Chapter 1008: Spokesperson

Chapter 1008: The Spokesperson

The winding streams coiled around the endless valleys, painting a ceaseless river across the open plains.

On the sunlit side of the valley, a few caves and modest terraced fields dotted the landscape.

Due to the towering vegetation, the ridges carved into the hillsides were nearly invisible.

This was the domain of the Valley People.

The Forest People called them "the Cursed."

Yet that was clearly not their own name.

They called themselves "Qiu."

This syllable carried no special meaning; it was simply passed down from their ancestors and had been used to this day.

The Qiu people living in this valley, though unlike the forest tribes who clustered under the same tree in clans, possessed a unity no less than the latter.

All clans, great and small, called themselves "Qiu People."

They not only shared the same culture and traditions but also recorded things in the same pictographic script, even using the same set of precepts and codes of conduct. They elected elders from each clan to form the "Senate," which arbitrated matters both great and small.

In truth, they had already conceived the notion of a "state" and evolved into an organized society.

From this perspective, the forest tribes were still a scattered mess.

Although the Qiu people's advantage over the Forest People was not yet obvious, in the long run, the rise of the former and the decline of the latter seemed almost inevitable.

Of course, this was only under normal circumstances.

Considering the powerful interference of Gaia, the future of the two groups was uncertain.

The Forest People called the Qiu people living in the valley "the Cursed" for a reason beyond the distant history—the most direct one.

That was the latter's complete lack of the "ability to communicate with nature."

Though not every Forest Person could awaken this ability, the power flowing in their blood had never ceased in the forest tribes.

In contrast, the "Qiu People" seemed abandoned by the gods, forced to live in cold stone and subsist on dry plant seeds and sour, astringent wild fruits.

Of course, this was also the Forest People's perspective.

At least in the Qiu people's own view, cooked grains were not unpalatable, and wild berries and mushrooms had their own unique flavor.

On the contrary, it was those "Turncoats" living in the forest who were truly pitiable, living a savage life, behaving like monkeys.

On a rugged hill, a youth riding a lizard gazed toward the southern part of the valley.

Deep in the dense forest, a golden fluorescence rose from a lush canopy.

That was the signal for the "Turncoats" to gather, seemingly sent from the city of Doma.

Watching the fireflies dancing in the twilight, the lizard crouching on the rock paced restlessly back and forth until the youth riding it tightened the reins around its neck.

"Shh—"

The lizard's nostrils sprayed a misty breath; it shook its head left and right and finally settled down.

In contrast, the youth riding it furrowed his brow with a sense of foreboding.

According to the elders in the tribe, whenever the Turncoats sent out an active signal, something bad would happen.

He must report the news to the Senate immediately!

Thinking this, the youth pulled the reins to leave.

But just then, a faint blue light flickered under a nearby low tree, followed by a halting voice.

"You there, wait a moment."

Startled by the sound so close, the youth instinctively grabbed the bow from his shoulder, nocked an arrow, and drew the string.

"Who goes there?!"

The pale blue beam seemed to emanate from the leaves, and a figure like an iron can stood in the center of the light.

The moment he saw that iron can, he was stunned, standing frozen in place.

Then, a gentle voice drifted from the light.

"I am... your... progenitor."

Before the voice could finish, the youth had already put away his bow, dismounted from the lizard, and knelt on the ground without daring to breathe.

"I pay homage to the Progenitor!"

The figure standing in the pale blue light nodded approvingly and continued in a calm tone.

"Rise and speak."

The youth stood up trembling, head bowed, not daring to look directly at the figure in the light.

His mind was in turmoil.

On one hand, he was shocked that the legendary Progenitor had returned and appeared before him; on the other, he was terrified by his earlier disrespect.

Yet the Progenitor seemed not to blame him, instead graciously allowing him to stand.

"What is your name?"

The youth answered truthfully.

"I have no name; I am a soldier of the Link Clan."

The Progenitor asked further.

"What is the Link Clan?"

The youth quickly explained.

"It is a branch of the 'Qiu People.' Though everyone in the valley is divided into various clans, we all still use the surname you bestowed upon us."

The iron can standing in the light was silent for a moment, then spoke again.

"I roughly understand. You are a soldier of the Link Clan of the Qiu people in the valley... correct?"

The youth nodded repeatedly.

"That is so."

The iron can in the pale blue light nodded, looking at the youth who was so tense he held his breath, and continued.

"For ease of communication... from today, you shall be called 'Qiu Ling.'"

Hearing the Progenitor's command, the youth was first stunned, then his face lit up with ecstasy. He prostrated himself on the ground again, babbling a torrent of thanks.

The iron can in the light waited quietly until he had vented his joy and excitement, then slowly spoke again.

"...Don't be too quick to rejoice. I have descended upon this land because I sense the breath of disaster."

The air fell silent instantly.

The youth, who had been dancing with excitement moments before, changed color, his expression turning as if facing a great enemy.

Almost instinctively, he thought of the strange sight he had seen in the forest earlier.

