Chapter 1011: Heart to Heart

Chapter 1011: Heart to Heart

With a mix of doubt and belief, the young man carrying a bow lit the "fuel rod" granted by the Ancestor and groped his way into the wreckage of the starship.

The silver disc in his hand cast a pale blue light forward.

Those tiny particles of light coalesced in the air into an arrow-shaped icon, guiding him onward.

Meanwhile, Jiang Xuezhou, seated in the bridge of the Orion-class missile cruiser, gnawed on a compressed biscuit while remotely directing the native young man.

The whole process felt like playing a first-person RPG.

If Ye Shi were here, he’d definitely make that remark.

Not just first-person—when necessary, she could also make the "drone" the young man held fly behind him, switching to a third-person perspective.

Just as Jiang Xuezhou was having a blast, the shipboard server suddenly received a message, appearing as a pop-up on the holographic screen before her.

[Investigation Report on the "Yinsov Tree," the Forest People Tribe, and the Locals’ Unique "Psychic Ability"]

Seeing this pop-up, Jiang Xuezhou’s eyes lit up. She cleared her throat lightly and spoke into the communication channel.

"I’m out of power—I mean, my mana’s running low. Explore on your own for a while. When you come out of the ruins to rest, remember to mark the areas you’ve explored and place the silver metal disc in the sunlight."

Qiu Ling: "?"

Without waiting for the native young man exploring the ruins to reply, Jiang Xuezhou eagerly opened the investigation report uploaded by Ye Shi.

In the report, Ye Shi detailed the explanation of the "Yinsov Tree" given by the temple maid of the Doma tribe, as well as a series of events during the "Barbaric Era" and the "Awakening Era."

[The locals, for some reason, have forgotten the writing and history of the Human Federation era. My speculation is that most of those who survived the war were children with undeveloped traits, or even newborns. Gaia, or the Yinsov Tree, altered the genes of these children, granting them the ability to photosynthesize under specific conditions, enabling them to survive the aftermath of the war. However, without parents, the transmission of civilization and knowledge was broken.]

[In contrast, that genetic modification endowed some surviving newborns with the special ability of "telepathy," hereinafter referred to as "Psychic Power."]

[Through this unique ability, they could communicate directly via telepathy, interact with other beings in nature, converse with the Yinsov Tree, and even connect with the past and future.]

[This special ability, to some extent, accelerated the local civilization’s progress, even if the locals themselves were unaware of its existence. Under the catalysis of "Psychic Power," they quickly invented a new language, and under the cohesion of this new language and culture, formed vast tribal communities.]

[Time came to the Awakening Era, marked by the landing of the surviving crew of the Gemini-class missile cruiser. With the assistance of the seventeen Gemini crew members, the local survivors fully comprehended the "Psychic Power" talent, truly recognized the existence of the "Yinsov Tree," and understood it through dimensional theory as some higher-dimensional entity.]

[With the help of the "Yinsov Tree," the locals reacquainted themselves with forgotten history, summarizing past memories as the Barbaric Era and the memories after "realizing the existence of the self and It" as the Awakening Era, until the arrival of the Second Judgment Day.]

[On the issue of the "Yinsov Tree," the Gemini crew members diverged. Some left the forest with those suspected of being unable to sense the Yinsov Tree, the "Sinners," while the rest stayed in the Forbidden Valley with the survivors who believed in the Yinsov Tree, resting and recuperating under the original sacred tree—the sapling of the Yinsov Tree.]

[The specific reason for the Gemini crew’s disagreement is not clearly recorded in the temple murals. The history the temple maid could "see" through the murals does not seem to include this part.]

[According to her, the foundation of "Psychic Power" sensing must be built on mutual recognition, and the information exchanged must be concepts understood by both parties. My understanding is… this Psychic Power is like pressing each other’s teleprompter. Thus, when this connection is established between past and present, the present can transmit more information to the past, but its impact on the future is relatively smaller. The past can receive less information from the present, but the choices made based on known information have a greater impact on the future.]

[This is very similar to our encounter in the "Hyperspace Channel," but not entirely the same.]

[However, though the hope of establishing a "Psychic Channel" with the Gemini crew is slim, I can still make rough speculations based on limited information: their quarrel might have been about whether to continue assisting the locals in awakening and whether to return to the solar system aboard the Gemini. This dispute ultimately ended with the Gemini-class missile cruiser crashing into the atmosphere, forcing the Forest People to leave the Forbidden Valley, ceding their ancestral sacred land to the current Valley People.]

