A faint golden light shone onto the city at an angle, waking up the serene and peaceful town from its sweet dream . Hao Ren looked at the surrounding; breakfast stalls and grocery shops had begun to open their doors for business while their owners greeted each other lethargically, probably still feeling tired from their sleep . People were talking aloud about the sports game last night . Elderly coming out for a morning walk were recounting how the storm had ravaged the town a couple of days ago . It looked just another day as if peace and serenity had been here for decades .
Of course, Hao Ren knew the truth; he knew he was not on an ordinary planet like the Earth back home . In this average town, he somehow felt a deep sense of incongruousness and an unexplained uneasiness; something was amiss . This imaginary world seemed like a beautiful script, but it might not be a good sign .
Nolan once said that the resetting of the world was not a fixed cycle . Sometimes it took decades or even centuries, but sometimes it would reset in just a few years . But, there was nothing like here and now . The stage had changed, and it was peaceful in a baffling way . Those dozen times of world wars in the past had just disappeared like waking up from a bad dream .
Hao Ren wondered what was behind all these . He instinctively ruled out the 'human' factor . It was more like software glitches .
Everything seemed to point to that the programme was losing control .
He might have caused information spill over when he was exposed to the 'boundary,' forcing the programme behind this world in a sandbox to reset itself . But, this did not explain the dramatic change in the script .
Following the navigation guide, Hao Ren came to the center of the town . In front of him was a pavement lined with graceful poplars that led to a school on the slope . Teenagers in high school uniform with bags on their backs and shoulders were stumping up the pavement . Some of the students stopped and glanced curiously at this stranger carrying a strange gadget . Hao Ren ignored the stares, but deep inside him, he secretly missed his high school life . He trotted up the pavement and came to a stop on the slope; a girl with long grey hair was standing right in his field of vision .
Nolan stood in front of the school looking at the students coming for the morning class . She was wearing the same student uniform too . In her schoolbag, one end of the wand stuck out like the handle of an umbrella . It seemed she was confused with her new identity . Though she had been a student before during one of the previous reincarnations, it was a distant memory . The arrival of peace on the back of continuous war in the earlier reincarnations bewildered her until Hao Ren called her from behind .
"Nolan!"
She turned her head around and saw Hao Ren, surprised . She trotted toward him .
"Hao Ren?" Nolan looked at Hao Ren . "I thought you have ended up in some faraway place after the reset? What a surprise to see you here . "
"It's a long story . But I've indeed come from somewhere far," Hao Ren said, checking his surroundings . "Do you know what's going on?"
Nolan shrugged her shoulders . "I don't know . It looks like the world has suddenly reset and the next thing I know, I'm already on my way to school and having a new identity as you see now . "
While saying, she pointed at herself . "A student club president . Can you believe that?" she quipped .
"Well, even my PDA runs and dances; nothing would amaze me," said Hao Ren casually . He noticed more eyes were staring at them . He lowered his voice and said, "Can we find somewhere else quiet? I feel something doesn't add up . "
Without hesitation, Nolan swung her bag on her shoulder . "Let's go," she said .
Suddenly, a middle-aged woman who appeared to be a teacher came out of nowhere and yelled with a high-pitched voice . "Where are you going, Nolan? The class is about to start…"
Suddenly, a middle-aged woman who appeared to be a teacher came out of nowhere and yelled with a high-pitched voice . "Where are you going, Nolan? The class is about to start…"
Nolan replied without looking, "I'm taking a day's leave . "
She then dragged Hao Ren and darted down the slope, leaving behind a group of stunned students and a bewildered teacher . It was not until the two of them coming to a junction the teacher only began to shout angrily . Nolan winked at Hao Ren, who was visibly stupefied . "I'm supposed to be a good student on this stage play . But the opening scene is nothing like the script . "
She suddenly smiled, and her smile turned into laughter . She laughed so loud and hard that she almost ran out of breath . Hao Ren stared at her surprised by her sudden change of character until he could not stand it anymore and he raised his hand to pat on her shoulder . "Are you done yet?"
