Chapter 250: Blue Light Aftermath·Holographic Image First Appears

Zhao Jianguo's hand had just lifted from the equipment when the blue light flashed again. He immediately turned, pulling the triplets behind him, dropped to one knee, and lowered his voice: "That machine is broken—no one is to touch it."

Zhao Xing looked up at him, her little hand still pointing toward the display stand: "It's moving."

Zhao Chen frowned, pulling his brother back a step: "Don't look—listen to Dad."

Zhao Yang said nothing, just stared at the silver-white box. The "2025" on its surface still glowed, as if held aloft by some force.

Zhao Jianguo raised his wrist and glanced; the system prompt popped up: "Energy fluctuation highly matches the triplets' biofield! Suggest immediate isolation of the contact source."

He felt a tightness in his chest, but didn't show it. He reached out and pulled the three children closer, his tone even: "How about we go over there to look at the drone?"

"I'm not going." Zhao Xing twisted her body: "I just want to see that building."

"What building?" Zhao Jianguo asked.

"It's what just came out of the light." Zhao Xing pointed at the equipment: "It's tall, with cars running in the sky."

Before Zhao Jianguo could answer, hurried footsteps came from nearby. Jia Dongxu rushed over, toolbox in hand, sweat covering his forehead.

"I just heard an alarm in the laboratory." He panted: "Is this thing alive again?"

Zhao Jianguo nodded: "It's never stopped. Don't use force—you might cause an accident."

Jia Dongxu squatted, opened the equipment's rear cover, and plugged in a data line. The screen flickered, the numbers jumping wildly. His brow tightened: "The signal isn't generated locally—it seems to be coming in from outside. And… it's looking for something."

"Looking for what?"

"Bio-signal match exceeds ninety-seven percent." Jia Dongxu lifted his head: "It's the children."

No sooner had he spoken than Zhao Xing broke free of Zhao Chen's hand, ran two steps forward, and lunged to the edge of the display stand, her face pressed close: "There's a flower bed! That fountain in the middle—I've seen it!"

Zhao Jianguo lunged forward, grabbed him in one motion, and in the same move gathered all three triplets, stepping back to a corner. His arms tightened, his voice sinking: "No one is to get any closer."

But it was already too late.

The blue light surged violently, the whole display stand humming with a shake. A crack split the top, a column of light shot straight up. Immediately, a picture unfolded slowly—skyscrapers packed together, suspended maglev trains gliding through, street vehicles yielding automatically, the central plaza's big screen scrolling "Smart City Operational."

No one in the hall noticed this side. Cheers came from the aircraft exhibit area as children all looked up at the sky.

Only the four of them stared fixedly at the image before them.

Zhao Xing suddenly shouted: "This is downstairs from our home!"

Zhao Chen's eyes widened: "That convenience store, and the cat by the door… I remember it all!"

Zhao Yang joined in shouting: "I remember too! We've been there!"

Their three voices overlapped, crystal clear.

Zhao Jianguo stiffened all over, turned to look at Jia Dongxu. The other's face had gone pale, his instrument fallen to the ground without him bothering to pick it up.

"Impossible." Jia Dongxu whispered, "They've never left Beijing, let alone anything twenty years in the future."

Zhao Jianguo said nothing. He stared at the image, his fingers slowly digging into his palm.

Just then, the picture changed.

The street view pulled back, revealing a residential building. Fifteen stories, with blue laundry lines hanging outside the balconies, a small red coat draped over one.

Zhao Xing suddenly struggled: "That's my coat! The one I lost last winter!"

Zhao Chen bit his lip: "Have we… already been to this place before?"

Zhao Yang reached out to touch the light, but Zhao Jianguo seized his wrist: "Don't move."

The air fell silent for a few seconds.

Jia Dongxu bent to pick up the instrument, fingers trembling: "This projection isn't preset content. It responds in real time. Whenever the children get close, it updates the picture."

"You mean they're providing the data?" Zhao Jianguo asked.

"It's more like… their memories matched." Jia Dongxu lifted his head: "This doesn't look like the future; it looks like places they've actually experienced."

Zhao Jianguo looked down at the three children. Their eyes shone bright, not with fear but with familiarity and excitement.

"Dad." Zhao Xing looked up: "Did we used to live there?"

Zhao Jianguo didn't answer. He shielded the children behind him and walked to the equipment. The blue light still flickered, the "2025" clearly visible. He reached to shut off the power, but found the switch broken.

