History Turns a New Page

Dawn City, Alliance Square. Heavy snowflakes drifted down from the sky like goose feathers, swirling around a towering stone monument that stood at the center of the square. The monument had been erected there since the earliest days of the Alliance. Shaped like a sword pointing straight toward the sky, its unfinished obelisk tip continued to reach ever upward. Every so often, another section was added to its height. Sometimes it was just a meter or two, and sometimes it rose as high as several people standing on one another's shoulders. Carved upon the monument were countless names. Every single name etched there was a memory forged in blood and glory. Beyond commemorating the fallen, this was also the sacred ground where triumphant Alliance soldiers were welcomed home and decorated with medals... ... Just like the year Shelter 404 opened its doors for the 777th time, this was another bitter winter. The first snow had fallen before late autumn had even drawn to a close. Now, with winter barely begun, thick flakes were already drifting through the air like goose feathers. Seeing snow for the first time—and such heavy snow at that—Dora was as thrilled as a child. She ran along with her face turned up to catch the falling flakes, but failed to watch her step. Tripping over a stone curb along the roadside, she slammed straight into Teng Teng as the latter was walking past, tumbling them both into a flowerbed. The rounded shrubs were heaped with snow, sparing either of them from getting hurt in the collision. Yet, having suffered such an unexpected bolt from the blue, Teng Teng's spirit seemed to have taken quite a blow. Her soul practically drifted out of her body, and the bright light in her eyes faded away. Terrified by her lifeless expression, Dora panicked completely. She flapped her hands in flustered apology, desperately brushing snow off Teng Teng while babbling, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Seeing the commotion, nearby players gathered around to watch the fun, completely uninterested in lending a hand and wholly devoted to jeering from the sidelines. "Referee! Offensive foul! Charging with the ball!" "Pass it on! Teng Teng got knocked out cold by a ball!" "? Wasn't she passed out from sheer rage?" "Who cares how she passed out! Quick, Dora, CPR! Mouth-to-mouth!" "???" The scene devolved into utter chaos. Dora could understand what they were saying, but she had no idea what to do. The peanut gallery only cared about shouting wild nonsense, yet not a single one was willing to step up and give a demonstration. That was until the ever-enthusiastic Mosquito arrived on the scene. "Let me—!" Hearing that cracked, drake-like squawk, Teng Teng—whose face was being squeezed out of shape—snapped back to her senses in Dora's arms with a sudden start. On pure reflex, her boot flew out and kicked Mosquito headfirst into the flowerbed. "*Wukaa—*" Watching Mosquito flail helplessly in the snowdrift, she let out an embarrassed, furious roar. "Go die!" Seeing Miss Teng Teng blow her top, the crowd of players instantly scattered in all directions. Not far from the flowerbed, Tail caught wind of the rumor that Teng Teng had been knocked out by a snowball. Inspired by a sudden burst of whimsy, she dragged Rou Rou and a bunch of green novices into an all-out snowball fight. As it turned out, supersonic snowballs did not exist in Wasteland OL—or rather, the moment one broke the sound barrier, it immediately disintegrated into mist. Watching the icy powder whistle chaotically through the air, White Dove stood at the edge of the square beside Xiao Hong, an amused smile playing on his lips. "Lively, isn't it?" Xiao Hong didn't reply. She merely gazed quietly toward the downtown district of Qingquan City, a faint, tender smile on her face, like an elderly mother watching over her child. As if sensing her presence, a crisp call drifted from afar, reminiscent of a dolphin's cry. "*Ee-ooh—!*" "*Ee-ooh—*" Xiao Hong answered toward the vast white curtain of snow, looking off in the direction of Qingquan City. *Luo Yu... is super amazing!* *Is that so? You two seem very close.* *Mm!