"Tangtang!" Ai Xiaoxiao ran all the way to catch up. A little out of breath, she complained to her friend: "Why didn't you wait for me?"
Tang Xin looked back at the other party. The girl seemed to have changed significantly in the past year. She became taller, taller and more heroic, just like a sapling sprouting branches and forming buds, ready to bloom.
But the bigger change was in temperament. Everyone thought that she had changed since she returned from the Star Gate. She had become more silent and capable. Apart from occasionally paying attention to super competitions, she seemed to have no interest in other things.
Ai Xiaoxiao seems to be the same as before. As the name suggests, she is small. When she stood with her former friend, she was just touching the former's ears, like a delicate porcelain doll, and she had to raise her head to see it.
Towards the former.
She did know that the reason why her friend had such a big change was to return to that world - was her eldest cousin so charming? Ai Xiaoxiao's mind was full of random thoughts, but looking back, she actually wanted to go back to that world again.
See.
I still remember crying profusely on the day we left, and the ugly ship officer lady comforted them with gentle words - Hey, I wonder how my cousin and the others are doing. Before, they would contact the Seven Seas Traveler through the two-world communication.
Everyone on board, but communication between the two worlds has been interrupted for several months.
"I'm going to purchase some supplies, why are you following me?" Tang Xin looked at the little princess. She looked so cute out of breath, and the mist she exhaled condensed into a ball of white frost in the cold air.
"I'm just bored." Ai Xiaoxiao patted the snowflakes on her gloves and said, "Many places are blocked, and I can't go to the places I usually like to go."
There was a snowfall a month ago. In fact, it rarely snows in the city where the two of them live. What's more, in September and October, the scope of this snowfall is not generally large, and the cities in the south do not have heating systems and no emergency backup.
Plan, the snow almost brought the city to a halt.
In fact, since August, an abnormally severe cooling has hit most parts of the northern hemisphere. The news called this abnormal cooling the "Great Cold Wave", and media outlets from various countries unanimously claimed that this was unusual for this year.
Related to ocean temperature differences.
Only some authoritative scientific institutions and experts have stated that this temperature change may be related to the change in the relative coordinates of the star gate. However, such remarks have not attracted attention. Instead, they have a broad mass base in the country through the guidance of official media.
Compared to other countries, Tang Xin could clearly feel that the authorities seemed to be preparing something.
However, compared with those big aspects, the biggest impact is on all aspects of personal life. A large-scale blizzard paralyzed the transportation system, especially for cities in the south. Materials became tense within a month and a half. In order to stabilize prices,
To maintain order, many places temporarily returned to the supply system.
Students like them can only purchase supplies from a few designated places with their student ID cards.
Of course, there is still a big difference compared to the real wartime system. After all, the scarcity of materials is only relative. At least people can still maintain modern life, but life has become more troublesome than before.
Most people think that such days will only last a few months, so they only complain slightly.
Tang Xin didn't have any unique opinions, and her thoughts were not on this. It was just because she had to go to the military recruitment office for testing twice a month, and she could clearly feel that the atmosphere there was different from before.
.
Everyone became visibly busy and nervous, with faces showing the fatigue of working overtime. More and more people appeared there, with many people in military uniforms coming in and out without saying a word.
But there may be confidentiality regulations behind this, so she didn't dare to ask any more questions.
The two of them were walking on a path that they frequently traveled to and from. It was a small park near the campus. The purpose of the trip was to walk through the park and then through a commercial street. There was a government-designated material distribution point there.
The distributed materials will be distributed through the streets to various blocks, but they often go there to recruit volunteers, so they are familiar with the road. In fact, before the blizzard came, the small park behind the campus was no stranger to the students.
.
Even Ai Xiaoxiao knows that this is a holy place for boys and girls to date. In the center of the park there is an island in the middle of the lake connected by a bridge. However, the lake has been frozen. For fear of accidents, the school has issued a temporary notice to block the island.
area.
But there have been some changes in the park in the past few days. First of all, there are fewer people. After the area in the middle of the lake was blocked, there is actually only one trail that can quickly pass through the park. It is located in a sycamore forest. Of course, it cools down.
The trees here have become bare and there is no scenery to see.
There were almost only two people left in the park, their footsteps rustling in the snow, and a vast white fog rose in the direction of the lake. In fact, the fog enveloped the entire forest, and there was a vast expanse on both sides of the trail. Such fog was like this.
The sky rises almost every morning and doesn't go away until the evening.
Normally, such heavy fog would cause a lot of traffic accidents, but fortunately, there was very little traffic left in the city due to the snowstorm, so there was not much impact. However, the abnormal weather did cause a series of reports.
