Farosa left the chanical chamber.
Xu Yang felt strange, his body gradually becoming weak again, as if the previous strength was just a fleeting mont. He looked around, surrounded by terminals and panels connected to the life-support pod. Is this the environnt I’ve been surviving in for the past six years? he thought. It’s really pitiful.
"Lila calls this the ’Throne Room.’ Because Lila always believed that one day, master would return." Lila said in the Digital Mind.
She and Xu Yang were almost intertwined as one.
"I’m so sorry to have worried you..." Xu Yang was very ashad.
"No matter what, Lila will always be with the master." Lila said gently.
Xu Cheng had just been tossed onto the floor by Farosa and was now looking at Xu Yang with wide eyes.
Would she despise her weakened father? Xu Yang saw a new, wheelchair-like hovering machine being delivered for transport. Xu Yang sat on it, and the machine’s various parts supported him, making him feel like an old scientist from the previous era, paralyzed all over, reliant on equipnt to move and speak.
A bit embarrassing. Xu Yang felt uncomfortable being stared at by Xu Cheng. It would take at least a few more days before he fully recovered.
"Daddy doesn’t feel well right now..." Xu Yang slowly said to Xu Cheng, "Let Daddy be alone for a while."
Xu Cheng walked over, forlorn, resting her head on Xu Yang’s shoulder, as if acting spoiled, yet her heart was filled with grief. She had so much to say.
Grief has no sound, Xu Cheng had too much unbearable pain from the past, speaking silently to the mute walls over the years.
In the envoy days, after countless dark nights and strange dreams, Xu Cheng was filled with lancholy, missing her father. Now that Xu Yang had finally returned, Xu Cheng couldn’t help but sob, tears streaming down her face.
"But, I don’t want to be apart from Daddy," she said sadly, "I miss you so much, Daddy. The things you left , I kept them all carefully. I was afraid Daddy had died! You took care of so lovingly, always finding ways to care for every day, but then you suddenly vanished, and I was so scared you’d never co back. Daddy, please, just hug ."
Xu Yang, with difficulty, lifted his hand to gently embrace Xu Cheng’s shoulder.
How have I beco so weak? Xu Yang was already 40 years old. At forty, what had he achieved, what had he left behind?
"Daddy’s old now." Xu Yang said regretfully.
"When we first t, Daddy wasn’t old at all." Xu Cheng lifted her head, "Daddy ca into the nursery, looking around, the place was filled with young witches, one, two, three, all taken by Daddy. Except , lying in the corner, not moving, I was such a Little Fool back then. Daddy took the others first, then ca back, you saw and looked closely at , looked at — Daddy, the caregivers all said I was a foolish fool, but you took too, you held in your arms, put in the shuttle machine, and took ho with you..."
Daddy took to see doctors, bought milk, raised little by little... Xu Cheng wanted to say more, but she was already choking up, squatting on the ground and crying her heart out.
Six years, six years have passed...
Xu Yang sat bitterly on this assistive moving machine, perhaps it was so kind of floating wheelchair, and did not want to check its specific model. How could he make Xu Cheng cry? He had to beco strong again, even if just to stop Xu Cheng from crying, he had to recover as soon as possible.
Xu Cheng’s tears slowly dried up, she stood up from the damp ground, her eyes red. Now she understood why Farosa left in such a hurry, seeing Xu Yang like this was truly unbearable.
"...Take Daddy outside, it’s too stuffy in here." Xu Yang said.
Xu Cheng nodded, wiped away her tears, and tried her best to push Xu Yang into the outer hallway, then to the observation deck on the edge of the building. Under the gray sky, the city of Shangjing appeared orderly, seemingly more developed than six years ago, unheard-of technological creations traversed the skies, maintaining Shangjing’s security.
It’s truly embarrassing. Xu Yang gazed at the scenery outside. All the new, wondrous thoughts and spirits were trapped within this decaying, weak body, even the most glorious will is suppressed in such a frail body.
Lila proposed many ideas about body replacent, which Xu Yang regretfully rejected in his heart.
"Find a cane... in my room, in the hallway." Xu Yang said to Xu Cheng.
"Oh!" Xu Cheng quickly ran off, arriving at the Nestor Headquarters, Xu Yang’s workspace, and opening the door. Xu Yang’s room was personally maintained by Farosa, who used to say Xu Yang’s collection was dull and boring, and always looked for a chance to throw it all away. But the whole room, under her care, remained spotless, unchanged through the six years.
The collection cabinets were hexagonal, housing a variety of oddities and tools. Xu Cheng took a multi-segnt chanical climbing cane from them and ran back to give it to her dad.
