Yan Luo drove through the wilderness for two days, traveling at least fourteen hours each day.

If it were ten years before the Lost Era, it definitely wouldn't take that long. Unfortunately, it was now the seventy-first year of the Abyss Calendar, eighty-one years since the Abyss descended.

The concentration of Magic Power on Blue Star's surface has been rising year by year over these eighty-one years. Although the increase each year isn't much, even a slight increase over eighty-one years has raised the Magic Power concentration to a considerably high level.

Along the way, Yan Luo encountered numerous road collapses and impassable areas, forcing him to take detours. He also encountered many mutated creatures.

Luckily, he didn't encounter any city-breaking level mutated creatures, otherwise Yan Luo wouldn't know if he could escape.

After two days of driving, Yan Luo finally entered Changming City.

He deposited his equipment at the checkpoint in Changming City and rode a motorcycle into the city.

Any Hunter entering the city would be a key surveillance target, since many Hunters only need one hit to kill. Even a Sequence 5 Hunter could cause a massive murder case within the city.

Yan Luo was different from other Hunters; he was already strong enough himself. A casual punch from him could cause a body to collapse completely, whereas other Hunters would need to activate their Engravings before taking action.

For this reason, the city's surveillance system monitored Yan Luo more closely than other Hunters.

Changming City is one of the most prosperous cities in the Eastern Region. Since there hasn't been any Abyss portal here for eighty-one years, it's very safe.

This safety made Changming City one of the major research and commercial centers in the Eastern Region. When Yan Luo entered the city, he saw numerous transport and passenger vehicles coming and going.

Yan Luo followed the address information provided by the black market and found that Qiu Zhixue lived in a retirement home where many retired figures gathered.

He applied to meet with Qiu Zhixue at the entrance of the retirement home, stating his name, identity, and purpose.

The security guard at the door, after hearing this, looked at Yan Luo with a somewhat strange expression but still reported the matter.

It didn't take long before the security guard received the directive to let him pass.

Upon stepping into the retirement home, a cursor appeared on Yan Luo's goggles, guiding him to Qiu Zhixue's room.

Without a moment's hesitation, Yan Luo followed the cursor.

The scenery inside this retirement home was beautiful, not only featuring a garden but even a small lake within it. In the lake there was an artificial hill, and a long corridor was built surrounding the lake, with green bamboo planted on both sides of the corridor.

Yan Luo followed the cursor through the corridor to the other side of the retirement home.

This retirement home had no tall buildings, and each elderly resident had their own small independent courtyard.

Even in this city where land is so precious, the retirement home could still occupy such a large area, suggesting the identities of those who retired here.

Yan Luo didn't think much of it and walked into the small courtyard where Qiu Zhixue lived.

Squeak, squeak...

Warm sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling an old man with wrinkles sitting quietly in a rocking chair, enjoying peaceful moments in the courtyard.

A sturdy caregiver sat beside the elderly man, ready to provide aid should an unexpected situation arise.

"Mr. Li." Yan Luo approached Qiu Zhixue and saluted with clasped fists.

Qiu Zhixue slowly opened his cloudy eyes, his gaze sliding to the left, slightly tilting his head to look at Yan Luo.

"Are you... Yan Luo?"

Qiu Zhixue's voice was weak, as if he could stop breathing at any moment.

"I am Yan Luo." Yan Luo nodded.

Yan Luo looked at Qiu Zhixue, and his mind flashed with information about the man's identity.

Qiu Zhixue was born in the glorious era before the Lost Ten Years. When he was born, autonomous driving had not yet gained public acceptance, and when he came of age, the first commercial controlled nuclear fusion reactor had just been completed.

"I've heard of you..."

Qiu Zhixue's expression was indistinguishable between laughing and crying, as his lips and eyes curved, "You are one of the few of this era still thinking of completely eradicating the Abyss."

As he spoke, Qiu Zhixue suddenly started coughing, prompting the caregiver sitting by to stand quickly.