"I'm sorry, it's just too ridiculous," Nolan gasped breathlessly . When her breathing finally normalized, she sighed softly . "I was only in the battlefield two days ago . Then things did an about turn, and I ended up here . It looks like change has never been so dramatic than now . "
"Do you not know what happened?" Hao Ren looked at Nolan suspiciously .
Nolan did not answer him directly . She seemed to evade his question . "Don't you think this is great? Look! It's so peaceful . I have talked to people; the war has never happened . I don't care if this is fake as long as the world keeps it this way . Even if it doesn't last, a few days would be good enough . "
Nolan's words had confirmed his suspicion . "You do know something, don't you?" Hao Ren asked .
Nolan looked up at the morning sun and remained silent for a long moment . When she finally let out a sigh, she said, "I'm afraid that this is going to be the last dream . "
Surface world .
Surface world .
It had been days, and Hao Ren was still lying in the hibernation pod . Nangong Wuyue was wiping the dust off the 'casket' with a rag . A slit appeared on the hibernation pod, and the MDT slid out from inside suddenly . Out of instinctive reaction, Wuyue coiled herself up into a circle of springs, her upper body swaying around trying to make sense of what had just happened .
She only let down her guard when she saw the MDT . "Oh gosh, it's you, brick! Why Mr . Landlord not awake yet?"
After getting out from the pod, the first thing the MDT did was fly around in a circle in the air and let out a human sigh of contentment . "Ahh, this body is still the best . I can see things without turning my neck . Hey, Wuyue! Get everyone here . There's an emergency! Hao Ren needs an army!"
When Lily heard the sound in the basement, she scurried down . "What's going on? Finally, we can go to battle?"
"Probably not yet," the MDT said, still flying around . "By the way, girls, I suddenly found myself having a girl's heart, you know?"
Nangong Wuyue and Lily were dumbfounded .
Mobile Data Terminal is the single most crucial assistant for any inspectors—it is more important than the standard issue weapons and spacecraft . MDT not only has all the assistant programmes needed to perform its task, but it can also perform many functions that formerly only inspector himself or herself can perform . The inspector can authorize his or her MDT to control the dimensional pocket, weapons, and equipment . Its role was almost equivalent to the inspector .
But, sometimes they serve only frivolous purposes…
Soon, everyone gathered and entered through the crack of Tannagost into the Plane of Dreams . The MDT successfully opened the dimensional pocket through the 'transfer' method; the real Petrachelys parked quietly inside .
But, sometimes they serve only frivolous purposes…
Soon, everyone gathered and entered through the crack of Tannagost into the Plane of Dreams . The MDT successfully opened the dimensional pocket through the 'transfer' method; the real Petrachelys parked quietly inside .
"Still, I belong to this place!" the MDT plugged itself into a slot, excited . It felt like it had been reborn . "Do you guys know that when I was in a human body, no matter how hard I tried I still couldn't plug myself into the slot? I couldn't figure what is so good to be human . Or was it that my butt was too big?"
The MDT went lunatic on the control console . Everyone looked at each other, bewildered . Y'zaks took a gander at the console and whispered to Vivian, "Is the MDT broken or something?"
Vivian pursed her mouth and said, "Maybe it has a short circuit . That's why I have always told Mr . Landlord; he shouldn't let Lil Pea play with it . You know, electronics and water don't mix well…"
The MDT turned a deaf ear to what they said as it was having a field day playing with the spacecraft . It traced the navigation signal from the drone and started the warp jump procedure . Before they knew it, they had arrived at a strange, distant galaxy .
Earlier, Hao Ren and the MDT had successfully sent out navigational information from the 'boundary' of the virtual world . The signal had led the drone clusters to within five light years radius from the boundary . The drones reached the remote region very quickly with their warp drives before the Petrachelys did .
The real Planet Zorm was not in a virtual world but the real universe .
