Light grey clouds loomed low, almost close to the protective gel layer, and water vapor continued to gather, brewing a thunderstorm.
The first drop of rain may fall in the next second, or it may take a long time.
Chen Nian gracefully ducked into the car and sat down where no one was noticing.
He closed the car door. Shafley, who was wearing a black suit, looked at Chen Nian and asked, "How was your first class?"
"It's OK. I did a little test."
"What was the result?"
"I passed." Chen Nian was quite satisfied. At least most of the blanks he filled in were correct. The full score was 150, so 96 was not bad.
His clever brain had not betrayed him yet, and although he had forgotten what he had learned previously, he could remember part of it after just a quick glance at the questions.
Although Chu Xun was stunned for a while when he saw the test paper, it was obviously not that bad! No! He hadn't read a book for seven or eight months, so it was already very good to get such a good score!
When Shafley saw his expression, he knew that if Chen Nian did well in the exam, he would definitely show off, but he only said that he passed, which was just a passing shot.
Chen Nian is as smart as Chen Ci, but he uses his intelligence elsewhere. If Chen Nian is willing to calm down and study hard, he may not be worse than Chen Ci.
Shafley was silent for two seconds, holding back his embarrassment, and asked again, "Where is the new teacher?"
Chen Nian said cheerfully, "He's quite good. He's an honest and cultured man. Although he's not very handsome, he's surprisingly good after looking at him for a while."
When Shafley heard the answer, he felt a little heartbroken.
Chen Nian patted his shoulder trustingly and said, "You have a pretty good eye. It just so happens that I haven't had an Alpha of this type around me yet, and now I have one. If you see other suitable candidates in the future, remember to recommend them to me."
Shafley: …………
Shaflay didn't know why he suddenly felt like vomiting blood.
His stomach started to hurt again, even though he had never had similar symptoms before.
Completing the Alpha types that have never been seen, is Chen Nian collecting stamps?
The eldest prince's face wrinkled up. Chen Nian noticed his distorted expression and asked concernedly, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
"It's okay, but my stomach hurts a little." Shafulai took a deep breath and forced himself to suppress the discomfort.
Chen Nian kindly handed over the cup of water: "Drink more hot water."
He returned to him exactly what Shaffley had said a month ago.
It was at this moment that Shafley realized that this normal comfort and advice was actually quite speechless.
If he hadn't experienced it himself, he might never have realized it in his lifetime.
"...Thank you." Shafley took the cup and took two sips.
The warm water flows through the esophagus and into the stomach, quickly making it feel much better.
"How long will it take to get there?" Chen Nian asked.
Schaffrey: “About 40 minutes.”
Today is Monday, and also the anniversary of the death of Marshal Chen Weiyuan. He and Chen Nianjiang will go to the Veterans Affairs Institute to pay tribute to the marshal.
Shafulai had long known that Chen Nian had no feelings for his father whom he had never met. The boy who grew up in the dungeon seemed sentimental, but in fact he was the most ruthless one.
Many of Chen Nian's actions were done for "fun". Seeing many talented people being played around in his hands gave Chen Nian a sense of accomplishment and happiness.
What the aristocratic circle lacks the least is all kinds of socialites. Shable knows so many that he can't even count them on two hands. Omegas exude their charm, wandering among the powerful and wealthy, selling their youth and beauty, clinging to others like dodders in exchange for wealth and glory.
But Chen's thoughts are different.
He didn't expect the ambiguous relationship to bring him any benefits. To Chen Nian, it was just a way to kill time.
Although Shafla could not understand it, he could feel it.
In this world, has Chen Nian ever been sincere to anyone? Even a little bit.
Shafulai specifically reminded: "After all, it is a worship ceremony, so you must be careful and restrained. He is your father."
"I know..." Chen Nian deliberately dragged out his words, "Do you think I'm so unreliable? I'm also very good at reading people's expressions, okay?"
Shafley: “Just a reminder.”
