loss brought to your heart by the howling of the cold wind and snow is slightly comforted.
“…”
Nothing seems to have changed, except that the way you look at this land and that city in the distance has become different.
At night, you would occasionally hear a faint, familiar song coming from the armament box. It was the song that Hillary learned through you.
"To open up a new world..."
"Awakening the sleeping mountain."
“…”
You think it won't be long before she comes out.
…
Until one morning—
Not far from where the arms box was originally located, near the field, a small, lonely notebook was left.
“…”
You picked up this item."
"You have obtained the [Ancient Diary]."
"Soon after, Dr. Wach concluded this phase of his research, and you told him about this.
Noticing that you were in a bad mood, Dr. Wah told you the whole history of Hillier.
——Ciriel, the eighth Great Guardian of Beloberg, is often referred to as "The Fool" by later generations.
According to records, her older sister, Celia, was originally chosen as the heir. However, on the eve of her arrival at Krippenburg for instruction, Celia mysteriously disappeared. Minister Stepan argued, claiming that Celia's younger sister, Cilicia, possessed talent comparable to hers...
History has proven that all of this was a political deception by Minister "Stepan" in his vain attempt to control the situation. Cyril was nothing more than a mediocre person. During her fourteen years in power, Stepan and his followers issued many harsh and levying decrees, which resented the people.
Finally, during a military exercise, the rebel group joined forces with the Silvermane Guards to attempt a mutiny. Ciel arrived as promised, but Minister Stepan was nowhere to be seen. The garrison officer, taking advantage of Ciel's tactical advantage, pushed her into an armory crate while she was off guard. Then, under cover of darkness, they rushed to the Far North and tossed the crate off a cliff...
“…”
But you clearly feel that the real Hillier is not like this. The historical Hillier was completely hidden by the ministers. However, although you can observe the memories of living beings, you cannot see the memories of history through objects.
Hillary walked out of the armory on a quiet night. What was she thinking at that time?
What kind of mood was she in when she walked out of the arms box?
Why did she walk towards that field?
you do not know.
No one will know about it anymore.”
"The Rift is such a strange and troubling phenomenon.
You return to your life of picking up trash and farming.
This time, you found a familiar scene in the Iron Guard restricted area, many boxes, and a girl in the middle.
That's the grown-up Hillary.
Even though you can't rely on [the truth], you still discover this.
——That’s great! If I don’t get an answer this time, I really won’t be able to eat or sleep!
But this time, you must be on high alert and not let Hillary disappear in the night when no one knows!
Then, as usual, you took her back to the shabby house.
Your land is already taking shape, and all that remains is to continue selecting and cultivating the right varieties.
"It smells like ash and fermenting plants... I don't like it very much."
"But Mr. Stepan said that this is also my responsibility. Only by doing what he said can I win everyone's respect and live a good life." [1]
Your expression suddenly became complicated, and you felt that you probably wouldn't get the answer you wanted this time.
The "aftermath" in the rift does not inherit memories.
The method that worked for the previous Hillier may not be suitable for the grown-up one—
Ah, she came out.
You hurriedly flashed over and pushed a box to block her.
"The power that trapped me...is approaching again." Xili'er didn't blame you, but looked a little frustrated. "My memory...is a little confused."
Before you could breathe a sigh of relief, Xilier looked at you doubtfully—
"Why...why don't you let me out?"
“…”
"Just now, when I suddenly felt that I could go out...why did I do this?"
"Because last time, you took the initiative and then disappeared." You answered honestly, "I want to know what you were thinking at the time."
Xili'er was a little confused. "Last time... I'm sorry, I don't quite understand. I... I'm not in a good state right now..."
"It's okay, just tell me what you think." You don't quite understand her. After all, this Hillary didn't seem to like your land at first, but she was still moved by these scenes.
"...Thank you, stranger."
Xilier looked at you for a moment, revealing a reserved smile. Soon, this smile flashed like a shadow in the clouds, and she vaguely described her thoughts and feelings to you...
“When you sang that song, to be honest, I didn’t understand some of the words in it, the big river, the shore, the white sails… but it reminded me of something.