"The weather is so weird lately." Ai Xiaoxiao stamped her feet and asked, "Have you heard, Tangtang, there have been so many protests recently."
"protest?"
"Aren't those boring people who think the government should withdraw from Stargate cooperation... conspiracy theories, you know."
Tang Xin knew about those doomsday theorists. At first, similar arguments only appeared on the Internet, but recently they have become more and more serious and have become real. These people often have financial support behind them. The government arrested a group of rumor mongers not long ago, but the results were ineffective.
big.
However, the abnormal weather did make similar remarks widely circulated, and even some ordinary people believed it. While the two were talking, something suddenly fell at Ai Xiaoxiao's feet.
Ai Xiaoxiao lowered her head and saw that it was a bug. It looked like a large beetle. She was not afraid and even stretched out her foot to poke at it. "Hey, why are there bugs in the winter?"
Isn’t it afraid of the cold?”
Tang Xin wanted to remind her friend that it was only October, but wherever she looked, she saw a man wearing a gray windbreaker and a hat walking from the opposite side of the path, and she couldn't help but shut her mouth.
There are often people walking along this pedestrian path in the park. There is nothing strange about seeing people, but the other person's attire is really eye-catching. At least in China, she has rarely seen such a "fancy dress", such as a tall windbreaker.
The collar and hat were deliberately lowered as if to cover the face, making it difficult not to attract a second glance.
If it were in the past, Tang Xin would have been indifferent to this. After all, it had nothing to do with outsiders no matter how strange they dressed. However, she had participated in military training for more than half a year under Bai Jia's introduction. The military has always provided training for selectees.
There are specialized courses, some of which include counter-reconnaissance.
Tang Xin always felt that something was not right about the person coming, and there always seemed to be a vague gaze falling on her and Ai Xiaoxiao. At a glance, she saw that the other party seemed to be aware of Tang Xin's investigation.
He took out an object from under his coat.
He tossed it gently, and the thing spread its wings and flew towards Ai Xiaoxiao and Tang Xin.
"Drone?"
But Tang Xin had never heard of a civilian flapping-wing drone on the market, but Ai Xiaoxiao's eyes widened. She was so familiar with that thing - Fang Pulong gave her one before leaving.
The model of the Clockwork Fairy is exactly the same as the one in front of you.
She projected that full-scale model after returning to the Star Gate. It could be said to be lifelike. The only difference from the one in front of her was that it couldn't fly.
"A flying wind-up fairy?" Ai Xiaoxiao couldn't help but said with wide eyes.
And Tang Xin had already reacted with excitement. That strange and uneasy premonition rose up in her brain. The strange thing was that this clockwork fairy - this was not the world on the other side of the Star Gate, but that thought only existed in her mind.
There was a moment in the middle, and she immediately reacted, realizing that the person coming was evil, grabbed the hand of her close friend on the side, and ran away:
"Little princess, run quickly!"
The other party released the Clockwork Fairy as soon as he came up. He must have realized that it aroused his suspicion and had no way to restrain himself and Ai Xiaoxiao immediately, so he released his spy first to prevent her and Xiaoxiao from getting involved in this heavy fog.
Escape from it.
Fortunately, she was well versed in the capabilities of clockwork fairies in the world after the Stargate. This was thanks to her useless cousin, that annoying pigeon. She was interested in alchemy mostly because of him.
As early as in Aitaria, she had carefully observed the clockwork goblins more than once, and also observed how her cousin used them. Most of the craftsmen used them clumsily, just like the one who was chasing them behind.
Just the same.
If it were her cousin, it would be difficult for her and Ai Xiaoxiao to escape, but fortunately, Tang Xin had only one idea, leading Ai Xiaoxiao through the bushes on the side of the park. The low trees would disturb
The flight performance of the Clockwork Goblin, if it flies low -
There is a holly forest on one side of the park, and right through it is the parking lot outside. There was a safety incident in the nearby block not long ago due to snow, and the area was officially cordoned off. There may be police officers on duty nearby.
This thought flashed through Tang Xin's mind. She grabbed Ai Xiaoxiao's hand and ducked under the holly bush. When she looked back, she saw that the clockwork fairy was trying to prevent the two men from being chased in the mist.
People had to lower their altitude.
Without thinking, Tang Xin picked up a stone from the ground and threw it at the buzzing construct. The clockwork fairy swerved slightly to avoid her stone, but the next moment it crashed into the nearby area.
in the bushes.
It clattered against the branches of the tree and fell from the air, waving its wings in vain in an attempt to fly up again, but Tang Xin rushed over, grabbed the clockwork fairy, and threw it to the ground.
