Chapter 24

24. Biting

The journey back from the desert to Country Z began with a vehicle, then switched to a helicopter. The group was split up, and Zhu Anfu, Yuchi Ankang, Zhao Long, and Wang Fei shared a helicopter with several unfamiliar faces. It was said that the scientists had sustained severe injuries. Upon hearing this, Zhu Anfu and the others simply stated that they knew nothing. The helicopter didn't fly straight through but stopped at several airports along the way to refuel. The four of them remained silent throughout.

When they finally returned to the Space City, Zhu Anfu, Yuchi Ankang, Zhao Long, and Wang Fei were separated. The two were taken by soldiers to a designated rest area, while Wang Fei and Zhao Long went to make their reports. The two considered how to report, what the scientists had said, and whether they should reveal what they had seen in the future. Along the way, they also learned that they had only been missing for a little over twenty minutes, though they had spent more than two years in the future. The discrepancy in time was staggering.

When Zhu Anfu and Yuchi Ankang saw Jin She in the rest area, an overwhelming sense of dislocation washed over them, as if a lifetime had passed. Without thinking, Zhu Anfu strode over and hugged Jin She. Without her, their time in the future would never have been so comfortable. Jin She was equally moved to see Zhu Anfu and Yuchi Ankang. She had feared she would never see them again; when she first heard of their disappearance, her heart was in her throat, praying that perhaps they had crossed over to another time—anything would be better than vanishing without a trace. Now, seeing them before her, her emotions were complex. She glanced around, knowing full well from all the novels she had read that there was little reason for optimism in this place.

The three found a secluded corner away from prying eyes. Zhu Anfu, trusting Jin She deeply, told her everything about their journey to the future. Even if they kept it secret, it would come out eventually. Jin She stared at them wide-eyed. “You mean I got married? And my descendants are so rude?”

Zhu Anfu and Yuchi Ankang were speechless. Honestly, shouldn't the focus be on time travel, not on marriage and having descendants? The two almost had visible exasperation on their faces. Zhu Anfu reached out to pinch Jin She's cheek, only to pause upon raising his arm—his bracelet was still there. He hurried to check Yuchi Ankang’s wrist and saw that he, too, still wore his. Zhu Anfu wanted to check the others but was wary of drawing attention. Why hadn’t the government of the future reclaimed these?

Yuchi Ankang noticed Zhu Anfu’s actions and glanced at his own bracelet. After having become accustomed to wearing it in the future, he hadn’t even noticed its presence upon returning. Why were these not collected? Was it unimportant? Not wanting to attract attention, he urged Zhu Anfu to hide the bracelet in his sleeve and went out for a walk. Zhu Anfu nodded. Jin She, noticing their expressions, suppressed her curiosity; if they wanted to tell her more, they would in time.

On his walk, Yuchi Ankang encountered several people who had returned with them. Circling around, he found Wang Fei and shared his discovery, telling Wang Fei to keep an eye out. Wang Fei nodded and immediately turned into the soldiers’ rest area. The higher-ups were meeting with the scientists first; only later could they make their own report.

Whistling as he returned, Yuchi Ankang said to Zhu Anfu, “It’s only the four of us who have them. Wang Fei said he checked the scientists—they didn’t have bracelets. The leaders here have gone to see the injured scientists. We should prepare to leave, if we don’t want to be used by the government.”

Zhu Anfu lowered his head, deep in thought. Jin She looked at the two. If she were alone, she would have followed them without hesitation, but her family had not yet arrived. This place, guarded by the military, was far safer than the outside world—for now, at least. But how long that safety would last, she couldn’t say.

Yuchi Ankang didn’t rush Zhu Anfu. They both knew what was coming: first the animals, then the people. There were too many people here. Who could guarantee their safety? After a moment’s hesitation, Yuchi Ankang quietly told Jin She what he knew of the historical developments. Though Jin She had already guessed some of it, hearing the full truth shocked her deeply. How could things turn out this way? Why did it have to happen like this? Seeing her reaction, Yuchi Ankang knew she needed time to process and said no more. If not for the historical records, they wouldn’t have believed such horrors could unfold.

After a long silence, Zhu Anfu said, “We have to leave. There are too many people here, and the risk is too great. We can’t guarantee someone won’t start eating others tomorrow.”

As if to confirm his words, a sudden, bloodcurdling scream erupted from the rest area. “Damn it, why are you biting me…?” Zhu Anfu and Yuchi Ankang immediately shielded Jin She behind them. Jin She, who had never been frightened by horror movies, was now genuinely terrified, her hands and feet cold as ice. Zhu Anfu pulled an apple-sized jujube from his pocket and handed it to her. “For your nerves.”

