"Traveling north along the SkyPine River for over a day, they left the sky tree forest completely behind, with the stars fading and the birth of a new sun. After crossing a hill, a city suddenly appeared before them.
Wu Fan finished eating an apple and then stuffed a piece of dried lizard into his mouth, savoring the crispy and savory taste. He took a sip of an unknown brand of wine, patted his belly, and belched contentedly.
"I don't think what I've done is that bad, actually," 22 said, caressing his creation, the peculiar outfit made of snake and cowhide.
"Sir, I'm not sure about the taste of a dinosaur, but forgive me for being frank, your work is far from art," the well-fed boy said, reclining on the broad back of the stegosaurus, leisurely watching the colorful clouds in the sky.
As 22 had said before, their days of hunger and hardship had finally ended. The stegosaurus had brought them everything they longed for: clean clothes, abundant food, a temporary break from the fear-controlling chip, and even a laser gun, various cooking utensils, sweet wine, and high-proof liquor that could sterilize.
So when 22 requested him to clean himself before changing into new clothes, you can imagine how delighted he was. The slightly bitter river water tasted as sweet as honey in his mouth, and soaking in the water, the icy SkyPine River made him feel warm. As he rose, 22 kindly pointed to his creation, the clothes he had made himself, which he had carefully washed twice. The boy chose to ignore his eager smile, climbed onto the stegosaurus's back, and found a set of clothes he liked in the wooden box carried by the stegosaurus.
The polyester and cotton tracksuit had a slightly musty smell, but it was a comforting scent. Thankful that the aesthetic of this world had something in common with the human world, wearing a loose tracksuit made him feel like a civilized modern person, rather than a savage in a barbaric era.
So that afternoon, 22 could only drink the high-proof liquor sip by sip, and stow away his creation at the bottom of the box. With the triceratops leading the way and the pterosaur scouting from above, they rarely had a good sleep on the stegosaurus's back.
That night, Wu Fan had a beautiful dream. In the dream, the boy was reunited with his family, living happily with his parents and his grandparents who had not yet passed away. In his dream, he was admitted to the university he had longed for, and his dream girl, a petite girl with thick-framed glasses, stood by his side, holding his hand as they strolled along a forest path. The maple leaves on both sides of the road had turned golden in the autumn, and the weather was a bit chilly. He took off his scarf and carefully placed it around the girl's slender neck, and she smiled sweetly, making his heart feel warm.
In the middle of the night, 22 was awakened by pain and saw Wu Fan murmuring in his sleep, repeating the two words, "Xiao Bai."
"What did he dream about? His crush or something even better?" 22 chuckled, "22, you can't think about these things.Karles Dean Belemon is already dead, isn't he?"
He jumped off the stegosaurus's back, and the two big creatures were cuddling together, snoring. The pterosaur buried its head in the triceratops's tail, drooling from its long beak.
"What will they dream about again?" Watching the three beasts sleeping soundly, 22 said to himself, "Hey, buddy, you're not dead yet. Don't think too much."
But Karles Dean Belemon was already dead, dead in that autumn.
He walked into the woods step by step, feeling the damp moisture and the unique smell of insects in the air. The wind rustled the leaves, making a swishing sound. 22 reached the riverbank, where his reflection was cast in the water, and under the moonlight, he saw a face that was vastly different from his memory.
"This is your true self, 22. Forget about Carl Dean Belemon. He no longer has the familiar square face, the man with a happy family, brown hair, and brown eyes. He's dead, dead on the day you entered this world."
"Stop acting like an old man, always reminiscing about those stupid things."
"Listen, 22, it's not your time to die yet. You should suddenly die, instead of here, reminiscing about the past and thinking about leaving some last words, it's all boring nonsense."
He bowed his head, kneeling by the riverbank, feeling the toxins accumulating in his organs, as if there were several burning flames in his stomach.
"Is this all going to end? No, not today." He quickly took out a yellowed leaf-shaped remnant of a human cocoon from his sleeve and stuffed it into his mouth, swallowing it.
His closed eyes resembled a monk seeking inner peace, sitting quietly for a while, then suddenly opened his eyes, and two golden flames ignited in his eyes, like two suns."
They stopped about four hundred meters from the city gate, where a boy waved to halt their path. The boy had a head of black curly hair, big black eyes with light eye shadow, deep eye sockets, a straight nose, dark lips, and a round face with plump cheeks rich in collagen. He was dressed in a gray-white robe and brown sandals, resembling someone from Algeria.
22 lowered the ladder from the back of the Stegosaurus and slowly descended while holding Wu Fan's hand. He said to the boy, "I'm leaving him to you." The boy shyly smiled at the two of them and then led the three dinosaurs away.
"Who is he?" Wu Fan asked softly as he watched the boy disappear.
"He's a servant, specifically responsible for managing pets and mounts," 22 replied. "Come with me. I think it's time for me to introduce you to some basic information about this city."
