Chapter 270: No Mistake in the Choice

Chapter 270: The Choice was Not Wrong

Upon the Jinling Yangtze River Bridge.

A man named Yu Qian bore a heavy pack upon his back, a towing rope for a trailer slung across his shoulder, while a harness held his mere year-and-a-half-old daughter against his chest, and his right hand clutched that of his four-year-old son.

Among the vast throngs of migrating civilians, his burden was by no means the heaviest.

Yet even so, every step he took had become an agonizing struggle.

The trek of nearly a thousand kilometers had nigh completely drained his physical strength, and though they had received the aid of the Cult of the Machine God for most of the journey—riding the steam locomotives and steamboats they once could only gaze at from afar—the routes these modes of transport covered were ultimately limited.

Over the course of two weeks, following the main host, he had measured out nearly 400 kilometers with his own two legs.

Fatigue relentlessly assaulted his willpower; even though they had rested and regrouped in Jinling City before, and even though their final destination lay a mere 10 kilometers away, he still felt he could endure no longer.

"Daddy, how much further do we have to walk?"

Beside him, his son spoke in a voice thoroughly steeped in exhaustion.

"Soon, soon."

Yu Qian panted heavily.

"We will reach the New Jinling City before dark, and once we are there, we can have a good rest."

"Hold on, son."

"You are a big boy now, you cannot fall here!"

These words were less an exhortation to his son and more Yu Qian conversing with his own soul

All of this remains an unknown.

The sky was gradually darkening, and like the others moving slowly, he fell further behind the column.

At first, they could still see the silhouettes of the distant main force.

But gradually, the road ahead was empty of any soul.

A colossal terror threatened to engulf Yu Qian entirely, and the only small comfort he found was the road beneath his feet, undeniably easy to tread.

It was flat, broad, even marked with signs pointing the way.

But what good was that?

It would not make the road any safer.

Instinctively he quickened his pace; as the last sliver of light on the horizon faded, he retrieved a precious oil lamp from the dragging cart.

Yet he did not know whether he should light it.

After all, a light in the wilderness is the monster's most inviting target.

——

But at that moment, it seemed someone had made a decision for him.

A howling wind roared from the distant sky, and with a tremendous noise a massive beast swept past at breakneck speed.

“Get down! Get down!”

Yu Qian forced his son to the ground, while his daughter in his arms began to cry untimely.

He frantically tried to cover her mouth, but just then the “monster” in the sky suddenly

emitted a blaze of fire.

For an instant, stars fell like rain.

The slowly descending flames burst with dazzling light, illuminating the whole road.

Yu Qian looked up in astonishment; the beast slowly turned its direction. Then, amid the roaring noise, he heard a faint voice speaking from the air.

“.You have entered the jurisdiction of the Huaxia army; please continue along the current road.”

“.This is the Huaxia Air Force; I am ordered to escort you.”

Yu Qian froze in place.

Undoubtedly, what arrived was not the “monster” he had imagined.

It was the “angels” of the Huaxia army he had only heard of in legends.

He finally understood why the holy‑blooded masters claimed the road was safe.

Because the place he stood was not wilderness at all.

Under the angels’ wings, where could any monster survive?!

Three hours later, Yu Qian finally reached the New City of Jinling with his children and his supplies.

He did not rush the final stretch, yet compared with the main force it was hardly swift.

He had even fallen to the very end, losing all reference points for direction.

But he felt no panic whatsoever.

The farther he went, the more he realized he was on the right path.

More and more lights, occasional operating machines, and the things flying overhead called “drones” that guided the way.

At that moment he finally grasped that the Huaxia army had indeed sent support, only their method differed from his expectations.

The doubts, resentments, and discontent in his heart vanished like smoke, and when he finally arrived at Jinling, laying his heavy burden upon the already cleared and leveled ground, he could not help but collapse onto it.

He had finally survived.

His son, curious, surveyed everything around him; his gaze was captured entirely by the bright lights and the self‑operating machines, his curiosity temporarily erasing his fatigue and even the pain in his feet.

“Dad, what are those?”