My feet were crushed to pieces.
Only then did she look back and found that her friend was not afraid, but rather excited. Ai Xiaoxiao panted slightly and blushed. He looked at her with bright eyes and said out of breath:
??????55.??????
"Tangtang, you were so handsome just now."
"You're so handsome," Tang Xin said angrily, looking behind her nervously - the man didn't follow, but that didn't mean the crisis was over. Although she didn't know why the other party came and why he wanted to attack her and
A small disadvantage - but the person controlling the Clockwork Fairy cannot move, they must have other people nearby.
"Come with me quickly," Tang Xin grabbed Ai Xiaoxiao's hand, "It's not safe here. Let's find a way to go back to school. There is a parking lot outside and there are more people on the main road there."
She had a hunch that these people were deliberately blocking her here. They definitely didn't want to expose their bizarre methods to outsiders. After all, this was not the world after the Star Gate. Clockwork fairies and the like were still too weird.
But she really didn't have time to think about the reasons why the ether-driven constructs from another world could be used in the world outside the star gate, and who were those people? Are they related to her cousin?
Tang Xin raised her head and looked forward. The park itself was not very big. Through the holly forest, she could already see the temporary parking lot outside. It was looming in the heavy fog. There was a yellow and black horizontal fence outside.
Going out is the main road.
But at this time, she saw a man also wearing a gray trench coat standing outside the parking lot, blocking her and Ai Xiaoxiao. Moreover, the man actually had a gun in his hand, and the black muzzle was pointing at her and Ai Xiaoxiao.
Ai Xiaoxiao and two others.
At that moment, Tang Xin felt that her blood was freezing. After all, she was just a school student, an ordinary girl. Even though she had received some training from the selectors, she was still just an ordinary person after all.
What's more, even those who are selected will inevitably feel terrified when faced with the black muzzle of a gun. After all, this is not the world on the other side of the Star Gate. Everyone has only one life, and there is no chance of a comeback. I have never heard of anyone who can
Flesh and blood can withstand bullets.
She stopped subconsciously and reached out to stop Ai Xiaoxiao.
But at this moment, a beam of light suddenly came from the mist, like a golden sword, and shone on the man in the trench coat. The man was slightly startled and turned around subconsciously.
The next moment, there was a sharp sound of wheels rubbing against the ground in the mist. A military warrior emerged from the mist and hit the man. The other man's body flew out at a weird angle, like
It landed not far away like a kite with its string broken, and rolled a few times.
The military vehicle stopped suddenly without turning off the lights. Then the door opened and a tall woman jumped out. Ai Xiaoxiao looked at the other person in shock, but Tang Xin recognized the other person's identity at a glance - although the two of them had never seen each other before.
Never seen in reality:
"Bai Jia?"
"Hey, as long as you recognize me," Bai Jia opened the holster, took out a gun and held it in his hand. He looked around and then walked towards the man. Only then did Tang Xin see clearly what was underneath the windbreaker and hat.
It turns out that is not a human face.
It's a machine, but unlike the intelligent robots and bionics they have behind the star gate, the other party's technology seems to be of another approach, more like... more like a humanoid construct.
The red crystal visual crystal that shattered into pieces explained everything.
Only then did Tang Xin understand the reason why the other party wanted to cover his face, but looking at the remains lying on the ground, she felt as if she was from another world. She couldn't help but look at Bai Jia and asked: "What on earth is this?"
Same thing, how did you know we were here?"
"It's all a mess," Bai Jia shook his head, "Our people have been to your school and learned that you just left school not long ago. I didn't know you were here. I just sent people in all directions. I just happened to meet you.
Just for you."
"To be precise, it was our drone that discovered you," Bai Jia added. "The fog was a bit thick, which delayed the time. Fortunately, I was able to make it in time."
"So what happened?" Tang Xin silently looked at the pistol that was knocked aside and fell to the side. Then she felt scared and couldn't help breaking out in a cold sweat. "Who are these 'people'?"
"It's for you and your brother," Bai Jia said concisely, "We have also sent personnel to your parents' side. It's not convenient to talk here, and it's not safe either. You get in the car first and I'll take you to a safe place.
The area around here has been blocked by our people, don't worry, the remaining people can't escape either."
Tang Xin nodded slightly.
She looked at Ai Xiaoxiao on the side. The little girl was obviously completely frightened. She never thought that she would be involved in a scene in a TV series, and be pointed at a gun or something. In her limited life, she was still
First time experience.
And it's best not to have a next time.
"Little princess?"
"I...I'm okay," Ai Xiaoxiao stammered, "Tangtang, I'll go with you..."
