January 1st, Imperial Capital.

This is a brand new day for people all over the world, especially for Liu Hai's family.

He was not a native of the Imperial Capital, and he did not even live in the Imperial Capital, but on this special day, he appeared in the square of the Imperial Capital.

The reason for his appearance here is also very simple. It is because his father, who is over 60 years old, wants to go to the square to watch the flag raising in the last period of his life.

His father has been suffering from lung cancer for two years, and his health is getting worse day by day. Even though the rural cooperative medical system reimburses most of the medical expenses, cancer is cancer after all, and it is not that easy to defeat.

Seeing his father endure the pain of radiotherapy and chemotherapy every day after surgery, even the doctor couldn't bear it. So one afternoon six months ago, the doctor conveyed to him in a vague way that "conservative treatment can be considered."

For elderly people of this age, the so-called conservative treatment means staying home and living the last stage of their lives well.

He knew this very well.

He didn't blame the doctor or fate. It wasn't that he wasn't really sad, but that his father, a veteran, didn't allow him to have such "unmanly" thoughts.

Therefore, he could only hide his sadness as much as possible and greet the death that would come at any time with a smile.

According to the doctor's judgment, my father's condition has improved somewhat after an operation, but the chance of recurrence is 100%, and there is absolutely no possibility of further intervention when the disease relapses next time.

When he heard this judgment, he once asked the doctor if there would be a miracle, such as the cancer cells suddenly disappearing - he had seen many such cases in some street stalls and tabloids.

But the doctor's answer dispelled his unrealistic fantasy.

"Don't believe those unscientific things. If this kind of technology really existed, we would have brought it out to treat you long ago."

"Whoever makes up this kind of news is either a liar or a fool. You should use your money where it is really needed. Don't be grateful after being deceived. Do you understand? I have seen this kind of thing too many times, and it doesn't end well."

!”

Liu Hai could only nod silently, but what the doctor didn't know was that even though he had made it so clear, Liu Hai had not given up the slightest possible hope.

He applied for many new drug experiments, checked out many new treatments, and even wrote a letter to the top Union Medical College Hospital in China to inquire about his father's condition.

Although these things he has done have not yet been reported, in his heart, there has always been a vague expectation.

What if?

What if one person can defeat God?

What if cancer can be defeated?

My father is only over sixty and is not old enough to leave him yet, so he must work hard.

Therefore, when my father wanted to go to the square to watch the flag-raising, he agreed almost without hesitation, because he had read from some professional medical reports that keeping patients happy would also promote recovery.

However, it is not easy to realize this wish.

My father is in fragile health and cannot fly. There is no direct high-speed train from his place to Didu. The process of transferring trains is too tortuous, and my father, who needs oxygen, cannot bear it.

After thinking about it, he decided that he would do it more thoroughly and simply drive by himself and watch everything he wanted to see but had never seen before.

So he drove the new energy SUV he had bought with a loan and set off with his family of five.

The starting point of their departure was Xining. On the way, they first took a detour to see Qinghai Lake, which was very close but had never been there before. Then they went to Zhangye and Dunhuang, and then went straight to Ningxia to see the prairie in Inner Mongolia.

After passing by the Yellow River, they looked south to see the ancient capital of Chang'an, and then headed east to Luoyang. Seeing that the year was coming to an end, they finally entered Heb Province in a hurry and headed for the imperial capital.

During the entire three-month trip, Liu Hai worried several times that the battery of his new energy vehicle, which cost less than RMB 100,000, would be overwhelmed. Unexpectedly, its performance was much better than he expected, and even the cost of charging it all the way.

Not even three thousand.

This is much cheaper than gas. He heard the salesman say that this is a silicon-sulfur battery that saves electricity and lasts a long time. He still didn't believe it. Now, practice has finally revealed the truth.

With the dedicated service of this car, they hurried and hurried slowly, and the family finally arrived in the Imperial Capital on the night of December 31. After taking a short rest, they immediately drove to the square.

It was only 5 o'clock in the morning, and there was a real chill in the air, but this huge square was already filled with people waiting for the flag to be raised. They looked at people sitting in wheelchairs with oxygen tubes inserted into them.

The father, who was wrapped tightly in quilt, and the people around him kindly made way for them to enter the front of the crowd.

Liu Hai pushed the wheelchair with one hand and held his son with the other, constantly saying thank you, while his wife beside him took out the snacks they bought along the way from the bag he was carrying and gave them to others.

Most people thanked them and took them, but some didn't like to eat them. After taking them, they turned around and stuffed them into their son's pockets. Liu Hai just smiled and didn't worry too much.

After they finally found a place to stand, the time had come to close to 7 o'clock. The son on the side was shivering from the cold. He chewed the candy in his mouth and asked:

"Dad, when will the flag-raising ceremony start?"