* "..." In that brief instant, they had exchanged enough memories to take ordinary people days to catch up on, ranging all the way from Port French Fries in the south to the Vortex Sea on the westernmost edge of the Central Continent. And those were places Xiao Hong, who had stayed in the Lost Valley all this time, had never seen before... Just then, an unfamiliar voice called out from the side. "Are you... White Dove?" Hearing the voice, White Dove turned his head, only to see a walking tin can. The person wore rounded armor made of metal plates that covered every inch of skin, exposing nothing but two eyes through narrow slits. Catching the scent of mutant slime mold spores coming off him, White Dove showed a momentary flicker of surprise, which quickly melted back into a warm, genial smile. One of his own kind. Just like him, this fellow had established a symbiotic relationship with a mutant slime mold to a certain degree. The only difference was that he didn't seem quite as fortunate; he had run into a partner that lacked all sense of personal boundaries. "That's me. What's the matter?" "An honor to meet you! Truly, an honor! I've heard so much about you!" Clanking noises echoed from within the tin can as the man chuckled sheepishly. "My name is Bucky... Heh, I was originally planning to head to Falling Leaves Valley to find you. I never expected you'd come to Dawn City." "Then you really came at the right time," White Dove said with a faint smile, glancing up at the sky. "In a few days, I might be heading somewhere else." "...Somewhere else?" Bucky froze, caught off guard. White Dove offered no explanation, simply looking at him. "Was there something you wanted to ask me?" "Well, there is... You see, I heard you're an expert on mutant slime mold, so I wanted to ask if you could take a look at me. Am I still salvageable in this state?" As he spoke, Bucky reached behind his head and pulled off his helmet, revealing a face terrifying enough to make small children burst into tears. Looking upon his face, White Dove showed neither disgust nor fear. He merely stroked his chin with interest before extending the index finger of his right hand. "Let me see." As he spoke, his index finger pressed against Bucky's forehead, and a thread-like sprout of flesh-red spores emerged from his fingertip. Like a needle, the sprout pierced through the skin of Bucky's forehead, boring toward the skull. Yet right at that moment, an unexpected anomaly occurred. The rotten-meat-like skin suddenly twitched as if coming alive, rippling into folds. Like a feral dog guarding its meal, it snapped the thread-like spore off with a savage crunch. A look of *just as I thought* crossed White Dove's face, and he withdrew his finger from the man's forehead. A completely bewildered Bucky still had no idea what had happened, blinking blankly at the man before him. "What... what just happened?" "It has already grown into your brain." Hearing that answer, Bucky's eyes went wide, and sheer panic surfaced on his face. "How could that be?! But... I-I've been taking the inhibitors all this time..." White Dove nodded. "Indeed, I can feel that. And perhaps it's precisely because of those inhibitors that you haven't realized you aren't actually Bucky anymore... Rather, you are the slime mold that inherited Bucky's memories, continuing to live under the name Bucky." Confronted by this shocking truth, Bucky covered his face in disbelief, muttering over and over under his breath. "I'm... the slime mold? I'm not Bucky?" "Yes, and no," White Dove said in a very soft voice, watching the man struggle to accept reality. "You are the slime mold, and you are also Bucky... At least, you are the Bucky known to the people here." Seeing the man look up in utter confusion, White Dove pondered for a moment before continuing. "If every plank of wood on a ship is replaced over time, is it still the original ship? In my view, it is. Although every component that made it up has changed, the form of its existence has not changed at all. Our very cells are constantly undergoing metabolism, turning over completely within ten years at most... The only difference for you and me is that a little something extra was introduced into that metabolic process." "You can think of it as the organism consuming your body, or you can think of it as your consciousness supplanting its original existence. None of that truly matters. One thing, however, is beyond doubt: whether you choose to be human, or a slime mold, or something else entirely—that is entirely up to you." "Up to me..." Bucky stared blankly at the predecessor before him, standing rooted to the spot, seemingly understanding yet entirely lost. White Dove chuckled, shifting his gaze toward the distant monument and the Administrator standing beneath it, a trace of fascination entering his eyes. "Does a slime mold possessing human consciousness count as human... It seems the Alliance has already considered that question long ago. Heh. Truly, you don't need to be so distressed. The people here accepted you a long time ago; you're simply the only one who hasn't accepted it yourself." "'Bucky' became the new 'Bucky' long ago, probably even before he started taking the inhibitors... Though regrettable, there's no helping it. Even if you were to kill this part of you, the original you wouldn't come back. The Alliance doctors prescribed you inhibitors out of goodwill, allowing you to live every day in a state like sleepwalking, but deep down, you know full well you've just been lying to yourself." "Your rejection response