Shafley took the bouquet beside him and handed it to Chen Nian:
"Let's go to the Marshal's tomb and give him flowers first. It will take about ten minutes. You can tell him anything you want to say. After that, we will go to the Veterans' Court together. I will take you to see the Marshal's former residence."
Chen Nian exclaimed: "Did father live in the Veterans' Home before?"
Schaffrey: "The hospital is a place for disabled soldiers to recuperate. The marshal was injured in his left leg during the Battle of the Greater Caucasus Ridge and was recuperated here."
Chen Nian understood that it was normal for soldiers to be injured in war. He looked down at the bouquet in his arms. The fiery red kapok flowers seemed fearlessly stained with boiling blood, sandwiched between two or three white carnations.
He is not only a hero to all mankind, but also his father.
He closed his eyes and sniffed, a faint fragrance lingering in the air.
Two small raindrops appeared on the car window.
It was still Shafley who got out of the car first. He went around to the other side and opened the door for Chen Nian.
Chen Nian got out of the car holding a bouquet of flowers. The bright red hibiscus became the brightest color in this gloomy world.
The princess, dressed in pure white, entered the Court of Honor, accompanied by the eldest prince, passed through the building hall, and entered the cemetery at the back.
The rain fell on Chen Nian's head and shoulders. Shafulai held up a black umbrella and covered their heads.
Chen Nian walked on the main road of the cemetery and couldn't help but look at the numerous black tombstones beside him. Each name carved on them was once a living being. They died from the toxins or sharp teeth of primitive creatures, but many more remained in the sea forever, and their corpses became food.
Shafley led Chen Nian around a corner, and they entered the path and stopped in front of the sixth tomb.
There were only two simple words "Chen Wei" written on the black stone tablet.
Compared with the Marshal's many achievements during his lifetime, it is really too simple.
But this was Chen Wei's own arrangement. From the day he graduated from the military academy, he wrote in his diary that if he died, there would be nothing written on the tombstone except his name.
Chen Nian squatted down and placed the bouquet in front of the grave.
The rain meandered along the tombstone and fell on the petals of the kapok tree. Chen Nian took the handkerchief from Shafulai and carefully wiped the dust off the tombstone.
Chen Nian said that he had no feelings for his father, but now that he was actually in front of the grave, he still felt a sense of distress in his heart.
After wiping all the tombstones clean, Chen Nian stood up. He was silent and could not say a word.
For a long time, Chen Nian always thought that he was abandoned. As far as he could remember, he was burned beyond recognition and his housekeeper took him to move around and hid like a rat.
Only Chen Nian and Jiang Dai knew how hard it was.
He regarded Jiang Dai as his real father. Now he finally knew the truth. He understood rationally that no one wanted to see the accident that happened back then, but emotionally he couldn't accept it so easily.
"I'm back."
In the end, Chen Nian only said this one sentence. He pursed his lips and remained silent, looking into the lead-gray sky in the distance.
His eyes were dry and he couldn't cry, but he just felt uncomfortable.
Countless black tombstones stood quietly in the lush courtyard, wet by the rain.
Shafley raised his hand and gently placed it on Chen Nian's shoulder.
The rain gradually got heavier, hitting the umbrella with a crackling sound. Shafley still kept a polite distance from Chen Nian, and half of his shoulder was wet.
Chen Nian stood there for more than ten minutes, then turned around and looked at Shafla.
Shafley understood what he meant and whispered, "Let's go."
Chen Nian nodded and took one last look at the tombstone.
——Sorry, Dad, I don’t know what to say to you.
Chen Nian and Shafley turned around together, but unexpectedly caught a glimpse of another figure under a tree in the distance.
General Goodes stood alone, also holding a black umbrella and wearing a neat military uniform. When he saw Chen Nian and Shafley looking at him, he nodded at them.
The falling rain blurred Chen Nian's vision. He couldn't quite see Alpha's expression, but he must be as serious as ever.
He was once my father's subordinate, so it was normal for him to come and pay homage.
They did not go over to say hello. Accompanied by Shafley, Chen Nian left the cemetery and re-entered the main building of the Veterans Hall.
