Chapter 126: Epilogue: The Sealed Memory — Childhood

Epilogue: The Sealed Memory — Childhood

Blue-White Star, Year: 4023.

“Is the evening glow over the sea like a child’s painting?”

“Laid across the sky for seagulls to carry away?”

“Distant sails battered by wind and waves?”

“Even if the dream hurts, never afraid?”……

A beautiful woman sat on the sofa singing this famous song, soothing the infant in her arms.

The woman’s name was Sun Mingyue, the infant’s mother.

She had once been a battlefield medic.

The infant in her arms had red eyes, round cheeks, and skin as delicate as if it could be punctured by a breath.

He did not cry or fuss, only stared wide-eyed at his singing mother.

Occasionally, he reached out his tiny hand to grasp her collar.

The woman gazed at her child with boundless affection, lowering her head to press a gentle kiss upon his forehead.

“Baby, grow up quickly! Mommy and Daddy will always guard you!”

“Ee-yaa…” The infant emitted a soft, childish sound, as if understanding his mother’s words, responding to her.

“Baby, you’re so adorable!”

Seeing this, the woman gently rubbed her cheek against the infant’s head, unable to contain her overflowing love.

Click!

The sound of a key unlocking the front door came from the entrance.

The woman knew her husband had returned; she rose at once from the sofa and carried the infant to the door.

The door opened.

A man in his thirties, clad in combat-medical attire, stood at the threshold—dignified, with sharp eyes and a strong brow.

He was Bai Feng, the infant’s father.

Like his wife, he was also a medic.

“You’re back, honey!”

“Mm, I’m back. How’s the baby today?”

“Good. Quiet, no crying.”

Bai Feng leaned in to see his child, reaching out to touch him—only for Mingyue to draw the infant away.

She feigned anger, glaring at him: “Go wash up right now, or you won’t touch the baby—and not me either for a year!”

“Ohhh~ I’ve lost my place in this house!”

Though he joked, Bai Feng obediently went to the bathroom to shower.

Mingyue looked at her child and said: “Baby, don’t ever be like your father, or girls will hate you~”

She placed the infant in a high-intelligence baby carriage, then went to fetch clothes for her husband and prepared dinner.

This infant was Bai Yue, born only months ago.

Since Blue-White Star entered its future-tech era centuries ago, all nations had advanced into high-civilization futures.

Most brilliant among them was Longguo: they invented groundbreaking high-tech products and weapons, and ensured their people lived in abundance.

But good fortune did not last.

Decades ago, over a dozen meteorites, each two kilometers in diameter, appeared from outer space and struck Blue-White Star from different directions.

The impact plunged the entire planet into temporary paralysis.

That alone might have been manageable—but these meteorites carried an unknown virus, both on their surfaces and within.

Every living thing on Blue-White Star—human, animal, plant—was infected.

Scientists from every nation rushed to extract virus samples and began round-the-clock research.

They discovered the virus posed little threat to adults or the elderly, but was deadly to plants, animals, and newborn infants.

Plants and animals mutated or even evolved under its influence; newborns, with weak immunity, died from it.

Infants still in the womb absorbed the virus through their mother’s respiration, greatly increasing the chance of mutation at birth.

Mutations might appear on the head, hands, legs—or worse, as monstrous deformities.

Exceptions existed: infants might develop other mutations, such as enhanced vision or hearing.

These might not be obvious in childhood, but would gradually manifest as they grew.

This virus still persists to this day.

Longguo’s scientists have developed an antibiotic vaccine against it.

Injection greatly reduces infant mortality—but only greatly, not completely.

The virus seems to possess self-awareness, evolving continuously.

On the day Bai Yue was to be born, his father paced endlessly outside the delivery room, heart pounding with anxiety.

He feared his child might be born mutated—what would his wife do then?

Yet deep inside, he had already made his vow: no matter what form the child took, he would always be his son.

Even if others called him a monster, he would never let his child suffer a single hardship—he would ensure the child lived healthy and happy.

Even if he were a deformed child, he would make sure he lived joyfully; he and his wife would pave his future path, for he was their own flesh and blood.

This was paternal and maternal love.

“Waaah!”……

After several hours, the infant’s cry echoed from the delivery room.

Bai Feng heard it—he longed to rush in and see his child—but he had waited so long already; a few more minutes mattered little.

Inside the delivery room.

“Madam, congratulations—you’ve given birth to a very lovely boy.”

Mingyue gazed at the nurse holding the infant, eyes tightly shut, and wept with joy—the child was healthy, no mutations.

“Madam, don’t get too excited. You’re still weak; you must take care of your body,” the nurse reminded her.

Mingyue immediately asked the doctor: “Doctor… my child… he…”

“Madam, rest easy. The hospital has a batch of high-precision instruments; we just scanned him—he’s perfectly healthy, but…”

“But what…?” Mingyue tensed, fearing the next words would reveal some flaw.