Swallowing involuntarily, he asked in a cautious tone.

"Disaster... are you referring to the traitors in the forest?"

The Progenitor spoke in a gentle tone.

"Perhaps, but maybe it's not just their fault—part of it might be because of us as well."

A flicker of fear rose in Qiu Ling's eyes.

"You... intend to destroy us?"

He believed the Progenitor's words without a doubt.

And precisely for that reason, he could not understand why the revered Progenitor would do such a thing.

Watching the fear-stricken youth, the Progenitor, standing in a pale blue glow, continued in a calm voice.

"I have never thought that way, my children... otherwise, I would not be standing here trying to mend the mistakes that have already been made."

"In the foreseeable future, I saw flames devouring the forest, saw countless people dying in the black smoke... among them, both you and the children of the forest."

"But beyond that, I also saw another future—one where you walk together toward shared prosperity, ending centuries of grievances and ushering in a new era... Do you trust me?"

Qiu Ling bowed his head respectfully and said,

"...I am willing to heed the Progenitor's teachings."

A voice of approval drifted from the pale blue glow, and then the light gradually dimmed.

"Good. It seems I have chosen the right person... Come here, my child."

Qiu Ling lifted his head in bewilderment, only to see that the towering iron figure had vanished, leaving behind only a faint beam of light standing in place, as if guiding his way.

"On the branch before you, there is a silver metal disc."

"Carry it with you at all times, and I will tell you what to do next..."

...

Meanwhile, as a green-skinned youth was mustering all his strength to climb a tree, a researcher floating in synchronous orbit was stretching lazily in front of a terminal screen.

"Done!"

Half an hour ago, as her drone circled overhead, it had spotted the small green figure standing on a high point in the valley. Guessing that this was likely one of the "Cursed People" living in the valley, she had come up with a plan and dispatched a quadcopter drone equipped with a holographic projection from the research vessel.

These primitive people had never seen such incredible technology, and as expected, they were completely fooled, believing every bit of her fabrication on the spot.

And so, at the cost of just one drone, she had gained a native informant.

Now, all she needed to do was perform a few more "miracles" through that child, and she could easily get her hands on the reactor's fuel canisters—no need for Ye Shi to get involved at all.

The thought of Ye Shi made Jiang Xuezhou seethe with indignation.

He was usually fine, but sometimes he was as stubborn as a mule.

Just because she disagreed with his plan to incite the natives into war and fish in troubled waters, he accused her of not caring about his safety and piled all sorts of labels on her—like being overly sympathetic or not thinking of his well-being.

What a waste of kindness!

Wasn't he the one who said negotiating with the "Valley People" was just her wishful thinking?

Now, without him having to take any risks, she had handled everything herself—what could he possibly say now?

Of course, though she said this in anger, she admitted in her heart that Ye Shi had put in a lot of effort.

At the very least, the language she used to fool that native youth had been compiled from materials Ye Shi had collected.

Fortunately, the languages of the Forest People and the Valley People had not yet diverged, and even the culture surrounding the "Progenitor" was cast from the same mold.

Staring at the compiled data on the terminal screen, Jiang Xuezhou sipped her coffee and murmured to herself.

"Qiu people... Is there a crew member named 'Qiu' on the Gemini-class missile cruiser?"

"But come to think of it, it's strange... Both groups came from the sky. Could they all be descendants of the Gemini-class missile cruiser's crew?"

One group had awakened special abilities, while the other had not.

A conflict arose between those with abilities and those without—perhaps out of fear of Gaia or some indescribable entity—so the non-awakened, relying on their numerical advantage, drove the awakened into the forest.

That would explain why the Forest People called the Qiu people "Cursed People," while the Qiu people called the Forest People "Traitors."

From the perspective of the Gemini—or rather, the People's Union Aerospace Force—the Forest People who sided with Gaia were indeed traitors, weren't they?

But then came the question.

If both groups were descendants of the Gemini crew, where had the original colonists gone?

Although the People's Union Aerospace Force had carried out a thorough bombing campaign against the colonial rebels, survivors had still been found on the Gemini. It was hard to imagine that no one had survived on the surface.

Just as Jiang Xuezhou was puzzling over this, the little koala squatting beside her brought over freshly heated canned food and rice.

"Your meal is ready."

"Ah, thank you." Shaking off her thoughts, Jiang Xuezhou responded and reached out to take the tray.

She had to admit, the People's Union was quite skilled in freeze-drying technology.

It was hard to believe that food that had exceeded its expiration date by two centuries could still emit such an appetizing aroma after cooking.

Feeling ravenous, Jiang Xuezhou immediately began wolfing it down.

"You're welcome. It's my honor to serve you." The little koala nodded its camera and said in a gentle tone, "But by the way, Master, aren't you really planning to talk to Ye Shi?"

"...I'll talk to him later."

With her mouth full of food, Jiang Xuezhou mumbled vaguely, seemingly unwilling to answer the question.

Honestly, though she was still angry, deep down she had already stopped blaming him.