The two approached the arched city gate.
"This city is called the City of Reya Ye, named after the country. It is a royal city, covering an area of about 6340 square kilometers. It was built about 11,000 years ago and is surrounded by four square-shaped city walls."
Wu Fan looked at the towering gray-yellow city walls, and each mottled stone seemed to tell the story of those eventful years.
"Do you see that up there?" Wu Fan followed 22's pointing finger and looked at a square tower above the city gate. "It's somewhat similar to the architectural style in your East Asian region, isn't it?"
The tower had three levels, with a black tiled roof on top. The main structure was made of pure white walls, with vermilion doors and windows. The construction of the first two levels looked like a trapezoid with curved sides, resembling the spread wings of a bird, while the highest point of the tower looked like it was wearing a pointed hat.
Wu Fan nodded, feeling a sense of familiarity. It suddenly dawned on him that a type of building inside temples was very similar to this. The Buddhist architecture was called a pagoda, and he had visited one last year with his family to pay respects to the gods.
"Believe it or not, your East Asian history is closely connected to this city, or more accurately, your civilization originated from it. All human civilizations come from the Anunnaki," 22 said.
Wu Fan widened his eyes and stared at 22 in astonishment. "Are you trying to say that this city was built by the Anunnaki?"
"The successors of the Anunnaki, the royal family here, are the last descendants of the Anunnaki."
"Impossible," Wu Fan suddenly remembered Cha's words. The dinosaurman had said that the Anunnaki had perished many years ago. If the Anunnaki were still alive, the human world would not exist.
"Over 10,000 years ago, there was infighting within the royal family, and the Golden Dynasty fell apart. Many Bohemians and Andamians fled. The Andamians traveled eastward and reached China, Japan, Korea, and North Korea, where they established civilizations. The ancient era mentioned in Chinese history refers to the period when the Andamians were active."
"The Bohemians traveled westward and reached Egypt, Greece, Athens, Norway, Russia, England, France, and Germany, where they settled. The heroes and giants mentioned in Celtic mythology, Norse mythology, Germanic mythology, Egyptian mythology, and Greek mythology refer to the Bohemians, while the gods and giants refer to the Anunnaki."
"After the royal family disappeared, the mixed-blood humans with Anunnaki lineage took over the rule. They rebuilt the capital on the ruins of the royal city and created a chronicle to establish their legitimate status. This marked the beginning of the Sumerian civilization, which flourished for a long time. Later, the mixed-blood people erupted into civil war, leading to the separation of the Indian civilization, Egyptian civilization, and Persian civilization. The glory of Sumer gradually faded and evolved into the later Babylonian civilization and Assyrian civilization."
"Another group of mixed-blood people united with some Bohemians who sought freedom and embarked on an exploration to distant lands. They crossed the ocean and eventually reached the American continent. During this period of continuous birth of ancient civilizations, the experimental beings created by the Anunnaki in Africa converged with these early humans. After several generations, they eventually formed the current human form."
"Before the destruction of the Anunnaki royal family, a group of royal members had already fled and sought refuge in this world, where they continued the civilization of the Anunnaki. And the person I am going to take you to meet is the ruler of this country."
As they approached the main gate, two soldiers stood on either side of the entrance. The soldiers wore bright silver disc-shaped metal helmets with a red tassel tied to the top. Their faces were covered by iron masks, leaving only sharp eyes visible. They wore black leather armor with bright red fabric skirts, and their chainmail, serving as inner armor, was not tightly fastened, at least visible through the gaps in the chest armor. They wore gray suede boots and stood upright like two tall pine trees, holding laser guns meticulously and staring straight ahead.
"Don't look into their eyes; it's very impolite," 22's voice echoed in Wu Fan's mind, then disappeared in an instant.
The boy was startled. "Stop gawking around, you idiot," he scolded through telepathy.
They walked through the inner gate, where two fully armed soldiers stood guard.
A broad and spacious avenue appeared in front of Wu Fan. It was a clean and smooth road, paved with the same stones as the city wall.
"This is definitely wider than an eight-lane road," he remarked, gazing at the expansive thoroughfare before him. It was more like a long rectangular square that seemed to stretch endlessly into the distance.
On either side of the road stood many square-shaped houses. Pointing at the houses, 22 explained, "This is the garrison area of the royal city guard."
"Ah," Wu Fan nodded absentmindedly, though he had no idea what that meant.
"The road beneath our feet is called King's Avenue, and the gate behind us is called King's Gate. At the other end of the avenue is Princess Gate. The entire royal city is divided into four quadrants by these two intersecting avenues. The other avenue is called Princess Avenue, which connects to the Golden Gate and the Triumphal Arch."
Listening to 22's explanation absentmindedly, Wu Fan's attention was drawn to the tall coconut trees lining the road. "These are all ornamental plants. Coconuts are not edible," 22 kindly reminded him.