Shafley collected the umbrella and handed it to the staff nearby.
He was careful not to let Chen Nian get wet, and half of his shoulder was wet. Shafulai didn't care, he was not that delicate.
Schafflet agreed to let Chen Nian visit the Veterans Hall and then the Marshal's former residence.
The people who were being treated and recuperated here were all soldiers who were seriously injured or disabled in the war. Chen Nian was walking in the corridor and took a look at the open door of the lounge, and saw two skinny legs.
The owner of the trousers was sitting on the sofa. He was tall, handsome and quite young, only in his early thirties. If he were to appear outside, he would definitely be an Alpha who would be a very popular Omega.
Only a ten-centimeter section of the legs that should have been long and strong remained. The skinny trouser legs that would normally be tied were now untied for fun and folded into other shapes.
Several soldiers were sitting together, chatting leisurely while watching a TV show on the virtual screen.
Some of them lost their arms, some had only one ear, or their spleens were removed, but without exception, they were all young.
Shafley raised his hand and knocked on the door, and immediately several people looked towards the door.
Chen Nian was not ready at all, and yet again he became the focus of attention.
The soldiers recognized Shafulai, so it was not difficult for them to guess the identity of the young man beside the eldest prince.
"Your Highness." They all stood up and were about to perform the military salute.
"Don't be so polite, just sit down." Shafley held one of the men's injured shoulders and pressed him into a chair. "I'm here to pay tribute to the Marshal today, so I came to take a look."
Everyone in the Veterans Affairs Office knew that today was Chen Wei's death anniversary. Later in the day, the military personnel would go together to pay their respects.
After all, the first person to present a bouquet of flowers to the Marshal should be his closest child.
Shafley asked them about their lives in the Veterans Affairs Hospital and whether their families were protected.
His tone was calm, without any of the airs of a crown prince. It seemed more like he was just chatting with everyone than coming to express his condolences.
This was the first time Chen Nian saw Shafley like this.
Chen Nian deliberately teased him, made fun of him, and had fun with him, but Shafley never said anything.
He dishonestly stepped on his feet under the table, deliberately took his arm to fight off the Omega with ulterior motives, and caught him with his whole body restrained while he was immersed in his work.
These are just private Shafleys.
When he got serious, Chen Nian was unexpectedly unable to take her eyes away.
The soldiers chatted with Shafulai, their eyes still unconsciously glanced at Chen Nian. This was the marshal's only son. They could occasionally see the young man standing in front of the tombstone on the anniversary of his death, but they seldom had close contact with him.
Now we are finally able to talk face to face, which is an honor.
Although Young Master Chen Ci has little resemblance to the Marshal in appearance, his elegant temperament is so outstanding. If the Marshal knew about this, he would definitely be pleased to see that his child and the young and promising eldest prince have a harmonious relationship.
Chen Nian couldn't get a word in, nor did he really want to say anything, so he played the role of a taciturn person.
He had been living in the underground city, with a solid outer wall blocking the outside world, and he could only see a little through the glass curtain wall at the edge. Jiang Dai took him to move around, but he had never been to the place closest to the bottom, so Chen Nian had no chance to see the sea with his own eyes.
The day Shafley took him to the botanical gardens was the first time.
He only saw magnificence and grandeur, with the rippling waves stretching endlessly into the distance like colorful translucent candy wrappers.
It turns out that the sea that surrounds them from all directions... is so terrifying.
He had read descriptions of wars in history books, which were nothing more than heroic fighting with many casualties.
But it was not until today that Chen Nian realized that those cold numbers were all living people. They lost their limbs, organs and facial features, becoming the "1" in the casualty statistics, which continued to accumulate.
Shafley took Chen Nian to another lounge to express his condolences. On the way, he whispered to Chen Nian, "You should also say a few words. Don't be afraid of saying the wrong thing. They will be very happy to know that you are the child of Marshal Chen Weiyuan."
