Chapter 296

Zhao Jianguo put the walkie-talkie into the drawer and, as an afterthought, closed the monitoring car's door.

He didn't look back, heading straight for home. On the way he bumped into a few neighbors exchanging greetings, to which he merely nodded. The cement under his feet was a bit cool, but he walked steadily without missing a step.

After entering the house he first went to the kitchen, opened the cabinet and took out a packet of sugar. The paper bag was wrinkled, inside only one lollipop remained. He took it out, tore off the wrapper and put it in his mouth. The sweetness slowly spread; he leaned against the wall for a few seconds, then turned and went into the basement.

After the door closed, the lights came on automatically. The triplets were already waiting for him. Zhao Xing stood in the middle, holding a silver wristband in his hand; Zhao Chen lowered his head to look at the tablet, while Zhao Yang stared at the countdown display on the wall.

"Ready?" Zhao Jianguo asked.

Zhao Chen looked up, "Data synchronization complete, the jump window will open in seven minutes."

Zhao Xing put on the wristband, "Dad, this time is different."

"I know."

"It's not about rescuing people, nor gathering clues." Zhao Yang interjected, "It's about preserving the last thing."

Zhao Jianguo walked to the control console, pressed his fingerprint. The screen flickered, and a golden interface popped up.

【Ultimate Mission Activated】

【Goal: Guard the Civilization Fire Seed】

【Warning: Spacetime Structure Is Collapsing】

【Executor: Zhao Jianguo and the Designated Heir】

Below is a line of small text: "Confirm activation, cannot be revoked."

Zhao Jianguo glanced at the three children. They stood in a row, hands already placed together. He walked over and placed his hand on top.

"I used to think about how to make your lives better," he said, "school, meals, not being bullied. Now it's not possible. It's our turn to step up."

Zhao Xing smirked, "You've always said our family fears nothing, right?"

"Yeah." Zhao Jianguo laughed, "What are we waiting for?"

He pressed the confirm key.

Hum—

The whole basement began to shake. The lights on the ceiling flickered quickly, then steadied, turning blue. The floor cracked open a slit, and a cylindrical device slowly rose. Its surface was etched with dense symbols, like writing yet not quite.

The triplets stepped forward together, mounting the platform. Their hands each gripped the handles on either side of the device. Zhao Jianguo stood in the center, holding the controller.

Countdown started: 60, 59, 58……

Zhao Chen suddenly opened his eyes, "Dad, there's a reaction outside."

Zhao Jianguo looked up at the monitor. The air around the courtyard walls undulated like water, and then a semi-transparent cover descended from the sky, enveloping the entire siheyuan. The vehicle and human noises on the street vanished, as if sucked away by something.

"Communications are cut off." Zhao Zhao Yang said.

"It's not a disconnection." Zhao Chen stared at the data stream, "It's been shielded. Someone prepared the scene in advance."

The countdown continued: 43, 42, 41……

Zhao Jianguo didn't move. He knew what that meant. He had thought they were taking the initiative, but it turned out the other side had been waiting all along.

"Never mind that." Zhao Xing said, "We've come this far; can we back out?"

Zhao Yang softly hummed a tune, a familiar melody that Zhao Jianguo often sang to lull them to sleep when they were little.

Zhao Chen closed his eyes, "Energy readings are normal, the jump channel is forming."

Zhao Jianguo looked at the screen. The red dots that were originally scattered on the map have now all linked into a single line pointing straight to the center of Beijing. It's not just about the wheat fields, nor just about the brain‑machine interface; all anomalies converge at this moment.

Countdown: 20, 19, 18……

Suddenly, a sound rang out.

It wasn't coming from the speaker, nor was anyone speaking. It was right in the air, by the ear, inside the mind.

"Game Over."

Three words, devoid of emotion, without fluctuation, yet everyone heard them clearly.

Zhao Xing frowned, "Who?!"

No one answered.

In the monitor, the sky changed color. The grayish clouds split open a gap, revealing the black void below. The wind ceased, the trees stood still, even dust floated mid‑air.