Ignoring his words, Wu Fan felt restless. Here, he could smell the scent of civilization. In the dinosaur people's base, he was a prisoner, a wretched figure in the wilderness, akin to a savage. Approaching the city, a symbol of civilization, made him both excited and apprehensive.
They walked along King's Avenue for over a kilometer. Suddenly, a shiny object caught Wu Fan's eye. As he approached, he saw a gleaming bronze statue of a woman. Four women wearing crowns extended their left palms upward. They all had thick, long, peculiar beards on their chins.
"Women with beards, how strange," he muttered to himself. Suddenly, the image of a beautiful girl appeared in his mind. She was wearing a pristine white dress and adorned with extravagant gold jewelry, with an equally extravagant black beard on her chin.
"Who could she be?" Wu Fan blinked, and the mysterious girl disappeared.
"They are," 22 pointed to the statues in succession, "Nancy, Titan, Doria, and Lady Lysa." (Not knowing what Wu Fan had seen, he thought the boy was asking for the names of the four statues.)
"No, I... okay, please continue," Wu Fan decided not to dampen his enthusiasm.
Looking at him with confusion, 22 said, "They are the Anunnaki who first arrived here. Of course, it's not just them. There are four such statues near each city gate. The locals call them the Sixteen Star Maidens, used to welcome guests from afar. The statues represent the culture here, which I believe you will come to appreciate in the future."
As they passed the statues of the Star Maidens, the sight beyond them made Wu Fan's head spin and his legs weak.
The road was bustling with people, and various humanoid creatures of all shapes and sizes were coming and going, each dressed differently.
These humanoid creatures (some resembling humans, but Wu Fan knew they couldn't be humans; there couldn't be humans in the world of the dinosaur people. The answer was obvious—they were a mixed race) mostly liked to wear loose robes, predominantly in shades of blue and black. Some robes were adorned with blue and white stripes.
Some outfits were identical to those in the human world—jeans, dresses, short-sleeved shirts, hoodies, and plaid shirts. Some outfits were so bizarre that they almost made Wu Fan's jaw drop. Armor made of slate, hollowed-out clothing made of vines and leaves, and some were so daringly revealing, barely covered by some grass. Compared to these performance artists, Wu Fan suddenly felt that the clothes made by 22 were not so unacceptable after all.
It was easy to distinguish the dinosaur people from the mixed race, and each of the other three species had their own unique characteristics. The snake people had strong upper bodies, standing at least two meters tall. Their heads were generally larger than those of the dinosaur people, with smooth skin and no hair except for delicate scales at the corners of their eyes. Their necks were long, covered with soft scales, and their chest muscles were well-developed, with powerful arms. However, their lower bodies appeared very slender and weak. Some snake people had long, slender feet (looking at the empty trouser legs, Wu Fan couldn't help but sigh inwardly—how could those bamboo-like legs support such a huge body?), while others had no legs, only a long tail that couldn't be completely covered by their wide robes, and they crawled on the ground.
The lizard people were generally small in stature, standing about 1.5 to 1.6 meters tall. Even standing next to the mixed race, they seemed very inconspicuous. Their appearance was very similar to that of the dinosaur people, from the facial features, skin, scales, tongue, teeth, to horns, all were quite similar to the dinosaur people. They were like a smaller version of the dinosaur people. If the dinosaur people were likened to normally developed adults in the human world, then they were probably similar to underdeveloped, deformed dwarfs. Wu Fan could accurately distinguish between the two, and of course, there was a more crucial point—the lizard people still retained some lizard features, as if they had not fully evolved, with their hands and feet being almost the same length.
The crocodile people were the most easily distinguishable among the three humanoid species. They were crocodiles that could walk upright on two feet.
Behind the crowd, the straight King's Avenue divided the buildings into two types. On the left-hand side were a series of identical houses, each about seven to eight meters high, with four floors. They were separated by alleys that were not as exaggerated as King's Avenue, resembling triangular prisms placed on top of cubes. The walls of the cubes were bright white, while the roofs of the prisms were painted a bright red. From the second floor upwards, each floor had a spacious rectangular balcony, with the floor and railing made of high-quality red cedar, also painted in a bright red. The dark green windows reflected the sunlight, sparkling.
On the right-hand side, the buildings were mainly curved, typical of Ottoman architectural style. The domes were covered with blue glazed tiles, and the main structures looked like several ellipsoids of varying lengths and sizes placed closely together. The white marble walls had many windows, each adorned with delightful stained glass. Unlike traditional Ottoman architecture, the buildings here did not have the long spires that were usually found next to the main body of the original Ottoman architecture.
