The First Order

The mountain range to the southwest of the Qing Consortium was an uninhabited region similar to Xiuzhuzhou to the south of the Zhou Consortium. Due to the harsh environment, very few people would venture here.

Everyone was deterred by the poisonous insects and noxious night air here.

In the past, the Yang Consortium had wanted to expand its territory westwards. However, they realized that the cost of development was too great, so they might as well consolidate their existing authority first.

This mountain range had a forest so dense it was like a rainforest.

Initially, Ren Xiaosu was worried Midnight would have difficulty crawling in this forested wilderness. After all, it was so large and the forest was really dense.

But to his surprise, Midnight was smart enough to wade directly through the stream.

Midnight was different from Old Xu. As a shadow clone, Old Xu did not have a mind of its own. As such, Ren Xiaosu's multitasking ability had been trained to the extreme.

As for Midnight, it had its own thoughts. Therefore, there was actually no need to worry after giving it instructions. It would find its own style and way to carry out its orders.

The fishes in the mountain range were very dangerous, but that only applied to normal people. Based on Ren Xiaosu's analysis, piranhas in the Amazon basin from the Pre-Cataclysm times would not even compare to evolved snakehead fish.

Of course, it was unclear whether any mutation had occurred there.

As the Qinghe Group had access to satellites, Li Yingyun, Qin Sheng, Zhang Qingxi, and other Riders had seen what the entire world was like. They once described to Ren Xiaosu that the whole world had become quite different from the Pre-Cataclysm times due to changes in the earth's crust.

Ren Xiaosu was thinking after the situation in the Alliance of Strongholds had stabilized, it would not be a bad idea to travel around the world with Yang Xiaojin.

He looked quietly at Yang Xiaojin next to him. It seemed that after they left the Kingdom of Sorcerers, she had become a little reticent.

When Ren Xiaosu was chatting with Luo Lan earlier, Yang Xiaojin seemed to be thinking about something as she sat by the side.

Just as Ren Xiaosu was peeking at her, Yang Xiaojin suddenly turned and said, "You can look at me openly."

"Haha." Ren Xiaosu quickly changed the subject. "I saw a wild boar drinking water by the stream with its piglets just now, but they were all frightened away by Midnight. I recall when I first became a supernatural being, I was even frightened by a red deer when we went into the Jing Mountains."

After that, the both of them fell silent again.

A strange atmosphere filled the air between them, and Ren Xiaosu suddenly felt a little worried.

This change seemed to have started in Ghent City.

At that time, the 6th Field Division had started retreating through the enchanted doorway. Before leaving, the Great Hoodwinker asked Ren Xiaosu, "Future Commander, did you gain anything else on this trip to the Kingdom of Sorcerers?"

Ren Xiaosu answered, "Yes, I found out everything about my past."

At that time, the Great Hoodwinker was very surprised. "Future Commander, aren't you from the Central Plains? Why would you come here to find out about your past?"

Ren Xiaosu only answered vaguely, "It's related to that Rider from the Central Plains."

Perhaps others might not be able to make much of a guess about this. But he and Yang Xiaojin had already discussed the No. 001 Experimental many times, so she could definitely make the connection.

In this world, which keyword was closely linked to Ren He, the founder of the Qinghe Group? It was the No. 001 Experimental.

That Neo-Human was said to be able to live tens or a 100 times longer than normal humans.

It was from that moment that Yang Xiaojin became much quieter.

Ren Xiaosu looked at the map Zhou Qi had drawn for him as he guided Midnight's movement.

Zhou Qi said that after his power was awakened, he explored the rivers for a long time and surveyed the entire river basin in the southwest.

At that time, Zhou Qi had just become a superhuman and was experiencing the wonders of his transcendence.

He discovered a subterranean thermal river where a new water cycle had been formed. It was located between tectonic plates that met and compressed, with a large source of energy hidden underground.

This place should be able to serve as Midnight's new habitat.

Ren Xiaosu did not let Midnight return to the Jing Mountains because he became aware that Zero had stationed a group of troops there under its control when he summoned Midnight. Even Dusk was under the control of Zero as well.

The summoning spell was a one-way spell. It could only summon creatures but not send them back to where they came from.

