Chapter 191 Elegy in the Dark Night
The large steel-gray aircraft flew across the bright sky and rushed forward. The tiny flames caused by the friction between the shell and the air were like orange-red mist spreading in the sky. With a sharp whistle, it flashed and disappeared at the end of the field of vision.
'The aircraft has arrived above the North Fourth District. The current coordinates are 28°25'N 52°18'E. It is expected to arrive at the destination in 23 minutes and 28 seconds.'
The mechanical broadcast sound in the cabin echoed, and the students in the seats began to check their protective clothing and equipment. Each protective clothing has an integrated chip electronic component close to the chest, which will continuously collect the wearer's vital signs and provide feedback and reminders.
In the aisle, N, who had already been fully armed, checked back and forth, and stopped only after confirming that everyone was fully dressed and ready.
"This trip to the north may be the first time for many of you to carry out a mission. I think as a teacher, I need to tell you a few rules."
"First of all, although the Federation is powerful, not every corner is under its protection. The North District 2 and North District 9, where you are going this time, are more obvious examples."
"The North District 9 still has simple subordinate organizations that can maintain the stability of important nodes in the region, but the North District 2 is not. Many years ago, the Federation announced that it would evacuate the residents there, but even now there are still many original residents who have not left. Their identities are awkward. Although the Federation does not reject them, it does not fully recognize them."
"In these areas where there are no various surveillance records and no riot control units are deployed to maintain stability, public security is not as stable as where you lived before. Various conflicts may occur, especially on the deserted wild roads for hundreds of miles. Even if a murder occurs, it is extremely difficult to detect."
"At night, you need to be more cautious. Any living place provided by others must be strictly examined and remain suspicious and vigilant."
"Although the environment is harsh and challenging for you rookies, the mission objective is not difficult. You need to complete the instructions issued by the Planetary Environmental Governance Committee, including sampling at the 683 nodes shown on the map, and recording the plants, animals, and various special phenomena found along the way, etc. This will provide help and guidance for the future governance of the deterioration of the entire planet's environment."
"Okay, that's all I have to say. I will assist you as a driver along the way, but unless you encounter extreme danger, I will not help you. You have to solve all problems by yourself."
"Next, time is almost up. I wish you all a safe journey."
Soon after he finished speaking, as the students in the cabin gradually became nervous, the aircraft began to descend in altitude, and the body under their feet also vibrated, which further increased the students' adrenaline.
The whistling sound crossed the gray sky, and the large steel-gray aircraft swept through the atmosphere and dived towards the ground full of Gobi gravel. As the jet nozzle reversed and slowed down, the aircraft slowly stopped, slowly descended to the ground in the downward wake jet, and finally landed completely.
The door at the rear of the cabin opened, and a large truck three people high drove out. Then the door of the aircraft slowly closed, and then it climbed vertically again. After reaching the appropriate height, it gradually rose to the sky and disappeared at the end of the gray sky.
"Is this the North Second District? It's so desolate." Allen walked out of the protective suit with a white background and orange squares, looked up at the sky and the surroundings, and sighed.
After that, the other members also walked down from the side door of the truck, and stepped on the hard and uncomfortable ground, which was quite novel.
The entire ground was made of gravel, coarse sand, and hard soil. The whole ground was gray and there was no green.
Under the corrosion of the poisonous rain, the entire North Second District was like this. The original vegetation had long disappeared, and without the fixation of plants, the land gradually became desertified and desertified, becoming what it is today.
"Do you need to wear a respirator? The air feels a bit dry." Dolores walked down the escalator on the side of the truck, and covered her mouth and nose with her other hand.
Although she couldn't wear a complicated and decent dress like before, her black hair still highlighted her beauty. In fact, as the eldest daughter of the Incense Workshop, she didn't have to participate in such an event, but because it was Tilan who suggested it, she followed along.
"Respiratory masks are optional. As long as we stay outdoors during the rainy season, the weak toxins in the air are not enough to kill us. Besides, we won't stay there for long." Phyllis took the air detector to record the surrounding situation and then commented.
"You elves don't look so spoiled." Another club member with short wine-red hair came out. He leaned against the tire of a truck and poured a soda drink into his mouth.
"Is everyone out?" Finally, a familiar voice sounded on the truck and jumped off.
