In the year 2044, the Third World War broke out. In a short five years, 70% of humanity's living space was destroyed. Fifty years after the war, the entire world's population of ten billion was squeezed into 88 mega-metropolises. They lived cramped and crowded lives. Only in the last ten years had things gradually improved.
Outside the metropolises lay the wilderness. Vast and spacious, it was ruined beyond recognition by nuclear radiation and Mutants. It was completely unsuitable for human survival. Yet there was a group of people who rejected modern civilization or were ostracized by society — extremists, fugitives, ambitious individuals. They gambled with their lives and wandered in the wilderness. Together, they formed the concept of 'vagrants.'
The law of the jungle. Inhumane. No bottom line…
Similar words popped into Xie Junping's head. He instantly had a mental template for Luo Nan's grandfather, whom he had never met:
Evil Scientist! The kind that appeared endlessly in superhero movies.
"Because of this matter, Luo Yuandao and his son had a falling out. His son, Luo Zhongheng — Luo Nan's father — suddenly left home and disappeared. There has been no news of him to this day. Luo Yuandao himself suffered from severe schizophrenia. He was hospitalized for a long time, but his condition worsened recently. He won't live for more than a few days."
Xie Junping's teeth ached at the news. He didn't care about anything else. He was only worried that Luo Nan would inherit bad habits or develop a warped personality in this environment…
At this moment, Yingying's tone shifted:
"However, this isn't the most interesting part. In the academic world, Luo Yuandao is practically unknown aside from that accusation. But there is another person connected to him who is extremely famous… Yan Hong. You must know him."
Xie Junping nodded subconsciously. Of course he knew. Yan Hong had been a famous professor at Acumen College a few years ago, renowned worldwide. But because of his 'academic misconduct,' his reputation was swept away, and he disappeared from mainstream society. It was quite a pity.
"Yan Hong's book, Research on the Archetype Neural Format, led to the appearance of the Burner. It was undoubtedly a revolutionary achievement. Its significance cannot be overstated. I used to admire him."
Yingying's tone carried no adoration, only excitement. "The problem is, during the 90-year 'academic misconduct' incident, someone destroyed his results. They used Luo Yuandao's undisclosed first-hand data. That's right — the data obtained from human experiments in the wilderness… the circle of nobles is really messy!"
Expensive my ass. I'm not from the academic circle!
Xie Junping silently cursed again. But Yingying wasn't gossiping. She had already begun an analysis closer to reality.
"Luo Nan was only three years old when the incident with Luo Yuandao happened in '83. His grandfather's scandal and his father's disappearance must have affected him throughout his childhood. How would a child understand all this? What kind of personality would he have?"
"Now we see that he speaks in a more cultured manner and behaves very loftily, just like a model of morality. Setting aside the question of acting, there are two possibilities:
"The first is moral compensation. He feels ashamed and guilty about his grandfather's behavior, so he subconsciously demands a high moral standard of himself. In fact, he is punishing himself."
But Yingying immediately denied it: "Of course, if this were the case, Luo Nan wouldn't have talked endlessly about his grandfather's notes and old matters. But the origin of that flexible screen might be a bit problematic. He is clearly avoiding something…"
Yingying didn't continue. She directly jumped to the second possibility: "The other is his moral mission. If his grandfather possessed some charisma, or no matter what his grandfather thought before, the 90-year academic storm was enough to exert some subversive influence, causing him to have some conjecture or fantasy about his grandfather's achievements…"
Xie Junping couldn't help but raise his head to look at Luo Nan.
Yingying's description flowed like a poem in cadence:
"Grandfather, perhaps you've been wronged? The Burner was supposed to be his grandfather's achievement? That dying old man in the mental hospital was actually a great man the secular world doesn't understand?"
"All sorts of thoughts shaped his sense of destined loneliness into a solemn, stirring feeling of being the enemy of the world — a sense of mission. So he was introverted, unsociable, resolute, and vigilant. He was like a hero of darkness, a lonely, resolute charge toward the dark curtain of the world… Wow, I'm moved!"
The corner of Xie Junping's mouth twitched when he heard this. The first part made sense, but the second part increasingly sounded like a script.
However, a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old like Luo Nan was at the age of heroic fantasies. Looking at Luo Nan's serious expression, could it be that he really thought this way?
"Senior Xie?" Luo Nan asked, a gentle reminder.
Only now did Xie Junping realize that he had only cared about listening to Yingying's "script." He had lost his composure in front of Luo Nan. It would be terrible if he were misunderstood.
He hurriedly returned the notebook, glossing over his comments: "These drawings are quite good."
Xie Junping felt shriveled and stiff as the words left his mouth. He couldn't bear to hear them.
"They can't be considered drawings. They're just sketches," Luo Nan replied politely.
After taking back the notebook, Luo Nan nodded. "If Senior doesn't have anything else, I'll be leaving first."
"Huh?"
Xie Junping was stupefied. Luo Nan placed the energy drink on the dashboard, got out of the car, and left in a straightforward, efficient manner.
This… he was clearly being suspected!
Xie Junping's confidence collapsed. "Uh, shouldn't we say something?" he asked Yingying.
"It turns out my saliva has been wasted!" Yingying complained, a hint of resentment in her tone.
A fine noise suddenly entered Xie Junping's ears. Yingying's voice became indistinct; he could no longer hear her clearly.
"Hello, hello?"
"Bzzt bzzt, bzzt bzzt…"
Damn it! Something was happening!
Xie Junping panicked, sweat covering his head. He saw Luo Nan walking away and could care for nothing else. He rushed out of the car and shouted, "Junior, I'll send you off!"