The snowy plains seen from a height;
A lonely but bustling city;
bustling crowds;
…
There was also a warm fireplace with a flame that danced for a long, long time.
Whenever I think of this, the loneliness, the darkness, and the snow... don't seem so unbearable.
Mr. Stepan taught me a lot, and he was right about everything... He didn't force me to take those classes, but instead asked me to stick to one thing and do it well...
I can't remember what it was, but Mr. Stepan said that I didn't have to make hard choices on my own... I don't know, it seems like someone is always forcing me to think...
…
Abandon unrealistic expectations and strive for everything ourselves.
It doesn't matter if no one believes in me, and the rest of the voices are unimportant. I just need to do that one thing well.
"Just keep it, and everything will be fine." For some reason, Xilier thanked you again.
In the end, you didn't stop Shirley from walking towards your fields. She stepped out of the box that trapped her, and then the illusion of her gradually disappeared."
"You have obtained [Ancient Letter]."
"Before she disappeared, Shirley glanced back at you, and you vaguely sensed some changes. It seemed as if some connection had appeared, guiding you somewhere.
"That's [Eternal Winter Ridge], a front line once abandoned by the Silvermane Guard," said Doctor Vah.
The one thing she must protect...
What is that?
Then, the answer must be in Yongdong Ridge.
The side quest has reached the final stage, how can you resist?!
——You went to Everwinter Ridge.
The closer the road gets to the center, the stranger the aura becomes.
You saw a Rift Creature [Shadow of the Guardian] in the center of the platform. She was wandering here without any intention of attacking.
"Hold on..."
This is what Hillary must protect.
As usual, you stole Shirley and everything that had her aura. Sure enough, the aura returned to normal.
You can't help but sigh that what the Great Guardian is guarding is extraordinary, even you feel something strange.
Back at Happy Home, Dr. Wah's shabby little house, you put [Guardian Shadow Shirley] and the others in the same place as the previous two times.
"Shirley! There are no boxes this time, and I have brought back the things you were supposed to guard. Do you want to see my fields?" After you said this, I was suddenly a little touched.
——It wasn't easy! I almost got daggered by the knife. Luckily I was smart!
"...This city has abandoned me...I don't know if there is any point in doing this...Impas." Shirley shook her head blankly.
"Mr. Stepan said I don't need their understanding... But I'm not smart enough, strong enough, or independent enough... It's been a long time... I'm tired of it."
You slowly typed a question mark.
ah?
You made the voice of Cyril—
"I do not understand."
Xili'er just shook her head. "I'm sorry. I know you've put a lot of effort into helping me. You deserve an answer, but I don't want you to be involved in anything bad..."
"Please forgive me, this is for your own safety... Please forget me."[2]
You slowly reached out and pinched her [thing that had to be protected], "Ciriel, are you talking about this thing?"
“…”
"What is this?"
Dr. Wah also said he didn't know.
You waved your hand and the plowing machine happened to be missing a suitable part, so you put that thing in there.
In short, before Hillary explained everything to you, after your epiphany, you used "echo" as a clue to connect with her, fished her fate out of history, and projected it into reality with the help of the erosion of the rift.
After that, Dr. Wach kept persuading Hillier not to feel bad, saying that it was indeed very difficult to explain something to you clearly, so during this time, she could think about what she wanted to do.
...What?
What are you talking about?!
Xilier looked at him in confusion, "I don't understand."
Dr. Wah: ...
Yes, he has two such people around him.
What Hillary narrated was very fragmentary and difficult to understand. It was painful for her to tell it and it was also very painful for you to listen to it.
Of the three, only Dr. Wach understood both sides.
It's hard to imagine that even though we all speak the same language, we still need translation to communicate with each other."
"Obtained CG: Eliminate my mediocre and cold resentment"
Sitting up in shock from his dying illness!
Ming Chong immediately struggled to sit up from the symptoms of "simulated vertigo", his eyes bright and sharp.
"It's really not easy..." He was quite moved. While feeling dizzy, he was still feeling the language pollution of Shirley transmitted from the simulation.
I have to be more cautious with this new column in the future. It turned out that he was right to try this after two rounds!
