Chapter 133 Hometown that cannot be left
The two walked side by side on the ancient mountain steps, with withered reed-like plants on both sides. The roar of construction machinery from the distance can still be heard here. , the once peaceful village has long been replaced by the hustle and bustle of modernity.
The old monk said as he walked: "Obik was called Master Ayan by the people in the past. He lived in the darkness in this area a long time ago, but the comfortable and peaceful village was slowly The city has been replaced, and everywhere is full of lights, which is no longer suitable for Ayan The young master is alive."
"Why didn't he leave?" This is Chiba Cheng's biggest doubt. According to Ida Jingryu, Obik may be an earthbound spirit, but Chiba Cheng is not. It seems that Obik has some unfulfilled wishes, but it seems that he doesn't want to leave here.
"Who knows," the old monk shook his head and sighed, "He himself also knew that this place was not suitable for his life, but he just didn't want to leave. From there, he moved there, and then moved there again. , and finally moved to the mountain. After the construction of the health park started, I didn’t know where it would move again.”
The monk said, pointing to the town below, and 'marked' Obik's moving route map, which was in sync with the development of Hikono Town, but one was moving forward and the other was retreating. Now it has retreated to the mountain, but it is still You have to continue to retreat, not knowing where to stop before you retreat.
Chiba Makoto looked at the towns in the distance shrouded in the rays of sunset, silent. The expansion of human cities will not stop, because more and more people are moving into cities in pursuit of greater happiness. and a better life, in order to meet the living and entertainment needs of these people, more buildings must be built.
While people are lamenting that forests have been replaced by steel and concrete, they are rushing into cities. As long as they stop entering cities and return to rural villages, cities will naturally stop expanding. Everyone understands this. But how many people would do this?
After a long time, Chiba Chengcai said: "If Obik doesn't want to leave here, he can integrate into human society like you. Why set up a stall at night to scare people? That will only attract TPCs. There are many people there. People will not tolerate aliens mixing among humans."
The old monk was startled by Qianye Cheng's words, and then thought of those soul-eating eyes when he was next to the ancient well. You have already seen through yourself.
Now that he had said it, the old civet cat relaxed and said: "I have tried to persuade him many times, but he is very stubborn and does not want to leave or integrate into human society. But this world is dominated by humans and they want to survive. , we must abide by human rules, he is like this!”
< br>At the end, the old civet cat couldn't help but sigh, feeling very sad. Thinking about it, his so-called integration into human society was just to become an outsider, and he was still separated from humans by a certain distance. It was just for survival. , if possible, who would be willing to change their appearance to show others.
Moreover, the metropolitan security system developed by TPC records all the information of human beings from birth to death. When there is a 'person' in the system who has lived for more than a hundred or even two hundred years, no one has any brains anymore. You may also think there is a problem.
In a smart city, there is no privacy at all. Where you go, what you buy, and where you buy it are all recorded. Perhaps this is because the old civet cat lives on the edge of the town and is outside. It's because of the identity of the person.
While they were talking, the two of them had already climbed to the top of this small hill, where there was an old wooden temple, which was obviously where he lived.
Chiba Cheng looked up at the small temple, then at the construction machinery rumbling at work in the distance, and said, "What are you going to do in the future?"
There was no sadness on the old civet cat's face, and he smiled. Said: "They will keep this temple and prepare to develop this area into a tourist attraction. They said they will buy it at a high price. This temple, and then hire me as the host."
"What about the future?" He is probably a sixty-year-old man, and he can live a stable life for at least twenty or thirty years, and there is still this development. It has become a healthy paradise, with people coming and going, and it will definitely not be as quiet as before. If you accidentally expose your tail, you will be in big trouble.
The smile on the old civet cat's face disappeared. He looked at the small temple he built with his own hands and lived in for a long time. After a while, he said helplessly: "Let's talk about it then."
Chiba Makoto doesn’t know what to say, just as he As I just said, this is a world dominated by humans. You must abide by human rules to survive. Obik is not the only one who has lost his home due to human activities. Many animals and plants are extinct or on the verge of extinction. How many people have paid attention to it? What about those endangered plants and animals?
So are humans happy living in cities that have swallowed up forests and villages? The fast pace of the city and the increasing pressure of life have made people living in reinforced concrete almost breathless. It is not easy for Obik and Lao Limao, but who can live easily?
Thinking about it, Chiba Cheng couldn't help but sigh deeply, but the old civet cat quickly regained his optimism and said: "The world will not wait for anyone, nor will it change because of one person. Life must go on, we can miss the past, but we must look to the future more.”