"So that’s it… No wonder the Forest People call the Valley People Sinners, and the Valley People call the former ‘Traitors.’" Having read the report from start to finish, Jiang Xuezhou’s lips curled into an approving smile.

Especially the word "report"—it thoroughly satisfied her sense of conquest, and her anger had subsided considerably.

"Hmm, not bad, not bad—it seems this guy isn’t just staring at the fat; he’s actually working."

Back to the report itself.

This "Traitor" likely refers to betraying the Human Federation?

Although the term "Human Federation" has been replaced by "Ancestor" in the culture of the "Qiu People," just as the concept of "dimension" has been replaced by "Higher Existence" in Forest People culture, the hatred between them has been passed down through generations.

To this day, the Forbidden Valley remains a sacred site and a symbol of past shame in the hearts of the Forest People.

It must be said, Ye Shi’s idea of starting this war without knowing anything was a very bad one.

And this little cleverness might even get him into trouble.

The Ancestor’s palace destroyed the Forest People’s sacred tree. Though the Forest People still respect the Ancestor, they clearly revere the "Yinsov Tree" more.

If the two came into conflict, or if factors like territory, secular fame, and property were added, she could easily guess that the Forest People would unhesitatingly stand with the "Yinsov Tree."

"Even if the Qiu People return the ‘Sacred Relic,’ the Forest People probably won’t let it go… By then, if that guy’s conscience pricks him and he tries to hit the brakes, he’ll likely end up pleasing neither side."

Though Ye Shi had more than once teased her for being a bit of a "saint," she could actually sense that he wasn’t truly cold-blooded—just occasionally a bit clever and reckless.

If this war really broke out, when he saw the fields of corpses and remembered that these people were also descendants of humans, he’d probably start regretting it.

This back-and-forth—calling for something one moment, rejecting it the next, shouting "too soft" then "too cruel"—was actually a sign of immaturity, and it would come at a cost.

Of course, she wasn’t saying she was particularly mature herself.

Especially when it came to being straightforward…

"Psychic Power… sounds like such a convenient ability. If only I could awaken that special power too."

Leaning back in her office chair, Jiang Xuezhou let out a long sigh, tapping her finger on the holographic screen.

"Forget it… I’d better remind this guy."

Given that he’d backed down…

Just as Jiang Xuezhou was thinking this, a pale blue pop-up appeared in the window.

Seeing the pop-up on the holographic screen, Jiang Xuezhou’s expression instantly changed. She sprang up from her chair like a reflex.

"Connection lost?!"

What’s going on?!

……

On the official forum of "Wasteland OL," a discussion thread about a world five light-years away was hanging at the top of the hot list, with the title exactly what Jiang Xuezhou had seen on the shipboard server—

[Investigation Report on the "Yinsov Tree," the Forest People Tribe, and the Locals’ Unique "Psychic Ability"]

Quit Smoking: "Holy crap, Psychic Power?!"

WC There Really Are Mosquitoes: "Mind over matter!!! (Scream)"

Elf King Wealth: "Fast-forward to the end of reincarnation. (Silly)"

Irena: "Life is fifty years, right? I’ll sign for the Alliance. (Silly)"

Edge Drifting: "Damn, your memes are getting harder to understand. (Terrified)"

Not only did Brother Edge not get it, but this time Ye Shi didn’t either—probably because he hadn’t awakened Psychic Power and hadn’t established a "Psychic Channel" with these bastards.

But seeing those warm-hearted replies, his originally anxious mood lightened considerably.

Fang Chang’s guess was the same as his: he might have fallen for something like hypnosis.

It wasn’t some particularly outrageous ability—just a psychological suggestion method to produce a hypnotic effect.

Even in reality, without the "Psychic Power" setting, similar situations existed.

Fang Chang: "…Based on your description, those little green people can understand some of your Human Federation language and even Chinese through Psychic Power. Based on similar principles, they could also impose hypnotic psychological suggestions on you."

Ye Shi: "Even hypnosis is possible? (Bitter smile)"

Fang Chang: "At least mental interference devices can do it. I suspect Psychic Power is something similar, so it should be possible."

Canyon Fugitive Mole: "Speaking of which, I remember mental interference devices don’t have much effect on mentally active beings?"

Gale: "I recall the specific explanation is that the higher the mental level, the less the effect, and the more specific the information received."

Debt Big Eye: "Good grief, you guys are secretly bullying Brother Ye Shi again. (Manual silly)"

Night Ten: “??”