The Jing Mountains was situated at the edge of the Qing Consortium's territory. If Ren Xiaosu wanted to bring Midnight there directly, he would definitely have to pass through the Qing Consortium's territory on the way.

And after arriving at the Jing Mountains, even if he could destroy the troops there, he would still have to come face to face with Dusk, who was under Zero's control. That was because Ren Xiaosu did not have any way to directly destroy the nanomachines within Dusk's body.

The "Prosperous Northwest" summoning spell was able to break Zero's control over Midnight and Dusk. But with Midnight around, even if Ren Xiaosu were to recite the summoning spell's incantation a 100 times over, it would still be Midnight that got summoned through the stellar gate, not Dusk.

Therefore, Ren Xiaosu did not actually know how to resolve the issue of Dusk for now. Perhaps he could try talking with Zero?

Or perhaps he could directly unlock the seal and become the world consciousness?

But if he really did become the world consciousness, would all that he possessed right now still have any meaning to them?

Those friends who were like his family, and Yang Xiaojin as well, could only look up at the sky if they missed him in the future, right?

Honestly, Ren Xiaosu was also unsure what he would end up as after becoming the world consciousness. But he did not want to know either.

While pondering, Ren Xiaosu could see dense steam continuously being emitted up ahead of him. There was even a faint scent of sulfur in the air.

Midnight seemingly cheered up. It let out a soft "purr" from its throat like a contented big cat.

After climbing over a small hill, Ren Xiaosu sat on Midnight's head and looked across from their location. The huge lake in front of him looked like a crescent moon. He could see a cloud of vapor moving constantly across the lake's surface. This place was like a real paradise on earth.

"This is the place," Ren Xiaosu said as he jumped off Midnight's head. "According to Zhou Qi, this crescent-shaped lake has an extremely deep bottom. It's as though it's connected to the center of the earth. He didn't dare to venture deeper at that time."

He patted Midnight's large claw. "Go on, this is the most suitable place for you."

Midnight looked down at Ren Xiaosu. It had not expected to be separated again so soon after reuniting with its master.

It tilted its gigantic head and looked at Ren Xiaosu. The sky above the mountain range was shrouded in dark clouds, and Midnight's vertical pupils had turned round. This made Midnight appear less fierce than before. In fact, it even seemed a little cute.

It pointed at the lake with its claw and then pointed it at Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin.

Ren Xiaosu laughed and said, "We can't stay here with you. We have other things to do."

Midnight could understand what Ren Xiaosu was saying, so it was a little disappointed.

But Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and said, "We'll accompany you for a while longer until you figure out what's in the lake."

When he said that, Midnight ran happily towards the crescent-shaped lake.

The moment Midnight reached the lakeside, it leaped up and plunged straight into the lake.

The disturbance it created was like an artillery shell landing on the lake. Wake turbulence even formed in the vapor above the lake's surface.

However, Midnight did not swim to the bottom of the lake. Ren Xiaosu realized it had the urge to dive down to the bottom of the lake on several occasions, but it restrained itself. The thermal energy at the bottom of the hot lake seemed to have attracted it.

The huge lizard kept swimming by the side of the lake. At times, it would even look at Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin as though it were afraid they might run off.

Ren Xiaosu smiled at Midnight and said, "Go ahead. You can go to the bottom of the lake and take a look first. We won't leave."

It wasn't until when Midnight heard this that it dived back under.

"The magic of creation is really amazing. Even a creature like Midnight can appear. It's really difficult to imagine what the future world will look like," Ren Xiaosu said emotionally as he sat by the lake.

He skillfully got a campfire started while Yang Xiaojin sat down right next to him and ate the food Ren Xiaosu had roasted. It was as though nothing had happened.

She asked softly and nonchalantly as she ate, "Don't you have anything to say to me? You should've found a lot of the answers in the Kingdom of Sorcerers."

Ren Xiaosu thought the inevitable could not be avoided, after all. He sighed and said, "I've regained my memory. I'm the No. 001 Experimental."

Yang Xiaojin was not too surprised. She had probably already guessed this outcome. "Carry on."