Wu Fan and 22 blended into the crowd, walking towards a small alley on the left. After passing the first alley, they stopped in front of a bar. Wu Fan's curious gaze had not stopped along the way. There were only pedestrians in the alley, and he did not see any means of transportation. The ground beneath his feet seemed old but sturdy and clean. As he stepped on the pavement, he closed his eyes, as if he could feel the weight of history. The buildings on both sides of the alley housed small shops selling various goods—fruit, restaurants, pharmacies, bars, clothing stores, as well as jade, and various exquisite sculptures.
He took a deep breath, feeling a hint of human scent in the air.
The heavy wooden door creaked open, and the strong smell of alcohol hit Wu Fan, making his eyes water.
"Welcome, dear guest," the bartender said, not looking up as he wiped a glass.
"It's me, I'm back," 22's voice was not loud, but it seemed to resonate through the room, capturing the attention of all the patrons. Wu Fan shuddered involuntarily under the intense gaze of the crowd. He felt a strong pressure bearing down on him. The bartender stopped his work and looked up with a smile at the two newcomers.
He was dressed in a purple suit with a purple tie, purple hair styled in a middle parting, thick and long purple eyebrows, and bright blue eyes. His nose was high, and his lips were coated with shiny purple lipstick. He wore a pair of pointed purple lucky grass pendants on his ears. "How much does he love purple?" Wu Fan couldn't help but wonder.
"Oh, my dear friend, welcome back safely," the bartender said, crossing the bar to embrace 22 warmly.
"Hey, buddy, now is not the time for catching up. You know what I need to do right now," 22 said, placing a hand on the bartender's shoulder. Wu Fan caught a whiff of the man's cologne, which couldn't quite mask the smell of alcohol emanating from him, making him feel nauseous.
"So, it's him. My friend, you've finally brought him back," the bartender's direct gaze made Wu Fan equally uncomfortable, especially with the purple eyeshadow adorning his eyes.
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"Hey, kid, what's your name?" he smiled at the boy.
Wu Fan didn't respond, he just glanced at 22 beside him. "45," 22 paused and added, "But he prefers his former name, Wu Fan."
"You're adorable," the bartender said, reaching out to touch the boy's head. A surge of anger rose within Wu Fan, and he recoiled like a startled cat, bumping into the wooden door with a "bang." The pain did not diminish the fury in his heart as he stared at the purple-haired man with leopard-like eyes.
The bartender retracted his hand that was reaching into the air. "I'm sorry, child. I didn't mean to offend you. Please forgive my rudeness. It was not my intention."
Wu Fan stared at him for a few seconds before slowly letting go of his hostility. He had a peculiar habit of not liking others to touch his head, not even family members.
"Alright, I say 13, let me taste that noble wine brewed from gold," 22 interlocked his fingers.
"Can gold be used to make wine?" Wu Fan wondered.
"The time is not ripe yet, the wine is still brewing. But if you're thirsty, you can try my craft," 13 said, swaying his hips as he returned to the bar. He quickly prepared two cocktails and placed them in front of the two. "My treat, drink up," he said, handing one of the glasses to Wu Fan.
"Thank you, I'm good," Wu Fan said, waving off the brightly colored highball glass.
22 took the glass from 13 and downed it in one go. Then he picked up another glass. "It's been over a year, and your skills haven't improved," he remarked.
"But I've improved in other ways. Do you want to try?" 13's tongue-licking gesture made Wu Fan shiver.
22 didn't say a word, just swirled the glass, pretending not to have heard.
Seeing the other's indifference, 13's fiery gaze turned to the boy. Wu Fan felt a chill at the back of his head. "Relax, I'm not interested in the kid," 13 said with a sly smile, but his seductive demeanor made Wu Fan doubt his words.
So Wu Fan had to divert his attention to the surroundings. The tavern was spacious and quiet (at least there was no loud noise here). Dozens of round tables were occupied by various patrons—some chatting and laughing in groups, others quietly sipping their drinks. Several tall square wooden pillars supported the weight from the ceiling. A smooth wall hung with the head of a deer and a walrus, both made of ivory. In the middle of the wall hung a banner embroidered with a tyrannosaurus totem. Below the totem was a weapon rack specifically for knives, on which two steel daggers were displayed, although they were merely decorative and not sharp.
The ceiling's fluorescent lights emitted a dim yellow light, adding a hint of ambiguity to the atmosphere. Under the crystal chandelier, a lifelike wooden carving of a tyrannosaurus held a struggling falcon in its mouth. 13 returned to the solid wood bar counter, and 22 sat on the high stool in front of him. 22 was handed another type of drink, the color resembling fresh orange juice.
At this moment, a man who had been sitting in the corner walked over with a glass of wine in his hand. He had long black hair tied in a braid, dark skin, brown eyes with two fine wrinkles at the corners, and a sharp, eagle-like gaze. He had a square face, a flat nose, thick lips, and a sturdy physique. He wore a muscle-filled vest and a pair of grayish-white jeans, barefoot. This was a man who seemed as solid as a tower.