Zhao Jianguo gripped the controller tightly, "Ignore him, keep going."

Countdown: 10, 9, 8……

Zhao Chen suddenly opened his eyes, "Dad, I saw it."

"What did you see?"

"The fire seed." she said, "It's not a thing, it's a person. Someone we know."

Zhao Jianguo's heart jumped.

7, 6, 5……

Zhao Yang said softly: "They want us to stop."

"Then we definitely won't stop." Zhao Xing gritted his teeth.

4, 3……

Control Console emitted a beeping sound. The jump program entered its final stage. A ring of blue light lit up at the base of the device, climbing up the pillar. The Triplets' bodies also began to glow, as if light inside wanted to shine out.

Zhao Jianguo stood in the middle, his hand didn't shake.

2……

He chewed the last bit of sugar into pieces and swallowed it.

1……

The blue light shot up into the sky.

At that moment, the entire Siheyuan seemed to be paused. The clothes hanging inside didn't move; the bird flying past outside froze in midair; even the cooking smoke rising from the chimney came to a halt.

Then, the sound came again.

"Game over."

"This time many voices spoke together, male and female, old and young, coming from all directions."

"Zhao Jianguo jerked his head up."

"On the monitor screen, all camera feeds turned into the same person's face—blurred, distorted, features off, as if pieced together."

"That face said:"

"You can't take the fire seed."

"Zhao Chen tapped the tablet, 'He's jamming the signal, but the source isn't singular.'"

"'Not one person.' Zhao Yang said, 'It's a group.'"

"Zhao Xing sneered, 'Are you afraid we'll steal his toy?'"

"Zhao Jianguo stared at the screen, 'What they fear isn't the fire seed being taken away.'"

"'What is it?'"

"'Someone remembers.'"

"The countdown reached zero."

"The device boomed. Blue light exploded, lighting up the entire basement. The triplets gripped tighter, their bodies lifting a few centimeters off the ground."

"Zhao Jianguo pressed the final key."

"【Jump Program Activated】"

"【Target Time: Unknown】"

"【Coordinates Locking】"

"Just then, Zhao Chen suddenly shouted."

"'Wait!'"

"She pointed at the data stream, 'The fire seed isn't in the future.'"

"'Where?'"

"'In the past.'"

"'Which past?'"

"'The place we set out from.'"

"Zhao Jianguo froze."

"He remembered where his first check-in was."

"Not the laboratory, not the hospital, not the test field."

"It was this courtyard."

"It was this room."

"It was the day he just came over."

"The countdown restarted: 10, 9, 8…"

"Zhao Yang suddenly looked up, 'They're here.'"

"The door didn't open, the window wasn't broken, but the air changed. Temperature dropped, breath turned white. Shadows on the wall began to writhe—not human silhouettes, but many overlapping outlines, standing, crouching, lying, all looking this way."

"Zhao Xing reached into his pocket and pulled out a small knife."

"'Should have acted sooner.'"

"Zhao Jianguo pressed forced synchronization."

"'No matter where they are, no matter who the fire seed is,' he said, 'we have to go back and see.'"

"7, 6, 5…"

"The blue light grew stronger."

"The external energy shield began to vibrate, as if unable to withstand the pressure. Cracks spread from the edges, making cracking sounds."

"4…"

"Zhao Chen whispered, 'If the fire seed is a person, what's the best way to protect him?'"

"3…"

"No one answered."

"2…"

"Zhao Jianguo looked at the three children. They closed their eyes, their faces showing no fear, only determination."

"1…"

"The blue light swallowed everything."

"The device emitted a shrill whistle."

"The ground split, walls twisted, and the lights on the ceiling burst one by one."

"The last thing Zhao Jianguo saw was the monitor screen flickering, a line of text appearing:"

"【Welcome back, Zhao Jianguo】"

"The next second, all sound vanished."

"He felt his feet leave the ground."

"A hand grabbed his wrist."