Chapter 1 The Meaning of the Mirror

Lin Xian still couldn't figure out what the sentence "There's something you want in the mirror" meant.

Because normally speaking...

A mirror is just a flat surface that reflects light. As long as an object's surface is polished smooth enough, copper, iron, plastic, ice, and even water can become a mirror.

In modern society, the most commonly used mirrors are glass mirrors, which are cheap and practical. Every household relies on mirrors. Whether in the bathroom, closet, or even on a woman's dressing table, a mirror is indispensable.

Lin Xian also looks in the mirror many times every day, intentionally and unintentionally.

He doesn't think there's anything special about looking in the mirror each time.

Besides...

From the perspective of the mirror's construction and physical principles, "inside the mirror" is a non-existent concept.

A mirror is just a mirror, a thin layer of glass. It doesn't have an inside.

Everything people see through the mirror is just an "illusion" of the mirror reflecting light onto the retina. It doesn't exist.

Perhaps a three-dimensional mirror in a room or the mirrors inside an elevator can make the space appear wider, but that's just a visual illusion. In reality, the spatial range hasn't expanded by even a centimeter.

Therefore, there can't be anything inside the mirror at all. Isn't Huang Que's riddle just a grammatical error?

Thus...

Overall...

Lin Xian felt that the mirror Huang Que mentioned was likely the mirror in his dream.

And what he wanted should be the clues or secrets that Zhao Yingjun had painstakingly left for him in the third dream.

That would make a little more sense.

Lin Xian didn't doubt that Huang Que knew about his dreams. That was made clear during their first meeting.

Huang Que knew too much about him, even giving the impression that she knew him better than he knew himself. She even knew about his peeking at the Genius Club invitation and summarizing the laws of time and space. There was no reason she wouldn't know that he could dream about the future.

In many things, Lin Xian was still wary of Huang Que and didn't regard her as a reliable friend.

However, so far, she hasn't had any bad intentions or actions to harm him. Instead, she often gives him hints with inexplicable and elusive riddles... Annoying as it may be, this information is free. Why not take it?

Right now...

Since there are no other clues, let's explore Rhein Sky City in the dream.

"If what Huang Que said is true, and the thing Zhao Yingjun left for me 600 years later is in the mirror, then the most likely place for this mirror to be placed should be in Zhao Yingjun's personal exhibition hall in the Rhein Museum."

After the last exploration of Rhein Sky City, it was clear that Zhao Yingjun had a very high status in the hearts of the Sky City residents.

Not only was a memorial park built for her, statues erected, and horns and flying prohibited, but a personal exhibition hall was also set up for her in the Rhein Museum, which showed how much everyone respected her.

Perhaps, this is exactly what Zhao Yingjun intended.

Only if everyone respects her enough and loves her can she ensure that her statue and personal exhibition hall will continue to exist 600 years later, and thus leave himself a gift across the long river of time, a gift that... may change the future, change the world, and change destiny.

"Looking at it this way, the mission after entering the dream tonight is very difficult."

Lin Xian calculated.

First of all, the museum is definitely closed at night. If he wants to enter, he can only find a way to sneak in.

The structure, security, and even the existence of walls around the museum are all unknowns.

It's indeed a bit lonely and weak to venture into a city alone.

He thought of the former Face Gang.

Although these people weren't very bright, they were obedient, simple, and had strong execution. The combined technique of the human ladder art still impressed Lin Xian deeply.

"In short, there's strength in numbers. Let's try to mobilize them."

...

In the evening, after entering the dream, Lin Xian ran straight towards the distant crowd and the place where the lights were concentrated.

"Face-ge."

At this time, the helium balloon Da Lian Mao (Big Face Cat) was riding on was still being inflated, and he hadn't changed into his handmade spacesuit yet. Lin Xian went directly over and patted him on the shoulder to greet him.

"Ga?"

Da Lian Mao raised his head in confusion, his face full of fat squeezed together:

"Who are you!"