The boy crawled to his side and, imitating him, lay down.

Yu Qian followed the direction of his son’s finger and saw several massive machines digging the ground on the illuminated wasteland with gigantic claws.

“I don’t know. Perhaps they are some kind of farming equipment.”

“You can ask the Huaxia officers later; they will tell you.”

“Alright, now open our packages.”

“Dad can’t get up; you need to set up the tent, understand?”

“Okay!”

The boy rolled over, hobbled toward the cart, and untied the ropes binding it.

He pulled out a large oil‑cloth made of stitched beast skins, and also took down a few wooden poles from the cart, laboriously trying to drive them into the soil.

But soon he realized his strength was far too feeble.

Or rather, the compacted ground was far too hard.

With his ability, he simply could not accomplish what he intended.

He cast a pleading look at Yu Qian; Yu Qian struggled to rise, intending to help.

Yet at that moment, someone came up from behind.

“Newcomer? Just arrived?”

Yu Qian turned and saw behind him a man in neat uniform, holding a weapon Yu did not recognize.

This must be the “Huaxia army.”

The aura he radiated already declared his identity.

“Yes, we have just arrived.”

Yu Qian answered quickly, and the man gave a slight nod before turning back and shouting:

“Someone, come!”

“Food, water, and tents!”

“One small tent will suffice; any more?”

“Coming right away!”

Someone in the distance replied, and moments later two unarmed civilians arrived carrying the items.

Their movements were swift; an unknown machine in their hands instantly drilled a hole in the ground, then several metal stakes were hammered in, and within minutes a tent was erected.

“You will stay here for tonight; tomorrow you may construct your own shelter.”

“The provisions and water here will last you two days; the jerky is tough, better to boil it first.”

“Try not to make fire near the tent; the stove is to the east, the fire is already lit, you can see it.”

“If you are too exhausted, eat the canned food first.”

“Yes, yes, comrade.”

Yu Qian spoke respectfully, and the newcomer shook his head, saying:

“There are no ‘adults’ here; call us comrades, or leaders.”

“Alright, I still have to settle other people; you rest on your own.”

Having said that, the three of them left without a moment's hesitation, leaving Yu Qian staring blankly at the pile of food before him.

The man said this was a two‑day ration.

But at a glance, it seemed far more than that.

Yu Qian rummaged through the heap, and besides the rice, flour, vegetables, and jerky he recognized, there were other items he did not know, yet were unmistakably food.

For instance, the “canned goods” the adult had mentioned.

Yu Qian tentatively lifted one; its heavy weight convinced him that it was brimming with nourishment.

But how to open it?

His son, curious, held a can in his hand, and by the light beaming from afar he searched intently for an opening, to no avail.

“Use a knife, you must use a knife!”

“Dad, we can cut it open with a knife!”

“I’ll give it a try.”

Yu Qian fished a short knife from the cart, aimed at the can, and drove it in with force.

“Psshh.”

A light pop sounded, and the liquid inside the can spilled out.

Instinctively he stuck out his tongue to lick it, and the moment his palate sensed that strange flavor, his eyes lit up instantly.

“Drink this!”

He hauled his son over, and the boy opened his mouth to lap the dripping juice, his expression shifting from curiosity to delight.

After greedily sucking for a moment, he spoke:

“Give it to sister, give it to sister!”

“You feed sister, I’ll go open the other cans!”

Yu Qian placed his daughter in his son's arms, and then one after another he cracked open every can from the top.

A mingled scent of grease wafted out, and he realized, to his astonishment, that each can held a different kind of fare.

There was meat, an unknown sweet‑silky fruit, salt‑laden fish, and something with a crisp, springy texture—like meat yet not quite meat.

He sampled each one, then laid them all before his son.

Thus the three of them took turns savoring the first food since arriving at Base 011, the satisfaction of tongue and belly dispelling all their unease.

At that moment, the flames on the eastern camp stove grew ever brighter, the aroma of food drifting from afar; Yu Qian glanced at the can in his hand and finally understood what that thousand‑kilometer journey had truly been for.

(End of Chapter)