"Ren He, the founder of the Qinghe Group, is my father." Ren Xiaosu said, "I was diagnosed with cancer before The Cataclysm. At that time, cancer was still an incurable disease, so I was counting down to my death every day. Later, my father sent me to the Pyro Company's Laboratory 39 for treatment. After all conventional treatment methods failed, Dr. P. started using a more radical genetic serum treatment on me with my and my father's consent.

"It was just as Qing Zhen had guessed. The reason for the Experimentals' appearance was that the cancer cells in their entire bodies had restructured and reached a state of equilibrium and harmony. However, they were defective products whereas I successfully became a so-called Neo-Human."

"Why were you the only successful case?" Yang Xiaojin wondered.

"Because my genetic code was unlocked before The Cataclysm." Ren Xiaosu calmly explained, "It's an inherited technique my father had discovered. By completing eight challenges, the internal potential of a person's body gets unlocked. That was why I pulled through the side effects of the genetic serum but the Experimentals did not. However, I was not the only successful case. Yan Liuyuan is one too. I believe he has also regained his memory now."

"In other words, strictly speaking, we are different species? How did Yan Liuyuan succeed then?" Yang Xiaojin asked.

"Because Dr. P. transplanted my bone marrow into him, and it replaced his hematopoiesis ability," Ren Xiaosu explained. "So I'm planning to find a qualified hospital and transplant my bone marrow to you as well. That way, your lifespan will be—"

Yang Xiaojin interrupted, "How old are you this year?"

Ren Xiaosu was stunned. Actually, this was the question he had been avoiding all this while.

To the 19-year-old Yang Xiaojin, Ren Xiaosu's age bothered her a lot. Although he still looked young and had spent most of those years in a coma, and his mentality was not affected by the vicissitudes of life, his actual age was still a little scary.

Regardless of whether Yang Xiaojin was bothered by it, Ren Xiaosu still felt a little uneasy. What if she minded? What if Yang Xiaojin was bothered by his age?

'What is love?' Ren He said it was the sudden feeling of weakness, but at the same time, a sense you were protected by armor.

Ren Xiaosu felt like he was now a gigantic dragon guarding a treasure. It was fierce yet naïve, strong yet lonely, gentle yet flustered, timid yet free. Although it was very cute, it got overly nervous sometimes too.

A young man in love was constantly worried about losing it as well. Even if he were the future commander of the Northwest Army, he was no exception.

Be it his "past" or "present," Yang Xiaojin was still his first love. Ren Xiaosu did not have any experience in love, so he could not express it so easily.

The girl in the cap was sitting quietly next to the campfire. The dense vapor hanging over the lake's surface not far away drifted like clouds across the sky when blown by the mountain breeze.

This young lady was so unique Ren Xiaosu didn't even pay attention to any other girls.

Yang Xiaojin asked again, "How old are you this year?"

Ren Xiaosu said softly, "Strictly speaking, I'm 240 years old."

Yang Xiaojin fell silent.

Ren Xiaosu suddenly asked, "You mind?"

Yang Xiaojin did not answer the question. Instead, she changed the subject and said, "Teach me how to activate the enchanted doorway first."

Ren Xiaosu was stunned. It seemed she was showing her attitude on this matter by not answering the question.

He thought for a moment before finally taking out the other black Eye of True Sight from the palace and handing it to Yang Xiaojin. Then he retrieved the large metal door he had grabbed earlier from the Qing Consortium's factory. "You only need to drip a drop of your blood on the Eye of True Sight and turn it against the door ten times. You know what to do."

"Mhm." Yang Xiaojin pulled out her dagger and made a cut on her finger. Then she dripped her blood onto the Eye of True Sight.

She took a deep breath, pressing the black stone against the large metal door and turning it. Transparent ripples spread outwards from the stone.

Yang Xiaojin turned her head to Ren Xiaosu. "Come with me. I want to know where the place I want to go most is."

"Mhm," Ren Xiaosu grunted with a nod.

At this moment, Midnight emerged from the lake. Ren Xiaosu instructed, "Midnight, guard this door and don't let any animals damage it."

With that, Ren Xiaosu stepped through the door with Yang Xiaojin.

Behind the enchanted doorway was a field of fragrant flowers and songbirds. Ren Xiaosu looked around in silence and suddenly realized he had never seen this place before. Instead, it was Yang Xiaojin who was in a trance as she stood in the courtyard.

