Chapter 23: Chapter 21

Ouroboros

Chapter 21

Ji Yushi didn’t deliberately keep the others hanging. Of course, there was no reward for guessing right.

“In fact, when we were forced to come to PU-31, the Tianqiong system had already given us a very important hint!” He spoke very quickly, “The focus is still Ouroboros! As I said before, Ouroboros is a circle and the marks we leave on the circle are in no particular order. No matter which points you look at it from, they can be each other’s cause and effect, and because of this, we have been unable to find a breakthrough point in the cycle but———”

The hearts of everyone were suddenly raised.

Ji Yushi raised, “What if we make an extension from a suitable point on that circle and cover up those points?!”

He knew that the others didn’t understand what he meant but it was something that was very difficult to explain clearly.

Everyone waited for this god to continue talking but this god had instead calmly turned to the person next to him, “Tang Le, let me borrow your communicator.”

Ji Yushi and Song Qinglan’s communicator had been thrown away by the dark-skinned man when they were hijacked earlier.

Because the original mission was only an A-level mission that they had done many times before, they didn’t prepare many spare communicators. The only spare they had was paired with the subcutaneous communicators on their way here and was now being used by Song Qinglan so Ji Yushi at this time didn’t have one.

“Use mine.” As if he had guessed what he wanted to do, Song Qinglan had already handed it over, “You can continue.”

The sun above was scorching.

Everyone returned to the spacecar. Song Qinglan asked Duan Wen to navigate the car to Golden Crow No.2.

On the way, Ji Yushi turned on the projection function of the communicator and planned to draw it out to explain.

Everyone immediately felt that this act of his was him taking their simple minds into consideration.

Ji Yushi redrew a circle.

It could be seen that he was a little excited. The expressive look on his face was so dazzling at this moment, it was hard for others to look away.

“As we already know, the time and space here is fixed because of the time anchor. The only thing that changes is us. We are the variables and will be represented by these points.” Ji Yushi chose different colours and placed many dots along the white circle in the air, “Every time our group is annihilated, another one of us will appear, that is to say, a new point will be created. For example, this green dot, let’s say they are us now.”

“We started off from this small green dot, passed through the red dot —- That is, Team 1 which was annihilated in the first cycle, and then passed through the yellow dot — That is, Team 2 which is about to be annihilated outside the bookstore.”

As he said this, Ji Yushi extended the green dot along the circle so that it forms an arc passing through the points representing Team 1 and Team 2 and joining them.

“Look, during this period of time, Team 1 died but Team 2 hasn’t yet so us and Team 2 exist at the same time. This is the so-called overlap of time and space that we have talked about, right?”

Everyone nodded.

“This, I understand.”

“Understood.”

They seemed to be taking a strange class in another world. Everyone was very focused.

Ji Yushi continued, “Not long later, Team 2 will also be annihilated, but we are still moving forward.”

The arc extending from the green dot continued to stretch along the circle for a while before stopping.

Then, he added a blue dot where the green dot started.

“The blue dot represents Team 5.”

Ji Yushi drew a second arc along the circle so that the blue line passes through the red dot representing Team 1, the yellow dot representing Team 2 and the green line representing their current time, until it exceeded the point where the green line stopped.

“Team 5 only exists because we were annihilated so they have absorbed all the memories and experiences left by the previous points. They are now walking in front of us and have lived longer than us so they can leave clues behind for us.”

Song Qinglan understood what he meant, “So you mean, the time and space overlap phenomenon we just discussed may be more than just overlapping once. At the very least in this current time period, there is Team 2, us and Team 5 existing at the same time?”

Ji Yushi nodded. He pointed the to green line and said, “Because we are in our third cycle, we only know the things that have happened along the green line, so we don’t know how many times the group has been annihilated and how many times the cycle has started. It is not within our imagination.”

Zhou Mingxuan couldn’t help but say, “Then wouldn’t it mean that it is possible for countless of us to exist in this time period, distributed in different positions along that circle? In other words, over the twenty-four-hour time period in a day, perhaps there are three teams at two o’clock, five teams at four o’clock and eight teams at seven o’clock?”

Ji Yushi, “Correct.”

The overlapping time and space would continue stacking up.

The more they thought about it, the more terrible it sounded.

Everyone was shocked.

Li Chun raised his hand, “I have a question.”

Li Chun had worked very hard this time. He asked the question everyone was most concerned about, “Advisor Ji, didn’t you and Cap Song mention earlier that Team 3 exists because Team 2 was annihilated, and that Team 4 was created because Team 2 avoided Team 3’s spacecar thus accidentally establishing a parallel timeline? Since the generation of Team 3 and 4 is related to Team 2, Team 3 and 4 can communicate with each other but cannot communicate with Team 2 as it can change their trajectory and obliterate our existence.”

Everyone nodded.

They couldn’t help but stare at the short green arc on the circle. It was all they had right now.