stems from your resistance to this change, from feeling disgusted by your own body." "Why not try accepting it? Treat it as a fresh start, and stop taking the inhibitors." "Gradually, you will assimilate and master this power... Until the day comes when you grow weary of the endless passage of time, you should secretly count your blessings." "After all, this is an 'immortal body.'" Leaving behind those parting words, White Dove offered a casual wave of his hand. Leaving Bucky staring thoughtfully at his own hands, he turned and walked away with Xiao Hong. The bustling crowd coming and going didn't spare Bucky a second glance—not even for that face capable of frightening children to tears. This was the Alliance. And what was more, this was the staging ground from which the Alliance marched to war. What kind of monstrosity had the wastelanders living here not seen before? No one cast strange looks at him merely because he bore slime mold on his flesh. The only thing trapped inside that clumsy suit of armor was the past self inside his own heart... Shortly after White Dove departed, the snowball fight started by Tail grew larger and larger, spreading across an ever-widening area until it looked remarkably like an all-out world war! In the end, it wasn't just the novices; even the veterans who had returned to Dawn City from the heart of the Great Desert to attend the medal ceremony joined the fray. In this free-for-all among Awakened, the war criminal Ah Wei finally found two fists no match for seven or eight flying snowballs. With a tragic cry of "*Giao—!*" she was completely buried beneath a heap of snow. "Let me go—!" "I've rendered meritorious service to the Alliance! I demand to see Brother Guang!" "Wait, if you're taking photos, Tail wants to stand in the center—*giao!* Whose butt is that? Move it! You're blocking Tail's head!" The crowd took turns snapping photos with her. Finally, before Ah Wei's nose could drip snot, they dragged her out of the snowman pile—shivering uncontrollably, yet unmistakably ready to do it all over again next time. While everyone was having the time of their lives, Ye Shi, who had waited an eternity at the edge of the square, finally caught sight of Jiang Xuezhou, who was half an hour late. She wore a white cashmere coat, with a scarf he had previously gifted her wrapped snug around her neck. Bundled up so tightly, she looked practically like a snowman. Even so, Ye Shi recognized her from the crowd at a single glance—and spotted her difference from before just as quickly. Staring fixedly at that face, which looked as exquisitely crafted as a 3D digital model, Ye Shi held his breath for a good while before he couldn't help blurt out: "By the way... how did you end up looking like this?" "Is it ugly...?" Jiang Xuezhou panicked instantly, fidgeting with her fingers like a child who had flunked an exam. Ye Shi shook his head, blushing self-consciously as he looked away. "Not at all..." How should he put it? It was pretty, all right—it just felt like something straight out of the 3D section. Studying Ye Shi's eyes for a good while and confirming that he was genuinely embarrassed, the corners of Jiang Xuezhou's previously stiff lips instantly curled upward in smug triumph. "Hmph." Crossing her arms over her chest, she flipped a strand of hair resting on her shoulder and tilted up her pert nose with undisguised pride. "Excuse you, this young lady was always this gorgeous... I merely restored it using scientific methods." "Right, right, whatever you say." Ye Shi made a helpless face, thinking to himself that as long as she was happy, it didn't matter. He hadn't minded her before, so he certainly wouldn't be unable to bring himself to kiss her just because she'd become prettier. It might sound a bit corny, but what he had fallen in love with was truly that kind, beautiful soul of hers. No matter what form she took, that would never change. Perhaps his gaze really was a bit too sappy, for her fair, pretty face suddenly flushed bashfully. Her hooked index fingers rubbed against each other. After hesitating for a long time, she finally mumbled under her breath: "By the way, um... there's something I need to apologize to you for." Ye Shi looked at her in confusion. "Apologize for what?" "Well, theory is just theory after all. Even though I knew about it, I was in such a rush to save you back then that a crucial component... slipped my mind. A-Anyway, you know what I'm talking about..." Twirling the tips of her sideburns around her index finger, her cheeks glowed red as lanterns. While staring resolutely to the side, she peeked glances at him every few seconds. "...Should I install it?" Though it was merely a fleeting brush of eyes, Ye Shi felt as if a bullet had struck him straight through the heart. Perhaps this was just the plight of a virgin. Just as Old Brother Fang Chang had once