"Anyway...you just don't want me to come with you?" Bai Jin asked with a smile.
Yincheng said calmly: "Yes, wouldn't it be better for you to stay outside as a backup? The team needs you, and we all need you."
"What about you? Do you need me?" Bai Jin asked.
Yincheng was stunned. There was obviously ambiguity in these words, but he didn't think too much and answered directly: "Of course, it would be best if we could bring a linguist with us, but..."
"That's no problem. The order from the highest management level has been issued. I am now a member of the expedition team, so... which one is empty?" Bai Jin gave Yincheng the voucher code.
When Yincheng received it, he was immediately dumbfounded. He was in a good relationship and had been "rejecting" it for a long time. It was all nonsense.
"Why didn't you take it out earlier?" Yincheng frowned.
Bai Jin was amused: "Isn't this just to see if the expedition leader welcomes me? Now it seems that you must not welcome me, but it is useless not to welcome me. I will definitely go with you."
Yin Cheng was speechless. He looked at Bai Jin in silence for a while and said, "You can use my weightless instrument. I have already debugged it, but I don't recommend that you wear this auxiliary equipment from the beginning."
"Hey? Why?"
"If you can withstand the most extreme state, then the rest won't be a problem, right?"
"Oh! Okay!" Bai Jin said, picking up the coat again, and then said: "Then I'll go back and change into a set of ordinary clothes." Then he left.
Yin Cheng was left standing silently.
After a while, the pale adjutant came over and asked: "Boss, what is she doing here?"
"She's going down with us."
"Ah? How can that happen!"
"It has to be done even if it doesn't work. The superiors have given orders and we have to train as soon as possible." Yincheng said and turned around and said: "In addition, I just looked at the list and it seems that she is not a liability. You tell the brother
We must be prepared to fight a tough battle."
"I'll go! Isn't she the only one?" The adjutant quickly opened his mailbox and saw the list of people under the highest management level.
"Bai Jin, Bai Yurong, Qi Xinlan, Li Shuran...who is Li Shuran?" Yincheng was also looking at the list. When he saw this relatively unfamiliar name, he asked the adjutant.
The adjutant immediately retrieved the information and reported: "Li Shuran, male, born in the 115th year of the Childbirth Era, 35 years old, has a doctorate in psychology from Shoucheng College. He also has degrees in philosophy, theology and anthropology. He is a talented person."
"Tsk... An adventure is just an adventure, why do you need to bring a nerd with you?" Yincheng was very dissatisfied with this list.
The adjutant reminded: "Boss, I heard that when Shen Sunian disappeared, there was a similar nerd in his team. At that time, I was thinking, why does a scientific research team have to bring a nerd who studies people and psychology?
Later, through understanding, I realized that during the expedition, the human psychology is extremely susceptible to environmental disturbance and pollution. If there is no psychological professional in the team to provide psychological counseling, it will be difficult to deal with some special situations.
And...usually these psychology experts will give psychological hints to other members of the team before the mission begins, and in this way, they can avoid the problem of self-harm among expedition team members due to excessive depression, or refusal to continue exploring due to excessive fear.
.”
After hearing this, Yincheng frowned and said, "Why does it feel a little scary? Is this a psychology expert or a puppeteer?"
The adjutant smiled: "I only heard this from others, so I don't necessarily take it seriously. Moreover, we have all received professional training. Not to mention psychological suggestion, even if we are put into the memory extraction device, we will not be able to extract it.
Something is coming.”
Yincheng didn't smile. He had been feeling that something big was going to happen since the last attack, but obviously, the few things that had happened so far were not big things at all.
So it can be foreseen that this expedition will be full of dangers.
So Yincheng said to the adjutant: "Don't take it lightly. When you see this Li Shuran, you'd better try not to have any contact with him."
The adjutant nodded: "Yes, I understand, I will inform you."
"Okay, you go and do your work, I have something to go out for."
"good."
…
The place Yincheng wants to go is not far from the base, just three kilometers northwest of the base, but that place is not that easy to find.
After Yincheng arrived at the target area, he found the entrance in the grass after searching for a long time.
After diving, Yincheng met Han Kongwen in a culvert.
After not seeing each other for more than a month, Han Kongwen seemed to be much more melancholy than before.
After Yincheng landed, he asked: "Are you looking for me to explain something related to the expedition?"
Han Kongwen turned sideways to Yincheng. After hearing this, she looked at the mural in front of her and said: "Thousands of years ago, the ancestors of the Zansbol Empire passed through the Garoland Mountains and arrived at the Frahaya Prairie, and then became
The first batch of nomads here, you ask...why do these people insist on living a nomadic life in a place like this instead of living in a more comfortable city?"
Yincheng walked over and looked at the mural in front of Han Kongwen. It was a mural depicting the herding life of Zansbol's ancestors. This kind of thing is very common on the Furahaiya prairie. There are almost rocks for them to spread their artistic cells on.
There are traces of them left everywhere.
It's just that most of the exposed parts have been erased by nature, and the remaining ones hidden deep in underground caves are still preserved.
