380: Final Chapter – The Rebirth of the World

At 2:17, Chen Wang's fingers were still on the control lever. The control room screen was green, and the data was stable. Voltage was normal, frequency remained unchanged, and transmission efficiency was 98.7%. Wuling's kindling system glowed ahead, with the words [System Standby] hanging quietly.

"Continue," he said.

He pressed the confirmation key.

The holographic map suddenly lit up, the entire front wall filled with images. The red lines that had filled the screen turned gray one by one and then vanished. At 63 degrees north latitude and 28 degrees east longitude, a crack appeared in the ice. Sunlight shone down, and the ground's brightness rose from 0.3 lux to 17. The temperature also began to rise: -81.4°C, -79.2°C, slowly becoming warmer.

Lin Wei stood by the terminal, her fingers lightly tapping the keyboard. "It's not fake," she whispered. "The ice is melting; its reflectivity has dropped by 12%."

Su Ling walked to the door, gun still in hand but not raised. She pulled the door open, and a cold wind carrying snow blew in, but the wind died down after a few seconds. She looked up at the sky; a rift had opened in the clouds, and a beam of light shone on the metal railing, turning it a pale gold.

"The sun is out," she said.

Star Pupil sat by the auxiliary pod, the mechanical parrot perched on its rack, its green light flashing. She closed her eyes and suddenly spoke: "I hear... a very faint, intermittent voice." She paused for a moment. "'Green sprouts... growing... Harbin Station... is anyone there?'"

Amy Chen immediately turned on the satellite signal. Data began to scroll, and the vegetation map changed—the Northeast Plain, Southern Siberia, and Northern Canada; the plant indices in multiple locations were all recovering. She switched to the Modified Vehicle Alliance's channel, and messages began coming in from thirty-seven locations, their content changing from "SOS" to "Safe," "Have food," and "The children have woken up."

Su Wan stood by the medical kit, her hand slowly releasing the buckle. She walked to the air vent, took off her mask, and took a deep breath. The air was still cool, but it no longer stung her throat. "Oxygen content... 19.4%," she said. "Just like twenty years ago."

The first muffled boom came from outside, like the sound of something snapping underground. Then a second, and a third. The distant glaciers were cracking, and the ground vibrated slightly.

Chen Wang stepped out of the control room and onto the platform. The Wuling was parked behind him, its body covered in a bit of frost, with a new scratch on the left armor. He reached out to touch it; the metal was still a bit warm. The kindling system flashed one last time: [Mission Complete. survival points settled. Vehicle status: Doomsday Ark · Wuling Heavy Industry Customized Version (Final Form)] before disappearing.

Lin Wei crouched in front of the car, her fingertip touching the emblem. Melted snow dripped from her glove. She smiled, raised her hand to wipe her face, and crouched for a moment longer before standing up and brushing the snow off her pants.

Su Ling placed her gun into the holster on her back and shoved her hands into the pockets of her combat suit. She didn't speak, keeping her gaze fixed on the distance. The horizon was turning white; the sun hadn't fully risen yet, but the snowy ground had already begun to reflect light. She stood tall, her shoulders relaxed, for the first time not checking her ammunition or scope.

Amy Chen stood before the terminal, the screen displaying a simulation of the global ecological recovery. She put down what she was holding and stopped making adjustments. She took an old coin from her pocket, looked at it for a moment, and tossed it into the air. The coin landed in the melting snow, rolled half a circle, and came to a stop at an angle.

Su Wan walked to the center of the platform and placed the medical kit at her feet. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes, letting the sunlight fall on her face. The wind blew across her cheeks, carrying a hint of moisture. She stood for a long time with her arms crossed over her chest.

Star Pupil leaned against the mechanical parrot's rack, her eyes slightly closed. Her consciousness extended outward, crossing the ice plains, traversing the rift valleys, and sensing an underground warm current a hundred kilometers away. She heard the sound of roots growing in the soil—very faint, but never-ending. The corners of her mouth slowly turned up; this was her first genuine smile in days.

Chen Wang stood at the very front, his left hand resting on the Wuling's roof, his right hand raised, pointing east. There, the morning light was rising from the horizon, its color changing from gray to gold. The wind had stopped, and the snow had stopped. The six people on the platform didn't move, like six pillars rooted into this reborn world.

In the distance, the first green sprout poked through the frozen earth, revealing a hint of tender yellow.