"Have you tried cutting the network?" he asked Jia Dongxu.

"It's cut. The signal is emitted internally, not through external channels." Jia Dongxu shook his head: "It seems to have its own power system."

Zhao Jianguo produced his permission card, swiped it at the main port. The system popped up: "【Unable to identify operator identity, awaiting biometric authentication】."

He froze. This card had always worked before.

He tried again, with the same result.

"It doesn't recognize you anymore." Jia Dongxu said: "Now it only acknowledges one signal—the children's."

No sooner had he spoken than Zhao Xing broke free of Zhao Chen's hand and headed for the display stand again. Zhao Jianguo tried to stop her, but Zhao Chen held him back.

"Brother." Zhao Chen lifted his head, voice soft: "Let me try."

Zhao Jianguo looked at her. The little girl stood straight, her eyes earnest.

He hesitated a few seconds, then let go.

Zhao Chen walked to the display stand, placed her hand on the box's side. The blue light trembled slightly, as if responding. She closed her eyes, as if listening to something.

One second, two seconds.

The holographic image shifted again.

The picture switched to a classroom. A blackboard hung on the wall, reading "Mathematics Unit Test". Scratched into the desk corner was a wobbly name: Zhao Chen.

"That's me." She opened her eyes: "I'm doing homework."

The view turned; outside the window was the evening sky. From below came a vendor's cry: "Candied haws—fresh candied haws—"

"That was yesterday." Zhao Chen turned: "Right outside the school gate."

Zhao Jianguo's breath caught.

This isn't the future.

This is the present.

It is synchronizing everything around them.

Zhao Yang also ran over and placed his hand on it. The scene changed again—this time to the Siheyuan Kitchen. Sha Zhu was carrying a bowl of noodles out, humming a little tune.

"It's him!" Zhao Yang laughed out loud, "He's sneaking a bite!"

Zhao Xing also rushed over, and the three little hands pressed on the device at the same time.

The blue light surged instantly, the holographic image expanded, covering half of the Courtyard. The scene switched quickly: the Triplets chased chickens in the Courtyard, Zhao Jianguo was tweaking a machine in the Laboratory, Wang Nainai was drying a quilt at the doorway, Grandpa Li was walking with Tie Dan…

Every frame was their life from the past few days.

Finally, the image froze on Zhao Jianguo. He stood in the Control Room, looking down at his watch, his brows tightly knit.

"It's recording us," Jia Dongxu's voice sounded hoarse, "Not just the future. It's filming the present, and can replay it."

Zhao Jianguo stared at that image, his heart racing.

This isn't a time‑travel device.

It's a monitor.

Someone, or something, is using this machine to watch each of their days.

He jerked his hand up and yanked the Triplets' hands apart. The blue light immediately dimmed, and the image began to blur.

"Don't touch it," he said sternly, "From now on, nobody is allowed to get close."

"But…" Zhao Xing seemed about to say something.

"There is no 'but'," Zhao Jianguo cut him off, "This machine is dangerous, understand?"

The children lowered their heads and whispered, "Got it."

Jia Dongxu put away the device, sweat still beading on his forehead: "We need to find a way to seal it. It must not be activated again."

"First cut the power," Zhao Jianguo said, "Find a metal box and shield everything."

"Okay," Jia Dongxu nodded, "I'll go prepare right away."

He turned to leave, but Zhao Jianguo called him back, "Don't tell anyone. Only we know about this."

"Understood," Jia Dongxu lowered his voice, "Including the Special Forces?"

Zhao Jianguo was silent for two seconds, "For now, don't report it."

Jia Dongxu left. Zhao Jianguo crouched, scooping each with one arm, tightly encircling the Triplets. His gaze swept over the display platform; the blue light had dimmed but not gone out.

The "2025" inscription remained clear.

He reached out to cover those characters. A vibration came from his palm, stronger than before.

Like a heartbeat.

And like a knock on a door.

He withdrew his hand and found his fingertips a little numb.

Zhao Xing looked up at him, "Dad, does it hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt," he said.

"Then why is your hand shaking?"

Zhao Jianguo said nothing. He held the children a bit tighter and whispered, "Let's go over there and sit for a while."

He led the Triplets toward the long bench, each step firm. Passersby were still laughing, the children still running, and the bustle of the Tech Festival hadn't lessened at all.

But he knew that some things had changed.

He glanced back at the display platform.

The blue light flickered again.

This time, beneath the 2025, new numbers emerged.

1986.