Ren Xiaosu felt a little gloomy. So it turned out the place Yang Xiaojin wanted to go to most was different from his.

He laughed bitterly to himself. Perhaps this was also considered an answer.

But it did not matter. Everyone had their own freedom of choice, didn't they?

Ren Xiaosu suddenly did not know whether to laugh or cry. When did he start getting so worried about losing her?

Curious, Ren Xiaosu asked, "Where are we at?"

"This is Stronghold 88, my former home." Yang Xiaojin said, "We're at the Yang Consortium's manor."

Nearly half of this manor had been destroyed by the Li Consortium's nanosoldiers. But unexpectedly, this place was rebuilt more than a year later.

Yang Xiaojin said with a smile, "I wonder who rebuilt it. But a large part of the buildings in the Yang Consortium's manor has been preserved. It all looks so familiar, yet so strange. This feels a little strange to me."

Afterwards, Yang Xiaojin headed straight into the garden. She came to a swing and said to Ren Xiaosu, "When I was young, my parents would bring me here to play for a while after dinner. Whenever I sat on the swing, my father would push me from behind while my mother smilingly stood next to me."

Ren Xiaosu did not say anything and listened to Yang Xiaojin continue saying, "They were quite different from the other members of the Yang Consortium. My father was never hungry for the authority of the Yang Consortium, so he never fought for it. However, my grandfather liked him the most and always wanted to hand over the Yang Consortium to him. Sometimes, I wonder if he wouldn't have gotten into an accident if he weren't born in the Yang Consortium."

"Do you think your parents' death was a conspiracy?" Ren Xiaosu asked.

"I'm not sure." Yang Xiaojin said, "I've investigated it before, but I couldn't find any clues. But now that the Yang clan has perished, even if my parents were murdered, the culprit would already be dead."

While they were talking, two people in uniforms ran over quickly from the manor with flashlights in their hands.

Yang Xiaojin said, "They're not armed, so they're neither soldiers nor guards from the Public Order Division."

Those two rushed over and shouted, "Who are you people? Why did you break into the museum in the middle of the night?"

Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin looked at each other, speechless. This place had actually been turned into a museum by the Qing Consortium?!

After learning the truth, Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin did not stay around any longer and directly fled from the Yang Consortium's manor.

With their physical fitness, how could ordinary security guards possibly catch up to them?

The two of them fled onto the streets and looked at each in laughter. These two legendary superhumans had actually been chased away by two security guards? There was even a slight bittersweet feeling about it.

"Let's go. I'll take you somewhere to eat. Hopefully, those shops are still around," Yang Xiaojin said.

…

At 9 PM, an old lady was cleaning the tables with a tinge of fatigue inside a small shop called "Sister Lin's Han Bun Store" at Stronghold 88's Zhongfu Road. While cleaning up, she was making a mental note of the day's takings.

The shop was about to close for the night. But just as the old lady wiped her hands with a towel and prepared to close shop, Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin walked in.

"We're closed." The old lady said with a smile, "Why don't you try another shop… Xiaojin?"

"Grandma Lin," Yang Xiaojin said in a crisp voice, "I want to have Han buns and dandan noodles."

"Yes, we still have them!" The old lady was a little surprised. "Wait a while. I'll prepare it for you now. The noodles and fillings are ready-made, so you won't have to wait too long."

While talking, the old lady couldn't help looking at Ren Xiaosu. There was a scrutinizing look in her eyes that made Ren Xiaosu feel a little embarrassed.

The shop had clearly already run out of steamed buns, and the old lady went to wrap more on the spot before placing them into the bamboo steamer. Meanwhile, Yang Xiaojin did not stand ceremony with her.

For a moment, Ren Xiaosu thought this old lady was really Yang Xiaojin's grandmother.

"Do you know each other?" Ren Xiaosu asked.

"Yup! When I was young, my parents often brought me here to eat." Yang Xiaojin said, "When my grandfather was still around, he had a rule that the Yang Consortium members could only have porridge and pickled veggies for dinner. Furthermore, we were not allowed to eat too much. My grandfather said that those who couldn't curb their appetites were unqualified to take charge of an organization."