"Native American," this was Wu Fan's first impression of the man.
The man stopped in front of 22 and pointed to the dazzling array of liquor behind 13. "Give him the strongest drink, I'll pay," he said, looking at 22 with a cold expression.
13 took out an exquisitely shaped white bottle from the many fine wines. He opened the bottle and was about to pour it into an empty glass on the bar when 22 stopped him, placing his palm over the glass, his eyes sparking.
"This is too much trouble," he snatched the bottle from 13, tilted his head back, and with a gulp, the transparent strong liquor slid down his throat.
Everyone held their breath, watching the scene until 22 put down the empty bottle. Suddenly, the bar erupted into a thunderous cheer. They pounded the tables, shouting his name, "22, 22, 22..."
"Welcome back, my brother," to Wu Fan's astonishment, the two mountain-like men embraced tightly.
The stern-faced man suddenly broke into a hearty smile. "It's good to have you back safely."
"I can't die," 22 patted the man's back firmly.
"4," the man seemed to realize that catching up with an old friend and ignoring the feelings of the guest was quite impolite. He immediately extended a palm the size of a fan to the dumbfounded boy. "I'm 4."
The boy looked at his smile and reluctantly extended his right hand. The two hands clasped together, and Wu Fan felt as if his palm was being squeezed by a pair of pliers, and two tears fell from the corners of his eyes.
Seeing that the other was about to give him a bear hug, he quickly stepped back. He didn't think his small frame could handle the man's mountain-like physique.
"Are you a Native American?" he hurriedly asked.
"Yes, I am a Native American, or I used to be," 4 shrugged, feeling disappointed at the boy's retreat. No one could refuse his embrace, and the boy's withdrawal made him feel dejected.
"This guy used to be the chief of a large tribe in the Americas," 22 interjected, seizing a newly opened bottle from 13 and downing its contents in one go, causing his originally slightly flushed face to turn completely red.
"Where are you from? Japan? Korea? China?"
"China, sir."
"I think you'll like Lee. He hails from Hong Kong, and his number here is 15."
"Sir, I think I've already met him," thinking of the man with the white fox mask, Wu Fan didn't believe he would get along well with him.
"Maybe you'll also get along with 28 and 32. One is from Japan, and the other is Korean," 4 was about to continue introducing his friends to the boy when 13 suddenly interrupted their conversation. "Gentlemen, the golden wine has finished brewing. I think it's time for our esteemed guest to taste it."
"Can only the guest taste it?" 22 asked.
"Yes, 22, this wine is currently brewed only for the guest," 13 replied.
Wu Fan didn't understand what they were talking about—golden wine, the guest tasting it.
But the next moment, 22 suddenly grabbed his hand and placed it on 13's hand. The warmth from their palms startled Wu Fan. He was about to pull his hand away but was firmly held by 13, who gazed at him with a meaningful look. Feeling the boy's eyelashes fluttering, Wu Fan felt a chill run down his spine. He was about to ask 22 what was happening when the brown-haired man spoke to him in a very calm voice, "45, Wu Fan, go with him. He will help you find the answers you seek."
So he followed him out.
They entered a small door behind the bar. Behind the door was a small room with a floor covered in parquet, and an old bronze gilded chandelier hung from the ceiling, emitting a pale light. The room was empty, with only a wall adorned with four rows of long, slender shelves, each holding many smooth and flawless crystal balls.
13 instructed Wu Fan to close the wooden door behind him, and then he took a crystal ball from the wall and walked about two meters from the door, squatting down and tapping the floor with his other hand. A hidden door suddenly opened in the ground.
"Let's go, let's go down," he said, leading the way into the basement.
As he stepped onto the thick wooden stairs, a pungent smell almost stung Wu Fan's eyes. He felt his brain become dizzy, his consciousness slightly blurred. The stronger smell of alcohol reached his lungs through his mouth and nose, making the bar's scent seem insignificant in comparison. For a moment, he felt as if he were drowning in alcohol.
The basement was a large wine cellar, and Wu Fan couldn't estimate its exact size. With the illumination from 13's crystal ball, he saw a neat row of oak barrels in front of him. Further away, he even saw some barley lying in fermentation vats. In the low light, the radiance from 13's crystal ball became increasingly hazy. They continued forward, and what was a single point of light in Wu Fan's eyes became two. The soft halo swayed before him, and his face flushed slightly, feeling a warmth on his cheeks.
Just as the boy was about to fall into a slumber, they finally reached another door. 13 gently knocked on the door, and a robust voice from inside said, "Come in." He then opened the door, supporting Wu Fan as they entered.
The room was not much larger than the one behind the bar. The decor was still very simple, with three of the four yellowed walls embedded with crystal balls for illumination. The fourth wall had a rectangular piece of yellow cloth in the middle. It seemed that electrical equipment was not welcome here, which puzzled Wu Fan. After all, in this world, electricity was also an important source of energy. In the main hall of the bar and the small room behind the bar, the chandeliers were illuminated by electricity.