Wearing white trousers and a jacket with orange edges, Tilan looked very capable and light, and her eyes and voice were still so moving.
"They should all be out." The people present counted each other.
There are 12 people coming this time, all members of the Dusk Band. The girls are Tilan, Dolores, Ruby, Avni, and Iyepel, and the boys are Valk, Allen, Jinsenk, Phyllis, Guro, Ximu, and Shelian.
Allen, Phyllis, and Iyepel are all elves. They knew each other before, and two of them joined the club through Allen's introduction.
Guro, Ximu, and Shelian were met by Tilan during the gun training. Later, they were impressed by the black-haired girl in the swordsmanship competition, so they also joined the club under Allen's encouragement.
"The inventory is complete, everyone is here." Ximu reported to the black-haired girl in the middle.
"Then let's start the first sampling. This is the first sampling point in the mission map. We need to collect the surrounding soil and a small amount of air to test various environmental indexes."
"No problem." Although it sounds complicated, because the equipment and auxiliary AI have been adjusted, they only need to simply arrange it and then gather it.
"I didn't expect that someone like me would actually have to work in person." Jin Senke wore round-frame sunglasses, unbuttoned his protective suit, revealing the T-shirt underneath. He carried a silver box in one hand and walked to an open space not far away, his voice lazily.
"Do you want my help?" Valk came from behind carrying a heavier black steel box.
"Hey, big guy, you're just in time, I really need a helper." Jin Senke felt relieved when he saw Valk coming.
After that, with Valk's assistance, the two took out the instruments in the box and set them up, and then sat not far away to chat and wait.
The spherical instrument on the tripod was surrounded by circles of circular tracks, which kept rotating, emitting ripples that spread to the surroundings, and then automatically stored the collected information.
The whole sampling process took no more than 15 minutes, and the members present soon completed the collection.
"Then, it's time to go to the next target." N greeted the trainees who had just come down to the field.
"I thought I could stay a little longer." Ruby covered her sunglasses and looked at the sky in the distance, trying to find something different.
"Haha, don't worry, this journey will never be dull. I will evaluate it as a former senior operator." Sitting in the driver's seat of the truck, N laughed.
After returning to the top, some of the 12 members leaned against the window to look at the unchanging scenery in the wilderness, some closed their eyes to listen to music, some prepared to sleep, and some held their personal terminals to play recreational games.
The first day was normal during the day. N drove the truck to the second sampling point to complete the sampling. After that, it was already night when they arrived at the third sampling point, and everyone prepared to camp here.
The tent was moved from the car and assembled, and then 6 small sentry self-discipline units were arranged. Then two members took a rest in advance to prepare for the night watch, and the rest of the members gathered around the campfire to prepare dinner.
Although they were all club members before, they gradually showed differences when eating and preparing food together. Some people were lazy, some liked to tinker, some liked strong flavors, and some preferred light food.
Next to the campfire, Ruby was taking selfies from various angles with her personal terminal. The personal terminal in her hand could unfold four floating patches, allowing it to fly slowly and take aerial photos.
On the dark ground, an orange bonfire was lit, and several people gathered around it, creating a special atmosphere under the starry sky.
Allen and Phyllis were slowly turning over the baked apples on the wire mesh. The two talked about the environment and recent situation of the North Second District. Iyepel was directing Gu Luo, and Ximu helped him to deal with the ingredients. Jinsenke was sitting on a high stone playing games, and various sounds could be heard from time to time. Valk was following N to carry and arrange equipment, listening to him teach camping skills. Shelian had not gotten off the car yet, and was resting in advance. Avni was sitting by the fire with headphones on, looking through the record board in her hand, and occasionally in a daze. Tilan and Dolores were walking on the edge of the camp, talking about some past events.
"It's a bit cold at night." Dolores stamped her feet, feeling that her breath was white.
"It's only the end of February, and spring hasn't arrived in the north yet." The black-haired girl stood aside and looked at the stars.
"In the night of South District 1, the lights are very bright, and the stars are almost invisible. It seems that I saw such a galaxy at night when I went to the forest of South District 5 for a tour two years ago." Dolores also stopped.
