Chapter 299: Future Has Arrived·2050 Tech Tower

The Laboratory's shaking stopped.

The oppressive pressure in the air that made people gasp also dissipated.

Zhao Jianguo lay on the ground, his right leg immobile. He propped himself up, his elbow scraping a red mark on the cement debris. He ignored it, crawled a few steps, sat upright, and stared ahead.

The Triplets still stood in the middle of the device, hands pressed against the pillar, eyes closed. Their feet no longer tingled, their bodies no longer transparent. Light receded from beneath their skin like the tide going out.

He coughed, pulled the last piece of bubble gum from his mouth. The gum was flavorless and limp. He raised his hand and gently pressed it to Zhao Yang's forehead.

Zhao Yang blinked.

Zhao Xing lowered his head, saw blood on his father's trousers, and reached out to steady his shoulder. Zhao Chen opened his eyes, his fingers twitched as if checking something, then said, "Dad, we're back."

The three of them released their grip together.

The device emitted a soft sound, like a sigh. The Metal Ring began to peel away layer by layer, not shattering but melting. Piece by piece it turned into specks of light that rose, drifting in the air like fireflies. Finally the entire pillar vanished, the light dots scattered and disappeared.

The system interface suddenly popped up, white text on black background: 【Civilization Fire Seed guard successful, opening a new era】.

The text flashed once, then was gone. No more pop‑ups, no notification sound.

Zhao Jianguo tried to stand, his right leg gave way, and he knelt again. He gritted his teeth, braced with his hands, and slowly shifted his weight onto his left leg. The Triplets gathered around, each pulling an arm to lift him up.

"Alright," he said, "I can walk on my own."

No one let go.

The four of them shuffled outward together. The doorway frame was crooked, so they had to sidestep to pass. Outside, the sky was no longer violet‑black; the clouds still drifted, but more slowly. Sunlight slipped through the cracks, illuminating the ruins.

Zhao Jianguo looked up.

The fissure was gone.

The wind rose again, carrying the scent of dust and a hint of pre‑rain dampness.

He took a step forward, the three children following. His foot landed on broken glass, crunch!

The ground suddenly trembled.

It wasn't an earthquake; something beneath was moving. The earth bulged upward as if roots were pushing up. A silvery‑white slab emerged from the ground, followed by a second, then a third. They joined themselves, grew upward, forming a wall.

Zhao Jianguo stopped.

"What is this…"

Before he could finish, a higher place lit up. The outline of a building took shape in the air, its glass façade assembling piece by piece so fast it was a blur. On the roof a line of text appeared, made of light, floating mid‑air: 2050·Future Has Arrived.

Zhao Xing stared at the line, whispering, "It grew by itself."

Zhao Jianguo curled his mouth, "Our Courtyard is gone."

"No." Zhao Yang shook his head, "It's upgraded."

The building kept rising, finally stopping at a height beyond sight. The surrounding air quivered faintly, like a heat haze yet not.

The exterior wall suddenly lit up.

An image appeared, showing the three of them.

The first was Zhao Xing, wearing a white lab coat, floating in a weightless room, holding a glowing Crystal, inserting it into a machine. He frowned, muttered something; the camera had no sound, but it was clear he was cursing.

The second was Zhao Chen, a medal hanging on his shoulder, standing before a stretch of ruins, holding a Tablet, directing a group to dig. Rain fell from the sky; he had no umbrella, his hair drenched, yet he kept speaking.

The third was Zhao Yang, standing at a podium, behind him a large Screen displaying "Cross‑Civilization Ethics Introduction". The audience was packed; some had horns, some had blue skin. He pointed at the screen and smiled.

The image paused for a few seconds, then vanished.

Zhao Jianguo stared at the building, silent for a long while. Finally he laughed, "So you'll be this powerful in the future."

Zhao Xing pursed his lips, "I'm not bad now either."

Zhao Chen said nothing, merely looking up at the rooftop text.

Zhao Yang asked, "Dad, who do you think built this building?"

"I don't know," Zhao Jianguo shook his head, "Anyway it wasn't me."

The final crack in the sky sealed. The sound was faint, like fabric being sewn. Raindrops began to fall; the first drop struck Zhao Jianguo's face, cool.

He raised his hand and brushed it away.

At that moment, a silhouette appeared mid‑air.

The person wore a uniform, a badge on the chest, the face blurred but recognizable.

Chen Jianguo.

He stood in the air, not tall, at eye level with them. He said nothing, just looked at the family and nodded.

Zhao Jianguo raised his hand and saluted. The gesture was clumsy, his fingers not even together.

Chen Jianguo's mouth twitched as if smiling. Then his whole form began to fade, like paper soaked in water, disappearing bit by bit.

When the last speck of light vanished, the rain stopped.

Sunlight shone again, illuminating the Tech Tower, reflected back.

Zhao Jianguo stood still. The three children remained motionless.

After a while, Zhao Xing said, "What shall we do next?"

Zhao Jianguo moved his right leg; it hurt, but he could still bear weight. He said, "Go Home."

"This is home now," Zhao Yang said, pointing at the building.

"Home is where people are," Zhao Jianguo patted his head, "Let's go find a place to eat. I'm hungry."

They had just taken a step when the ground trembled again.

This time it didn't come from below. It was the building.

A mouth opened at the base of the tower, like a door but without a frame, just a square of darkness. Lights lit inside, progressing section by section inward, as if waiting for them to enter.

Zhao Xing looked up, "It's letting us in?"

Zhao Chen stared inside, saying, "It's not letting. It's inviting."

Zhao Yang took a step forward, "Then we go in and see?"

Zhao Jianguo didn't move.

He looked at the door, then suddenly said, "I remember there used to be a coal pit in the courtyard, right by the East Room. Xu Da Mao kept stealing my house's coal; I still remember him."

The three children all turned to look at him.

He smiled, "The coal pit is gone now, and Xu Da Mao doesn't know where he went. But standing here, I still feel it's my own home."

Zhao Yang said, "Because you're here, home is here."

Zhao Jianguo gave him a glance, but said nothing.

He turned around, facing the building.

"Alright," he said, "let's go in and take a look."

They walked together toward the doorway.

Halfway there, Zhao Jianguo suddenly stopped.

He bent down and picked up something from the ground. It was a leftover component of a device, palm-sized, with a blue glow along its edge.

He squeezed it; it didn't break.

He slipped it into his trouser pocket.

The group reached the door, and the light fell on their faces.

Inside, the floor was transparent, revealing layer upon layer of structure beneath, like a circuit board and also like blood vessels.

Zhao Yang lifted their foot and stepped onto it.

The floor gave no response.

Zhao Xing followed, and Zhao Chen also went in.

Zhao Jianguo was the last.

As soon as he stepped in, the door behind him closed silently.

The sunlight outside was cut off.

Inside, it was very bright.

On the wall straight ahead, words appeared again, not holographic but light etched into the wall: "Welcome Go Home."

Zhao Jianguo stared at those four characters, slipped his hand into his pocket, and felt the component.

Zhao Yang suddenly said, "Dad."

"Hmm?"

"Is that thing in your pocket... heating up?"