December 31st, Year Two of the Calendar at the end of the wasteland.
There are only the last eighteen days left before the first god gambling battle officially begins.
On the eve of the end of the second year of the wasteland and the beginning of the new year, every corner of human society is filled with a special and complex emotion.
Perhaps everyone knows that now is not just a change of years, but also a moment when they climb step by step from the abyss of despair, and the flowers of hope watered with blood, sweat and tears are about to bloom.
Therefore, even if the whole world seems to be holding its breath, waiting for the critical moment to decide the final fate.
As the end of the second year of human beings on earth in the wasteland, it also serves as the continuation of the past and the beginning of the new year.
When this day arrived, almost all territories, regardless of size, tried their best to hold meaningful New Year's parties in their own way.
This is not only a celebration of the arrival of the new year, but also a collective tribute to those who have rebuilt their homes in the ruins and found light in despair in the past year.
Tesla territory.
A grand bonfire party was held in the farmland after the wheat harvest.
People sit around a blazing bonfire, and the firelight reflects the complex expressions on their faces, which include both painful memories of the past and infinite longing for the future.
The survivors who were lucky enough to survive took turns telling about those thrilling days, how they found food in the ruins, and how they rescued each other in desperate situations.
Some brave ones will also share their experiences of head-on battles with alien races, scaring the surrounding audience into screaming from time to time.
Children nestled in the arms of their mothers or elders. Although they did not fully understand everything the adults said, they could still feel the coexistence of heaviness and hope from their expressions and tones. emotions.
Not long after, the aroma of roasted potatoes filled the night sky. The alluring aroma mixed with the salty aroma of salt made people drool.
The survivors tacitly stopped talking, each picked up the potatoes with pious expressions, and ate them silently.
A feeling of peace of mind pervaded the venue.
The warehouse full of grain from the autumn harvest is a beam of light that penetrates the haze, illuminating the way forward for the survivors.
Perhaps there are still countless obstacles ahead.
But at least.
at the moment.
They finally have the qualifications to fight against difficulties.
“How great. It only took us two years to get here. Even if we had to do it over ten thousand times, I don’t think we could do better than what we do now.”
Station In the dark shadows next to the farmland, Musk quietly looked at the harmonious scene in front of him, with an unspeakable emotion in his tone.
“That’s right, if you think about it carefully, any success cannot be replicated. If it were to happen again, I don’t know if I would have died in his hand with a shaking hand when I first traveled to the wasteland and fought with aliens. ”
Security Director Thomas followed Musk and heard him say this, and replied with the same emotion.
As long as you think about the ordeals you suffered in the past days, you can't help but feel chills running down your spine.
To be honest, there is no chance of anyone who has the confidence to get through again.
"By the way, Mr. Musk, there is only the last half hour before the party ends. Should you consider going back to rest, otherwise there will be too many people in a while."
Thomas shrugged Shrugging, "Unless you want to waste three hours here."
"Oh, damn, let's go back quickly."
Musk looked bitter and quickly put away all his emotions.
If the operation of the factory and the research and development work of the research institute had not been very smooth recently, he would have had to live in the factory 24 hours a day to supervise operations.
"Well, today is so lively. Why didn't Dean Ji come? Has he been in the research institute all day?"
Before leaving, Musk tilted his head and suddenly thought of What is missing in the scene now?
During the autumn harvest, Director Ji of the institute had to go to see the excitement countless times a day.
But we arrived at the New Year’s party and couldn’t see anyone the whole day?
"I don't know. Dean Ji seems to be very busy recently. He hasn't been out of the institute." Thomas frowned and then remembered that he hadn't seen Mr. Ji for three days. .
As a security director, this is obviously a serious dereliction of duty and has relaxed the protection of important people.
“I’ll ask the security guard at the institute to see”
"Forget it, let's go directly. I happen to sleep in the research institute tonight."
Musk waved his hands repeatedly and got on the battery car first.
For this Mr. Ji, his inner emotions are very complicated.
On the one hand, the speed at which the other party promoted scientific research was so frightening that ordinary people could not understand it, which made him often glad that he had not misjudged the person at that time.
On the other hand, he knew that the identity of Mr. Ji was not simple. He was definitely not an unknown ordinary person. He must have something else in mind when entering Tesla territory.