"Why did Tilan think of coming to North District 2? When I told my father that I wanted to join the club, he seemed reluctant, and then asked me to prepare a lot of things before he reluctantly agreed." "
It is precisely because I know something that I want to bring everyone here to see." The two found a stone to sit down. The night wind blew from the wilderness from time to time, blowing up the hem of the clothes and hair, making the trouser legs stick to the legs, feeling a little cold.
"Maybe it's because of my childhood and some past experiences that are always hard to forget. Although I live in the prosperous South District 1 Academy now, I still want to change something." Putting her hands under her legs, she gently shook her feet and talked about some past events.
"Living in a city deep underground, I can't see the real starry sky all year round. Because of my personality, I was very timid and inferior at that time..." As she spoke, the girl slowly raised her head and looked at the vast nebula in the distant night sky.
"People are really small, smaller than a speck of dust, but we are immersed in the small world around us and often ignore this point. Life is also a very fragile and perishable thing... When I gradually understand this, the narrow emotions that existed in my heart will slowly disappear."
"I don't know how to teach you this feeling, but I also want to tell you that the world is not just the prosperous city in the South District." After saying this, she suddenly had a faint urge, that is, the urge to vent the thoughts and emotions in her heart.
So, the soft and slightly sad song sounded in the dark night.
"Seeing in that gentleness"
"The fact that we are not strong"
...
"Gentleness has been slowly"
"Melting in the glass"
"Tossing and turning but unable to control"
The girl closed her eyes lightly, her voice was gentle, but so fragile, and dots of fluorescence emerged under the dark night. They swayed in the cold wind, like candles that could go out at any time, and then these fireflies circled, showing the outline and shape of the wind in the dark night, and slowly drifted away.
...
"This world is not so beautiful"
"Always following the twisted system" "
But can't deceive the voice coming from the heart" "
Because there is still gentleness in the heart"
"Weakness can continue to survive"
The singing spread like ripples, spreading to the distance in the wind of the night, and the world seemed to be quiet here. Unknowingly, the people around the campfire in the distance also stopped talking, listening to the distant singing in their ears, and the whole person gradually immersed in this rising vast galaxy, only the lonely singing was still singing.
…
『What are you still hating now』
『If you can still move forward, then set off along the track you are looking forward to』
『Cold stars in the night sky』
『Please illuminate these pains and hold them in your arms』
『Even if this overflowing sadness is endless』
『It will also change and usher in the time of shining』
Although it was the first time to sing, but this cold song seemed to have endless sadness and tenderness, it was as if standing in front of the planet of death and destruction, recalling the sad moments frozen in history, making people cry.
After a long time, the singing slowly stopped, and the cold fireflies flying all over the sky also dissipated in the night sky. The whole world returned to darkness and silence. Slowly, the girl sitting on the stone opened her eyes, looked up at the vast galaxy above her head that had not changed for hundreds of millions of years, and stood up.
Although the slender figure was still so small, the back figure in the dark night was so unforgettable, lonely, sad, fragile yet tough, unshakable. She was obviously just a girl of the same age as himself, but he had the urge to look up to her. It was
really scary. N looked at the back figure of the girl in the distance, touched the remaining water marks on his cheek with his hand, and felt an indescribable shock in his heart. He was not like those children who were not well-versed in the world. He was also a senior operator who fought his way out of the underground world. His mind had long been cold and tough. Now, he was so emotional that he cried just because of a song. This simply impacted his reason and cognition.
He was not a sentimental person. However, if it was not because of him, then the girl in the distance in front of him was not an ordinary person. If she actually had such a talent, did it mean... Thinking of this, N suddenly realized something, as if everything suddenly became clear.
Why is this girl so valued by the board of directors? Is it just because of her high fighting talent? Why was she designated as the successor to the next student council president in her first year? Why was her proposal so easily approved by the upper echelons of the academy? All of a sudden, everything had an answer.
Leaning against the truck at the edge of the camp, N took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, put it in his mouth, breathed slowly, and calmed the surging thoughts and
cognitions in his heart. Sure enough, not long after, the personal terminal in his pocket rang, and a confidentiality agreement sent by the board of directors was asked for him to sign. "This is really an extraordinary student." As he said, he pressed his thumb on it and entered the key in his identity chip to confirm the agreement.
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(End of this chapter)
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