"do not know why
?" Yincheng threw the question back.
Han Kongwen also shook his head: "I don't know either, I'm just curious."
Yincheng was a little speechless, and he asked again: "You called me here to ask these questions?"
"Of course not. I called you here to remind you that this expedition is not only to find out the truth. The main purpose is to search for all clues related to the 'Forerunner Cloud Atlas' or the 'Forerunner Cloud Atlas' itself. You understand me.
What do you mean?"
Yincheng didn't understand it before, but after a conversation with Bai Jin yesterday, Yincheng now knows the value of "Forerunner Cloud Atlas".
But when Kui's civilization was about to be destroyed, they only found some clues from the "Forerunner Cloud Atlas". Now Han Kongwen wants Yincheng to find the "Forerunner Cloud Atlas" directly. This is too unrealistic.
"I understand what it means...but...I just heard about this 'Forerunner Cloud Atlas'. I don't even know what it looks like, so how can I search for it?" Yincheng asked.
Han Kongwen handed over a data core and said: "Here is all the data you need, but it will be destroyed automatically after reading it once. Don't tell anyone else."
Yin Cheng frowned and took the core body and said, "Can't you tell even Xiao Jian?"
Han Kongwen looked at Yincheng: "Although she is going down with you this time, she has her own things to do, and you are not together."
Yincheng was immediately puzzled: "What you mean...you seem to be very familiar with the bottom layer of the ruins?"
Han Kongwen glanced at Yincheng, that glance was cold and dangerous.
Yincheng knew that he had said the wrong thing and suddenly became bored.
After a while, Han Kongwen said: "I heard that you applied for another body enhancement from the Border Defense Force Arms Research Institute, right?"
Yincheng knew that he couldn't hide it from Han Kongwen, so he nodded and said: "Yes, I think my comprehensive combat data is still low, especially after the last battle, I am a little dissatisfied with myself."
"You are a mecha pilot. You can save a life against such an opponent with your body alone. It is already very good. There is no need to force it." Han Kongwen said something.
Yincheng said: "It is precisely because of this that I thought about strengthening it again before the mission begins, so that I can..."
"There's no need to strengthen it. I have something else to give you. It's a little personal gift from me." Han Kongwen said and took out another thing that looked very similar to the data core.
Yincheng took it and saw that it was a purple crystal that was larger than the data core and about the thickness of a thumb.
Crystal is heavy to buy, and its weight is much greater than it looks.
Yincheng held it in his hand and weighed it before asking: "What is this?"
"Don't ask, just take it with you. It can save your life at critical moments." Han Kongwen seemed to be lazier than usual today.
Yincheng didn't ask any more questions.
After Han Kongwen finished explaining, he looked at the mural on the wall and said, "Do you feel that the evolutionary direction we have been pursuing is wrong?"
Yincheng was startled when he heard this and didn't quite understand what Han Kongwen meant.
Han Kongwen didn't seem to know how to get the answer from Yincheng, she was just "talking to herself".
Looking at the mural, Han Kongwen said softly: "Since our birth, we humans and the environment have been like a pair of lovers with different ages. Human beings are the willful little girl, and the environment is the uncle who is good at forbearing but not without a bottom line."
This metaphor is quite interesting. Yincheng understood it, but he didn't speak.
"When we are passionately in love, we are always asking for more, and the uncle, the environment, always spoils us... Slowly, as our desires become more and more difficult to be satisfied, not only do we not be grateful to our uncle for once
We gave, but in turn felt tired of it, felt that the relationship was weak, because the environment was not tolerant of us... Especially when we realized that our original willfulness had left irreparable trauma on this relationship, we chose
Not to accompany him, not to repent, but to start thinking about how to stay away from him, how to betray him, how to find a new home... Haha..." Han Kongwen sighed and asked Yincheng with a smile: "A complete scumbag? Right?
"
Yincheng smiled and said nothing. He had no similar experience, so his sense of recognition was average.
"The relationship between us and the environment is actually more complicated. Since we started trying to satisfy our desires through various so-called legitimate methods, our legitimacy is only relative to each other, not to the natural environment as a whole.
, Therefore, we have no respect for the world we live in." After saying this, Han Kongwen smiled bitterly and said: "Am I a bit too pretentious? What respect or disrespect... We are born to be predators,
Rather than being creators, even if we realize that what we are doing may cause harm to the world, it is really nothing compared to the pleasure we can get.”
Hearing this, Yincheng suddenly had some insights into the mural in front of him.
He looked at the mural and said: "I have read some history books of the Zansbol Empire. It is said that these ancestors of Zansbol left the city in the early days of Xinwang and chose to integrate into the environment, and even during the heyday of Xinwang and later
During the war, they never participated in any battle until the golden birdcage showed up. The first Queen of the Zansbol Empire led the last human army to fight against them... Tsk... Now think about it, if not
Without the emergence of this human emperor, there would not have been the prosperity of human civilization for more than two thousand years."
"Even if... everything is built under the control of the golden birdcage... it is still a great blessing for ordinary people, isn't it?" Han
Kongwen asked a very pointed question.