Lin Xian followed the previous script and rattled off a long string of words, but the difference was that Lin Xian bluntly stated at the end:

"I know the exact location of that air defense network gap."

Da Lian Mao's expression changed.

Sure enough, this sentence was more effective than anything else, and the surrounding crowd instantly surrounded him.

Lin Xian told Da Lian Mao and the others that the location of the air defense network gap was directly above the statue in the square.

However, at an altitude of 10,000 meters, the location of the statue could not be seen at all. Even if they strained their eyes, the dozens of meters high statue would be no more than the size of a sesame seed and completely unclear.

However, he could lead the way in front and take them together to jump into the air defense network gap.

Although Lin Xian had only successfully entered once.

But he had already found his own visual reference point and had a 70-80% certainty of locating the gap. Even if he failed, it wouldn't matter... He could just come again tomorrow.

Lin Xian also told them a lot about the things in Rhein Sky City. There were indeed medicines for treating radiation sickness in the pharmacy, and the security in the city was very lax, almost non-existent. Moreover, there were too many fancy things in Sky City, and no one would notice their existence at all, making the mission easy and enjoyable to carry out.

"So... I can take you flying in, and you just glide behind me. In return, you only need to accompany me to the museum once. Just cooperate with me to go into an exhibition hall, and then I'll find the medicine with you, and then jump out of Sky City to return."

Lin Xian thought that communication would be smooth.

But...

After listening, Da Lian Mao looked up at A Zhuang, Er Zhu Zi, and San Pang, and swept over the expectant and numb-faced fellow villagers around him, shaking his head:

"I can go with you, but they can't. It's not that I don't trust you, but... I can't let everyone take this risk."

He raised his finger and looked around:

"Look, there are only a few of us men left here. If the four of us men go with you and are all wiped out... what will the remaining villagers do?"

"If we don't get the medicine, we really have no future. But if all the men die, and there's not even a coach left to guide everyone in learning gliding and parachuting, how will the remaining women continue the task we haven't completed?"

Lin Xian looked at Da Lian Mao.

He didn't expect that in the third dream, his thinking and pattern had grown to such a leader's level.

This is probably the sense of responsibility of a man in the face of a crisis.

Perhaps after Li Cheng died early and the older men died one after another, even the naturally rascal Da Lian Mao had to shoulder the heavy responsibility of being the leader and become the pillar of support for these people.

Lin Xian had noticed before that Da Lian Mao's wife was not present in the surrounding crowd, nor were his daughter and son.

Every time he boarded the hot air balloon and embarked on a road of no return, it was that lonely figure, and no one gave him a hug before he left.

Lin Xian opened his mouth several times, but in the end, he didn't ask the question.

In fact, the answer was also very clear.

In a world ravaged by radiation sickness, since Da Lian Mao's father had died of illness early, then probably Lian Sao (Big Face Mao's Wife), the daughter who argued with Da Lian Mao, and Xiao Lian Mao's (Little Face Mao's) son had also passed away.

During this period, Lin Xian had experienced too much death and separation in reality.

He truly experienced the sadness of losing relatives and friends.

Therefore, he didn't ask Da Lian Mao this obvious question to avoid adding to his sadness.

"Brother, I'll go too."

At this time, A Zhuang stood up from the crowd:

"According to today's plan, it should have been my turn if you failed. I think what this guy said is likely to be true, and I'm willing to take a gamble."

Da Lian Mao nodded and patted A Zhuang on the shoulder:

"Alright."

Then he turned to look at Er Zhu Zi and San Pang:

"The two of you don't go. If we don't come back, the fellow villagers will be entrusted to you in the future... You have to teach the women to parachute, raise the children, and when your mission is over... come to the sky to find us."

After saying that, Da Lian Mao looked at Lin Xian:

"Is this okay with you? The two of us will accompany you."

Lin Xian nodded:

"Okay, although the more people the better, I understand your situation. Two is two."

Suddenly.