When the Petrachelys finally met up with the drones, it hovered above the target planet . Looking down at the spectacular yet horrifying scene, the MDT let out a long sigh . "Holy crap…"
Vivian looked at the bright white hibernation pod; she touched the 'coffin' lid with her hand nervously . "Is Mr . Landlord's consciousness on that planet?"
The MDT squealed . "Contact him now! The hellish place is not going to last more than forty-eight hours!"
A faint golden light shone onto the city at an angle, waking up the serene and peaceful town from its sweet dream . Hao Ren looked at the surrounding; breakfast stalls and grocery shops had begun to open their doors for business while their owners greeted each other lethargically, probably still feeling tired from their sleep . People were talking aloud about the sports game last night . Elderly coming out for a morning walk were recounting how the storm had ravaged the town a couple of days ago . It looked just another day as if peace and serenity had been here for decades . Of course, Hao Ren knew the truth; he knew he was not on an ordinary planet like the Earth back home . In this average town, he somehow felt a deep sense of incongruousness and an unexplained uneasiness; something was amiss . This imaginary world seemed like a beautiful script, but it might not be a good sign . Nolan once said that the resetting of the world was not a fixed cycle . Sometimes it took decades or even centuries, but sometimes it would reset in just a few years . But, there was nothing like here and now . The stage had changed, and it was peaceful in a baffling way . Those dozen times of world wars in the past had just disappeared like waking up from a bad dream . Hao Ren wondered what was behind all these . He instinctively ruled out the human factor . It was more like software glitches . Everything seemed to point to that the programme was losing control . He might have caused information spill over when he was exposed to the boundary, forcing the programme behind this world in a sandbox to reset itself . But, this did not explain the dramatic change in the script . Following the navigation guide, Hao Ren came to the center of the town . In front of him was a pavement lined with graceful poplars that led to a school on the slope . Teenagers in high school uniform with bags on their backs and shoulders were stumping up the pavement . Some of the students stopped and glanced curiously at this stranger carrying a strange gadget . Hao Ren ignored the stares, but deep inside him, he secretly missed his high school life . He trotted up the pavement and came to a stop on the slope; a girl with long grey hair was standing right in his field of vision . Nolan stood in front of the school looking at the students coming for the morning class . She was wearing the same student uniform too . In her schoolbag, one end of the wand stuck out like the handle of an umbrella . It seemed she was confused with her new identity . Though she had been a student before during one of the previous reincarnations, it was a distant memory . The arrival of peace on the back of continuous war in the earlier reincarnations bewildered her until Hao Ren called her from behind . Nolan! She turned her head around and saw Hao Ren, surprised . She trotted toward him . Hao Ren? Nolan looked at Hao Ren . I thought you have ended up in some faraway place after the reset? What a surprise to see you here . Its a long story . But Ive indeed come from somewhere far, Hao Ren said, checking his surroundings . Do you know whats going on? Nolan shrugged her shoulders . I dont know . It looks like the world has suddenly reset and the next thing I know, Im already on my way to school and having a new identity as you see now . While saying, she pointed at herself . A student club president . Can you believe that? she quipped . Well, even my PDA runs and dances; nothing would amaze me, said Hao Ren casually . He noticed more eyes were staring at them . He lowered his voice and said, Can we find somewhere else quiet? I feel something doesnt add up . Without hesitation, Nolan swung her bag on her shoulder . Lets go, she said . Suddenly, a middle-aged woman who appeared to be a teacher came out of nowhere and yelled with a high-pitched voice . Where are you going, Nolan? The class is about to start… Nolan replied without looking, Im taking a days leave . She then dragged Hao Ren and darted down the slope, leaving behind a group of stunned students and a bewildered teacher . It was not until the two of them coming to a junction the teacher only began to shout angrily . Nolan winked at Hao Ren, who was visibly stupefied . Im supposed to be a good student on this stage play . But the opening scene is nothing like the script . She suddenly smiled, and her smile turned