teased, this was the most textbook embarrassing display of an inexperienced virgin—but so what if it was embarrassing? He couldn't be bothered to argue with that old fossil over such things. For a brief second, he even felt the urge to blurt out his QQ password to her. No— He had already thought of the names for their children. "Give me three days!" Jiang Xuezhou blinked, stunned. "Three days? Why three days..." "Don't worry about why, just give me three days—" "Talk to me properly! Don't suddenly point a gun at your own head!" For a moment there, Jiang Xuezhou was genuinely frightened out of her wits. Fortunately, experienced guards rushed over in the nick of time. Even as they prepared to "report a bug," they managed to tackle and restrain the knocked-out fellow before he could do anything drastic... ... The eight o'clock bells tolled right on time. Before anyone realized it, the square was packed shoulder-to-shoulder with people. The countless gazes focused on the monument at the center of the square burned with enough warmth to almost melt the thick blanket of snow. Unlike the harsh winters of years past. Though heavy snow fell this year as well, it was nowhere near unbearable. The supermarket shelves were stacked with a dazzling array of goods, affordable even to ordinary citizens working the lowest-skilled jobs. Survivors newly arrived in the city could hardly believe that a mere five years ago, the people living here had to stuff pre-war banknotes into burlap sacks just to use as winter padding. It was, without question, a miracle. The people living here no longer had to fear that silvery-white hell, and young children happily built snowmen outside their front doors in sheer delight. Before Year 211 of the Wasteland Era, such a sight had never existed; back then, most people didn't even have a home. That Administrator had truly kept his word— Upon this barren land where nothing once stood, he had built a miracle rivaling Ideal City. In fact— This miracle shining across the entire wasteland shone even brighter than Ideal City itself! Of course, just as he had always said, this was not his achievement alone. The credit belonged to everyone. To the living. And to those who had died in the past. Looking back at those reverent eyes, at those faces filled with longing and even fanatic devotion, Chu Guang, standing beneath the monument, couldn't help letting his thoughts drift back to the beginning. To the 777th opening of Shelter 404's door. Back then, near Ling Lake Wetland Park, he had been a newcomer completely in the dark about everything around him. He had even been chased for miles by a two-headed wild dog, nearly losing his life in its jaws. It proved that people never truly knew how capable they were until they were pushed to the brink. Although the cost had been somewhat too agonizing—to the point where he had died over and over again in all manner of bizarre ways—the final outcome, thankfully, was a joyous one for all. Yet all of that was in the past now. Even to this day, echoes of those deaths would occasionally use the naturally formed morphogenetic field to manifest in his dreams as nightmares. "It truly hasn't been easy getting to this point, Master." Xiao Qi's voice drifted into his ear. Chu Guang could hear that the cheerful, buoyant voice was genuinely, wholeheartedly happy for him. A faint smile curled the corners of his lips. Chu Guang replied in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Indeed. Getting here wasn't easy at all. And not just for me—for you, too..." "Thank you for all your hard work, all this time." He wasn't the only one who had been reborn 777 times. He would remember that promise for the rest of his life, and treat this little companion well. "Master..." The electronic voice that floated into his ears carried a slight tremor, sounding as though it were moved nearly to tears. Chu Guang believed that the little thing possessed emotions, that it truly experienced joy, anger, sorrow, and gratitude. Crying, however—that was undeniably an act. Just then, the eight o'clock bells echoed from afar, cutting through the clamor of the square. The bustling noise fell into an uncanny silence in an instant. Across the entire square, the only sounds that remained were the whispering fall of snow and the sigh of the wind. It was a unanimous, instinctive reaction—so sudden that even the crowd who had fallen silent felt a fleeting moment of surprise at themselves. The hour had arrived. The triumphal ceremony was about to begin. More than that, today's ceremony carried an extraordinary significance unlike any that had come before! Beyond bestowing medals upon the warriors who had fought in the final battle, their revered Administrator would also put a definitive period to this two-century-long war at this solemn, sacred moment of victory— What they had defeated was not