A table and two chairs were placed away from the door, near the side wall. Standing beside the table was a tall figure, his back turned to them, wrapped in a robe.
He extended his left hand, palm facing upward. Wu Fan saw a well-proportioned hand with a silver ring on the middle finger. (His consciousness gradually cleared. This room seemed to have a strange power. The scent of alcohol from outside couldn't penetrate, and it seemed to dispel the smell of alcohol.) 13 bowed to him and stepped back, closing the door as he left. The dim room was now left with Wu Fan facing the figure.
The man slowly turned around and pulled off his hood, allowing Wu Fan to see his face clearly.
"A man like a tiger," this thought suddenly popped into the boy's mind.
The man had a face that was both imposing and well-defined, with thick white eyebrows like a painted bird, tiger-like eyes, a high and straight nose, a clean-shaven square jaw, a handsome broad chin, and a sturdy physique. His hair, whether due to the lighting or its natural color, appeared dark red.
The man seemed to exude a powerful aura. Just by making eye contact with him, Wu Fan felt an invisible force compelling him to lower his head.
"Please, have a seat," the man gestured to the chair in front of Wu Fan. He himself sat on a wicker chair on the other side of the table. With a sense of unease, Wu Fan took a seat, and only then did the man begin to introduce himself.
"I am Tammon, but you can call me 0. I am not only the main person in charge of the revolutionary army's branch here, but also a member of the royal family of this country."
"22 said that I would know the truth when I arrived here," Wu Fan was surprised to find that his fear of the man was rapidly dissipating, like snow melting in the sun.
"Of course, my answers may provide you with some clues, but first, I want to ask you, how much do you know about this world?" 0 leaned on the table with his elbows, fingers interlocked, chin resting on the back of his hand, and looked at Wu Fan with interest.
"To be honest, I don't know much," Wu Fan replied truthfully.
"Then tell me what you do know," Wu Fan proceeded to recount everything he had learned during this time, his personal experiences, and what 22 and Cha had told him.
After listening to him, 0 blinked his light red eyes. He pressed the acupoints on the sides of his nose with his thumbs and pondered for a while before speaking, "This world is consistent with Earth's history. Millions of years ago, the dinosaur people, or rather, the Reptilian , crossed over to this world. This world and the human world exist on the same Earth, at the same time, and in continuous space. You can think of the Earth as a spherical body. It sounds like a truism, doesn't it?"
He smirked, "How many circular surfaces can be intercepted from a spherical body? Mathematically, it can be countless, right?"
The boy nodded, and he continued, "Mathematics overlooks the thickness of the spherical surface. But what if this sphere actually exists and is solid? In other words, when the intercepted spherical surface has thickness, it is not possible to intercept countless spherical surfaces. However, depending on the thickness of the interception, many spherical surfaces can be intercepted. The human world is one of the spherical surfaces intercepted from the Earth, and the reptilian world is the same."
Wu Fan had difficulty understanding his meaning and shook his head, expressing his confusion.
"Let me give you an example. You've heard of the phenomenon of flowers in water and the moon in a mirror, right?" Wu Fan nodded. "Scientifically, the so-called flowers in water and the moon in a mirror are optical illusions. But have you ever considered that the flowers in water and the moon in a mirror might actually exist?"
"Exist?" Wu Fan expressed a big question mark. "But they are not real. They are just false projections."
"How do you know that shadows cannot exist in reality? How can you assert that shadows do not have another world?" 0 interrupted him with a slightly mocking laugh before he could finish his sentence. "The mainstream scientific community of humans believes that Anunnaki does not exist, that the dinosaur people are nothing but lies, and many strange things are just fantasies. But look at your current environment, the world you are in now. What do you have to say about it?"
The boy fell silent, feeling as if what was happening to him was like a real dream.
"Millions of years ago, an explosion occurred at the other end of the galaxy, and you should know that the Earth is located on the edge of the Milky Way," he said, looking at the boy's furrowed brow, and immediately got the answer, "A massive star exploded, and the planets around it were also affected. These shattered planetary fragments spread towards the edge of the Milky Way due to the shockwave, which was the main cause of the extinction of the dinosaurs, known to humans as the largest supernova eruption in Earth's history."
"Genes are a miraculous thing. They provide a home for the soul, but they also firmly lock the potential of living beings. Only when faced with life and death choices can some living beings demonstrate the greatness of life. They break through the limitations of genes and evolve towards a direction that is more conducive to survival. This applies to Aquatic , the dinosaur people, humans, and all living beings on Earth."
"When the dinosaurs evolved advanced intelligence, it was natural that they gained the ability to create and develop powerful civilizations. Among them, the most outstanding individuals mastered many magical powers, and spatial transfer technology was one of the most important. Thanks to this technology, they came to a world more suitable for their reproduction and survival."
