October 10, 2503
A small, sleek silver spacecraft suddenly emerged from a jump point outside the solar system.
The pale blue glow on the ship's hull gradually faded as it accelerated steadily, heading directly toward Earth. After circling the planet twice with graceful ease, the spacecraft slowly entered the atmosphere and landed nimbly at a heavily guarded military base on the outskirts of Beijing, the capital of the Earth Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.
Countless soldiers clad in silver exoskeleton combat armor activated their anti-gravity systems, filling the sky and surrounding the entire spacecraft. Three tall, handsome young officers led a team of soldiers striding quickly toward the ship. They wore form-fitting silver uniforms trimmed with gold, the hem of their jackets ending two inches above the knees. Their shoulder insignia featured a coiled dragon pattern with the August 1st Army Emblem embedded, two crystal stars gleaming brightly—this was the rank of Lieutenant General in the People's Liberation Army of the People's Republic of China.
A seamless hatch suddenly appeared on the ship's hull, from which a flowing, silvery substance slowly emerged, solidifying into a sturdy set of steps amidst shimmering silver light.
A stern-faced, steel-built middle-aged officer stepped slowly out of the hatch. His uniform was identical to that of the three welcoming officers, but his shoulder insignia featured a fiery red ruby star. The three young officers swiftly saluted and greeted respectfully, "Marshal Long, you must be tired from your journey."
Marshal Long nodded and stepped onto the ground. Behind him, twenty-three youths, no older than twelve or thirteen, filed out one by one. Each shared Marshal Long's expression of extreme coldness and determination, their shoulder insignias bearing two silver stars—the rank of lieutenant.
Following them emerged a young, pretty female officer with casually tousled black short hair, walking almost bouncily. A single golden star adorned her shoulder—the rank of major.
Over a hundred soldiers in combat armor continued to disembark from the spacecraft. They saluted Marshal Long and proceeded silently toward the building next to the landing field to rest. A maglev bus slowly approached. Marshal Long boarded first, followed in single file by the twenty-three youths. The young Major stuck out her tongue and made a face at the three young Lieutenant Generals before quickly hopping aboard under Marshal Long's stern gaze.
The maglev bus slowly headed toward the base's main gate. The three Lieutenant Generals swiftly jumped into their combat vehicles nearby. Twenty heavy maglev tanks soared into the air, dispersing thirty meters above the bus to escort its gradual advance.
Amidst the surprised looks of pedestrians on both sides of the road, the bus slowly entered the streets of Beijing. The heavy maglev tanks ascended to five hundred meters to avoid the countless skyscrapers along the route.
The pretty female Major picked up the microphone in the bus and began her introduction: "This city was the capital of the People's Republic of China before December 7, 2319, and is now the capital of the Earth Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. Having weathered countless historical storms, it has become a symbol of the Chinese nation in a certain sense. Among its landmarks, historical sites such as the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven collectively embody the wisdom and civilization of the Chinese nation…"
The bus quickly accelerated and headed toward Badaling as the Major continued her introduction to Beijing.
The Badaling Great Wall, which once attracted countless visitors, was now completely closed off. Ten kilometers away from it, several heavy magnetic levitation tanks were parked on both sides of the road, with over a hundred soldiers standing guard nearby. A large sign in the middle of the road read: "Badaling Great Wall closed for renovation. No visitors allowed." Given that all historical sites had already been preserved using nanomaterials, anyone who wasn't a fool could tell that the "renovation" was merely an excuse.
The bus drove directly into the security perimeter, and all the soldiers saluted it.
Aloof Marshal Long took the lead in ascending the Great Wall, stepping onto a beacon tower. The twenty-three youths followed closely behind him, forming three rows at his back. Only the female major complained about the dim lighting inside the beacon tower, nearly twisting her ankle, but a cold glare from Marshal Long made her stick out her tongue in fright.
"The Great Wall was built under the order of Ying Zheng, the First Emperor of Qin—the first emperor to truly unify the entire ancient kingdom of China. Before his time, though the Great Wall had already taken shape, it served merely as a tool for various feudal states to defend against attacks from other kingdoms, with its major sections disconnected. It was Qin Shi Huang who linked the thousands of miles of the Great Wall together, forming the first nationwide defensive structure in Chinese history, which for many years thereafter held back the invasions of northern nomadic tribes."
At this moment, the slanting sun hung far atop the western mountains, its red light spilling across the entire world.
