"Do you know my mother?" Lin Yuan asked.
"Of course, didn't anyone tell you? Your mother has royal blood." The Queen smiled and replied, "I have seen her many times. Your mother, Lin Lan'er, is a beautiful and powerful person. I like that child very much."
Lin Yuan was a little surprised. She had rarely heard people mention her parents since she was a child. This was the first time she knew that her family had bloodline connected to the queen.
In fact, her family could own a large estate near the White Pagoda, so they must be a wealthy or noble family, or at least they were once prominent. But for some reason, Lin Yuan had never met any relatives from either of her parents' families.
It was as if all her relatives had died and she was the only one left in this world.
She had lived in the White Tower since she was a child, and almost no one had ever visited her. Apart from Roy, her mother's former colleague, almost no one had ever mentioned their parents to her.
The queen came down from the throne, took Lin Yuan's hand, and led her to walk in the spacious and magnificent palace. While walking, she talked to Lin Yuan about her mother.
Her hands are soft, her movements are graceful, and her eyes are gentle behind the white veil, making people feel friendly and comfortable.
"When Lin Lan'er was your age, she often came to my place to play. I used to hold her hand like this." The Queen looked at Lin Yuan and spoke. The tentacles caught a hint of sadness and nostalgia in her emotions. "You are very similar to your mother."
"Really? I look like my mom?"
Lin Yuan feels that she is not very similar to her mother.
She had seen photos of her mother. Her mother was a tall, strong and cheerful woman with a high ponytail, a pair of legs that could run very fast, and she loved to laugh. She showed a bright smile in every photo.
It seems like we are not of the same type from the inside out.
The Queen looked at her with a gentle smile, as if she knew what she was thinking.
"Your mother, Lin Lan'er, is a strong and intelligent girl who has her own opinions and clear understanding of everything. Although you are the guide, your personalities are almost the same."
Lin Yuan felt a surge of joy in her heart. It turned out that her mother was a very good person. For some reason, her emotions seemed to fluctuate more here than usual.
"I heard that you broke off the engagement with your fiancé, applied to go to the Special Research Department, visited many contaminated areas, and even solved the golden tree contamination area?" asked the queen.
Lin Yuan hummed.
"I should thank you. It has been many years since humans have won the battle against the contaminated area and taken back the land from the contaminated area." The queen held her hand and smiled, "You are worthy of being your mother's child."
Lin Yuan doesn't quite remember what her mother looks like. What kind of person is her mother?
She was too young at the time. She only vaguely remembers her mother's warm embrace and her gentle hands. She wanted to hear more about her mother from people who knew her.
She followed the queen unconsciously. She felt relaxed when such a beautiful and elegant lady held her hand, and she felt a desire to be close to her.
It seemed as if he wanted to listen to her more, be closer to her, and be led by her like this and keep going.
No wonder so many people like His Majesty.
She really looks elegant and gentle, like the embodiment of all the beauty in the world, like a mother.
She followed the queen to a rectangular window.
The entire huge white tower has a smooth porcelain white exterior wall. It is pure white and dense in texture, like an ivory tower without any windows.
But I didn't expect that in such a high place, near the top, there is such a small square window.
The queen took Lin Yuan to look out of the window together.
The terrain here is very high, and through the thin clouds, you can overlook the entire capital of the empire. From here, you can see all the small houses, roads, rivers and the city walls in the distance.
Clustered closely around the White Tower is a group of magnificent buildings with green tiles and red walls in bright colors. But it is only a small area.
Further away, the residential buildings began to become dilapidated, dense, and messy, with a gray color spreading into the distance.
Standing here, one can clearly see the holy light emanating from the top of the White Tower. The light of light spreads from the top of the tower, like a hemispherical bowl upside down on the ground, enveloping the entire capital of the empire.
The pedestrians coming and going on the streets like ants and the countless densely packed houses on the earth are all protected by this protective screen of holy light.
Humans gather around the White Tower, crowded under the protection of the holy light, and live hard in this twisted world full of dangers.
The wind blew in from the small window, slightly lifting the queen's veil, revealing her fair jaw and beautiful lips.
"Human life is becoming increasingly difficult. Now we can only rely on the White Tower to survive in this world." The thin lips sighed softly, "Sometimes I am a little confused. I don't know if the path we are taking is correct, and whether we can move towards a more distant future."
That sigh was full of worry, heaviness, sadness and the hardship of shouldering a heavy responsibility.
These emotions are so strong and so contagious.
If it were someone else, he would have kneeled down on one knee and sworn allegiance to the Majesty who is concerned about the fate of mankind.