Fang Chang: “Similar is not identical. The signal emitted by the psychic interference device is, after all, mechanically simulated; there should still be a difference from true ‘psionic’ talents. I’m more inclined to think your guard was too low, and those natives took advantage of a loophole. Don’t take it to heart. (Smile)”

Night Ten: “Get lost, get lost!”

Watching these fellows who could never spit out anything decent from their dog mouths, Ye Wei wished he could roll his eyes to the heavens.

Just then, the corner of his eye caught the helmet he had set aside. He took a deep breath and finally picked it up.

Five or six hours had passed since he logged off. If it were hypnosis, he should have woken up by now.

Let me try once more…

With that thought, he put the helmet on his head for the Nth time, then mustered all his strength to extend his consciousness toward that impenetrable black domain, trying to pierce through the darkness.

This was the “trick” he had discovered during countless attempts to reconnect.

When the body in the game fell into a coma without dying completely, putting on the helmet and striving to spread his awareness into the surrounding darkness allowed him to vaguely perceive the state of his in-game character.

Right now, for instance, he felt a warm sensation at the back of his head.

That warmth grew clearer, and the seal of [Connection Anomaly] seemed to show a sign of loosening.

Night Ten’s heart leaped with joy, and he imagined himself as a little tadpole, swimming desperately toward the pitch-black darkness.

At that moment, a glimmer of light finally appeared before his eyes, growing brighter and brighter!

The next instant, he snapped his eyes open, jolting awake from his slumber.

At the same time, two bountiful fruits came into his view.

“You’re awake?”

A gentle voice came from above.

Dora, kneeling on both knees, leaned forward slightly, a serene smile emerging from those abundant peaks.

By the faint glow of fireflies, Night Ten saw that gentle and beautiful face.

The back of his head seemed to be resting on her lap.

Realizing this, Night Ten felt no flutter in his heart, nor did he have time to admire the tranquil smile. Instead, his face twisted in shock as he blurted out, “Holy shit.”

These natives—

Had they stolen his power armor?!

For him at that moment, nothing could be more horrifying.

Dora tilted her head slightly, as if she didn’t fully grasp the complex meaning behind that “holy shit,” but she understood the shock in his eyes.

“The chieftain removed your armor. He hopes you will stay here… until everything ends.”

She paused for a moment, then continued in her imperfect Commonwealth language.

“The city of Doma means no offense. We… will return the thing from the sky with both hands when all is done, and apologize to you, as well as… compensate you.”

Before she could finish, Night Ten sprang up from her lap with a start, landing on his feet.

The temple was still the same temple.

But now there was a table and two chairs on the floor, along with a bed woven from vines.

“How did you know how to unfasten the power armor?”

Looking at the wary Progenitor, Dora remained kneeling, speaking in a gentle voice.

“You… told us.”

I told you?

Night Ten was stunned for a moment, but quickly realized that the “you” here referred to the “Progenitor”!

They had established contact through psionics with the past “Progenitor”—some or one of those seventeen crew members!

Thinking of the encounter in the hyperspace lane, Night Ten immediately understood what had happened.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he grabbed a sharp stone, stepped forward in one stride, and pressed it against Dora’s throat, threatening in an icy voice.

“Take me out of here!”

Seeing the murderous Night Ten, Dora said nothing, only quietly closed her eyes.

The chieftain had told her to fulfill all his requests, and that naturally included letting him kill her.

She would bear no resentment.

Seeing her posture of offering her neck for the blade, Night Ten’s anger dissipated.

What use was killing her?

She was just a handmaiden.

Tunnan wouldn’t care; he might even send another handmaiden for him to vent on.

Preaching human rights in a primitive tribe was foolish. Here, the only difference between a person and an object was that they could speak.

As for those who wielded psionics, they were merely more expensive objects.

Night Ten felt like he had punched cotton. He ground his teeth for a while, then finally hurled the stone in his hand against the temple wall.

The root-entwined wall let out a dull thud, leaving no trace.

There was no metal nearby.

If there were, he might have been able to blast the wall apart with a cannon shot.

Of course, that wasn’t his only skill.

Besides the electromagnetic cannon, he could also electrocute this wretched tree with a dose of electrotherapy.

But hoping to carbonize a sacred tree as tall as a skyscraper with that much electricity was still somewhat fanciful.

The people outside wouldn’t just wait.

Even if the natives didn’t understand what electricity was, once they knew he was the cause, they would likely use the old method to put him to sleep again, and might even cast it continuously.