Marshal Long spoke in a low, slow voice: "The Great Wall is hailed as the eternal, unyielding Long Wall. But as a physical entity, it will eventually perish. Only the Great Wall in the hearts of the Chinese people will never fall. I brought you here to see this magnificent structure soaked with the blood of our ancestors throughout Chinese history—to show you what the Chinese spirit materialized into physical form looks like. Look along the Great Wall. Doesn't it resemble a dragon? A golden giant dragon that has already soared into the skies?"
The teenagers' hair and clothes fluttered wildly—not from wind, for the wind still lingered three feet away from their bodies. Their gazes followed the Great Wall's path into the distance, and the energy they emitted gradually intensified, stirring the air around them. The pretty female major quickly stepped closer to the wall's edge, avoiding this strange flow of energy.
October 11, 2503
Hangzhou City, Earth Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.
Yue Fei's Temple by West Lake also hung up maintenance notices, with countless police officers and plainclothes personnel deployed throughout the area.
In the main hall, Marshal Long led the teenagers in offering three sticks of incense to Yue Fei's bronze statue with deep respect, then bowed reverently.
The female major introduced in a low voice: "You've been learning about Yue Fei's deeds since you were five years old. There's nothing more to add. Well, in today's China, the only people who don't know about Yue Fei's life story are… heh, unborn babies."
Marshal Long's deep voice resonated: "Remember, China's national spirit is physically embodied in structures like the Great Wall. But the one who perfectly expressed the spirit of the Chinese nation was a man like Yue Fei. Keep that in mind."
As they stepped out of the Yue Fei Temple, a youth seemingly casually flicked his hand toward the bronze statue of Qin Hui. Several plainclothes police officers nearby were horrified to see the statue instantly turn into a pile of bronze powder, scattered far and wide by the wind. An older plainclothes officer muttered on the side: "Not bad this year, only one was destroyed…"
October 12, 2503 AD
On Mount Tai, they watched the sunrise.
October 13, 2503 AD
On Taiwan Island, they paid respects to the 120-meter-high monument commemorating the peaceful reunification of Taiwan.
October 14, 2503 AD
At Lop Nur, they listened to accounts of how Chinese predecessors worked hard under tough conditions to independently develop the "Two Bombs, One Satellite" project.
October 15, 2503 AD
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
The female major's pleasant voice said slowly: "On October 15, 2003, China successfully launched its first manned spacecraft. Subsequently, while vigorously developing its economy, China continuously explored outer space. To overcome the limitations of energy and ecological issues on national development, it initiated the asteroid transformation plan."
After a pause, the female major continued her explanation: "As everyone knows, the People's Republic of China was the first to achieve interstellar migration. While other countries were still fighting over ancient biological energy sources like petroleum, China took the lead in realizing controlled nuclear fusion and mastering magnetic energy conversion and utilization technology. When other nations around the world mocked China's planetary transformation plan, claiming it would soon bankrupt the country, China's first group of migrants landed on what is now the capital planet of the People's Republic of China."
Marshal Long said in a deep voice: "Although during the full 100 years of external exploration and expansion, we lost 127 outstanding astronauts and 129,800 people at extraterrestrial bases, everyone must remember that it was their sacrifice that made China the most powerful nation among the original Earth polities. China now possesses 27 colonial planets with a population of 48.9 billion, while other countries combined have only 12 colonial planets, with many nations still unable to break through the atmosphere and confined to Earth itself."
Tearing open the curtain shrouding the control center hall from five centuries ago, Marshal Long said loudly, "Remember, it was with these primitive instruments that our ancestors, using their blood and loyalty to the nation, forged the present glory of the People's Republic of China."
October 16, 2503 AD
The youths toured the Three Gorges Reservoir.
October 17, 2503 AD
The youths visited the underground tunnel complex in the southwestern mountains, comparable to the Great Wall.
October 18, 2503 AD
The location where China's first aircraft carriers were launched.
October 19, 2503 AD
A vast open space on the outskirts of Beijing.
Standing in the expansive open area, Marshal Long said loudly, "Right here, on this very ground, the People's Republic of China held a grand military parade that astonished the world. This is also where China's first high-altitude fighters capable of entering and exiting the atmosphere officially debuted. It is where China's first individual combat systems took the stage. Remember this place…"
October 20, 2503 AD
The silver spacecraft gracefully pierced through the atmosphere, circled the Earth twice, then gradually accelerated toward the jump point it came from. A layer of faint blue light suddenly shimmered across the ship's hull, and the spacecraft vanished into thin air.