"The first dinosaur people to arrive here began to distribute land, sow seeds, and build houses. They transformed from tribes into a nation, the Dinosaur Empire. The emperor replaced the chieftain, and his wise and powerful followers became ministers, governing the country together. The close relatives of the dinosaurs, such as snakes, lizards, and crocodiles, also gained advanced intelligence with the help of the dinosaur people and created their own civilizations in this land."
"The contradiction between peace and conflict runs through the universe. Things progress in contradiction, sometimes moving straight ahead, sometimes taking a roundabout path. There is no absolute peace, nor absolute conflict. Everything is in a state of relative dynamic balance."
"Compared to the short lifespan of humans, which is only a few hundred years, the period during which humans can create the greatest value is only about forty to sixty years. Enduring a fixed job for four to five hundred years, even if it doesn't drive a person crazy, the person living through it would feel that something is missing inside."
Wu Fan became more and more confused as he listened, but he did not interrupt 0. He felt that at this moment, it was best for him to be a quiet listener.
0 sighed and rubbed his chin, "The struggle between the revolutionary army and the empire has a long history, and the specific history is unknown. The empire oppresses people's thoughts and controls their choices. Therefore, when the first leader, Da, rose up, those who were dissatisfied with the status quo began to follow suit."
"The empire is not entirely unforgivable, and we do not seek to overthrow its rule. We fight for freedom, while the empire fights to uphold its legacy. There is no absolute right or wrong."
"I heard from 28 that when he was still a human, he saw some ancient professions being eliminated because they did not adapt to the development of the times. Perhaps this is the case in the human world, where technological progress brings new things that bury old ones. However, in this world, the reptilian kingdom, new things may appear, but the old things will not be lost. Although you have obtained the body of the dinosaur people, you still have the mindset of a human. At present, you cannot look at the problem from a higher perspective. When you truly become one of us one day, you will understand the meaning of what I am saying today."
"Become one of you? No, I absolutely have no intention of doing that. I just want to return to being human and be with the person I love the most."
"We need your strength, although we are not sure what kind of strength it is. I hope you can join us, but everything depends on your personal will. Relax, personal will is very important in this world."
"Can I go home? I mean, I want to return to the human world," the boy blurted out his thoughts.
0's face immediately turned very grim, and the boy stuck out his tongue, unsure if he had angered 0 with his words.
After a moment of silence, 0 spoke, "Not now. If it weren't for your great importance, you wouldn't have come to this world."
Wu Fan understood the meaning of his words. Cha had once said that he was the savior of this world, and 22 called him the Star of Wish. But I am just a high school student, an ordinary person. There are plenty of people like me in the human world. The boy desperately tried to defend himself, "Perhaps you have made a mistake."
"The Sear II does mention you. In addition to the prophecy of the dinosaur people, the prophecies of my ancestors, the Anunnaki, also mention you."
"The prophecy of the Anunnaki?" he felt incredulous.
"Let me tell you a story about the history of my ancestors. They came from a distant planet, Eldu. It is very close to the center of the universe and far from the Milky Way. The Anu Light created us, and it is the core of Eldu, as well as the earliest consciousness born on the mother planet Eridu. Eridu was once very prosperous. The level of civilization development far exceeds that of Earth. My ancestors spent many happy times there until one day, the arrival of an enemy, an unfamiliar planet, quietly approached."
"At first, no one realized the danger until that planet suddenly revealed its fangs."
"Darkness descended, and the hunting began. It was a planet specifically targeting advanced civilizations, taking pleasure in destroying intelligent beings. My ancestors, the Anunnaki, however, loved peace."
"Is that so? Then why did they later enslave the apes and occupy the Earth?" Wu Fan muttered to himself, clearly not believing 0's words.
"To escape the pursuit, my ancestors drove the core of the planet, the Light of Anu, and began the long cosmic escape journey with the mother planet Eridu. In the end, they exhausted their energy at the other end of the Milky Way. The hunting continued, and the planet of slaughter pursued them all the way. The desperate Anunnaki then realized and began to fight back. That battle destroyed a planet."
"The explosion of the planet caused a chain reaction, ultimately triggering the explosion of a star. More and more planets were affected, and Eridu was torn apart, turning into fragments radiating into the universe. My surviving ancestors used the energy of the shockwave to escape to the solar system located at the edge of the Milky Way. Perhaps it was this radiation that caused mutations, or perhaps it was the pollution of the planet's core. In any case, the golden-red devil was born from this."
"Wait, are you saying that the near extinction of the dinosaurs was not accidental, but caused by your ancestors?"
"Sometimes, seemingly accidental events often have inevitable connections behind them," 0 rotated the ring on his hand, and a blood bead dripped from his fingertip onto the table. He gently lifted one side of the table, "What do you see?"