This time, Chen Nian did not argue with Shafulai. He followed Shafulai's advice and did as Alpha had said before and went to ask the many injured patients.
The condolences were more tiring than Chen Nian had imagined.
This fatigue is not physical, but comes from the mind.
He had also seen many people with broken arms and legs in the dungeon. After all, the suffering inside Cinnabar was much greater than that on the top floor, but the damage caused by the war was far more terrifying.
The toxins of the original creatures even corroded them beyond human form, but they were still alive. Cinnabar gave them the highest honor and treated them carefully in the military hospital.
Seeing so much suffering and misery in a short period of time would be a bit overwhelming for anyone.
Although Chen Nian could not see any complaints on the faces of these soldiers, they accepted their broken bodies because they were fighting to protect humanity.
Soon it was noon, and Chen Nian and Shafulai had lunch in the cafeteria. There was hardly a healthy and normal person in the entire cafeteria, but Chen Nian was no longer afraid.
Like the other soldiers, Chen Nian finished everything on his plate and stood up to personally carry the food to the collection area.
Shafley: "Come on, I'll take you to the Marshal's room."
Chen Wei used to live on the third floor of the Veterans Hall, in an ordinary room on the left corridor.
The room had been sealed long ago, and only special personnel were sent in for cleaning, in order to preserve the Marshal's appearance as it did when he was alive.
Shafley got the access card and opened the door.
The room is less than 20 square meters, with a bed, a table, a chair, a cabinet, and a separate bathroom.
It's just ordinary.
Chen Nian came to the desk. Someone came to clean it every week. The desk was clean and tidy without a trace of dust. He rested his hands on the edge of the table and looked forward.
The table is facing the window, and the sunlight will shine in in the afternoon, allowing you to see the most beautiful sunset.
On rainy days like today, I can also trace the meandering traces of rain on the glass, with the distant view blurred into large patches of light and dark colors.
Shafley reached out and opened the window, and moist wind rushed in, making the air in the room fresher.
Chen Nian was also able to see the scenery outside the window clearly. From here he could directly see the cemetery below. Goodes was no longer there.
The whole room is in a simple style, with the quilt neatly folded into tofu blocks and placed at the head of the bed.
Chen Nian looked around and saw nothing special.
"Can I open a drawer or closet and look?"
"Yes, this is your father's room."
Upon hearing this, Chen Nian opened the drawers of the table one by one, revealing some small items that Chen Wei had used during his lifetime.
In the closet were hung the military uniforms and casual clothes that Chen Wei had worn, and at the bottom there was a large box.
Chen Nian dragged the box out without saying a word. The box had an old metal lock, but the lock was long gone.
He opened the lid of the box and found a lot of papers inside.
"This is the manuscript left by the marshal. It contains some tactical arrangements and the like."
Shaffley said that after Chen Wei's death, all the things he left behind were checked countless times, and all the manuscripts were electronically backed up before the originals were left in the box.
Chen Nian flipped through the pages and pulled out a hardcover notebook from the middle layer.
He squatted on the ground and opened a page at random. He saw many complicated structural drawings drawn in pencil on it. Judging from the outline... it looked like some kind of fish?
But it’s too weird, what kind of fish would grow like this!
Next to the image, it says "Ji Meng".
Chen Nian: “What is this?”
Shafley explained, "The Sea King Ji Meng was named after the Classic of Mountains and Seas. Twenty-seven years ago, the Marshal had a face-to-face encounter with it in the Golden Triangle."
Chen Nian didn’t know much about the original creatures. He only knew that Poseidon was the title of the most powerful original creatures. There were many of them, distributed in different seas, and they would compete with each other for territory.
This sea emperor named Ji Meng has two fish tails and a completely mechanized triangular head. Its body is flat and spread out like a carpet. It can curl up and has dense tentacles at the end. Its back is actually covered with several cannons.
The combination of biology and machinery creates strange shapes beyond imagination.
Chen Nian marveled at it and continued to flip backwards.