A petite and graceful figure squeezed out of the crowd, raising a small hand full of calluses high:

"Since there aren't enough people, I'll go too!"

Instantly, all eyes focused on this girl who was too mature for her actual age.

Li Ningning.

"No!"

Da Lian Mao said sternly:

"It's not your turn! We still have women after our men die, and we still have children older than you after our women die. Besides, your parents both died in the sky... You have to leave a root for the Li family."

"Why can't I go! I've wanted to go for a long time! I've been practicing parachuting skills all the time, and I'm fine."

"This is not a good thing, do you think you can just go if you want to?"

Da Lian Mao said unhappily:

"Li Laoban (Boss Li) was the first person to parachute into Sky City. Before he left, he specifically told me to take good care of you; and your mother was the second... Your family has sacrificed too much for this, how could I possibly let you go!"

Da Lian Mao's words also resonated with the surrounding crowd.

Li Cheng.

They all owed Li Cheng too much.

From the earliest relocation to the fight against radiation sickness, and finally to the last desperate parachute into Sky City, it was all Li Cheng who led everyone and led everyone to fight against fate and the future.

When the last humans had no hope of defeating radiation sickness.

Li Cheng proposed that since the source of radiation was in Sky City, then the people in Sky City should also be infected with radiation sickness. With their advanced technology, they must have already had a cure.

So... to save the people on the surface, they had to parachute and break through Sky City's defense! Go in and grab the medicine and send it down!

When this crazy plan was proposed, everyone felt that it was impossible to achieve and was no different from sending them to their deaths.

And Li Cheng... was willing to be the first to die.

Everyone watched him ride a hot air balloon to an altitude of 10,000 meters, and then watched him glide down and approach Sky City, and finally watched him turn into a ball of fire in the laser.

At that time, Li Ningning was only one year old, just learning to walk on the ground, and looking at the fireworks flashing across the sky, she didn't even know that she had lost her father.

Li Cheng's instant evaporation further increased everyone's fear of Rhein Sky City, and they dared not act rashly and dare not approach.

At this time...

Li Ningning's mother, Li Cheng's wife, who had not yet finished breastfeeding, stood up:

"If 10,000 meters is not enough, then jump from 20,000 meters. If we don't jump, we will have no future. Radiation sickness will not disappear on its own, and our sores will not heal on their own."

"If I have to choose between watching my family and children die from the torment of radiation sickness and dying under Sky City's lasers to get medicine... I would rather die in the lasers. I won't watch my children die without helping."

She braided Li Ningning's pigtails for the last time, and her hands were shaking.

Everyone knew she was very reluctant, everyone knew she was also very scared, and everyone knew she didn't want to leave this lovely daughter who had just learned to walk.

But...

She knew better than anyone.

If she didn't jump this time, there would never be a second person to jump.

Her husband would have died in vain.

Everyone on the surface would be beyond saving.

Even if it wasn't her daughter who was infected with radiation sickness today, what about tomorrow? What about the day after tomorrow?

As long as they didn't get the medicine to treat radiation sickness, they were destined to have no future, and the destruction of fate was only a matter of time.

At that time, everyone persuaded her not to go, it would just be another ball of fire in the sky, it was meaningless.

But she, without hesitation.

After happily saying goodbye to Li Ningning, who didn't understand separation, she put on her astronaut helmet, and tears streamed down her face.

The person who put the helmet on her at the time was Da Lian Mao.

Only he knew that these tears had dripped on his hands.

"Don't tell Ningning..."

The woman's voice trembled, and she said softly:

"Her father was not afraid, and her mother did not cry."

At that moment.

Da Lian Mao cried.

He vowed in his heart that he would take care of Li Ningning like his own daughter, protecting her well and protecting her as she grew up.

And!

[Absolutely will not let Li Ningning go to the sky to parachute, absolutely will not let her die in the sky!]

Boss Li left, and the boss's wife also left.

Then he.

Da Lian Mao.