Liu Hai was stunned by his son's question. When he checked the process of watching the flag raising on the Internet, he only told him to arrive as early as possible. He didn't really say when it would start. Just when he was going to continue to check online, the old man beside him

He spoke vaguely:

"My dear grandson, today starts at 7:36. It will be 7:36 from January 1st to 10th. Starting from the 11th, it will advance one minute every day until June."

Hearing what the old man said, Liu Hai smiled and said:

"You remember clearly!"

"Hey...don't you remember clearly? You and I almost joined the guard of honor back then...Son, when the flag is raised later, remember to help me up. I have to stand up.

Watch and see!”

"Dad, no need, right? You're not in good health, so it's okay to sit down..."

"No matter how unhealthy you are...you still have to stand! This is...this is raising the national flag!"

The old man's tone was a bit harsh. After saying this, he couldn't help but cough again. The mother beside him quickly handed him hot tea and moistened his throat before he finally breathed.

After a moment of pause, the old man continued:

"Your generation's feelings towards the national flag... are not as strong as ours, not as strong as my grandson's!"

"Don't underestimate this flag, it's more than just a symbol... it's our soul!"

"The sacrifices of thousands of people... Haizi, you who study history, you know what it means to be blood-stained mountains and rivers!"

"Compared to the Tang and Song Dynasties, the sacrifices we made for the establishment of this dynasty were the greatest."

"Oh...it's bleeding all over Jiaoyuan. Our flag is really stained with blood!"

"We... you have to defend the country we have conquered! If you want to defend it, you can't treat this flag like a piece of red cloth!"

Looking at the old man's solemn expression, Liu Hai nodded deeply and reached out to hold the old man's hand outside the quilt.

Time passed minute by minute, and 7:36 was about to arrive. With a loud slogan, the honor guard walked out of the tower with neat steps.

The old man's expression gradually became a little excited. He looked at the honor guard that was approaching gradually. He struggled to hold on to the armrests of the wheelchair with his hands. When Liu Hai saw this, he quickly stepped forward to help. The wife on the side wanted to put the quilt on the old man.

But he pushed it away with his trembling right hand.

Then, the old man's already extremely weak body suddenly burst out with great strength. He leaned his legs together, his rickety back suddenly straightened up, and the quilt on his shoulders shook off, revealing his old green military uniform.

On his chest, several medals were pinned quietly, reflecting the dim light of the morning sun.

Bangs tightly held his father's arm, and even through his not-so-thin clothes, he could feel the old man's thinness.

An overwhelming sadness suddenly surged in his heart.

Because he knew that his father's body had been weakened to the extreme, and almost all of his last energy was used in this flag-raising ceremony.

What happens next?

What should I do next?

How much time can he have? How long can he be a son?

Bang Hai bit his lip tightly, and the mobile phone in his right pocket kept vibrating, but he had no time to care. On the contrary, the old man beside him sensed something unusual and said without looking back:

"If you get a call, answer it immediately. The flag will be raised later. Don't...look around!"

Liu Hai smiled bitterly, gently let go of his father's hand and took out his mobile phone. However, the first time he saw the message on the screen, he suddenly froze in place.

That was a call from a doctor at Union Medical College Hospital.

He hurriedly answered the phone, but the doctor opposite seemed busier than him.

"Bangs, right? I've communicated with you before. So, at 4 o'clock this afternoon, take your father to the hospital to see me. We have a treatment that we can try for him."

"What kind of therapy?"

"I can't tell you too much about gene editing targeted therapy now. I just got off the operating table and I have to catch up with the next one. Remember the time!"

"Okay, four o'clock in the afternoon, doctor, how can I find you when I get to the hospital?"

"Just tell me your name and your place of origin, and someone will receive you. Stop talking and hang up!"

Wang Hai looked blankly at the phone that turned off the screen automatically, and didn't react at all for a moment.

Gene editing...can my father be saved?

This seems to be a dream.

His thoughts were extremely confused, but at this moment, a loud command brought him back to reality.

The old man sang softly along with the accompaniment, and a red flag slowly rose with the rising sun.

Liu Hai seemed to have forgotten the old man's instructions. He looked at the old man's face and then at Hongqi.

Then, he looked past the red flag, towards the rising red sun in the distance, and then towards the tower.

At this moment, he had a vague feeling.

Under this sky, two suns appeared.

－－－－－－Digression－－－－－

The plot of the first volume "Chasing the Deer" has basically come to an end. The last chapter of this volume will be updated today as a transition between this volume and the next volume.

The plot of the next volume will not jump in time. It will still advance according to the current time schedule. There will be no "ten years later" technique.

In the next volume, the plot of the real enemy you are concerned about will also surface. I said, it is too small to regard Yingjiang as the final opponent.
Chapter completed!