Yes? She said she was willing to go through fire and water for her, and to dedicate everything to saving the precarious fate of all mankind.
Fortunately, Lin Yuan is a person with minimal emotional fluctuations.
She just sighed softly - this was already not easy for her.
The Queen stood by the window, holding her hand gently, her gesture relaxed and casual, "I just wanted to ask you, did you bring out any golden tree trunks from the golden tree contaminated area?"
In such a relaxed atmosphere, Lin Yuan wanted to answer as soon as he opened his mouth.
At that moment something clicked in her mind.
【I can’t say.】
She looked inward at her own spiritual vision and saw a bright and clear full moon in the sky amidst the vast expanse of the sky.
Lin Yuan was a little dazed, with his brain covered by a layer of fog, but he suddenly woke up.
Right? How can I say that? Otherwise, Xunhua will be in danger.
Lin Yuan broke out in a cold sweat on his back.
In her own mental picture, she vaguely saw her own spiritual body.
The deep-sea monster's clear yellow eyes appeared from the gaps between its tentacles, gazing at the myriad stars in the sky, as if confronting some powerful force in the distance.
Deep in the starry sky, in a place that could not be seen or touched, someone was watching her faintly.
"The golden tree completely withered after the pollution zone dissipated. Not a single leaf was left," said Lin Yuan.
She was still holding the queen's hand, but the skin of her palm was cold, not as warm as she had just imagined.
In a sense, Lin Yuan's answer was true. At least in her own mood, she did not realize that she was lying.
The eyes that were watching her from the distant void could not find any flaws in her spirit.
The queen, wearing a pure white crown and a white veil, stood by the window where the breeze was blowing. She was gentle, beautiful, pure and spotless.
She stared at Lin Yuan for a long time before she seemed satisfied with her answer.
"I heard that you also went to Contaminated Area No. 5." She spoke softly and slowly. "That was the first contaminated area you went to. Did you bring anything back from there?"
Lin Yuan complained to her that she had worked so hard to find many ancient energy stones of inestimable value, but they were snatched away by a group of crude and barbaric sentinels. That group of people were sentinels from Kyoto.
"Those are people from the Public Security Department. The sentry leading the team is called Tan Shu." Lin Yuan reported to the highest leader of the Empire. "I reported this incident after I came back. Roy, the head of our Special Research Department, promised to seek justice for me later. He didn't even get back the last Imperial coin."
The Queen finally laughed. "It's too dangerous for a guide like you to go to the contaminated area. You should be equipped with a powerful sentinel."
She showed a nostalgic look and said softly, "In the past, there were many sentinels and guides like this."
Finally, the Queen summoned Luther from the Royal Guard and ordered him to assign guards to Lin Yuan when he entered the contaminated area.
Lin Yuan didn't want a dedicated sentinel.
But she was still very happy. At least Her Majesty the Queen of the Empire did not object to her guiding people in and out of the contaminated area, and expressed support for her actions.
She thought that it would be much more convenient for her to continue entering and exiting the contaminated area in the future.
"I'm curious, which contaminated area are you going to go to next time?" Before parting, the queen asked Lin Yuan.
"I haven't thought about it yet? Okay." Lin Yuan said.
At this moment, when she was ready to leave and most relaxed, she could clearly feel the intense gaze.
Somewhere, there was a powerful spiritual being, staring at her with burning eyes.
Torturing her mental state to see if there was even the slightest lie in her answers.
Even if she showed the slightest sign of hesitation or panic, the other party would notice it.
But she really hadn't made up her mind yet, and didn't know where to go. Her emotions were sincere, frank and fearless.
"So you didn't know yet?" The queen stretched out her fingers and gently pressed her hair.
"Well, let me give you a suggestion. If you are willing, you can consider going to Contaminated Area 338. It is a very old contaminated area with many secrets worth exploring."