Most of Chen Wei's encounters with these creatures were quite brief. The huge primitive creatures were hidden beneath the sea surface, and electronic equipment could not take clear images. If he went deep into the seabed to take pictures, he would be swallowed up by the primitive creatures in a blink of an eye and his parts would be used for his own purposes.
The only way is to rely on mental power to explore, outline the true outline, and then reproduce it.
Chen Wei has an extremely high level of mental strength and good painting skills. During the days of recuperation from his injuries, he drew many of the primitive creatures he encountered. Most of them were never seen before and were printed in textbooks, becoming valuable research materials.
Strangely enough, through these paintings, Chen Nian seems to be able to see Chen Wei sitting at the table and concentrating on drawing more than 20 years ago.
Obviously, he has never seen his father.
Chen Nian flipped through the pages one by one. The strange appearance of the primitive creatures always made him exclaim in amazement. Combining them with heavy weapons was a piece of cake. Some things looked more like submersible aircraft carriers, with countless small primitive creatures living on their bodies.
Are they a whole or are they separate?
Chen Wei did not give an answer, he just recorded what he had discovered.
"Can I take this home to read?" Chen Nian looked up and asked, "If it's not convenient, a photocopy will be fine."
Shafley: “I’ll ask about that later.”
Chen Nian got up from the ground and sat down beside the bed. He planned to take a good look at it first.
Shafley sat on the only chair in the room, looked at the boy quietly for a while, and suddenly asked, "Chen Nian, what are your plans next?"
"What plan?" Chen Nian didn't even raise his head.
"What do you want to do in the days ahead?" Shafley paused and explained, "People must have a goal in life."
Chen Nian then raised his head and thought for a moment: "Hmm...find a suitable partner?"
Shafley shook his head: "That doesn't count. I mean it's about your own life, not about others. It's about what kind of improvement you want to make and what kind of ideal you want to achieve."
Ideal? Chen Nian had never really considered it.
In the underground city, he had always wanted to make a lot of money as soon as possible to treat Jiang Dai's illness. After graduating from high school, he naturally chose the job that could make the most money.
Now that Jiang Dai's illness has been cured, his worries for many years have been solved. What's next? What should he do next?
"I don't know." Chen Nian said honestly. Shafley's question stumped him.
"Why should I think about this? In ten days or so, I will be swapped back with Chen Ci, and I will do whatever I want in the dungeon."
"Don't you want to take back your original identity?"
"Uncle Jiang won't let me." Chen Nian said, "Although I don't know why, Uncle Jiang must be doing it for my own good."
As one of the few people who knew the truth, Shafley knew the reason why Jiang Dai had been hiding Chen Nian's identity - Jiang Dai did not want Chen Nian to undergo the same "physical examination" as Chen Ci.
Hiding and concealing the truth would not work. As Chen Wei's bloodline, Chen Nian should have gotten more.
It is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to frugality. After enjoying the top luxury life, can Chen Nian really go back to the underground city without any complaints?
Shafley also didn't want the situation that Jiang Dai was worried about to happen, so he had been collecting information for several years and trying every possible way to solve the problems Chen Ci was facing.
As time goes by, Ashes will be finally under control. According to epidemiological predictions and Cinnabar's deductions, the day of the end will not be long.
Shafley: "Don't worry about whether you want to give it up or not. Just ask if you want to."
Chen Nian said without hesitation: "Of course I do. Who doesn't want to live a life without worries about food and clothing, and be able to see the sky and the sun every day?"
Shafley said softly, "One day sooner or later, you will appear before everyone as Chen Nian and return to the life you were meant to live."
"I know you've been accustomed to thinking in the Dungeon way for so many years, but there are still countless days ahead. The transition will inevitably be painful, but I want you to be mentally prepared and adapt to this process as quickly as possible."
——Living at the top as Chen Nian?
Chen Nian had never really thought about this possibility. For him, meeting Chen Ci and enjoying a life as Chen Ci that he had never dared to think about before was already the greatest luck in his life.
Everything Shafulai said made sense. Chen Nian thought about it and felt that he was really happy now that he was playing here and making noise there all day long.