After clicking it, it’s different from before. This is a personal cutscene——
"——What do I need to do to become a Great Guardian?
asked 11-year-old Hillier.
"Shirley, as long as you hold on to one thing, as long as you hold on to it, everything will be fine." Interior Minister Stepan replied with a gentle smile.
As the smile grew, time went back to Stepan's youth and the fragments of words he heard from the people around him.
——"The Great Guardian needs quiet, everyone please leave first..."
——"It seems that every Great Guardian is used to talking to himself!"
——"Don't talk nonsense about the honorable Great Guardian!"
…
This was a conspiracy that had been brewing since the reign of the Sixth Grand Guardian. A certain phrase from the ministers' discussion struck Stepan like a bolt of lightning.
All the great guardians in history have been women. If he wants to reach the highest position, what should he do?
The thunder kept lingering around him, which gave him a clue.
If the Great Guardian wasn't talking to herself, then who was talking to them? Or...what was it?
Stepan collected information calmly and eventually discovered the existence of the [Star Core] - a bewitching thing that lingered around the Great Guardian like a shadow.
The rest, Stepan did not care.
Just know this and use it to your advantage.
So, a few years after the seventh Grand Guardian took over, she passed away like a shooting star and died unexpectedly before she could find a successor.
While creating the accident, he used the [Star Core] to disrupt the Great Guardian Stepan's untraceable invisibility.
When the city builders selected Xilia, Stepan, who was worried about how to fight against the [Star Core], also smiled.
He didn't need to personally fight, he only needed to choose someone with low enough spirituality and dull enough aptitude. She wouldn't understand the [Star Core's] deception, nor would she pose a threat to him...
…
He taught Hillary very well. Apart from her poor governance skills, no one could be a better mascot than her, who was incompetent but kind and upright.
What's more, Hillary trusted him very much.
This was as it should be. After all, what Stepan taught her were indeed quite correct.
Stepan is not a short-sighted person. Only in this way can Shirley, who is controversial in the outside world, often self-doubting, and occasionally disturbed by the [Star Core], get closer to him.
…
Unfortunately, Stepan's ability and character could not support his ambition. He could not tolerate any voice different from his own. After coming to power, he eliminated dissidents on a large scale.
He explained this to Hillier:
"Only when everyone in Beloberg speaks with one voice can we unite as one and gain a stronger and more united force to fight against those monsters and the cold wave."
In the fourteenth year of Cialis's tenure as Grand Guardian, Stepan gradually realized the hidden danger. So he decisively gave up Cialis and the power he held, waiting for the resistance group to eliminate the Grand Guardian...
After this, they had no reason to continue the mutiny. After all, the most honorable Grand Guardian had already given them an explanation.
As for Xili'er, who fell in the Far North, trapped in the arms box, trapped in the small room facing the [Star Core] alone, trapped in a high position—
It doesn't matter.
Although it was a bit regrettable, Stepan did think so.
…
The cold wind was howling, and little Shirley stood on a tall building, overlooking the only city in the snowy plain.
—If my sister were here, what would she do? What would she say?
But soon, such thoughts were covered up again.
—Luckily, Mr. Stepan is here, otherwise I don’t know what to do... But do I really have special talents?
Stepan always cared about her inner thoughts, which made Shirley very happy. Although when she first became the Great Guardian, she seemed to hear someone talking in her ears, it was too vague and she could not understand it at all.
However, Stepan was very happy to hear this.
At the same time, this was the task Mr. Stepan had assigned to her, something only she could do, and do well.
Stepan said that this is what Shirley has to face and protect, so that everyone can live a good life...
This is also a very dangerous thing, something that all great guardians of all generations have had to fight against.
So, no matter what others say or what they say, she doesn't have to care. It doesn't matter. She just needs to believe in Stepan and leave everything else to Stepan.
…Just hold on to it and everything will be fine.
Shirley believed this and worked hard for it. Later, she didn't tell Mr. Stepan that as she grew older, the sound of that thing became clearer and louder...
She didn't tell Stepan because it was the only thing she needed to do.
Because she could not forget the first time she saw——
The only city on this snowy plain.
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