Xu Yang unfolded this stick, placed its end on the ground, and his body slowly leaned down, pressing his weight onto the stick. He had collected it because the manufacturer claid it had exceptional efficacy, maximizing ease in movent. He had intended to use it at 80, not expecting to need it at 40.
He took a deep breath and slid off his wheelchair-like floating machine, at first, his body was about to fall, but Xu Cheng supported him, and with the stick, he was able to start limping slowly.
Just like rehabilitation, Xu Cheng supported Daddy as he slowly walked in the observation corridor.
Xu Yang took deep breaths, feeling the air filling his lungs, his weak muscles moving numbly, for the first ti in six years beginning to receive exercise again.
"I used to think," Xu Cheng whispered softly, "if one day Dad ca back, we’d do nothing else, we’d just walk quietly together, walk... walk... walk..."
"Just like when you were little... you could climb all day." Xu Yang said slowly.
"I can still follow Dad all day now." Xu Cheng said.
"...You should leave." Xu Yang stopped walking, standing still.
"What?" Xu Cheng was surprised.
"The world outside still needs you, you have to piece together what we’ve lost... I don’t want to... burden you, or anyone else. Look at yourself, Xu Cheng, you’re almost an adult, you can do more out there." Xu Yang said slowly.
Xu Cheng felt a mixture of sadness, loss, and pride.
"Dad... we’ve been apart for so long, do I have to be apart again?" Xu Cheng said.
"Fly, little bird." Xu Yang said, "Fly."
Xu Cheng looked into her father’s eyes, feeling very sad.
"I don’t want to." Xu Cheng said without hesitation.
"I’m serious, not hasty at all... this is the path you need to take, just like the long road I traveled long ago, the one that shaped ... you will shape the future world, now go, Dad is used to living alone, go." Xu Yang said.
Xu Cheng turned around.
"Where should I go?" Xu Cheng asked.
"Go find Farosa, she wants to lead everyone to fight again, this ti forever, win once and for all. You can help her, you already can stand on your own. And when you return, Dad’s health will be better." Xu Yang said.
"Dad should drink more milk." Xu Cheng said.
"I know." Xu Yang said, trying to straighten his body.
Xu Cheng brought her feet together, raised her right hand to her forehead, saluted Xu Yang, then ran away crying. Xu Yang watched Xu Cheng’s back until her footsteps faded into echoes.
He let out a long breath, and his body slumped down again.
"My implants..." Xu Yang looked at his hand, not wanting to leave his daughter with mories of his weakness, "they’ve all degraded, I need a complete overhaul and renovation. Is Old Cui still alive?"
Lila gave a regrettable answer.
"But Nidelaide is still alive." Lila added.
"Find Nidelaide." Xu Yang muttered, "I can’t do anything like this."
"Lila will arrange everything for you." Lila promised.
Xu Yang walked to the wall and sat down, feeling a bit better sitting, he laid the cane flat across his knees, letting Lila present the changes over the years.
He left behind an extrely rich legacy to the world, naly the vast data Xu Yang obtained after opening Heberon years ago. In six years, Nestor Corporation inherited Xu Yang’s calculations and realized nearly all the science and technology of the near future.
The Digital Mind was mass-produced, Nestor Corporation’s cybersecurity forces expanded a hundredfold; ground effect vehicles developed significantly, essentially phasing out bulky space motherships; advanced Shuttle Machines of Divine Radiance grade were mass-produced, an unprecedentedly large fleet stationed at Nestor Corporation’s hoport, waiting for the final order to be given; quantum communication technology beca practical, elevating company security and confidentiality asures to the highest.
All resources rely on powerful military and teleportation technology supply, maintaining Nestor Corporation’s endless productivity.
Advanced technology made the Northern Archipelago a nearly perfect society, Nestor agriculture ensured everyone was well-fed and clothed, highly developed Synthetic Human industry equipped everyone with a butler, assistant, and friend, partner.
All tedious labor was replaced by robots, education and healthcare were fully supplied, free, open, and safe. This led to everyone being able to learn within a broad range, striving for personal developnt.
As a result, the traditionally diocre have disappeared, talents erged in society more than at any ti before. The financial market vanished with global isolation, the most noble professions in people’s eyes were doctors, technicians, and Science Officers.
anwhile, virtual sensory and augnted reality technologies allow people to experience thousands of different environnts and life experiences. The new entertainnt industry is equally prosperous, bringing countless joy, hope, and beauty to humans.
However, the Northern Archipelago has also beco the vanguard of the decisive battle plan, people joined the bloody battle, determined to avenge the relatives and friends who died in the Heavenly Tribulation! The conflict between the two sides is extrely intense, the whole society seemingly peaceful, yet undercurrents surge, longing to unleash Fury on the Seven Seals Organization.
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