"He's that strict?" Ren Xiaosu was stunned. While he was still busy coming up with ways to find food, other people had already started dieting.

Yang Xiaojin smiled and said, "It was very strict indeed. My uncles and aunts often complained about this to my grandfather, but my father was the only one who didn't do so. Instead, he secretly brought me and my mother out for snacks. This was the place we visited most frequently. My father said this shop was around when he was young. The Sister Lin we knew in the past has become Grandma Lin now."

"This shop has been in operation for a few decades already? Awesome!" Ren Xiaosu said.

However, Grandma Lin, who was preparing the steamed buns inside, said with a laugh, "What's so awesome about that?"

"Of course it's awesome, Grandma Lin." Ren Xiaosu said in seriousness, "Mr. Zhang told me before that as long as someone can accomplish something in their life, they'll be considered an incredible person. Most people won't even achieve that in their lifetime."

Granny Lin smiled and said to Yang Xiaojin, "This young man is quite the sweet talker. Was that how he managed to woo you?"

With Granny Lin's discerning eyes, she could immediately tell the relationship between Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin.

Yang Xiaojin did not correct her. However, Ren Xiaosu noticed that her head was slightly lowered. It was as though she had started thinking about something again.

"What's on your mind?" Ren Xiaosu asked.

Suddenly, Yang Xiaojin said in seriousness, "You don't have to address her as Grandma Lin. She's younger than you."

Ren Xiaosu was speechless.

Was that what you were thinking about the entire time?!

Grandma Lin laughed in the kitchen. "Xiaojin, what are you going on about? I'm already nearing my eighties. How can he possibly be older than me? Surely he's not a 100 years old, right?"

Yang Xiaojin corrected her in seriousness, "Older than that."

Grandma Lin laughed happily in the kitchen. "I was quite tired initially. But when you came, all my worries seemingly vanished."

Ren Xiaosu was dumbfounded right then and there. What the hell! This girl in the cap was really bothered by his age after all.

The piping-hot stuffed buns were quickly served. Yang Xiaojin asked Grandma Lin as she ate, "How have you been recently?"

"I'm pretty good." Grandma Lin said with a smile, "The neighbors were quite worried when the war broke out. Everyone said they were planning to flee. After the unification of the Northwest, some people said they wanted to escape there. But after the Qing Consortium arrived, the security in the stronghold became better than before, and our taxes were also lowered."

"That's good then." Yang Xiaojin nodded.

At this moment, Grandma Lin looked like she wanted to say something. "But the Yang Consortium… Xiaojin, you…"

Yang Xiaojin laughed. "Grandma Lin, you don't have to worry about me. My aunt is doing fine as well."

"I'm glad to hear that," Grandma Lin said.

While Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin ate, Grandma Lin started complaining nearby about how her neighbor's briquettes were always lying around and dirtying the place.

But her neighbor was a very nice person who would sometimes help her carry things and buy her a beef pie too when they went shopping on the neighboring street.

But as she was old, she could no longer chew well anymore.

Listening to these complaints, Ren Xiaosu felt as though he had been pulled back to a warm and happy life from that tense Magi war he had participated in.

When they came out of the bun shop, Ren Xiaosu wondered, "Where's Grandma Lin's family?"

"Her son was killed in the war between the Yang Consortium and the Li Consortium. Her daughter-in-law got remarried and took her children with her," Yang Xiaojin said.

When Ren Xiaosu turned around and looked back into the bun shop, he saw Grandma Lin struggling to arrange the chairs neatly.

The harm war did to people was definitely not only the loss of lives in the course of the war. This loss of lives would leave a scar in people's hearts and bring decades of pain to an entire generation of families.

"Where are we headed to now?" Ren Xiaosu asked.

"Let's find a place to stay." Yang Xiaojin said, "I'll show you around Stronghold 88 tomorrow."

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and suddenly asked, "Is something bothering you?"

Yang Xiaojin answered calmly, "Can you accompany me for a few days first?"

Ren Xiaosu was stunned as complex emotions filled his heart. Meanwhile, Yang Xiaojin turned around and walked off in the other direction. Under her cap, the corners of her mouth curved up slightly.