"I still missed my chance to descend to the Lower Starry Abyss."
She rubbed her hair, there was nothing else to do next.
"It’s about ti to visit my old friends."
The Fla-Haired Girl pushed open the window, her body turned into a stream of light, arriving in an instant on the vibrant black earth.
Frost Plating Federation - Grante Republic
Although Ersha ravaged the entire land, Grante Republic, deep inland, was only lightly affected. Its fertile soils and intersecting geothermal rifts could ensure long-term survival in underground shelters.
At this mont, with the war completely over, people hadn’t celebrated for long before returning to busy with farm work. The fields were full of bustling figures. After the sun reappeared in the world, the electromagnetic environnt changed dramatically, rendering many old machines inoperable. Fortunately, Grante was a simple agricultural country, where everyone mastered farming. Children grew up harvesting wheat in the fields.
People finally donned their straw hats again, tossed aside their heavy cotton clothes, wore light vests, and with sandals on their feet, carried hoes into the farmlands.
This year may be tough, with many fields hard, but when people truly felt the warmth and comfort of sunlight on their bodies, with bead-sized sweat rolling down their skin, all worries and complaints were forgotten.
The abundant sunlight, once enjoyed only by high-level officials and big conglorates for tanning, was no more than artificial light sources.
Now, everyone could bask in warm and comfortable sunlight.
This return brought not only the sun but also hope.
As the sun shone on the earth, birds thought extinct, burrowing animals, and wild beasts started stirring again. All life prospered, more than a spring scene, though it wasn’t spring.
The Fla-Haired Girl walked forward, step by step, through the golden waves of wheat. The blue sky was so beautifully blue as if it could squeeze out water, and the warm wind lifted her long hair, startling a few children who thought the field caught fire.
She walked barefoot on the soft black earth, following the information Nephis provided, arriving at a small town called Oskborg. In the Grante language, this word ans ’unity, collective’. It’s said to have been established by the descendants of the Yamiriko Federation mixed with Frost Plating immigrants, still preserving so systems of the Yamiriko Federation.
The scale of Oskborg wasn’t small, and the town square was the center of people’s activity. Upon entering the town, at first glance, one could see the statue in the center.
The Fla-Haired Girl raised her head, looking at the statue of the young man, distinguished and spirited. Though rely a bust, it left enough shadow for children to play and rest.
Most attention-catching were the golden characters under the statue’s base:
[Raise your head, look up, the future will surely be a starry era.]
"So tacky... such outdated, backward propaganda thods."
A child, seemingly from the city, happened to co to the statue and remarked:
"It’s said this guy was a madman, exploded himself into space with a hydrogen bomb, truly crazy. How could soone pay such a great price to go to the cosmic? Wouldn’t you say so, brother?"
He turned around, looking at the young man beside him.
"Hmm."
Li Aozi glanced at the statue and then lowered his head to look at the child, smiling slightly, saying:
"What humanity lacks the least are madn."
The child was stunned. He looked at the statue, then at Li Aozi, his mouth agape, incredulously saying:
"Ah, the statue has co alive!"
He called out widely:
"Look, everyone, the statue has co alive! The statue has co alive!"
However, when he invited companions over and looked again, the man had vanished without a trace.
Li Aozi walked forward along the local Four Seasons Road. The people here were very special, different from Frost Plated, Sky Ring, and Red Arrow. Their dress was simple and casual, yet they spoke with great enthusiasm, greeting each other with ’comrade’, much like a certain prosecutor.
And the purpose of his visit was that prosecutor.
He knocked on a farmhouse door. The owner ca out, shook his head, and said the person was not there, suggesting he look toward the east end of the village.
So he turned around, carrying a bag of corn the owner gave him, with bread and salt in his arms, a string of sausages around his neck. Even in such a comical state, people were still captivated by his stunning charm, regardless of gender, eagerly showing him the way and offering guidance.
"You’re looking for her, go this way."
"Alicxia? I saw her in the canola fields before."
"Wow, you’re so beautiful, are you Alicxia’s grandson? Truly envious, she never married yet has such a fine descendant as you."
Though warm-hearted, people consciously left them space, stopping at the hilltop, not advancing further.
Li Aozi, carrying the gifts, walked into the green grasslands and forests, where orioles or cuckoos humd softly among the trees, also singing for the rebirth of nature.
The wildflowers were so beautiful, adorably tempting people to pick them, yet afraid to hurt them, so they let them tremble pitifully in the wind.
The path extended to its end, winding around, as the fragrance of canola flowers swept over, their yellow blossoms overshadowing the distant green mountains.
Li Aozi saw a hunched back, sitting in the canola field. Like any ordinary old lady, she wore a garish, earthy headscarf. Despite it being high noon, she still feared the cold, gripping her cotton jacket with hands full of age spots and wrinkles.
Despite this, as he approached, he heard her say:
"Winter is over, the sun is so warm."
He stopped walking, but the wind carried the ssage forward.
"...Ah, a young man has co. I sll the scent of bread and salt."
The old lady chuckled, not turning her head:
"It’s been a long ti since soone brought gifts specifically to visit . I guess you must be soone familiar."
Li Aozi just wanted to speak when the old lady said:
"Stop, child, don’t rush. The old lady is in a good mood today, let’s play a guessing ga."
"Don’t say anything, don’t do anything, let guess your na."
"You bring our local food and salt, still slling of sausage on you — yet your shoes are devoid of any muddy scent, so you’re a refined person, extraordinary in charm, clearly loved by many. Hmm, such a person, if not a big star, then who else could it be?"
"They like you so much, yet have not followed, clearly, they know you and know you and the old lady are familiar. They don’t wish to disturb our eting; they are kind-hearted, right?"
The old lady chuckled and said:
"I’ve figured it out, Mister. It seems that after all these years, you’re still so young, so beautiful and lovely."
Li Aozi remained silent, as requested, listening quietly.
"I’m glad we can et again."
The old lady laughed:
"This place is nice, right? A village established by the descendants of Yamiriko is my true ho. I think I want to labor, dedicate, and serve people here, then die happily, and that’s enough."
"But I’m very sorry, I really feel sorry for soone. I promised I would beco his bride once, but now, I’ve gone back on my word."
"Mr. Leoz, your bride should no longer be ."
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