If she thought about it carefully, she wasn't entirely blameless either.

At the very least, she should have put herself in his shoes—he was in a highly stressful environment, standing, so to speak, on the head of a monster. He couldn't and wouldn't be able to sit back and watch from tens of thousands of kilometers above the ground like she could.

He wanted to get the reactor fuel quickly and return immediately; the fate of the natives on this planet was not his primary concern. She shouldn't have accused him of being inhumane just because he didn't act according to her plan.

He was, after all, neither her tool nor her child, to be manipulated at will...

They could have solved their problems through communication.

Watching Jiang Xuezhou, whose brows carried a trace of regret, the little koala standing beside her said in a gentle voice.

"People are often too harsh on those close to them, believing that no matter what, the other person will never leave... Yet you all seem to rarely remember how short your own lives are."

"My previous master never got to give me a nice name. By the time I opened my eyes again, he had already turned to bones. Though my words may be a bit superfluous, I still hope you won't leave any regrets before you, too, become bones like him."

Jiang Xuezhou said in a low voice,

"I understand... I'll talk to him properly."

Was that supposed to be comforting?

But thinking about it, it actually made sense. She didn't feel the slightest bit angry at this strange remark.

Perhaps, as the little koala had said, she had been too harsh on Ye Shi.

She hadn't always been like this...

Thinking of this, Jiang Xuezhou suddenly became anxious again, worrying that he might come to dislike her for it.

She really needed to find an opportunity to talk to him.

It was already mealtime, and he wondered if that fellow had eaten yet.

With this thought, Jiang Xuezhou tapped her finger on the holographic screen, connecting to the power armor’s action recorder.

At that very moment, a graceful figure appeared on the screen.

It was a pitch-black space, with only the fireflies swirling around that graceful figure serving as a source of light.

In truth, this was nothing unusual.

She was not the type to fly into a jealous rage just because her partner glanced at another woman.

But the problem was that the camera on the action recorder seemed to have its stabilization function activated, locking unwaveringly onto those two large, ripe fruits.

As if sensing the coming storm, the little koala standing nearby wobbled its round body and quietly slipped away from the bridge.

Almost at the same time, a grinding sound came from the terminal screen.

“This bastard…”

Glancing down at her own chest, Jiang Xuezhou ground her teeth.

The fist that had finally softened was now hard again!

…

At the waist of the sacred tree in Doma City, where branches intertwined, sat a palace made entirely of wood.

The chieftain of Doma City—or rather, the king of the entire tribe—was now seated solemnly on the steps of the great hall.

His name was Tun Nan.

In the language widely spoken in this forest, this name, carved at the root of the sacred tree, meant both “leader” and “warrior of boundless power.”

Generally speaking, the two were one and the same.

The so-called “power” was actually the ability to communicate with the sacred tree.

And in this land bestowed by the sacred tree, only the bravest warriors could please it and gain its favor.

As for what the sacred tree was, that was a long story.

Even the oldest sage in Doma City could not finish telling it in less than two days and two nights.

A man clad in wooden armor entered the hall, bent his knees, and knelt on the ground, speaking in a muffled voice.

“The Ancestor has awakened.”

He was a warrior of the tribe and one of Tun Nan’s most trusted guards.

Tun Nan looked down at the man prostrate at the foot of the steps and said in a steady voice,

“What does he command?”

The guard bowed his head and replied respectfully,

“He commands the temple maidens that no one may enter his chambers without his permission.”

Tun Nan’s expression did not change; he continued impassively,

“Anything else?”

The guard went on,

“He kept one person.”

Tun Nan asked,

“Who?”

The guard answered,

“Dora.”

Tun Nan turned to the side. The elder standing beside him leaned in and whispered a few words, briefly recounting the life of the maiden who had gained the Ancestor’s favor.

After hearing the elder’s account, Tun Nan nodded calmly, then looked back at the guard.

“Have the other tribes received our signal?”

The guard clasped his hands and said,

“A dozen or so tribes nearby have responded. Their envoys are gathering toward us.”

Hearing the attendant’s report, not only did Tun Nan’s face show joy, but the priests, including Sakui, also beamed with delight.

“Heaven bless the Doma tribe!”

A rough hand slapped the vine-wrapped armrest. The burly Tun Nan rose from his throne, stepped forward energetically, and stood at the edge of the steps, surveying the priests and nobles in the hall.

This was an unprecedented opportunity.

They would reclaim the entire Forbidden Forest Valley from the “Cursed People”!

“This time, even the Ancestor is on our side.”

“It’s time to end this feud that has lasted centuries!”

…

Meanwhile, on the other side, Ye Shi, walking beside the murals in the temple at the root of the sacred tree, could not help but sneeze.

Hearing the sneeze, Dora, who was walking ahead surrounded by fireflies, turned back and asked softly with concern,

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing… Go on, tell me more about the sacred tree.”

Ye Shi muttered.

He wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination.

He had a nagging feeling that someone was thinking of him…