Luo Nan turned his head and said, "I'll just run over. Isn't it inconvenient for Senior?"
"Uh, yeah." Xie Junping was embarrassed. He needed to hurry back to Guanzhong and nip the matter in the bud. He actually needed Luo Nan to remind him — he had reached a certain level of stupidity.
Embarrassed, he followed habit and tried to close the distance. "Then I'll hold a special banquet to express my gratitude. I'll find a place to notify you in two days."
He walked over as he spoke, hoping to exchange numbers. Luo Nan didn't refuse. They touched their wristbands together, successfully exchanging numbers, and even shook hands briefly.
Xie Junping was mulling over how to say a few good words when the area to his side suddenly lit up. He instinctively turned his head and saw an azure bolt of lightning leap beneath the dusky sky. At first glance, it looked like lightning, but its direction was clearly from the ground to the sky, cutting straight into the clouds.
Perhaps the contrast was too intense, but the surrounding buildings seemed to warp.
The flying car Phantom sounded an alarm at nearly the same time.
"What's going on?" Xie Junping asked as he walked to the car. But as he took a few steps, his built-in headphones screeched like a whistling microphone. His eardrums were nearly torn apart by the sound waves.
He cried out and reflexively covered his ears. But before his fingers could even reach them, his eyes felt another wave of pain. The temperature of the Light Film contact lenses instantly rose. Sensing the abnormal situation, the Light Film automatically shut down all functions.
Xie Junping's vision blurred. The world spun. This wasn't an illusion — it was real trembling, rippling, and warping.
The solid ground beneath his feet became a rocking dinghy on the waves. Tall buildings and the bridge warped and deformed within his vision. Sparks drifted in the distance, reflecting a red light in the sky that had yet to ignite.
Earthquake. A major earthquake!
Before he could think further, there was nothing beneath his feet. His entire body fell. The green belt at the head of the bridge, the railings, the stones, and his 500-million flying car Phantom all fell at the same time.
The bridge collapsed!
The bridge, known to withstand a magnitude 9 earthquake, fell like a toppled toy. Half of its head suddenly fractured.
Xie Junping's mind went blank. He screamed, clawing for something to hold.
He managed to grab a piece of rubble, but it only added weight.
His eyes nearly popped. His body spun.
"Ah…"
The scream had just begun when sharp pain shot through his shoulder joint and wrist. A great force ran through his body. The direction of his fall seemed to change instantly, and his body swayed violently.
"Ah ah ah!"
The bridge collided with the buildings below. Smoke and dust rose. Passersby screamed. Chaos reigned.
"Shut up!" A deep, low voice cut through the noise.
Xie Junping let out two more cries, then suddenly came to his senses. He shuddered and raised his head. Luo Nan's face and half his chest protruded from the bridge.
Most importantly, Luo Nan's arm stretched out with all his might. Slender and long, it wasn't thick and sturdy, but he had forcefully snatched Xie Junping from under the metaphorical scythe of the grim reaper…
Whether he was lucky or unlucky, he didn't know.
The bridge withstood an extreme impact. Though severely deformed, only a portion at the edge fractured, encircling Xie Junping. Luo Nan, just five steps away, was safe.
Because of this, Luo Nan could reach Xie Junping in time. Xie Junping didn't fall into the rubble below.
The situation wasn't over yet. Luo Nan's strength was limited, and the collapsed bridge formed an incline. He was slowly sliding down. There was nothing to hold onto.
The feeling of imminent death was unbearable. Xie Junping tried to grab anything he could, but his hands and feet struggled. Luo Nan's fingers slid slightly from his wrist.
Xie Junping fell again, screaming.
Luo Nan's face twisted in effort. "Don't move. Grab my hand."
Blinded by fear, Xie Junping couldn't obey and continued to struggle.
"Do you want to die!?"
The roar pierced his ears. Xie Junping froze and met Luo Nan's eyes.
Yingying had said Luo Nan's eyes shone when training. From here, Xie Junping saw a mottled mix of blood-red, green, and yellow — an abstract, bewitching scene branded into his heart.
The voice, low and hoarse now, continued: "Look at your hand! What are you doing!?"
Xie Junping's right hand, grasping Luo Nan's wrist, was stiff. Luo Nan's palm was pierced by stone, blood flowing, but he didn't feel it.
It was probably a stress reaction. Luo Nan had lost his sense of pain; fear had fused his flesh and the stone.
"Let go!" Luo Nan commanded.
Xie Junping wanted to comply, but his stiff fingers refused. Sweat dripped from his forehead.
Luo Nan took a deep breath, staring intently. "Don't look at your hand. Look at my eyes."
Xie Junping obeyed. The swirling colors locked his attention. Luo Nan's next command exploded in his mind:
"Let go!"
Instantly, Xie Junping's palm and fingers relaxed. All the strength in his body drained. The stone fell, smashing his shoulder. Pain shocked him, but he immediately grabbed Luo Nan's wrist again, refusing to let go.
With Xie Junping sharing the weight, Luo Nan could adjust his fingers and exert better force.
After a series of adjustments, the situation eased slightly. Xie Junping's clouded mind regained clarity. He could sense more of his surroundings.
The cold morning wind blew, carrying the sounds of explosions, collapsing buildings, and piercing police sirens.
He didn't need his eyes to understand the chaos.
Thanks to the Dark Hero, he was alive.
But he hoped the Dark Hero would put in just a little more effort to pull him up…
Just as he opened his mouth, an inexplicably powerful sound rumbled over.