陛下的建議，也等同于命令和指派。
林苑點頭答應了。
路德陪她離開的路上，詢問林苑，“你知道338號污染區？”
林苑搖搖頭，污染區那麽多，她并不知道每一個污染區的情況。
“那是無?瞳之地，黑暗的地下城，沒有眼睛的世界。”路德嘆息一聲，“陛下怎麽會派遣你這樣的向導去那個地方。”
無?瞳之地。
林苑把這個詞在心中過了一遍。
想?起了在沉船的木盒上看見過的啓示。黃金樹的圖案之後，地圖銜接着一枚瞎了的眼睛圖騰。
無?瞳之地，沒有眼睛的世界。
338號污染區難道就是自己準備前去探索的地方？
“陛下那樣仁慈的人，所?做的決定一定有自己的深意?。”路德在胸前比劃了一個忏悔的手勢，“走吧，跟我去皇家警衛隊裏給你挑選幾個厲害點的家夥。”
林苑不想?要專屬哨兵，也不太想?和別人組隊。
但陛下雖然溫和，她的命令卻?是不容質疑的。路德會為她堅決執行。
路德帶着林苑乘坐電梯往下走，去往在皇家衛隊的駐紮的樓層。
要在那些哨兵中為她選拔出一名适合的人選。
“你想?要什麽樣的哨兵？”路德問她。
“什麽樣的？”林苑想?了想?，“共同行動的話，當然要最強的哨兵。”
……
皇家警衛隊的駐地設在白塔內部，獨立占據了整層的空間。
這裏擁有最頂尖的高科技訓練設備和豪華的訓練場所?。
今天的訓練場有些熱鬧，很多人都向一個地方湧去，似乎有什麽事情在發生。
“聽說要給一個向導選護衛，保護她進污染區。”一個哨兵和自己身邊的夥伴說。
“我們皇家衛隊的人居然淪落到這種地步嗎，誰要給一個向導當保镖啊。”同行的夥伴不滿地說道。
這兩個哨兵走到登記入選名單的登記處，看着登記用的電子屏幕議論。
周圍看熱鬧的人不少，入場登記的卻?不多。
聽說需要保護的既不是王室成員也不是貴族，只是一個無?根無?基普通向導。
還需要去污染區那樣危險的地方，大多人都不太樂意?，不少人是抱着看熱鬧的心态來的。
“好像是之前傳說的那位。打開黃金樹的向導。”
“我也聽說過那個人，一個向導居然敢進出污染區，那得彪悍到什麽地步？”
“這樣的向導估計沒有哨兵敢要吧。我估計她永遠配對?不出去。”
“就是，長得肯定很吓人，大概像鐵臂猩猩那樣的。反正我是不去。”
兩人這樣說着話，一個哨兵推開他?們從身邊走過。
那位哨兵的一只手臂沒了，安裝上了仿生機械臂。他?舉起機器手臂上的個人終端，在報名的電子感應屏上刷了一下，發出滴的一聲。
“報名成功，歡迎雲洛士官。”電子屏幕的機械音響起。
“雲隊？”
“是雲洛？他?不是死在黃金樹污染區裏了嗎？”
“他?陷在污染區裏面好幾個月，大家都以為他?死了。想?不到這次污染區崩塌的時候，他?竟然還活着，掙紮着出來了。”
“他?居然敢報名這個，才差點死在污染區裏，還斷了一只手，一點都不怕嗎？那可是要去無?瞳之地。”
周邊議論紛紛，雲洛刷完報名卡，回頭看了身後那兩人一眼。
“只有弱者才會畏懼別人的強大。”電子屏幕的藍光映在他?消瘦冷毅的臉龐上，“真正的強者永遠會被強大的人吸引。”
他?動了動肘關節，機械手指伸縮握了一下拳頭，向着選拔場地的入口走去。
等他?走後不久，又來了一位哨兵，那人蓄了一臉的絡腮胡子，是皇家警衛隊中出了名的強人，他?也伸手在屏幕上刷了一下個人終端。
“聽說雲洛那家夥換了機械手臂以後更厲害了，老子找他?練練。哈哈，倒不是為了什麽向導。”
下一個報名的是剛剛參加過黃金樹污染區特別行動的成員，他?沒有找補什麽理由，十分直接了當。
“我就是沖林向導去的。都別和我搶。”
陸陸續續，一個又一個的哨兵走上前來，刷了個人信息入場。
報名的人依舊不算多。但像雲洛剛剛說的，無?一不是皇家警衛隊中真正的強者。
他?們中有一部分是參與過黃金樹污染區行動的成員。更多的人根本?沒見過林苑。
一位敢在污染區進出的向導。
也許那些穿着哨兵制服，卻?一輩子只待在安全後方的貴族子弟們不明白。
但真正時常深入險地，在污染區內浴血奮戰的強者們心中敏銳地意?識到，這意?味着什麽。
一位可以成為夥伴，并肩進入污染區，随時為哨兵提供幫助的，珍稀向導。
他?們很願意?接觸一下這位傳奇向導，和她成為朋友。
“不是吧，還真有這麽多人報名。”最開始說話的那位哨兵用手肘捅了捅身邊的同伴，“一個連畸變種都不怕的暴力向導，整天和哨兵混在一起，還有這麽多人想?認識。”
他?的手捅了個空，他?發現?自己的同伴不知道什麽時候擠到了屏幕前，也刷了自己的身份信息。
紀宣和倪霁從白塔高層坐電梯回來，發現?了警衛隊訓練場上的熱鬧。
“這是怎麽了？”紀宣拉住匆匆跑過的一位哨兵詢問。