From now on, he was the boss of this East Sea, and he had to shoulder the responsibility of protecting this area.

Da Lian Mao, who cut the cable of the hot air balloon and wiped away tears from the crowd, picked up Li Ningning, who was laughing and clapping happily:

"Ningning, your parents... are all heroes."

...

Everyone watched the sky with忍着悲痛.

They all knew very well.

Sky City could not be broken through. No matter how many people went up to try, they would eventually turn into a ball of fire in the laser like Li Cheng.

However!

This time!

A miracle happened!!

Under everyone's dumbfounded eyes, Li Ningning's mother jumped from a height of 20,000 meters!

Unscathed!

No lasers at all!

She broke through directly from the northwest direction of Rhein Sky City!

Everyone could see clearly!

She opened her parachute at an altitude of 4,000 meters! Landed safely!

So...

So!

There really was a gap in the air defense network above Sky City!

It could really be broken through!

Later.

Even if Li Ningning's mother didn't come back and nothing was thrown down from Sky City.

Most likely... she died inside Sky City.

But she was favored by miracles and gave everyone hope.

Since then, the men in the surrounding villages gathered together and began to practice gliding and parachuting.

One after another!

Falling from high altitude!

Breaking through Sky City!

But...

The miracle did not happen again.

After Li Ningning's mother, no one could successfully find that gap and break through the air defense network.

All the men in this area died in the sky.

Only Da Lian Mao, A Zhuang, Er Zhu Zi, and San Pang were left.

So.

Da Lian Mao would not allow Li Ningning to parachute into the sky.

This was his promise and oath to the Li Cheng couple. He had to protect this little girl who always made people worry.

"Why!!"

Li Ningning roared.

She felt very wronged.

Over the years, she had been secretly practicing parachuting, and her skills were much better than those of many men!

She never feared death.

She was only afraid that she would die uselessly from the torment of radiation sickness, dying in a life of mediocrity!

If it weren't for Lin Xian's appearance, she wouldn't have said much. Everyone would take turns parachuting one by one in order, and it would always be her turn.

But.

Now Lin Xian told everyone that he knew the exact gap and was willing to fly in front to take everyone in.

He wasn't even afraid of death! How could this news be fake!

Lin Xian said that the more people there were, the better, and the more people there were, the stronger they would be. Since everyone didn't trust him and didn't want to go with him, wouldn't it be better for her to go?

She believed him!

She was willing to believe him!

Although this time might not be successful, the more people there were, the greater the probability of success, wouldn't it be?

Perhaps this opportunity would only come once.

If she missed it, it would never come again!

"Why can't I go!"

Li Ningning looked at Er Zhu Zi and San Pang with tears in her eyes:

"If you don't let me go, then you go! You're not going anyway, why are you stopping me from going!"

"Because you are Li Cheng's daughter!!"

Da Lian Mao glared at Li Ningning fiercely:

"Do you understand? Because you are Li Cheng's daughter! We already owe your parents too much! So you just can't go!"

After saying that.

Da Lian Mao put on his helmet and pulled Lin Xian towards the helium balloon:

"Let's go, I'll take you to get dressed."

However.

Da!

Li Ningning stepped forward and grabbed Da Lian Mao's spacesuit hard.

Amidst the puzzled faces of hundreds of onlookers, Li Ningning gritted her teeth:

"If it's for this reason, then I have to go!"

"You--"

Da Lian Mao raised his hand to hit her!

But Li Ningning was fearless and unafraid, just like Li Cheng, who went against the tide alone back then.

She swept her right hand across the surrounding crowd of old and young:

"Which of the women here isn't someone else's wife? Which one isn't someone else's daughter?"

"My parents are dead, but didn't their parents die? Precisely because I am Li Cheng's daughter, I have to go even more!"

Li Ningning's eyes were firm, and she raised her head to look at Da Lian Mao:

"If Li Cheng's daughter doesn't go... why should someone else's daughter go!"