Li Chun then asked, “Then the formation of Team 5 must be because we were annihilated. Why would they contact us? Are they not afraid that our trajectory would change, causing them to no longer exist?”

“You are right.” Ji Yushi said, “After changing our trajectory, the causal relationship will be disrupted. Not only will Team 5 disappear, but all the points on the circle would also change as a result forming a new cause and effect scenario.”

Li Chun asked, “But Advisor Ji, if we don’t get annihilated, Team 5 wouldn’t exist and there wouldn’t be clues left behind by them to be seen by us. Isn’t that another paradox?!”

The blind student had finally found the key point. Ji Yushi was very gratified. This was the counterattack of a study slag!

To answer his question, Ji Yushi asked Song Qinglan, “Cap Song, do you remember the two medicine boxes we saw at the bookstore?”

Song Qinglan nodded.

Ji Yushi, “One had been eaten and the other hadn’t, meaning that they are not items from the same timeline. The one that had two missing was probably left behind after I was wall slammed by you, it was just that we had arrived at the bookstore earlier in that timeline so it’s most likely Team 5’s.”

Wall slam?!

Tang Le and Li Chun who saw the scene with their own eyes kept quiet.

The others: “???”

Song Qinglan, “……….”

The topic shouldn’t go off track. Song Qinglan pulled it back, “And then?”

“Two timelines exist at the same time.” Ji Yushi said, “Just like when we met Team 2. As long as Team 2 has not been annihilated, we will be able to see all their traces and they will naturally see ours.”

“I understand now. In the other hand, as long as we haven’t reached the point where we are annihilated and the people in Team 5 aren’t dead, we can receive their messages!”

“Then the paradox Chun’er said hasn’t happened yet!”

“I see, it’s practically a bug!”

Everyone wondered, “But after changing our trajectory, they will eventually disappear. Why would Team 5 do this?”

“Because they want our team to continue.” Song Qinglan understood and said, “It is likely because the energy supplies of the two bases needed to be shut down and they had encountered danger along the way, so Team 5 is now seriously short of hands. To them, we currently have Team 4 from a parallel timeline and can form two teams, A and B. It is the most suitable point on the circle to be ‘extended’.”

“That’s right.” A smile flashed across Ji Yushi’s face, “Like Cap Song said before, even if it seems like an endless loop, as long as we don’t look back and keep moving forward, starting from Team 5 we will continue to search for clues and leave it for the current us. Even if they will disappear, the new Team 6 and Team 7 will also do the same and leave behind clues. With that, even if the future us continues to disappear, the us at this point in time, that is, the green line, would continue to extend infinitely along the circle, covering all the points that have or haven’t appeared —– until the task is completed!”

The last line was spoken with passion and it echoed in everyone’s hearts for a long time.

It was hard to imagine how many of their future selves are rushing forward!

They never looked back. Even if they were faced with death or suffering, they desperately left behind valuable clues, just to allow their past self to break through the cycle and clear this!

Song Qinglan faced Ji Yushi. His eyes held unconcealable appreciation, “Advisor Ji, is this what you were talking about earlier?”

“It is just one of it.” JI Yushi’s black eyes were bright, “There is another point. If we can make it to Golden Crow No. 2 on time, we may get the answer right away.”

*

Outside the Golden Crow No. 2 base.

This placed looked exactly the same as the Golden Crow No.1 base. Except for the enormous dome shaped structure, it was surrounded by wasteland.

The only difference was that a bunch of zombies in white coats had already been electrocuted to death by the five-metre-high wire fence.

Hearing the sound of a car coming, a new wave of zombies gathered in the open space, stepping onto the charred corpses of their own kind and rushing towards the wire fence.

The security equipment at the entrance of the base was also still in operation but the barrier had been smashed and zombies gushed out from inside. They were very soon crushed into pulp by the roaring spacecar.

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The spacecar drove into the dome.

The lights in the large building were dazzling. There were two blood stains on the clean white floor as well as scattered limbs.

More than ten metres in front was another spacecar. The back door was wide open and even from a distance, they could see that the interior was exactly the same as theirs.

Duan Wen, “Cap Song, is that Team 5’s spacecar?!”

Song Qinglan, “Yes.”

Ji Yushi had said that they would get the answer as soon as they arrived. The people of Team 5 are still alive!

“Grrrr—–”

From a room one could barely see, a glass door opened, and a group of zombies rushed out.

They rushed over to the front of the spacecar, their pale faces and grey eyes reflected in the glass. Those rotting mouths and blood-stained coats made it easy for them to imagine how terrible and horrifying the situation must’ve been when the tragedy started.

Song Qinglan, “Everyone get ready to get off.”

Everyone moved. Ji Yushi also stood up. He found a bottle of water in the car and swallowed another painkiller.

It had only been a few hours since he was injured. He hadn’t eaten or rested and the medicine from earlier may not be much help.