“But his eyes are unusual. It seems… his eyes have mutated. But don’t worry—the instruments show no immediate issues; they’re just… different from normal.”

“How different?”

“Think of it this way: your child’s eyes are like those of an eagle—his vision is far sharper.”

Hearing this, Mingyue finally relaxed.

Even so, before Bai Yue’s birth, she had prepared herself mentally, just as her husband had.

Now, seeing her child so healthy, all her unease and tension vanished in an instant.

Bai Feng waited over half an hour outside the delivery room—finally, Mingyue, half-reclining on a mobile hospital bed, was wheeled out by two nurses.

The infant, after postnatal care, was wrapped in a clean white cloth, lying quietly in his mother’s arms.

“Mingyue!”

“Honey, look—our child!”

Bai Feng took the baby, his eyes filled with love.

“Honey, have you decided on a name for the child?”

“Long ago. His name is Bai Yue.”

Hearing the name, Mingyue understood its meaning, linking it to her and her husband’s names.

“Bai Yue… very nice.”

After giving birth, Mingyue’s body remained weak; Bai Feng always returned home early and took on all household chores.

Mingyue tried to help, but Bai Feng always stopped her.

“You gave me a beautiful son—these chores are mine. Your job now is to rest and care for our child.”

Hearing this, Mingyue felt overwhelming happiness, grateful she had found such a husband.

But one day in the future would change this family.

Five years later…

Bai Yue had grown into a little boy; Mingyue sat on the sofa, watching him sleep peacefully on her lap, puzzled.

He was a boy, yet his features were unusually feminine.

But to the couple, this meant nothing—as long as their child grew healthy, no matter his appearance, he was their child.

“Honey, I’m home!” came Bai Feng’s voice from the entrance.

“Shh! Bai Yue’s asleep!”

Bai Feng slipped on slippers, walked to the mother and child, and gently brushed his fingers across Bai Yue’s cheek.

“This kid is growing more like you every day.”

“Of course—look whose genes he inherited.”

“Today I asked Captain Luo for two days off—he approved. Let’s go out as a family tonight. It’s been too long.”

“Really?! That’s wonderful! This child’s been begging for days when we’d go out together—now he’ll get his wish!”

Perhaps their conversation woke Bai Yue—he stirred on his mother’s lap, rubbing his eyes.

“Dad, you’re back… Ha—” Bai Yue yawned, looking at his parents.

“Yes, let’s all three go out for a walk tonight—we’ll buy you some things. Next year, you’ll be ready for school.”

“Really? Yay!”

“You, you—when will you ever grow up!” Bai Yue’s mother reached out and tapped his forehead.

“Hehe~” Bai Yue still wore his shameless grin, continuing to lie sprawled across his mother’s lap.

Night.

Bai Yue walked down the street, each hand held by one of his parents.

“Husband, aren’t you hiding something else? You seem unusually happy!”

“Mm, two things!”

“Oh? What are they?”

“First, our family of three finally has a chance to truly be together today!”

“And the second?”

“I heard Captain Luo say our nation’s top scientists discovered a mysterious energy source in space! They’ve analyzed it—if we can study and harness it, perhaps one day we’ll unlock human potential and solve problems like mutated animals and plants.”

“That’s wonderful!”

“Yes, these past years, those mutated creatures suddenly fell silent—it felt wrong. But now that our nation has brought back such good news, I believe humanity’s fate will change soon!”

The bright streetlights stretched their family’s shadows long across the pavement.

Bai Yue felt only happiness, wishing this moment could last forever.

When they reached a park and sat down on a bench to rest, an accident occurred.

Gurgling! Gurgling!

Beneath the park’s grass, something kept swelling into a small mound.

Slowly, the mound grew larger.

Boom!

Roar!

The mound burst open, and a giant red ant emerged, roaring—more precisely, a mutated ant.

It was at least two meters long and one meter wide, its two mandibles like sharp blades glinting with cold light!

Immediately, countless red ants began bursting from the ground.

An unknown virus had mutated countless animals, plants, and insects.

The red ant before them was one such case!

These mutated insects had lain dormant for nearly twenty years—and today, they erupted.

“Danger! Wife, son, run!”

At the critical moment, Ming Yue snatched up Bai Yue and fled quickly; Bai Feng followed close behind, pulling out a special phone from his chest.

“Captain Luo, massive red mutated ants have appeared in Park D3—send help immediately!”

“Received!!”

As time passed, red giant ants multiplied—streets filled with car alarms and explosions; some people were even cut cleanly in half by the ants’ mandibles.

During their escape, a red giant ant charged toward them. Ming Yue threw her body over Bai Yue. At that instant, Bai Feng grabbed a brick from the roadside and smashed it into the ant’s eye.