Bai Jia frowned. Originally, she meant to place the two of them separately, but then she thought about it and thought that this little girl was also related to the Seven Seas Brigade. Sooner or later, she would go to that world to become the chosen one, so she just turned a blind eye.
He closed his eyes and nodded.
…
The ‘Grey Deer’ slowly sailed into the port.
It was a large three-masted sailing ship, an armed merchant ship, with twelve small-caliber magic cannons installed on each side. It is very common on the cloud sea, but in the Saint-Hughan area, anyone with a discerning eye would know what this type of ship is for at a glance.
, not to mention that the black flag on the mast has not yet been lowered.
They left the Seven Sea Traveler in Navarta because the ship needed to undergo at least one major overhaul and biological control, and the Seven Sea Traveler was now quite famous, so they wouldn't mind driving it around San Juan in a big way.
suitable.
Catherine told them that although Barossa was missing, at least this place was still the territory of the Blood Shark Pirates. There were many people who witnessed them taking away the pirate king, and the news might have spread to the Cape San Juan area.
Whether they are his loyal men who want to come to rescue Barosha, or those competitors who want to get a share of the pie, there are many such people in this lawless land. To be on the safe side, they still change their faces.
It's better to go out.
What Fang Yu was more worried about was not the pirates, but Miya's affairs. Although he talked lightly to Minmir in the Storm Islands, he had heard about the magnitude of what happened in the Covenant Mountain.
The wanted notice on the witch is unusual.
That was placed directly from Stargate Port.
If the communication between the two worlds is restored, he must report this matter to Su Changfeng first. On the one hand, he wants to ask for official opinions. On the other hand, this is actually Miya's own 'meaning'. According to her - she intends
Contact Stargate Port.
In short, due to various considerations, they temporarily left the Seven Seas Traveler in Navarta, Catherine's private shipyard. Trish, Baggins and others also stayed behind to conduct a thorough overhaul of the ship.
No matter whether the new ship is built in time or not, in the worst case scenario, the Seven Seas Traveler must be kept in the lowest condition that can allow them to carry out the next adventure. If the shipbuilding plan is stranded, they must use the Seven Seas Traveler to go to the second world.
.
However, since Navarta currently has no manpower, Miya also stayed there. No one is more suitable to guard a place than this sea witch, and only she can see an anchorage and a shipyard in St. Xiu'an.
.
Although according to Catherine, not many outsiders actually know about the secret anchorage.
Fang Plover himself took Alyssa, Luo Hao, Papalar and Box to the San Juan Freeport, the holy land of pirates. They picked out a ship named '
The Gray Deer's armed merchant ship recruited enough manpower from nearby ports, headed north, and arrived at this port a week later.
When the ship docked, Luo Hao was the first to jump down from the mast and came to their team leader - Fang Yu was silently observing the busy scene in the port. This free port for pirates was just like what he imagined.
Just as vibrant, but chaotic.
Within half an hour of the ship docking at the port, he saw several conflicts, but the pirates abide by the rules in the port - the Pirate Code. Most of the conflicts were stopped immediately, and the rest were left to the port.
To solve the problem in the gladiatorial arena, you are responsible for your own life and death.
He was a little idle, because the nominal captain of this ship was Catherine, and most of the sailors listened to her. The female pirate was an experienced captain, and in many ways was more familiar with everything on the air and sea than he was, so he couldn't get involved.
.
On the contrary, I learned a lot.
"Captain, the temple of the Holy Secret Society is in the center of the port," Luo Hao looked at him and said, "Besides them, who else do we want to see?"
There are only two main purposes for their trip.
One of them is for the shipbuilding plan of the Seven Seas Traveler. In addition to the mithril of ship materials, building a floating ship also requires various materials. Those materials are not uncommon in places where the shipbuilding industry is developed, but in San Juan
This kind of place can probably only be found in this free port.
And apart from the basic ship materials, Fang Plover also has some small plans of his own, which also require the use of several special materials. Among them, the Kukai Scale of the Floating Island Whale may only be available to the Holy Secret Society mentioned by Catherine.
.
The other purpose is to find out information.
"The blood moon has lasted for almost half a month," Fang Plover said, "but apart from two or three heavy fogs recently, there have been no other changes. There is no news in Navarreta, but in a news distribution center like Freeport
It’s different.”
What he was more worried about was actually the blessing issue on Sylvide. Although Miss Ship Officer had woken up, Narsuyu's blessing seemed to have exploded. The scales on her forehead and hands were increasing day by day, becoming more and more serious.
It's becoming more and more obvious.
Fang Yu didn't know whether this was a good thing or a bad thing.