But based on Chen Nian's understanding of himself, it won't be long before he gets bored, just like he got bored with the Alphas who once surrounded him.
Chen Nian didn’t think there was a problem before because he thought this kind of exchange would not last too long and he wouldn’t get bored of it.
He will return to life in the dungeon.
But Shafley offered him another possibility, a possibility to stay at the top.
If, if one day, he really gets tired of playing, what will he do next?
Chen Nian frowned and thought for half a minute, his mind was empty.
Shafley had been quietly waiting for his answer, which made Chen Nian feel a little embarrassed, so he said:
"Don't just talk about me, what about you? What is your goal?"
"I serve Cinnabar." Shaflay said calmly, "I try my best to improve my programming ability to ensure the normal operation of Cinnabar. If necessary, I can also join the battlefield and fight the original creatures at any time."
Chen Nian: "I don't have such lofty ideals as you. You are a saint, a great prince who wants to save the world. I am just an ordinary resident from the underground city."
Shafley: "This is the third time today that you have emphasized that you are from the Underground City. Chen Nian, please stop defining yourself. The Underground City should not be a place that restricts your thoughts, or an excuse for you not to make progress."
“…I hate being lectured.”
Chen Nian sighed. Perhaps it was because Shaflay was very calm and not aggressive at all, so he didn't really feel disgusted.
Shafley saw all of Chen Nian's reactions, and he was not disappointed.
Because it was all within his expectations.
In a person's growth process, the role played by acquired environmental factors is far more important than innate conditions.
No matter how hard Jiang Dai tried to protect Chen Nian, he was still influenced by the dungeon environment day after day:
After becoming an adult, people start making money early and focus on immediate happiness, and worry about the future later. In an era when people are not even able to have enough food and clothing, any ideal pursuits are luxuries.
He couldn't blame Chen Nian and could only guide him slowly.
Fortunately, judging from Chen Nian's expression, he did listen.
"Give me some time to think about it." Chen Nian's answer this time was not as lazy as before. "Don't worry, this is not an excuse to brush you off. I will think about this issue, about what I will do in the future."
"Okay." Shafulai breathed a sigh of relief. He was very happy that Chen Nian was serious.
Chen Nian lowered his head and continued to read Chen Wei's manuscript.
Before he knew it, more than an hour had passed. During that time, Shafley was bored, so he went to the gaming forum to check it out.
Until Chen Nianxuan, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, stood up and kicked his leg lightly.
"I want to sleep here tonight, is that okay?"
"Here?" Shafley was quite surprised. "Sleeping in the marshal's room?"
"Well, ask the White Tower for me."
Chen Nian didn't know why, but he had an inexplicable strong desire in his heart to rest in the place where Chen Wei once lived.
The main house of the Chen family was burned down in a fire eighteen years ago. Perhaps he can find a sense of home here.
As the son of a marshal, it is not unreasonable to ask for rest in his former residence.
Shafla immediately went to ask the White Tower, and in order to fulfill Chen Nian's wish, he specifically said that he would stay and accompany her.
After going through layers of review, the White Tower finally agreed.
They trusted Shafley to take good care of Chen Ci.
Upon learning that Bai Ta agreed, Chen Nian couldn't help but ask, "Why didn't you do this to my brother before?"
"You should also know Chen Ci's personality. I have tried many times to make his life more colorful, but either I couldn't do it or he just didn't want to. Over time, it became like this."
Chen Nian understood that Chen Ci was too cold and Shafulai was a quiet and honest man. It was impossible for any spark to fly between these two people.
If you want to impress Chen Ci, you need to be passionate and thick-skinned enough to not get discouraged no matter how cold you are.
Chen Ci is now traveling with an Alpha named Fu Tianhe.
Although Chen Nian had never had direct contact with Fu Tianhe, judging from the chat that he treated as an email and replied to many hours later, as well as his bravery in standing up in the alley of the nightclub, he should be a kind-hearted person.
Well... I hope my brother will be happier with someone like him by his side.