“選拔呢。”那位哨兵氣喘籲籲地說，“路德長官組織的，要比試出最強哨兵。我們都趕着去觀戰。”
聽說了事情的原委之後，紀宣帶着倪霁一起去選拔場地旁觀。
“338號污染區，無?瞳之地。”紀宣微微皺眉，他?想?起財務大臣不久前說過的話，
“那麽巧，陛下竟然真的派向導去探索那個地方，還讓老路給她選一位哨兵做搭檔。”
選拔的場地是平時哨兵們訓練用的一處演武場。
圓形的巨大場地有限制能量過載的護欄，四周圍有高高的看臺。可以讓比試的哨兵随意?發揮。
紀宣領着倪霁出現?在看臺上，看見場地上兩個哨兵的比試已經進入到白熱化階段。
圍觀的哨兵很多，準備參賽的哨兵也越來越多。
就在時，對?面的看臺高處，皇家警衛隊的長官路德領着一位少女?出現?在那裏。
那女?孩穿着一身純白的向導制服，整了整裙子，施施然在看臺的座椅上坐下。
并不像傳說中那樣五大三粗，猿臂蜂腰，鐵塔般的造型。
她幾乎和所?有正常的向導差不多，蓮臉嫩，體?纖纖，美?麗動人。
但她又完全不像一個普通的向導。
哨兵們相信，如?果?換向導學院的任何一個向導站在這裏，被這麽多哨兵的目光齊刷刷地注視，必定要漲紅面孔，羞澀不安的。
在這個世界，從來都是貴族的哨兵挑選從學院中畢業的向導。
向導們是被挑選的對?象。
等待，羞澀，不能主動，不應該随便接觸哨兵，是這個世界給向導貼上的标簽。
但少女?迎着所?有人的目光出現?，她站在高處，雙手撐着欄杆，俯視着為她而戰鬥的哨兵，神?色平靜而坦蕩。
她的神?色仿佛在告訴所?有人，這是正常的一件事，她是強大的向導，有資格選擇這裏最強的哨兵做自己的搭檔。
她站在高高的看臺，微風吹動她雪白的裙擺，身材纖細，神?色清冷。
無?懼，嚣張，冷靜，強大。
那樣的氣質無?法僞裝，是屬于戰士的氣場。
面對?着可怕的畸變生物，打開了封閉四百污染區的強大向導。
她是在戰場上染過血，歷經過生死，開出來的明豔之花。
不是溫室裏柔弱的裝飾品。
她站在那高臺上，凝目審視，挑選自己的專屬哨兵，戰鬥夥伴。
她說她要這裏最強的哨兵。
倪霁站在看臺上，擡頭凝望那個身影。在這一刻，所?有人的視線都落在那位着一襲白裙的向導身上。
“她很有魅力。”紀宣對?身邊的倪霁說，“對?了，你應該見過她。我聽說她在污染區內拿到了鑰匙後交給了路過的你。”
他?看見身邊的哨兵将目光從遠方的看臺上收了回來。輕輕給他?了一個肯定的答複。
紀宣在一瞬間覺得自己錯過了什麽。
四周的喧鬧聲很大。
倪霁轉過頭來，眸光有一點亮，神?色沉穩，情緒內斂。
“怎麽樣？你對?這個任務有沒有興趣？”紀宣笑着問他?，“你想?不想?接觸一下，女?王派遣出來的這位向導到底是一個怎麽樣的人？”
“如?果?是副官您希望我去的話。”倪霁不緊不慢地說，聲音很穩。
他?的目光落在演武場上，看着那兩個比賽中的哨兵，面如?平湖，不為所?動。看不出有多少特別的興趣，也沒有表現?得過度關注。
只是在等待紀宣指派任務。
The sentinels on the training ground fought to a critical point, summoning their own spirits and bodies, and gluing themselves together.
Ji Xuan thought for a while.
He was very curious about this guide and wanted to know what the queen wanted from the contaminated area No. 338. Ni Ji was the most suitable person.
But he had an illusion. He always felt that Ni Ji suddenly turned into a fully armed warrior in front of him, guarding all his emotions perfectly.
"Then you should go and take part in this selection. Just do your best and try to stay with this guide and enter the contaminated area together." Finally, Ji Xuan instructed Ni Ji.