After waiting a long time without death coming, Dora slowly opened her eyes and looked at the “Progenitor” sulking alone.

A trace of pity appeared on her gentle face, and she spoke in a very soft voice.

“You are… a gentle person. You cannot bear to kill me, even though you could.”

Night Ten glanced at her, let out a self-mocking cold laugh, and said hoarsely.

“So this is what happens to good people?”

Well.

He wasn’t really a good person either; perhaps karma was more accurate.

Dora stared at him intently, continuing in that soft voice.

“Why are you unwilling to follow the chieftain’s instructions… We do not intend to harm you; we intend to help you.”

“Help me?” Night Ten snorted, asking sarcastically, “Is this how you help me?”

Dora nodded gently, and continued in a tender voice.

"The tribes in the forest are gathering, and soon we will unite again, to reclaim the sacred relics from the sinful people and return them to you. Our chieftain also said, let me fulfill all your desires... except for leaving this place, you may do anything to me."

Gazing at that obedient and charming face, Ye Shi replied coldly.

"I have no interest in that..."

Besides, he couldn't do anything anyway.

Pfft.

Even if he could, he wouldn't.

Unlike Debtor with his big eyes, he was a man of principle, and always had been.

Seeing Ye Shi unmoved, Dora did not press further, simply waiting quietly there.

Time ticked by, second after second.

And as time passed, Ye Shi grew more anxious.

The worst part now was that he had no idea what was happening outside—perhaps war mobilization was underway, or perhaps the war of extermination between the forest people and the valley people had already begun.

Moreover, lying here for so long, he didn't know what was happening with Jiang Xuezhou.

He was actually more worried about her, especially that she might do something irrational.

What to do?

Ye Shi's mind raced; in just a few minutes, countless thoughts flashed through his head.

Watching the ancestor pacing back and forth before the temple murals, Dora suddenly spoke again in a gentle voice.

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

Not thinking she could be of any help, Ye Shi tossed out an impatient reply.

"What can you do for me?"

Dora said respectfully.

"Anything."

Ye Shi sneered.

"Let me out, then?"

Dora said softly.

"Anything but that."

Ye Shi curled his lip.

"Then go to the Forbidden Valley for me."

He said it casually, never really intending for her to go there.

Besides, what use would it be?

A temple maid—could she possibly mediate between the two tribes?

Not to mention he himself might not have that ability.

But to Ye Shi's surprise, Dora gently nodded and rose from the ground.

"If it is for you, I am willing to go there."

Ye Shi was stunned.

He turned to look at Dora, staring straight into those crystal-clear eyes, and finally squeezed out a sentence.

"Are you serious?"

Dora nodded again, speaking in a tender voice.

"You cannot leave; outside are all the chieftain's men. He could bring you back with a flick of his finger. Even if I were willing to help you escape, you would not get out of this temple..."

She paused, looking into Ye Shi's eyes, and continued with sincere tone.

"But I can leave from here... The chieftain ordered me to fulfill all your wishes. I will do anything for you."

There was a hint of slyness in that sincere voice.

Clearly, she realized that doing so might betray the chieftain's original intent.

But Dora believed that the ancestor standing before her was a kind person.

And she had believed that from the very first moment she saw him.

Even if not every word he spoke was true.

"I can feel that you are sincere, that you truly wish to help us through this hardship, treating us as your children... just as in the beginning of the Awakening Era."

"We... are all the same."

Ye Shi stared blankly at that serene and devout face, suddenly recalling what Jiang Xuezhou had told him before—

They could read things beyond words!

Even things that words could not express...

In a sense, "psychic power" was indeed a convenient ability.

A bridge connecting heart to heart, greatly reducing the cost of trust within their community.

If he had to find a counterexample, the Brahmaputra Province might count—there, the actual cohesion of the people always fell short of the imagined cohesion by a polarity.

As for a positive example, Boulder City might count as half, and that was already a unique miracle on the wasteland.

Such an incredible degree of cohesion was something even the Alliance had never possessed.

Perhaps only by narrowing the "range of collection" to players who had completed the novice quest could a similar situation be found...

Ye Shi's heart was filled with emotion.

Looking at that earnest face, he finally made up his mind to entrust his hope to her.

Actually, it was only natural.

Just as the crew of the Orion had handed over control of the starship to him—

Though it had all started by accident, it was ultimately the fate of the locals themselves.

"I need you to do something for me..."

"For the survivors living in the forest, and for those living in the valley..."

"And for all living beings on this land!"