"A blood bead rolling on the table," Wu Fan replied without thinking.
"Under the influence of gravity, the blood bead will definitely move downward, right?" He then placed the table back flat, "This is a certainty, but can you tell me along which path the blood bead will fall?"
The boy shook his head. This belonged to the unpredictable. 0 continued, "We know the result in advance, which is certainty, but we cannot determine the path, which is chance."
"We can repeat this experiment," he lifted the side of the table that he had just put down and dropped another blood bead at the starting position where the previous blood bead had fallen. This blood bead rolled along a different path on the table. He repeated this process ten times, pointing to the blood beads that rolled along similar or mostly different paths, saying, "The accumulation of chances becomes certainty. Certainty is the collection of probabilities, the continuity of chance events."
A thought flashed through Wu Fan's mind. The world is virtual, and everything that happens has already been arranged.
0's next words further solidified his idea, "My ancestors, their pursuit was planned, and their journey through the vast universe to the Milky Way was carefully arranged. Even when they arrived on Earth, it was just actors stepping onto the stage with a script to perform."
"Evidence?" The boy suddenly became hysterical, and intense unease spread within him.
"Prophecies related to you. As you know, my ancestors, the dinosaur people, the Aquatic opened the Three-Race War. The golden-red monster appeared, and the three races stopped fighting, signing an agreement to jointly resist the golden-red monster and banish them to other spaces. Anunnaki established the Golden Dynasty on the surface, and later, the kingdom fell due to internal strife. The former slaves, the ancient humans, took over the rule of the Anunnaki royal family."
"Some of my ancestors settled here, in this reptilian world."
"The Sear II mentions that one day the golden-red monster will return to this world, and at the same time, their savior will also appear in the human world. And we also have a prophecy."
"Your prophecy?" Wu Fan furrowed his brow. "What is it?"
"Twenty thousand years ago, two mysterious figures visited the royal city. I'm sorry, but our history lacks corresponding records. There is only a poem passed down by word of mouth that describes them as the envoys of the heavens, the will of the planets, named the StarSouls."
StarSouls? A familiar feeling, Wu Fan's brow furrowed completely.
"The two StarSouls told the king that the destruction of the royal family was inevitable and was not due to external factors but internal ones. However, the bloodline of the Anunnaki would not be destroyed, and the remaining bloodline would multiply and wait for the right time. The Anunnaki would eventually return to their homeland, to the place of origin."
"Ten thousand years later, the first half of the prophecy was fulfilled. On the eve of the internal turmoil in the royal family, another mysterious figure visited the royal city. He told everyone that a part of my ancestors would soon arrive in another new world, and humans would become the new rulers of the current world. He also told everyone that in another ten thousand years, when countless suns shine in the sky, the golden-red curse will descend from the sky, and the Star of Wish will transform into a boy who will guide us to find the way back home."
The boy he referred to is me, Wu Fan couldn't help but think so, but who is that mysterious person? His brow relaxed a bit, and the red eyes of 0 were reflected in his black eyes, making him seem less frightening.
"That person looks similar to present-day humans, with black eyes, yellow skin, and a small symbol on his forehead."
"Is that symbol the '邪' character?" Wu Fan immediately asked.
0 nodded, "The man also said that the Star of Wish is a key, a key that can unlock a huge secret. When that secret is revealed, the world will change, Anunnaki will return to their homeland, and the dinosaur people, humans, and Aquatic may be fortunate enough to escape the fate of destruction. The predetermined end of the world, the pointer of fate may reverse in a positive direction."
A secret? What could it be? The boy, who had somewhat calmed down, was once again at a loss.
"We are able to survive in this world not only thanks to the kindness of the Emperor of the dinosaur people at that time, but more importantly, because we, the descendants of the Anunnaki, hold a huge secret. I cannot tell you that secret because I don't know it either. The only thing I know is that when the prophesied boy arrives, that secret will naturally appear."
Wu Fan was filled with mixed emotions. Who exactly was that man? 22 had said that the man had sent him here and ordered him to come find me.
"Who exactly is that man? No one knows," 0 seemed to sense the boy's confusion. "But when he disappeared, he left behind a final sentence: 'When the sun rises from the west, the moon has been awakened, and the darkness follows like a shadow. The ancient children will meet again.'"
The more Wu Fan thought about it, the more confused he became. He couldn't understand this sentence at all. Just as he was about to ask what it meant, 0 waved his hand, making a gesture to dismiss him. "You can leave now. Go see 22. He will tell you what to do next."
Reluctantly, the boy pushed open the door, burying his doubts in his heart. When he saw 0's forbidding face, he knew that he wouldn't be able to ask anything further.
The pungent smell of alcohol hit him again as he gently closed the door and walked out.
As the door closed, 0 looked at the rectangular sticker on the wall, lost in thought.