He was relieved to see that the items from his space remained unchanged, though, on closer inspection, the jujube seemed to have grown larger. Now was not the time for such observations—they needed a vehicle to get out, and fast. Jin She didn’t know what Zhu Anfu had handed her, but she ate it quickly. Upon finishing, she stared at the small, seed-like object in her hand—it looked no different from a jujube pit. So the thing she’d just eaten was a jujube. Swallowing her astonishment, she hurriedly put the pit in her pocket. “I’ll go apply to contact my parents.”

The two escorted Jin She toward the phone area. The guards at the door were distracted by the commotion inside and didn’t notice the three leaving. Jin She rushed to the phones; there wasn’t much of a line, and soon it was her turn. She dialed her parents’ number repeatedly, but the call wouldn’t go through. The phone was on, so why couldn’t she connect? Disheartened, she followed the others back out.

Wang Fei was waiting at the entrance to the rest hall. Seeing Yuchi Ankang and Zhu Anfu, he started to speak, but noticing Jin She behind them, swallowed his words. Jin She saw that Wang Fei had something to say and offered to return to the rest area, but Zhu Anfu stopped her. “If Wang Fei has something to say, let him. She’s my friend—I trust her.”

At that, Wang Fei didn’t hesitate. “Things may be moving faster than the historical record suggests. Perhaps the recorders didn’t have firsthand information. The cannibalism event has already happened—a flight from XX to here had an incident of people eating each other. The entire airport is under lockdown. I’m afraid the passengers on that plane…” He trailed off, noticing the ashen face of the girl behind Zhu Anfu.

Jin She clenched her fists. Her parents were on that very flight. She had spoken to them half an hour ago—now, just thirty minutes later… She bit her lip, unable to speak.

“The same thing happened just now in the rest hall. We don’t know how bad it is. Is there a safe place for the three of us to stay for a while? I’m afraid inside isn’t safe anymore…” Yuchi Ankang described the incident in the rest area, frowning. “I think we should leave as soon as possible, or the consequences will be unimaginable.”

Wang Fei looked at them, opened his mouth, then nodded. “Follow me. There’s a resting spot where Zhao Long and I used to go after training—no one knows about it. There’s an off-road vehicle hidden there. Wait here, I’ll fetch Zhao Long.” Yes, they had to leave—this place wasn’t safe. To hell with discipline; he was about to become a deserter. Whether anyone could survive was uncertain—what did discipline matter now?

“Where are we going?” Zhu Anfu whispered to Yuchi Ankang. This place was already remote, surrounded by desert, with no trees due to years of experiments.

“Don’t go too far. There will be more mutated animals and people in the cities. Here, though there are many people, they’re still a minority. The higher-ups have probably already halted the Mars migration plan, and all incoming flights have been stopped. Once the mutated are cleared from here, we can return.” Yuchi Ankang glanced at the rest area. He reckoned that others who had returned from the future and learned history would think the same. This was, after all, a military district. “Let’s hope the leaders here are quick-witted enough.”

Jin She stood quietly behind the two. Though Zhu Anfu spoke to Yuchi Ankang, he kept an eye on Jin She, afraid she might lose hope. As long as there’s life, there’s hope. Once hope is gone, there’s nothing left.

Wang Fei and Zhao Long returned quickly and led the three to their secluded resting spot. The five of them boarded the vehicle. Zhao Long, holding the pass, drove them smoothly out of the military compound. Zhu Anfu looked back. “Let’s wait till that black mist clears before we return.”

No one objected. Zhao Long, face grim, asked Yuchi Ankang, “Where to?”

“There should be a secret unit nearby. Can we go to them?” The five of them needed food—they couldn’t rely solely on Zhu Anfu’s supplies.

“There is. Wang Fei’s from there,” Zhao Long said, turning the wheel toward the secret base. “Aren’t you afraid we’ll be exposed for having been to the future?”

“To be honest, I’m conflicted. I don’t want to say anything, but if it’s a matter of survival, I will. I’m no saint. As long as my bottom line isn’t crossed, I have a duty to serve my country.” Yuchi Ankang smiled wryly. Everyone here was torn—they wanted to help, but dreaded certain policies.

“I swear on my life: that place is worth your loyalty,” Wang Fei said, a smile tugging at his lips as he mentioned his unit. “I’m not like Zhao Long and the others—you’ll see what real privilege is, and what it means to go above the rules. That’s a privileged institution. Every member is the best of the best, yet fiercely independent. They have their pride and unshakable beliefs. They refuse to be pawns of politics, which is why they’re grouped together. They can choose their missions, work solo or in teams. On the surface, it seems like they don’t get along, but if anyone challenges them, they’ll all rise together.”

“There’s really such a unit?” Zhu Anfu’s curiosity was instantly piqued.

“It’s like a sharp arrow—you’ll see when you get there. It’s nothing like the other units.” Remembering his old unit, Wang Fei almost wanted to cover his face in embarrassment—one look there, and you wouldn’t get a good impression.

“The more you say, the more curious I get. I can’t wait to see it.”