But in this situation, no one asked for the wounded to stay in the car. Ji Yushi also had no intentions to do that.

Ji Yushi checked Diamond Bird and filled it up, “We should go directly to the control room!”

Song Qinglan also replenished his equipment. His pockets were heavy.

“Listen to Advisor Ji. We’re blasting our way to the control room.” He said solemnly, “Pay attention to clues on the way. Don’t shoot at any suspicious people for the time being. Don’t accidentally kill yourself!”

Everyone: “Yes!”

Opening the spacecar, the well-equipped team filed out.

“Bang, bang, bang!”

Gunshots echoed in the empty field.

The journey was almost unimpeded. Zombie heads exploded, adding onto the existing corpses. The extremely disgusting smell mixed with air-conditioning was nauseating.

It could be seen that a fierce battle had taken place here before.

Entering a wide corridor, a large glass cabinet on the wall displayed the various achievements since the launch of Golden Crow No. 2. It didn’t make them fascinated but instead they felt like they were looking at some abnormal and warped exhibition.

Asexually produced poultry, cloned mammals, eggs that do not need to be hatched…..As well as apples, pears and mangos that could grow on the same tree.

This weird ecological environment and the discomforting innovations seemed to be inventions the scientists of this colony were proud of.

When they passed by a dark display cabinet, everyone was confused at first.

After looking carefully, they saw long and thick earthworms squirming inside, churning out soil.

It turned out to be artificial soil.

There were many vegetables in the artificial soil that they have not seen before. One was a green bean that split into two. Each of them was covered in a network of veins, much like the blood vessels on the zombie faces. It was particularly grotesque.

“Fuck.” Li Chun wanted to vomit again, “Bleurgh, I said I didn’t want to eat it…….”

“Shut up!!”

Everyone cursed.

“………” Ji Yushi wanted to join in. With a hard-working spirit, he had forced a whole can of that down with great difficulty.

For such a large construction project, there were probably thousands of people working here but at this time it was like a slaughterhouse.

The pungent smelling zombie remains left behind countless dark red footprints on the ground. If they weren’t careful, they could slip.

Ji Yushi walked the slowest, but he was very steady.

Song Qinglan turned back a few times and would always see his usual delicate side profile as well as his figure holding Diamond Bird, holding firm like a cypress.

Will he remember all of this?

Song Qinglan suddenly thought of this. He couldn’t help but frown.

“Cap Song!” Tang Qi at the forefront shot down a wave of zombies and seemed to have discovered something.

In a large circular exhibition hall at the end of the corridor, everyone was left stunned by the holographic projection.

It was a real-time projection of PU-31.

On the holographic screen, there was a pitch-black crevice.

This small round planet sat next to that crevice, filled with greenery and life.

The artificial sun was diagonally above, simulating the angle at which a sun would illuminate the earth. Hundreds of large energy transmitters located on the surface of the planet was used to generate energy for PU-31.

Golden Crow No. 1.

Golden Crow No. 2.

A false world. Because of their appearance, the beautiful dream of sustaining life had now become a nightmare.

“The Golden Crow project not only provides heat and light, it also provides kinetic energy. Almost all the energy in this colony comes from here.” As Ji Yushi looked at the projection of PU-31, a reflection of it was reflected in his eyes, “The black wall……is just a crevice between parallel universes. The Golden Crow project plans to obtain energy from this crevice in the universe and distribute it to these energy transmitters so that they can create light like a god.”

Suddenly, the picture before him flashed and changed.

A circle of black suddenly appeared on the surface of PU-31, as if all the energy transmitters where the black circle was had lost control at the same time.

At this moment, the time displayed on the screen was: [1470.08.05 14:32:53].

“It’s Team B. They have shut down the first set of energy transmitters in Golden Crow No. 1.”

Ji Yushi’s voice was a little cold.

“That’s the black wall!!!”

“I know now! I know now!! Brother, this is that damned Ouroboros again!!”

“It’s the one that wiped out Team 2?!”

“The black wall turned out to be something we fucking did to ourselves!”

“Fuck!!”

“Cap Song!” Duan Wen’s voice travelled over. His tone sounded a little strange.

Song Qinglan walked over.

In just a moment, there were only two or three teammates with Ji Yushi.

Ji Yushi looked away from the holographic projection and strode over to the place where they found an anomaly. He could vaguely guess what had happened.

Before reaching the place, he could already smell a strong bloody scent.

It wasn’t the stench from a zombie’s corpse, but a particularly fresh one that seemed to be filled with vitality.

Ji Yushi involuntarily tightened his grip around Diamond Bird.

The cold gun body was just like how his heart was at this moment.

His gaze passed through his tall and strong teammates. He only had the chance to see a pool of blood and a dismembered limb wearing a black boot.

The scene before him turned black. His eyes were gently covered by a warm palm.

He heard Song Qinglan say, “Don’t look.”

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