merely the Church of the Torch and the corrupted Legion, nor merely the Enlightenment Society or the Celestials. What they had defeated was the Wasteland Era itself! From this day forward, a brand-new global order would take shape across the earth. Never again would any person or power tolerate the breeding of evil and barbarism. The various survivor factions would unite as never before, forming a de facto coalition! Looking into those eyes blazing like fire, Chu Guang's Adam's apple bobbed gently. In a measured, storytelling tone, he began to speak. "In Year 211 of the Wasteland Era, as I recall, it was also a bitter winter... Stepping out of the shelter back then, I was not adequately prepared. In truth, my actions were somewhat hasty." "Especially when I saw the first snow, a fleeting thought even surfaced in my mind: *Did we open the doors too early?*" "I imagine I was not the only one who thought so; many people have likely wondered the same." He had prepared no speech beforehand, nor had he tried to deliberately stoke the flames in people's hearts, for there was no longer any need. They had long since ceased merely waiting where they stood; they had already become the light illuminating the horizon. Besides, this was merely the opening address for the triumphal ceremony, not a wartime mobilization or a political performance. He simply wished, as an ordinary person, to have a heart-to-heart talk with the people who had supported him. "What drove me to make these decisions was no grand reason or magnificent ambition." "It was simply that, waking upon the wasteland, I saw a girl emaciated to skin and bones looking at a plain piece of candy with eyes full of desperate longing. I saw a simple, honest, hardworking family unable to secure even the most basic necessities of survival, while the very people who should have led them in rebuilding their homes rode roughshod over their heads, bowing and scraping to savagery while bringing down an iron fist upon civilization... Even the shelter residents, who should have set an example, were no better. We, who should have stepped forward to do something, chose not only silence, but used the knowledge of the Era of Prosperity to roll medicinal pills and tally ledgers for those beasts." "I saw humans devouring humans. And what was more terrifying was that no one thought it was wrong—neither the one eating, nor the one being eaten. Soon after, I thought of myself: if my children one day in the future must also make such choices just to survive, would my surviving today at any cost truly be worth it?" The square remained dead silent. Chu Guang could feel that resonance. Because he knew very well that this was a choice every wastelander had once been forced to make. In order to survive, they had all done things they were unwilling to do, to a greater or lesser degree. Whether right, or wrong. "...Surviving is not shameful, but I knew we could not go on like this. We had to do something. Because if we did nothing, if we simply waited for fate to choose for us, we would no longer have anything called a future." "Those of us alive would die in silence, and the traces of our existence would hold no meaning. It wouldn't even qualify as a disgrace, because we would be the final generation; there wouldn't even be anyone left to nail shut this rotting coffin!" "And so, from that moment on, I decided to try and do something, starting from what I could do. I decided to stop taking ugliness and filth for granted, to stop living merely for the sake of staying alive... but to become the light myself, to kindle the spark in my own hands, and before igniting those around me, to first become a beacon they could see." Chu Guang drew a slow, deep breath, letting the stale air in his chest dissolve into the white mist of the cold. A smile appeared on his face. Lowering his voice by a few decibels, he continued in a steady, calm cadence. "...I am honored that you are all me, showing me that countless versions of myself, when faced with chaos and barbarism, made the exact same choice without hesitation." "This is a miracle we created together. We will carry the memories of these two centuries of darkness as we continue forward, and a reborn civilization will rise once more at this very moment, from the ruins of old-world prosperity." "Our descendants will live in a brighter future. They will no longer have to fear the arrival of winter and the dark as we once did! For their forebears brought an end to the Wasteland Era, forging an impossible miracle with their courage, unity, and resolve!" "What we have won is not merely victory in a war—we have triumphed over our past!" "History turns a new page today. From this day forward, every single day shall belong to a new era!" "This glorious victory belongs to us—" "To every single one of us who fought to bring an end to the Wasteland Era!"