Musk has always suppressed his intellectual curiosity and tried not to think about this aspect.
But as the time for the first gambling fight got closer and closer, he always felt that the other party seemed to be more anxious than him.
It was as if he was going to participate in this gambling battle.
Musk is convinced that he is not alone in feeling this way. Many researchers in the institute also feel the same way.
Those large and small research projects, although some have only begun, the direction they are involved in can affect the development several years later.
He is so far-sighted and has no clear plans for the future. No one would believe it.
“We’re here!”
Musk was deep in thought when the battery car stopped in front of the research institute, which has been expanded three times.
It is already eleven o'clock at night.
The lights in the institute are still as bright as day, completely tearing the curtain of night apart.
Each huge floor-to-ceiling window shines with warm and firm light, reflecting the busy figures inside.
In this dim light, Musk’s gaze did not stop.
From the moment he got off the car, he stared at the only dark room on the third floor, falling into a deathly silence.
"Mr. Musk"
Thomas also saw the only room with the lights off, and swallowed nervously.
As the most important person in the institute, the light went out, and he didn't receive any notification?
How is this possible?
Are all the dozens of guards assigned by the institute asleep?
This kind of thing didn’t arouse their vigilance?
Countless questions instantly appeared in Thomas's mind, but before he could say anything else, Musk seemed to be deflated, and his straight back bent a lot in an instant.
"No need to look for it, he's gone."
"Gone?"
Thomas was stunned when he saw the guard captain on duty in the institute walking over with an embarrassed look on his face.
"Lord, supervisor, are you looking for Dean Ji?"
"He came to me specifically when he left in the afternoon, not letting me disturb you from attending the New Year's party, saying yes. When you come back, just go to his room and find out.”
"What?" Thomas' tone became urgent, "Where are the people? Where did they go?"
"I don't know, we arranged people to protect Dean Ji when he went out, but the people who followed him didn't go far. The road was thrown away."
The guard captain was a little incoherent, "It may have been like this before. We are all used to being thrown away by Dean Ji in a few moments, so we didn't pay much attention to it. "
"FU*K! "
Thomas held his forehead and couldn't help blurting out a Chinese quintessence.
In other words, the person they want to protect has been easily out of sight for half a day. If Musk hadn't come to the institute tonight, it might have been a day or two or more before the news was known?
And why are the guards so indifferent to being easily thrown off the trail?
Afraid that Musk would blame himself and attribute Dean Ji’s disappearance to the territorial guards, Thomas’s nervous legs were shaking a little.
But fortunately, Musk didn’t move much from beginning to end, still staring at the darkened window. It wasn't until a few minutes passed that he suddenly came back to his senses and sniffed expressionlessly.
"Let's go and see what Dean Ji left for us."
"Yes!"
Thomas breathed a sigh of relief and quickly opened the way ahead.
In the middle of the process, he secretly opened the game interface and used a private message to instruct several security guards on the third floor to quickly check the room situation to prevent any unexpected security situation.
“Did Mr. Ji say anything else when he left?”
"No, just say you went to the room and you will know."
"Oh." Musk sniffed again, which was his subconscious reaction to relieve himself when faced with unexpected situations. Anxious mood.
On the third floor, the door has been opened by the guard, the lights are on, and I briefly checked the interior.
"Nothing unusual, but there is a safe on the table."
The guard came forward to report to Thomas. Turning sideways, everyone could see a sixty-foot-wide safe on the table. Centimeter huge safe.
"Mr. Musk, do you want us?" Thomas hesitated.
If it was something left by Mr. Ji, it would be a bit excessive if they used violent means to open it.
But if there are any dangerous items inside, who can bear the responsibility afterwards?
“No need.”
“If we can’t even believe him after such a long time, then there won’t be many people in this wasteland who can.”
Musk pushed open the remaining half of the door and signaled the guards to wait outside, leaving Thomas alone to follow.
At the entrance, the only small window that can be opened on the floor-to-ceiling windows is half open, and the night wind blows, bringing a cool breeze.
The room must have been cleaned and it looks extremely tidy.
Even the dust at the corner has been carefully wiped away, losing all traces of life.
“I’m really gone.”