into laughter . She laughed so loud and hard that she almost ran out of breath . Hao Ren stared at her surprised by her sudden change of character until he could not stand it anymore and he raised his hand to pat on her shoulder . Are you done yet? Im sorry, its just too ridiculous, Nolan gasped breathlessly . When her breathing finally normalized, she sighed softly . I was only in the battlefield two days ago . Then things did an about turn, and I ended up here . It looks like change has never been so dramatic than now . Do you not know what happened? Hao Ren looked at Nolan suspiciously . Nolan did not answer him directly . She seemed to evade his question . Dont you think this is great? Look! Its so peaceful . I have talked to people; the war has never happened . I dont care if this is fake as long as the world keeps it this way . Even if it doesnt last, a few days would be good enough . Nolans words had confirmed his suspicion . You do know something, dont you? Hao Ren asked . Nolan looked up at the morning sun and remained silent for a long moment . When she finally let out a sigh, she said, Im afraid that this is going to be the last dream . Surface world . It had been days, and Hao Ren was still lying in the hibernation pod . Nangong Wuyue was wiping the dust off the casket with a rag . A slit appeared on the hibernation pod, and the MDT slid out from inside suddenly . Out of instinctive reaction, Wuyue coiled herself up into a circle of springs, her upper body swaying around trying to make sense of what had just happened . She only let down her guard when she saw the MDT . Oh gosh, its you, brick! Why Mr . Landlord not awake yet? After getting out from the pod, the first thing the MDT did was fly around in a circle in the air and let out a human sigh of contentment . Ahh, this body is still the best . I can see things without turning my neck . Hey, Wuyue! Get everyone here . Theres an emergency! Hao Ren needs an army! When Lily heard the sound in the basement, she scurried down . Whats going on? Finally, we can go to battle? Probably not yet, the MDT said, still flying around . By the way, girls, I suddenly found myself having a girls heart, you know? Nangong Wuyue and Lily were dumbfounded . Mobile Data Terminal is the single most crucial assistant for any inspectors—it is more important than the standard issue weapons and spacecraft . MDT not only has all the assistant programmes needed to perform its task, but it can also perform many functions that formerly only inspector himself or herself can perform . The inspector can authorize his or her MDT to control the dimensional pocket, weapons, and equipment . Its role was almost equivalent to the inspector . But, sometimes they serve only frivolous purposes… Soon, everyone gathered and entered through the crack of Tannagost into the Plane of Dreams . The MDT successfully opened the dimensional pocket through the transfer method; the real Petrachelys parked quietly inside . Still, I belong to this place! the MDT plugged itself into a slot, excited . It felt like it had been reborn . Do you guys know that when I was in a human body, no matter how hard I tried I still couldnt plug myself into the slot? I couldnt figure what is so good to be human . Or was it that my butt was too big? The MDT went lunatic on the control console . Everyone looked at each other, bewildered . Yzaks took a gander at the console and whispered to Vivian, Is the MDT broken or something? Vivian pursed her mouth and said, Maybe it has a short circuit . Thats why I have always told Mr . Landlord; he shouldnt let Lil Pea play with it . You know, electronics and water dont mix well… The MDT turned a deaf ear to what they said as it was having a field day playing with the spacecraft . It traced the navigation signal from the drone and started the warp jump procedure . Before they knew it, they had arrived at a strange, distant galaxy . Earlier, Hao Ren and the MDT had successfully sent out navigational information from the boundary of the virtual world . The signal had led the drone clusters to within five light years radius from the boundary . The drones reached the remote region very quickly with their warp drives before the Petrachelys did . The real Planet Zorm was not in a virtual world but the real universe . When the Petrachelys finally met up with the drones, it hovered above the target planet . Looking down at the spectacular yet horrifying scene, the MDT let out a long sigh . Holy crap… Vivian looked at the bright white hibernation pod; she touched the coffin lid with her hand nervously . Is Mr . Landlords consciousness on that planet? The MDT squealed . Contact him now! The hellish place is not going to last more than forty-eight hours!
Chapter end
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