The ant’s eye burst with blood, leaving a deep gash and wound!

“Don’t you dare hurt my wife and son!”

The red ant, writhing in pain, immediately shifted its target to Bai Feng.

“Wife, protect our child—I’ll draw it away!” Bai Feng ran while tossing the pebbles he’d just picked up at surrounding ants, luring them off!

To give his wife and son a chance to escape!

“Husband!”

Ming Yue watched Bai Feng’s figure grow distant, tears streaming down her face. She snatched up Bai Yue and fled, hiding in a dark, safe alley corner.

The streets were now swarming with red giant ants—escape was impossible.

She looked at Bai Yue, trembling in her arms, then at the ants outside the alley slaughtering humans—she didn’t know what to do.

Suddenly, one red giant ant stopped, sensing human scent from the alley, and turned slowly toward them.

Seeing this, Ming Yue made her decision: no matter what, she would ensure her son lived. She might never again walk beside him, never see him marry or have children.

She glanced at a large trash bin, carried Bai Yue over, lifted the lid, and placed him inside—trash would mask his scent, keeping him hidden.

“Good child, stay quiet here! Mommy’s going to help Daddy—she’ll be right back to get you, okay?”

“Mom… you and Dad… really will come back for me?”

“Yes, we’ll pinky-promise!”

Ming Yue extended her little finger; Bai Yue extended his, and they linked them.

“Good boy!” She kissed his forehead, then whispered as she left: “Good child, your father once said behind him stood you, me, the people, and our nation—so… so please don’t hate your father and mother.”

“Mom… I’ll be good… please come back for me soon!”

“Yes, we will.” She took off the heart-shaped butterfly pendant from her neck and placed it in Bai Yue’s hand.

“It’s like your father and me—we’ll always be with you. Hold onto it, and wait for us to come back.”

She closed the bin lid, picked up a broken iron rod beside it.

While the red ant wasn’t looking, she dashed from the dark corner and drove the rod deep into its mouth.

Roar!

The red ant roared, snapping the rod in its jaws.

“You won’t hurt my precious son!”

She provoked the ant further, running toward her husband’s direction to lure it away.

“Forgive me, my dear child—Mommy may break her promise. Without us, you must live well from now on,” Ming Yue thought.

For her child, she would give her life without hesitation…

Two days later…

“Captain Luo, there’s a survivor here—a child!!!” A search officer opened the trash bin lid and shouted to Luo Luo nearby.

Upon hearing this, Captain Luo rushed over and recognized the child.

“Bai Yue! How did he end up like this?” Captain Luo was Bai Feng’s commander and knew his child well.

Captain Luo’s name was Luo Kai. He had once been saved by Bai Feng and regarded him as a brother.

He had even told Bai Feng: if the chance ever came, he wanted Bai Yue to marry his daughter, Luo Li.

Now Bai Yue lay still inside the bin, clutching tightly the pendant his mother gave him. His black hair had turned white, his eyes swollen and tear-stained.

Captain Luo quickly lifted Bai Yue from the bin.

“Bai Yue, wake up! Quickly, bring water and food!”

“Yes!”

Bai Yue slowly opened his eyes, looked at the man before him, and whispered: “Uncle Luo… why haven’t my dad and mom come to get me… did I do something wrong… I… I miss them so much…”

“This…” At the mention of it, Captain Luo didn’t know how to explain.

Two days ago, upon receiving Bai Feng’s message, he immediately alerted higher command and led five squads armed with weapons to eliminate the red giant ants.

At the critical moment, as a red giant ant prepared to ambush Captain Luo, Bai Feng charged in and saved him.

At that time, Bai Feng was already covered in wounds—a small hole pierced his abdomen, half his right arm gone, his clothes soaked in blood.

“Bai Feng!”

“Luo… Captain… please… save my wife… and… and my son…”

With those words, Bai Feng fell silent.

Captain Luo clutched Bai Feng’s body, weeping uncontrollably, eyes bloodshot.

“Aaaah!! You monsters!! Die!! Aaaah!!” Captain Luo fired his weapon relentlessly at the red ants—when bullets ran out, he drew his triangular dagger and fought hand-to-hand!

Eventually, reinforcements arrived. After securing Bai Feng’s body, Captain Luo dispatched his squad to search for his sister-in-law and Bai Yue.

After hours of searching, they found Ming Yue—lying in a corner, lifeless.

Captain Luo forced back his grief and told Bai Yue: “Bai Yue, your father and mother… they’re medical personnel with urgent duties. They’ll be back a little late…”

“Really… that’s… so good… Dad… Mom…” Bai Yue didn’t finish before fainting again, his hands still tightly gripping the heart-shaped butterfly pendant.

“Medical team! Hurry! Get over here!!”

…………