Musk felt an indescribable sense of loss in his heart, walked to the safe, and put his hand on top.
The box is a common roulette password safe.
The password consists of three roulette wheels, which need to be turned to enter three two-digit numbers to open.
As Thomas watched, Musk quickly turned the dial to try.
There was a thud.
The password verification was successful, and it turned out to be the day the two met.
The box automatically pops up fifteen degrees, revealing the inner structure, which is divided into upper and lower layers.
There is a letter on the upper floor, and the word "Ji" is carved with wax on the edge of the envelope.
The lower layer is four pieces of information wrapped in scientific waterproof bags, each of which seems to have hundreds of pages.
“Get out, you are not needed here.”
"Okay, if you have any questions, please call me anytime." Thomas turned around and left the room.
This is the best result. Although Mr. Ji left, he still considered them as always.
Otherwise, if there are any dangerous items in the safe, or gadgets that tease Musk, it may not be enough to kill him ten thousand times.
Buzz.
The moment Thomas closed the door, Musk sat slumped in the chair.
He did not rush to take out the letter and information inside, but sat here blankly looking out the window.
A few days ago, the two of them were standing there thinking about the future of human life and how to take root in the wasteland.
But in the blink of an eye, they suddenly parted ways.
“Shit, really shit!”
After a while, Musk exhaled a filthy breath.
Although he kept cursing in his mouth, his mood finally adjusted from the previous melancholy.
He took out the letter above, brushed his fingers over the warm paint, and slowly opened it.
The envelope is very thin, with only one piece of paper inside.
Musk gently twisted the letter paper and started reading from top to bottom:
'Dear Mr. Musk, please forgive me for leaving without saying goodbye. There is an old saying in China that good friends are as close as the world is apart. Although I don’t know when we will meet next time, I believe that as long as you and I have the same goals, we will one day meet again. ’
'Before I left, I thought about it and decided to leave you two special gifts. I hope you can properly play its role and continue to contribute to the earth's humanity taking root in the wasteland. ’
‘Well, the coffee you gave me was delicious, so when I left, I went to your office and took away all the remaining coffee. I hope you won’t be angry! ’
‘On December 31, the second year of the calendar year at the end of the wasteland, Ji Longliu. ’
There is not much lyricism, nor is the reason for leaving clearly stated.
Musk looked at it expressionlessly, seemingly without any psychological changes, but his nose twitched significantly faster.
Even after reading a sentence, I would subconsciously twitch.
"Damn it, you still have to take away my coffee"
He muttered and cursed, stuffed the letter back into the envelope and put it back in the safe.
Gift?
If these gifts are not valuable enough, you will be wanted in my entire wasteland!
Even if I search all over the world, I will bring you back!
With this thought in mind, Musk reluctantly pulled out the top information bag and opened the outer waterproof layer.
Crash.
The scattered drawings fell on the table, flying one by one, filled with the pleasant smell of ink.
Huh?
In just a moment, a special shape drawing caught his eye.
This is an armor structure diagram that he has never seen before. No, this is an armor that looks very much like the Iron Man armor.
The smooth curves, silky edges and corners, and the densely packed parameter marks around it.
Musk picked up the drawing in astonishment, his breathing seemed to have stopped.
This?
What's this?
An hour passed.
Thomas looked at his watch anxiously and couldn't stop wandering in front of the door.
During this hour, except for the first few minutes, Musk's crazy and excited yelling almost never stopped for the rest of the time.
Is he crazy?
Finally, I heard an ordinary sound suddenly coming from inside, like something being knocked to the ground.
Thomas finally found a reason, and quickly stepped forward and knocked on the door, then pushed it open after two seconds.
"Mr. Musk, do you need some help?"
He was already prepared for Mr. Ji to leave and Mr. Musk to be furious.
However, before he finished speaking, Thomas froze on the spot.
In the huge room, the ground was filled with manuscripts filled with handwriting, forming a large circle.
Musk was half-kneeling in the large circle, leaning down piously as if praying.
From beginning to end, even if the door had been opened, his eyes were still fixed on these manuscripts, without any influence from the outside world.
A hoarse murmur sounded from Musk's mouth.
“Is it true? This is actually true?!”
(End of this chapter)