85: Chapter 85 They Have Another Choice

...

"Big brother, is something on your mind?"

In the room, the girl Ruoxi carefully finished the last sip of soup with her spoon and asked with confusion. Since returning, "Grandpa" had looked a bit unhappy.

This was not her imagination.

Lin Fang was indeed feeling depressed. He found that the engine at the entrance was simply too large to fit in. Otherwise, he would have already run a hundred miles on his crutches just to give it an affectionate stroke.

the wandering earth...

Scientists discovered that the hydrogen Nuclear Fusion reaction inside the sun had become unbalanced. It would expand into a red giant within the next 100 years and undergo a violent explosion. To escape the solar crisis a century later, the humans of this world proposed four survival plans.

The Digital Life Project, the Project Lunar Exile, the Ark Project, and the Project Moving Mountain.

This year, the Project Moving Mountain was renamed the the Wandering Earth Project, while the other three failed for various reasons.

The the Wandering Earth Project became the main theme.

Running away with the planet—this was a world where the engine technology tree had been maxed out.

Lin Fang carefully reviewed the timeline from the movie. Today was January 21st. According to the plot, it was still over a month until the Lunar Fall Crisis and the official start of the earth's wandering. The exact date was unclear, as the plot didn't mention it.

—In the Braking Era, we have even lost the concept of a 'day'; all that remains is the roar of the engines and the countdown.

Recalling this line from the plot, Lin Fang couldn't help but sigh at how the people of this other world were truly displaced and suffering.

Next came something more important.

How should he plunder the resources of this world? What could an old man with one foot in the grave even do?

There is a saying that is right: suffering should not be glorified.

Lin Fang thought for a moment and made a decision. He would give them hope, and in return, he would reap all the benefits of this era!

After all, merchants pursue profit...

After adjusting his mindset, Lin Fang frowned as he watched the little girl start to take out the liner and lick it. "Xiaoxi, do you know how many credit points this is worth?"

"Ah?"

The girl put down the liner in a panic, not understanding why he had suddenly become harsh. With tears welling in her eyes, she said, "Big brother, I... I don't know."

"It's fine, but starting today, you will work for me."

...

Hangzhou No. 3 Supply Station.

Accompanied by snowflakes, a thick fog like a gray veil enveloped the entire station.

Today was another day for collecting survival supplies.

Hundreds of people wrapped in heavy winter clothes shuffled in line, clutching their ID cards tightly, their eyes full of exhaustion and longing for supplies.

"Everyone, listen to me. Don't panic, don't cause a commotion. It's very cold, so everyone hold onto your cards. I guarantee that everyone will receive their supplies..."

Listening to the shouts of the staff passing by, Liu Peiqiang swiped his ID card on the reader and received his share of supplies, which contained some compressed biscuits and canned food.

"Wait, you performed meritorious service in '44?" a man at the supply station called out to him.

Liu Peiqiang nodded, skillfully accepted two extra bags of fruit, and left the crowd, only to see a small figure standing on the steps.

It was the little girl from last time. She was holding a plastic box, looking around as if searching for something.

Just as Ruoxi was getting anxious,

a bag of green apples was placed into her plastic box.

Liu Peiqiang straightened the woolen hat on her head and smiled. "Little sister, the apples are good, right? Here's another bag for you."

After saying that, he prepared to turn and leave.

"Uncle, wait!"

Ruoxi snapped out of it and hurriedly blocked his path. Before Liu Peiqiang could speak, the little girl stood on her tiptoes and signaled for him to lean down, indicating she wanted to whisper something to him.

Upon hearing what the little girl said,

Liu Peiqiang, who had been indifferent, widened his eyes. Excitement welled up in his heart, and the supplies in his hands dropped to the ground.

Could what she said be true?

—

Ten minutes later, Liu Peiqiang followed the girl into a secluded alley. To be honest, the word of a girl he had only met once wasn't very credible, but just in case, he wouldn't let any possibility slip by.

When the simple iron door was pushed open,

Liu Peiqiang saw an old man sitting on the edge of the bed. He was thin and dressed in ragged clothes. The only thing that surprised him was the old man's eyes... deep and sharp, not at all what one would expect from such an aged body.

Ruoxi sat down next to the old man and said excitedly, "Big brother, I found Uncle Liu."

Wait... what did this girl just call the old man?

Just as Liu Peiqiang couldn't hold back his questions, the old man spoke. His voice was hoarse but carried a convincing power.

"Well done, Xiaoxi."

Lin Fang coughed twice and looked over one of the movie's protagonists. Although he looked different, the determination in his eyes was exactly the same.

As expected of a protagonist.

"Mr. Liu Peiqiang, Xiaoxi told you, didn't she? I can treat your wife Han Duoduo's illness."

"Who are you? I don't believe your word alone."

The old man was too familiar with his situation. A soldier's caution made Liu Peiqiang's gaze turn sharp.

"You've already come here, so why not give it a try?" As the old man spoke, his hands rested on his cane. Liu Peiqiang felt as if all his thoughts were being seen through.

"You could also choose to leave."

—

[Successfully evacuated from the the wandering earth plane. Obtained supplies: Medical Case Storage Box]

[Weight of the the wandering earth plane increased. Current weight: 1%]

The disguise faded away.

Lin Fang returned to his usual casual self. He felt like he could have been a Best Actor in the film industry.

"Xiaohei, what do you think MOSS's goal is?"

Lin Fang said while looking at the projection playing the movie. The old set had already been thrown into the trash; the current projection array was a brand-new version brought from the resident evil world.

At least it could achieve high-definition quality.

And the MOSS Lin Fang mentioned was the mastermind hidden behind the scenes in the the wandering earth world, an artificial intelligence within the 550W Quantum Computer.

[Electronic Zhang Beihai]

Xiaohei, who had already watched all of Da Liu's science fiction movies, leaped onto Lin Fang's shoulder and even made a show of adjusting its glasses.

[It drives a series of crises with the goal of finding the optimal solution to continue human civilization.]

Do AIs understand AIs? Lin Fang couldn't help but wonder upon hearing Xiaohei's answer.

Maybe he could ask if they ever met.

Lin Fang suddenly thought of an important question: "By the way, Xiaohei, can you beat it?"

[Boss, I don't know about my current self, but it certainly can't do anything to me.]

The little black cat shook its head at these words, looking expectantly at Lin Fang, and pointed its paw at the quantum computer on the projection:

[But if I have that, I could twist MOSS into a pretzel in 0.1 seconds.]