Yincheng was startled for a moment, then smiled: "Actually, if you ask me, my life was pretty good every day when the empire was still there. Although I didn't have the status and treatment I have now, if you think about it carefully... it's pretty good.
I miss those days.”
When Han Kongwen heard this, she did not continue the topic. She sighed softly and said, "Okay, go back and get ready. I'm leaving first."
Yincheng suddenly stopped her and said, "Please wait a moment."
"Hmm? Is there anything else?"
"Well... I want to ask you... what does the price of Victory Day really mean?" Yincheng asked a very dangerous question, but he still mustered up the courage to ask it before leaving.
Han Kongwen's eyes changed, but she finally regained her composure. She looked at Yincheng and said, "No matter how high the price is, peace has arrived as expected. Now we only need to think about how to maintain it, and we don't have to think about how much we have paid."
After saying that, Han Kongwen turned around and walked into the darkness.
Watching the figure disappear, Yincheng's heart gradually calmed down, and he looked at the mural again.
The little girl in the mural is riding a horse and standing on the hills. The sea of grass below is full of domesticated livestock. They are like clouds floating on the green sea, giving people a little reverie.
…
When she returned to the base, Bai Jin was already practicing.
Yincheng gave her a thumbs up outside the weightless instrument, and then went back to his residence. He wanted to see what was contained in the data core that Han Kongwen gave her.
After one night, there were only three days left before the departure, and all the members except Nan Yingjian had arrived.
Under the chairmanship of Xue Ming, members of the expedition team held a short meeting.
The meeting has two contents: one is to deepen mutual understanding among the team members, and the other is to formulate specific action plans.
Due to the lack of understanding of the underlying area of the ruins, the risk factor of this operation was very high. At the end of the meeting, everyone present signed a corresponding confidentiality agreement and casualty compensation agreement.
Yincheng was a little embarrassed when signing the agreement, because he could have filled in Nan Yingjian's name in the column of the compensated person, but now they both have to go down, which is a bit difficult to handle.
Xue Ming saw it and said with a smile: "Why don't we just do some charity."
Yincheng was startled when he heard this, then he laughed, said "ok" three times, and finally filled in the remarks in the compensation column and entered his voucher code.
After signing the agreement, everyone's feelings changed subtly.
Especially Bai Jin, after signing the agreement, she sat alone outside the training ground of the base, looking at the flooded prairie in a daze.
After an unknown amount of time, psychologist Li Shuran, the last one in the team to arrive at the base, sat next to Bai Jin.
"This is a journey of no return." Li Shuran sighed with a smile.
When Bai Jin heard this, he noticed that there was another person beside him.
She glanced at Li Shuran. This extremely low-key psychologist was not known to Bai Jin and others until he appeared on the list.
But after getting to know him, Bai Jin found that although Li Shuran was very low-key, he was actually a real talent.
Not only does he participate in the design of questions and the compilation of corresponding teaching materials for relevant psychology qualification examinations every year, he has also provided free and effective psychological consultation and treatment to thousands of patients suffering from mental illness.
Seeing such a practical man, Bai Jin still had a good impression of him.
"Yeah... When I watched people boxing in the octagonal cage, I didn't think there was anything like life and death. I just found it very exciting. But now that it's my turn... I still feel a little confused and scared." Bai Jin
He said and laughed at himself.
Li Shuran also laughed and said: "The reason for going to the ring to play the life and death sign is to make the game more exciting, and the winner will get more, so they are all gamblers, but we are different, we are going to an unknown area
Exploration is purely a matter of personal sacrifice, which is determined by ideological awareness, not interests."
Bai Jin nodded when he heard this, but still smiled bitterly and said: "That's what I said, but I still feel weird in my heart... I'm obviously ready to sacrifice. In theory, I shouldn't be afraid."
"Normal psychological restraint tendencies will bring about this feeling. There is no need to reject it. It is very precious and should be possessed by all living beings." Li Shuran said, looking at Bai Jin and said: "So, if you are really afraid, don't make your voice louder.
Just shout it out and vent your emotions, which will make you feel much better."
"Is it useful?" Bai Jin expressed doubt.
Li Shuran had already stood up. He took a deep breath, then made a trumpet with his hands and shouted from a distance: "Ah~~~~~~~~~~~~~!"
His voice was loud and he looked a little silly.
Moreover, there were many people on the training ground. When Li Shuran shouted, many people looked over.
Bai Jin was a little embarrassed. She suddenly felt that there might be something wrong with this Li Shuran, otherwise he would be so nervous.
However, Li Shuran was unaware of this. After he finished shouting, he seemed to feel relaxed. He looked at Bai Jin with a smile and said, "Do you want to try it?"
Bai Jin hurriedly shook his head to express his refusal.
Li Shuran smiled and didn't force it. He stooped down, picked up his book, said, "Then, I won't bother you." and left.
Bai Jin looked surprised and a little envious.
Li Shuran didn't seem to care about anyone's eyes at all. He would do whatever he wanted to do, unlike her... who could only watch quietly...