"No need."

Qiu Zhixue took a deep breath, supporting himself with the armrests to sit up.

It was as if a dead tree had revived in spring, life overtaking the aura of death, and Qiu Zhixue regained his Spirit.

Seeing this, the caregiver's mouth opened slightly, unsure of what to say.

"Go inform the director; I may be dying soon." Qiu Zhixue turned to the caregiver, "Let them help prepare funeral arrangements, notify my unfilial descendants, and then let me be alone with this young one for a while."

Qiu Zhixue already knew that this was his final burst of energy.

The caregiver nodded silently and turned away from the courtyard.

Qiu Zhixue looked at Yan Luo and motioned to the chair beside him, "Sit down."

Yan Luo said nothing and walked over to sit down.

Staring at Yan Luo's eyes and brows, Qiu Zhixue pondered in silence before suddenly laughing, "Indeed, just like before. Those who called for the eradication of the Abyss back then... You remind me of them, this kind of Spirit and vigor, which many people now lack."

Yan Luo remained silent, formulating questions in his mind.

"I know what you're thinking, but could you listen to an old man with little time left talk about past events?" Qiu Zhixue requested warmly, "Nowadays, few are willing to hear these things."

"... Okay." Yan Luo nodded slightly.

Upon hearing this, Qiu Zhixue smiled again, lost in reminiscence.

"At that time, 'controlled nuclear fusion' had enlivened the whole world. It seemed like war was on the verge of breaking out... No, wars were already happening globally, yet my country remained peaceful."

Qiu Zhixue lamented, "Back then, everyone thought humanity was about to enter a new era; interstellar colonization no longer seemed distant, and leaving the solar system felt within reach. From then on, energy wouldn't be expensive, and the world would see fewer conflicts... I'm currently one hundred and two years old. In the year the Abyss descended, I was twenty-one, fresh out of college. But after the Lost Ten Years, I became a prominent academic figure and later the Dean of Physics at Changming University. Do you know why?"

Qiu Zhixue's talk was fragmented; he spoke whatever came to mind, causing Yan Luo to frown.

However, he didn't interrupt Qiu Zhixue's narration. Instead, he followed the topic: "Because... you studied diligently?"

"Wrong! Because too many people died!" Qiu Zhixue revealed a cold, cruel number, "Before the Abyss descended, Blue Star had 7.8 billion people. But after the Lost Ten Years, only 5.3 billion remained—the loss was 2.5 billion people in just ten years! Moreover, many of those who died were scientists, so after the Lost Ten Years, a fool like me, who hadn't even earned a master's degree, became a prominent academic figure."

Yan Luo, feeling a chill, widened his eyes and held his breath.

This was something his teachers never mentioned; he knew many had died in the Lost Ten Years but hadn't realized the extent.

And... many scientists died?

Qiu Zhixue continued, "The bravest among them died in the Lost Ten Years. They built a great wall of flesh and blood for us, rushing into the Abyss, hoping to completely destroy it. The world's decline was also connected to their deaths in the Abyss. The capitalist class and cowardly individuals reaped the benefits of victory, but young people like you can't even begin to imagine what a glorious era it was."

Toward the end, Qiu Zhixue gripped the rocking chair's armrests tightly, his emotions surging increasingly.

Then suddenly, his energy depleted again, his back hunched, and he murmured softly, "But, the Abyss wasn't eradicated, and the world became a mess. Madmen began killing each other, justifying their actions as apocalyptic... No, Yan Luo, the people you seek no longer exist."

Yan Luo's pupils contracted, and he asked urgently, "No longer exist? What do you mean?"

"The literal meaning."

Qiu Zhixue raised a finger to the sky and spoke calmly, yet his words carried a chilling truth Yan Luo couldn't accept:

"Our civilization's original technological development path has been completely blocked. Many of the scientists who died in the Lost Ten Years did so because they couldn't accept this fact and chose to end their lives."

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