“If. When you see Obik, persuade him not to be so stubborn anymore, go find a piece of pure land elsewhere, and continue living." The old civet cat said, clasping his hands and bowing slightly to Qianye Cheng. He hurriedly followed suit, and then saw the old monk walking back to his wooden house, waiting for the unknown fate to come.
Chiba Cheng did not leave in a hurry, but took out his camera and took pictures of this small temple, this wilderness, the construction machinery working on the edge of the town, and the long-abandoned ancient well. I took a photo, as the old civet cat said, the world will not wait, it will just keep moving forward. The process of urbanization cannot be reversed. The only thing that can be done is to use photos to record the remaining scenery. When steel and concrete take over this place, at least there are still these photos to prove that this place was once a barren mountain with green trees and beautiful wild flowers. , insects, ants, birds and beasts living in it.
When I returned to the foot of the mountain, night fell. I rode my motorcycle and drove away from this wilderness waiting to be developed. I returned to the brightly lit town. I looked at the map and walked road by road, looking for the soba noodle stall.
There are very few dark places in human towns. Not long after, Chiba Makoto saw a pushcart noodle stall on a secluded road on the edge of the town. The surrounding area had just been built not long ago, and there was not much There are many people living there, so this area is a bit darker than other places.
Chiba Makoto parked his motorcycle in front of the soba stall and shouted to Obik, who was lowering his head and playing with the condiments: "Hello, I want a bowl of ramen."
" Okay, guest, please wait a moment." Obik said, looking up and seeing that he looked familiar, and then thought of the only time. A shocking case of failure, his face suddenly changed, he waved his right hand, conjured a magic wand, and asked: "Why is it you again?"
"Repeat customers, aren't you welcome?" Chiba Cheng said and sat down He stood on the stool, put his hands on the table, and said: "A bowl of ramen, thank you!"
Obik hesitated for a few seconds, and then started making his best soba noodles. While working, he asked: "Are you really not afraid of me?"
Chiba Makoto did not answer, but talked about him Regarding his experience in the afternoon, he said: "I met an old master in the mountains this afternoon. He told me your story, Master Ayan, why don’t you want to leave?”
Obik’s hands shaking the noodles trembled, and he paused for two or three seconds before continuing. : "Why should I leave? I have lived here for a long, long time, this is my home Ah."
"But my home is no longer suitable for living. Wouldn't it be better to move to another place?" Chiba Cheng said, taking out a stack of photos from his backpack and placing them on the table one by one. “These are rural areas far away from the big cities, and young people there never come back after leaving. There are only some old people left in many villages or even no one living there. It is very quiet and dark at night, which is very suitable."
Obik threw the ramen into the pot and interrupted Chiba Makoto. Introduction, said: "But this is not home."
"." Chiba Cheng stopped placing the photo, looked up at Obik, and said: "But I can live."
"I still like to stay here. If I go far away, I will always come back. It won't come." Obik stirred the noodles quickly, letting them rotate in the boiling pot, then picked them up and put them in a bowl, placing them skillfully. Add the ingredients and sauces, and finally pick up the steaming bowl, place it in front of Chiba Cheng, and say with a smile: "Guest, your noodles are ready, please use it slowly."
Chiba Cheng Wei Sighing, he picked up his chopsticks and began to enjoy his dinner. With a smile on his face, Obik watched with great satisfaction as the guests devoured their food.
On a cold night, eating a bowl of hot noodle soup is simply a fairy-like enjoyment. Chiba Makoto finally picked up the bowl and drank the soup in one gulp. Then he let out a long sigh of satisfaction and said The bowl was placed back on the table, and Obik took the bowl back and put it under the cart.
Chiba Cheng took out a banknote and put it into the money box on the right, and said: "You have attracted attention. I have seen stories about Obik on the radio and in newspapers. Then If this continues, you will really attract people from the TPC, and by then."
"By then, everyone will remember me," Obik said with a nostalgic look on his face: "No one has called me Master Ayan for a long time, and not many people even remember me. The village has also become strange. What’s the difference between going to other places and here?”
“At least I can live!”
“I have lived long enough. arrive I have forgotten when I started living in this village. I have watched it grow bigger and bigger day by day, and its population has increased day by day. Until now, it is becoming stranger every day." Obik's eye circles were a little red: "This This is my hometown, how can I leave, even if I die, I will die here."
(End of this chapter)