One week later.
The original site where the war broke out was also the location where the entity perished. At this moment, the grounds that had once been plowed into ruins by countless shells were completely leveled and smoothed over through the relentless efforts of the Foundation and other anomalous organizations. Fresh soil covered the charred craters, and tender green sprouts peeked out from the soft earth, swaying gently in the breeze.
It appeared no different from how the site had looked originally. In fact, it wasn't just here. Every corner of the planet that had been ravaged by war was standing back up among the ruins, much like this place. Steel frames were raised again on destroyed bridges, and flattened urban districts were being rebuilt. The human race seemed to naturally know how to rebuild their homes upon the wreckage.
Adam strolled to this location. He stepped onto the soft mud, passed through a thicket of newly budding shrubs, and climbed a modest hill. The spring sunlight spilled down warmly, carrying a lazy heat that brushed against his face. Adam looked up, taking in the full beauty of the spring scenery.
The sky was a washed azure, with a few lazy white clouds floating like randomly torn cotton. The distant mountains were dyed with a faint verdant hue, and in the nearby fields, dots of wildflowers had quietly bloomed. Looking at this lush, ordinary scene—as if nothing had ever happened—Adam let out a long, slow breath. The breath was steady, as if exhaling every last bit of pent-up tension from his chest.
Then, he slowly turned around and cast his gaze toward the distant large city. A group of construction workers bearing Foundation insignia were performing repair work, meticulously restoring the urban clusters destroyed in the flames of war according to old records on a one-to-one scale. Cranes hoisted prefabricated wall components steadily into place, and welding sparks flickered between steel frames like fireworks. Agents wearing hard hats moved busily across scaffolding, their movements skilled and focused.
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, it would be hard to imagine that this place had been a hellish ruin only a week ago.
A pale blue mist drifted over, gliding softly through the air and shrouding everything. The mist carried a strange shimmer, like phosphorescence surging up from the deep sea or auroras compressed into a thin layer. It washed over the fields, the woods, and the rebuilding architectural complexes, enveloping everything in a dreamlike halo.
The Foundation personnel wearing respirators and gas masks were naturally immune to it. Dressed in silver-gray protective suits, they moved freely through the mist, dragging sleeping human bodies from nearby vehicles and carefully placing them in designated spots. The sleepers looked peaceful, their breathing even, as if they were merely having a very long dream. Among them were the elderly, the young, and even children—ordinary people who hadn't managed to evacuate when the apocalypse arrived, cryogenically frozen in emergency shelters by the Foundation to wait for this day of rebirth.
Adam naturally knew what this was.
—SCP-2000.
This massive facility located beneath Yellowstone National Park possessed a "spark" for restarting the world after an apocalypse. It contained a human gene bank and vast cloning facilities, capable of restoring a destroyed human society to its original state at extreme speed. The pale blue mist was the memory-restoration agent it released to fill the blanks in the minds of those being awakened.
At that moment, a figure appeared nearby. The man climbed the hill with steady, powerful steps, clearly no ordinary civilian clerk. He moved swiftly, crossing several gullies to arrive at Adam's side.
Adam slowly turned his head and saw the familiar face. It was the O5 Councilor from the war command center. Today, he wasn't wearing his signature black suit but had changed into deep gray casual clothes; however, his stern, unsmiling expression remained the same. Only his eyes held a bit less of their former sharpness and a bit more of an unspeakable gentleness.
"Hello," the O5 Councilor nodded toward Adam, his voice calm. "We have been looking for you. I didn't expect you to come here."
Adam smiled, his expression casual. "It's nothing. I just came to take a look." He raised his hand toward the pale blue mist in the distance and added, "That's SCP-2000, isn't it? This post-apocalyptic reconstruction is truly amazing. Even for me, it's the first time seeing a reconstruction on such a scale."
A slight smile appeared on the Councilor's stern face. He said softly, "It is indeed as you imagined. Since our inception, we have been preparing for the worst. I just didn't think the day would actually come."
"Furthermore, we truly wish to thank you from the bottom of our hearts." The Councilor paused, his gaze shifting to the distance, his voice becoming more solemn. "Not just because of your major contribution to the final battle to end the 'Afterlife,' but also for your benevolence within the mental space. We truly did not expect that you could bring back the souls that had passed away in previous wars and place them into 2000 for resurrection..."
"By any measure, this is an extremely great achievement."
"It was just a small effort," Adam waved his hand, his expression indifferent. "You didn't come here just to tell me these things, did you?" He looked calmly at the O5 Councilor.
"Naturally," the other nodded and said frankly. "We are not just expressing our gratitude. Your contribution saved the future of all humanity. We cannot act as if this debt of gratitude never happened."
Adam smiled. "Is this your decision, or the decision of the entire O5 Council?"
"This is the decision of our entire O5 Council, and all of humanity, including other anomalous organizations," the Councilor replied immediately, his tone unquestionable.
Adam waved his hand in refusal. "There's no need for honorary rewards. In fact, I've already received the substantial rewards." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his eyes gleaming slightly.
When killing the entity, Adam—who delivered the final blow—had devoured most of the entity's energy on the spot. This was Adam's greatest harvest from his journey to this world. However, since the other party had taken the initiative to come to him, Adam didn't intend to pass up the chance to ask for a favor.
Let me think...
"Got it." Adam thought for a moment. "I only need two anomalies now: SCP-055 and SCP-579, also known as 'The Round Peg in the Square Hole.'" He watched the Councilor's expression and added, "I know this request is a bit excessive, but after thinking it over, such things are most effective for a traveler from another realm like me."
The O5 Councilor fell silent for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly. He naturally knew what Adam was talking about. That was a true deus ex machina, a terminal anomaly capable of completely resetting the timeline and saving the world. After a moment of thought, he looked up and made a proposal:
"How about this? Whenever you have a moment of need, you can return to this world, and we can lend them to you to reset the timeline once. That should be sufficient."
Adam nodded without saying much. He knew this was the greatest sincerity the other could offer.
"Well then, the time has come. I should leave." Adam waved his hand toward him with a slight smile on his face. "Goodbye."
As soon as he finished speaking, an illusory bridge made of countless points of light appeared beneath Adam's feet. The points of light danced and circled like fireflies, trailing graceful arcs in the air and enveloping his figure. Adam stepped onto it, and his figure immediately vanished within the radiance. The bridge slowly retracted, and the points of light gradually dissipated as if they had never existed.
The O5 Councilor stood in place, watching it all with a calm and peaceful gaze. The spring breeze blew over the hill, fluttering the hem of his clothes. The pale blue mist in the distance continued to drift slowly, the sounds of construction echoed faintly, and the sleeping humans were being settled one by one.
The world was steady and normal. As if everything were as it always had been.
He whispered softly: "I hope you have a safe journey."